A/N: Hey, finally got around to chap. 14. Thanks to everyone and I hope you
enjoy. It's been slow the last few days with reviews, but that's how it is.
You guys have been great! Some more long-awaited D/Hr… Here we go, strap in
your seatbelts and get ready for the ride… er, sort of.
Disclaimer: Harry Potter is not mine, and neither is this computer. It's stolen… winkwink… j/k… it's my parents'!
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Cho sat shaking, trying to still her shaky breath in the lobby of the Hampton Inn. Her hands were cold and clammy and her head felt numb and heavy. She couldn't believe how careless she had been, leaving those letters in the trashcan. It wasn't Ron's fault, or at least completely his fault, but she felt so angry that she could... Cho noticed that her fists were balled up so tight that her knuckles were white and aching, and she cracked her knuckles with relief.
She exhaled and tried to think rationally. Ron probably didn't even know what the letters were all about. After all, she hadn't completely confided in anyone about her family difficulties. After what had happened to her sister... Cho shuddered at the thought. After what happened to her sister, it felt like her mother and father could barely bear to look at her. It not only put a strain on their family situation, but... Cho hadn't been feeling like herself.
She wasn't a nasty or obstreperous person. The stress from her mother and father was just getting to her, and she found herself lashing out with verbal attacks. After every time she insulted someone or bit their head off, she felt horribly guilty, but she couldn't take it back.
And this was besides the tensions between her and Harry. She felt that he had never really forgiven her for breaking his heart. She hadn't meant to... she just didn't and couldn't feel that way about him. He was Harry, Harry Potter, and just that. It wasn't her fault, she knew, but still she felt terrible.
"I shouldn't always feel so awful and guilty," Cho murmured aloud, knowing that the almost vacant lobby was oblivious to her ponderings. "I need to relax, and not burden myself too much." Her eye was caught by a familiar flash of red bounding out of the elevator. Although her vision was perfect, she squinted in disbelief. "Ron?"
"Yeah," he panted, and took a seat beside her. "Cho, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have gone through your notes like that."
"I know," she replied quietly, but she flashed him a smile. "I shouldn't have left them lying around anyway. It's okay." She studied Ron's flustered, freckled face and almost laughed. He seemed so relieved. "You want to take a walk, maybe get some ice-cream or another Muggle snack?"
"Sure," Ron agreed, helping her up. The two had never really been friends. Cho was a friend of Harry and Hermione, as was Ron. But as they walked out of the automatic hotel doors together, Ron Weasly and Cho Chang took their first steps toward a friendship of their own.
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"Our mother doesn't live on anymore, Harry. Because of you, she's gone!" The wretched words echoed in Harry's head mercilessly. The pounding water drops of the shower failed to drown out its voice but only succeeded in dotting Harry's bronze skin.
Harry didn't understand. His mother, Lily Potter, had stood before him but the little boy had insisted that she was gone. But how much further gone than death can you get? His father was dead and his mother; how was it that his father lived on and his mother didn't?
"Of course," Harry mouthed suddenly. He wrapped the fluffy white towel around his waste and almost slipped on the wet tile of the bathroom. He dressed quickly, throwing on his Muggle shirt backwards and rearranging it several times.
He had almost ducked out of the door when Draco's voice called out, "Where are you going?" Harry turned to see Hermione giggling on the bed, propped up on her elbows. Draco stood beside her, laughing and holding a hotel pillow. It was quite a site to see, and Harry's bemused grin seemed to cause a--could it be?--blush on Draco's deathly pale complexion.
"I'm going to the lobby to ask for directions to a library. They don't have one in the drawer," Harry explained, and then wondered why he owed Draco an explanation. Eyes narrowing, he added, "I'm just leaving, okay?"
"Okay, okay," Draco said defensively, holding up his hands and dropping the pillow to the carpet. His eyes followed Harry curiously as Harry slammed the door behind himself.
"Draco," Hermione said, trying to calm her eruptions of giggles. "I don't know why you went insane on me last night, but I'm not going to hold you to anything." Her flushed face grew serious and she looked away, embarrassed for reasons that she didn't understand.
