She and Him
A Harry x Cho fanfic.
Chapter 1 – The meeting.
'She always had that dreamy look on her face.' Harry thought as he sat in the train cabin, disgusted at himself. There Cho was, wanting to approach him to talk to him. There was just his biggest chance yet. And? He had to be sitting with Neville Longbottom. With stinksap all over him. 'Stinksap isn't poisonous – that was really a very stupid way to say sorry, Neville.' It wasn't that Neville was a bad person to be with. It was just that he preferred to be in a group of cool-er looking people when Cho came along. Not sitting with Neville with a face full of stinksap.
"Harry- Erm… Bad time?" Cho stopped halfway as she took in what was happening. Harry was totally embarrassed. Cho looked closer. "Stinksap? How did you get that on your face?" Then she walked over, and with a wave of the wand, "Scourgify!" The stinksap disappeared immediately. "Well, I wonder if I could talk to you for a moment, Harry?" Harry's heart started beating crazily. 'Cho wants to talk to me, alone.' That thought was racing through his head, he was almost hyperventilating. He stood up and brushed away the hair covering his specs in an attempt to look cool and followed Cho into the small room connecting the two cabins.
"Erm… Harry? I was wondering whether you were okay. You know with the Daily Prophet saying stuff about you like that? I don't know whether to believe them or not. But I guess you aren't like what they say you are. But everyone's gossiping about you and… Erm… I just wanted to make sure if you were okay."
'Cho cares about me? She cares!' Harry felt butterflies fluttering in his stomach.
"Well, uh, no I'm okay. Yea I meant, ya I'm okay. It won't get to me. The Daily Prophet utters rubbish. If I flare up because of that, wouldn't I be just making people believe it more? Thanks… for caring… Cho." He never felt so good saying her name before.
"Well then, I guess that's it… Bye- See you in Hogwarts around later."
"Bye then. Thanks again."
"Bye."
Harry watched as Cho walked away, her long shiny black hair swaying with her movement. 'I feel… good.' Harry thought to himself.
He walked back to the now not so stinky but still stinky cabin and sat down, letting out a big sigh. Soon, Ron and Hermione came back and they started talking about what they would do at Hogwarts, who would the new Defence of the Dark Arts teacher be. Harry had never felt more at ease than that day.
Chapter 2 – A second meeting.
The Entrance Hall was ablaze with torches and echoing with footsteps as the students crossed the flagged stone floor for the double doors to the right, leading to the Great Hall and the start-of-term feast. The four long house tables were filling up slowly and the eager chatting of the students about their summer holidays filled the hall with a din. After awhile, as the first-year students entered, the din quietened to a silence as everyone awaited with bated breath. The Sorting Hat started its song, each year a new one. Soon all the first-years were sorted out and Dumbledore stood up presumably to give a start-of-term speech. Harry's eyes wandered over to the Ravenclaw table. Moving his gaze along the line of neatly seated people, he suddenly saw a familiar person. Cho. She was as beautiful as usual, her hair all the more shinier in the bright lights of the hall.
There was a loud clattering of cutlery. Harry was jolted out of his thoughts. "Quit staring into space Harry, the feast has started! Lets EAT!" shouted an excited, hungry Ron over the din of the cutlery. Harry looked at the table in front of him. It was filled with delicious, irresistible tempting food. As he started to tuck in, he thought 'Man, the speech this year was short…'
As Harry ate, his thoughts wandered slowly back to Cho. How devastated she had looked after realizing Cedric had died last year at the Triwizard Cup. How lovely she looked when she smiled. "Harry. You are spacing out yet again! You've been doing this very often Harry! Were you even listening to what I was talking about?" Hermione obviously annoyed, having finally caught Harry's attention, continued on her talk about SPEW, on how house elves should be treated kindly and with respect, not to be ordered around. Hermione was getting on his nerves with all the SPEW talk. 'I mean its okay to have an organization for the rights of house elves, but to keep rambling about it wherever you go? That's totally crazy!' Harry thought as he let out a sigh and excused himself for a toilet break.
Harry looked at his face in the mirror of the toilet. His reflection stared back at him, like it was laughing. It was like as if his reflection was saying, "Hey Potter! What's up with your thinking about Cho here and there!" Harry washed his face once more before exiting the toilet, his thoughts on Cho again. He wondered where he was. Immersed in the thoughts cluttering up in his brain, he knocked into someone and his glasses flew of to a corner, hitting a wall. "Hey! Watch where you're going-… Harry! Why were you not looking up when you were walking?" a familiar voice entered his mind. He couldn't quite well see but the outline of the person standing in front of him looked very much like Cho. "Here, your glasses. Ooo, they're broken. Repairo! Here, as good as new." As the person put on Harry's glasses for him, he saw that it was Cho. Harry moved his hand towards his glasses and accidentally touched Cho's hands. Blushing crazily, Harry quickly pulled his hands away, Cho doing so likewise. As Harry adjusted his glasses, he let out a small grin and said, "It seems that everytime I see you, you have to fix up something about me doesn't it? What are you doing here?"
"I was just strolling around the corridors, if that's a crime. I just got tired of Marietta's incessant chatting about her holidays at Hawaii. You?"
