Hermione smiled as she found what she had been looking for down in Diagon Alley. She smiled as she paid for it and walked over to Quality Quidditch Supplies where her husband Ron was. She noticed that Ron was with their friend Harry Potter looking for a broom for Harry's son James. Hermione smiled and said, "Hey there Harry, good to see you again. How's Ginny?"
Harry smiled and said, "She's doing just great. She's over getting everyone's books. Albus starts this year and James here got picked to play for Gryffindor this year. You're playing Chaser right James?"
James nodded, wrapped up in checking out the multiple brooms in the shop. Harry smiled and said, "What's that you've got there Hermione?" pointing to the parcel she was carrying.
She smiled at him and said, "It's a Pensieve. After hearing you talk about the one Professor Dumbledore had back when we were in school, I thought about getting one, you know, to make sure I don't forget all of our adventures at Hogwarts. Although I doubt anyone could forget all of that. Anyway we must get going. We need to get everything ready for our daughter Rose to go to Hogwarts this year. I can hardly believe it's been this long, and not to mention we have children of our own now."
Harry said with a bright smile as he hugged Hermione goodbye. "Too long Hermione. You and Ron should really stop by more than just once a year. Ginny would love it I'm sure."
"Right Harry, like Ginny loves unexpected company."Ron said with slight sarcasm. "We'll keep in touch for sure. We'll be seeing you down at Platform Nine and Three Quarters soon enough. I just hope that git Malfoy has taught his child to be less of a git than he was. I doubt it but one can hope."
Harry gave Ron a good-natured hug and wished them both well as they left the shop. Ron smiled at Hermione as they walked toward the Leaky Cauldron. "So other than preserving all of our odd adventures at Hogwarts, what's the reason for the Pensieve? It can't be just for that Hermione. You trying to store all you ever learned and make a book?"
"No Ron, I just...wanted to show you something from my years at Hogwarts that I don't think either you or Harry ever knew." She said looking at the Pensieve and then the ground.
"What? That whole Time-Turner thing in Third year? I think you've told us all about that one." Ron said quizzically.
"No, it's something that happened between me and someone else at Hogwarts from second year until halfway through sixth year." Hermione said matter-of-factly, trying not to tell Ron everything.
"Oh really? Between you and who?" Ron prodded, trying to get an answer.
"Cho." Hermione said quietly.
"Hang on, did you just say Cho? As in Cho Chang from Ravenclaw?" Ron said incredulously.
"Yes, now keep your nose out of my business until I decide to show it to you." Hermione said in a falsely huffy tone.
Ron sighed and said, "Alright then. I know when not to argue you on things."
The two of them Apparated home. After all it was much easier than fighting through the Muggle Underground. Their house was a nice cottage in Ottery St. Catchpole, not terribly far from where Ron had grown up. They had sent their children off to spend the remainder of the holidays with Ron's parents so that Ron and Hermione could get everything ready for the trip to the Hogwarts Express. Hermione gently set down the Pensieve and told Ron to come over. "What I am about to show you Ron, spans almost four years of my life that you never knew existed, or rather I kept hidden from you and Harry. I think though that it's time to tell someone about it." She said calmly.
"Why did you wait all this time to tell me about this? What on earth happened between you and Cho?" Ron asked.
"I guess I just wanted to be sure about how I really feel about the whole thing. As for what happened, well you'll see for yourself." Hermione said as she gently tapped her wand to her ear and drew out a silvery strand and put it in the Pensieve.
She sighed and let them both sink into the memory of the past.
-Second Year at Hogwarts-
Ron immediately recognized the scene as it came into focus. It was just after their first class with Gilderoy Lockhart. They had just finished up with the pixies that Lockhart had brought in and Ron could hear his younger self loudly complaining about what a brainless git Lockhart was for bringing pixies into class. He could also see Hermione following a short distance behind both Harry and himself. He saw someone tap her on the shoulder. Hermione turned around and saw Cho Chang.
"Hi, I'm Cho Chang. I'm a Third Year in Ravenclaw." Said Cho sweetly.
Hermione had a surprised look on her face, "Umm, Hi. I'm Hermione Granger, a Second Year in Gryffindor. Is there something I can help with you? I mean, help you with?" She hadn't gotten tongue tied in years and was surprised by how easily Cho had made her nervous.
Cho giggled and said, "You know as far as the girls go here, you're rather pretty, you know that?"
Hermione looked at her in surprise. It sounded to her like Cho was hitting on her. It simply made her all the more nervous, "I...uhh...you can't mean that. There are much prettier girls here than me."
