She doesn't manage to get the word 'sneak' of her face until after she leaves Hogwarts, but even after, when she touches her face she can still trace the letters the spell had marked her with.
She is branded, but she's the only one who can tell.
Cho blinks in surprise the first time she sees her friend outside of school. "They're gone," she says dumbly, clutching her broom in the middle of Diagon Alley. People are bustling up and down the streets once more, like they should be. But something's different about their manner; they're wary. They know now that, at any moment, this perfect world of theirs could be ripped away again.
Marietta is different too. "I had to go to Brazil," she tells her once-friend. It's been a long time since they've last spoken; she doesn't doubt that both of them have changed.
"I'm sorry," Cho says, in that innocent, helpless, Cho-like way. The way that had heroes like Harry Potter and Cedric Diggory falling over themselves to protect her and rescue her.
"No you're not," Marietta says, pushing past her. "You don't even care."
"Marietta, wait!" Cho calls, but she doesn't stop.
She works in a shop – an apothecary, just like she'd always wanted. She'd always been good at potions.
It's small, but the turnover is decent and it pays well. She doesn't imagine she'll stay there forever, but it's a good stop for now.
She doesn't know how Cho manages to find her.
"We're closing," she says harshly, even though they're open for another twenty minutes.
"Please," Cho says.
"No."
"You won't even tell me what I did wrong!"
"I shouldn't have to tell you!" Marietta says angrily. "You chose them over me!"
"So you wish I'd just bowed down to Voldemort and let him take over, is that it?"
Marietta laughed. "Don't pretend that's why you did it," she scoffed. "You did it because you thought you might get close to Potter."
Cho bites her lip. "That was only part of the reason," she says. "You know me better than to think that was the only thing I was thinking about."
"I know you well enough to not be fooled by your bullshit excuses."
"I stood up for you, you know. Harry was really angry with you, and I told him that he was wrong-"
Marietta sneers. "Oh, how will I ever thank you?" she asks sarcastically. "Allow me to fall at your feet and worship you."
"Don't be like that," Cho says gently. "This isn't… this isn't you."
"You don't know me anymore," Marietta replies. She walks to the door. "And if you don't mind, we need to close."
Cho takes the hint but, before she leaves, she turns to Marietta. "I'm working in Quality Quidditch Supplies," she says. "You should come in sometime."
"I don't play Quidditch," Marietta replies before shutting the door with an echoing click.
Cho is part of her old life. She's not that person anymore.