Omnia vincit amor

Or

Love conquers all

Chapter Two:

Je ne peux pas m'aider

They say the happiest day of your life is when you get married. I am not married, but I have had my happiest day already. It was not my kiss with Ron, no, sad to say, but it wasn't.

We went back to school, as routine, on the 1st September 1995, Ron on my arm, a whole fresh new school year, and plenty of new things to learn, new things I could bite in to, y'know? Although it was going to be a tough year, with exams and all, it would be challenging. I put fears of war to the back of my mind. The Ministry had been keeping things secret, I don't think many people actually know that he, VOLDEMORT, (right there said it!) had returned, in fact, no one knew. Walking down Diagon Alley in August, holding Ron's tender hand, and eating ice cream. It was all perfectly normal. No one was panic buying or anything, just, normal.

Harry wasn't, I did not think he would ever be, 'Harry' again. I cried over it, Harry's demise, Ron talked about it, but would eventually go quiet, and change the subject. We all loved Harry dearly. The whole wizarding world did, there was immense pressure on him to do well, to be well. He tried so hard, so very hard.

It seemed as if, only Ron and I were blissful, terribly, happy. I was walking on air, I smiled everyday, I could pour out my heart to Ron, and know, and I could confide all my inner secrets to him.

However, there was one secret, I could not tell Ron, but I can tell you. Yes, you, sitting there, reading these very words. I am going to tell you, my secret.

****

I cried numerous times, I banged my head against doorframes, I screamed and wailed with all my valour, all night on the lawns of Hogwarts School. Nevertheless, nothing, nothing I did could make me get these thoughts out of my mind. I loved Ron. No one else. Nothing else, Just Ron.

It all happened, on the 14th October 1995, a cool Saturday. The sun was high, the sky was blue, but the air was bitter and gusty. It was the first Quidditch match of the school year, first Quidditch match since the Triwizard tournament. First Quidditch match since the world cup, and Seamus was boasting about Ireland's tremendous win, again.

"If Moran didn't score, those Bulgarians would have been holdin' that cup for sure!" Seamus chuckled whole-heartedly, holding an Irish flag in pride, instead of the traditional Gryffindor emblem of the valiant golden lion.

It was against Ravenclaw, the match. Harry said it'd be easy, but from what Viktor had told me about Quidditch (a lot more then Harry knows, Viktor is a professional afterall) Ravenclaw have a nifty Seeker, she's petite, quick, and clever. I thought to keep an eye out (the World Cup had given me a taste for the sport, not enough to play, good heavens no!) on the Ravenclaw Seeker.

I sat down with Ron, who was eating a bacon sandwich he had acquired from Dobby. "Hungry?" I asked, he nodded feverishly.

"Very!" He said swallowing. "I missed breakfast." Ron smiled sheepishly.

"I wonder why!" I whispered, hoping no one would hear (our relationship was still secret). I turned to face the Quidditch pitch, beaming, but nibbling my lip, and licking my lips at the same time, cherishing memories of last night, waiting for the next time I would let Ron unleash himself on me. I noticed in the corner of my eye, Ron couldn't stop smiling either.

Yes, I was looking out for this Ravenclaw Seeker, I knew who she was of course. Cho Chang, Harry's object of desire, however, Cho's boyfriend was Cedric… But due to those unforeseen circumstances…

Cho was one of those people who everyone loved. She was actually half Japanese and quarter Irish and quarter French, her different backgrounds resulted in a mix of chocolate brown oriental eyes, pale Irish skin (a few brown freckles here and there), and French charm. Her hair was shoulder length, midnight black in colour, and had a rhythmtic bounce when she walked. She was one of the most sought after girls in the school. Boys saw her as perfect (she was a Seeker for goodess sake, and also had those stunning looks, was also in the house for the wise and witty!) Nevertheless, she was marred by Cedric's sudden death, looked into space often, tragic tears building up in those dark brown eyes of hers. I sound nosey, but I always wondered what she was thinking, her fair façade withheld various arcane secrets .

"You seem to have drifted off into space." Ron whispered, disturbing me from my thoughts as I watched Cho Chang and her team stride into the stadium. "Thinking of last night?" Ron's tone was scarcely a murmur. Lavender was twisting around in her seat in front of us, giving us anomalous expressions.

