Harry walked through the halls of Hogwarts, trying to clear his head before dinner. He reached the courtyard and stepped outside, breathing in the crisp air. Snow dusted the ground, building up to lose piles in some spots. The sun was low in the sky, as it tended to be on winter afteroons, and it caused the shadows to be more dramatic. The cool darkness was comforting in its emptiness. All the other students were huddled by the fireplaces in the Common Rooms, drinking hot chocolate or, if they were lucky, warm Butterbeer leftover from the recent Hogsmeade weekend. When Harry had left his own Common Room, Hermione was curled up on a sofa reading a book and absentmindedly petting Crookshanks. Ron was playing a raucous game of chess with his sister. The room was filled to the brim with Gryffindors of all ages trying to escape the cold. Thanks to Umbridge's disbanding of clubs the place was more populated than it would have been in other years. Harry hated it. He couldn't explain why, but ever since Cedric's murder crowds were nearly intolerable. The air in filled rooms felt stuffy and thick. Maybe he was becoming clastrophobic.
For Harry, the alone time was a relief. There was no pressure to talk, no need to think. He could just be. Harry was contemplating whether to go to the Quidditch Pitch or the lake when a hand landed on his shoulder. Harry whipped around, involuntarily drawing his wand. When he saw who it was, his heart sank and a knot of tension formed in his stomach. Cho Chang.
"I didn't mean to frighten you," she said.
"It's alright," said Harry. The two stared at each other awkwardly. "Um...what do you want?" said Harry, breaking the silence. Cho knit her brows and began studying the ground. It was a few moments before she replied.
"I-I wanted to apologize for the way I acted a few days ago. I'm quite embarassed about it, to be honest. I'm so sorry," said Cho.
"Okay," said Harry.
"...Okay?"
"Yeah," said Harry.
"That's it? That's all you're going to say?"
"What else should I say?" Harry snapped. This conversation was exhausting. Cho thought for a moment, then shrugged.
"I have no idea," she said. She huffed a laugh and put her palm to her forehead. Harry gave her a small smile. He wanted to stay mad at her, he really did, but the snowflakes in her hair and sparkle in her eyes made his heart flutter.
"Why are you here, anyway? Were you looking for me?" said Harry.
"Hm? Oh, no I was just trying to get some alone time," she said.
"Me too, actually."
"Maybe we could...be alone together?" said Cho.
"That makes no sense."
"Sure it does," she said. "You can be alone in a room full of people, can't you?"
"...Yes," said Harry, his voice cracking. He cleared his throat. "Yes, I suppose you can."
"I think deep down we're both alone. So let's do it together," said Cho quietly. Harry swallowed hard and nodded.
The two of them wandered around the deserted grounds in silence. Past the greenhouses and through the Quidditch Pitch, around Hagrid's hut and to the edge of the forest, then back through the courtyard. As the sun was sinking in the sky, they stopped at the lake. Cho lead Harry to the boathouse, then out across the shoreline. It was beautifully isolated. They sat down, not minding the dampness from the dusting of snow. The sunset on the icy lake was lovely, and the two of them watched the whole thing. When the last shreds of purple and orange had faded to midnight blue, Harry said, "I think we missed dinner."
"That's probably an accurate assessment," said Cho. She touched her stomach. "My stomach certainly thinks you're right."
"Our friends are probably worried sick."
"Yeah, we should get back," said Cho. Neither moved.
"I liked being alone with you," said Harry.
"I like being alone with you too," she replied, smiling softly at Harry. By the light from the boathouse Harry could make out the pinkness on Cho's cheeks. It matched the colour of her lips. As far as Harry could tell, she wasn't wearing any lipstick or lip gloss. She had a nice mouth, Harry decided. Harry licked his lips, then realized his odd fixation was probably creepy. It was his turn to blush. He took in her whole face again. Thankfully, Cho didn't look creeped out - she looked amused. Harry's blush deepened and he looked out at the water. Cho squeezed his shoulder lightly, getting him to look back at her. As Cho's face grew closer to his, Harry felt a rush of anxiety which vanished once their lips met. It was strange how something he had done so little of felt so natural. The kiss was short, but much sweeter than their last one. "We really should get back," Cho said after she pulled away.
"Hermione's going to be furious," said Harry, nodding and standing up. He helped Cho to her feet and she didn't let go of his hand. Harry tried to hold back a giddy smile as they walked back to Hogwarts.