"I… I know," Draco nodded, forcing a cool smile. "I didn't mean you to feel uncomfortable or anything. But, it's not like I regret it," he winked, and strode toward the bathroom.
Hermione took a moment to comprehend that and burst out with anger. "Draco, you idiot!" she cried out, fiddling with the locked bathroom door. "You are such a jerk." Her flashing silver diary caught her brown eye. "I'm going to write about how cruel you are in my journal! I hope you're happy!"
Draco's head immediately popped out of the bathroom door. "Why?"
"Because…" She eyed him warily. "Why not?"
"You don't ever read over stuff you write, do you?" His cautious expression matched hers perfectly. They stood silent for a moment until a look from Draco prodded her on.
"Sometimes… Draco, what's this all about?"
"Hermione, I'd like to take you out," Draco blurted out, head still sticking out from the door. Realization of what he had just said registered with the both of them at the same time. Draco had meant to avert her plans to get her diary, but he had never meant… Or had he? He gulped, knowing that he couldn't return the words to his mouth and waited, heart pumping frantically, for Hermione's response.
But Hermione's response was hanging, just like her jaw. She had blanched of all color; even her brown locks seemed to fade for a moment. She was blinking rapidly, as if that would make the situation make more sense. "Uh, Hermione, I'm dying here," Draco divulged, playing with a stray lock of his golden hair in anticipation.
"You… you mean… take me out as in…?" she finally managed to stammer.
"As in, take you out," Draco confirmed. He had never been refused for a date, but suddenly he felt like he was in first year all over again.
"What did you have in mind?" Hermione replied, this time more collected. "I mean…"
"I don't know," Draco shrugged. He stepped out of the bathroom uncertainly and looked up awkwardly at her. "Whatever you want."
"Okay…" she said suddenly; her voice sounded sure but the way she avoided his eyes contradicted her confidence. She did see, however, Draco's outstretched hand, and considered it for a moment. "Let's go!" she said shrilly, brushing past him and his hand and holding open the door. "Ready?"
"And I'm cruel?" he teased, stepping out with Hermione. "Puh-leeze!"
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Ginny sat huddled on the balcony of the hotel room, sliding doors sealing her off from the rest of the room's activity. She glanced up and saw Draco and Hermione leaving the room; it was her, all alone, and she sighed heavily. It seemed that she was either all alone or being loomed over by her brothers. She wondered which was worse. The phone rang, making her sit up straight with a jolt. It annoyed her, to be disturbed, but she sulked up and answered the phone in the main room. "Hello?" she said, her fake chirpiness making her feel sick.
"Gin? Is that you?" Ginny rolled her eyes as she recognized the voice of either Fred or George; not only did they look identical, but they sounded the same as well.
"Yes…" she replied wearily. "What's up?"
"Just checking in on you. It's George."
"Of course," Ginny thought dryly, "I need to be under my brother's constant supervision."
"Thanks, Fred, but I have to go!" she retorted, and as she hung up she heard the protests of "But this is George!" She didn't care; Ginny headed back out onto the balcony and sat cross-legged on the floor. A sudden flood of inspiration doubled her over and she grabbed a pad and pen.
You can't protect me forever
I can't be naive for you
Please... try to understand
All of what I'm going through
I may be sixteen
But to you, I'm still so young
If you don't let me feel the pain for myself
I'll never get to feel the fun...
Ginny read back over her words and scowled. She never could express herself right. "Stupid poem," she grumbled as she balled it up and tossed it over the railings. She watched as it hit the bushes, and then tumbled to the asphalt below. Something about it gave her satisfaction, but Ginny couldn't put her finger on it. She shrugged it off and lay quietly on the concrete flooring of the balcony.
Virginia Weasly was only disrupted once more. However, it wasn't an unpleasant one. The disruption was a rich voice calling, "Fair Juliet!"
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A/N: Thanksssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss everyone! Sorry it took me a few days!