"Same as you are. Got sick of Hermione's rambling about SPEW. I mean its more worth it to listen to Snape speak than her. Was just washing my face to waken up a little. Today was a tiring day with the stinksap and all."
Cho's face broke into a smile. "Haha. You looked really amusing with all that stinksap in your face. I was under the impression that you had some in your mouth too!"
"I had."
Cho started giggling.
"It isn't that funny when you are the victim you know."
"Yea- erm sorry."
"But it was funny!" Harry said before laughing at the thought of Ron and Hermione covered in stinksap. Cho couldn't help but laugh too.
In high spirits, the two walked back to the Great Hall, just in time to hear Dumbledore speak.
"I guess I will catch you around sometime."
"Same here! Bye Harry!"
Harry walked back to his seat, and happily plopped down on the bench. "Hey what made you so happy Harry? Here I was getting bored to death by Hermione's great SPEW talks!" Smiling at Ron, Harry just shrugged and looked at Dumbledore, thoughts wandering off to Cho again.
Chapter 3 – Tornado badges.
"No… Not Snape, Binns, Trelawney and that Umbridge woman all in one day…" Ron groaned.
"Well it isn't that bad after all, Ron. At least we don't have Care of Magical Creatures to top it all up…" Hermione said.
"Yea. If we had Snape and the whole lot and Grubbly-Plank, me and Harry would go nuts! Right Harry?"
"Yea…"
It was just after Professor Binns' lesson and Harry was feeling really drowsy. It was a miracle he even kept awake throughout the lesson. With that wheezy droning voice going on for an hour and a half, Harry was deadbeat. Even though he won 3 out of 5 times in hangman against Ron. They started making their way across the courtyard towards Snape's dungeon.
"Hello Harry!"
It was Cho Chang and she was without her gang of giggling girls. That was unusual. Harry winced at the memory of how hard it was to ask her to the Yule Ball the previous year…
"Hi," said Harry, feeling his face grow hot. 'At least I'm not covered in stinksap nor banging into her when I wasn't looking.'
"Your specs working well?"
"Yea. Thanks for fixing for me. I never really got the way you wave your wand when u cast the repairo spell…"
"Haha. No problem!"
"So, did you… er… have a good summer?"
The moment he said this, he wished he hadn't. Cedric's death must have affected her holiday as much as it had affected Harry's. Cho's eyes looked a little sad, but she said, "Oh, it was all right, you know… I had fun, at least."
"Is that a Tornados badge?" Ron suddenly demanded, pointing at the sky blue badge emblazoned with a double gold T on the front of Cho's robes. "You don't support them do you?"
"Well I do." Said Cho.
"Have you always supported them or just since they started winning the league?" Ron said in an accusing tone.
"As a matter of fact, I've supported them since six." Cho replied coolly.
Hermione seeing the tense situation Ron caused, grabbed him and pulled him off towards Snape's dungeon, ignoring his protests. "Walk her to her class, would you Harry?"
"Sorry Cho, Ron's just eccentric sometimes."
"Oh nevermind. I really like the Tornados anyway." Cho stated, her eyes narrowing at Harry. "Do you?"
"Hey don't jump on me, Tornados-fan! I've never really followed the Qudditch league. I don't really have much contact with the wizarding world at the Dursleys." Harry shuddered as he recalled bad memories of staying at his cousin's house. His uncle and aunt didn't welcome him at all… And their obese son Dudley was even worse.
Cho seemed to realize his sadness at not being able to be in touch with the wizarding world at all times and kept quiet.
They walked in silence towards the North tower, where Cho was supposed to have her Divination lessons with Professor Trelawney.
"Do you like Trelawney? I mean like she's eccentric and all, and her lessons make no sense at all. I wonder how I ever passed Divination." Cho decided to break the silence.
"No. I think Trelawney is crap. I mean, if you were in my class, you would see how many times she predicted me to die and predicted me having bad luck. I think she's basically just crap." Harry, relieved that the silence was broken, blurted it all out and ended up huffing and puffing with a red face.
Cho giggled. "You're… cute when you do that you know Harry? Trelawney… I agree with you. She's crap!" Cho smiled at Harry and then disappeared up the silver ladder leading to Trelawney's classroom.
"Bye!" She shouted from above. Harry just waved. He turned around, blushing faintly as he saw in his mind Cho saying that he was cute. He looked at his watch.
"Crap. I'm late for Snape's lesson…"
Chapter 4 – Owlery.
Detention with Umbridge was crazy. Harry grimaced at the thought of having to write words out with his own blood. The scar was throbbing harder each day. Not the lightning shape scar on his forehead. But the scar Umbridge had carved on him with that sinister looking black quill she forced him to use during the detention classes. It hurt. Madly.
Harry sighed in anger. He picked up his already written letter to his godfather, Sirius Black and walked slowly to the Owlery. No one was up yet and Harry could relish in the quiet cool morning air. In the Owlery, Harry called for Hedwig and tied the letter to her talons. 'If only Sirius was here. He would know what to do.' Harry wondered, as he let Hedwig off. "Its to Sirius, Hedwig" he whispered, and the owl took off, understanding what he meant.
