Caring for cho

by adstyle17

Hermione has a crush on the most unexpected person. Not only is that person a girl, her best friend is her love rival. But Hermione sees something even Harry can't see. Something this person hasn't received and something Hermione possesses. The ability to truly care.Femslash

21. Chapter 21

An; The penultimate chapter. Time to tie up any loose ends on this baby. Well, you can't really call it a baby as this story is now in it's last days but like my mum never forgets to tell people, and embarrass me by doing it, 'he will always be my baby'. Urgggh, am I right? Well, I will personally miss this story it is my favourite and literately and soulfully the best story I have created. Well, it's the only one I have potentially finished and that is coz this story intrigued me from day one. I hope it has intrigued you guys as well.

Oh, and thanks for these reviews. They have rocketed recently and all were very pleasing to read. Thanks people.

Chapter 21: Fighting beside Cho.

"Cho honey, can I at least come in? We can talk about this." Hermione asked pleadingly.

"No! Just go! Leave me like everyone else does!" Came the muffled outburst from the girl currently behind the barricaded door. Hermione was sat leaning back against it trying to coax her girlfriend out. All this because Hermione told her the Golden Trio were on a mission...And it would last for as long as it takes to find each and every horcrux. This obviously didn't go down well with the Asian girl and therefore she stomped off and hid in their shared bedroom back home at the Granger's shortly after her girlfriend Hermione had sat down to tell her.

"Don't be like that My Darling. How can I le-go away for a while and leave us like this?" Hermione said.

"Simple! Walk downstairs, open the front door, walk out and leave forever just like everyone else who is important to me!"

"Cho! Who has left you lately, absolutely no one. Me going a way for a while is not leaving you. It's saving the Wizarding and Muggle world's combined, destroying Voldemort, defeating the Death Eaters and most importantly saving your life and creating a danger free future where me and you can finally marry and live our lives together." Hermione explained.

"What if you fail?" Cho asked. "The time spent away would be a waste and you would most likely never come home if you fail. You might not even come home if you succeed either. Then you WOULD be leaving me! And you would break your promise!"

"And why is telling me to go gonna stop me from going. Have you even thought that through?" Hermione asked.

"Yes! It's the only bloody way that I can think of that would make you stay! Or take me with you!"

"I thought you said you would let me go on my adventures with Harry and Ron?"

"Yeah, for single missions that last a day, or a week at most. Not months upon months, possibly even years."

"It's that or let Voldemort win."

"No! This is not the only chance we have. There are other things you could do?"

"Like what?"

"Hunt for horcruxes at Hogwarts. It has a very resourceful library, almost unbeatable safety and also has the luxurious perk of you seeing your girlfriend more than you would on this hunt."

"You know we won't be able to go anywhere we like from Hogwarts, we will have more of a chance of finding the horcruxes being on the move. Also Snape is headmaster this year, Hogwarts is not safe anymore for Harry, me and Ron. It's not even safe enough for the other students there."

"Then WHY can't you take me with you? You would rather see me miserable if you ever do come home rather than happy and safe?"

"That's the thing, you're not going to Hogwarts either. I need to ensure your safety and sending you to Hogwarts is not doing that. Voldemort will come after everyone close to me, Ron and Harry if he even suspects we're up to something, and a Death Eater at Hogwarts as headmaster is just like leaving a cat flap for Voldemort to come and go as he pleases. You certainly cannot go there. Besides you have graduated from Hogwarts so going back would be pointless and dangerous."

Hermione was expecting Cho to say something or ask her where she was going but she heard something far more heart-breaking. Cho was crying.

"Dammit Cho, let me in! Please baby, don't cry. Tell me what to say"

No response just more crying.

Hermione had had enough and she knew she had to get into that room somehow. She then had an idea. She went to the bathroom next to her bedroom and went to the window. She made the glass in the window vanish and climbed up on the sink. Performing a levitation charm on herself she then clambered out the window and replaced the glass in the window before floating a few metres to her left where she met her bedroom window. It was lucky that her garden had high trees blocking her house from the sight of neighbours who could've seen her attempting to rob a house and doing so whilst floating. Both of which would need some explaining. Looking through the window she saw Cho with her head in her arms and she took no time in opening the slightly open bedroom window wider and climbing through, not even trying to be quiet.

"H-Hermione, what are you doing?" Cho asked, eyes puffy but dry for the moment as Hermione brushed herself off and immediately made for the girl still by the door. When she reached her she pulled Cho up.

"I'm here to stop you crying. I can't bear you being sad, you know that." And then she did something that even she was surprised about. She wrapped her arm around Cho's shoulder, bent down and picked up Cho bridal style. The surprising show of strength was well appreciated by Cho who forgot that she was supposed to be ignoring her girlfriend. "Wow, you are full of surprises."

Hermione walked with Cho in her arms to her bed and dropped her on it. Then she proceeded to crawl onto the bed and stalk her lover's body, creeping up the length of her until she had pinned her to the bed and had her head hovering over Cho's face. Pure lust was in full flow but Cho had the wherofall to say "aren't we supposed to be discussing something?".

"Later" Hermione answered. She then dived her head forwards and crashed their lips together. Yes, they would have to talk...but not right now.

...

"Hermione, you do realise that this could be the last time that we are together like this? Are you sure you want to give this up for a possibility of death?" Cho asked worriedly as she laid in Hermione's arms , head on her bare chest listening to a heartbeat so rhythmic, so calming. A heartbeat she may never hear again.

"I'm not giving this up, I'm trying to preserve it. And for a possibility that we could all be safe and free from Voldemort and his minions." Hermione corrected.

"But you can't ride on just possibilities. This isn't chance, this is a choice between life and death. And you might not be the person to choose wherever you live or die." Cho warned.

"Cho, the way things are right now possibilities are our greatest ally. Possibilities are the best we have."

"You know what I'm saying though." Cho said raising her head to look into her girlfriend's face. "I want you to be one hundred percent sure this is going to work before you even think about stepping out that door."

Hermione kissed her sweetly. "It. Will. Work."

"You promise to come back?"

"I already promised that."

"There is absolutely no other way?"

"None. Leaving you behind is not an easy decision my love. It's bad enough that I have to send my parents away. But losing you is not an option. So ironic as it sounds, you can't be with me on this journey."

"Where are your parents gonna go?" Cho asked.

Hermione shrugged and told her "Wherever you decide to take them that you would be safe?"

"You are trusting me with your parent's lives?" Cho asked disbelievingly.

"Yes. I trust you with mine, I can trust you with theirs'. Also you will go somewhere and stay there. Don't leave until I come and get you. Don't worry about me finding you because I will find a way. I will also need your wand, so that if they even try to trace it they won't find you. Can't trace people if they can't do magic."

"Is there any way I can stop you from going?" Cho asked dejectedly.

"Probably. I would give in eventually. But if you had any faith in me you would let me go and I will show you how much promises mean to me. We will not fail Cho. I can't fail you. I love you."

"I love you too. But I can't protect you forever." Cho admitted, laying her head back down on Hermione's shoulder, wrapping her arm around Hermione's smooth midsection at the same time.

Hermione furrowed her eyebrows and after a few moments of silent contemplation, she asked. "What do you mean by 'I can't protect you forever'?"

"Exactly that. Without a wand I can't protect you when you are attacked or in danger, and I can't be with you so like I said, I have no choice but to let you go."

"Cho even with a wand, I don't think you would be able to protect me from halfway across the world."

Cho suddenly remembered, Hermione didn't even know. In the year since the battle at the ministry Cho never told her, mainly because...well, she just forgot about it and therefore forgot about telling Hermione.

"Hermione, do you remember the Department of Mysteries?"

Hermione gave her an incredulous look that said 'you know I do, I was there'.

"Don't look at me like that, do you remember what happened?"

"If you are trying to guilt trip me into not going because I almost got hit by a cutting hex that would've killed me if I hadn't got blown out the way, then it won't work missy. I wasn't even injured throughout the whole of that. I can defend myself Cho." Hermione accused.

"I wasn't trying to guilt trip you. Do you remember who saved you from that cutting hex?"

"Yes. No one. It was probably just an impedimenta that blew me out the way."

"It was no Impedimenta. Who was it that helped you up after you tripped?"

"Again, No one. How do you even know about that?"

"Who positioned your wand to focus on that Death Eaters hidden hand?"

"Cho! If there is any point to these questions can you get to the point please, and tell me how you know all that whilst you are at it? I never told you about that stuff."

Cho leaned over Hermione to whisper in her right ear, causing their bodies to meet each other and Hermione couldn't help but moan in arousal with Cho's new position. "It was me".

Hermione's eyes snapped back open. "What?"

Cho giggled and kissed her lightly on the lips. "I was there too Hermione."

"No you weren't. You were at Hogwarts."

"Well yes technically. But I was with you too"

Hermione just frowned, mouth forming the words 'what?'.

Cho moved off Hermione and reached for the bedside table where she put her locket before Hermione took it upon herself to seduce Cho into bed, relieving her of her previous bad mood.

Picking up the gold chain she turned back to Hermione. "You ready?" Before Hermione could answer Cho put it in her girlfriend's hands. "Open it."

Hermione clicked the locket open and she saw her own eyesight. "It's just the same locket as before Cho?"

"Notice anything different?"

