Harry woke up in horror, cold sweat pouring down his face and breathing hard. He had just woken from the most horrible dream where....
Harry gulped. He didn't want to think of it.
"Harry?" Ron poked his head through the curtains that hung around his bed. "Are you alright? I heard you yell."
"Yeah," Harry said, rubbing his head. "I just had a nightmare."
Ron's eyes widened. "About..."
"No, no. Not Voldemort," Harry said hastily. "About... something else."
"Cho?" Ron guessed and Harry nodded his head miserably.
"I dreamt she was kissing Malfoy," he said with a shudder.
Ron gave a wizened old sigh and sat at the edge of Harry's bed. "Look, Harry. You can't keep this a secret forever. You have to tell her some time."
Harry thought that this was a bit rich coming from someone who had taken almost five years to admit that he liked someone else, but seeing as Ron had a lot more experience with girls than he had, he kept quiet.
"I mean, when I told Hermione that I liked her (Ron turned red at this point), it turned out that she had liked me all along as well. So maybe it's the same with you and Cho. Maybe she's liked you for ages."
"No," Harry said. "She liked Cedric."
"Cedric's gone now," Ron pointed out. "So she's free. Trust me, the sooner you tell her the better. Take Hermione and me for example..."
Harry could see that Ron had that dreamy look in his eye he always got when thinking about Hermione and decided he'd better end the conversation before Ron could start.
"You know what," he said hurriedly. "You're right. I'll tell her soon... maybe even tomorrow."
"Good." Ron got off the bed and regarded him sleepily. "'Night, Harry," he said, and went off to his own bed.
"'Night," Harry echoed, then looked up the ceiling. Telling somebody who'd been your best friend for over four years that you loved her was one thing. But if the girl you liked was one year older, very popular, and very, very pretty, well that was a whole different matter. What if Cho laughed at him and dumped him on the spot? He could just imagine what Malfoy would say to that... Harry turned and dropped off to an uneasy sleep where he was surrounded my millions of Cho's who kept running away from him and laughing.
*****
The next day was Wednesday, Harry's least favourite day or the week because the Gryffindors had Double Potions with the Slytherins first and things tended to go downhill from there. Snape was in a particularly vindictive mood these days and was taking it out on all his students, even the Slytherins. In the last lesson they had had together he had actually called Malfoy an "idiot boy" because he'd added the Quantum Petals to his Potion too early and burnt a hole straight through the table.
Today they were doing Speech Potions, a potion that would make whoever took it able to speak any language in both the Muggle and Wizarding world. The Potion wasn't particularly hard to make, but Neville, as usual, was going to pieces. For some reason his potion had turned an odd greenish colour and there were big chunks of something floating around on top. Snape looked into the cauldron, smiled unpleasantly, and called for the rest of the class to stop and come around Neville's table.
"Look at Longbottom's Potion," he said as everyone crowded around to see. "A perfect example of how Speech Potions should be. Look at how smooth it is." Snape labeled up the chunky bits and let it fall back into the cauldron while all the Slytherins sniggered uncontrollably. "And look at colour. Just as it should be. RED." He glared at Neville who shrank back, humiliated. "Longbottom!" he snapped. "Add the porcupine pills. Now."
Neville hastily picked up his bag of porcupine quills and before Snape could stop him, threw the whole thing into the cauldron.
"Idiot boy!" Snape howled as the potion began bubbling uncontrollably. "You were only meant to put in one handful! One handful! It said so in the book!"
Too late.
There was a loud BANG! and the cauldron toppled onto its side, drenching everyone's shoes and the bottom of their robes with the potion inside. Everyone shrieked and began to stand on top of the tables to get away from it..
"Stop!" Snape yelled. "Stop it now!"
Everyone stopped running around and looked at him.
"Shoes off and put over there to dry," Snape commanded, waving to a dry corner of the room. "Longbottom, clean this mess up! Without magic."
Harry pulled off his shoes and tossed them into the corner with the rest of the class. A very red Neville went to clean up the mess he had made, everyone continued on with their own Speech Potions, and the incident was momentarily forgotten.
*****
Back in the corner of the classroom, Harry's shoes coughed. And then they sneezed loudly, loud enough for the rest of the shoes to get up and see what was going on.
"Are you alright?" Hermione's perfectly polished shoes asked as they came hopping up to him.
"Yes," Harry's shoes replied. "That potion made me feel terribly w-w-w-wet." They sneezed again.
Hermione's left shoe reached out a shoe lace and patted Harry's shoe comfortingly. "You'll be right once your dry," it said.
Ron's shoes came hopping up. They looked very shabby, especially next to Hermione's. "What's going on?" he asked.
"Just got a bit of a cold," Harry's shoes mumbled, feeling a bit embarrassed. "Ah-choo!"
Behind them, Lavender and Parvati's shoes had gotten together and were talking and giggling absolutely non-stop.
"Reeulto shoe polish is the best," Parvati's were saying.
"Oh, yes," Lavender's agreed. "They are just so good for the leather. And they give such a lovely shine too."
Then both pairs squealed in delight and jumped around singing, "We have something in common, we have something common."
Harry's shoes were still wet and shivering. "Ahhhhh-CHOOOOOOO!" they yelled together and bits of dirt from underneath them went flying out and landed on Hermione's shoes.
"Sorry about that," Harry's shoes said sniffing.
"It's alright," Hermione's shoes said, even though she detested mess of any kind. "Perhaps you should..."
She was cut off by a cold, drawling voice that came from somewhere behind her. "Can't hack the cold, can you?"
Harry's shoes turned around to see who was speaking. And they found themselves staring at an exact replica of themselves.
For a second, both pairs of shoes just stared. Then:
"You look like me," Harry's shoes said.
"Correction," The other shoes said. "You look like me."
"Who do you belong to anyway?" Harry's shoes demanded.
"Draco," the other pair replied.
"Malfoy?" Harry's shoes sounded revulsed. "Gross!"
"What's so gross about it?" Malfoy's shoes demanded. "I mean, it's heaps better then being owned by, say, Potter for example..."
"Hey!" Harry's shoes said. "I am owned by Potter!"
"You're owned by Potter?" Now Malfoy's shoes sounded disgusted. "Yuk!"
Harry's shoes were about to say something really cutting when Hermione interrupted. "Now, now, let's not get into a fight. Just because our owners don't get along, it doesn't mean we don't have to..."
"Oh, shut up, you knotted shoe lace," Malfoy's shoes said rudely. Everyone gasped in shock. Malfoy's shoes had just said the ultimate insult. Even Parvati and Lavender's shoes stopped talking to watch.
"Take that back, you, or I'll, I'll..." Ron's shoes jumped out in a fury, absolutely spitting with rage.
"You'll what?" Malfoy's shoes asked calmly as Crabbe and Goyle's shoes came trundling up and when to stand behind him like body guards.
