Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Harry Potter characters…
Chapter 1: The list and a renewed acquaintance
Cho Chang pushed her glasses further up her nose as she read the last page of the book on defending against dementors.
"You need to find a better pass time"
Hearing the voice of her best friend, she looked up and into the exasperated eyes of Angelina Johnson.
"I'm fine the way I am"
"Oh, really? And that is why you are always shut up in this dungeon of an apartment and it is only your work that takes you away from here, is it?"
"I don't need entertainment, Angy! I need to be alone and that is all I wish for!"
"No amount of insinuation is going to help you this time. You will be reformed and in the end, you'll be grateful that I took so much pain"
"No, I won't. You'll go into hiding because I'll be out, hunting you down to murder you for spoiling by happiness"
"You aren't getting away this time, no matter what you say. I've had enough of your whining, which I never understand, by the way. You got over Cedric a few years back, and Harry wasn't even that important to you. Why are you such a recluse? What is your reason? Do you even have one?"
"You've just stated them"
"What?"
"Cedric. He dated me and what happened to him? Harry went on just one date with me and? He almost died too! It was a truly a miracle that he came back! Don't you see? I'm destined for bad luck!"
"That's superstitious and you know it. Cedric chose to compete knowing there was all the chance that he might die"
"But he didn't, until I went to the ball with him!"
"You are not to be blamed for Voldemort's schemes"
"But, but, Harry?"
"You do know the prophecy, don't you? He was marked for death even before he was born. And he chose to go to the ministry all by himself. You didn't apparate him there and push him into the telephone booth"
"I'm not going to risk the life of another just because you want me to have a date for your wedding"
"I'm not marrying any time soon!"
"Yeah! And you are engaged to George Weasley because?"
"Never mind him. What if we chose different things for you to do?"
"Things that don't concern dating?"
"Yes. You could have no objections to that!"
"I suppose" she accepted half heartedly.
"Let's make a list" Angelina squealed as she sat by her.
"I don't know which of your obsessions worries me more. Making lists or troubling me"
"You should be worried about the first one now or I'll make one by myself and you'll have no choice" she said as she searched the apartment for parchment and quill.
"On the shelf on your right. Under the report about goblin wars"
"You really need to get out or you'll turn into a cleanliness freak" Angelina sighed as she took the things and settled by Cho.
She titled the list as 'Cho Chang's to-do list for the next few months'
"I'm not giving up reading" Cho said resolutely, sensing her friend's thoughts.
"Okay! But, let's make you read some thing different, shall we?"
"Different? How? I've tried Muggle books too!" she stated, sure of having brought her to a dead end.
"How about poetry?"
"Oh, sure! I've read about all types of them"
"Love poems?" Angelina asked, knowing she'd win this one easily.
Cho remained silent, and Angelina used this chance to write down in the list.
"I'll get you some coffee" Cho said as she got up from her place.
Angelina followed her, list in hand.
"How about this? Lose weight?"
"Lose more weight? You've already lost more than half your normal weight. No way are we adding that"
"May be you can take me to lunch, to make sure I don't eat too much"
"Not a bad idea." Angelina said as she wrote it down.
"Ouch!"
"What happened?"
"The steam, it fogged my glasses"
"Aha! We should buy demisting spray for your glasses"
"That's irrelevant!"
"Still, it is a thing to do!" she retorted as she happily lengthened the list.
A few days later found Cho in a bookstore, searching, on the threat of Angelina, for a book on love poems.
She had already bought the demisting spray, and it lay in her shelf, since she didn't know what to do with it.
She sighed as she discarded yet another book as too sappy.
At this rate, she'd have to find a new book store since the past eight of them hadn't produced one satisfactory one.
"What are you looking for?"
She looked up from the book shelf, and found herself looking into a familiar face.
"I've seen you some where"
The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them and she bit her tongue, berating herself for being so foolish.
"I'd hope so. We were in the same school for six whole years"
"Oh, I…I don't remember seeing you"
"You might have heard me" he smiled unabashedly, unaffected by her not recognizing him.
"Heard you…yes, your voice does sound familiar but, pardon me, I don't think I'd have been very pleased with it in the past"
"I guess the voice that called your Quidditch team the brain on a broom won't be ever so pleasing to you, even though it has been some years"
"You…Oh! Lee Norton, right? The one who commentated in the Quidditch matches!"
"Jordan. And, yes, that is true"
"Oh, glad to meet you after so long"
"Like wise. But, shall we quit the formalities now?"
"Okay" Cho replied with a smile. His manner was so open and jovial that she couldn't help feeling cheerful.
"So, what brings you here?"
"An errand for a friend"
"I could help you. This shop belongs to one of my aunts and I came here to help sort out her latest shipment of poem books"
"Oh, could you find me a love poem book?"
"Sure. There's a collection just behind that aisle"
"Oh, I've browsed through all of them already. They don't suit me"
"You? I thought you were buying one for your friend?"
"Oh, I am…She…wanted me to pick what I like. Yes, she trusts my taste" Cho looked up at him, proud with her explanation.
Lee only shook his head, and said, "You are a novice at this, aren't you?"
"At what?"
"Lying?"
"I am not…How could you accuse me of such a thing!"
"I wasn't accusing you, merely stating a fact"
"You sound so sure of your self?"
"Of course! I can trace even the best liar's lie, much less yours"
"Oh, really?"
"Practice makes perfect. How about a bet?"
"A bet!"
"Yeah! I'll teach you to lie and we'll see how you fare?"
"Uhm…."
"Afraid you'll lose?"
"Me? You must be delusional to think that" she stated as she flicked her long raven hair back.
Still works like a charm.
"So? Are we clear in the bet?"
"Sure. What do I get if I win?"
"Whatever you ask for" Lee said, confident that he'd win.
"I love open ended statements" Cho mocked, as he led her to the new arrivals where she began searching for books.
"Would you want help carrying those?" Lee asked as she paid for the twelve she had bought.
"No thanks. I can always shrink them"
"Sure. But, I've heard of books that miss pages while they are enlarged again"
"I'll manage" she replied as she exited the book store.
She had merely gone a foot or two when she heard hurrying foot steps behind her.
"What is it? Did I forget one of the books?"
"No. We never decided on the bet?"
"What about it?"
"You need to learn to lie"
"And?"
"How about Friday? Lunch?"
"I'm not so sure about that. I might not be free"
"You'll owl me when you are?"
"Sure"
As if!
"Great! See you 'round"
With a final wave and smile, he jogged back to the shop, and she walked on, with a smile on her lips.
Lee Jordan was just too amusing.
A/n: I'd first thought of making this a one-shot but, this idea was some thing I've never written and I thought I'd try it now.
Review!