Hermione double-checked it turning the locket around and looking at it from different angles. "Nope."

Cho sighed. Then she took it back. "'Do it yourself Cho' eh?"

Cho stared intensely at it before chanting "Hermione."

Thinking she was going to say something to her Hermione replied "Yes Cho?". She soon realised she wasn't talking to her though when the locket glowed a bluish white. Cho just stared at it and Hermione was transfixed on both Cho's face and the glow that had now turned into a bright light. Then bluish white orbs burst out the locket and floated towards Cho's face. They stopped about three centimetres away and in a short and snappy zoom they struck Cho in both eyeballs. Cho writhed a bit as Hermione went to dislodge the locket from Cho's hand.

" No! This is supposed to happen! It may kill me if you disrupt the connection! The pain only lasts a few seconds." Cho said this keeping both eyes open despite the twinging pain behind them. Hermione continued to look on worriedly.

Cho seemed to stop wincing and twitching. Then she finally snapped her eyes shut.

"Cho you OK?" Hermione asked.

She didn't respond. She reopened them slowly. Like they were operating mechanically. When they were fully open they held a soft glowy residue from the bluish white orbs and her pupil and iris were staring onwards, trancelike.

Hermione panicked. "Cho, say something. What have you done to yourself?"

Cho still didn't respond but Hermione was pulled forward across Cho by an unknown force. Hermione tried to pull back but the force kept her there. Against her own will Hermione's head was turned in the direction of the locket. The sight of the locket was different from before, it had a third dimensional look to the inside. Hermione took the hint from all the weird stuff going on and the unknown force. Something wanted her to look into the locket.

Hermione moved the locket closer without removing it from Cho's hand. Doing so could mean disaster, Hermione knew THAT at least. She looked in and saw something different this time. The rectangular room now had curved corners and everything was bent or misshapen when they were supposed to be straight. And the view was not of Hermione's vision. She could see herself on the bed next to a motionless Cho. The view then did something unexpected, it moved. Not just slightly but it did a steady three sixty as if demonstrating something to Hermione.

Hermione had a coy smile on her face. She turned to Cho's body and despite the girl not being able to respond, she told her. "You know I'm a sucker for intelligent pieces of magic. Now come back so I can ask you a million questions about this insanely clever idea of yours."

Cho's body then took a huge gasp regaining all the oxygen the body went without for that short amount of time. She then blinked quickly and the connection broke. Cho lay there breathing heavily and clearing her eyes.

"Cho that was incredible. Are you saying that is what happened at the Ministry?"

Cho nodded. Still recovering from her long stint without needing to breathe.

"What exactly is it that you did?"

"I just initially put a spherical view in instead of a fixed view so I could see everything around you without you having to turn your head. But then I realised I would be able to see things you couldn't so I thought if I could find a way to be with you without you noticing I could protect you from things you couldn't see." Cho explained.

"So you created a portal?" Hermione asked.

"No. Not a portal. I reused the spherical view and transposed it into a physical perimeter around you."

Hermione gasped in amazement. "You took apart a spell, then used its components to customise another one!"

Cho nodded meekly.

"Cho, I love the pants off you." Hermione squealed, bouncing on the bed.

Cho shook her head at her girlfriend's antics then continued."I then remembered an old enchantment that allows your soul to go beyond the restraints of your body and it goes where it wants for a small period of time. The problem was I couldn't think of a way to get my soul to be with you amongst the battle from the locket. So I Applied and modified the portus charm to take my soul directly to where you currently were, through the locket. It had to leave my body behind but also become a physical form with no visible appearance. That was made up of a combination of a disillusionment, materialisation and silencing charm, and a soul extraction enchantment. Then all I had to do was find a quick and effortless way to activate the locket so I just used a key word to activate it. I have to say 'Hermione' only when it's open." Cho explained every detail modestly and nonchalantly.

Hermione could think of nothing else that the girl deserved after explaining all that brute artistic ingenuity. She snogged her girlfriend until she was as breathless as she was a few minutes ago.

Hermione growled as Cho tried to pull away to get a bit of air in. Once she got some of it back, Hermione moved to the pulse point of Cho's neck and the girl gasped out the little air she regained.

"You...are so...brilliant. Sometimes... You're even smarter than me." Hermione complimented whilst kissing her from her collarbone to her shoulder and back up to her neck and earlobe.

"Honestly, I don't really look at how advanced it was. All I know was that it was necessary. I wasn't going to let you get killed. That's why this mission you are on is worrying me. A soul cannot leave a body for long periods of time; if it does the soul loses track of where it has been and in a few cases, gets lost. You've heard of a Dementor's Kiss, well it's just like that but without the Dementor. You will be gone for God knows how long. I can only guess the moments where you are in danger so this..." Cho said holding up the locket. "...is now nothing more than a customised locket."

Hermione frowned slightly and lightly smacked Cho's shoulder. "Why didn't you tell me about this before?"

Cho winced. Not in pain as the smack didn't even sting, but in uncertainty. "I guess I just forgot. Initially I thought you would be mad because I held something from you. And this sort of thing works better if you don't actually become conscious of it. But after a while even I forgot about this until today." Cho explained herself.

Hermione gave her a look and said "You can create an amazing feat of magic that I've never seen before but you don't have the intelligence to think that mentioning this could help everyone win this godforsaken war."

"Wait, that is a bit of an exaggeration." Cho replied.

Hermione sighed. "Maybe now, yes it is too little too late. But a month ago at least and maybe things could've been different. With Dumbledore's help we could've duplicated the locket. Imagine you and me with two lockets to protect each other. Harry and Ginny with another set to protect each other. Remus and Tonks. Arthur and Molly. Fred and George. Ron and...Luna. And Dumbledore could've survived. This would have been a great secret weapon."

Hermione in her excitement missed the rapidly saddening expression on Cho's face. It wasn't until Cho replied that Hermione noticed. "Yeah...you're right. I should've done that. Now look what's happened. I messed up bad."

Hermione felt guilty for seemingly chastising her girlfriend and making Cho become shameful of herself. "Baby, I'm sorry. I weren't trying to make you feel bad. I was just pointing out..."

"But you were right. I didn't use my common sense. I didn't see the bigger picture. Now I may have doomed us all by not telling you.I mean Harry will hopefully still defeat Voldemort anyway but we could and most likely will lose people along the way. And we have already lost Dumbledore. Now you are leaving for a mission that might not have been needed, if I had told you this earlier." Cho was really beating herself up and Hermione had twice in one day destroyed a previously good mood. And she had a feeling that no amount of seducing will brighten Cho up this time. It was down to Hermione's soothing words.

Hermione took her girlfriend's hand in her own. "Baby, you are starting to sound like Harry. You blame yourself for your faults so much that you forget to move on. Everyone makes mistakes and we will never have the chance to find out if this locket idea would've worked. Maybe that is a good thing."

"But I potentially could've killed you by not telling you this sooner. Like you said it's too little too late." Cho argued.

"Cho. All this means is that if I die it will be my fault for being careless. And you have no idea how motivating it is to hear that you created this masterpiece just to protect your girlfriend in her very first battle with possible death. It fuels my own desire to come back to you. And when this is all over we will look back and have no regrets. If I am going to die, it will be beside you with your hand in mine." Hermione promised, kissing the hand she mentioned in her mini-speech.

Cho looked at her and pulled her into a crushing hug. "You better survive this then. Whatever happens after that, live or die, we will do it together. Promise?"

"With all my heart Cho" Hermione said confidently. "With all my heart."

...

"What time are the others coming? The...order? Is that what they are called?" Daniel asked.

"Yes Dad. The Order of the Phoenix. About fifteen minutes." Hermione answered fondly at the fifth time that her father had to double check the Order's name.

"Are you sure you will be safe Hermione, Sweetie?" Emma asked. She had been worried and uncertain for three days now because of sheer worry. Hermione really felt sorry and guilty for what she putting everyone through but she just had to remind herself that what she was doing would save them all.

"No mum. I can't guarantee safety but I can guarantee the best protection I can think of to protect me, Harry and Ron. Besides we have a while until I start this horcrux hunt, but you two need to go to a safehouse of Cho's choosing."

"Don't take this the wrong way but why is Cho in charge of our safety? I mean she is barely out of school and she is assigned this, and you are still in school and going on a highly dangerous hunt for...horcrucks?" Daniel mentioned. "We are adults and can defend ourselves. Wizards or no wizards."

"Dad, these wizards I'm on about are like magical terrorists. Do you really think if you were trying to escape terrorists, without knowing anything about them, on your own, with no help or added protection, that you would be able to stop them?"

Daniel conceded that point. "But I still don't see the logic that an eighteen year old girl is qualified or ready to protect people with her life without experiencing the life herself."

Cho finally came out her polite silence whilst the family before her discussed by saying "Mr Granger, my life as you know has not been a walk in the park, this Death Eater threat just makes it much worse. I will also like to remind you that I have already experienced the role of protecting someone. Your daughter. And I did a really good job of it. I know how important you are to Hermione so I would protect your lives with the same dedication I had when I protected her. You can trust in Hermione that I am more than capable of protecting you."

Daniel was happy with that exclamation. "But after a short while he asked another question." Why don't the Wizarding world have like an official army?"