Cho took a step closer to Hermione and smiled, "Not to me there aren't. To me you're the prettiest of everyone. I have a simple question for you. Would you be willing to take a walk with me down by the lake this evening?"
Hermione's thoughts raced with how to answer that. Normally she could answer any question in no time flat and often times cite the exact page and paragraph from the book she got it out of. This time however there was no book to help her. She stuttered again and said, "S-sure. What time were you thinking?"
Cho smiled and said, "Around seven. Meet me in the Great Hall then. See you later Hermione."
Hermione stood there in shock as Cho walked off. It took her a moment to gather herself and then she ran to catch up with Ron and Harry. The two of them were still talking about Lockhart's class. Ron turned to face Hermione and said, "Where the bloody hell have you been? One minute you're behind us the next it looks like you went and done a runner on us."
"Sorry, I stopped to check my notes from Mr. Lockhart's class." She said as she lied to cover what had just happened. She could feel herself blushing.
"Oh are you still harping on about him? Oh perfect Mr. Lockhart just wanted us to get some hands on experience. He didn't mean us any harm." Ron said, imitating Hermione poorly. "That git and his damn pixies cost me my homework for Transfiguration. Now I got to rewrite the bloody thing."
Hermione sighed and tried not to rise to Ron's bait. She had far much more on her mind than Lockhart's failed class and Ron's destroyed Transfiguration homework. Her mind was on what Cho had asked her. Why on earth had Cho asked her to go out for a walk? Hermione thought to herself. A bang from Ron's near broken wand broke her out of her thoughts. He swore at it and stuffed it back into his bag, the wand making a low whistling noise. The trip back to their dorm was otherwise quiet. Hermione sat reading until it got closer to seven o'clock. She got up and made to leave the common room. "Where're you going Hermione?" came Harry's voice from behind her.
She smiled and said, "Out for a bit to the library."
Harry nodded and headed back into the boys dorm. Hermione ducked out of Gryffindor Tower and headed for the Great Hall. Standing near one of the statues trying to look like she was doing something was Cho. Hermione took a breath and walked over to her. Cho turned and smiled when she saw Hermione walking toward her. "I'm glad you really came to meet me. I thought about it afterward and hoped I hadn't made you too nervous."
Hermione smiled and inwardly sighed as she relaxed a little. "I was kind of nervous Cho, to tell you the truth. I'm still wondering why you asked me to take a walk with you."
Cho smiled and gestured toward the door. "Come with me and you'll find out why I did."
The two of them made their way out onto the grounds, the sky still as cloudy as it had been earlier that morning. It was pleasant enough though as the two walked toward the lake. They walked in relative silence. Cho was smiling happily, looking like she was lost deep in her own thoughts. Hermione was changing her attention back a forth between Cho and the grounds around her as she mulled over her own thoughts. It didn't make rational sense to her why another girl would ask her to walk down to the lake.
They slowly made their way down to the lake's edge and walked around it a short distance. Cho stopped at the edge of the lake. Hermione noticed that where they were wasn't easily seen from anywhere. Cho turned to face Hermione and smiled. "Now I believe I owe you an explanation as to why I brought you here, but first I want to hear what the prettiest and smartest girl in the school thinks the answer is."
Hermione looked at Cho and her thoughts slowly came upon only one conclusion. She spoke slowly, thinking her response through, "Cho the only reason I can think of as to why you asked me down here is because you fancy me."
"You really are Hogwarts' smartest. You're perfectly right of course. It's so odd that just last year I didn't know who you were and then the whole thing with Potter happened. Suddenly everyone was taking notice of you, Ron and Harry. I think that's when I really started to take interest in you. I tracked down as many photos of you as I could, I simply had never seen you but with all those rumours flying around I wanted to know the truth. I'm sure it's odd to hear all this from another girl right?"
"It is and it isn't at the same time." Hermione said, "I've seen you playing Quidditch before, well more like watched you practice. You're one of Ravenclaw's Seekers right?" Cho nodded and Hermione continued. "You always look so graceful on your broom when you play."
"Thanks for the compliment Hermione. There was more than just telling you I like you that made me ask you down here. I was wondering, "Cho had a shy expression cross her face as she asked, "Would you be willing to come and meet me to watch the sunset when classes allow it? I guess you could call it a date. We could always bring food and eat down here by the lake."
Hermione nodded and said, "Sure, of course. It sounds interesting. I'll look forward to it. In fact I'm free tomorrow around then, what about you?"