Harry stared out of the owlery's huge window and let his thoughts drift. Drifting from Hagrid, wondering where he was, to Umbridge, Snape and finally Cho Chang. Harry was lost deep in his thoughts when suddenly the Owlery door opened behind him. He leapt in shock and turning, he saw Cho Chang holding a letter and a parcel in her hands.
"Hi." Harry said breathlessly.
"Hi Harry!" Cho answered half surprised. "I didn't think anyone would be up here this early…"
"Oh, I was just sending a letter to my… erm… godfather. What about you?"
"Oh yea. I only remembered five minutes ago, its my mum's birthday! I bought the present a while ago, but with all the fuss about school starting I almost forgot!" Cho said guiltily.
"How insincere," Harry said teasingly. "If I were your boyfriend and you forgot about my birthday I would feel sooo hurt."
'No… What did I just say? I'm not her boyfriend, I have no right to say that. Oof. How I wish I can just hit my head against something and hope to die!'
An awkward silence followed. Cho blushed and searched for a school barn owl.
The Owlery door opened again. Filch the caretaker burst in and scowled at Harry before saying "Harry! You've got me real mad now." He took a step towards Harry. "I've just got a tip-off that you were intending to place a massive order for Dungbombs!"
Harry stared at the caretaker bewildered.
"Who told you I was ordering Dungbombs? And are you in the right mind, believing that it was true?"
Filch looked at Harry straight in the eye and said "I have my sources, Potter. Now hand it over, whatever you are sending."
Harry replied calmly. "It's gone."
Filch stared at Harry, his face contorting in rage. "How do I know you haven't got it in your pocket?"
"Because-"
"I saw him send it." Cho burst out angrily.
Filch turned and stared at her.
"Yes you heard me. I saw him sending it."
Filch stared at Cho. Cho stared back. And then the caretaker turned on his heel and strode towards the door. "If I get a whiff of a Dungbomb, the first guy I would find would be you Potter." Filch uttered before disappearing through the door.
Harry and Cho looked at each other.
"Thanks, Cho."
"No problem," Cho replied, fixing the parcel to the owl's leg, her face slightly pink. With embarrassment or with anger, Harry did not know. "You weren't ordering Dungbombs were you?"
"No… I definitely wasn't Cho, I was sending a letter-"
"Yes Harry, I believe you. I wonder why he thought you were then? But you owe me a favor now don't you Harry? Now if you were my boyfriend and I forgot your birthday, you wouldn't be that hurt, since I've done you a favor now would you?" Cho said, smiling at Harry.
Harry felt his stomach lurch. "N- no… Of course I wouldn't…"
They walked out of the Owlery together. At the entrance of a corridor that led towards the west wing of the castle, Cho said, "I'm going this way. Well, I'll see you around Harry! You better not have ordered Dungbombs, or I'll… I can't really do anything can I?"
They both laughed in unison.
"See you around then, Cho."
She smiled at him, then departed. Harry walked on feeling elated. Cho helped him. She even shouted angrily at Filch! Harry felt a warm feeling growing in his stomach. It felt good.
Of course Cho had liked Cedric. But now Cho seemed to have gotten over Cedric and she was showing signs of liking him wasn't she. Harry pondered about it in his mind. And finally gave up, feeling it was kind of silly to try to think like a girl when he was not one. 'Look, I've even forgotten about the pain Umbridge has given me!' As if in reply to his thoughts, his arm throbbed. "Aw… It hasn't gone away." Harry said to himself as he walked to the Great Hall cheerfully.
Chapter 5 – Potions.
The door to the dungeon swung open. Snape walked in. The talking and the whispers immediately ceased. It just took the presence of Snape to shut an entire room up.
"Now studentsss… We have a few six year students who will be here in this… room with me, guiding you people along in how to make a simple potion. A potion that would often come up at Ordinary Wizarding Level. The Draught of Peace. A potion to calm anxiety and to soothe agitation. The difficulty level of this potion is reasonably low and I would expect you to perfect it." Snape hissed at the class.
A group of six year students marched in. Snape continued. "These are the people who will be guiding you. They are the ones who got 'Outstanding' for their OWLs in potions and I expect you to learn from them a little, if that's how much your moronic brains can absorb." Snape paused, his gaze stopping at Neville and Harry. "And as stupid and not necessary as it is, for the sake of you students, I would have to assign the guides to you one by one. Starting with…"
Harry's mind wandered off again. "Snape, his hissing can make me go crazy. I wonder how he got that everlasting amount of angst. Must have had an abusive father." Harry whispered to Ron. Ron sniggered.
"HARRY POTTER."
Harry sat up straight and looked Snape in the eye.
"In case you haven't realized, I have already finished assigning the guides and you are supposed to have started on the potion making and not sitting there dreaming in your seat and hoping the potion will appear right in front of you. For YOUR sake I have assigned you the second best student; the best went to Neville." The Slytherins sniggered. They just loved to hear Snape taunt Harry.
"Well I think you have finally woken up, Potter. Get to work. Or you are going to get another zero on your report card."
Harry turned around to look at who his guide was. He was half expecting someone like Hermione, a nerd or a bookworm.