Hermione frowned and thought about this "I don't really know. I guess because if they did what would the soldiers really have that most wizards and witches didn't? I mean, apart from being much more advanced in combat an army wouldn't be much different than the order and the auror department at the Ministry."

"OK. But why can't you just get the...'Muggle' army to step in. I mean they could all be wiped out in seconds."

"Dad, I told you about the secrecy policy in the Wizarding world. The Muggle world cannot know that magical folk exist. It will be like if you saw an alien, you would be scared of what it could do. McGonagall told you in my first year to swear secrecy on my magical abilities. She did that because if the Muggle public heard about this it could end our world. Muggles outnumber and outmuscle magical folk by a thousand to one. And no spells, enchantments, artefacts or potions can protect us from Muggle weapons. That is why when a Muggle witnesses magic the Ministry obliviates them."

"But surely our government and leaders know about it?"

"Yes Mr Granger. The Prime Minister and the Houses of Parliament knows about the magical world. They too have sworn to secrecy with our world but also helps clear the dust and blame other things for what magical events happen. You know that bridge that was destroyed in London, a magical attack on the Muggle world. The Prime Minister blamed terrorists and said the black smoke they saw were customised bombs and rockets that were used to blow up the bridge. They work with the Ministry to keep our world hidden." Cho explained.

"Seems sensible I guess." Daniel conceded. The family once again became silent when Emma asked Cho. "So where are you taking us?"

"I told you to pack warm clothing and bring flasks and containers to eat and drink from, as well as tinned food that is either eaten from cold or easily and quickly heatable. That should give you a clue to where we are going. The conditions there will help disguise our position. You will find out soon enough." Cho vaguely answered.

Then came the ring of the doorbell and a few gasps on the other side when they heard what the button did. Emma hastily went to open the door and welcome them in but her hands were still clearly indicating she was full to the brim in worry. At the door was Alastor Moody, Remus Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks, Fred and George Weasley, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Fleur Delacour, Bill Weasley, Arthur Weasley and of course Ronald Weasley. Emma invited them all in, her worry left aside when she was distracted by the magical eye of Moody, the colour of Tonk's hair and Tonk's clumsiness as she tripped on the doormat. Daniel was much more composed than his wife, up until he saw Fleur and had his head tilted to one side in transfixion. Fleur saw this and muttered something like "Mon Dieu" as she tried to hide the annoyance that comes with her thrall and the implications it has on unknowing men. Bill saw it too and took her hand possessively. Once they were all settled they told Hermione the plan to create seven Harry Potters so that if they do get attacked in Little Whinging then the Death Eaters would find a hard job locating the right Harry. Then when Hermione understood the plan and confirmed she was ready they left again so Hermione could say her goodbyes. Before Ron could escape though, Cho called to him. He turned around surprised that Cho would want to speak to him and said "Yeah?"

"May I have a quick word with you in the kitchen?" Cho asked, but Ron knew that he had to answer in affirmative.

"Sure."

Cho turned to Hermione "I will be back in two minutes, My Angel."

"Sure." Hermione said with a smile. It seemed she had guessed why Cho needed to talk to Ron and was very happy about it.

Both teens went into the kitchen and stood opposite each other in a short silence. There was a lot of tension in the room. After Cho told Ron about the love potion she put in his drink at the party when he and Lavender got together Ron was not too happy with her about it and kept trying to convince Hermione she was not right for her. Hermione had gained enough trust back for Cho that she was able to defend and defy Ron's demands. But the rivalry between Cho and Ron turned nasty. On the seven occasions they dueled Cho won five out of seven, and the two she lost was because Ron blindsided her. Ron had been the Hospital wing three times for broken bones, twice for a profusely bleeding nose, six times for nasty bruises and a concussion. Cho had split lips, bruises, black eyes and burn marks that got treated by her girlfriend later on when they were alone. Hermione was torn at first between who she should stick up for but because Ron had started all the duels and couldn't finish them without being a sneak she decided her girlfriend would get her allegiance. If it weren't for Harry either they would've dueled every time they met but The-Boy-Who-Lived was assigned as a constant enforcer to try and stop Ron being reckless, but even he couldn't stop them all.

Then came the night of the poisoning and the night of the truce between Ron and Cho. Hermione and Cho visited him in the Hospital wing. Cho then left saying she had someone to take to. She met up with Lavender, who still didn't know about the love potion for some reason, and tried to tell her what she did. Lavender didn't believe her, especially when Cho said Ron liked Hermione. She stormed off looking for Won-Won and Cho just shrugged and said to herself "Well, I tried to do something right."

As luck would have it Lavender found the Hospital wing and when she saw Hermione they had a back and forth tiff observed by the Headmaster and company themselves. Then Ron woke up mumbling Hermione's name and Lavender left in tears. Hermione told Ron that she was sorry she couldn't like him back and that there is a very lovely Ravenclaw blonde that might have afflictions for him. Ron perked up at that and promised he would apologise to Cho and he did so that very night. But the tension was still there and probably would be for a long time.

"First off" Cho asked "How are you and Luna doing? Did you ask her out?"

Ron replied awkwardly "No. I admitted I like her, and she admitted the same. For me that is although she likes herself too obviously, just like I like me too. We like each other in a different way to how we like ourselves. Anyway, We agreed though that we wouldn't be official until this is over. We kissed though because we thought we may not get much chance to do that with me on this hunt thing."

"That's fantastic and very thoughtful of you both." Cho complimented. "Now to the point. You know that I love Hermione right? And always will?"

Ron replied noncommittally" I guess".

Cho would've questioned his answer further if she had the time but she continued on. "Then I need you to swear to protect Hermione with your life. I would ask Harry too but I'm not going to see him for a long while so it's just you. If you cared at all for Hermione you would do this anyway but just in case you don't understand the seriousness of this situation I am reminding you."

"OK. I will."

"You understand what I'm saying? Because if you leave her behind, if she gets hurt. If Hermione dies on this hunt, whether it was your fault or not, then I will be seeing you very quickly after that, and trust me you won't be excited to see me. Is that clear?"

Ron glared back, wondering how she could question his word on the subject of defending his best female friend. "Perfectly clear."

Cho nodded. "Good. You can go now, thanks for your time."

Ron left without saying anything but he gave her a tense nod as he walked out the door.

Cho followed him shortly after and came back into the living room. "Hey I'm back, glad I cleared that up."

"Hey Darling, I'm about to leave now so..." Hermione started telling Cho but she stopped and looked at her parents still in the room and they saw the message loud and clear. Emma gave Daniel a whack on the arm on the way out which could only mean that Fleur and Bill weren't the only ones who noticed Daniel's ogling.

"...so..." Hermione continued after they left "kiss me now before I change my mind and decide to stay." Cho met Hermione halfway despite the fact Hermione set off like a one hundred metre sprinter, and kissed her girlfriend with everything she had. This kiss wasn't passionate, that could wait until they were reunited again. This kiss was threading every strand of love out of their hearts and offering every inch of it to each other until they saw each other again and beyond. They broke the kiss reluctantly. And stared into each other's eyes.

"Look after them. And yourself. Especially yourself." Hermione told her.

"I will if you will. I will be checking in on you everyday." Cho said, indicating with her locket.

"How ironic?" Hermione smiled in thought. "There are two lockets in my life at the moment. One filled with hate and cruelty that I have to take with me and one filled with love and hope that I have to leave behind."

"You're wrong. It's with me. Really it isn't going anywhere because I'm with you always and in more ways than one." Cho replied.

Hermione smiled even more at that. Then she gave her one last kiss and said "I love you."

"I love you too. Are you are you don't want to know where I'm taking them?".

"Positive. I don't need it because I will find you anyway."

"OK. I will be seeing you then."

"Bye Cho". Hermione gave her another brief kiss.

Hermione pulled out of her arms and shrunk her stuff, putting it in her enchanted bag and walked out. She looked back and gave a small wave and a smile before she left.

"Goodbye My Angel" Cho said with tears in her eyes, hoping that wasn't the last time she would say that.

...

(An: this next part will be a set of journals from both Hermione and Cho all the way up to Malfoy Manor so if you want to just view the story and not faff about, scroll down. If you want to understand the emotional and physical battles the couple have in this time then I suggest reading the journal entries. Hermione is in bold writing and Cho is in Italics.)

12:42 Wednesday 14th July 1997 Kodiak Island, Alaska

We arrived at my safehouse. A place my former guardians used to own before they were imprisoned. The government haven't found a buyer for it because it is practically unreachable, therefore practically unsellable, so the place is empty for an extremely long time. It is lucky I remembered the address. I had to create a portkey to get here. Mr Granger and Emma didn't particularly like it as expected but they liked it even less when they realised how cold it is. I convinced them that this was a great location though to keep our heads down, to live in with moderate comfort and have quite a pleasant scenery in which we can forget about what is happening elsewhere in the world. They were impressed. This place is hard to heat up though as we had no power and trying to get wood is a chore in itself. If my maths is right Hermione should be at the Weasley by now, hopefully. It's a bit awkward here as it's hard to skip over what is happening and where we are and who with but hopefully the atmosphere will become less...frosty lol. I'm going to check my locket soon to see if she made it to The Burrow safely. Now all we need to do is sleep and wait for Merlin's knows how long. I wish I could put up protection wards but Hermione took my wand. They shouldn't find us anyway. Without magic this will be challenging for me but I can take this as my life lesson at being a Muggle. Overall though we are safe and hopefully Hermione is too.

