Disclaimer: All characters, storyline, sub-plots, etc.are owned by JK Rowling, Warner Bros, and whoever else paid to own them. I don't have any claim on Harry Potter or on any of the books, movies, etc. With that said . . .Enjoy!

"Cho!" Running out of the Great Hall to catch up, Harry saw Cho's long raven hair whip around.

"Go away, Harry. I need some time to think" Cho said as she turned to walk away again.

Noticing the tears streaming down her face, Harry groaned inwardly and thought "Not Again!", but concerned, he grabbed Cho's arm before she could run away from him.

"What's wrong? Have I done something?" Harry asked.

"I'm confused about my feelings because whenever I'm around you I feel guilty for wanting to be with you, while Cedric lies cold in his grave. Please give me some space to think!" Cho whipped her hair again, and stormed off.

Hurt by Cho's words, Harry stood still, not knowing what to do. He had been happy to see her, while Cho, on the other hand was crying.

Slowly, Harry started walking to the Gryffindor common room. As he was walking, he noticed a familiar red head approaching his direction.

"Hello Harry." Ginny said.

"Hi Ginny. Have you seen Ron or Hermione?" Harry asked.

Smirking Ginny said, "Ron is doing his detention with Professor Snape and Hermione is in the library catching up on her extra credit reports. Are you on your way back to the common room?"

"Yeah. See ya." Harry said, wanting only to be alone with his thoughts.

"See ya, Harry. And Harry . . . don't worry, Cho'll come around." Ginny said as she continued her way to whatever destination she was headed to.

Lying on his bed, alone in the dormitory, Harry stared up at the ceiling, thinking of his situation with Cho. Since Cho was examining her feelings, Harry decided to examine his own as well.

Without a doubt, Cho was the most beautiful girl Harry had ever seen. Without even smiling, Cho's presence could light up any room she was in. Everyone who knew Cho felt lucky to be counted as one of her many friends. Until recently, Cho was the one person you could count on to put a smile on your face. Cho was, well, she was Cho: the most popular, stunning girl in school.

With this thought in mind, Harry started to analyze his feelings. Was it Cho Chang, the person, whom he was in love with? Or was it just her image? How well did he actually know her before he asked her to be his girlfriend? Harry knew the answer to this last question even before the question was fully phrased in his mind. It was as if he knew Cho all of his life, and yet, at the same time, it was like exploring uncharted territory, not knowing which way to go.

"This is maddening!" Harry exclaimed aloud to the room.

Getting off his bed, Harry decided to go back to the common room. When he arrived, he noticed immediately that Ron and Hermione had returned. They were in the middle of an argument. As soon as Harry made his presence known, Ron and Hermione abruptly stopped their argument in favor of acknowledging his arrival.

"Hi ya Harry" Ron and Hermione stated together.

"Hey. What were you two arguing about?" Harry asked for a lack of something better to say.

"Nothing" They replied again in unison, with a quick glance at each other.

Immediately, Ron changed the subject by asking Harry if he wanted to go get something to eat.

The trio went down to the Great Hall, running past a cackling Peeves who was trying to throw ginger snaps at them. Seated at the Great Hall, Ginny, with Michael Corner in tow, came by to chat with Harry, Ron, and Hermione about what they were all going to do for the summer holidays.

Noticing that Michael Corner was not participating in the conversation, Harry asked "So, Michael, you're going to be traveling through the continent for the holidays?"

"Who told you that? Cho?" Michael replied suspiciously.

"Err, no mate, Ginny mentioned it just now. Were you paying attention?" Harry said with raised eyebrows.

"Oh! Yeah, me and my mum will be traveling through the continent." Michael answered sheepishly. But Harry was still considering Michael's earlier response, and the fact that Michael mentioned Cho's name. Harry was not aware that they were even friends.

As Ginny and Michael left, Ron gave Hermione a pointed look and asked Harry if he wanted to stay for a couple of weeks at the burrow.

Harry immediately feeling better at the thought of spending some of his holiday with the Weasley's said with good humor "Yeah, sure, if it's okay with your mum".

"Of course mum wants you to be there. If she had it her way, she would probably adopt you!" Ron said teasingly. "Did you hear? Fleur will most likely be staying with us too."

"Really? It would be great to see her again." Harry said without any real enthusiasm. Thinking about Fleur made him think of his fourth year, when he participated in the triwizard tournament, and thinking of that made him think of Cedric. It saddened him to think of Cedric, his one time rival. Witnessing Cedric's death was one of the most horrible experiences he'd ever endured.

"Ron? Could I speak to you for a moment? In private?" Hermione asked in a serious tone. "Sorry Harry, but I need to discuss something with Ron alone."

"Sure. I think I need to get some fresh air anyway." Harry said. Remembering the argument he walked in on earlier in the common room between Ron and Hermione, Harry figured Hermione thought of a brilliant comeback that she wanted to throw in Ron's face.