"Hi Harry. I never thought I would be your guide."
"Cho?! You were second best in the level for potions? I never knew that!" Harry blushed.
"Don't you dare look down on me, Harry Potter! I DO study and listen in class unlike you."
"Fine Cho, you're smart. I ain't. Lets just start on the potion… I wouldn't want another zero."
Cho smiled and went to get the ingredients, saying to Harry, "I hate the way Snape treats u!"
Ron leaned over and said to Harry in a squeaky voice. "Don't you dare look down on me, Hairwee Potteer!" And grinned maniacally as Harry blushed into a deeper shade of red.
For the first time in Harry's life, did he not mess up his potion. Cho was right beside him guiding him and encouraging him. How could he mess up? Cho was just amazing as she explained to him everything he didn't understand and Harry just listened. Listened to her sweet sounding voice. It was like he was in a dream. 'I wouldn't mind potions if it was like this…' He thought to himself. When Hermione stared at him mouthing 'she's treating you awfully well', Harry felt an even better feeling rushing up to his head.
"Ten minutes left. A slight silver vapor should now be rising from your potion." Snape called.
Snape walked towards Harry's cauldron. "Cho Chang, I believe Harry, as incompetent as he is, has given you a fair amount of trouble. Would you give me a detailed recount of what Harry has done wrong up till now of all which you have had to correct him?"
"And to the amusement of the class." Whispered Harry audibly.
"What was that Harry?"
"It wasn't meant for your ears, Snape."
"Ten points from Gryffindor for being rude to mean, Potter. And another ten points for disrupting the class."
"He didn't do anything wrong in the potion making." Cho stated flatly.
Snape narrowed his eyes at Cho. "Cho Chang. Are you definitely sure, that this failure of a student has not done anything wrong at all? Or are you just defending him?"
"He hasn't, Professor." Cho replied politely, overly politely. "And I am defending him."
Harry felt a wave of emotions rushing over him. Cho was blushing crazily.
"Well then, Potter, you seem to have gotten yourself a good friend…" Snape paused before continuing with a smirk. "Hence, I shall not deduct points from your potion making today, but I would like you to write an essay, on three foot of parchment paper about the method and the ingredients of the Draught of Peace, not to mention its effects and everything related to it. I'm sure it's within your intelligence to do so. Now everyone fill one flagon with a sample of your potion, label it clearly with your name and bring it up to my desk for testing. Homework: twelve inches of parchment on the properties of moonstone and its uses in potion-making, to be handed in on Thursday, Potter, no exception. Class dismissed."
As they walked out of the dungeon, Cho rushed up next to Harry, pushed away Hermione and Ron and started saying frantically, "Harry! I'm so sorry. I've gotten you into a lot of trouble. I'm so sorry Harry! I'll make it up to you! You have to do an essay on the Draught of Peace right? I'll help you with it. I'm sorry…"
Harry looked at her, smiling and said, "I've never felt that good in ages, Cho! It doesn't matter. Snape has never been fair to me. It's normal. But I wouldn't mind taking up that offer on you helping me with the essay!" Harry grinned at Cho, meaning every word he said.
"I'm so sorry Harry. Meet me at the Great Hall tomorrow okay? I promise I will help you with it." Cho exclaimed, relieved that Harry wasn't mad with her.
"Stop apologizing. You did nothing wrong. You were quite brave to stand up in front of Snape." Harry said while thinking to himself, 'I like that side of you.'
Cho finally felt pacified and calmed down. She then looked at Harry again and whispered, "You are nice…"
Harry pretended not to hear that.
Chapter 6 – Hogsmeade and Defence of the Dark Arts
"Who is supposed to be meeting us?" Harry asked.
"Just a couple of people." Hermione answered, checking her watch and looking at the door anxiously. "They should be all here anytime now…"
The door of the pub opened. First came Neville with Dean and Lavender, then Parvati and Padma Patil, Cho and Marietta. Harry's stomach did a back-flip as Cho smiled at him, waved and said "Hi Harry." To which all people present rolled their eyes. Harry was just blushing. Soon all the people had arrived and the bar was crowded with Hogwarts students.
"A couple of people? You call this a couple?" Harry wanted to scream at Hermione but instead whispered.
"Yes… Erm… The idea was quite popular. Ron get some chairs please."
Harry watched numbly as the large group of chattering people took their seats and every eye was upon him. 'I never wanted this… What did I agree to!' Harry was screaming inside his head.
Hermione addressed the crowd, harping on the fact how useless Umbridge was and the need for practicing Defence of the Dark Arts spell not just in theory but doing the real spells. To which the crowd gave a murmur of agreement.
The talk strayed to Lord Voldemort and people started questioning Harry.
"How exactly did You-Know-Who kill Cedric?"
"Can you give us proof that he's back? Or are the articles on the Daily Prophet true?"
Harry was getting increasingly angry at the fact that the people had turned up in the hopes of hearing his story firsthand. He was determined not to look at Cho. Cho was definitely as affected as he was by the subject. As he opened his mouth and started to speak, someone else stood up and said in a loud voice.