...

14:18 Thursday 15th July 1997. The Burrow

I made it to the Weasley's home in one piece, no thanks to that slimeball Fletcher. He nearly killed us all the traitorous coward. The plan to create seven Harry's to fly over Little Whinging was tested as we were attacked pretty much straight away. Luckily it took them a while to find the real Harry although I didn't know much about that at the time, I was too busy fighting Death Eater after Death Eater on the back of a Thestral. Apparently they found the real Harry towards the end but they made it safely to The Burrow before Voldemort could get him. He was one of the lucky ones, George lost an ear from Snape's Sectumsempra curse. That is one horrid curse, it should be an unmentionable. It probably would've been if the Ministry found out about it before they got corrupt and someone had found Snape's potion book sooner. So George permanently lost an ear but that, as horrible as it sounds, wasn't the overbearing and saddening news of the day. No the most horrible news was of the best auror the world has seen for a long time and the toughest man I know, is dead. Damn you Mundungus for killing a man so skilled like that. Sure, Mad-eye wasn't a very charming man but no one expects him to be after all those battles and wars he has been involved and injured in. He was a hero of the light and to lose practically the second in command after Dumbledore, in a short amount of time after the founder's death, was a really tough blow to take at this time. What's most demeaning for Mad-Eye's memory is that we can't even find his body and so we can't say goodbye properly and give him a deserved burial. All the doom and gloom aside though I'm glad I made it safely. Now we can just focus on Bill and Fleur's wedding and see something happy for a change. I'm glad Cho made it to where she is safely too of course. She visited me yesterday through the locket and I told her what happened and who had died. I know she couldn't reply and I couldn't see her but just being there for me to talk to and knowing she is there for me makes me feel one hundred times better. I don't know exactly when the hunt starts but it will be after the wedding. Molly asked where Cho was and I told her that because I'm close to Harry You-Know-Who could come after my parents so Cho has to keep them safe and won't be attending the wedding. She wasn't too bothered by this understandably because she barely knew the girl. I also told her half the truth without letting the hunt slip out. I can't wait for this wedding, I know I will be thinking about Cho the whole time and hoping we will have a wedding just like it.

...

13:07 Saturday 24th July 1997. Kodiak island, Alaska

Life in Alaska is peaceful...but so boring. I've never been so bored in my life and I have practically been held captive. Don't get me wrong, Hermione's parents aren't boring people. The few moments of conversation I get with them are extremely welcome. But those conversations are rare because the two Grangers have spoken to me less and less since we got here. I think it's because they are homesick and don't stop worrying about their daughter. I would tell them that talking to me can help as I have the same problem and can relate, but their views are private and I should just be polite and wait until they are ready to speak to me. My patience with this horcrux hunt has been pushed already. A week ago I found out that as soon as Hermione left Privet Drive the Death Eaters attacked. Seriously, straight away. And now Mad-eye Moody is dead and George Weasley got badly injured, that could've been Hermione. I literally said goodbye to her half an hour earlier and I could've lost her that soon. I can't even blame it on Ron if she did get hurt or killed because part of the plan meant he was on a broom so he had to stick to the plan. I'm just glad that she was unharmed but if this is how it's gonna be then my confidence will be rock bottom of ever seeing her again. At least she can enjoy Fleur's wedding. I wish I could go, we all could do with the share of the happiness. Hermione officially starts her hunt after the wedding. For now tho I'm safe, her parents are safe but most importantly Hermione is safe.

...

9:22 Monday 26th July 1997. Grimmauld Place

Well we are officially on the hunt for Voldemort's horcruxes. It was going to be after the wedding yes, but I didn't think it would be right after the wedding during the reception. But that is the luck of the Golden Trio isn't it. Rufus Scrimgeour was killed and the Ministry has been taken over by Voldemort and his cronies. Yaxley is now the Minister. Days after we were visited by Rufus giving us some things left in Dumbledore's will, reluctant to give us everything mentioned. He confiscated the Sword of Gryffindor that was given to Harry. How is a book of tales, a deluminator and a golden snitch gonna help us find Voldemort's horcruxes? I could see the sense of Dumbledore disguising the objects to fool the Ministry but they aren't disguised so i don't understand how Dumbledore thought this would explain things. Anyway the wedding was beautiful, really. It made me happy and sad at the same time. Happy to witness it but sad to witness it without my fiancee there with me. It was short lived and Kingsley's patronus barely finished it's warning when we were attacked. Even when we apparated away and found a quiet, little cafe to talk about where we will go we were attacked again. But we got away again. The danger isn't over yet, we are planning to infiltrate a Death Eater filled Ministry to find our beloved Dolores Umbridge and take the locket. We must be crazy. Cho will definitely think so. I really miss her. We need to find these Horcruxes and fast.

...

17:47 Monday 19th September 1997. Kodiak island, Alaska.

Two months and Hermione is still alive. My confidence is still in the lower percentage but it is comforting to know that she hasn't been in danger in a long while, although she did have a lot to begin with. The escape from Death Eaters at the Burrow and in London, not to mention the incredibly courageous but foolish mission to infiltrate the Ministry. Now they are in the middle of nowhere and changing locations daily. But they are staying safe. Staying happy though is proving difficult. They snap at each other, Ron most of all, and morale is low. They have made no ground in their hunt, something was bound to give in the end. Above everything though today is supposed to be special but in truth it can't be. Today is Hermione Granger's eighteenth birthday. She isn't celebrating it, barely acknowledging it. It is wrong, it shouldn't be that way. I want nothing more than to sweep her into my arms and spoil her rotten. But I can't do that can I? So wrong. Life has got harder for us too. Emma is struggling with health issues, Mr Granger is ill-tempered at every little thing and I got bitten by a brown bear a few weeks ago and it still hasn't healed fully. I'm surprised it didn't take my leg off. Emma did her work on it to stop infection but she couldn't do much else. It is healing now, it doesn't hurt anymore but it is still scabbed and most likely scarred. How I escaped death I don't know, the bear was three times the size of me. Luckily it only sliced my skin with it's teeth instead of biting down on my leg or I may have lost it. But I would prefer bears over Death Eaters any day. Happy birthday my Angel.

...

10:50 Monday 19th September 1997. Epping Forest

Happy birthday to me. Although I don't see the happy side to this birthday. No one here does. Both Harry and Ron just mumbled happy birthday at me and i mumbled back my thanks. I don't think I have ever said this before but these boys are slowly starting to really pee me off. Constant arguments, half-arsed ideas, laziness, unmotivated. I'm sick to death of it. I know what it is too, a combination of the Voldemort inside the locket and homesickness. We are turning against each other, and all this could've been solved if bloody Dumbledore had prepared and told Harry more about what he have to do and find. I mean he showed Harry all these memories from Slughorn knowing they were horcruxes and he had to get Harry to find out about it for himself. Why did he not just tell Harry instead of guiding him painstakingly slowly to what Dumbledore already knew? Yeah, Dumbledore didn't know he was gonna die but still some actual information would've been nice. He expected Harry to find Horcruxes that he had no idea about what they looked like or where to find them or even how to destroy them once we have them. He gave us nothing but three items that caused more arguments than it helped and one item we couldn't even legally have. We are totally unprepared for anything and we wonder why we have nothing to show for it. The only person who soothes my own temper is Cho. Her visits are the most anticipated part of my day. Without it I wouldn't have survived this long. And I MISS HER SO MUCH. Will i ever see her again alive? Cho, I love you baby.

...

16:32 Sunday 14th November 1997. Kodiak island, Alaska

THAT LOUSY, SELFISH, IGNORANT BASTARD. He looked me right in the eye and told me he wouldn't abandon her. What does he do, walks out on them in a desperate time. Hermione is torn to bits over it and what I wouldn't give to throttle his pathetic, freckly face. He is so glad Hermione is a saint and practically begged me not to go after his backstabbing arse. She knows me too well. She would know that I found out Ron left them and because she also knew about what we spoke about in the kitchen she begged me to not leave her parents alone to go after him. She said he didn't realise what he was doing. She said the locket was manipulating and enhancing his emotions and that he will come round eventually. She said I promised to stay with her parents and keep them safe and that is what I should do. And I will,for her. But I will punch him in the nose when I see him. I can guarantee that. Hermione's parents both hit the roof when they found out too, which was surprising of Emma as she was never a person to go off on a furious rampage. That night we had fun building a life-sized model of Ronald Weasley out of sticks and twigs. We beat him with sticks and rocks, stabbed him through with knives and forks and burnt him over the fire. This was satisfying enough to be the most comfortable and social night so far on our hideaway. But it really boils my blood to know that my Hermione is upset when we are happier than we have been in a while. You're lucky if I ever forgive you for this Ron Weasley.

...

22:15 Tuesday 20th February

So Ronald Bilius Weasley shows his face once again after months of absence and expects me to be happy to see him. Wrong. I too thought I was just upset about him leaving, not angry. But it wasn't til I saw his cocky grinning face that I realised I was very angry at him indeed. He saves Harry and that may be enough for him but it isn't for me. He very nearly destroyed seven years of devoted friendship by walking out on us. Almost doomed the world because the team working together to destroy Voldemort almost fell apart at the seams because he got a little frustrated and angry. If he expects me to welcome him back like a hero then he has another thing coming. I can see why Cho has such thin patience with this boys loyalties. He has a lot of making up to do before i even want to speak to him civilly. Despite this we have had some progress. We know that no horcruxes are at Godric's Hollow after visiting it at Christmas. We have one Horcrux destroyed and a weapon to destroy them with. Just three more and Voldemort then I see my girl again.

