Chapter 25 Drawing

It would already be the last week of their school year. It went so fast. All with all it had been a more boring year than the past ones, but Cho was content with a little peace and quiet. Peace and quiet maybe, but Cedric and David still were able to arrange her daily portion of laughter. She was laying on her bed. She found a moment alone somewhere in the day. A moment away from Cedric and David, a moment away from the giggling girls and for a moment she did not mind and was pretty content of having a moment to think. She had to laugh silently in herself again when she remembered how Cedric and David had done a duel in the middle of the great hall. Ending up both in the hospital wing with each other's wands in their nose. Their new spells hadn't worked out. She wasn't allowed to come see them, cause they hadn't wanted her to see them like that, but still it was funny. She couldn't help it to laugh out loud when she thought back of Cedric and David brining her a serenade. Chuckling again as she remembered the conversation.

She had been sitting outside on a bench, reading when the two boys came walking they were snickering and seemed amused about something. Cho had looked suspicious at them and they came to stand in front of her.

'What?' Cho had asked as they stood there grinning at her, silently but so amused. And then she had remembered: It had been Valentine's day, that day. Cedric and David would look at each other meaningful and the next second they had dropped on their knees and started singing to her. Cho had blushed insanely. People who walked by laughing or making noises like : Aww. Some girls looking jealous and Cho herself indeed feeling pretty lucky. They even sounded so good together, they really had made work of it. Once they were done they had been looking at her victorious and she had giggled flattered.

'Thank you both so much!' she had squealed and kissed both their cheeks.

'We are not done yet!' David had said enthusiastic.

'Not even close!' Cedric had added and she got pulled of her bench, pushed into Hogwarts.

'What are we going to do?' she had asked.

'Everyone here should now that you are our Valentine, so we need to mark you!' Cedric had chuckled.

'As long you are not going to paint me! Or burn me!' she had said panicky.

They boys had laughed a pushed her on a chair in their Hufflepuf commonroom.

'A chocolate, miss?' David had offered while Cedric grabbed the stuff for whatever they were planning.

'With or without love potion?'

David had laughed. 'We aren't that cruel,'

'What do you have there?' Cho had asked when Cedric returned. He had all sort of stuff in his hand.

'Just some stuff to mark you,' he had said innocent. He and David both started to touch her hair. Putting it up by putting ribbons in it from the colors of Hufflepuf, they did a poor job but they were guys and it was good meant and even though her hair was messy and she looked like a doll, it was something that didn't even miss stood her. She groaned a little though when they came with more.

'What now?' she had questioned. But it were no more ribbons. It were gifts. A lot of gifts! Music boxes, from both of them! Heart shaped candy, chocolate, and they both still had one package in their hands.

'You guys!' she had said, almost getting emotional. They looked at her. Cedric not being able to resist to press a kiss on her face.

'Thank you,' she had said hoarse.

'We have one more thing,' David grinned. They had put out the package towards her at the same time. When Cho unwrapped it a beautiful little dress came out, matching the colors of her ribbons. And she really liked it, it was save in her bag now.

'You like it?' they had asked.

She had burst into tears than. 'Thank you guys!' she had sobbed.

Two pair of arms had been wrapped around her.

'We love you!' they had said perfectly at the same time.

Cho had worn the dress whenever she had been able to.

She chuckled again at the comment Cedric made that at some point it would grow to her skin and she wouldn't be able to take it off anymore. Like she would care.

She heard a soft knock on the door while she was still chuckling about memories of this year. Cedric's head peeked around the door. 'Having fun on your own?' he teased.

'Yes!' and Cho burst into laughter, now he was here. A moment a lone was nice, but she always felt relieved once Cedric was in the same room again.

'What's so funny?' he asked and crawled next o her on the bed.

'You did a serenade!' Cho laughed.

Cedric looked at her as if she had lost her mind but then laughed with her.

'Yeah I guess I sort of did, are you laughing at me?'

'Noooo!' Cho squealed giddy.

Cedric snickered and walked with his fingers over her belly. Cho saw how he had his sketchbook under his arm.

