Summary:What happens when Harry comes across Cho a couple nights after Cedric' death?

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any other part of the Potterverse.

Author' Note: This is a short little one shot that has been haunting my thoughts for the last couple days. I hope you'll enjoy it. :)

Painlessly

"I don't know what to do..." she whispered sadly into the darkness of the night. Her fragile form trembling, whether from the tears that escaped her bloodshot eyes or the cold wind that ravaged the grounds of Hogwarts, he did not know. Though he did know why. As everything seemed to these past few days, it came back to Cedric or rather, his untimely demise. He also knew that he was probably the last person she wanted to see right now- if ever.

After all, he was the one who brought back Cedric' body... He was the one who had watched as the light faded from his eyes. And he couldn't blame her or the rest of them for feeling that way, because he felt the same. He should have been able to save him- or at least he should have tried. He rued the decision he had made, when he suggested that they take hold of the cup together. Though he hadn't said the curse, he was at least in part guilty of the Hufflepuff' death.

Now he watched as the girl whom he had been turned down by; the quietly beautiful Ravenclaw seeker whose heart had been stolen by Cedric, wept. In the dark. Alone.

He felt like a monster- worse than any Slytherin.

"I know you're there." She said in a surprisingly calm voice despite her tears, startling him. She could not know it was him that had witnessed her pain. Somehow that would make everything so much worse. He began backing away.

"Harry," she breathed sadly, quietly, "Come and sit down."

His heart was beating crazily in his chest; shocked into stillness at the sound of his name coming from her lips; he stood dumbly under his Invisibility Cloak.

Several seconds passed before he heard her sigh, "Please." It was not an order, nor a question, but rather a plea. His feet began taking him of their own volition towards the spot where she sat, where he awkwardly stood for a few moments as he divested himself of his cloak before sitting down besides the dark haired girl.

"Cho," he said quietly by way of greeting, and was startled by the small grin that was shot in his direction. They sat in silence for some time before the tear stained face of the Ravanclaw beauty turned towards him once more.

"How did he die?" She asked softly, as she struggled to maintain eye-contact. Taken aback, Harry tried to find the best way to explain. Then it came to him: a single word.

"Painlessly."

The silence seemed to ring between them, but Cho seemed...better.

Unsure of what to do, Harry raised to leave, but was stopped by a small hand gripping his own.

"Thank you," she said softly, before releasing his hand and turning away once more. Leaving Harry with nothing else to do but walk away towards the welcoming heat of the castle and the nightmares he would surely have again that night about the brave Hufflepuff and maybe after tonight, of the beautiful Ravenclaw crying alone in the darkness.

Hmm, I really didn't see that ending coming when I was writing it. O_o

I rather like it though. :)

~Autumn Skyie