~*Everything You Want*~
Chapter Eleven: Don't Think of Me
Thalia: They're denser than Beijing's population. Either that, or we're as evil as Voldemort. Or both. *maniacal cackling* But you love this fic anyway, DON'T YOU?!?!
Dove: Yay! We're back with a chapter of gargantuan proportions because we need to get to the blasted Yule Ball already! This fic is growing wildly out of hand ^^; Enjoy, for Cho shows a mildly sadistic side and we see much of Sarah Fawcett, canaries, and of course, dragons (but not the Draco kind, more's the pity)…
Disclaimer: When I learn to rhyme and become an otter, that is the day we will own Harry Potter…
"Does it bother you now all the mess I made
Does it bother you now the clothes you told me not to wear
Does it bother you now all the angry games we played
Does it bother you now when I'm not there
When you see her sweet smile baby, don't think of me
And when she lays in your warm arms, don't think of me
And it's too late and it's too bad, don't think of me
Oh it's too late, oh it's too bad, don't think of me…"
-Dido, "Don't Think of Me"
From that point on, that was how it went. With no Quidditch to encourage communication between warring nations, Roger and Cho didn't so much as look at each other anymore-unless one was sure the other was asleep-and it seemed as though they would do a lovely job of pretending the other existed not at all. Slowly but surely, life in Hogwarts became some semblance of normal again as everyone grew used to the foreign students and the constant speculation on what the Tasks would entail and how badly people would get hurt. This last was a conversation Cho heard being held between bright-eyed Slytherin third years. After taking points off from them for "unnecessary malice" she had continued on her way, far more worried than she let on.
She and Cedric had had a long discussion in the Astronomy Tower the night the champions had been announced. Actually, Cho mostly sat and listened, not bothering to say anything until Ced had talked himself out. That was the kind of person Cedric Diggory was-he felt better not when he was given advice, but when he had a chance to air his problems aloud to another human being so that he might make sense of the muddle of thoughts in his head.
The thoughts amounted to the fact that Cedric didn't want to compete against Harry, for his little crush was in dire danger of growing into intense infatuation. Furthermore he was worried-not unnecessarily, though Cho chose not to comment on this-that Harry didn't have enough skill to survive the tournament.
Several weeks later, Cho began to notice people wearing shiny badges. "Support Cedric Diggory, the REAL Hogwarts champion," they stated in obnoxiously bright scarlet letters. Cho saw a group of Slytherin boys, sniggering among themselves. One of them pressed on the badge, and immediately the wording changed to "POTTER STINKS". Feeling mildly sickened, Cho had gone on to her classes for the day, trying to ignore the unpleasant feeling in her stomach.
Cedric had of course been outraged and wounded. He had tried to explain to a group of his adoring younger housemates, all sporting badges, that he didn't resent Harry in the least. The only thing he got for his trouble was sickeningly saccharine looks and "Cedric is so wonderfully nice!" People in Hufflepuff still wore the badges. Therefore Cedric was miserable. Similarly, Cho was also miserable, and spent many a night comforting him, and often left little surprises, like baggies of chocolate or other sweets, on his desk in his classes, knowing they would lift his spirits. That was what he would have done, after all, and had, in her third year when Potions had her nearly on the brink of hysterics on a nightly basis. He had left her flowers then too-where he had gotten plum blossoms in January was beyond her-and that had started the speculations which she had so unwaveringly denied.
All of this, of course, served to feed the rumors that she and Ced were caught up in a steamy, not altogether appropriate affair. Instead of her adamant objections to this of the year before, Cho simply shrugged and let them talk. Where was the harm, after all, when Roger was cuddling up closer and closer to that Delacour hussy every day? At least Cedric wouldn't seduce her in some dark corner and drop her like a used tissue. Not that she cared if Roger was used and tossed away, as it would have served him absolutely right. And she didn't think about Roger Davies. Much.
In the following week, Cho's worry over Cedric grew. The First Task loomed closer and closer, and from what she'd read, it would be highly dangerous. And Cedric, her best friend, the one constant in her life that could never hurt her, would be facing it, unprepared. He had no idea what it was going to be, and neither did she.