(End of journal entries)

Cho moved so fast after she portkeyed to Shell Cottage that she ended up sprawled on the sand but she got back up straight away sprinting across the beach. She reached the back door of the cottage just in time to see Bill sticking his head out seeing who disrupted the wards. Before he could even manage a hello Cho rushed past him and into the cottage. "HERMIONE!"

Meanwhile in the bedroom Hermione was sleeping and was being attended by Fleur dabbing her head with a wet cloth. Harry and Ron sat helpless by her bedside.

"HERMIONE!" they heard from somewhere in the cottage. All three conscious people looked at each other wondering who it was.

"Where is she, please?"

"In here" came Bill's voice.

The door opened and entering was indeed Bill Weasley but more signigicantly and surprisingly, was followed by Cho Chang. As soon as she saw the unconscious form in the bed she froze. Harry looked at Ron indicating to let Cho see her alone and he nodded. Both boys left the room followed by Bill. Fleur stayed.

"No. She...she isn't...is she?" Cho splattered.

Fleur sensed that Cho was looking at the unconscious form and thinking the worst. "Now, mon amie, do you really theenk I would be dabbing a wet cloth on a dead bodee? Or zat I will ever 'ave a dead bodee ins a bed of mine? 'Ermione eez alive, just a leetle bit...achy and tired. Zee most damage 'as 'appened to 'er mind, oui? She will need your 'elp to get over 'er trauma."

Cho nodded and walked around the bed to her girlfriend's side. She took her hand in her own and kissed it.

Fleur was finished with her aide for now but before she left she told the girl "She mumbles your name in 'er sleep you know. And you were zee ferst person she asked for when she woke for zee ferst time. Zat girl loves you very much, and I can zee zat you love 'er just as much. In zee future, don't stay apart from each ozzer for zat long. As you can zee eet doesn't end well."

"You're right. Thanks Fleur."

The french woman finally left leaving Cho alone with her girlfriend, who she hadn't seen in almost ten months. Cho looked at the tortured girl. Her eyes sunken and flittering behind her eyelids, as if she was re-experiencing what she went through. 'She probably is" Cho thought sadly. Her girl was battered and a nervous wreck but was still as beautiful as ever. The light through the window lit up the whole room, but mostly on the bed. Cho could have sworn Hermione looked like the girl Hermione had told her about one night. A Muggle children's book about a Princess put under a sleeping spell by an evil witch. Sleeping Beauty. Also known as Hermione Jean Granger. But this wasn't a fairytale. Hermione went through a terrible ordeal and the woman responsible was still at large working beside an even worse evil. Cho thanked the heavens Hermione was still with her. Bellatrix was gonna pay for this.

Then Cho saw Hermione's bloody wrist and her heart cried, let alone her eyes. The absolute disgusting reminder of the worst insult for someone so undeserving of it. Why does blood matter, all of us are magical here? And Muggles aren't lepers. They are despised by the pure-bloods so much but why? Is it a crime against nature to be without magic? If that is their reasoning then they are wrong. If anything wizards and witches are unnatural, not Muggles. And don't they realise the ironic amount of power these 'peasants' have. They built our cities and our towns. They gave us a country to live in. They invented objects and devices that out-match any spell or charm that would do the same thing. Without magic. And medicine is technically potion making right. Maths and English is something that even Wizarding people have to learn. Astronomy is studied in the Muggle world too. So why are we superior to them? To go to these lengths to eradicate a large group of people you solely hold in contempt without that reason being justified, it is shameful to witness.

And to Cho's Hermione. Why her? She is a friend of Harry. Someone who wouldn't even have been a threat to Voldemort if the psychopath hadn't wanted to raise havoc on the world twice and tried to kill the boy when he was a baby, and failed. She is of Muggle tainted blood. Did she choose to become a witch despite being conceived by Muggles. If she had the choice she would've probably chosen to be a normal girl without magic. You're blaming a child for not being born from purebloods, how pathetic can you get. Cho never could understand the reasoning behind what Voldemort and his Death Eaters wanted. Maybe they didn't care for logical reason and preferred stubborn naivety. As long as they could destroy lives and terrorise millions. And torture an innocent girl who was only fighting for a better life and to mark her so cruelly and degradingly for something she was proud of. It spelt everything that was wrong with the Wizarding World.

Cho brought her lover's wrist to her face and kissed the wound. "Don't worry My Angel, we will get them for this. We will get her for this. We won't let them win."

Cho didn't even remember falling asleep but she was woken by Fleur checking in on Hermione.

"Excuse moi. Forgive me for waking you up. I was just checking 'ermione's condition."

"It's fine Fleur. Thank you for what you are doing. I know Hermione's parents will appreciate it. Hermione too when she wakes. But most of all, I am truly grateful for you and Bill keeping her safe and caring for her." Cho told her thankfully.

"Merci beaucoup Cho. But really zere eez nuzzing to zank me for, I'm just doing what eez right. Like you, 'arry, Ron and 'ermione."

"Still, thanks"

Fleur gently turned Hermione's face her way, opened her mouth slightly and slipped a spoon full of Dreamless Sleep potion into her mouth, letting the bluey-purple liquid slide off the spoon and slip into her mouth. In her sleep Hermione sensed the liquid in her mouth and swallowed it down. "Zere, she will sleep more peacefully now."

Cho stroked a stray hair out of Hermione's face and just smiled at Fleur in response. Fleur wanted to lift the mood a bit and she saw no harm in telling Cho a little secret about herself. "You know, us zree 'ave somezing in common zat you would be surprised to 'ear."

"What's that?"

"We are not all completely...straight. Us zree share zee same eye for women. I just like men too" Fleur admitted.

Cho took some time away from staring lovingly at Hermione to staring astonishingly at Fleur. "You're kidding?"

"Non. It eez zee truth. As a Veela I don't 'ave a...'ow do you say? Barrier, between attraction for women and attraction for men. Love eez love for Veela. And I 'ope you don't mind me mentioning zis next part, I 'ad a zing for your girlfriend during my time at 'Ogwarts."

Cho recoiled at this. "You had a crush on Hermione during the Tri-wizard Tournament?"

"Oui. Don't worry, I'm over eet now and love my William very much. 'E knows I'm... Bi-zexual too." Fleur told her instantly washing Cho's insecurities and possessiveness away.

"Why didn't you tell her?"

"Seriously? She 'ad no idea she was into girls. She would 'ave turned me down straight away. I knew back zen zat she was lesbienne. My Veela knew eet. But eet also knew she was unaware of 'er sexuality. I 'ave to admit eet was 'ard to 'old back at zee Yule Ball but I just 'eld down my flushes all night."

"Well thanks for sharing Fleur, that was just thrilling to hear." Cho said sarcastically but she had a genuine smile on her face.

"Well, at leazt you both 'ave someone else to speak to now about zis eef you need eet. Just don't tell 'ermione about my leetle schoolgirl crush." Fleur told her with a wink.

"Oh believe me, I won't tell her." Cho said lightheartedly "Don't want to give her any ideas."

"Haha, zere eez no danger about zat. She eez all yours. You just remember zat."

Cho nodded and said "I will".

Fleur and Cho spoke more casually after that. About the wedding Cho missed, the lovely scenery of Alaska where Cho stayed with Hermione's parents, and what girls they thought were straight, bi or lesbian at Hogwarts and Beauxbatons. Cho got to Pansy Parkinson and was telling Fleur about the fact that Pansy was rough with the girls she teased but she rarely hit them, and she only gave her bullying time to girls that had some sort of impressive asset on her body, when Cho yawned mid-sentence and Fleur swooped in.

"Right. You need sleep. You don't 'ave a bedroom I'm afraid but zere eez a settee in zee living room zat eez eazily turned into a bed with a few spells. Go now, get some sleep. She eezn't going anywhere so you might want to get some needed sleep."

"Can't I just stay here and sleep?"

"Non. You will get a sore neck. 'Ermione could also lash out in zee night and 'urt you. Eet eez better eef you sleep in zee living room. Now go, shoo."

Cho waddled away into the next room. She sleepily made her way into the living room, clearing space on the settee. Then a clinking sound came from the kitchen and she looked through the doorway. There stood Ron Weasley with a glass in his hand leaning against the counter. He was probably wanting a glass of water but was in too much deep thought that he never filled it up. Cho was surprised to find she didn't want to punch his nose in anymore. Yes, he did leave Hermione and Harry in a vulnerable state and he didn't succeed in keeping her safe. But Cho just saw that he didn't need to be told that. He knew that loud and clear and he was taking it all rather hard. Probably more than anyone else other than Cho.

Ron looked to the side a little and saw Cho in the doorway. He turned back to the sink as if he didn't see her and said "Well, go on then. Castrate me. Smash my face into a pulp. I welcome it." He said emotionlessly.

"No. I don't think I will." Cho told him.

"Why not? I broke my promise didn't I? I didn't keep her safe. And you probably only needed the smallest thing to hate my guts so get it over with." The lack of emotion in his voice made him sound like he was being mind-controlled but by his body language it was obvious he wasn't.

