For the First Time
Cho Chang, her best friend Marietta Edgecombe, and their fellow Ravenclaw classmates all bustled into the Great Hall in apprehension of the End-of-Year feast. Another year at Hogwarts Witchcraft and Wizardry was over and Cho was feeling the same way she had felt at the end of her third year—exhausted, but ready for more. The Great Hall was decorated in a classic Gryffindor style. Crimson banners adorned with pictures of majestic golden lions filled the Great Hall and every table had a scarlet tablecloth, something that the Slytherins were none too happy to see. Gryffindor had won the house cup for the third year in a row and although any house was better than Slytherin, Cho was wondering if Ravenclaw would ever stand a chance when Marietta interrupted her train of thought.
"I wonder what they're so happy about," she said as she nodded her head toward Harry Potter and his two friends. He, the bushy-haired girl and a Weasely boy (that red hair could be from no other family), were ecstatically discussing something in hushed voices; constantly looking around to ensure that no one was listening. Cho turned and watched the three friends as Marietta rambled on, "I bet they've done some heroic deed that's going to give them even more House points. I mean, last year they saved that Weasely girl from the Chamber of Secrets and the year before that, they— what did they do again, Cho?"
"What? Oh, um…" Cho was once again lost in her thoughts and had no idea what her friend was talking about. She had been staring at Harry Potter and his two friends—Harry more than the other two.
Throughout the rest of the school year, after the Ravenclaw vs. Gryffindor match, Cho began to feel herself gazing in his direction more often. Although he was a year younger than she, and a little thin for her tastes, she couldn't help but notice that his young face would soon become handsome and that his eyes were a striking emerald green. She remembered the beginning of the match like it was yesterday…
Cho and the rest of her teammates were all aware of the fact that this Quidditch match was extremely important as they walked out onto the pitch. Their captain, Roger Davies, had told them time and time again that if they lost this match, they would be out of the running for the Quidditch Cup, a trophy that Ravenclaw hadn't won in many years. Cho knew that she had control over the outcome of the match, and was slightly uncomfortable with that knowledge. As the seeker, it was her job to end the game and score 150 points by catching the snitch, and she knew the chasers, beaters and keeper counted on her to do just so.
Cho looked out into the cheering crowd as she adjusted her blue robes nervously. Although she was a fairly good seeker, her Comet Two Sixty was no match for Harry Potter's new Firebolt. She knew it, the Gryffindors knew it, and sadly, the rest of her own team knew it as well, although at least they were reluctant to admit it.
"All right, there, Cho?" Roger said as he scrutinized the Gryffindor team, beginning with Oliver Wood, the opposing captain.
"Just thinking…" Cho responded as she looked at her seeker counterpart. He was about a head taller than she, and his eyes, which contrasted with his scarlet Quidditch robes, were a brilliant green. His hair was jet black and messy in a just-got-out-of-bed sort of way and he was wearing his famous round black glasses. Fighting to get control of her nerves, Cho smiled charmingly at Harry as he looked away, a rose color rising in his cheeks that Cho was sure wasn't from the cool weather.
"Wood, Davies, shake hands," Madam Hooch said as the two captains stared each other down before finally complying. "Mount your brooms," Cho fixed her robes one last time, glanced at Harry Potter, and mounted her broom as the tension in her body rose in apprehension of the whistle that would signal the beginning of the match. "Three— two— one—,"
"Cho!" Marietta was glaring at Cho with an annoyed look on her face. "Have you heard a word I said?" Cho smiled apologetically at her friend and shook her head. "Well, there's really no point in repeating everything, so…"
"That's fine with me," Cho responded as she dug into the fried chicken that had appeared on her plate during her short-lived reverie.
"So, what was on your mind that was more important than my conversation?" Marietta said sarcastically, smirking as she used her fork to stab some green beans.
"Nothing important." Cho said as she gazed at the professor's table. "So anyway, I can't believe we're going to be Fifth Years in the fall. We're going to have to take the O.W.L.S. and I'm sure Quidditch practice is going to be even more stressful since we lost the Cup this year. I'm already nervous."
"Fine. If you want to change the subject, then fine. I'll play along for now, but remember, I'll just get it out of you later. I always do and you know it," Skillfully ignoring Marietta's comment, Cho continued,
"And there's also going to be a replacement for Professor Lupin. With him being a werewolf and all. What a shame. I can't believe it! I never would have guessed, would you?" Marietta simply gave Cho a knowing look before silently returning to her dinner.
"Whatever, Cho," she said during bites. "Whatever."
A/N: Well, I hope you like it! If I get enough reviews asking me to update, then maybe I will. wink wink.
P.S. What should the next scene be? Tell me your thoughts...