"Stop questioning Harry about what happened during the Triwizard competition last year. We came here to see how we could learn Defence of the Dark Arts the practical way right? Not to hear Harry's story firsthand. So if that's what you're here for, then please leave and stop disrupting this meeting."
Harry looked up and muttered, "Thank you."
"Snape was right. Harry got himself a good friend." A guy in the crowd muttered. Harry flinched.
But none of them left their seats thought they all kept staring intently at Harry.
There was a silence that followed, but it was broken by a girl who asked, "Is it true, Harry, that you could produce a Patronus?"
"Yeah." Harry replied looking at her defensively.
"A corporeal Patronus?"
"You are related to Madam Bones aren't you."
"She's my aunt. But is it really true? That you can produce a stag Patronus?"
"Yes."
There was a few gasps and 'wow's in the crowd.
"And he killed the Basilisk with the sword in Dumbledore's office too! A portrait on the wall told me when I was there last year!" another excited guy commented.
"And he saved that Philosopher's stone during his first-year!" exclaimed Neville.
"Not to mention all the things he had to do at the Triwizard competition!" Cho said nervously. "Right Harry?"
Harry looked at Cho. She was looking back at him, smiling in admiration.
"Y- yeah."
Another murmur through the crowd.
"Right," Hermione addressed the crowd again. "I – I think everybody should write their name down, and by doing that you're agreeing not to tell Umbridge or anybody else about what we are up to."
Ron and Hermione signed first. Cho took it and signed it immediately after them, giving Harry a smile of encouragement. But Harry noticed that several people looked less than happy at the prospect of putting their names on the list. Cho had noticed it too.
Ernie looked very hesitant about signing and he looked up and said, "I mean, we are prefects and if this list was found, wouldn't we be…"
"Well do you think Harry would leave it around lying so Umbridge would find out?" stated Cho.
"Erm… Well it is to be kept by me. And yes, like Cho said I wouldn't do something like that would i?" Hermione stared at Ernie.
No one raised objections after Ernie. When the last person had signed, Hermione took the parchment and slipped it carefully into her bag. There was an odd feeling in the group. Like they had signed a sort of contract.
"Well, I got to go, me George and Lee have got some items of a sensitive nature to purchase." At that, the people started shuffling to their feet and leaving.
In twos and threes they started to leave. Cho made a business of fastening the catch on her bag and her friend went out before her, saying that she wanted to go back to Hogwarts to rest. Hermione dragged Ron out, knowing that Cho wanted to talk to Harry alone.
"Erm… Well that idea was good."
"I guess so." Harry answered awkwardly, not knowing what to say.
"Y- You want t- to take a walk around Hogsmeade… together?" Cho asked shyly.
Harry's insides started jumping. "Su- sure… I would love to."
Smiling, Cho pulled him along as she bounded out of the pub. 'This is the best Hogsmeade weekend I ever had.' Harry smiled and caught up to Cho and the two started walking together shyly.
Harry had never before appreciated just how beautiful the village of Hogsmeade was.
Chapter 7 – Under the mistletoe.
Defence of the Dark Arts was getting worse and worse. The words 'I must not tell lies.' On his hand was hurting every single day. But there was still one thing Harry could look forward to – the Defence Association, Dumbledore's Army. He felt rebellious. The DA was the only time where he could actively oppose Umbridge. There he could let out all his displeasure against Umbridge and at the same time teach his fellow students how to defend themselves against the Dark Arts properly.
It was the last DA meeting before the Christmas holidays. The entire class (if you could call it a class) was improving and Harry swelled with pride. Even Neville had improved beyond recognition. Harry had unfrozen three times in a row; he was Neville's partner. Walking around the room, whenever he passed Cho, she would smile at him encouragingly. He had to resist hard to walk past her a few more times…
An hour later, Harry called everyone to stop. They were getting good and Harry told them they could probably start doing Patronuses after they came back from the holidays. Everyone started whispering excitedly. The room then begun to clear as the people started leaving to pack up their trunks and get ready to leave for the Christmas holidays. Everyone left wishing Harry a 'Merry Christmas' in the usual twos and threes. Feeling cheerful, Harry offered to stack the cushions up himself as Ron had much homework not done and Hermione wanted to get to knitting more hats and socks for the house elves. He also wanted to linger longer, hoping to get at least a 'Merry Christmas' from Cho. So when he heard Cho say to her friend "No, you go on," Harry's heart started throbbing harder.
He pretended to be busy straightening the cushion pile, feeling nervous. He expected Cho to speak anytime soon. Instead, he heard a sniff. He turned around and saw Cho standing in the middle of the room, tears running down her face. Harry was shocked. He didn't know what to do at all.
"Are you okay?" He said feebly. 'Of course she's not, what was I thinking!' Harry realized with a jolt.
Cho moved towards him, trying to stop the flow of tears. "Cedric… Harry…"
She wiped her eyes on her sleeve. Harry's heart sank. He should have known she wanted to talk about Cedric. "Cedric… I wonder… Learning all this stuff… I wonder… If… he had known it all… if he would still be alive…"
"He did know this stuff." Harry was breathing heavily. "He was good at it, if not he wouldn't have gotten to the middle of the maze. But if Voldemort really wanted to kill you, you don't stand a chance at all."