"No. I'm angry a little yes. I was ready to rip your guts out when I heard about your abandoning stunt. And I was ready to force feed your guts to you when I heard about Hermione being tortured. But right now, I know I can't do that and I don't want to."

Ron didn't react and stayed silent. Cho started to explain her reasons anyway.

"I know I can't because for one what good will it do. Hermione will still be traumatised. Vol-You-Know-Who would still be at large. All that will happen is you will be out of action and that is one less ally, and an important one. But really I can't bring myself to do that because it would be hypocritical of me. You have broken your promise to keep Hermione safe, Hermione broke her promise to stay safe and even me being here means I've broke my promise to Hermione about staying with her parents and keeping THEM safe. Really we were all foolish to promise anything. As if our promises mean anything to the Death Eaters. How can you keep yourself out of danger and keep Hermione out of danger at the same time twenty-four seven? How can she promise to stay safe when she is courageously heading into dangerous activity practically every month? How can anyone expect me to not seek my girlfriend's welfare even though it might be the last time I would see her? Fleur hit the nail on the head, distance doesn't ensure safety, togetherness doesn't either but you are stronger together than apart."

"But I left them"

"As I recall you were wearing the locket at the time.

"Yeah. But those feelings I felt were genuinely mine. I did leave them for those reasons. They weren't put in my head by the locket."

"No, but the locket manipulated them. Are really trying to tell me that Ronald Weasley walks out on his friends to leave them in danger? Ronald Weasley is lazy, greedy, ignorant and slow. But never is Ron Weasley a traitor. The locket knew you were vulnerable to highly emotional outbursts. Every reaction Ron Weasley has is so emotive that it almost becomes an over-reaction. The locket took your weakness and capitalised on it. Why do you think when you took the locket off that you instantly wanted to go back and find them both? Because you knew what the locket did and you knew it wasn't what Ron Weasley wanted."

Ron put his glass down and turned to Cho for the first time. He had the wet eyes that indicated someone losing the battle to stop himself crying. "Do you wanna know...what the locket showed me...when me and Harry destroyed it?"

Ron answered before Cho could. "It showed me you and Hermione. It showed Hermione saying she loved you with all her heart...wanna guess what Ghost Cho did? She looked at her like vermin. She looked at Hermione and looked repulsed. She then beat her to the ground and called her a freak, mudblood, every disgusting name she could think of. But what made me stab the locket was the look of love in Hermione's eyes whilst you hit her. Even when you were cruelly mistreating her she loved you. To see even a false vision of you doing that to Hermione filled me with more rage than You-Know-Who ever had. I know it wasn't true but it affects me still to this day. I know Hermione wishes to marry you one day; but I will do everything in my power to make sure that vision never even has a hint of truth in it. And that means that If I ever find you ever mistreated her, I will make sure that you NEVER see her again."

Cho looked at Ron with genuine respect and said "I will expect nothing less."

Ron looked away again, wiped his eyes with his sleeve and sniffed. "Yeah, well, what are you doing here then? Why are you not with Hermione?"

"Fleur sent me away to sleep. Do you mind doing the honour of rearranging the settee for me? Hermione still has my wand." Cho asked.

"Yeah sure". Ron walked into the living room, whisked the cushions off and enlarged the settee.

"Thanks. And Ron?" Cho asked before he could walk off. "Don't blame yourself and thank you for looking out for her"

Ron looked like he wanted to argue with that but knew he would be wasting his breath. "Right then. Night."

"Goodnight".

"Filthy...Dirty...Hideous...Mudblood...Muddy...Filth...CRUCIO" that was every word that Hermione could hear. Each word penetrated like bullets and each curse shaking the young girls mind and body into a weak shell. She could see glimpses of unkempt black hair and the sliver of silver as a blade cut into her forearm. "No...please...just stop...no more...I know nothing". Just more murmurs of 'Mudblood' and 'Filth' came after accompanied by an evil an haunting cackle. "No, please...no more STOP!"

"HERMIONE!"

Hermione shot up in her bed and instantly retreated into a vulnerable ball of nerves. She cradled her legs close to her body and every thing she saw seemed to fill her with fear.

"Hermione? Hermione baby I'm here, it's OK."

Hermione snapped round to look at Cho. Seeing black hair and Hermione yelped in fright.

"Hey, it's OK, it's just me. It's Cho. Remember. Your girlfriend?"

Hermione still looked frightened but as she grew more aware of her companion she tested out the name. "Ch...Cho...Ch-ch-Cho... My girlfriend..."

"Yes. Your girlfriend who loves you."

"Cho...Cho is with my parents. Cho said she would look after them. You can't be Cho. FLEUR! FLEUR, HELP!" Hermione yelled.

"NO. Hermione, I am Cho. I AM Cho. You hate the colour yellow. You have a sweet tooth despite being the daughter of dentists. You can count to one hundred in Latin. You once told me your accidental piece of magic when you were seven years old was set alight a pencil because you were writing too intensely."

"If you were Cho you wouldn't be here. Where is she? What have you done to her?" Hermione demanded.

Cho blew a lock of hair out of her face and said "Damn it. Am I really going to do this?". Cho then slowly stood up. "Right here it goes." Cho limbered her body up then grabbed the half filled glass of water by the bed. Cho held it in one hand and slowly started balancing on one leg. She held the glass far in front of her and leaned forward. Her other hand pulled her leg behind her and over the top of her head. Cho resembled a scorpion when she finally took a swig of the water and returned to her normal standing position. "There. Am I Cho now?"

Hermione just nodded in recognition of Cho's little trick.

"OK then." Cho sat back on the bed. " And I know I shouldn't be here but I couldn't stand by whilst you got tortured and hurt. No way."

Hermione just smiled and said "It's ok. We've all screwed up."

Hermione still looked vulnerable. So Cho sashayed her way to her girlfriend's side, offering her arm as a headrest that Hermione gladly took.

"How are they?" She asked.

"We are all fine. Looks like me and you both had extremely difficult conditions to live in. But all six of us made it through it." Cho informed her.

"I changed my mind...I want to know where you went." Hermione told her.

Cho hummed in reply and said. "Just a little cabin on a small island in Alaska."

Hermione chuckled and said "Those ARE extreme conditions."

"Yeah. We got better as the months past. Not a day went by that I didn't miss you though."

"Me too. Me too. I have changed my mind about something else too." Hermione admitted.

"What's that?"

Hermione held Cho tight. "I don't want you to go. I want you to stay with me. I love my parents dearly but I need you most. Stay at Shell Cottage. Me, Harry and Ron need to go to Gringotts when I'm better then Hogwarts. It's last stop Hogwarts so when I signal you, you must go to Hogwarts as well. But I need you here. I need you somewhere where I can see you and be with you. Please stay."

Cho replied swiftly. "I wasn't planning on going. Even your parents told me not to come back for them. That I am to stay with you even if it means to the end. They prefer to have someone that loves you with them that can actually help you, and loves their daughter as much as they do."

"Good" Hermione answered.

After a long comfortable silence, Hermione broke it by saying "we have almost been together two years now".

Cho looked shocked. "Gosh, you're right. It felt quick at the start but these last few months have felt like years."

"Don't remind me." Hermione agreed. "A lot has changed since we were last together. Hopefully I'm not permanently damaged by this."

Cho looked at Hermione worriedly. Making her girlfriend look at her, Cho said. "Hermione, that witch terrorised you and almost mentally destroyed you. No one will hold it against you if you rested longer and postponed this hunt until you have recovered. Give it a month or two to help you get over this."

"I'm Ok Cho. We are so close, we can do this. I'm fine to continue." Hermione insisted.

"Hermione, you didn't recognise me when you woke up. The sight of me frightened you and it took me a lot to persuade you of who I am. You can't tell me everything is fine." Cho argued.

"I'm sorry I didn't recognise you. The black in your hair reminded me of Bellatrix for a second, and I thought you might've been an imposter under polyjuice potion." Hermione defended herself.

"I said things that no one else knew about you. You still didn't believe me."

"Someone could've tortured you for that information. Being on the run has taught me to be more cautious."

Cho sat up. "Why don't I believe you?"

"I'm telling the truth. I really am sorry."

"I'm getting a drink."

"NO!" Hermione exclaimed, grabbing Cho's arm to stop her.

"See. Now you know I'm really here you can't bear me to leave because you think I won't come back and you'll be left with that evil Bellatrix Lestrange."

"Don't be ridiculous. I just missed you really much, that's all. "

"If you missed me you would've kissed me by now".

"Fine here." Hermione leant forward and kissed her lovingly. Cho enjoyed it a few seconds but had to get her point out so she pulled away.

"You just did that for the sake of the argument."

"What! No."

"Hermione you would've launched yourself at me as soon as you realised I was here. You would've given me a hundred before we even spoke to each other. You have hugged me constantly and that's it."

"So what you saying?! That I have secretly fallen out of love with you and therefore won't kiss you!"

Cho gasped and said "No...I wasn't thinking that at all before...Now though..."

Hermione realised by just mentioning that, it seemed to Cho like Hermione had given it some thought. "Cho, of course I haven't."

"Then why aren't you being straight with me. Now we are having a row. We never have rows. So I know something is up."

