Clutching her suitcase tightly in her shaking hand, Cho stepped on board the Hogwarts Express and turned to wave at her mother and father one last time. She swallowed hard and willed herself not to cry. It was her first year at Hogwarts; she needed to make them proud. So, when she heard the conductor shout, "Last call! All aboard!" and the train's whistle blasted in her ear, she threw back her shoulders and marched towards the rear of the train. Paranoid, she felt her pocket where her shining new wand lay. She knew her parents had meant well, but their constant reminding of how important it was has made her extremely nervous. Feeling the wand safe and sound, as she had expected, put her at ease slightly. With a deep breath, she dragged her suitcase to where she saw empty luggage shelves and tried to lift it onto one of them. After attempting it twice, she fell back, frustrated. She was too short. Then, adding to her strife, she felt the train begin to move. The other students around her ran to get a seat, leaving her alone. Panicking, she gave yet another desperate attempt to lift the suitcase resulting in, once again, falling on her back side. With an annoyed sigh she looked up to see a plump, smiling woman waddling towards her.

"Need any assistance dear?" She asked, holding out her hand.

Embarrassed, Cho shook her head, "N-no ma'am. I'm fine."

The woman gave Cho a skeptical look but shrugged. "All right then. You had better get yourself a seat. We're moving." With that, the woman turned and made her way down the hall.

"Idiot." Cho thought to herself, "why didn't I take her help? Am I really that prideful-"

Her thoughts were interrupted by a voice.

"Hello there, first year! Need a hand?"

Cho looked up to see a boy smiling at her. He had very pale skin, grey eyes, and light brown hair. Without waiting for an answer, he reached down and took her hand, lifting her to her feat. Then, he heaved the suitcase onto the shelf.

"I'm Cedric Diggory, by the way." He grinned, clicking the compartment shut. "And you are?"

Suddenly remembering herself, Cho stuttered, "Ch-Cho Chang."

Cedric stuck out his hand and took hers. "Delighted to meet you Ch-Cho." He shook her hand, eyes teasing. To her surprise, she found herself laughing.

"It's not Ch-Cho! It's just Cho." Slowly, she felt her nervousness melt away.

"Well Cho, let's find a place to sit, shall we? Unless, of course, you'd rather resume sitting on the floor in the hallway." He grinned and began taking large strides down the hall. "I assume," he went on, "that as a first year, you had no idea how fast seats fill up."

Cho ran to catch up.

"How did you know?" She asked, breathing heavily from jogging.

"Know what?" Cedric replied, glancing through the door of one compartment.

"That I'm a first year!" She looked inside as well, and it was full. They continued walking.

"Well, it's quite simple, really." He stopped and turned to face her. "One: first years always stand about waving to their parent instead of finding a place to sit. Two: first years always look as though someone had killed their cat- oh you know what I mean, Cho. They're deflated and upset- and last of all, first years always have their wands hanging out of their pockets." With a grin, he glanced at her pocket where, sure enough, her wand was threatening to escape. Laughing, they continued walking and checking compartments.

"And what year are you?" Cho asked suddenly.

"Er, second. But a that's what a fifth year told me last year." He confessed, finally opening the door to a half empty car. The two of them stepped inside and took seats on the bench which lined the grey wall. Pushing a piece of shining black hair behind her ear, Cho stole a glance at Cedric. He had a very handsome face.

After riding in silence for a moment, Cedric asked, "So, are you excited for the sorting?"

"The sorting? Oh! I'd nearly forgotten!" Cho exclaimed. She must have looked very nervous because Cedric's eyebrows knit together and he patted her hand.

"It's really nothing to worry about. Well, I was nervous, but it's also fun. Hey! Who knows? You could be in Hufflepuff like me!"

"Hufflepuff? You?" She blurted out, then covered her mouth in horror. "I'm so sorry! That's not what I meant-"

"No harm done. Just and loyal, that's me!" He put his fist on his chest and posed heroically, causing giggles from several of the students around them. A red hair girl caught Cho's eye and smiled. Her name was Marietta Edgecombe and they had briefly met while school shopping in Diagon Alley.

"Naw, I doubt you'll be a Hufflepuff. How brave are you?" Cedric asked. Cho shook her head quickly.

"Not very. I'm terrified of rats."

"Hmm, no Gryffindor for the young lady, then." He said in a strange, gruff voice. Cho was about to ask what it was, when a pretty girl in the corner let out a shriek of laughter.

"Cedric, you sound just like the sorting hat!" She giggled.

"Perhaps Slytherin," he went on in the same voice, "but I think you are too humble to belong to that house. All right, Ravenclaw!" Laughter echoed around the room and continued for the whole ride. Somehow, Cho didn't think Hogwarts sounded too scary after all.


Cho held open her book with shaking hands and attempted to study it, though, with the sound of students chattering and the motioning the train, she found it difficult to read. She had promised her parents that she would be fine; that she truly wanted to return to Hogwarts, but now she wasn't so sure. But it was too late. The train wouldn't turn back. Already the sun had began to set and grey raindrops pelted the window. An awful silence hung in the empty air of the room. None of Cho's friends knew what to say to her so they simply pretended that nothing was wrong. They didn't understand what she felt. Guilt. Cedric should have been sitting beside her, making jokes and filling the car with laughter. But he wasn't. He never again would. Adding to her guilt was her selfish desire to know if he'd mentioned her before he'd died. Dulbledore had said that Cedric was murdered by he-who-shall-not-be-named. Did he have time to talk? Obviously he had been able to say a few words. Harry had cried that Cedric requested his body brought back to his parents. It didn't make any sense to her. She wanted to talk to Harry. She needed to talk to Harry. He, at least, would understand. No one else did. Turning the page of her book, she heard voices outside of the door.

"Well," a male voice began, "I'm just glad that last year wasn't our first year. Hopefully this year will be better."

"What do you mean? What happened last year?" A girl voice asked

"You haven't heard? Potter murdered a Hufflepuff and blamed it on You-Know-Who."

Cho felt herself become stiff.

"No! Harry Potter?" The girl gasped.

"That's what my Father says. Gosh Crystal, don't you even read The Daily Prophet?"

"My ma wont let me yet." She snapped.

"Well, Dumbledore even believes Potter. Only a matter of time before the Ministry sacks him, that's what Dad says."

"Who was the Hufflepuff?"

"Oh, I don't know. Some bloke named Cedric Diggory."

At the mention of Cedric, Cho winced. The male voice went on.

"I wouldn't be caught dead in that house. It's Slytherin of nothing."

With that the footsteps continued down the hall. Sighing, Cho stared off into the brewing storm, willing the train to break down so she didn't have to return to Hogwarts


A/N Thank you so much for reading! This just just a one shot so there won't be any more chapters. I hope you enjoyed it! Please favorite and review.