a/n: I'm just cranking them out, now. Sorry for the shortness. I'm a short person. I cut my hair this week. Plus, I painted a picture of a butterfly. Enjoy my fanfiction.

Disclaimation Nation: I don't own these characters, J.K. Rowling does.

"Er—sorry, Harry, I…" Cho trailed off, flushing brilliantly.

He turned back pleadingly towards Kingsley, even though he knew the man would know little of Harry's love life, let alone the fact he had hired Harry's ex-girlfriend. Kingsley, had, however, leaned back in his chair, shut his eyes, and let his mouth fall open, clearly trying to gain a few minutes of rest before his next appointment. Harry turned back to her, and walked briskly forward on his cane, gesturing forcefully with his head for her to follow him. He opened the door for them, and he rushed for the elevator. He internally thanked Merlin that it was empty. As soon as the golden gates screeched shut, he began to speak, talking to the entrance of the elevator.

"Tell me, Cho, did you have any idea how awkward this might be for me right now?" Hot anger rose in him. Cho had been polite to him when their paths crossed after they'd broken up, but he remembered how defensive of him Ginny had been just before the Battle, and immediately recognized this as a very ugly situation.

"I thought it wouldn't matter," she answered bluntly. Harry noticed she wasn't in her usual fit of tears.

"Wouldn't matter? Cho, imagine what Ginny will say…no offense, but with the Weasleys, you're not exactly one to be welcomed into the family."

She said nothing for a moment.

"I thought you and Ginny broke up." He felt her eyes fall on him as the doors creaked open once more to reveal a packed Atrium. Workers were now trying to disassemble the large statue of the witch and wizard on the throne of muggles without disturbing the frantic Ministry officials, who were occasionally having to duck to avoid a flying stone eye or a nude stone muggle. They strode out of the elevator, and Harry cautiously checked their surroundings for Rita Skeeter. She was watching the statue crumble from a very inconvenient location leaning against a pillar, sucking distantly on her acid-green Quick-Quotes Quill. Watching the journalist, he beckoned Cho to follow him, and they stopped behind a darkened pillar in the corner of the Atrium.

"Listen," he said. "Ginny and I did break up. But…back then, it was just to protect her." He sighed and looked over to Rita Skeeter, who was edging closer to them, though obliviously strolling around the statue, taking in its crude splendor at several angles. "We've not talked since the Battle," he said, turning back to her. She looked down when their gaze met, furrowing her brow.

"I'm sorry."

"I don't think this'll go over well, you working for me." She rubbed her forehead, though her eyes stayed remarkably dry.

"Please, I need this job," she pleaded quietly. He swore internally at her persistence, and checked for Skeeter again. She was turning round in a circle, her back currently turned. He watched her a moment, until she had turned to such an angle that she noticed him—in a corner—with Cho. Her eyes immediately became hungry for the appealing circumstances, and she began rushing forward with more speed than he ever thought she could make in her towering heels.

"Come on, Cho, there are tons of jobs out there, I'm sure you can find another." She sighed and scratched her head. "Listen, we'll stay in touch, just as friends, okay?" He held out his hand for her to shake, though slightly insistent in doing so, as Rita Skeeter had now stopped to linger, Quick-Quotes Quill quivering urgently on a hovering pad of shimmery paper, at was obviously what she thought was a safe and sneaky distance about ten meters away.

Cho looked away from him.

"Well, I guess I'll seen you then," he said, as she had dismissed his offer. He turned to leave, nodding defiantly at Rita Skeeter, who looked near tears at her lack of juicy news. He was just about to reach the nearest fireplace to floo back to the Burrow when he heard Cho call out to him once more.

"I'm homeless," she called.

He froze in his tracks.