Too Good to be True
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The cool autumn wind ran through Harry's hair, as he soared higher and higher. The feeling of being lifted into the air was more exhilarating than anything else. The slightest touch, or turn of the waist, and the Firebolt changed directions, as if reading his mind. Harry pushed his glasses further up his nose, then dipped down rapidly. He ended the dive in a magnificent swerve, and circled the pitch twice.
"Harry!"
Harry slowly descended, and searched the stadium for the owner of the voice.
In one of the lower stands, stood the small figure of none other than Cho Chang. She was smiling up at Harry. He felt his heart leap at the sight of her, but approached her calmly.
"You... called me?" Harry's hands got all clammy and he felt nervous, but he managed not to stutter or talk too fast. He walked up the stairs next to the rows of benches, until he was finally standing on the same bench as Cho. He felt a bit dazed, but Cho looked calm, as usual.
"I'm sorry I didn't listen to you on the train... I guess I was just too upset over Cedric's death, and I couldn't get myself to look at you, much less believe you," Cho said sadly, and gently took Harry's hand in hers.
It was strange though; Harry didn't remember ever speaking to Cho on the train. In fact, as far as he could remember, this was his first time seeing her since he had returned to Hogwarts for his fifth year. But whether it was because of the serious expression on her face or the fact that she was holding his hand, Harry concluded that she must be telling the truth, and that he had probably just forgotten.
"Er, sorry, but I can't seem to remember what we were speaking about that day..." Harry said uncertainly, but Cho only smiled and squeezed his hand.
"How can you be so forgetful, silly?" Cho smiled impishly, but Harry felt rather uncomfortable. "It's only been a couple of days since we spoke."
Cho gazed into Harry's eyes and became serious once more. "Well... if you really can't remember... You apologized to me. You told me it was partly your fault that Cedric had died, and you also expressed your deep regrets. I... told you that I didn't have any hard feelings against you, but that I didn't feel like speaking to you at the moment. I asked to be left alone, and you blurted out that you love me..." Harry's face turned scarlet; had he really said such a thing?
"And I said... that you were just being childish, and to please leave me alone..." Cho's voice grew quieter as she spoke, but it remained steady and unwavering.
Meanwhile, a thousand thoughts were flying through Harry's head. He felt thoroughly confused; wouldn't he remember if he had confessed his love to Cho? How could he have forgotten such an important event?
"I- I really said that, then?" Harry's voice cracked as he spoke. He could feel his face getting hotter and hotter as he looked at Cho.
"Of course you did... Or have you had a change of heart during the past two days, then?"
Harry found himself shaking his head without intending to. He felt even more confused. Cho just smiled softly, and brought her hand to his forehead gently.
"It's funny, isn't it?" Cho lowered her eyes, and smiled wistfully. "When you get scarred inside, nobody can tell for sure... and yet, it hurts so much more badly than a scar on the outside..."
Harry could tell what she was referring to. Her eyes were filled with pain and sorrow. All caused by Harry. Or so he believed. When Cedric had died because of him, not only one person had suffered, and the guilt was weighing Harry down.
"I'm sorry-" Harry started, but was cut off by Cho.
"Harry. The day Cedric died... That day, painful scars filled my insides... And it hurt, like I've never hurt before," Cho started, and Harry felt even worse. "Scars need healing, and there's no spell or medicine that will heal my scars. But... maybe... maybe you could heal my scars for me."
Harry looked up at Cho in amazement. Her smiling face was streaked with tears, and he reached out a hand to wipe a tear from her cheek.
"I love you..." Harry whispered. He felt like he was flying without wings.
"I love you too, Harry..." Cho threw her arms around his neck, and fell onto his chest. She started to shake with sobs, and Harry almost felt like crying for joy himself. Her tiny frame fit so perfectly into Harry's arms. Like two halves to a single entity.
"I've loved you ever since I first met you near the end of my third year. But I thought you'd never even notice me..." Harry whispered close to Cho, after her crying had subsided.
"Not notice you? How ever could I not notice the famous Boy Who Lived?" Cho smiled up at him, ran her thumb over his scar. "It's rather you, who I though would never notice me."
"I thought you were in love with Cedric Diggory..." Harry spoke quietly, trying to be respectful to the late Cedric, even though he still felt rather jealous of him, however gone he may have been.
"I was. He was in fact, one of the sweetest and most brilliant people I had ever met. I thought I'd never even think about loving another person after he died. But you... you changed all that." Cho smiled up at Harry. "When you told me you loved me on the train... at first I thought you were just being childish, but I couldn't get your words off my mind after you left. I guess... I guess that in the end I realized that you brought me hope, in some way or another."
Harry just smiled at her. It was his dream come true; Cho was in his arms, and they were in love. And he had thought it would be a terrible year...
"Harry... promise never to leave me. If I lose you too, then I don't know how I'll go on..." Cho's eyes sparkled, as if to spill over with tears.
"I'd never leave... not after my dreams of you and me have finally come true..." Harry smiled, and Cho began to lean towards him.
She rested a hand on his cheek, and closed her eyes slowly. Harry felt his heart beating rapidly, as his lips approached hers. Her arms were wrapped around his neck, and she was close enough to feel his breath.
But as their lips were about to touch, a strange sound entered Harry's ears. He tried to ignore it, and kiss Cho, but the noise grew louder and louder, until it became a deafening screech.
'What in the world...' Harry thought irritably, but drew Cho closer to him all the same. He could almost feel her lips on his...
"HARRY!!!"
Harry opened one eye sleepily. "Urggh... Ron...? What are you doing in the Quidditch stadium?"
"The Quidditch stadium?" Ron rolled his eyes, as Harry's vision finally cleared up. He was in fact, lying on his four-poster bed in the boys' dorms.
"You mean it was a dream...?" The disappointment in Harry's voice was clear.
"I'm afraid so, Harry. But maybe we can arrange for a private meeting between you and Cho later on." Ron smirked, and Harry's face turned bright pink.
"Y- You..."
"Don't worry, we didn't hear any details. All we heard was you repeating Cho's name."
"We...?" Harry felt like he had rocks in his stomach.
"Us, of course!" Dean, Seamus, and Neville peeked out from the other side of the bed's curtains, grinning.
"I should have known it was too good to be true!" Harry moaned, and fell back onto his pillow as the other boys laughed heartily.
FIN
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A/N: So... what do you think? I'd love some constructive criticism! But then again, a simple 'I love your story!!!' would be great, too.^^
Disclaimer: All characters and background belong to JKR.