"I'm really worried for you," Cho said to him as they were having lunch, the day after a Hogsmeade visit. She now sat with him at every meal, at the Hufflepuff table, in a seat which faced away from the Ravenclaw table. She did not need additional things to muddle her head now.... no... she did not want to see Penny's sorrowful gaze, or the too-perceptive glances that Calista threw her way now and then. And especially... she did not need to see the fair Fleur Delacour hanging all over the very unfair Roger Davies! She shook her head, and jerked her thoughts back to more pertinent issues.
"Well... at least, none of the others know, either," Cedric said quietly, "So, it can't be that bad. They wouldn't set something upon us that we would be unable to handle. I'm really worried for..."
"Yes, I know." Cho replied, sparing a glare at Ernie MacMillan, who was fiddling with his Support Cedric badge. He looked at her bewildered, then, realizing what she was scowling at, desisted, frowning.
"I'll be all right, don't worry," Cedric smiled at her. "Just wish me luck... wish all of us luck!"
Cho gave him a wan smile, "I'll wish you and him luck. I make no promises about the Delacour hussy."
Cedric gave a short laugh, "All right, suit yourself."
***
The next day, being the last day before the First Task, was naturally tense. Fleur Delacour did not put in an appearance for any meals. Seeing this, as well as the fact that Cedric was busily buried in a book, Cho sat at her own table for lunch. Zachary Turpin, who had somehow been roped into bringing Fleur coffee, informed the Ravenclaws that she was in the library, surrounded by stacks of books, many of them from the Restricted Section, and seemed very distracted, for she hadn't noticed that there was a stain on her shirt.
"Just where exactly were you looking, Zackie?" Lisa asked acidly.
Zachary blushed and threw a grape at his sister.
Cho bumped into Cedric in the hall as she was walking leisurely from Advanced Ancient Runes, for she had finished her weekly exam early and had some time to herself before her presence was required in the Potions dungeon.
Seeing Ced, walking and reading at once-a positively Ravenclaw trait, that; she liked to think she was getting to him-she called out. "Hey, Cedric. Trying to study for Merlin knows what for?"
Cedric's rather pale face emerged from the book, which looked to be written in rather old English, curlicues and all. The title, or what she could make out of it, said something to the effect of Ye Gentleman's Guide to Distracting Parlour Tricks-Advanced High Level Transfiguatione. Cho decided whoever had named the book, whatever century he had been in, must have been daft.
"I do know what," Cedric said softly, changing directions so he could walk with her. "Dragons." He muttered the word with an equal measure of reverence and fear, reminding Cho just how very bad he was in Care of Magical Creatures. Dragons, certainly, were not in Cedric's league at all.
"Dragons?" she hissed. "They're setting you against dragons?"
Cedric nodded silently.
Cho entertained thoughts of Fleur's silken mane of hair burning off and leaving her looking like a rather less lovely shorn sheep. She even smiled-only for a moment. "How do you know?"
"Harry told me this morning," Cedric replied.
Cho looked at the half-hopeful expression and allowed herself a tiny sigh. "How did Harry know?"
Cedric shrugged. "Didn't say. Only that he saw the dragons." He looked entirely hopeless.
Cho hugged Cedric fiercely in the middle of the hallway, ignoring people who stopped to stare, among them Roger, who was carrying a platter of something or other in the direction of the library. "You'll be lovely," Cho assured Cedric with a confidence she didn't feel. "Dragons, eh? Perhaps they shall maim Fleur Delacour beyond all recognition."
Cedric actually smiled. "You're rather vicious, my dear," he said mildly, worry forgotten for the moment.
Cho smiled cattily and dropped a curtsy. Ced smiled and clapped politely before chancing to look at his watch.
"So, will you come to the Astronomy Tower tonight?" Cedric asked hurriedly, "We have class in a few minutes, and I know that you don't want to be late to Potions..."
"Of course; I'll meet you there at nine." Cho gave him another hug, and dashed down the hall towards the dungeons. Cedric watched her running off with a small smile on his face, before he was startled by a noise behind him.
He turned around just in time to see Roger Davies scowl blackly at him before turning on his heel and storming off towards the Transfiguration classroom.
Cedric sighed. If it were not for the fact that he would lose Cho's friendship and trust forever, he would have caught up with the other boy, grabbed him by the shoulders, and told him just what was not going on between himself and Cho. And exactly what Cho thought of Fleur Delacour's flirtations, and why she thought that way. But, of course, it was not for him to tell. Smiling ruefully, he, too, turned, and headed towards History of Magic.