"Don't say anymore," Hermione's shoes whispered anxiously, and for good reason too. Crabbe and Goyle's shoes were five times bigger than Ron's, and he had the largest feet of all the Gryffinder fifth years.
Ron tried to think of something nasty to say, but just then, Lavender and Parvati's shoes began squealing excitedly again. Annoyed at being interrupted he turned around. "Do you four ever stop talking?" he asked.
"No," Parvati's shoes said.
"Of course not," Lavender's shoes said.
"We're sole sisters!" they all cried at the same time and laughed hysterically at their own wit.
"You Gryffindor shoes are all knotted shoe laces!" Malfoy's shoes proclaimed. This statement was followed by a full out brawl, which somehow ended with everyone picking on Neville's shoes.
"Look at the colour of his shoelaces!" shrieked Pansy Parkinson's shoes in delight as all the other Slytherins roared with laughter. For some reason, Neville had pink laces on one shoe and green on the other.
"And look at the size!" Malfoy's shoes said. "The left one's longer than the right one!" The Slytherins broke out laughing all over again. Neville's shoes sniffed quietly and turned away. Harry's shoes got angry.
"Shut it you scuffed boot!" they snapped at Malfoy's shoes.
"Why should I, frayed lace lover," Malfoy's shoes shot back.
It looked like there might have been another brawl, but at that moment the bell went and the shoes quietened as the class began to gather them up.
"Dirty sock," Harry's shoes mouthed at Malfoy's as they were pulled on.
"Muddy shoe sole," Malfoy's shoes mouthed back.
Then they both walked in opposite directions and didn't acknowledge or speak to each other again.
*****
At the end of the Potions lesson, Harry absentmindedly pulled on Malfoy's shoes while Malfoy pulled on Harry's.
Neither of them noticed any difference as they walked out the door.
*****
"There she is," hissed Ron to Harry, as if he hadn't noticed already. Cho was walking down the corridor by herself, staring at the ground and looking rather forlorn and miserable.
"Yeah," muttered Harry. "I see her."
"Well, go talk to her," Ron said, shoving him. "Go on."
"But--" Harry began, trying to think of a hundred reasons of why he shouldn't.
"Oh, come on," Ron said impatiently and shoved him again so that Harry stumbled and somehow ended up right in the middle of Cho's path. Cho looked up at him in wonder.
"Oh, hello," she said, realizing who it was and quickly dropping her eyes again.
Harry felt his face heat up as he muttered, "Can a speak to you for a minute, Cho?"
Cho glanced up at him again. "Sure," she said. "There's an empty classroom further on, why don't we talk there?"
"Alright," Harry said awkwardly as Cho led the way down the passage.
Harry saw Ron give him the thumbs up sign as he stepped into the classroom.
*****
"What was it that you wanted to talk to me about, Harry?" Cho asked as she sat down on one of the tables.
Harry opened his mouth to speak, then looked into those lovely brown eyes of hers and found he couldn't. His heart was caterpulting wildly in his chest and his stomach was doing a very loud version of the limbo. He licked his lips and tried again.
"I wanted... I wanted to talk to you about..." Just spit it out! he told himself. "I wanted to talk to you about us," he said all in a rush.
"Us?" Cho raised an eyebrow inquiringly.
"Yeah," Harry said. He took another deep breath and tried to slow the pumping of his heart. "I mean, I know we haven't known each other for long but, um... I kind of like you. As more than a friend I mean," he added quickly. "And I was kind of wondering if.... you know, you'd like to go on a date with me sometime?"
Harry quickly shut his eyes and counted to ten, expecting Cho to burst out laughing and ask him to give her three reasons why she should go out with a pathetic fifth year like him. Thirty seconds passed and still no laughter. Harry opened his eyes looked up to see that Cho wasn't even staring at him, she was gazing out the window with a dreamy look in her eyes.
"Cho?" he asked tentatively.
"What?" Cho looked startled. Then she gave him an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, Harry, I didn't hear a word of that. Could you say it all again?"
Harry felt oddly relieved that Cho hadn't heard what he'd come to say. He didn't quite know if he could repeat himself so instead he asked her, "What were you thinking of when you were staring out the window just then?"
"I was thinking..." he voice trailed off. Suddenly, she burst out, "Harry, can you keep a secret?"
"What?" Harry was taken aback.
Cho turned around and looked at him directly. "Can you keep a secret?" she asked again. "I mean you can't tell *anyone*, not even Ron or Hermione. It's just between you and me."
"Oh... yes," said Harry wondering what on earth it could be. "I can keep a secret."
"Promise?" Cho persisted, eyes still staring intently at him.
"Promise," said Harry. "I won't tell anyone."
Cho nodded. "Okay," she said.
"What is it?" asked Harry curiously.
"It's... it's..."
"What?" said Harry.
"It's pimples," Cho burst out. "They're everywhere."
"So?" Harry said confused. He got the odd zit now and then but it was nothing to get into a fuss over. "If you just wait a few days, I'm sure they'll..."
"No!" Cho sighed impatiently. "I not talking about the stupid little ones we used to get in our third year and used to cover up with bandaids. I'm talking about.... look." She pulled back her fringe at Harry sucked in his breath. An entire army of angry red pimples with little white caps had stormed up on top of her forehead. She let her fringe fall back into place.
"See?" she said miserably. "They're everywhere."
"It's no big deal," Harry said, his heart suddenly pumping even faster. Even though he'd seen the awful sight of those pimples, Cho still managed to look pretty in his eyes.
"Yes it is!" Cho said. "I don't want to show my friends... I know they'll all be horrified. I know I was when I saw them. And... and they make me feel so ugly and awkward and stupid!" she burst out, and looked as though she were about to cry.
"I don't think you're ugly at all," Harry suddenly found himself saying, moving just that little bit closer towards her. "I think you're lovely."
He coloured a brighter shade of red then you could imagine when Cho turned to stare at him, but he looked back determinedly. "I think you're lovely," he said again.
Cho suddenly blushed and looked at the ground. Then she glanced back up at him. "You won't tell anyone, will you?" she asked.
"'Course not," Harry said. "I said I wouldn't didn't I?"
"Good." Cho gave him a relieved smile and jumped down from the table. "Bye, Harry. And... thanks."
"It's okay," Harry said as she walked out the door. "I won't tell anyone. Promise."
*****
Malfoy's shoes smirked as Harry followed Cho out the door.
Shoes have tongues, they thought, waggling their own in glee. And boy do we have one nasty rumor to spread.
It's only a matter of time before the whole school will know about Cho's little secret.
*****
Ron was waiting impatiently for Harry to return in Charms. The lesson had already started and Harry still hadn't come back. Finally, the door of the classroom swung open and Harry came in red faced and breathless. He muttered an excuse then slid into a chair beside Ron.