Mwarren—LOL, thanks buddyo! (what is up w/ my obsession w/ "o" at the end of words… o, nm…)
Natasha—LOL, glad u find intriguing… thanks very much
Hyper_shark—muchachacha right back atcha! Love that… o, and thanku b4 I forget…
Sassy—Thank you so much. That really means a lot to me. I'm glad that you somewhat enjoyed it! :o) :o) :o)
Ally-sama—Love those hehe's… well, I'm continuing
MiyaQui—lol lol lol! By the way, what is a chinese fire drill??? Thanks!
Sn0bunny—Thanku, I think I'm going to have one… or prospects of one anyway, a R/C… (Tyco, that's how you spell RC… too much tv? I think so)
Flame and Ice—Thanks, but I think two road trip stories would get BORING for me as a writer. But an alternative ending? That I could add in… muchachacha (sry… evil laugh)
Lydia—I don't think they're really going to Disney, I just needed something to get them to USA. However, they aren't completely forgetting the idea because that would be unrealistic. Thanks!
Abeni—I hope u mean the "thinking what I'm thinking part" because otherwise I didn't try to make it confusing. Sorry, hope you like anyway. Maybe you could tell me what was confusing so I could fix it? I am always open to suggestions!
Christiana & Beth—ha, at first I thought I read it wrong and it was supposed to be flame and ice, but I guess not. Thanks, tho, that was very nice!
Flame and Ice—(back to my normal pairing)Thanks… who's a jerk? Anyway… thanku again!
Inky Blinky—lol, funny name :o) Yeah, I like Ron/Cho. I might even make another story about them two.
Lanni—with you in mind, I tried to make cho seem nicer. Thanks so much for your great review!
Cho is Cool—It's ok, there's no reviewing requirement. Thanks very much!
Cho87—Thanks lots, and I enjoyed your story greatly. It's as original as my R/C pairing
Mrs.Amanda Malfoy—Hey, I did, it did not suck! Thanks…
Lovinhp—Thanks verrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrry much! I will read yours tonight, I'm sure it's great :o)
And another chapter has been spun out by the talented and MODEST Me123… just kidding… well, thanks for all your reviews…
And I'm out… peace!
Disclaimer: Harry Potter is not mine, and neither is this computer. It's stolen… winkwink… j/k… it's my parents'!
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Cho sat shaking, trying to still her shaky breath in the lobby of the Hampton Inn. Her hands were cold and clammy and her head felt numb and heavy. She couldn't believe how careless she had been, leaving those letters in the trashcan. It wasn't Ron's fault, or at least completely his fault, but she felt so angry that she could... Cho noticed that her fists were balled up so tight that her knuckles were white and aching, and she cracked her knuckles with relief.
She exhaled and tried to think rationally. Ron probably didn't even know what the letters were all about. After all, she hadn't completely confided in anyone about her family difficulties. After what had happened to her sister... Cho shuddered at the thought. After what happened to her sister, it felt like her mother and father could barely bear to look at her. It not only put a strain on their family situation, but... Cho hadn't been feeling like herself.
She wasn't a nasty or obstreperous person. The stress from her mother and father was just getting to her, and she found herself lashing out with verbal attacks. After every time she insulted someone or bit their head off, she felt horribly guilty, but she couldn't take it back.
And this was besides the tensions between her and Harry. She felt that he had never really forgiven her for breaking his heart. She hadn't meant to... she just didn't and couldn't feel that way about him. He was Harry, Harry Potter, and just that. It wasn't her fault, she knew, but still she felt terrible.
"I shouldn't always feel so awful and guilty," Cho murmured aloud, knowing that the almost vacant lobby was oblivious to her ponderings. "I need to relax, and not burden myself too much." Her eye was caught by a familiar flash of red bounding out of the elevator. Although her vision was perfect, she squinted in disbelief. "Ron?"
"Yeah," he panted, and took a seat beside her. "Cho, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have gone through your notes like that."