That night, after she had rushed through her homework, Cho walked out of the Ravenclaw Common Room without a backward glance. It was mostly deserted; the girls were all up in their dormitories, gossiping and speculating over what would happen in the First Task tomorrow. The boys, most of them, were at the library, willing to run the risk of detention and the loss of points in order to wait upon Fleur. Roger Davies was sitting in his usual spot in front of the fire, seemingly intent on his Potions homework. Cho smiled to herself, feeling benevolent towards Professor Snape for the first time in her life. The overgrown bat had some use after all, to load Roger with homework so that he, at least, did not have the time to fawn over Fleur Delacour that night. The clock chimed 8:45, and she ran out.
She reached the Astronomy Tower a few minutes before nine o'clock. Ced was already waiting there, a stack of books beside him. "Thanks for coming, Cho."
"You're welcome," Cho smiled at him. "So, do you have any idea what you're going to do?"
Cedric shrugged, "Vaguely. I was thinking of how I could possibly distract the dragon. Transfiguration seemed like the best bet, but I haven't really figured out what to do beyond that."
Cho nodded slowly, "Well, you've got a valid idea. Now, we just have to figure out what sort of distraction the dragon would go for, and how to accomplish it."
Cedric nodded, "I've a few books on dragons here, let me see if I can find something."
"I'll help," Cho offered at once, lifting one of the books into her lap. Side by side, the two sat down, and started to read.
An hour passed in silence, before Cedric suddenly jumped up, "Prey! We need to turn something into a creature that dragons might prey upon!"
Cho's head jerked up, "Of course! Now... let's see... livestock would be your best bet. Hmm... what could possibly be there for you to transfigure though? We would have to know that in order to get a good spell..."
Cedric shrugged, "I'd think it would be an open field... not much there at all... perhaps some grass, a few rocks..."
"That's it!" Cho suddenly jumped up and started muttering, "Now... the spell... I read about it in this book once... how did it go..." Finally, she turned to Cedric, "All right. I think I know a spell that might work. Assuming that there are rocks on the field, I once learnt a spell in which rocks could be transfigured into farm animals of different sorts depending on their size..."
For the next three hours, they practiced. Cho's arm was starting to ache from the complicated wand-work required for the spell, but she kept at it. Finally, at 1:00 am, the chunk of brick that they'd been practicing on got successfully transformed into a goat. It bleated, and Cedric changed it back to its original form. Cho gave him an exhausted but happy smile.
"There, you'll do great tomorrow," she said. "But now, both of us should get some sleep."
"Yes, thanks again for coming, Cho."
"You're welcome." The two walked out, and separated. Cho walked slowly back to the Ravenclaw Common Room, wondering idly if the other champions had figured out what to do yet. "Eyrie," she called out softly. The portrait opened up, and she walked in. Then stopped.
Roger was lying on the couch, fast asleep, potions book resting open on his chest. Slowly, cautiously, Cho advanced, until she was standing right in front of him. His face was calm while in repose, the eyes that when awake were filled with bitterness were closed, lashes resting on the chiseled cheeks. Before she could stop herself, a hand had reached forward to gently brush his hair from his eyes. She drew back a moment later, as if burnt, but he did not awaken. Silently, Cho took the cushion from the window seat and transfigured it into a blanket, then covered him carefully with it. Hmph! That flashy, self-absorbed Fleur Delacour certainly wouldn't have done that for him!
Filled with conflicting, confusing thoughts, she walked up to her dormitory room, changed into a nightgown and went to bed. She fell into a fitful slumber, and visions of beautiful, blue-eyed dragons filled her dreams.
***
The next day dawned clear and sunny, with a delicate design of frost around the edges of the tall windows of the Ravenclaw dormitories. Accordingly, Cho spent a considerable amount of time finding her warmest sweater (it was discovered under Cassandra's bed and Cho promised herself to give the chit a tongue-lashing she would never forget later) and grabbing her blue and bronze scarf and gloves as well as her fur-lined cloak before going downstairs for breakfast.