'Well?" Ron whispered eagerly. "Did you tell her?"
"No," Harry muttered.
Ron's face fell and he looked disappointed. "You were gone for ages but."
"Yeah, but Cho told me something else," Harry replied, fiddling with his quill and looking up at the board.
"What's that?"
"Well, it's kind of meant to be a secret."
"You can tell me though, can't you?"
Harry ruffled through the pages of his Charms book, trying not to look at Ron. "She told me not to."
Ron's jaw dropped open. "But I'm you best friend!" he said, a little too loudly. The whole class turned around to look at him.
"Thank-you for informing us of that, Weasley," Professor Flitwick squeaked, "But you have work to do. All of you do," he said pointedly, looking at Parvati and Lavender who were whispering behind their books.
Ron copied down notes and wouldn't speak to Harry for the rest of the lesson.
*****
Ron was speaking to Harry by the end of the day but he was still a bit stand-offish and annoyed that Harry wouldn't tell him what the big secret was. It was night and he was in bed reading when he suddenly heard a cry of revulsion come from Harry's bed.
"Yuk," it said. 'Oh, gross!"
Ron put down his book and crawled out of bed to see what was up. Harry was standing barefoot, staring at his shoes with a look of the most utmost disgust on his face.
"What happened?" Ron asked him, blinking rapidly so that his eyes would adjust to the light.
"Malfoy's shoes," Harry was saying. "*Malfoy's shoes!*"
"What about them?" Seamus asked yawning as he, Neville and Dean came around to see what was going on.
"Malfoy's shoes,"Harry said again. "I was wearing Malfoy's shoes."
"What?" Ron said. "How could you have?"
"When we took them off for Potions. We must have the same ones," Harry moaned. "Look, it says on the inside. Property of Draco E. Malfoy."
The four boys peered into them then jumped and backed away, looking revulsed.
"Harry, you'd better disinfect your feet tonight," Dean advised, still walking back from them.
Harry sighed. "I'd better return them," he said.
"Now?" Ron said incredulously. "Harry, it's eleven thirty. You'll get caught. Wait until morning."
"I would if they were anyone elses," Harry said, pulling a face, "But since their Malfoy's..." he let is voice trail off.
"Good point," Neville said quickly. The last thing he wanted was Malfoy's shoes in their dormitory. "You'd better go now."
"Yeah," Harry said. He picked up the shoes with his thumb and forefinger and wrinkled his nose. "They *stink*! See you," he said as he walked out the door.
"Good luck," the four boys chorused. They watched as the door swung shut behind him.
"Man," Dean said, shaking his head once he was gone. "That guy is *brave*!"
*****
"EWWWWWWW!!!!"
Malfoy's disgusted squawk echoed throughout the dormitory. They boys around him tumbled out of bed and hurried to his bed to see what had happened.
"Potter's shoes," Malfoy was saying. "*Potter's shoes*!"
"What?" Crabbe asked, rubbing his eyes stupidly.
"Potter's shoes!" Malfoy's voice nearly rose to a shriek. "I was wearing them! I must have put on the wrong pair while we were in Potions. It says right here, 'Property of Harry J.Potter.'"
The boys looked inside then leapt back from the shoes as if they were contaminated by some sort of disgusting disease.
"Draco, I suggest you wash your feet tonight with disinfectant," Zambini said wisely.
They stood a few seconds, staring at the shoe. Then Malfoy said abruptly, "I'm taking these back."
"Now?" Goyle said. "But it's eleven thirty! You'll get caught."
"I am not having anything of Potter's in this dormitory," Malfoy said flatly. He picked up the shoes between his thumb and his forefinger and pulled a face. "They *stink*. See you," he added as he walked out the door.
"Good luck," the other four boys chorused as the door swung shut behind him.
"Man," Zambini said, shaking his head once he was gone. "That guy is *brave*!"
*****
Harry and Malfoy met each other half way up and down the marble stair case.
"Here are your shoes," Harry said, dropping them at Malfoy's feet.
"Here are your shoes," Malfoy said, dropping them at Harry's feet.
They picked up their shoes between their thumb and fore fingers and glared at each other.
"Sweet nightmares, Malfoy/Potter," they both said at the same time and walked opposite ways up the marble staircase.
Malfoy's shoes smirked in the darkness.
*****
It was very late at night and everyone was asleep in bed. The night was silent, the night was still and nobody was expecting anything out of the ordinary to happen, least of all Malfoy who was happily dreaming of the time he would be old enough to join his treasured Lord Voldemort and all his supporters.
The next thing he knew he was being kicked awake by something large and heavy.
"Stop it," he muttered, rolling over on his side.
The thing kicked him again, harder this time. "Wake up," it hissed.
Malfoy opened one eye. Then he slowly opened the other. Hogwarts had prepared him for most strange things he might face in the Wizarding world but definitely not this.
"Aiiiiiiiiiii!!!!!" Malfoy yelled, scrambling up in bed and staring wide-eyed at his shoes in the darkness.
"Be quiet," the shoes snapped. "Do you want everyone to hear?"
"You can talk?" Malfoy asked in disbelief.
"Obviously," the shoes said in a tone that made Malfoy feel very stupid.
"What do you want?" Malfoy's asked, still feeling a bit shaky. He wasn't exactly used to talking to his shoes after all.
"It's not what I want," his shoes said. "But it may be what you want. I'd do anything to hurt Potter too, you know..."
The shoes began muttering quickly Malfoy who was all ears and definitely smirking by the time they had finished talking.
*****
Something was up. Harry knew it the moment he went down for breakfast. Everyone had been talking loudly but quickly shut up when he'd sat down and tried to avoid his eyes. Harry chose to ignore them and distracted himself by trying to look for Cho on the Ravenclaw table, but she was nowhere to be seen.
Breakfast was unusually quiet, but Harry noticed the table livened up quite a bit as he was leaving. He caught some people staring at him but they quickly blushed and looked away when they saw he had caught them. He walked to Herbology feeling annoyed and confused of the way people were behaving. Something was definitely up and he had a sinking feeling that it had something to do with him.
He caught up to Ron and Hermione at the Greenhouse Five. They were talking, but quickly stopped when Harry arrived.
"Hi, Harry," Hermione said, twisting her hair nervously.
"Nice day, huh?" Ron chimed in.
Harry stared at him. Ron never talked about the weather.
"What's going on?" he asked.
Hermione and Ron looked at each other.
"Well, Harry," Hermione said carefully. "We've heard this, ah, rumor..."
"What rumor?" Harry demanded, crossing his arms over his chest.
"We heard that you and Cho were going out and then you dumped her because you found out that she had a bunch of zits across her forehead," Ron blurted out.
"Ron!" Hermione said. "You shouldn't have told him! We don't even know if it's true or not... is it?" She looked at him anxiously.