"Yeah, something like that." I muttered, pulling my Omnioculars out of my bag on the floor, my eyes still fixed on Cho. "Ron, Viktor said to keep an eye out for Cho, so will you?"

"Why should I keep an eye on her?" Ron blurted out, looking abashed "Just because Viktor said so!"

"He is a professional player Ron, he was your idol until the Yule Ball! Remember that. Viktor said she was nifty, small, and clever." Ron pulled a sour face, and folded his arms. He didn't say a word to me throughout the entire game.

I continued to keep tabs on Cho (sometimes glancing over at Harry) but, but Cho's astonishing unique beauty kept my Omnioculars on her. They way she used her broomstick; her sheer elegance, and her face; it was focused, resolte, as if nothing in the world mattered apart from finding that golden Snitch. I thought, that this gamew may have been qiute a serious issue, to the diminutive Seeker. Cedric wasn't there watching over her, observing her every swerve and tactic. He was gone, and secretly, I thought she blamed Harry for his decease.

"OH MY GOD!" I screamed, standing up pointing to the sky. Cho had her wand out pointing it at Harry, her normally white face was now a irate blood red. "RON! RON! ITS HARRY!" I wasn't the only one who noticed Cho screaming at Harry, pointing her wand at him. The whole school had.

Harry was flabbergasted. He clung on to his broom, but being polite (and probably still holding feelings for Cho) didn't take his wand out.

Suddenly a fuming Madam Hooch launched herself in the direction of Cho, who was shouting abuse at Harry, threatening to curse him. The Omnioculars didn't magnify sound unfortunately, so we only heard parts of what was going on.

"KILLER!" Cho screamed, her voice echoing throughout the grounds. "YOU KILLED CEDRIC! MURDERER!" Harry tried to get away, but Cho was the better flyer and caught up with him. She attacked him with a strange curse, I regonised it as the Pain Curse, the Dolere curse. Sheer pain all over the body, not as bad as the Unforgivable Curses, but it caused pain for a few seconds, enough for Harry to fall of his broomstick.

"CHANG! CHANG! CHANG!" Hooch screamed, her old broom not keeping up with Harry and Cho's speed. "YOU'RE DISQUALIFIED! NO ATTACKING OTHER PLAYERS!"

Harry was now used to falling off broomsticks, (ever since the bulger incident) it was now routine. He landed on the grass on his bum. Rubbing his arse, he looked for Ron and I, and his Firebolt, which obediently came floating down.

We could hear Harry swearing, landing on your bum isn't exactly a pleasant place to land, relatively agonizing if you've landed on your arse before, you don't know whether to laugh or cry out in pain. Harry did both. He wouldn't be able to sit down for a few hours after this.

I couldn't help noticing, Cho again. She was on the grass, wiping her face with the sleeve of her Quidditch attire, she was looking forlorn, admitting defeat, apologising to Madam Hooch, crying her eyes out. She was my Veela. I wanted to go down to her, comfort her, be her friend. Yes I know, she did try and kill Harry just then, but… Oh I don't know how to describe it, but it was a amazing, this feeling I had. I felt butterflies in my stomach, my very heart desired for her kiss.

"Hermione?" Ron put his arm over my shoulders, taking me out of my daze. "Are you alright? You look a but queasy."

"Oh! Oh, no, I'm fine, perfectly fine, really, I am." I smiled back at Ron, nodding my head. I turned back to the pitch to see Cho. But she had gone. "Actually Ron, I'm not feeling all that well after all…" I looked down at my feet, and put my hand to my face. "I feel, very, clammy. I need a lie down." I put my Omnioculars back into my satchel, and stood up.

"Shall I go with you?" Ron asked, standing up to give me a hand.

"No, find Harry. I really am feeling faint." I lied, still looking at my feet. I hurled my bag over my back, and walked down the steps. I had to find Cho. I had this inkling about her.

Of course, I felt guilty, I loved Ron, or did I? Was this lust, infatuation? What was it? But I had this feeling just looking at Cho. But she was a girl… A girl, a member of the same sex. I'm not lesbian, I'm in a relationship with Ron.