Cho sighed and said, "We might be done Herbology by then. What do you say I meet you in the library?"
"Sure" Hermione said.
Cho smiled and gave Hermione a hug. Hermione was a bit surprised by it but soon returned the hug. After a minute she had gotten over the fact that Cho had hugged her. In fact she was enjoying it. They held hands as they walked back to the castle gate. They parted ways in the Great Hall and as they did Cho gave Hermione a kiss on the cheek. "See you tomorrow evening Hermione." She said sweetly.
Hermione was too taken aback about the kiss to reply but Cho knew she'd be there. Hermione walked back to Gryffindor Tower in a slight daze. Her mind was racing with thoughts of Cho's parting kiss and tomorrow. She didn't notice how far in a daze she was until the portrait of the Fat Lady asked her the password and Hermione absentmindedly said, "Cho."
The Fat Lady told her she was wrong and refused to open for her. Hermione recover from her daze and immediately said, "Wattlebird."
The Fat Lady swung open and chided her for forgetting such a simple thing. Hermione almost walked right into Ron as she entered the common room. "Oh, sorry." She mumbled apologetically.
"It's okay. You said you were going to the library earlier but I don't see any books." Ron said with a puzzled look on his face.
Hermione panicked inwardly as she thought of an excuse. "I...uh...did all my reading at the library. I was reading up on our Transfiguration homework and finished it there."
Ron smiled and said, "Good, you can help me rewrite mine."
"Nothing doing Ron. You need to do that homework yourself. Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to head for bed." Hermione said as she turned to walk up into the girls' dorm.
Ron had walked off in a huff but Harry had just walked down from the boy's dorm and stopped Hermione before she went up the stairs. "You didn't go to the library did you Hermione?" he asked.
"I'm not telling you anything Harry. It's none of your business where I go around here anyway." Hermione said, slightly annoyed with both Harry and Ron for being so nosy.
Harry walked off as soon as he figured out that Hermione didn't want to discuss things. She walked up into the dorms and tried to sleep. Her thoughts were keeping her awake though. She couldn't bring herself to stop thinking about Cho. She got up and wandered out of Gryffindor Tower. Hermione had to make sure that she didn't run into Filch as she walked around in Hogwarts' maze like corridors. She soon found that she had wandered clear across the castle to Ravenclaw Tower. She was surprised to hear a statue ask her a question instead of asking for a password. It asked, "Golden in colour am I and small wings give me flight but not touched by human hand am I until the one who is allowed to catches me. What am I?"
Hermione thought it over for a second and then answered, "The Golden Snitch."
A doorway into the Ravenclaw common room opened and Hermione cautiously walked in. It was against rule to be out of one's dorm after a certain time and Hermione was sure it would be even worse to be found in another House's common room. As she quietly walked in, she noticed there was someone near the fireplace sitting in a chair. Hermione saw that it was Cho sitting there. Cho turned to see who had just walked in and in a surprised tone said, "Hermione, what on Earth are you doing here? How did you get in?"
"I answered a question, that's how I got in." Hermione said trying to keep her voice low, "As for why I'm here I don't really know. I couldn't sleep and went for a walk and ended up here. The reason I couldn't sleep was I kept thinking about you Cho."
Cho smiled and said, "Well since you're here and all, you can spend the rest of the night but we'll have to get up rather early to beat everyone out of the tower and get you back to the rest of the Gryffindors. We'll also have to share a bed, just so you know."
"That won't bother me. I just need to get some sleep." Hermione said as she yawned.
Hermione and Cho made their way to Cho's dorm room quietly, trying not to disturb the other sleeping Ravenclaws. The both climbed into Cho's bed and Hermione snuggled into Cho as they both relaxed to sleep. Hermione was sound asleep in moments. Her thoughts of Cho were helping her sleep now that she was right next to her. Cho put an arm around Hermione as they slept and the night slowly drifted by. It was only the start of something neither of them could have imagined.
(Author's note: Well for once I thought I'd try something out of the ordinary for me. Usually you'll find that I write fanfiction for anime and manga. Well this time around I wanted to throw what I do for fanfiction at something else as a change of pace. So I picked the Harry Potter series. Pairing Hermione and Cho actually took a lot of thought to make work. Not only to make the story enjoyable but to also try and capture how Rowling had these characters written, thus explaining all the British English. Hopefully you all enjoyed reading this. Feedback on it would be greatly appreciated.)
Shinobi of the Onyx Sands.