"You could have told us, you know," Ron said. "We are your supposed to be your best friends."
Harry was still recovering from the first bit of news to pay any attention to what Ron was saying.
"What a load of crap," he said. "I was never going out with Cho! Who told you that?"
His question was answered by a load, drawling voice coming from behind him. Harry clenched his fists and turned around. Malfoy was standing there smirking with Crabbe and Goyle at his side.
"Broken up with your girlfriend, Potter," he drawled. "Couldn't handle the fact she had zits, eh?"
Crabbe and Goyle sniggered stupidly and Harry was about to go up there to punch Malfoy when he suddenly realized that he had a much bigger problem on his hands.
'Oh no!" he gasped. "She's going to think I told everyone!"
"What?" Hermione said.
'Hold these for me," Harry said abruptly, shoving his books into her hands. Hermione staggered and almost fell over.
"What... where are you going?" Hermione called as Harry made off back to the castle. "Come back! You'll be late for class!"
*****
It seemed as though Harry had looked through every corridor , every room and every stair case in the castle looking for Cho. Although you could never be sure which ones you had already looked through in a place like Hogwarts, harry found himself thinking as he ran down a corridor and a peculiar sense of deja vu came over him.
Finally, he burst into Myrtle's bathroom. "Cho?" he called. "Are you in here?"
"Go away," said a muffled voice coming from one of the cubicles. Harry tried to open the door but it was locked so he stood outside and talked through it instead.
"Cho, you've got to listen," Harry said urgently. "It's all a mistake..."
"I trusted you," came Cho's voice from the bathroom. It sounded as though she had being crying for a long time.
"But I didn't tell anyone!" Harry said.
Cho laughed. "You didn't tell anyone? You were the only one who knew. I thought you were my friend. I thought I could trust you!"
"But..." Harry tried to say something in defense but the words caught in his throat.
"Just go away, Potter." Cho said tiredly. "Leave me alone."
Harry turned sadly around to leave, but just then he saw a pair of ears sticking out of the wall, flapping away as if there was no tomorrow. He knew who those ears belonged to. Harry was furious.
"Myrtle, get out of here!" he said as Myrtle swooped into the bathroom, cackling. He rolled his eyes up to the ceiling and leaned against the door of Cho's toilet. "Even the walls have ears around this place."
"And shoes have tongues," Myrtle said slyly, still cackling away.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Harry asked suspiciously.
"Ask your shoes," she said, swooping around and making Harry feel dizzy. "They'll tell you."
"What are you talking about?" Harry asked, annoyed.
"Wey-ull..." Myrtle looked as though she might not tell him.
"Just tell me," Harry said irritated. Myrtle was hurt.
"I try to help you and this is all the thanks I get?" she asked sniffling, tears welling up in her eyes. "Everyone's the same around this place! They all think, 'well, there's Myrtle, let's not bother talking to her, she never has anything to say anyway.' And now I do have something to say and you don't want to listen and you snap at me and you tell me to go away..." the tears began rolling down her cheeks.
"I didn't mean it that way, Myrtle," Harry said hastily. "I do want to hear what you have to say. Just.... stop flying around so much. You're making me dizzy."
"Alright," Myrtle said, still sniveling. "I'm suppose I'll have to tell you."
"Now what's this about my shoes, Myrtle?" Harry asked, trying to sound patient.
"Oh!" Myrtle brightened up considerably after this question. "Well, do you remember that potion Neville spilt yesterday in Potions?"
"Yes," Harry said cautiously. "What about it?"
"Well it spilt over everyone's shoes didn't it?" Myrtle said. "And all the shoes got a dose of the Speech Potion so you took them off to dry. But you didn't notice that Malfoy had the same shoes as you, did you? So you put the wrong ones on and you were still wearing them when you went to talk to Cho..."
"Of course!" Harry said. Then he stopped and frowned "But that still doesn't make sense. How could he have found out what happened just because I was wearing his shoes at the same time I was speaking to Cho? Unless..." Harry's eyes suddenly widened and he looked down at his feet. "Unless our shoes can talk!"
"Got it one," Myrtle said smugly. "The potion Neville spilt caused all the shoes to start flapping their tongues about. When you returned Malfoy's shoes to him, his shoes must have told him what they'd heard when you were having your conversation with Cho. Fortunately, the Potion wears out after twenty-four hours so they can't tell him any more embarrassing secrets they might have overheard while you were wearing them." Myrtle smirked.
"Malfoy!" Harry said furiously. "That slimly git! I knew it was him! I am just going to wring his neck..."
Harry was suddenly thrown off balance as the door he was leaning against was flung open and something hurtled out and attached itself around his neck, practically strangling him to death.
"Harry!" Cho gushed as he gasped for air. "I knew it wasn't you! I didn't want it to be you! I knew there had to be some other explanation for what happened!"
"Okay," Harry said in a strangled voice.
"I knew you wouldn't have told! I'm so sorry for doubting you in the first place! I knew that it had something to do with Malfoy!"
"Yes," Harry choked out. "Can you let go of me now?"
"Oh. Sorry." Cho let go and stepped back from him a bit. Her eyes were shining and she was smiling radiantly. Then suddenly, she dropped her voice. "You know, there was another reason I was so upset when I thought you blabbed my secret. Besides you betraying my trust and all that."
"What was that?" Harry asked, rubbing his neck.
"It was... well, I was hurt because... well, I quite like you," Cho said, dropping her eyes and blushing.
Harry felt his own face going a very violent shade of red. "Um..." he said. "Um..." Oh, just get it over with, Potter, he told himself. "I quite like you too," he said, going even redder.
"Really?" Cho said, looking up at him.
Harry nodded, still red. "Yeah," he said.
There was silence for a moment. Then Cho suddenly broke into a grin and said, "How about we get some mean revenge on that Malfoy then?"
Harry grinned back. "Sounds good to me," he said.
Cho led the way out of the bathroom, chattering excitedly. Harry was about to follow her, but hesitated just before he walked out the door. He pulled off his shoes and threw them over the walls and into a cubicle.
Just in case.
TTTTTHHHHHHHHEEEEEEE EEEEEEEENNNNNNNNNDDDDDDDDDDDD!!!!
A/N: Ok, ok, lots to say. start from beginning. the reason i'm not writing for anyone who doesn't know is cuz i CAN'T write-- my sister's sitting school certificate and needs the computer a lot cuz she's doing accounting and i don't have much of a chance. i asked her when she was going to be finished and she said the end of the year [?????????? can't decide whether she was joking or not]. i got up and wrote this at the crack of dawn so nobody could interupt, was supposed to be short'n'sweet but i somehow ended up writing 15 pages [didn't realise how much i missed writing]. that could also explain the sheer stupidity of the story but oh well... i was half asleep when i wrote it. more of loving lily is coming soon, school starts next week and i can use the computers there :) have pity on me! review!