Cho showed no signs of being uneasy at the sound of Voldemort's name.
"You survived when you were merely a baby…" She said quietly.
"Its not a big deal. I didn't know how I did it, so it isn't anything to be proud of." Harry said wearily.
Cho looked up at him and sniffed again. "I'm sorry… I didn't mean to get… Upset… I just… just-"
She broke off in mid-sentence and ran towards Harry, hugging him tightly.
"Its just that I really like you and… I don't know who I like more…" Cho sobbed. "I feel guilty…"
Harry put his arms around her. He didn't know what to say. He meant to comfort her, yet his mouth felt so dry.
Cho looked up and tried to smile. "Mistletoe" she said quietly, pointing at the ceiling above them. Cho moved closer to him. Their lips were just inches apart. Harry could see the tears on her eyelashes.
"Sorry Cedric…" Cho whispered affectionately. "I like you… more Harry."
"I like you, Cho." Harry whispered back. Cho smiled and their lips met.
It seemed like eternity before they pulled apart from each other. Cho stayed in Harry's arms.
"Erm… Cho…?"
Cho looked at Harry. "Would you like… to go with me for the next Hogsmeade trip?"
Cho blushed and said "Its on Valentine's Day…" She paused before continuing. "Why not!" She wiped away her tears and gave him a kiss on the cheek before leaving the room with a 'Merry Christmas Harry!'
Harry touched his cheek. 'What did I just do?' Harry thought. In his heart was this warm feeling, which felt good. Then he just smiled to himself and walked out of the room.
Chapter 8 – Hogsmeade again.
"Eat something would you?"
Harry's mind was in a blur. 'I'm having a date with Cho…' The thought kept repeating over and over again. Ron sighed heavily.
"You know Harry? All this date thingy has gotten you so nervous, I think you should just call it off."
"No I won't!" Harry exclaimed.
Hermione giggled. Ron laughed uncontrollably. Harry blushed.
"So where are you going to meet her, Harry?" Hermione asked. "Mind meeting me at the Three Broomsticks around midday?"
"Erm… I guess so."
"Bring Cho along if you have to. You must come no matter what." Hermione said urgently before rushing off.
Ron departed from Harry to the Qudditch pitch, gloomy about not being able to go to Hogsmeade and Harry, after trying to make his hair look a little more neat but to no avail, hurried to the Entrance Hall to meet Cho.
Cho was waiting at him to the side of the oak front doors. She was gorgeous with her long hair tied in a ponytail and she was dressed rather nicely. As Harry walked towards her, he became horribly aware of his arms swinging at his sides and how stupid it must have looked and stopped it immediately.
"Harry! I was wondering whether you would come… I don't look a little overdressed for the occasion am I?"
"No- no, Cho you look wonderful. Sorry if I'm late… I was trying to keep my hair down. It just refused to do so."
Cho laughed.
They joined the queue, talking about anything that just came to mind. Walking out into the bright spring sunlight after Flich's inspection, Harry looked longingly at the Qudditch pitch where Ron and Ginny were practicing.
"You really miss it don't you?"
Harry looked at Cho, slightly distracted. "Y- yeah… Umbridge… That…"
Cho put a finger to his lips. "No cursing Harry!" She smiled and led Harry on, their hands entwined in each other's.
They walked towards Hogsmeade, occasionally catching each other's eyes and teasing each other. They went into every single shop, browsing through the goods sold there, Harry felt relaxed. It was not that hard to talk to Cho after all. All the nervousness he had at the start started to vanish and he found it easy to find topics to talk about. Cho was smiling and laughing wherever they went and Harry felt great.
They entered the joke shop, laughing at a joke Cho cracked and started looking around at the various items. Harry picked up a hat and put it over his head. His head disappeared after two seconds and Cho screamed. "Harry! HARRY!"
Laughing uncontrollably, Harry took the hat off himself and put it onto Cho's head. Cho snatched it off, put on an angry expression and started jabbing Harry in the chest.
"Don't you dare scare me like that again Harry!" Then she picked up a flower, and squeezed it, sending a jet of stinksap flying towards Harry's face. Harry had no time to dodge and received a mouthful.
It was Cho's turn to laugh and Harry starting chasing her around the shop after pointing his wand at himself and muttering 'Scourgify'. They played a few more pranks on each other, paid for what they used and walked out of the joke shop in smiles.
It was beginning to rain and Cho suggested hurriedly. "Would you want to have some tea? There's this shop just up here, its called Madam Puddifoots, I came here with Cedric… Oh I'm sorry…" Cho looked away. "I know you don't want to talk about Cedric."
Harry took her hand and led her in.
The shop was decorated for the occasion. Golden cherubs were hovering over each table, occasionally throwing pink confetti over the occupants.
"It's beautiful…" whispered Cho.
They ordered two cups of coffee and sat down at a table near the window. Roger Daives and his girlfriend was behind them. In the time it took for the coffees to arrive, they had started kissing over their sugar bowl. Harry looked about uneasily. Cho just sat there looking at them.
"About Cedric-" Cho was cut off in mid-sentence.
