An; hello again. End of term means more writing so that's the reason why this is up so quickly after the previous one.

Woooooooooohhhhhhooooooooooo. I'VE MADE IT TO UNI. I have a place on a course in Ipswich for Digital Film Production and I'm ecstatic. Once college is done I am onto much bigger and better things.

I realise that my timing in the last chapter compared to canon may be off, but I remember that the period after Christmas went really quickly in Ootp and I might have misplaced Hermione meeting Grawp in the timeline. If I have forgive me.

One person so far has told me they saw the hint in the previous chapter of who Ron will eventually date. Congrats to them for being correct.

Stay with me at the end, don't leave in a hurry because I have a very important question I want to ask the reviewers of this story. Its about a possible Crossover FanFiction being the new story when this is finished and if I get at least two or three more votes in encouragement then that story WILL get created.

Back to Cho's story now.

Chapter 14: Cho's horrible history.

"The reason i have not experienced much love is because even my parents didn't love me. Well, not really. Have you heard of the One-child policy in China?"

Hermione thought a second before answering truthfully. "Kind of. I know there is a policy to stabilise and reduce the population but other than that I'm not sure."

"You're right. But I will explain in more detail. The One-child policy was introduced to alleviate social economics and environmental problems. Basically in certain parts of China or people in different social classes you have limits on how many children you can have. In urban areas most families are under this policy. If you are lucky enough to have a daughter as your first child you could qualify for a second child. Breaching the policy earns you a hefty fine. Now, I was born just after the policy was introduced. Because my parents conceived me before the policy was introduced they didn't have to pay the fine but they either had to move abroad when I was born or put me up for adoption, raising me in another country and then they would live with their other child in China. Almost as if I was never born. You don't need three guesses to know what option they picked."

"That's terrible." Hermione blurted.

"That is China my angel. I'm not resentful of the country." Cho admitted "I was not adopted until i was six. And I would understand my parents situation if I didn't know these three things. One, I didn't know until I was four that my parents were wealthy. Certainly wealthy enough to pay a fine to keep their own daughter. But when they were asked if they would pay a fine to keep me, they refused. Two, I was dropped off at the adoption facility barely old enough to be out the incubator, so clearly they didn't think long and hard about it. And Three, my parents had perfectly willing adoption candidate relatives in Switzerland that could have raised me. The whole thing; no matter how deeply I think, no matter how hard I try to understand how they could've felt. None of what I just mentioned had any hint that my parents ever cared for me. They practically conceived and gave birth to me, just to wash the nine months away. They may as well have obliviated themselves to before I was conceived."

Hermione shifted closer, linking their arms together and resting her head on Cho's shoulder. "Well, even if they never loved you, I'm incredibly happy that they created you. What happened after that?"

"I grew up for six years in the adoption facility. Sure, the people there looked after me, but I would never really call it a show of love as they did it to all the other kids there. Neither would I say that my time spent there was a happy experience either. The adults never spoke to us really and when they did it was either an order, a greeting or in response to a question. They were more like teachers that fed and clothed us rather than foster parents. And the other kids were brats; always taking more food than was allowed meaning I had to go without, never considerate of people's privacy as they would casually walk into the bathroom, if it wasn't unlocked, with you. I never got time to read. I never got time to draw or write. I wasn't included in any games. I was always manipulated into giving them anything they wanted. They were violent, whether in a good mood or bad. It wasn't hell but it wasn't a home either."

"That sounds familiar; back in Muggle school I had a friend who was in foster care and she described something very similar to what you just said. Foster care is tough, especially if all the kids have learning difficulties like ADHD or autism." Hermione added, just trying to keep the conversation warm and try to make Cho comfortable to say whatever she wanted. Hermione needed Cho to tell her anything and everything about her. She felt despite being her girlfriend, bar the last two years of their lives, Hermione knew very little about Cho.

"It wasn't all bad though". Cho continued. "Two months before I was adopted, Rosalina was taken in. Her Italian accent was much stronger then and despite speaking a bit of English, she had a much harder time being spoken to in English. So she didn't speak to anyone. She was nine then, if I recall correctly. The reason why she chose to speak to me over everyone else is because I was very blunt with my words. It was easier for her to understand, all the other kids spoke excitedly or sarcastically or used slang."