"I know," she replied quietly, but she flashed him a smile. "I shouldn't have left them lying around anyway. It's okay." She studied Ron's flustered, freckled face and almost laughed. He seemed so relieved. "You want to take a walk, maybe get some ice-cream or another Muggle snack?"
"Sure," Ron agreed, helping her up. The two had never really been friends. Cho was a friend of Harry and Hermione, as was Ron. But as they walked out of the automatic hotel doors together, Ron Weasly and Cho Chang took their first steps toward a friendship of their own.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
"Our mother doesn't live on anymore, Harry. Because of you, she's gone!" The wretched words echoed in Harry's head mercilessly. The pounding water drops of the shower failed to drown out its voice but only succeeded in dotting Harry's bronze skin.
Harry didn't understand. His mother, Lily Potter, had stood before him but the little boy had insisted that she was gone. But how much further gone than death can you get? His father was dead and his mother; how was it that his father lived on and his mother didn't?
"Of course," Harry mouthed suddenly. He wrapped the fluffy white towel around his waste and almost slipped on the wet tile of the bathroom. He dressed quickly, throwing on his Muggle shirt backwards and rearranging it several times.
He had almost ducked out of the door when Draco's voice called out, "Where are you going?" Harry turned to see Hermione giggling on the bed, propped up on her elbows. Draco stood beside her, laughing and holding a hotel pillow. It was quite a site to see, and Harry's bemused grin seemed to cause a--could it be?--blush on Draco's deathly pale complexion.
"I'm going to the lobby to ask for directions to a library. They don't have one in the drawer," Harry explained, and then wondered why he owed Draco an explanation. Eyes narrowing, he added, "I'm just leaving, okay?"
"Okay, okay," Draco said defensively, holding up his hands and dropping the pillow to the carpet. His eyes followed Harry curiously as Harry slammed the door behind himself.
"Draco," Hermione said, trying to calm her eruptions of giggles. "I don't know why you went insane on me last night, but I'm not going to hold you to anything." Her flushed face grew serious and she looked away, embarrassed for reasons that she didn't understand.
"I… I know," Draco nodded, forcing a cool smile. "I didn't mean you to feel uncomfortable or anything. But, it's not like I regret it," he winked, and strode toward the bathroom.
Hermione took a moment to comprehend that and burst out with anger. "Draco, you idiot!" she cried out, fiddling with the locked bathroom door. "You are such a jerk." Her flashing silver diary caught her brown eye. "I'm going to write about how cruel you are in my journal! I hope you're happy!"
Draco's head immediately popped out of the bathroom door. "Why?"
"Because…" She eyed him warily. "Why not?"
"You don't ever read over stuff you write, do you?" His cautious expression matched hers perfectly. They stood silent for a moment until a look from Draco prodded her on.
"Sometimes… Draco, what's this all about?"
"Hermione, I'd like to take you out," Draco blurted out, head still sticking out from the door. Realization of what he had just said registered with the both of them at the same time. Draco had meant to avert her plans to get her diary, but he had never meant… Or had he? He gulped, knowing that he couldn't return the words to his mouth and waited, heart pumping frantically, for Hermione's response.
But Hermione's response was hanging, just like her jaw. She had blanched of all color; even her brown locks seemed to fade for a moment. She was blinking rapidly, as if that would make the situation make more sense. "Uh, Hermione, I'm dying here," Draco divulged, playing with a stray lock of his golden hair in anticipation.
"You… you mean… take me out as in…?" she finally managed to stammer.
"As in, take you out," Draco confirmed. He had never been refused for a date, but suddenly he felt like he was in first year all over again.
"What did you have in mind?" Hermione replied, this time more collected. "I mean…"
"I don't know," Draco shrugged. He stepped out of the bathroom uncertainly and looked up awkwardly at her. "Whatever you want."
"Okay…" she said suddenly; her voice sounded sure but the way she avoided his eyes contradicted her confidence. She did see, however, Draco's outstretched hand, and considered it for a moment. "Let's go!" she said shrilly, brushing past him and his hand and holding open the door. "Ready?"
"And I'm cruel?" he teased, stepping out with Hermione. "Puh-leeze!"