"Say, Cho would you go with me to the Three Broomsticks with me later on? Hermione asked me to and so I guess I would bring you along."
Cho looked up and raised her eyebrows. "You are meeting Hermione today?"
"She said it was something urgent…"
"Oh."
A few minutes passed in total silence. 'Did I say the wrong thing?' Harry thought to himself. He gulped his coffee down nervously.
Cho looked rather downcast and she said in a soft choked voice, "Roger asked me out a few weeks ago. I turned him down…"
Harry fidgeted nervously. "Well…"
"I came here with Cedric last year…" She paused for ten unbearable seconds. "I've wanted to ask you… Cedric, did he say anything a – about me before… he died?"
Harry was stunned. 'Why did Cho want to talk about Cedric now, and so suddenly?' It was the last thing Harry wanted to talk about with Cho.
"Erm… No… there wasn't much time for anyone to say anything… Look… I don't really want to talk about Cedric here…" Harry looked about furtively, as if trying to find another topic to talk about.
"Er… Well-" Harry broke off in mid-sentence. Cho's eyes were swimming with tears again, like it was during the last DA meeting before Christmas.
"I need to talk about it. I thought you would understand! Surely you n – need to talk about it too! You saw it happen d – didn't you?" Cho blurted out, tears falling down onto the table.
Harry was speechless. He just sat there not knowing what to say.
"Well – I have talked to Hermione and R-"
"You would talk to Hermione wouldn't you!" Cho cried. "Maybe you should just g – go off right now and meet y – your Hermione!"
Harry stared at Cho in disbelief. "It's not like that!" he uttered. By now, the entire shop's occupants were staring at them.
Cho stood up. "If it's not like that, then what is it?"
Saying that, she dashed out of the store. The door slammed. Harry sat there like he was hit by the spell 'Stupefy'. He wanted to sit there and figure it all out. But something told him to chase after Cho. He threw a Galleon down onto the table and dashed out of the store as fast as his feet could take him. He caught sight of her in the distance, running towards the road to Hogwarts. The rain was raining heavily now and she was steadily getting out of sight. Harry gave chase and soon caught up with her. He did not understand what happened; half an hour ago, they were getting along fine…
Harry took hold of her hand and stopped her right there. The rain was mercilessly lashing down on them. Harry grabbed Cho's shoulders.
"What happened? What's wrong with you?"
"What's wrong with me? Of course you wouldn't know! You and Hermione make a perfect pair! Nothing's wrong with me at all!" Cho shrieked.
Suddenly it all clicked into place. Her coldness when they were talking about Hermione, her mentioning of Roger Daives, her wanting to talk about Cedric… Harry pulled her towards him in a tight embrace.
"Cho… Listen to me. Cho, you know very well Hermione and me are just friends. I like you Cho. There's only one person in the world I would ever like and that's you, Cho."
Cho stopped crying for a while and whispered, "Really?"
"I like you Cho and that's what I will do forever."
Cho sunk deeper into Harry's embrace and sobbed uncontrollably on his shoulder.
"I – You – I'm sorry Harry…" Cho said through sobs. "I – just needed to talk about Cedric a – and get over h – him…"
Harry lifted up her chin as he stroked her wet long hair. "You know I would talk to you about him if you would stop acting like a human hose pipe everytime we got to that topic…"
Cho forced a sincere smile through her tears. "Thank you Harry…" she whispered as she closed her eyes and moved closer to him, caressing his face with her hands. Harry closed his eyes and kissed Cho deeply on the lips. He pulled away for a second, brushed her hair out of her face and said "I like… No… I love you, Cho." And then touched lips with her passionately a second time.
They stood in the rain embracing each other for what seemed an eternity before Cho sneezed and they broke apart.
"Look you've gotten a cold now. Don't go running out into the rain anymore next time." Harry teased as he took off his coat and draped it over her shoulders.
"Thank you Harry." Cho said, her voice choked with emotion.
Harry put an arm over her shoulders and led her to the nearest shelter.
"Erm… Harry? When do you have to meet Hermione?"
"Not yet."
"Mind if I come along?"
"No I wouldn't Cho. You know that."
"Would Hermione mind?"
"I told you we were just normal friends didn't I, Cho?
"But…"
"You will come along with me, I will not tolerate any excuses!" Harry said taking on a bossy air.
Cho just giggled and conjured up a tower to get themselves dry. They stood in the shelter for fifteen minutes or so, just lingering in each other's company till the rain stopped. Then, Cho clung to Harry's arm and rested her head on his shoulder as they made their way towards the Three Broomsticks.
Chapter 9 – Quibbler against Umbridge
Two days later, on Monday, Harry was sitting in the Great Hall having breakfast along with Ron, Hermione and Cho who had joined them unexpectedly, suddenly coming up to Harry and wishing him a very good morning before asking to join him for breakfast. (Ron rolled his eyes at this and Hermione managed to disguise her giggle with a cough.)
