Disclaimer: all HP stuff are all by the genius, the goddess, JK Rowling- the plot and some of the characters are mine though- but thank JKR for giving me the inspiration! Oh, and the Cho/Ron conversation is JKR's- it's all hers!
Author's Note: EEEEEKKKK! I AM SO SORRY EVERYONE!!! sobs I've been getting complaints, threatenings, and a lot of scolding- but believe me, freshman year in college is easier said than done!
So this is the second part of the 8th chapter. This chapter is actually 8 pages long on paper, so I figured, why not split it up?
I've been done with this chapter for about a YEAR now, except for the very LAST few paragraphs- I had no idea how to finish it up, but I thought it up, about 6 months later, when I was on the plane going back home from college.
So here it is- I hope it's what everyone expected and more!
And btw, I'm REALLY sorry, but I couldn't HELP but use the Ron/Cho conversation in the fifth book. It was funny!
No guarantees when I'm gonna get the 9th chapter out. Right now, it's still a working progress and it will be hot and steamy and EVERYTHING that everyone wants in sexual Cho and Harry, but I'm not getting any either for a month, so hmph. We'll see where this all goes!
Rating: PG
Thanks to: ALL MY SUPPORTERS! Everyone who's STILL reading this!! From probably almost a year ago, my readers Sorina, LeggyLuver, Vash-chan aka Makoto Almasy, Dragoon knight, Jolie, Koreanflag, Nick C, Chris, and everyone else who reviewed/sent me stuff!!! I wouldn't be back here writing this if it weren't for all of you! Please keep those emails and comments coming in!
O O O O O O O O O O O O
The Year After: Cho's Story
Chapter 8: Part 2- The First Snitch
Harry and Cho soon got to the seventh floor landing, where it was apparent that breakfast was to start as students started to mill around. Cho loosened her hand from Harry's before they reached the corridor, and waved to a couple of Ravenclaw girls who greeted Cho. But they quickly backed away, muttering as they say Harry walking next to Cho. Cho heard his distinct sigh next to her and she softly begged him not to mind them.
Cho had never walked in the crowded corridors with Harry before, but she soon found out little of what it was like to be him. She, herself, had to endure whispers and hushed comments for the few months after Cedric died, but never to this extent. Head turned around to watch Harry pass by, younger students completely inched far away from Harry as much as possible, as if he were a disease. There were muffled whispers, sniffled words, and mumbling heard, not clearly, but very obviously. Harry walked through the corridors acting oblivious to this all, but Cho turned to everyone she could and gave them all dirty looks. Snide remarks came from a group of Slytherins, in which Cho recognized as Draco Malfoy's usual posse. Harry always came back with a comeback and a laugh to the Slytherins, yet today he passed by the group, who were shrieking with laughter, without a word.
"Harry, something up?" asked Cho, concerned by his odd behavior.
Harry looked at her as if he just realized she was still there. "Huh? Oh yeah, fine, just fine," he said, starting at a fixed point in front of him, his hand unconsciously rubbing the scar on his forehead.
"WHAT is everyone's problem" Cho asked, exasperatedly, staring meningcingly at a group of Hufflepuff first year, who were pointing at Harry. Harry looked at her again and then looked around. He laughed. "You mean how everyone's gawking at me? I've gotten quite used to it after almost five years. Remember, there was a time when I was actually invisible," replied Harry, grinning. "Besides, there are more things to worry about in life than what people think of you."
Cho, who had always thought otherwise, didn't say anything.
They rounded the corner and ran right into tall, red-haired Ron Weasley and bushy-haired Hermione Granger. "Oops! Oh, sorry Cho!" exclaimed Hermione, who had really bumped into Cho.
Cho smiled weakly and said it was ok as Ron turned to Harry. "We've been looking all over the castle for you all morning, mate! Did you go and send that-." But he stopped abruptly as Hermione discreetly stepped on his toes.
"Yeah, I went up to the Owlery and ran into Cho," replied Harry. Harry didn't care to include the fact that he met Cho before he went to the Owlery.
Ron nodded, but Cho noticed that Hermione just gave Harry a coy smile. 'She knows,' Cho realized. But that wasn't anything surprising- Hermione was one of the cleverest students at Hogwarts. Cho knew this because they had Arithmancy together. And Hermione was a girl- girls just understood these things.
"Is that a Tornadoes badge?"
Cho focused her attention back on Ron. "Sorry?"
"Is that a Tornadoes badge?" Ron repeated slowly. "On your robes."
Cho looked down to where he was pointing. She did indeed have a badge on, embolized with two gold T's with a sky-blue colored background. "Yeah, I support the Tornadoes. Why?"