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Ginny sat huddled on the balcony of the hotel room, sliding doors sealing her off from the rest of the room's activity. She glanced up and saw Draco and Hermione leaving the room; it was her, all alone, and she sighed heavily. It seemed that she was either all alone or being loomed over by her brothers. She wondered which was worse. The phone rang, making her sit up straight with a jolt. It annoyed her, to be disturbed, but she sulked up and answered the phone in the main room. "Hello?" she said, her fake chirpiness making her feel sick.
"Gin? Is that you?" Ginny rolled her eyes as she recognized the voice of either Fred or George; not only did they look identical, but they sounded the same as well.
"Yes…" she replied wearily. "What's up?"
"Just checking in on you. It's George."
"Of course," Ginny thought dryly, "I need to be under my brother's constant supervision."
"Thanks, Fred, but I have to go!" she retorted, and as she hung up she heard the protests of "But this is George!" She didn't care; Ginny headed back out onto the balcony and sat cross-legged on the floor. A sudden flood of inspiration doubled her over and she grabbed a pad and pen.
You can't protect me forever
I can't be naive for you
Please... try to understand
All of what I'm going through
I may be sixteen
But to you, I'm still so young
If you don't let me feel the pain for myself
I'll never get to feel the fun...
Ginny read back over her words and scowled. She never could express herself right. "Stupid poem," she grumbled as she balled it up and tossed it over the railings. She watched as it hit the bushes, and then tumbled to the asphalt below. Something about it gave her satisfaction, but Ginny couldn't put her finger on it. She shrugged it off and lay quietly on the concrete flooring of the balcony.
Virginia Weasly was only disrupted once more. However, it wasn't an unpleasant one. The disruption was a rich voice calling, "Fair Juliet!"
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A/N: Thanksssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss everyone! Sorry it took me a few days!
Mwarren—LOL, thanks buddyo! (what is up w/ my obsession w/ "o" at the end of words… o, nm…)
Natasha—LOL, glad u find intriguing… thanks very much
Hyper_shark—muchachacha right back atcha! Love that… o, and thanku b4 I forget…
Sassy—Thank you so much. That really means a lot to me. I'm glad that you somewhat enjoyed it! :o) :o) :o)
Ally-sama—Love those hehe's… well, I'm continuing
MiyaQui—lol lol lol! By the way, what is a chinese fire drill??? Thanks!
Sn0bunny—Thanku, I think I'm going to have one… or prospects of one anyway, a R/C… (Tyco, that's how you spell RC… too much tv? I think so)
Flame and Ice—Thanks, but I think two road trip stories would get BORING for me as a writer. But an alternative ending? That I could add in… muchachacha (sry… evil laugh)
Lydia—I don't think they're really going to Disney, I just needed something to get them to USA. However, they aren't completely forgetting the idea because that would be unrealistic. Thanks!
Abeni—I hope u mean the "thinking what I'm thinking part" because otherwise I didn't try to make it confusing. Sorry, hope you like anyway. Maybe you could tell me what was confusing so I could fix it? I am always open to suggestions!
Christiana & Beth—ha, at first I thought I read it wrong and it was supposed to be flame and ice, but I guess not. Thanks, tho, that was very nice!
Flame and Ice—(back to my normal pairing)Thanks… who's a jerk? Anyway… thanku again!
Inky Blinky—lol, funny name :o) Yeah, I like Ron/Cho. I might even make another story about them two.
Lanni—with you in mind, I tried to make cho seem nicer. Thanks so much for your great review!
Cho is Cool—It's ok, there's no reviewing requirement. Thanks very much!
Cho87—Thanks lots, and I enjoyed your story greatly. It's as original as my R/C pairing
Mrs.Amanda Malfoy—Hey, I did, it did not suck! Thanks…
Lovinhp—Thanks verrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrry much! I will read yours tonight, I'm sure it's great :o)
And another chapter has been spun out by the talented and MODEST Me123… just kidding… well, thanks for all your reviews…
And I'm out… peace!