At that exact same moment, the post owls entered the hall, bringing along the much awaited Daily Prophet to the people eagerly waiting for more news on the escaped Death Eaters. Harry wasn't expecting any letters at all and was helping himself to a glass of orange juice, when an owl landed with a thud on his table. He was quite sure that it had gotten the wrong guy and he leaned forward to take a look. It was addressed to him. Puzzled, he extended his arm to pull the letter off the leg of the owl when suddenly, a flock or rather a swarm of owls flew into the hall and landed on Harry's table, squabbling as each attempted to give Harry the letter first.
"What – what's going on?"
Hermione beamed and exclaimed "I think I know what this means!" as she pulled out a screech owl from the crowd and took a cylindrical package. Harry tore it open and a tightly furled copy of the Quibbler fell out. He looked and to his surprise, he saw his face grinning at him from the front cover, with the large headings 'HARRY POTTER SPEAKS OUT AT LAST: THE TRUTH ABOUT HE WHO MUST NOT BE NAMED AND THE NIGHT I SAW HIM RETURN'.
"So this must all be letters from the readers!" exclaimed Cho excitedly. "Harry! Your account of what happened has finally got to the people of the wizarding community!"
Ron grinned and snatched a letter from an owl's leg and asked "May I Harry?"
"Sure, help yourselves." Harry replied feeling amused and partially shocked by the amount of letter he had received.
"Hey this one is from a guy who thinks you are… crazy. Ah well…"
"This one thinks you are off your rocker…" Hermione said looking disappointed.
"Harry! This one says that he believes you!" Cho exclaimed.
The table was filled with people who had joined in the letter opening with enthusiasm.
There were disappointed gasps but much more joyful exclamations at the letters the readers sent. Many were convinced and believed in Harry's story.
"What is going on here?" said a high-pitched ugly voice from behind. Harry looked behind, a little surprised. It was Umbridge. Professor Umbridge.
"Why do you have these letters, Potter?" Umbridge asked slowly.
"Well is it a crime now? For Harry to get mail?" Cho retorted loudly.
"Be careful Cho, for if your mouth's too good for your looks, I shall have to put you in detention."
"Stay out of this." Hissed Harry.
"Well Mr Potter?" Umbridge smiled at him revealing a set of clean white teeth.
"Well," Harry said politely, overly politely, "People," he paused for emphasis, "Have written to me because I," he paused again, "Gave an interview about what happened to me last June." Harry finished the sentence with the most innocent smile he could muster.
"You what-" Umbridge exclaimed, her voice getting higher.
Harry repeated, "I gave an interview about what happened to me last June. You know people asked me questions? I answer them?"
Ron sniggered. Umbridge's pale doughy face flushed.
"When did you do this?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly.
"Last Hogsmeade weekend."
"No more Hogsmeade trips for you Potter, and a week's detention for you. It appears that the message hasn't sunk in. I told you countless times not to tell lies and you had to defy me." Umbridge's hands were shaking in rage.
"He was not telling a lie!" Cho said loudly.
Umbridge narrowed her eyes at Cho and said, "Well you seem to be keen to join Potter in detention, don't you?"
"If that's how you would punish an innocent person, I don't see why I would refuse your detentions." Cho retorted.
"Very well. A week's detention for you too, Cho."
Harry grit his teeth in anger. "Why did you?"
"Detention with you wouldn't be that bad would it," Cho smiled defiantly. "I'm on your side."
Umbridge stalked away, clutching the Quibbler, trembling with rage. By noon, many signs had been put up in the corridors and classrooms.
BY ORDER OF THE HIGH INQUISITOR OF HOGWARTS
'Any student from in possession of the magazine The Quibbler will be expelled.'
As Harry stared at the sign, he felt a feeling of triumph. Hermione had said, "By banning the Quibbler, Umbridge had made it so that everyone in the school would read it! Don't you just feel happy?" Harry smiled when he heard this. He could imagine Umbridge seething with rage but being unable to do anything.
Harry's happiness was increased when during classes teachers found ways to express their feelings about Harry's interview. The best was when Professor Trelawney broke into hysterical sobs and announced to the entire class that Harry was not going to suffer an early death after all, but would live to a ripe old ago, become minister of magic and have twelve children. Harry had to try very hard to stifle his laughter; the look of Umbridge's face was just amusing.
But all this happiness still couldn't cancel the fact that he had detention with Umbridge for another week. It wasn't him that he was worried about; he had already done tons of detention with Umbridge. It was Cho that he was worried about. 'She hasn't done anything to deserve it…' He found himself thinking.
But detention was detention and at least he had a person to accompany him.
"Are you alright Cho?" Harry asked after the last detention that week.
Cho bandaged her bleeding hand with her handkerchief and smiled weakly at Harry. "Don't worry Harry. I'm okay. What about you?" She asked with eyes filled with concern.
"I'm used to it. I'll go get some Murtlap essence for you."
"No there isn't a need to, Harry." Cho grabbed his sleeve with her injured hand and winced in pain.
"You really need something to ease the pain, Cho-"
Harry was cut off in mid-sentence. Cho had leaned in and kissed him deeply on the lips. Harry returned the kiss. They pulled apart for a second. "I want to share the pain you experience, share the joy you experience, Harry." Cho said tenderly before falling into Harry's arms. Harry had never felt so good after detention with Umbridge ever.
Chapter 10 – SNEAK