Hermione felt a headache coming on. "Cho! Just drop it! I'm perfectly fine! And I'm going to continue this hunt! End of argument!"

Hermione attempted to get up and storm off but fell faint as she got up. Cho expected this and caught her before she fell. Sitting her back down Cho held the glass for her as Hermione drunk the rest of the water. After Hermione had drunk it, Cho kissed her on the crown. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pressure you. I just worry about you. Fleur said you had some mental injuries and that you have been having nightmares. And when you woke up and didn't recognise me it worried me. If you want to continue the hunt I won't stop you. I hate it when we argue. We shouldn't be arguing and it's my fault."

"I'm sorry too. But we have to finish this as quickly as possible. I will rest when it's over."

What Hermione said last scared Cho. 'Rest in what way?'

Hermione ceased all Cho's thoughts by claiming her lips again and this time Cho didn't pull away.

...

'It's not all over', 'it can't end like this' and 'it must be a trick'. That was the reoccurring thought that reverberated in the minds of the fighters of the light as the Death Eaters marched into the grounds in their rank formation. Lead by a victorious Voldemort. Cocky Bellatrix by his side. And a grieving Half-giant carrying the lifeless form of the hero of the light.

Hermione searched for Cho's hand and found it, clasping it tightly in her own. The sadness and grief beneath their skin was as painful as ingesting molten lava. But they had to hold it together, they will not see a Death Eater end their lives with sadness upon their faces. They owed it to Harry to stay strong. Never surrender. Choose death over slavery. Darkness over fear. Love over cowardice. They would not let the sadness appear on their faces. They had a job to finish or die trying.

Voldemort, a vision of every evil leader the world has witnessed embedded into one man, stood victorious as he demanded the remaining spectators of the light to join forces with them. Draco surprisingly hesitated to join him after being called by his father but obeyed when his mother asked. Neville was next to step up. Jeers and taunts were thrown his way as the Dark Lord offered him a place with them. However Neville didn't step up to join them, he stepped up to encourage his peers.

"I want to say something."

Voldemort was tempted to curse this boy where he stood for his defiance but gave him his short spotlight of attention.

"It doesn't matter that Harry is dead."

"Stand down Neville." Seamus implored.

"People die every day. Family, friends. Yeah, we lost Harry tonight. But he's still with us, in here" he said pointing at his heart. "So's Fred and Remus...Tonks. They didn't die in vain." Then he pointed at Voldemort. "But YOU will. Cause you're wrong, Harry's heart did beat for us. For all of us. It's not over."

Neville then whips Gryffindor's sword out of the sorting hat on the ground and brandished it. That's when Harry, to everyone's surprise, shot out of Hagrid's arms and clambered to his feet. He was alive.

He regrouped amongst his followers at the entrance and then the fighting started again.

Hermione and Cho were for now separated by a sea of people. Cho sent three Stupefys into the faces of three Death Eaters trying to swarm her. Hermione used her awareness of a painting on the wall to rip it off and onto a group of unprotected Death Eaters. Hermione remembered Harry's orders to kill the snake so she searched for an unmistakable redhead from the sea of hair. She found him. "Ron!"

"What?!" He said as he petrified the person the was fighting.

"Where is Nagini?"

"How the hell do I know?"

"Well where is bloody Voldemort? We find him, we find the snake!"

"Ask Harry, he's the one fighting him!"

"Fine! Then help me look for it!" She shouted as she stunned a Death Eater sneaking up on her. Then she ran and grabbed Ron's arm, pulling him out of the way of a Cruciatus curse. They left the room to look for the last horcrux.

They searched several hallways that were empty. Nagini would never be in amongst the fighting. They searched stairwells and classrooms. Even broom cupboards. But no sign of Voldemort's pet. They heard a scuffle in the Astronomy tower and knew that was where Harry was fighting Voldemort. They headed for the stairs and that's when they found it.

"Shhh" Hermione whispered. "I have an idea. I will distract it, you sneak up from behind."

"How? I would have to already be up the stairs?" He whispered back.

"Use the other stairs. The one round the back."

"Fine. You do your thing."

He set off and Hermione took a strong breath. "Ok. Here goes."

She looked around and saw some large rocks from the debris of the collapsed walls. "Who needs magic anyways?"

She then slowly and quietly climbed the stairs. Once she was in firing range she threw the rock and it connected with the snakes head. It turned on Hermione and the girl stood facing it. The snake slithered her way, she stood defiant. Then Ron appeared behind it but the snake read the distraction and turned on him. Hermione shot her own spell but the snake was too fast. Soon the snake had them cornered and it went for them both when Neville, out of nowhere, sliced the reptiles head off mid-dive.

Relieved that they were OK Hermione and Ron rejoined the fight but Hermione was worried. When was the last time she saw Cho? It dawned on her that Nagini may have killed Hermione without Cho knowing and Cho could be dead and Hermione wouldn't know it either. She had to find her. The horcruxes were gone. Harry would deal with Voldemort. Her main objective now: find the girl she loved before it is too late.

That was easier said than done as most of the fighting was taking place in the Great hall. So about half a thousand people were now clogged in a small place. She was lucky if she even got past the door. She sent a barrage of stunners at the Death Eaters fighting to get into the hall. They had no time to block. Shacklebolt was fighting still. Hagrid was blasting Death Eaters aside with his big arms as the curses bounced off his big frame. McGonagall was spectacular in her performance. She could rival Dumbledore with her magic. And she was casting Death Eaters aside with the greatest of ease. Molly and Arthur were back to back fighting and holding their own. Luna was fighting with an actual frown on her face. Ginny was Reducto cursing every Death Eater in sight. George was fighting with intensity and actually used the killing curse on the guy that falled his twin. It was remarkable to see the raw intensity of the fight the light gave. It summarised everything about good and evil. Families and friends that fight for each other versus comrades that fight for one person if not themselves. The vision right there ended the debate, the light were far more dangerous.

Neville and Ron had the same idea as Hermione, joining the fray. Hermione took time out of her appreciatively gaze to search another unmistakable hair-coloured person in this even bigger crowd.

' . . . Professor Sprout. Professor Flitwick. Professor Trelawney, seriously? Firenze. Grawp. Aberforth. Damn it, where are you Cho?'

"HERMIONE!" Ron said as he saw Bellatrix eying Hermione up, ready to pounce with probably the Killing curse this time rather than the Cruciatus. "HERMIONE, MOVE!"

But it was too late and the green curse was sent straight towards her. Hermione had time to see green then waited impact.

But none came.

Had she died and not felt anything? No cause she was thinking, and hearing noises. Then what happened?

Opening her eyes again she saw a bewildered Bellatrix who was soon preoccupied with someone else. Bellatrix never took her gaze off Hermione though.

Hermione was too shocked to move. Did she survive the killing curse like Harry? But she had no horcrux in her. Neither did she have sacrificed love as her shield. She should be dead. No protection could stop an unforgiveable. There was no other visible body in the way...

Hermione suddenly zoned in on that word. Visible. "Oh no. Please no. She...she didn't...Cho!"

"MISS GRANGER, UNLESS YOU WISH TO BE DEAD IN THE NEXT FEW SECONDS I WOULD ADVISE YOU TO MOVE OUT OF THAT DOORWAY OR AT LEAST ARM YOURSELF AND DO SOMETHING!" Professor McGonagall shouted at her, still battling Death Eaters whilst she spoke.

Hermione heard none of what she said but she did inadvertently do just that. She turned and ran, tears streaming like rivers down her face. She was frantically searching every cupboard again. Every classroom. Not looking for a snake this time. She was hoping to look for a smiling, beautiful girl who saved Hermione in a really intelligent way. But realistically she was looking for a dead body. The dead body of her one true love who jumped in the way of a Killing curse meant for Hermione. Stuff of fairy tales. But in fairy tales there are happy endings.

It would be more convenient if Hermione knew where Cho vacated to. Where would she go?

Then...Hermione knew. She ran as fast as her legs could carry her. Apparently though Ron had also ran out to find her. They almost collided when they turned a sharp corner. This didn't stop Hermione. She ran past him and he ran behind her sensing this was important. And boy was it.

Hermione made it to Cho's hideaway. Her heart was probably going to explode with happiness or die with Cho. Hermione pushed the door open.

And there she was. Unmoving. Unbreathing.

Ron came in too and he too saw the body. "Oh Merlin..." he started but not trusting his mouth to say something insensitive. He then left and mumbled "I will be right out here ok...Hermione, im so sorry."

"Please stay." Hermione said, voice breaking. "Please Ron."

"Ok Mione."

Hermione went to her girlfriend's body. She bent down and sat cross-legged by her head. She took her lovers head in her hands and laid it in her lap. Seeing that this indeed was the girl Hermione loved more than anything, she stroked her hair lovingly.

"Two years. Two beautiful, loving, amazing years. Two of the greatest years of my life. Who am I kidding? It was never my life to begin with, it always has and always will be hers. Cho Chang IS my life. Without Cho, who am I?"

Ron stayed silent swallowing a large lump in his throat.

"You don't know do you Ron? Me and Cho. We were engaged. You are seeing the dead body of my fiancee. This is the girl I was going to marry." Hermione choked on her words when she said marry and she just broke down. "Ron, she was going to be my wife. My beautiful, sweet, incredible wife. Now she is gone."

