Cheering Up
by Pottermaniac
Harry bolted from his chair in the common room and began to head for the portrait.
"Where are you going?" said Ron.
"Just getting some air," said Harry thoughtlessly.
Hermione gave Ron a puzzled look.
Out the portrait and into the hall, he finally got a gasp of air after about twenty paces. What was going on with those two? He had long known of Ron's affection for Hermione, but wasn't it a little bit early to be thinking about love? Didn't they have much more fun things to worry about?
He ascended some wooden steps and entered a brightly lit corridor. A few small packs of students passed by, perhaps they were first years. Empty, lonely classrooms lined the corridor. As Harry approached the library, there was the faint sound of chatter. Harry heard a small creak, and the main doors of the library swung open. Out processed a bunch of unrecognizable girls—no, recognizable ones. Ravenclaws . . . some of Cho's friends. In the middle of the pack, a curl of black, two brown eyes, and giggling, was . . .
"Cho," blurted Harry, quietly, but, alas, loud enough for the approaching girls to hear.
Right eyebrow raised, Cho emerged. "Harry Potter?" Her hands behind her back, she approached, black heels clacking on the stone floor.
"Er . . . hi, Cho." Harry looked away briefly. His nose started to itch. The other girls were giving him knowing looks. Was he that transparent?
"I'll catch up," said Cho to the other girls, but it was unnecessary; they had already begun to pass by Harry, waving at Cho over their shoulders as they walked.
Some winked at Harry. He pretended not to notice. He began to adjust his glasses, nervously, but caught himself.
"So," she said. It was as she had just made a statement—a question as to how his day, his week, his life had been. Her black robe wrinkled as she shifted a few books to the other hand. She smelled of perfume and of mandrake.
He smiled, and told himself to gather some courage. After all, he was Harry Potter. He could handle a basilisk, why not some 16 year-old girl with big eyes, a cute little nose, and long legs? "Cho, how are you?"
"Great. I love Fridays. And you?"
"Er . . . yes. Cho, I should tell you about Cedric—"
"—Shh," she interrupted, putting her finger to her mouth. Her mouth managed a smile. "You can tell me some other time. I'm sure it's tougher for you than it is for me."
She may have been right. At any rate, Harry breathed a sigh of relief.
"You know, Harry," Cho began. "I tried to write." She looked down at the floor suddenly, as if she had dropped something.
"I'll give you my address," said Harry enthusiastically. He told her.
She scribbled it down on a clean sheet of parchment. "Thanks, dear," she said sweetly. "I had meant to ask you a question over this last summer," she said, a smile
starting to break on her face. "But, now it seems unnecessary.."
"A question?" said Harry, not really sure what kind of question she had had in mind.
She was repressing a laugh, and then she started to blush. "Harry, are you playing dumb or was this week just really, really tough on you?"
Harry paused for a second, and then they were both giggling like three year-olds. Harry felt a great weight lift off his shoulders.
"C'mon," said Cho. "How about we go for a little walk?"
Harry grinned from ear to ear. He could take on a basilisk with his eyes closed.
by Pottermaniac
Harry bolted from his chair in the common room and began to head for the portrait.
"Where are you going?" said Ron.
"Just getting some air," said Harry thoughtlessly.
Hermione gave Ron a puzzled look.
Out the portrait and into the hall, he finally got a gasp of air after about twenty paces. What was going on with those two? He had long known of Ron's affection for Hermione, but wasn't it a little bit early to be thinking about love? Didn't they have much more fun things to worry about?
He ascended some wooden steps and entered a brightly lit corridor. A few small packs of students passed by, perhaps they were first years. Empty, lonely classrooms lined the corridor. As Harry approached the library, there was the faint sound of chatter. Harry heard a small creak, and the main doors of the library swung open. Out processed a bunch of unrecognizable girls—no, recognizable ones. Ravenclaws . . . some of Cho's friends. In the middle of the pack, a curl of black, two brown eyes, and giggling, was . . .
"Cho," blurted Harry, quietly, but, alas, loud enough for the approaching girls to hear.
Right eyebrow raised, Cho emerged. "Harry Potter?" Her hands behind her back, she approached, black heels clacking on the stone floor.
"Er . . . hi, Cho." Harry looked away briefly. His nose started to itch. The other girls were giving him knowing looks. Was he that transparent?
"I'll catch up," said Cho to the other girls, but it was unnecessary; they had already begun to pass by Harry, waving at Cho over their shoulders as they walked.
Some winked at Harry. He pretended not to notice. He began to adjust his glasses, nervously, but caught himself.
"So," she said. It was as she had just made a statement—a question as to how his day, his week, his life had been. Her black robe wrinkled as she shifted a few books to the other hand. She smelled of perfume and of mandrake.
He smiled, and told himself to gather some courage. After all, he was Harry Potter. He could handle a basilisk, why not some 16 year-old girl with big eyes, a cute little nose, and long legs? "Cho, how are you?"
"Great. I love Fridays. And you?"
"Er . . . yes. Cho, I should tell you about Cedric—"
"—Shh," she interrupted, putting her finger to her mouth. Her mouth managed a smile. "You can tell me some other time. I'm sure it's tougher for you than it is for me."
She may have been right. At any rate, Harry breathed a sigh of relief.
"You know, Harry," Cho began. "I tried to write." She looked down at the floor suddenly, as if she had dropped something.
"I'll give you my address," said Harry enthusiastically. He told her.
She scribbled it down on a clean sheet of parchment. "Thanks, dear," she said sweetly. "I had meant to ask you a question over this last summer," she said, a smile
starting to break on her face. "But, now it seems unnecessary.."
"A question?" said Harry, not really sure what kind of question she had had in mind.
She was repressing a laugh, and then she started to blush. "Harry, are you playing dumb or was this week just really, really tough on you?"
Harry paused for a second, and then they were both giggling like three year-olds. Harry felt a great weight lift off his shoulders.
"C'mon," said Cho. "How about we go for a little walk?"
Harry grinned from ear to ear. He could take on a basilisk with his eyes closed.