a/n: I daresay I've been cursed with short-chapterism! I will be writing all holiday, and I want to make more progress! ENJOY, MY CHILDREN.

I don't own these characters. J.K. Rowling does, the doll…

"My…my mum lost her job at the Ministry about a year ago," explained Cho, clutching a cup of tea for dear life in the Burrow living room. "She was part of the Department of International Magical Cooperation, worked mainly with the Chinese Ministry after we moved here." Harry stirred his tea. Mrs. Weasley had gratefully served them as soon as they arrived, clearly desperate for someone to fuss over after the funeral. The living room was still packed with tables of half-empty food plates and beaming pictures from the reception, and they had been told to tuck in as much as they could. They hadn't touched it yet. Ron and Hermione had left for Australia as soon as the reception ended, Bill and Fleur had gone back to Shell Cottage, Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia had locked themselves in the parlor all day (as per usual), while Dudley had gone for a stroll, and Mr. Weasley, Percy, Ginny, and George had all gone to their rooms to rest.

"They had come up with a few reasons for firing her, none that made any real sense," she continued. "Not wanting to continue international magical relations for fear they may try and interfere with You-Know-Who's plans…stuff like that. I think the main thing was that she was half-blood, and refused to support their new laws. Anyway, she went back to stay at home with me. My dad stayed in China, and was trying to send us money, but someone was watching our post, and we got nothing." She wasn't crying.

"So, Harry, I really need this job. My mum and I just lost our house, and she's trying to find a job, too, I just…"

"For the summer."

"What?"

"Do you think you might want to stay my assistant for the summer?" Harry cursed himself inwardly for his pitying; he just didn't want her to be homeless all this time.

Someone came rumbling down the creaky stairs. Ginny stumbled into the room, absorbed in a book. Harry shut his eyes, this seemed the worst case scenario. Just get it over with, he thought.

"Hey, Ginny," he said loudly. She looked up and took in the scene with her mouth slightly open in shock. He thought he saw her eyes flash ever so slightly. Her face hardened conclusively at once. She snapped the book shut. "Er—Ginny, I can ex—"

"You left this in your rucksack," she said, pushing the book into his chest. He took it, and felt his heart fly into his throat—it was Ron's birthday gift. "It's obviously worked really well, after all you two have been through, I'm impressed you can keep that flame after all these years." She spoke with icy sarcasm, Cho watched her with an alarmingly vacant gaze.

"Oh, Ginny, you—you can't think that—"

"No! No, don't let me get in your way, Harry," she interrupted dramatically. He never knew her to be dramatic. "I'll just leave you two to catch—" the back door flew open. In came a very flustered-looking Dudley, followed by Luna Lovegood, who appeared to be patting his back vaguely.

"Wrackspurt got to him," she informed them. Dudley appeared as if he owed Luna his life. "Lucky we crossed each other at just the right time. Wrackspurts are invisible and they float in your head through your ears and make your mind go fuzzy. I recognized the expression right away, and we we're able to dissolve it just in time, I carry the serum around just in case." She beamed at their frozen figures for a moment before excusing herself. "Remember to wear the charm I gave you, just in case, okay, Dudley Dursley?" He nodded obediently and she waved to all before drifting dreamily out of the house.

"Er—Ginny, can I talk to you in private?" He took her arm and half-dragged her into the kitchen.

"I can walk perfectly fine!" she protested.

"Listen," he said, ignoring her. "Kingsley hired her as my assistant. I tried to fire her right afterward, but…er—Ginny, she's homeless." She glared at him a moment.

"There are other jobs."

"You realize how hard it might be to get a job right now with so many Muggle-borns coming out of hiding?"

"Then what are you proposing?" He furrowed his brow, not knowing what to tell her, when they heard voices coming from the living room. The scene seemed suddenly frozen as they both shifted their attention curiously to the voices. Ginny turned around slowly and peered through the door, muffling a gasp at what she saw. Harry followed, and immediately understood what that gasp was for.

Cho and Dudley were both enveloped deep in conversation, clearly as if old friends. Dudley regarded her shyly, while Cho spoke with her usual animated air she adopted when talking with her enormous squad of girlfriends at Hogwarts.

"So there really is no such thing as Wrackspurts?" asked Dudley, a goofily embarrassed smile (which Cho evidently considered a very desirable trait) cracking across his doughy face.

"Nah, Luna was always a rather odd sort."

"Excuse me?" Ginny had stormed in to join the conversation. "Luna is twice the girl you are." Cho recoiled, defeated, by staring down at her lap.

"I sorry to intrude, Ginny," she mumbled. She was silent before she began frantically gathering up her purse. "I should probably go." Ginny watched her with a look of mingled remorse and anger. Cho had just reached the door when she called after her:

"Who said you'll be leaving?" Cho whirled around. Ginny sighed and rolled her eyes at herself. "Harry needs help, apparently, and you need somewhere to stay." Harry stared, wide-eyed, at this rash decision. She folded her arms tightly, and looked quickly to the ground, clearly mortified. She opened her mouth to say something more, but only clenched it shut, scowling at the ground. As she half-ran out of the room, Harry heard her mumble: "but no slumber parties."