"Did you two hit it off straight away?" Hermione asked.

"No. I wasn't a friend yet, just someone she could understand. Despite her speaking next to no English, she always had boys chasing her. I was jealous."

Hermione tensed hearing this but she composed herself quickly, hoping Cho never noticed. But she did.

"Oi, relax. If you will listen to what I was about to say you would have heard that I was jealous of HER. Not the other way round."

Hermione relaxed a tad. "I'm sorry but Rosalina has been there far longer than me, far closer than I have been until recently and I haven't mentioned this before but back when I was trying to befriend you I saw a letter she sent to you and it looked like a love letter. I know it wasn't but at the time it affected my confidence. I know you only consider her a sister and she the same. And that you want me not her, but I just...I'm sorry, continue with your story."

"Not before you understand that no matter how close I am with other people, no matter how suspiciously doting it seems or how much you question it, I will always, ALWAYS, choose you." Cho said, she said this cupping the girls chin and staring the brunette in the eyes, not blinking or losing the passion in them.

Hermione smiled before leaning in and grazing Cho's lips with hers. "Thank you."

"Where was I?" Cho asked.

"You were jealous of Rosalina." Hermione reminded her, repositioning her head back onto Cho's shoulder.

"Yeah. She had more attention in a week than I had in six years. And I hated how much she pretended to hate it. I could tell that she was loving the attention. A boy wanted to hold her hand so he tried to take it, she scalded him for not asking but she let him anyway. Don't get me wrong I didn't fancy the boys or anything but I hated how she got attention from girls too because they wanted to get close to the boys and surely enough she became the most popular girl out of all of us. She didn't let it get to her head, she still spent time with me but only at nights when others were asleep and all she would talk about was what this guy did and what that girl said. I ended up kicking her out my bed, literally and telling her not to speak to me again. She cried and ran off."

"I would've done the same to be honest. Girls gloating about their friends in front of people who don't have many or even any friends is inconsiderate. Just ask Lavender and she would tell you how much she knows not to do that to me again." Hermione told Cho. Cho laughed seeing the possible things Hermione would do to Lavender in her head.

"I will take your word for it." Cho chuckled. "The fame all ended for her though. She wet the bed and the other girls laughed at her, the boys suddenly turned cruel and mean. She came and sat by me, trying to apologize but I forgave her straight away. You wanna know why?"

"Why?"

"Because people have to stick together, especially when you lose everything you hold dear. She lost her parents and her popularity, I lost a family and a chance to be loved. Soon after that we were best of friends."

Hermione smiled and lightly pinched Cho in the arm. "See, even at six years old you were a mature little girl."

Cho rolled her eyes and said "Shut up."

"Tell me, what happened when you were adopted?" Hermione asked, loving the story that Cho was gracing her with. It was soothing to be in a location like this, just the two of them, enjoying each other's company and sharing a tale of their lives. Everything outside this time and place was insignificant and forgotten.

"Obviously at first I was thrilled. I would finally get a family. Rosalina was glad for me of course, but you couldn't blame the girl for begging me, my foster carers and even my new guardians to take her with them. We promised to be pen pals, said a wistful goodbye and I left conflicted between guilt and sorrow at leaving Rosalina behind and joy and excitement at getting new guardians."

"That sounds wonderful and heartbreaking at the same time." Hermione commented.

Cho seemed to tense up. Her confident body language shrinking down into a vulnerable stature. She clung to Hermione like a lifeline and she closed her eyes, unable to even speak.

Hermione instantly wriggled out the embrace only to pull a despairing Cho into her chest clutching her tight. The Asian girl had done so well to share this story with her lover, and Hermione was adamant that Cho would finish it, even if she had to literally push her girlfriend through it.

"Come on baby, you were doing so well. Whatever it is can't hurt you no more."

"I'm sorry, I can't continue...I will try another time" Cho sounded so small and it brought Hermione to tears.

"No! You can do this Cho. I'm here, nothing bad is gonna happen if you tell me. I will never let it happen."

"But I can't!" Cho was crying now.