Ron rushed to her and held her consolingly. She buried her face in his shoulder, staining his shirt with tears filled of the fragments of Hermione's heart that had shattered into dust.

"She wasn't supposed to die alone. I promised I would die with her. It was we both survive or we both die. Never this. This...was never...supposed...to happen. And it's all my fault. I cared more for the horcruxes in this past year than i did my own girlfriend. I prioritized them over her. I thought I was doing it for her, but I wasn't was I. I was thinking of Voldemort. Of how we can kill him and destroy his horcruxes. She would put her life on the line for me but I wouldn't even take her advice. This relationship was never about Voldemort. It wasn't about the war. It wasn't even about me. It was about caring for Cho. Caring for someone who cared for others but never got cared for. And when they did they left her in one way or another. She was determined to make sure I never left her. And then one day I tell her I will leave her on the deadliest epedition and I practically make her let me. I did this Ron. All of it. I left her just like everyone else. Now I can't even apologize. I can't beg for her forgiveness. I don't deserve her. It seems Bellatrix is not the monster here. I am."

"Well you're half-right there Muddy." came the horrid cackle of the evil Bellatrix Lestrange. "You are a monster. Ugly like one too. But I too have a monster inside me, and it wants to finish you off for good. Without your stupid lesbian girlfriend's meddling."

Ron was quickly encased in ropes holding him down whilst Hermione got clear of her girlfriend. Even dead, Hermione wanted to protect her.

"So Muddy, lets get you reacquainted with your girl real soon huh?"

"Fine".

"What?" Bellatrix asked, not quite believing what she heard.

"You heard me, fine. Do it. Kill me. It's what i want. You took everything from me. Now let me be with my girl. Come on! Kill me! Do it! What are you waiting for?! DO IT!"

"Avada..."

"Expelliarmus."

Bellatrix lost her wand and turned to see who cast the disarming jinx. It was the one person no one expected to see alive again. Cho Chang was supporting her weight with a shaky elbow and had her wand drawn loosely. "Not...my fiancee...you bitch. Avada Kedavra"

That only Killing curse Cho would ever use, killed Bellatrix where she stood.

Cho collapsed under the exhaustion of her energy. Hermione was staring at Cho like she had fallen asleep in Ron's chest and was dreaming. But she knew she wasn't when Ron rushed to Cho's side draped her arm over his shoulder and hoisted her onto her feet. "Hermione, are you gonna help me with your fiancee?" he told her with a warm grin.

Hermione smiled brighter than ever before.

...

Once they got her to the hospital wing, Hermione never left her side. Cho was more than happy with that. Cho was prescribed some energy restoration potion and ordered to have a good nights sleep. Harry visited them which meant only one thing. Voldemort was dead. But for once Hermione didn't care about that. She cared about Cho.

So there they lay. Two heavily in love girls cuddling up on the hospital bed enjoying the sweet love they deserved. Hermione laid on Cho's chest listening to every magical heartbeat through it. Cho just lay there enjoying the moment.

Hermione sighed happily and said "How on earth do I still have you?"

Cho laughed loudly. "You must have done something bad."

"I already knew that. I'm so sorry my darling. I will never put anything before you again. I could never live without you."

"I'm not going anywhere my angel. It would be hypocritical of me if i did."

Hermione kissed Cho's chin and settled back down on her but the questions continued. "How did you survive the Killing curse? What possessed you to even try and use the locket?"

"The locket has an advantage of me being invisible. Also I lost track of where you were and wanted to find you. I didn't die because...well, you can't kill a soul. But it really messed it up a bit and it had trouble returning to my body. It was damn lucky it came back to me when it did otherwise my sacrifice would be for nothing."

"Thank Merlin for that. I was prepared to join you. You have no idea how happy I am to see you alive." Hermione replied.

"If you were prepared to join me then I too am glad to see me alive. I will never let you die because of me. Even if it's for love."

Hermione wished to argue that but did not have the will to. She did however say "You can't fool me Cho Chang. You may not be able to kill a soul but you didn't know that at the time. If you did you forgot. You jumped in the way to save my life, even though you thought you would lose yours. You are my hero."

Cho chuckled "And yours only."

Hermione lifted her head up. "Hell yes". Then she kissed Cho passionately and possessively. "Mine...and only...mine" she said between each kiss.

They kissed until their kisses swelled their lips and they tampered down into small, light kisses. Then Hermione stopped them altogether.

"Baby let's marry as soon as possible. Then we can leave England and start a life somewhere else. Like we wished for. We could stay at your cabin in Alaska. Hell, we could buy it. Our friends are wizards and witches, they can get there easily enough to visit. Or we could stay here. Its your decision. I have made too many of them for us and not too many have been successful. As long as I'm with you I'm happy." Hermione offered.

"Maybe not Alaska baby. The novelty has worn off on my dream to go there. But we can use it for our honeymoon. And live somewhere more...down under."

"You don't have to choose one of my countries to live in." Hermione said.

"I'm not. I'm choosing OUR country. Australia is where we will live. " Cho declared.

"Ok baby. I'm up for that. Perth, Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra?" Hermione asked.

"Whichever way the boomerang flies" Cho asked, showing Hermione her knowledge of Muggle Australia. Although Hermione had to correct her through chuckles.

"Cho...if we went the way the boomerang flies...haha...we would end back here. Haha, boomerangs come back to you when you throw them."

Cho looked surprised and said "a boomerang is a Muggle object, right?"

Hermione laughed out loud and knew then her life would be fine from now on. Because she had Cho and she cared for her.

An; and there it is the final storyline chapter. Now await the epilogue, and find out the significance of the Hydrangea flower in this story. And meet something else. Or someONE else.

There is a lot to cover in this chapter that I want to clear up.

Yes at the start Hermione had sex with Cho. Just letting you know that was not their first time. It was just the first time in this story when there was a clear indication of sexual activity. They are teenagers after all that had been going out a year and a half. It would be surprising if they waited all that time. Besides if it was their first time I'm pretty sure Hermione would not have been as bold as what you read here.

If you still don't understand how the locket works I will describe it to you now. Cho starts to share Hermione's eyesight so that she sees everything Hermione sees. Thats what those bright orbs were for. When Cho continuously stares at the locket it extracts her soul and takes her to where Hermione is via a small portkey charm. The soul because solid but turns invisible under disillusionment and silent under a silencing spell. It can only operate in a two metre radius from Hermione. When Cho got hit with the Killing curse it ended all the spells and enchantments on her soul and it had to find it's body by itself so it was lucky Cho's body was in the same place the soul was. Two reviewers were partly correct but not quite. Cho couldn't use her locket to perfection like she wanted to when Hermione was on the hunt. It is a guessing game of when Hermione would be in danger and, like Cho said, there is a limit on how long a soul can be away from the body.

The dates in the journals are probably not in sync with the events that happened in canon. And the locations. I can only apologize for this as i am pretty much guessing at what month and time of year it is. The HP films are like everything happens in a month, then its christmas, then everything happens after the winter period and concluded by the end of the year. That isn't much to go on, on a timeline sense.

I didn't bash Dumbledore in this but I did criticize him. I mean he has an aura of mystery. He commonly uses wise words, incentive thoughts and double-meanings. But I just think his blind guidance for Harry is a bit unnecessary. He has to guide Harry to find things out for himself, not simply telling the boy. But what I do like about Dumbledore is that he is human like everyone else. I used to think Dumbledore thought highly of himself, like Voldemort. But really he thinks he is no more important than a house-elf. His mistakes remind everyone he is human.

I really do hope this chapter makes up for my slight Ron bashing before. I don't hate Ron's character. He is an important character. More important than it may look. Harry Potter needs Ron to signify family ties, to signify realism, to signify friendship. If it was just Hermione and Harry it wouldn't feel real for us. Even in a war you need a spark of humanity instead of just darkness and death. Ron is also one of my favourite characters. I just don't like Ron and Hermione. I can understand it. I can see why J.K. made it. I can see why people like it. I just can't see that relationship ever working out. It just seems right that Hermione would date Harry. And I'm not completely convinced that we didn't see some kind of attraction between them two in the films. I think i have gone off topic now...but if you want to know what scenes i likely think we saw an attraction between Harry and Hermione just PM me. Just be warned, there are quite a few.

Why Alaska? Why not? It comes from my liking of Switzerland but i felt Switzerland wasn't far enough to used as a hiding place so i chose Alaska. The cold conditions will make it almost impossible for them to be tracked even if they were unlucky enough to encounter a Death Eater or Snatcher that went that far to find them.

I think you can see why Hermione's favourite country to live in is Australia. Hermione's parents were sent to Australia in canon. There was no need for them to go there in this story. But i made up for it by letting Cho and Hermione live in Australia.

Finally there will be no Authors note in the epilogue. So this is my goodbye message.

Thank you all so much for reading this and sticking with it. It was a gamble to choose Cho and Hermione as the pairing but I fell in love with the idea. I knew from the first chapter onwards that this would get a minimum amount of reads, and if i'm honest I think this plucky story did well. But obviously it couldn't do it without you. So thanks to all my current and future reviewers, favourites and followers. And this is not the last of me. You will see me around with some new and bright ideas that could possibly even be longer than this story. And they won't all be femslash. Even some crossover stories may come into play. So i will see you guys soon.

Signed

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