Harry gulped. He didn't want to think of it.
"Harry?" Ron poked his head through the curtains that hung around his bed. "Are you alright? I heard you yell."
"Yeah," Harry said, rubbing his head. "I just had a nightmare."
Ron's eyes widened. "About..."
"No, no. Not Voldemort," Harry said hastily. "About... something else."
"Cho?" Ron guessed and Harry nodded his head miserably.
"I dreamt she was kissing Malfoy," he said with a shudder.
Ron gave a wizened old sigh and sat at the edge of Harry's bed. "Look, Harry. You can't keep this a secret forever. You have to tell her some time."
Harry thought that this was a bit rich coming from someone who had taken almost five years to admit that he liked someone else, but seeing as Ron had a lot more experience with girls than he had, he kept quiet.
"I mean, when I told Hermione that I liked her (Ron turned red at this point), it turned out that she had liked me all along as well. So maybe it's the same with you and Cho. Maybe she's liked you for ages."
"No," Harry said. "She liked Cedric."
"Cedric's gone now," Ron pointed out. "So she's free. Trust me, the sooner you tell her the better. Take Hermione and me for example..."
Harry could see that Ron had that dreamy look in his eye he always got when thinking about Hermione and decided he'd better end the conversation before Ron could start.
"You know what," he said hurriedly. "You're right. I'll tell her soon... maybe even tomorrow."
"Good." Ron got off the bed and regarded him sleepily. "'Night, Harry," he said, and went off to his own bed.
"'Night," Harry echoed, then looked up the ceiling. Telling somebody who'd been your best friend for over four years that you loved her was one thing. But if the girl you liked was one year older, very popular, and very, very pretty, well that was a whole different matter. What if Cho laughed at him and dumped him on the spot? He could just imagine what Malfoy would say to that... Harry turned and dropped off to an uneasy sleep where he was surrounded my millions of Cho's who kept running away from him and laughing.
*****
The next day was Wednesday, Harry's least favourite day or the week because the Gryffindors had Double Potions with the Slytherins first and things tended to go downhill from there. Snape was in a particularly vindictive mood these days and was taking it out on all his students, even the Slytherins. In the last lesson they had had together he had actually called Malfoy an "idiot boy" because he'd added the Quantum Petals to his Potion too early and burnt a hole straight through the table.
Today they were doing Speech Potions, a potion that would make whoever took it able to speak any language in both the Muggle and Wizarding world. The Potion wasn't particularly hard to make, but Neville, as usual, was going to pieces. For some reason his potion had turned an odd greenish colour and there were big chunks of something floating around on top. Snape looked into the cauldron, smiled unpleasantly, and called for the rest of the class to stop and come around Neville's table.
"Look at Longbottom's Potion," he said as everyone crowded around to see. "A perfect example of how Speech Potions should be. Look at how smooth it is." Snape labeled up the chunky bits and let it fall back into the cauldron while all the Slytherins sniggered uncontrollably. "And look at colour. Just as it should be. RED." He glared at Neville who shrank back, humiliated. "Longbottom!" he snapped. "Add the porcupine pills. Now."
Neville hastily picked up his bag of porcupine quills and before Snape could stop him, threw the whole thing into the cauldron.
"Idiot boy!" Snape howled as the potion began bubbling uncontrollably. "You were only meant to put in one handful! One handful! It said so in the book!"
Too late.
There was a loud BANG! and the cauldron toppled onto its side, drenching everyone's shoes and the bottom of their robes with the potion inside. Everyone shrieked and began to stand on top of the tables to get away from it..
"Stop!" Snape yelled. "Stop it now!"
Everyone stopped running around and looked at him.
"Shoes off and put over there to dry," Snape commanded, waving to a dry corner of the room. "Longbottom, clean this mess up! Without magic."
Harry pulled off his shoes and tossed them into the corner with the rest of the class. A very red Neville went to clean up the mess he had made, everyone continued on with their own Speech Potions, and the incident was momentarily forgotten.
*****
Back in the corner of the classroom, Harry's shoes coughed. And then they sneezed loudly, loud enough for the rest of the shoes to get up and see what was going on.
"Are you alright?" Hermione's perfectly polished shoes asked as they came hopping up to him.
"Yes," Harry's shoes replied. "That potion made me feel terribly w-w-w-wet." They sneezed again.
Hermione's left shoe reached out a shoe lace and patted Harry's shoe comfortingly. "You'll be right once your dry," it said.
Ron's shoes came hopping up. They looked very shabby, especially next to Hermione's. "What's going on?" he asked.
"Just got a bit of a cold," Harry's shoes mumbled, feeling a bit embarrassed. "Ah-choo!"
Behind them, Lavender and Parvati's shoes had gotten together and were talking and giggling absolutely non-stop.
"Reeulto shoe polish is the best," Parvati's were saying.
"Oh, yes," Lavender's agreed. "They are just so good for the leather. And they give such a lovely shine too."
Then both pairs squealed in delight and jumped around singing, "We have something in common, we have something common."
Harry's shoes were still wet and shivering. "Ahhhhh-CHOOOOOOO!" they yelled together and bits of dirt from underneath them went flying out and landed on Hermione's shoes.
"Sorry about that," Harry's shoes said sniffing.
"It's alright," Hermione's shoes said, even though she detested mess of any kind. "Perhaps you should..."
She was cut off by a cold, drawling voice that came from somewhere behind her. "Can't hack the cold, can you?"
Harry's shoes turned around to see who was speaking. And they found themselves staring at an exact replica of themselves.
For a second, both pairs of shoes just stared. Then:
"You look like me," Harry's shoes said.
"Correction," The other shoes said. "You look like me."
"Who do you belong to anyway?" Harry's shoes demanded.
"Draco," the other pair replied.
"Malfoy?" Harry's shoes sounded revulsed. "Gross!"
"What's so gross about it?" Malfoy's shoes demanded. "I mean, it's heaps better then being owned by, say, Potter for example..."
"Hey!" Harry's shoes said. "I am owned by Potter!"
"You're owned by Potter?" Now Malfoy's shoes sounded disgusted. "Yuk!"
Harry's shoes were about to say something really cutting when Hermione interrupted. "Now, now, let's not get into a fight. Just because our owners don't get along, it doesn't mean we don't have to..."
"Oh, shut up, you knotted shoe lace," Malfoy's shoes said rudely. Everyone gasped in shock. Malfoy's shoes had just said the ultimate insult. Even Parvati and Lavender's shoes stopped talking to watch.
"Take that back, you, or I'll, I'll..." Ron's shoes jumped out in a fury, absolutely spitting with rage.
"You'll what?" Malfoy's shoes asked calmly as Crabbe and Goyle's shoes came trundling up and when to stand behind him like body guards.