"Did you only start liking them this year?" Ron demanded?
Cho just stared at him. "No, I've been supporting them since I was six," she responded coolly, trying to ignore Ron's rudeness. "Anyways, I'd better be going. I have to get something to eat before the match or Landon might yell at me again. I'll see you all later." She scurried off before anyone could protest, but before she heard Hermione hiss "You're so tactless, Ron!" Cho smiled amusingly.
At the Great Hall, Landon was up out of his seat, scampering up and down the Ravenclaw table, counting his team. Cho came just in time as Landon was almost in hysterics because noone had seen their Seeker. As soon as Cho sat down next to Micheal, a humongous plate stacked high with hot cakes, sausages, eggs, and bacon was passed over to her. Landon apparently had read the Daily Prophet Sports Section, which was filled each week with new tips on how to succeed in Quidditch.
"Landon, this is going to give me a heart attack even before I walk onto the field," Cho protested, pushing the plate over to Micheal, who started to dig his fork into it. Cho watched him humorously. The boy was like a human dustbin, but Cho probably would never know if he or Kiersten would win the prize for the "healthiest" appetite.
"Maybe you should really eat a bit more, Cho?" Kiersten, who was across from Micheal, asked as Cho poured herself some coffee and chewed on some toast. Cho shrugged. "I don't have a high metabolism like some people I know," Cho replied, cracking a smile as Kiersten helped herself to a second helping of, well, everything.
Micheal looked up at Cho. "That would mean that Landon doesn't have high metabolism too." That diverted everyone's attention to their captain, who was shouting down to the other end of the table to Drewan, Stephen, and Kevin that they should load up on more starches. Landon's plate contained of nothing but a small bowl of untouched oatmeal.
"I'm nervous, stop it!" Landon retorted as Micheal tried to shove a spoonful of eggs into Landon's mouth.
Micheal looked hurt. "But oh captain, my captain!" he exclaimed.
Landon just ignored him, checked his watch, and declared it was time to get ready. The team made their way out of the Hall with many shouts of good luck from their supporters. Cho gave a quick glance at the Gryffindor table and beamed as she saw Harry give her a little thumbs up and a smile.
When they got down to the locker room, Cho clearly saw the excitement of the match had set in, mostly to the new players. Stephen had taken to unbuttoning and buttoning the same button over and over again, his eyes lowered down at the ground. Kevin's face was a pasty white color as he just sat on a chair, with a glassy look in his eyes as he stared on a single spot in space. Drewan looked most calm out of all the new players- he had this determined look on his face, but his voice was cracking as he made forced conversation with Micheal while waxing the same spot on his broom over and over again. Julian was looking through the Quidditch Weekly paper, while new captain Landon could be seen pacing around the Captain's Office, mumbling to himself. Micheal was, of course, his cheerful self, babbled on and on about the Chudley Cannons latest season.
"Landon, no famous last words before we start our first match of the season?" Julian suddenly asked, looking up from his paper.
Landon, who was still mumbling to himself while drawing on the team board, jumped. "Errr, what?"
"The match- doesn't it start in ten minutes?"
Landon looked at his watch. "Crikey, doesn't anyone ever watch the time anymore?! I don't even have time to give you my short speech."
"Awwww, our wonderful cap'ian had a few little well-rehearsed words!!!" Micheal looked very interested in hearing the speech.
"Well, no matter, we haven't got any time before the match anymore- everyone knows what they're to do- just stick to what we did in practice and we'll do splendid!"
A gagging sound came from behind Cho and everyone looked over to see Stephen emerge from a trash barrel, looking both yellow from sickness and red from embarrassment at the same time.
"Alright there, Stephen?" Landon questioned, looking a bit alarmed.
All Stephen could do was nod.
Micheal clapped Stephen's back as the whole team shouldered their brooms and followed Landon out to the pitch. "You'll be alright, old chap. I remember my first Quidditch match a couple of years ago. I threw up all over Hooch- it was quite amusing, to tell you the truth. Her face was one of the most hilarious things that I will ever see in my life- but she hasn't quite gotten to talking to me anymore- poor thing is still scared of coming close to me I guess."
Stephen didn't dare look at Hooch that whole match, just incase she would cause another unintentional sick-to-the-stomach feeling.
"And lead by Captain and Keeper Matts are the Ravenclaw team. Their new additions include Chaser Lisle, and Beaters Cornfoot and Entwistle, and returnees Chasers Keats and Blake, with Seeker Chang!" was the loudly magnified voice of commentator Lee Jordan as the Ravenclaw team stepped out on the crisp grass. Cho beamed at the roar of the crowd and felt like she was just freshly revived. The day provided an overcast, which meant she would have an easier time looking for the Snitch.
