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Chapter nine: Quality time
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A strange feeling had entered in my chest when I had woken up, and it just wouldn't disappear. I felt nervous and I was longing... to see Cho again. I couldn't make it go away, just like the intense happiness about yesterday. I still couldn't believe that I actually liked Cho, but I at least knew that it was a nice feeling.

Cho and I had promised to meet at the Chamber of Requirement after lunch, since we both had some free hours before classes would start again. I frantically tried to keep my heart from beating too loud when I thought about it. Was this just temporary infatuation or real love? I figured I'd find out soon enough.

Harry's behaviour from last night still bothered me. Just when everything seemed stable and nice, he just had to spoil it. I just furiously hoped he'd forget about Cho fast enough to discover our... relationship. I wouldn't tell Cho though, not until I was sure of what we had was real.

Of course, I was overexaggerating. I knew I was, but I couldn't not worry about the possible situations and consequences. Because what if it did turn out to a disaster, what if Cho and I really didn't work, or what if someone found out? I was worrying a lot, because I wasn't sure that it wouldn't happen.

I stared at Cho from across the Gryffindor table while contemplating about it all. Her eyes were focused on mine, sending jolts of anxiety through my body, and I fought the urge to just abandon lunch and bolt for the Room of Requirement. I wondered what she was thinking about and I flashed her a brief smile before I turned back to my food.

"Say, Hermione, are you free after lunch?" Harry said, bending over the table, his tie hanging on his sandwich and sausages.

"No, I'm sorry, I'm going to study with Cho," I replied, trying not to grin while talking about Cho. Though I felt bad for Harry that he couldn't get his chances on her, it didn't stop me from feeling happy.

"Oh, okay. Too bad."

"We can do something some other time if you'd like that," I inquired.

"No, that's okay. I just wanted to hang out." the black-haired boy said, waving off my question with nonchalance, though I saw some disappointment flash in his eyes behind his glasses. I didn't elaborate.

I glanced over at the Ravenclaw table and noticed that Cho was gone. My heart skipped a beat (or two, I couldn't be sure) and I excused myself to Harry and Ron. Grabbing my bag, I nearly ran off to the seventh floor, taking two steps at a time on the stairs.

By the time I got to the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy, I was exhausted. I almost sprinted up the seven flights of stairs. My knees felt wobbly and on the verge of giving in. I took some time to get my breath back, looking at the plain wall across of me.

When I could breathe regularly again, I started to walk back and forth three times, eyes closed and thinking of a place where Cho and I could just be together, secretly but silently. Just us, no one else. I opened my eyes and looked at the wall again, and there was now a black door.

I hestitated to go inside. Though my heart was thumping and saying I should go in and give into my feelings, my mind said that it still felt weird and that I wasn't sure about it all yet. I bit my bottom lip and stood there for a while, weighing the consequences, facts and feelings.

After a while, I took a deep breath and proceeded to go inside.

Candlelight filled the room with a soft glow. It smelled like roses and a huge, soft looking couch that was infested with pillows stood in the middle of the room. Draped over it was Cho. My heart, again, skipped a beat upon seeing her.

She looked gorgeous in the dim light; her jet black hair cascaded down her shoulders, shining in the light; her smile dazzling, making her look so adorable, and her lovely dark brown eyes that simply beckoned me to come over to her.

All my doubts about how I'd really feel about her just vanished as I walked over to her, not preventing a broad smile from curling onto my lips. The way she made me feel was just too strong to be thinking about those things. Because right now, all I could think about was Cho. I almost felt silly for not being sure of my attraction towards her.

"Hey there," Cho said, patting the empty space beside her. I wanted to speak, but my throath had gone dry and I just sat down next to her lying form, flinging my bag into a corner. I felt a little tense though my mind said it was all alright. I would've flung myself next to Cho if I didn't hold back, because I didn't want to act like that.

Cho seemed to notice my unease.

"Hey, what's up?" she crawled up and sat behind me. Her hands had rolled my robes off my shoulders in one simple move, and she was now softly kneading them. I let out a sigh of contentment and relaxed. She was so thoughtful.

"Well, I'm... a little nervous," I admitted, though I knew I had no reason to be, "this is still all so new to me, remember?"

"Hmm," she hummed as she pressed her thumbs into my neck, and only then I noticed my muscles were stiff as a board, probably from all the mental suffering. Cho circled her thumbs around and hit a sensitive spot. I let out a satisfactory grunt, earning a chuckle from Cho.

"You're really tense. How come?"

"Well, I assume it's because of all the things I went through this week. Though I never expected it to work out on my body."

"That happens an awful lot. Thing is, people just don't know that their mental state has a huge influence on their bodies," she replied, giving the muscle between my shoulderblades a firm knead, making me elicite another groan.