Breakfast was loud and there was an air of excitement, but Cho only managed to choke down a few slices of orange before standing up and rushing outside towards the Quidditch pitch, eager for good seats. The cold wind stung her cheeks and turned them red as she clambered up into the stands and settled herself between Calista and Penelope. Penny immediately passed her a thermos. "It's making the rounds," she cautioned. "If you turn into a canary, you'll know who to blame."
Cho giggled at the implication-Sarah Fawcett had purchased positively a bucket-full of Canary Creams from the Gryffindor Beaters and had spent an evening bent over them before figuring out what components to slip into people's food and drink without them noticing to gain the same effect. This may have explained Sarah's excellent Potions grade (for even Professor Snape was not able to find fault with her) or the amount of detentions she served. Probably both.
Cho decided to risk it and took a sip, discovering that the hot chocolate was good, and she felt no onset of feathers. This was all very well, so she passed the thermos to Calista and concentrated on the field below her, watching as many wands built a huge nest, into which were piled large, gray-colored eggs. Cho's stomach twisted. Nesting mothers? A gold egg was placed among the gray ones. Cho felt a little ill.
"Cho? Aren't those… dragon eggs?"
Cho looked down at the wide-eyed Calista. "Yes," she replied. "They are."
Calista looked very frightened. "Why would they be setting up dragon eggs?"
Cho had a sneaking suspicion she knew, but replied with a noncommittal "we'll see in a minute" as Ludo Bagman appeared.
Cho's eyes were riveted upon a tent in the distance where the champions were ensconced. In there were Cedric, Harry, and of course, Viktor and... Fleur. She watched as Ludo Bagman headed from the judges' table towards the tent, a small purple sack in his hands.
Time seemed to stand still as they waited... waited. Cho shut her eyes, and then, a deafening roar resounded through the air. Her eyes snapped open again, and a blue-gray dragon was led into the middle of the enclosure. "Swedish Short-Snout" she heard Penny whisper close by. The dragon perched itself upon the eggs and blew a stream of fire twenty feet into the air.
The crowd barely had time to gasp when a whistle blew shrilly. Ludo Bagman ran back to the judges' table at the same moment that a dark-haired figure emerged from the champions' tent. Cho craned her neck to see who it was, then gasped, her hands clasped so tightly that her knuckles turned white.
"Good luck, Cedric!"
Cedric strode slowly into the enclosure, his face pale. He glanced around, then, when he got within fifteen feet of the dragon, he pointed his wand at the ground. A flash of yellow light, and a labrador was now standing in front of him, barking and running in front of the dragon. The dragon watched the young man and the dog with a pair of golden eyes. Cedric stood very still, while the dog ran back and forth in front of the dragon. The dragon's head moved slightly back and forth, following the dog's movements with its eyes. Cho prayed that it would work...
Cedric clutched his wand tightly, his eyes shifting from the dog to the dragon, and back... he moved forward tentatively, then jumped back as the dragon saw him from the corner of its eye and opened its mouth. He barely leapt back in time, and the crowd gasped collectively as Bagman shouted "Ooooh, narrow miss there, very narrow..."
Finally, after several minutes, Cedric's transfigured dog managed to distract the Short-Snout enough so that he got close enough to grab the golden egg. But then, just as he was about to pull back, the dragon swiveled around, blazing yellow eyes turned on him. Cedric, golden egg clutched tightly in his hands, ran backwards as fast as he could. But a jet of fire caught him on the cheek. He hurriedly covered his cheek with a sleeve and ran backwards, golden egg still clutched under his arm. He looked fairly intact, and Cho drew a deep sigh of relief.
She only had a moment to relax before another dragon was brought out-"Common Welsh Green," Penny muttered. This dragon was a bit smaller and looked a little more vicious.
Cho was nervous for a moment before a figure in pale blue exited the tent. Then she grinned maniacally. "The Princess prepares to meet her doom," she murmured, suddenly not at all cold.
Three rows back, Roger was also watching intently. He had been rather amused by Cedric's silly mistake-all right, so the Transfiguration had been quite advanced, so perhaps it wasn't so silly-but now he was tense. Fleur had become something of a friend to him. At least, she was friendlier with him than she was with just about anyone else, and really, she was the only one who didn't make jabs at him about Cho-who he didn't think about unless someone mentioned her. Much.
Therefore, he stood up and hollered his support for the French girl, who managed to find a moment away from here stare-off with the dragon to flash a brilliant smile up at the stands.