'Drawings!' she smiled pleased and took it from him. He seemed like he wanted to protest, but she knew she would get her way anyway and so did he so he let her but he seemed nervous. As she opened it the first drawing was their spot at the lake and it looked so real she had the feeling she could almost touch it. She smiled. The next drawing was she. In her school uniform, looking over her shoulder smiling.

'Nice Ceddy,' she commented. He smiled weakly and played with his own hands nervously. Cho looked at him for a moment but then skipped to the next drawing, which was also her. Only now in her orange dress. The next she was too, and the next, and the next and the next and the next. Cedric moved unease. The last drawing she was also. Drawn from straight in front of her, her hair fluttering a bit as a breeze was going through it. The drawing stopped at just under her collarbone. She searched for the lines who would point out her shirt but there weren't any. She was bare shouldered. She looked up at Cedric and he blushed.

'I…I'm…'

She gave him back the sketchbook and smiled sweetly.

'They are really good,' she said. 'You have talent,'

Cedric gazed at her.

'You are just a big part of my life that's why…'

'I know, don't explain,' Cho said.

Cedric nodded and Cho grinned pushing him softly.

'Seriously I'm flattered!'

Cedric laughed softly, trying to kiss her head, but Cho escaped him by kiss his cheek first. He chuckled.

'Little monster!' he said.

'I'm going to take a shower for a moment,' Cho said grinning and stood up.

'You want me to join?' Cedric joked wiggling his eyebrows.

'Shut up,' Cho laughed. 'You stay here, you better be here when I return!'

'Of course Cho,' Cedric smiled and his eyes followed her until she was in the bathroom.

Cho showered. She didn't make it long, just long enough to make sure she was clean. Once she stepped out she dried herself. When she wasn't dripping anymore she wrapped the towel around her body and got into the commonroom, Cedric was still on the bed and looked up.

'Cho,' he groaned.

'What?' Cho said as she walked to her closet to find some clothes.

'Best friend or not I'm still a boy!'

Cho laughed. 'Don't be such a baby,' she said as she looked into the wardrobe.

'Won't you pose for me?' it was just a soft request but she heard it. She turned around at him, holding the towel.

'Where?'

Cedric seemed surprised with her easy answer and he pointed at the little sofa. Cho sat down and still held her towel.

'Lay down?' Cedric asked.

Cho did and she watched how Cedric opened his sketchbook to find a blank page. She knew what he really wanted and she would give it to him. While his eyes were on his book, she dropped the towel and when he looked up after finding his page he gasped softly as she laid there like that. He swallowed, she saw it and she wondered if this is what he meant. He did, cause he started to draw right away.

'Can you put your hand a little more against your cheek…Yes there, keep it there,' he said, very professional.

Cho smiled a little. Cedric drew and looked and drew and blushed.

'You are blushing,' Cho chuckled.

'Am not…' Cedric mumbled weakly as his pencil sketched over the paper.

'You are Picasso, you are blushing!'

Cedric smiled as his eyes went upon her.

'I don't think you have a clue how beautiful you are,'

'Am I giving you a hard time?' Cho asked, while still holding perfectly still.

'A little,' Cedric mumbled. 'But drawing helps, makes me focus on lines, instead of…' his eyes wondered up to her body again but then he shook his head and drew further. Cho chuckled softly but she felt how tense she was. Nervous. Would he find her pretty? As he measured every line of her body so carefully?

Cedric would me her eyes for a moment and he was a little less red already. Just as in the shower he seemed to get a little more at ease. Once he was done he looked at her insecure.

'You want to see it?' he asked.

'Yes,' Cho muttered.

Cedric stood up swiftly and walked towards her showing her the drawing, which was truly beautiful and Cho almost couldn't believe it was her.

'It's beautiful,' she said. Cedric smiled a little proud and took the towel from the ground and covered her body with it. Cho smiled and breathed a bit more relaxed. Cedric stroke her face and smiled.

'How about a best friends kiss?' he asked.

Cho laughed and smacked him softly.

'You really are pushing you luck!' she said snickering while shaking her head.

Cedric smiled with her but for a moment she thought to see a shimmer of disappointment in his eyes.