I stopped walking, put down my bag, and paused. This was going to fast! What was I doing? I was searching for a girl who had just tried to kill one of my best friends! I couldn't find her. What was I going to say? What would I do? Where would I even find her? Then, a voice came from up above.

"Why are you standing there? You look a bit lost." It was a female voice, slightly croaky and sniffy. I looked up, and there sitting in a great chestnut tree was Cho herself. I stood there on the grassy verge, speechless. "You're Harry Potter's friend aren't you? The brainy one in the fifth year." Cho spat, rolling her eyes. She had lay down on a thick branch, her legs crossed, leaning on the trunk. Her blue Quidditch robes draping down off the branch, her pale thighs showing.

"What?" I said, gasping, quite taken back at the sight of Cho, and her legs. "Yes, yes I am." I muttered, looking down, feeling my cheeks go red.

Cho smiled, her eyebrows rose. She sat up, and let her legs dangle from the branch. She crossed them again, and put her hands by her side, smiling suspiciously at me.

"Well, why are you here?" She said quickly, rocking her legs impatiently.

"Well, I-"

"Going to tell me off were you?! Going to put one of your tricky little hexes on me?!" Cho leant forward, I was worried she was going to fall she was leaning forward so much.

"What?! No, no of course not!" I stuttered, my eyes bulging at the very thought. I decided the truth would be the only way out.

"Then why are you here?" She whispered, wrapping her long black hair around her finger, looking at me with half closed eyes. Her eye lids had been brushed with a soft bronze hue.

"To be truthful, I was looking for you. I wanted to see what was wrong." I looked at the ground. It sounded absurd. I could hear her sniggering.

"Um, sorry Miss Granger, but you don't even know me!" Cho crossed her legs over, flashing white knickers and more thigh. I looked at the roots of the tree for a distraction. She was staring at me, with those big brown eyes. I could feel it. I felt nervous and tense. All I wanted now was to get away from her.

"Yes, but you've had a hard time." I whispered in an undertone. "With Cedric and all." I started to twiddle my thumbs and bite my lip.

"I didn't even love Cedric, dearie." Cho closed her eyes, and lay back down on the branch, letting her legs fall either side of the branch, her legs now exposed fully.

"You didn't!?" I gasped, looking at the roots once again.

"Nope. He didn't love me either. He was just a good looking school celebrity I wanted. You see Miss Granger, I can have anyone I want." I felt my heart skip a beat, and my stomach did a funny turn.

"Oh, call me Hermione please."

"Call me Cho."

"Yes, alright, Cho. Erm, so why can you have anyone you want?"

"Men love me. I don't know why, they just do." Cho laughed loudly, her throaty voice making the laugh thunderous.

"But why, did you want to kill Harry?" I asked, now totally confused… I know, I'm intelligent, but this all seemed a mystery to me.

"As a façade, Hermione. I'm not going to get my own way around here if people assume I'm just fine after Cedric's murder." I nodded, my lips pursed in thought, she seemed crazy, but she was right, she could have anyone she wanted, she's like a spell, everyone who is weak enough gets trapped by her raunchy attitude and beautiful body. And, I too had been trapped by her. "Oh poor ickle Cho! All depressed and sad, now Cedric is gone. Oh lets make her feel better!" She mimicked, laughing cruelly.

"Why are you telling me this?" I asked, still confused by the whole matter.

"To be honest, I don't even know myself." She shook her head, and let her left arm hang, whilst she put her right arm on her chest. "I don't know at all Hermione. They do say talking to strangers is easier. Maybe that's it." She sighed, and let out a whimper. "Oh why am I doing this?!" Cho screamed, she trashed her left arm in the air, and thrushed her body upwards, then forwards, making the whole tree shake, she would have fallen off if she hadn't been careful.

"Are you alright Cho?" I asked, now looking at her sad forlorn face.

"Come up here Hermione, lean against the trunk, this branch is the thickest in Hogwarts. You can sit on it."

A/N

Thanks for the reviews J I hope I haven't scared anyone with Hermione's weirdness, or Cho's Velma from Chicago's attitude. It's taken a while to write after a lot of editing!

Please! I beg, review it! PLEASE! I NEED THEM! I NEED THEM TO GET MOTIVATION!