"You alright there, Cho?" Landon asked behind her.
She nodded. "Yeah. It's the perfect day to be looking for the Snitch today, Landon. Don't worry about me, I'll be ok."
"Alright, we're counting on you Cho."
Micheal looking hurt next to her. "And you're not counting on me?"
"If you knew how to score, he'd be counting on you," replied Julian.
Micheal snorted. "Sorry if I'm not as good as the ever excellent Drewan Lisle."
Next to Julian, Drewan was turning a pale green color as he watched the Hufflepuff team emerge from their locker room from the opposite side.
"Drewan, you're an awesome Chaser and we all know that. Just don't think about the crowd and just play like you're out there alone," Cho advised him. It was good advice, but all Drewan could think about was the hundreds of students watching his every move.
Madam Hooch appeared with her whistle. "Now I want a good clean game. Captains shake hands." Cho looked forward and expected Cedric there, shaking hands with Landon. She smiled as she saw them approach each other, but instead she saw Brandon Summers shaking Landon's hand. Cho was about to ask what happened and why Cedric wasn't playing today until the truth sank into her- again.
"Players, mount your brooms." Madam Hooch kicked the wooden crate open, and out flew the two Bludgers and, right before it flew off quickly, Cho briefly saw the Golden Snitch.
Madam Hooch reached over and picked up the Quaffle. A moment later, the whistle sounded, the Quaffle was thrown up, and Cho kicked off the ground. She rose up high over the actual game and scanned around her for the Snitch. On the opposite side of the field, she saw Cedric do the same- no, not Cedric, she thought. It was the new Seeker, Laura Madley. Cho, again, had half-expected, unknowingly, that it was Cedric who was the Hufflepuff Seeker.
"Oh, get a grip on yourself Cho," she mumbled to herself, watching Micheal pass the Quaffle to an unusually nervous Drewan, who dropped the Quaffle. Luckily, Julian was ready for this and picked it up from below Drewan. He tossed the Quaffle back to Micheal, who scored.
"And that's 10-nil to Ravenclaw after that close shave!" roared Lee.
Cho saw Drewan shake his head and talk to himself as he chased after the Hufflepuff Chasers to the other side of the pitch. Suddenly, a Bludger came pelting at Cho out of the corner of her eye. She wasn't prepared to duck and clung tightly onto her broom to try to hold on after impact. Suddenly, Kevin came flying out of nowhere and struck the Bludger towards the Hufflepuff Chasers. "Thanks Kevin!" Cho gasped as he sped away. He yelled a "No problem!" and looked for some more Bludgers to beat around.
Cho soon became quite bored at looking for the Snitch as the time wore away. Ravenclaw was now up 130-80, and much to Ravenclaw's relief, Drewan had loosened up in the past half an hour, and in fact, scored the last five goals. Kevin and Stephen were also doing well as they unseated a Chaser, blocked a few potential goals, and even distracted the Hufflepuff Keeper long enough to let Julian slide by and score.
"Cho! Landon says to stop gawking!" hollered Julian as he passed Cho by, followed by Drewan, who had taken back the Quaffle from their side of the pitch. Cho rolled her eyes- she only stopped looking for a minute and Landon was already on her case.
Another roar of the crowd let Cho know that Ravenclaw had scored again. The game had now gone more than half an hour in and the Snitch was nowhere to be seen. Laura didn't seem to have any luck as well as she passed paths by Cho and started yawning.
Cho suddenly saw a glint of gold encircling Landon's right goal post. She excitedly flew towards Ravenclaw's end of the pitch, first carefully looking for Laura, who was searching for the Snitch around the benches. Cho raced towards the Snitch, ducking Bludgers and weaving through Chasers. Before Laura had even seen Cho, the Snitch was already safely enclosed in Cho's right hand. Cho landed next to her team in time to hear Lee announce that the game was over.
"I don't believe it took you that long to catch it, Cho," groaned Micheal, who was knocked in the side twice by Bludgers. But noone else seemed to mind as the team left the pitch, talking spiritedly about the game.
Suddenly, someone bumped into a person next to Cho, causing a Domino effect of bumping. Something was squeezed into her hand, and she quickly looked around. At the corner of her eye, she saw a familiar head of unruly black hair walk quickly away. Cho opened up the folded note and grinned. Harry's scrawny handwriting read "Tonight after dinner, front of the stairs."
Cho refolded the note and wondered what in the world had to wait until after dinner. Whatever it was, it was only a few more hours until she found out.
OOOChapter 9: Short Synopsis: Things get serious as well as steamy, and feelings are just too irresistible to be ignored.OOO