"Yeah, I guess," I said, trying my best to not entirely slump back into Cho's arms. Her warm, soft hands felt so good, so soothing, even through the fabric of my sweater. My thoughts had gone completely blank, my worries just a vague feeling. She gave another squeeze to my shoulders and I let out a sigh, closing my eyes. I smelled Cho's scent and it calmed me down. Altogether, I felt like I was going to melt soon.

"How did you feel, really? I mean, when you were... feeling those things?" Cho asked, her voice quite cautious but interested.

"Mostly confused. I couldn't make anything sensible of my thoughts and emotions, they were just a mess really. I never knew what I really felt. And I was angry too, at first. Angry at myself, for letting myself think of you. I didn't want to do so because it felt so... unnatural to me."

Cho hummed in agreement as I paused. Her hands kept on massaging my neck, shoulders and back, and it was hard to concentrate on what I was thinking.

"I just couldn't let the feelings in, I was resisting so much, just because I was... afraid," I continued, trying my best to word my feelings, "at least, I assume I was. I still am, a bit, but when I look at you, those... doubts just vanish," I smiled, though she couldn't see.

It felt weird to talk about my emotions. I always felt like I wasn't good at that, because it always made more sense in my head. But now that I did, it felt somewhat relieving. In a sense like I finally could understand myself a bit more.

Cho's musical laughter breathed in my ear from a -suddenly- very close proximity, sending a shudder down my spine. She planted a kiss on my ear before proceeding to knead my shoulders some more.

"I'm glad they do. You have nothing to be afraid of, honey," Cho replied, catching me off guard with the cute pet name, and I blushed upon hearing it, the word sending flutters through my stomach. She moved back and pressed her thumbs into the side of my neck again, making circles, going down. I unsuccessfully stifled a moan when she hit yet another tight muscle.

"Sorry," Cho said, her voice apologetic though I could practically feel her smirk.

"Hmm, don't be, it feels good."

Her hands seemed to stop for a quick moment upon my comment, but she resumed kneading. Cho moved her hands downward, tracing the sides of my spine before going up again. I sighed and closed my eyes again, savouring the feel of her expert hands.

Cho slid her hands downward again, ending at my waist. She gave me a squeeze before she proceeded to move to my abdomen, locking me in place. Lightly pressing herself against me, she kissed my neck, her breath tickling warm on my skin. I shivered.

I enveloped her hands with my own as I threw my head backward, Cho planting more and more kisses in my neck, on my shoulders and ear. She gently removed on hand from my hold and placed it on my thigh, sending a jolt through me. Stroking up and down, her hand pleasantly warm on my leg, Cho murmured my name under her breath. Her hand got dangerously close to the hem of my skirt.

Turning around in her hold, I planted my lips upon hers, locking her in place by encircling her neck with my arms. Cho shuddered and wrapped her arm around my waist while the other remained on my thigh, stroking and tracing her fingers up and down.

The kisses got more passionate, and I was breathing unevenly now. Cho's hands felt like liquid fire and I gasped when she pushed up my skirt, moving her hand further up my leg. Just when I was about to break the kiss she moved back, knowing her boundaries.

Cho panted as we parted, her eyes ablaze with pleasure. She purred and pushed me down in one gentle yet strong movement. She crawled over me, predatory eyes lurking behind her dark lashes. She licked her lips and a smirk played on her lips. My stomach lurched with longing and as soon as she was within my reach, I pulled her down on top of me.

I aimed for her neck and licked along the side of it, earning a shiver from Cho. While planting kisses all over her throath, Cho stroked my cheek, neck and arm, going downward, over my thigh and calf and stopped there, squeezing it, making me gasp. She then hitched my leg up and proceeded to trace her fingernails along it.

I kissed my way up and latched my lips back upon hers, only parting to get air. My heart was racing in my chest and I was afraid it would break out. My breathing was shallow and my head was spinning. At this point, I was about sure that my doubts about my feelings for Cho were gone.
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A/n
: short chapter, I know. But I haven't treated you guys to some yummy ChoxHermione quality time. So there. This is the last chapter that I'll write for now, I'll resume somewhere in September. Reasons? 1) I'm going to France from 14 till the 21th of Agust and 2) I have school after that, so when I'll be all settled in again it'll be begin/mid September. Sorry guys, I wish I could post more, but I can't! Please bear with me D:

Anyways.. ChoxHermione. Had a lot of fun writing this~ I'm not entirely satisfied with the kissing and all part, but yeah, I can't think of anything better. And again, the chap is a bit short, sorry~!

Oh, and, Read&Review! Liked it? Loved it? Hated it (hope not)? Let me know so I can have lots of energy to start the new chapter when I get back~!

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Disclaimer: J.K Rowling owns all the Harry Potter goodness. Except for the above 8D

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