"Don't say anymore," Hermione's shoes whispered anxiously, and for good reason too. Crabbe and Goyle's shoes were five times bigger than Ron's, and he had the largest feet of all the Gryffinder fifth years.
Ron tried to think of something nasty to say, but just then, Lavender and Parvati's shoes began squealing excitedly again. Annoyed at being interrupted he turned around. "Do you four ever stop talking?" he asked.
"No," Parvati's shoes said.
"Of course not," Lavender's shoes said.
"We're sole sisters!" they all cried at the same time and laughed hysterically at their own wit.
"You Gryffindor shoes are all knotted shoe laces!" Malfoy's shoes proclaimed. This statement was followed by a full out brawl, which somehow ended with everyone picking on Neville's shoes.
"Look at the colour of his shoelaces!" shrieked Pansy Parkinson's shoes in delight as all the other Slytherins roared with laughter. For some reason, Neville had pink laces on one shoe and green on the other.
"And look at the size!" Malfoy's shoes said. "The left one's longer than the right one!" The Slytherins broke out laughing all over again. Neville's shoes sniffed quietly and turned away. Harry's shoes got angry.
"Shut it you scuffed boot!" they snapped at Malfoy's shoes.
"Why should I, frayed lace lover," Malfoy's shoes shot back.
It looked like there might have been another brawl, but at that moment the bell went and the shoes quietened as the class began to gather them up.
"Dirty sock," Harry's shoes mouthed at Malfoy's as they were pulled on.
"Muddy shoe sole," Malfoy's shoes mouthed back.
Then they both walked in opposite directions and didn't acknowledge or speak to each other again.
*****
At the end of the Potions lesson, Harry absentmindedly pulled on Malfoy's shoes while Malfoy pulled on Harry's.
Neither of them noticed any difference as they walked out the door.
*****
"There she is," hissed Ron to Harry, as if he hadn't noticed already. Cho was walking down the corridor by herself, staring at the ground and looking rather forlorn and miserable.
"Yeah," muttered Harry. "I see her."
"Well, go talk to her," Ron said, shoving him. "Go on."
"But--" Harry began, trying to think of a hundred reasons of why he shouldn't.
"Oh, come on," Ron said impatiently and shoved him again so that Harry stumbled and somehow ended up right in the middle of Cho's path. Cho looked up at him in wonder.
"Oh, hello," she said, realizing who it was and quickly dropping her eyes again.
Harry felt his face heat up as he muttered, "Can a speak to you for a minute, Cho?"
Cho glanced up at him again. "Sure," she said. "There's an empty classroom further on, why don't we talk there?"
"Alright," Harry said awkwardly as Cho led the way down the passage.
Harry saw Ron give him the thumbs up sign as he stepped into the classroom.
*****
"What was it that you wanted to talk to me about, Harry?" Cho asked as she sat down on one of the tables.
Harry opened his mouth to speak, then looked into those lovely brown eyes of hers and found he couldn't. His heart was caterpulting wildly in his chest and his stomach was doing a very loud version of the limbo. He licked his lips and tried again.
"I wanted... I wanted to talk to you about..." Just spit it out! he told himself. "I wanted to talk to you about us," he said all in a rush.
"Us?" Cho raised an eyebrow inquiringly.
"Yeah," Harry said. He took another deep breath and tried to slow the pumping of his heart. "I mean, I know we haven't known each other for long but, um... I kind of like you. As more than a friend I mean," he added quickly. "And I was kind of wondering if.... you know, you'd like to go on a date with me sometime?"
Harry quickly shut his eyes and counted to ten, expecting Cho to burst out laughing and ask him to give her three reasons why she should go out with a pathetic fifth year like him. Thirty seconds passed and still no laughter. Harry opened his eyes looked up to see that Cho wasn't even staring at him, she was gazing out the window with a dreamy look in her eyes.
"Cho?" he asked tentatively.
"What?" Cho looked startled. Then she gave him an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, Harry, I didn't hear a word of that. Could you say it all again?"
Harry felt oddly relieved that Cho hadn't heard what he'd come to say. He didn't quite know if he could repeat himself so instead he asked her, "What were you thinking of when you were staring out the window just then?"
"I was thinking..." he voice trailed off. Suddenly, she burst out, "Harry, can you keep a secret?"
"What?" Harry was taken aback.
Cho turned around and looked at him directly. "Can you keep a secret?" she asked again. "I mean you can't tell *anyone*, not even Ron or Hermione. It's just between you and me."
"Oh... yes," said Harry wondering what on earth it could be. "I can keep a secret."
"Promise?" Cho persisted, eyes still staring intently at him.
"Promise," said Harry. "I won't tell anyone."
Cho nodded. "Okay," she said.
"What is it?" asked Harry curiously.
"It's... it's..."
"What?" said Harry.
"It's pimples," Cho burst out. "They're everywhere."
"So?" Harry said confused. He got the odd zit now and then but it was nothing to get into a fuss over. "If you just wait a few days, I'm sure they'll..."
"No!" Cho sighed impatiently. "I not talking about the stupid little ones we used to get in our third year and used to cover up with bandaids. I'm talking about.... look." She pulled back her fringe at Harry sucked in his breath. An entire army of angry red pimples with little white caps had stormed up on top of her forehead. She let her fringe fall back into place.
"See?" she said miserably. "They're everywhere."
"It's no big deal," Harry said, his heart suddenly pumping even faster. Even though he'd seen the awful sight of those pimples, Cho still managed to look pretty in his eyes.
"Yes it is!" Cho said. "I don't want to show my friends... I know they'll all be horrified. I know I was when I saw them. And... and they make me feel so ugly and awkward and stupid!" she burst out, and looked as though she were about to cry.
"I don't think you're ugly at all," Harry suddenly found himself saying, moving just that little bit closer towards her. "I think you're lovely."
He coloured a brighter shade of red then you could imagine when Cho turned to stare at him, but he looked back determinedly. "I think you're lovely," he said again.
Cho suddenly blushed and looked at the ground. Then she glanced back up at him. "You won't tell anyone, will you?" she asked.
"'Course not," Harry said. "I said I wouldn't didn't I?"
"Good." Cho gave him a relieved smile and jumped down from the table. "Bye, Harry. And... thanks."
"It's okay," Harry said as she walked out the door. "I won't tell anyone. Promise."
*****
Malfoy's shoes smirked as Harry followed Cho out the door.
Shoes have tongues, they thought, waggling their own in glee. And boy do we have one nasty rumor to spread.
It's only a matter of time before the whole school will know about Cho's little secret.
*****
Ron was waiting impatiently for Harry to return in Charms. The lesson had already started and Harry still hadn't come back. Finally, the door of the classroom swung open and Harry came in red faced and breathless. He muttered an excuse then slid into a chair beside Ron.
'Well?" Ron whispered eagerly. "Did you tell her?"