With no specific destination in mind, Harry roamed the school grounds aimlessly. Despite the many other students who were out and about, Harry felt very much alone. He couldn't quite shake the feeling that he would always be alone. Sure, he had his best friends with him, but he had a feeling in his gut telling him that he was meant to face the future alone. After walking a full circle around the school grounds, Harry sat down on the steps that led to the Great Hall, and watched the activity surrounding him. He noticed a group of first years talking together, not far from where he sat, and he noticed how young and innocent they were. They did not have a dark shadow following them wherever they went. When they thought of their futures, they would not see themselves alone.

"Um, Harry? Can we talk?"

Startled, Harry looked behind him to see who was talking to him and saw that it was Cho. "Sure" Harry said as he stood up.

"Um, would you like to go down to the Black Lake with me?" Cho asked tentatively.

"Let's go" Harry said.

Once they had arrived at the Black Lake, they both sat down and stared at the view the lake provided. It really was a beautiful view, with the sunset bathing Hogwarts Castle with an iridescent light, and the color of the lake's surface slowly changing its hue. The sound of birds cooing to each other could be heard in the distance, and the air was still and calm. Somehow Harry knew he would always remember this moment.

Cho was the first to break the silence. "Harry, as you know I've been thinking a lot about us. Please understand that I truly do care about you, and if circumstances were different, I would have fallen in love with you. The truth is . . . I'm not strong enough to be the girlfriend you deserve. Wait . . . before you say anything, please let me finish. Last year during the triwizard tournament, I had a crush on you, but I fell in love with Cedric. Cedric was my first love, and had he lived . . . who knows what might have happened. The point is, he died, and I was devastated. Harry, you will always be in danger. Or at least you will remain in danger until he-who-must-not-be named is put away in Azkaban or whatever. I don't want to fall in love with you and be afraid that you will die, or worse! What if you were killed! I know it sounds selfish, but that is how I feel. We just can't be together."

Harry could feel his heart pounding. He felt his face flushing, and the palms of his hands were sweaty. The last time he felt like this was last year, when he finally got the courage to ask Cho to the Yule Ball.

"I see. Well, it seems like you've made up your mind, then" Harry said dejectedly. Harry stared at the view before him, thinking again that he would always remember this moment. He would remember the beauty of his surroundings, the loveliness of Cho, and the feeling of numbness that suddenly arrested his entire being.

"Well, I guess I better go" Cho said uncertainly as she stood up. "Harry . . . I really am . . . sorry." And with this last said, Cho walked away.

The next day, Harry sat with his friends in the Great Hall, and half-heartedly listened to their conversation. Apparently, whatever Ron and Hermione were arguing about the other day seemed to have resolved itself. They must have reconciled yesterday, while Cho was stabbing me through the heart, Harry thought.

THE FOLLOWING EXCERPT IS TAKEN FROM J.K. ROWLINGS' NOVEL, HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX. I DID NOT WRITE IT!

"Hey, Harry," said Ron softly, nodding towards the glass window on to the corridor.
Harry looked around. Cho was passing, accompanied by Marietta Edgecombe, who was wearing a balaclava. His and Cho's eyes met for a moment. Cho blushed and kept walking.
"What's -- her -- going on with you and her, anyway?" Ron asked quietly.
"Nothing," said Harry truthfully.
"I -- err -- heard she's going out with someone else now," said Hermione tentatively.

THE FOLLOWING IS THE CONTINUATION OF MY FANFICTION.

"It doesn't matter anymore" Harry said, and to his surprise, he realized that it actually didn't matter anymore.

"I told you he would not go into hysterics!" Hermione told Ron triumphantly.

"What's all that about?" Harry asked Ron with a laugh.

"Err, sorry, mate. I just didn't want Hermione gossiping to you about Cho" Ron said guiltily.

Later that day, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny were on their way back to Gryffindor tower to gather their things in preparation for departing Hogwarts for the summer holidays, when they came across Cho and Michael Corner.

As it turned out, Michael Corner was the person Cho was going out with now. As Harry and his group approached, Cho started blushing furiously and turned around to go in the other direction. Before Michael could follow her, Harry called out to him.

"Can I have a word?" Harry asked Michael.

"Sure" Michael said a bit apprehensively.

"You lot go on without me" Harry told Ron, Hermione, and Ginny "I'll catch up in a bit".

"What's this about?" asked Michael.

"Look, I know about you and Cho, and I harbor no ill feelings toward you. I just wanted to say . . . well, err . . . just . . . just take care of her" And with that said, Harry jogged down the corridor to catch up with his friends.

"You all right, Harry?" Ginny asked when Harry caught up.

Harry looked behind him at Michael, and turned around to see Cho waiting for Michael to catch up with her, and replied, "I will be".

The End.