"Yes you can. Please, if you try another time you will freeze up again, the same for the next time and the time after that and the time after that. If you don't say it now you will never overcome this."

"But I'm scared!"

"I hear you baby, I know. But I'm here. I will soak up every tear, kiss them away, I will make it all better. I promise."

Cho pushed herself out of Hermione's grasp "How! How can you make it all better?!"

Hermione attempted to pull her back in but she swatted her hands away. "You want to hear the story? Fine. Not long after leaving that place, the fairytale ended. I was not getting looked after by a caring and loving family, I was getting enslaved by a group of anti-christs. I was a human house elf to them. I slept on a prickly doormat with nothing but a tea towel for warmth. I had to wear the clothes I was adopted in constantly, they burned all my other clothes. I was the cook, the maid, the cleaner, the servant. I was fed scraps and leftovers. I was only allowed to drink to see if the milk had gone off, if it had i drank it anyway because I was constantly thirsty. I was beaten everyday for no reason at all. The only day I was allowed to act like a perfectly normal girl was an inspection day from the adoption facility. I was cleaned up, fed well, dressed, refreshed, and was forced to pretend I was happy. Every month the inspector came to check on me and I was the picture of happiness. Soon the visits came few and far between until they stopped. My only friend I had in that time was Obelix. I found her injured in the bush when I was seven and brought her back into the house. If it wasn't for her I wouldn't be here now. When my Hogwarts letter arrived my guardians tried to keep it hidden from me. Luckily Obelix brought one to my window one night. She snuck me out to visit Diagon Alley and we hid my wand and supplies in the bush where I found Obelix. We waited until the day came and we both ran away to get to Kings Cross. Once my guardians realised I had made it to platform nine and three quarters they had no choice but to let me go the rest of the years. So Hogwarts really was my home. I met Rosalina there too. She was already in fourth year. But at the end of the year I wished I could stay at Hogwarts, I even asked Dumbledore but when he contacted my guardians about it I knew straight away I would go back there."

Hermione had recovered slightly and asked. "Why didn't you tell Dumbledore what they were doing?"

"I was scared to. I feared they would find me and the beating would be worse than ever."

"But you kept silent for five years. Surely you know that just one word about this to Dumbledore and you're free of them and they go to Azkaban?"

"I realise how easy it might sound to you, but to me it is more difficult. My guardians knew the older I got the more aware of my position I would become and the more likely I would tell someone. So before third year they arranged a marriage, to their biological son, for when the wedding contract would be conducted. One letter from Dumbledore would not be enough because a wedding contract has to be completed. Either the conductor of the wedding contract, my foster father, cancels the wedding or the wedding is complete. There are no out clauses or fine print details. The participants and conductors are immune to government interference which includes arrest. If a participant dies then the contract magically kills the other. If a conductor dies the contract chooses a replacement. There is no way around it."

"There must be."

"Its an ancient magical contract that has been forgotten but not terminated. There is no way around it...once the contract is signed. Luckily, they haven't had to sign it. They are blackmailing me with it. If I tell, my foster father will conduct and authorise the wedding and the son will sign it. Him being male means only one person has to sign the contract for the immunity to take place. They don't even want me marrying their son, they are only taking advantage of the immunity. There won't be a wedding, but the family will be immune from prosecution until they die."

"That also means when the boy dies, you do too". Hermione commented. She hated how smart Cho's guardians had been.

"Now you see why I never told anyone." Cho said. "You also see why I have to go back there when the year ends, and again until I leave school where they will enslave me forever."

Hermione thought back through everything. The day on the train Hermione saw Cho hiding her arm, obscuring the beat marks and bruises on them. Cho had no one to meet her at the platform when last year ended. Cho's picture of the perfect family had indistinguishable faces for the parents. That also explains why Cho seemed ashamed of it. It suddenly clicked.

"That's the reason why you wouldn't accept my friendship? It wasn't because you were stubborn and was still sad over Cedric, it was because you were scared that I would find out you were being abused and would tell Dumbledore." Hermione proclaimed.