"No," Harry muttered.
Ron's face fell and he looked disappointed. "You were gone for ages but."
"Yeah, but Cho told me something else," Harry replied, fiddling with his quill and looking up at the board.
"What's that?"
"Well, it's kind of meant to be a secret."
"You can tell me though, can't you?"
Harry ruffled through the pages of his Charms book, trying not to look at Ron. "She told me not to."
Ron's jaw dropped open. "But I'm you best friend!" he said, a little too loudly. The whole class turned around to look at him.
"Thank-you for informing us of that, Weasley," Professor Flitwick squeaked, "But you have work to do. All of you do," he said pointedly, looking at Parvati and Lavender who were whispering behind their books.
Ron copied down notes and wouldn't speak to Harry for the rest of the lesson.
*****
Ron was speaking to Harry by the end of the day but he was still a bit stand-offish and annoyed that Harry wouldn't tell him what the big secret was. It was night and he was in bed reading when he suddenly heard a cry of revulsion come from Harry's bed.
"Yuk," it said. 'Oh, gross!"
Ron put down his book and crawled out of bed to see what was up. Harry was standing barefoot, staring at his shoes with a look of the most utmost disgust on his face.
"What happened?" Ron asked him, blinking rapidly so that his eyes would adjust to the light.
"Malfoy's shoes," Harry was saying. "*Malfoy's shoes!*"
"What about them?" Seamus asked yawning as he, Neville and Dean came around to see what was going on.
"Malfoy's shoes,"Harry said again. "I was wearing Malfoy's shoes."
"What?" Ron said. "How could you have?"
"When we took them off for Potions. We must have the same ones," Harry moaned. "Look, it says on the inside. Property of Draco E. Malfoy."
The four boys peered into them then jumped and backed away, looking revulsed.
"Harry, you'd better disinfect your feet tonight," Dean advised, still walking back from them.
Harry sighed. "I'd better return them," he said.
"Now?" Ron said incredulously. "Harry, it's eleven thirty. You'll get caught. Wait until morning."
"I would if they were anyone elses," Harry said, pulling a face, "But since their Malfoy's..." he let is voice trail off.
"Good point," Neville said quickly. The last thing he wanted was Malfoy's shoes in their dormitory. "You'd better go now."
"Yeah," Harry said. He picked up the shoes with his thumb and forefinger and wrinkled his nose. "They *stink*! See you," he said as he walked out the door.
"Good luck," the four boys chorused. They watched as the door swung shut behind him.
"Man," Dean said, shaking his head once he was gone. "That guy is *brave*!"
*****
"EWWWWWWW!!!!"
Malfoy's disgusted squawk echoed throughout the dormitory. They boys around him tumbled out of bed and hurried to his bed to see what had happened.
"Potter's shoes," Malfoy was saying. "*Potter's shoes*!"
"What?" Crabbe asked, rubbing his eyes stupidly.
"Potter's shoes!" Malfoy's voice nearly rose to a shriek. "I was wearing them! I must have put on the wrong pair while we were in Potions. It says right here, 'Property of Harry J.Potter.'"
The boys looked inside then leapt back from the shoes as if they were contaminated by some sort of disgusting disease.
"Draco, I suggest you wash your feet tonight with disinfectant," Zambini said wisely.
They stood a few seconds, staring at the shoe. Then Malfoy said abruptly, "I'm taking these back."
"Now?" Goyle said. "But it's eleven thirty! You'll get caught."
"I am not having anything of Potter's in this dormitory," Malfoy said flatly. He picked up the shoes between his thumb and his forefinger and pulled a face. "They *stink*. See you," he added as he walked out the door.
"Good luck," the other four boys chorused as the door swung shut behind him.
"Man," Zambini said, shaking his head once he was gone. "That guy is *brave*!"
*****
Harry and Malfoy met each other half way up and down the marble stair case.
"Here are your shoes," Harry said, dropping them at Malfoy's feet.
"Here are your shoes," Malfoy said, dropping them at Harry's feet.
They picked up their shoes between their thumb and fore fingers and glared at each other.
"Sweet nightmares, Malfoy/Potter," they both said at the same time and walked opposite ways up the marble staircase.
Malfoy's shoes smirked in the darkness.
*****
It was very late at night and everyone was asleep in bed. The night was silent, the night was still and nobody was expecting anything out of the ordinary to happen, least of all Malfoy who was happily dreaming of the time he would be old enough to join his treasured Lord Voldemort and all his supporters.
The next thing he knew he was being kicked awake by something large and heavy.
"Stop it," he muttered, rolling over on his side.
The thing kicked him again, harder this time. "Wake up," it hissed.
Malfoy opened one eye. Then he slowly opened the other. Hogwarts had prepared him for most strange things he might face in the Wizarding world but definitely not this.
"Aiiiiiiiiiii!!!!!" Malfoy yelled, scrambling up in bed and staring wide-eyed at his shoes in the darkness.
"Be quiet," the shoes snapped. "Do you want everyone to hear?"
"You can talk?" Malfoy asked in disbelief.
"Obviously," the shoes said in a tone that made Malfoy feel very stupid.
"What do you want?" Malfoy's asked, still feeling a bit shaky. He wasn't exactly used to talking to his shoes after all.
"It's not what I want," his shoes said. "But it may be what you want. I'd do anything to hurt Potter too, you know..."
The shoes began muttering quickly Malfoy who was all ears and definitely smirking by the time they had finished talking.
*****
Something was up. Harry knew it the moment he went down for breakfast. Everyone had been talking loudly but quickly shut up when he'd sat down and tried to avoid his eyes. Harry chose to ignore them and distracted himself by trying to look for Cho on the Ravenclaw table, but she was nowhere to be seen.
Breakfast was unusually quiet, but Harry noticed the table livened up quite a bit as he was leaving. He caught some people staring at him but they quickly blushed and looked away when they saw he had caught them. He walked to Herbology feeling annoyed and confused of the way people were behaving. Something was definitely up and he had a sinking feeling that it had something to do with him.
He caught up to Ron and Hermione at the Greenhouse Five. They were talking, but quickly stopped when Harry arrived.
"Hi, Harry," Hermione said, twisting her hair nervously.
"Nice day, huh?" Ron chimed in.
Harry stared at him. Ron never talked about the weather.
"What's going on?" he asked.
Hermione and Ron looked at each other.
"Well, Harry," Hermione said carefully. "We've heard this, ah, rumor..."
"What rumor?" Harry demanded, crossing his arms over his chest.
"We heard that you and Cho were going out and then you dumped her because you found out that she had a bunch of zits across her forehead," Ron blurted out.
"Ron!" Hermione said. "You shouldn't have told him! We don't even know if it's true or not... is it?" She looked at him anxiously.
"You could have told us, you know," Ron said. "We are your supposed to be your best friends."