Three rows below, Cho markedly didn't notice this, though her ears turned a bit redder than they had been, and she stared down, matching both Fleur and the dragon glare for glare. Fleur raised her wand and said something melodious that might have been Greek. The dragon's eyes drooped. Cho hissed her disappointment as it fell to the ground with a loud THUD, rolled over and fell asleep.
So intent was she that she didn't notice Penny softly whispering "Down, girl."
She only watched as Fleur sauntered confidently towards the nest and picked up the golden egg. Suddenly, the dragon took a deep breath and expelled a flame on a snore. Cho grinned widely as the hem of Fleur's robe caught on fire and the lovely girl began stomping around, trying to put it out, looking rather frantic. "Not her hair, pity," Cho murmured. "Wonder if there'll be scorch marks?"
The whistle blew once again, and this time, Cho recognized quite well the bright red dragon that they brought out. Eyes wide with amazement, she breathed, "A Chinese Fireball..."
The beautiful red and gold dragon crouched down upon the eggs, as Viktor Krum shuffled onto the field. His head was slightly lowered, his expression unreadable. The audience waited with baited breath, wondering what the famous Quidditch player would do. Krum raised his wand, and muttered a hex, aimed directly at the dragon's eyes. Cho winced as the dragon let out a shriek of agony and reared up, trampling several of the cement-colored eggs in the nest. However, what really mattered was that Viktor, in the space of time that the dragon had been blinded, had grabbed the golden egg. The audience broke out in wild applause, and then, the final dragon was let out.
It was pure black, and Penny, sitting next to Cho, gave a gasp, "Hungarian Horntail." Cho followed the direction where the Head Girl was pointing, and shuddered. The dragon's tail had several sharp-looking bronze-colored spikes. She had never felt so apprehensive for Harry Potter before, until this moment.
The whistle blew one last time, and the youngest champion stepped out. He slowly drew out his wand, and then, after a moment of tense silence all around, summoned his Firebolt. Cho inhaled sharply. Simple, but utterly brilliant! She breathed a sigh of relief, both for Harry and for her best friend, as the Gryffindor Seeker took to the air, where he belonged.
It was over very quickly. Harry Potter was the quickest to retrieve his egg, and Cho clapped and cheered with all the others in the audience. Well! At least... at least neither he nor Cedric were seriously injured, and both of them performed well in the first task. It would be a Hogwarts victory. She just knew it.
And Fleur Delacour could then go back to Beauxbatons with her airs and her silvery blonde hair and stay there.
***
There were a few weeks of calm after that as the champions relaxed a bit from their exertions and attempted to figure out the riddle which was apparently hidden in their eggs. This, however, was certainly less dangerous than facing a nesting dragon, and therefore, life once again flowed in its normal vein. Cho, who was taking Arithmancy, Ancient Runes, and Transfiguration at an advanced level and preparing for O.W.L.s to boot had very little time Therefore, she was barely keeping herself awake through her meals when Dumbledore announced that a ball was to be held at Hogwarts over the Christmas holidays. Cho had been drifting off to sleep with her head on Cedric's shoulder, and people had laughed saying "Lucky Ced, already has a date. Doesn't even need to ask." In that way, that was settled rather quickly. Cho shrugged and took this in course. After all, she was making Roger madly jealous by pretending to date Cedric. Why stop now?
That night as she prepared for bed, she listened with half an ear as Melissa and Cassandra gossiped about who was going with whom to the ball. "Well of course Vanderhoff asked Fawcett," Melissa stated matter-of-factly. "He's the only one not scared of her and he's been smitten for years."
"Be that as it may, he knew she was seeing Stebbins."
"Well, love makes you stupid, you know," Melissa said. "Because I hear he actually caught them up in the Astronomy Tower once and they were-"
Melissa grinned wickedly. "Oh, but that's Cho and Cedric's haunt. Right, Cho?"
Cho grunted in response and crawled into bed.
Cassandra flipped her hair and began to carefully count brush strokes. "Well, at least the golden couple is going together. I saw him ask her at dinner today. She was smiling."
Melissa sighed dreamily. "They look so good together! Fleur Delacour-Davies… it even has a nice ring."
Cho found suddenly that she wasn't at all sleepy.