Cho sniffed. "I fancied you right from the start Hermione but I didn't admit it to myself. Cedric was still in my mind, but I needed you to believe he was the reason why I was so stubborn. And I lied during that duel session, I have experienced dark and nightmarish things. That night we flew on the broom I said it was trust issues that kept me from being your friend, this is the reason why I didn't want to trust said I should tell you the truth but I refused and forced her not to tell you..."

Hermione remembered Obelix almost letting slip what Cho was saying. "How did you know that i was gonna meet Obelix?"

"I didn't. But I knew she wanted to befriend you. Think about it, Obelix was on the same perch Hedwig was on, that was because she knew that was your usual owl that you mail with. She knew you worked out my birthday and would try and discreetly get me something, Hedwig would be too obvious so she planned for you to meet her in the owlery."

"That sneaky little owl." Hermione said.

Cho chuckled. "I know that I have misled you and lied to you but I had no real choice."

Hermione turned serious again and took Cho's hands. "Say no more, I perfectly understand. But you know that now you have told me, I cannot turn a blind eye to this. I know what the consequences you face are but are you seriously gonna tell me to not help you, after telling me you are being enslaved. I don't even like house elf slavery; human slavery is just barbaric. I will not let my girlfriend be forced to be a slave to anyone. And the only person I want you to marry is me in the future when we survive the war. Contract or no contract, you will not go back there again. Do you understand me?"

Cho smiled toothily, a tear slipping out her eye and rolling down her cheek. "Perfectly".

Hermione cupped Cho's face in her hands, swept the tear away with her thumb and told her softly " I'm so proud of you. Telling me all that was incredibly brave. I'm so sorry for everything you have experienced. Allow me to make up for all of it."

And in one swift motion Hermione had planted a scorching kiss on Cho's lips. Both melted completely into the kiss and as soon as tongues were introduced, fingers were in each others hair and arms were on hips and around necks. They parted lips for breathes and were instantly back to expressing their love through their mouths.

All Cho was thinking, if she could think at all, was that 'if what I just did doesn't prove I love her then Merlin help me.'

An; hey, this chapter did what Titanic, Marley and me, Green Mile, all failed to do and that is make me cry. I read it back and I really thought deeply about everything I had previously wrote. Summarising and dramatising it really got to me I guess.

I was trying to work out through Maths if Cho was born when the One child policy was introduced.

The policy was introduced in 1978.

Cho is in sixth year which means she must be 16 or 17

OotP was set in 1995 or 1996.

So Cho should have been old enough to be born just after it was introduced. But if any Chinese readers out there know otherwise or think I have made a mistake, feel free to let me know.

Now, the crossover.

There are three stories I had in mind to write following this one.

One of them was the crossover, a female werewolf OC, or Pansy/Hermione obscure situation.

I really like the idea of my crossover one though. So I will put it down to a vote. Right after I tell you a brief summary of the stories.

Harry Potter/Pirates of the Caribbean.

Love, Worlds and Loss.

Hermione Granger/Elizabeth Swan.

Two former best friends reunite through a passage to an alternate universe. One universe full of witches and wizards, the other pirates and legends of the sea. When they meet they find out that they think more of each other than they thought. But do you give up the one you fell for so she could return to her own world? Or do you give up your own to follow her? Elizabeth has to make this decision and it must be the right one because once Hermione returns the passage will close forever. Losing her world or losing her lover.

OFC werewolf/magicless world

Magicless

OC/Hermione Granger

The world is thrown into chaos when a supposed asteroid crashes with earth and an energy pulse wipes away everyone's magical core, all except Hermione. As the wizarding world turns on one of their war heroes of the second wizarding war, the order arranges a secret guardian to protect Hermione whilst she is on the run. But in a world void of magic and selfish desires to regain their magical abilities, who can you trust? Will love blind people's views? Is there a mastermind behind this new world? What secrets does Hermione's guardian have?

24 hours

Pansy/Hermione

Pansy and Hermione have 24 hours to save the world. 24 hours to settle their differences. 24 hours to let loose their real feelings for each other. No Voldemort. No death eaters. Similar to LOTR. A quest to find the object that will change their world, so they can destroy it.

As you can see this will definitely be an adventure romance. I tried this before with CTB and failed. Now I can try again. So tell me what one you prefer

TBC...Cho's promise.