Harry was still recovering from the first bit of news to pay any attention to what Ron was saying.
"What a load of crap," he said. "I was never going out with Cho! Who told you that?"
His question was answered by a load, drawling voice coming from behind him. Harry clenched his fists and turned around. Malfoy was standing there smirking with Crabbe and Goyle at his side.
"Broken up with your girlfriend, Potter," he drawled. "Couldn't handle the fact she had zits, eh?"
Crabbe and Goyle sniggered stupidly and Harry was about to go up there to punch Malfoy when he suddenly realized that he had a much bigger problem on his hands.
'Oh no!" he gasped. "She's going to think I told everyone!"
"What?" Hermione said.
'Hold these for me," Harry said abruptly, shoving his books into her hands. Hermione staggered and almost fell over.
"What... where are you going?" Hermione called as Harry made off back to the castle. "Come back! You'll be late for class!"
*****
It seemed as though Harry had looked through every corridor , every room and every stair case in the castle looking for Cho. Although you could never be sure which ones you had already looked through in a place like Hogwarts, harry found himself thinking as he ran down a corridor and a peculiar sense of deja vu came over him.
Finally, he burst into Myrtle's bathroom. "Cho?" he called. "Are you in here?"
"Go away," said a muffled voice coming from one of the cubicles. Harry tried to open the door but it was locked so he stood outside and talked through it instead.
"Cho, you've got to listen," Harry said urgently. "It's all a mistake..."
"I trusted you," came Cho's voice from the bathroom. It sounded as though she had being crying for a long time.
"But I didn't tell anyone!" Harry said.
Cho laughed. "You didn't tell anyone? You were the only one who knew. I thought you were my friend. I thought I could trust you!"
"But..." Harry tried to say something in defense but the words caught in his throat.
"Just go away, Potter." Cho said tiredly. "Leave me alone."
Harry turned sadly around to leave, but just then he saw a pair of ears sticking out of the wall, flapping away as if there was no tomorrow. He knew who those ears belonged to. Harry was furious.
"Myrtle, get out of here!" he said as Myrtle swooped into the bathroom, cackling. He rolled his eyes up to the ceiling and leaned against the door of Cho's toilet. "Even the walls have ears around this place."
"And shoes have tongues," Myrtle said slyly, still cackling away.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Harry asked suspiciously.
"Ask your shoes," she said, swooping around and making Harry feel dizzy. "They'll tell you."
"What are you talking about?" Harry asked, annoyed.
"Wey-ull..." Myrtle looked as though she might not tell him.
"Just tell me," Harry said irritated. Myrtle was hurt.
"I try to help you and this is all the thanks I get?" she asked sniffling, tears welling up in her eyes. "Everyone's the same around this place! They all think, 'well, there's Myrtle, let's not bother talking to her, she never has anything to say anyway.' And now I do have something to say and you don't want to listen and you snap at me and you tell me to go away..." the tears began rolling down her cheeks.
"I didn't mean it that way, Myrtle," Harry said hastily. "I do want to hear what you have to say. Just.... stop flying around so much. You're making me dizzy."
"Alright," Myrtle said, still sniveling. "I'm suppose I'll have to tell you."
"Now what's this about my shoes, Myrtle?" Harry asked, trying to sound patient.
"Oh!" Myrtle brightened up considerably after this question. "Well, do you remember that potion Neville spilt yesterday in Potions?"
"Yes," Harry said cautiously. "What about it?"
"Well it spilt over everyone's shoes didn't it?" Myrtle said. "And all the shoes got a dose of the Speech Potion so you took them off to dry. But you didn't notice that Malfoy had the same shoes as you, did you? So you put the wrong ones on and you were still wearing them when you went to talk to Cho..."
"Of course!" Harry said. Then he stopped and frowned "But that still doesn't make sense. How could he have found out what happened just because I was wearing his shoes at the same time I was speaking to Cho? Unless..." Harry's eyes suddenly widened and he looked down at his feet. "Unless our shoes can talk!"
"Got it one," Myrtle said smugly. "The potion Neville spilt caused all the shoes to start flapping their tongues about. When you returned Malfoy's shoes to him, his shoes must have told him what they'd heard when you were having your conversation with Cho. Fortunately, the Potion wears out after twenty-four hours so they can't tell him any more embarrassing secrets they might have overheard while you were wearing them." Myrtle smirked.
"Malfoy!" Harry said furiously. "That slimly git! I knew it was him! I am just going to wring his neck..."
Harry was suddenly thrown off balance as the door he was leaning against was flung open and something hurtled out and attached itself around his neck, practically strangling him to death.
"Harry!" Cho gushed as he gasped for air. "I knew it wasn't you! I didn't want it to be you! I knew there had to be some other explanation for what happened!"
"Okay," Harry said in a strangled voice.
"I knew you wouldn't have told! I'm so sorry for doubting you in the first place! I knew that it had something to do with Malfoy!"
"Yes," Harry choked out. "Can you let go of me now?"
"Oh. Sorry." Cho let go and stepped back from him a bit. Her eyes were shining and she was smiling radiantly. Then suddenly, she dropped her voice. "You know, there was another reason I was so upset when I thought you blabbed my secret. Besides you betraying my trust and all that."
"What was that?" Harry asked, rubbing his neck.
"It was... well, I was hurt because... well, I quite like you," Cho said, dropping her eyes and blushing.
Harry felt his own face going a very violent shade of red. "Um..." he said. "Um..." Oh, just get it over with, Potter, he told himself. "I quite like you too," he said, going even redder.
"Really?" Cho said, looking up at him.
Harry nodded, still red. "Yeah," he said.
There was silence for a moment. Then Cho suddenly broke into a grin and said, "How about we get some mean revenge on that Malfoy then?"
Harry grinned back. "Sounds good to me," he said.
Cho led the way out of the bathroom, chattering excitedly. Harry was about to follow her, but hesitated just before he walked out the door. He pulled off his shoes and threw them over the walls and into a cubicle.
Just in case.
TTTTTHHHHHHHHEEEEEEE EEEEEEEENNNNNNNNNDDDDDDDDDDDD!!!!
A/N: Ok, ok, lots to say. start from beginning. the reason i'm not writing for anyone who doesn't know is cuz i CAN'T write-- my sister's sitting school certificate and needs the computer a lot cuz she's doing accounting and i don't have much of a chance. i asked her when she was going to be finished and she said the end of the year [?????????? can't decide whether she was joking or not]. i got up and wrote this at the crack of dawn so nobody could interupt, was supposed to be short'n'sweet but i somehow ended up writing 15 pages [didn't realise how much i missed writing]. that could also explain the sheer stupidity of the story but oh well... i was half asleep when i wrote it. more of loving lily is coming soon, school starts next week and i can use the computers there :) have pity on me! review!