I own nothing, and this contains femmeslash. My lovely Kay was my beta. Read and enjoy!
It wasn't how it was supposed to end. She was supposed to go and see him that night (unless he won, when he was to have the victory for a while longer) and tell him to his face. It wasn't supposed to end with Harry bringing his dead body back, holding onto a Portkey.
She had screamed and grieved. Somewhere inside her she had really loved Cedric. She missed him, she was angered that he would never have the life he had dreamed of, the desires that he had told her about all the time.
Lisa had come that night. She had kissed her, holding her, let her cry. Cho had clung to her, dark hair mingling with blonde as their faces pressed so close that Lisa could feel the hot wetness of her tears. They kissed again, their hot lips pulling at the grief that filled her, as if this physical act could heal their souls.
Heal their hearts.
I should have told him.
Cho saw Harry a few days after. He was sitting among his friends and looked… broken. Ron and Hermonine were sitting with him, and then she saw her. Ginny. She was sitting slightly apart, not a member of the group, doomed to love Harry from afar.
She met her in the corridor later. Ginny bumped into her, mumbled sorry, and stumbled on.
"How can you do it?" Cho couldn't stop herself asking. Ginny spun, seeming wide awake now.
"What?" she demanded.
"How can you be in love with him and not say a word!" Cho demanded. She knew she should stop but she couldn't. "How can you pretend and be with someone else when you need Harry more than the world!"
Ginny looked at her carefully, tears threatening to spill. "How can you?"
Cho shook her head. "How long have you known?"
"Since I saw you as a threat."
"I don't want Harry. He's yours."
"Will that stop you?" Ginny asked. She didn't wait for Cho's answer. They both knew what it was.
Cho did date Harry the next year. She had two constant thoughts the whole brief, pointless time: Lisa and Ginny.
Lisa never pushed her, never said "love me not him". She took the midnight kisses and understood that it could go no further. But Cho could only think of Lisa. And of Ginny.
When she discovered Harry and Ginny were finally together the next year she was so pleased. So love did mean something then. She and Lisa talked about their flat next year, and their jobs.
After Dumbledore's funeral she went to Cedric's grave.
"I love her" she said simply. "I only loved you as a friend." She walked away.
She never saw the ghostly figure stand over his own grave. "I know. We all have our loves." He stared at the translucent locket in his hand. A girl smiled back at him from a faded picture. "And I have mine now."