Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters

~Chapter Nine: Never Again~

Next morning, Cho woke extremely early, she didn't even bother trying to go back to asleep, she knew she wouldn't. Quietly, she got dressed and walked down. She wanted to go for a fly, but she knew she'd better finish her Potion essay first. She wondered why Professor Snape had to sign a five-page essay and made it due the very next class. Then, she had no choice but doing it.

She carried her things down to the library, not expecting anyone to be there. Surprisingly, she saw Hermione, buried in a pile of books. Hermione heard someone coming, she looked up. "Oh, hi Cho."

"Hi, you're very early."

"Yeah, you too, homework?" Hermione asked and gestured the seat next to her.

Cho sat down, "Yeah, Sanpe's essay, you?"

"Me too, what got into him?"

"Isn't he always like that?"

"Yeah, I know," Hermione smiled. The two of them started working. Finally Cho finished hers, but she wasn't very satisfied with it. She thought that her conclusion could be stronger, but how?

"You finished?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah, but it could be better."

"You have a high expectation, don't you?"

Cho smiled and nodded, "Yeah, but mom has a even higher one, something I could never reach."

"No offence, but Chinese mothers are strict."

"True."

"How many O.W.L.s did you get last year?" Hermione asked.

"Oh, I got them for all my subject."

"Wow, I wish I can."

"Of course you can, you are a hard worker."

"Yeah, but I think I might need a strict mother like you."

Cho laughed, "That's interesting."

"Um, Cho, can I ask you something."

"Sure." Cho replied, knowing it would likely to be something about Harry.

"Harry, I mean you guys…Did you…"

"Oh," Cho went a bit red. "We, well, he just asked me yesterday, so."

"Yeah, I'm sorry, it's kinda a personally question."

"It's alright."

"Do you mind if I ask one more question?"

"No."

"Well, do you really love Harry, no offence, it just that…"

"I understand what you mean. To be honest, I'm not really sure. One side of me says that I do, but another says I don't." Cho shrugged.

"I see." Hermione nodded. "Is it that hard to find out, I mean, you should know what you feel."

"Well, you see, my mother, she protected me so well. When I was little, I never get to try things on my own, I never got to actually realize something and do it. I was so well prepared. My mother decided that I need to learn this, then I shall learn it; my mother decided that I don't need it, then I shall drop it even if I enjoyed it. If felt like, like, I have no individuality, no personality, just an empty shell who does whatever her mother tells her to do." Cho finished, she wasn't planning on saying those, she never said those things to anyone, not even her close friends or Cedric. But there was something about Hermione that made her felt somewhat accepted.

"I can't say that I can understand that fully, but I can guarantee you that Harry would understand it and help you with it. I just want to tell you one thing, don't just him. He has enough misery, don't hurt him."

Cho nodded, she knew exactly what Hermione meant. "I won't." Hermione smiled, together, they walked out of the library.

They went off to the Great Hall for breakfast, it was still too early, the Great Hall was still empty, but Harry was there.

"Wanna sit with us?" Hermione asked as they walked in.

"Sure," Cho walked to the Gryffindor table.

"Hi Hermione, hi Cho." Harry looked up and said.

"Hey Harry, where's Ron?"

"Still asleep."

"Oh, he's lazy, I've be in the…"

"Library." Harry cut her off. Cho smiled. "She should have been a Ravenclaw." Harry said to Cho.

"Well, the Sorting Harry sorted her into Gryffindor."

"Yeah, find someone to hope me on my essay." Harry ginned.

"Exactly, did you finish your essay?" Hermione asked.

"Almost, couldn't find a good introduction. It's alright, I'll worry about it later."

"See, always later." Hermione turned to Cho and said.

Cho smiled, she realized that listening to this kind of argument is actually quite funny. People started to come down, the finished their breakfast and left the Great Hall.

Cho went to her Defence Against the Dark Arts class, and Harry, Ron and Hermione went to Charms.

Through the whole day, Hermione's sentences echoed in her head. Don't hurt him. He has enough misery, don't hurt him. Of course she didn't want to hurt him, she wouldn't do anything purposely to hurt anyone. She wouldn't hurt Harry, maybe she didn't feel that same way as Harry felt about her; maybe she wasn't planning to have a boyfriend just now, but she already said 'yes' to Harry, and she would keep her promise to Hermione. In fact, they were just maybes.

"Wanna go for a walk?" Cho asked Harry after dinner.

"You're not busy or anything?" Harry grinned.

"Not really," Harry stood up and walked out with Cho, they headed toward the lake, where Hermione considered, the most romantic place in Hogwarts.

"Harry, I want to tell you something, but you can choose whether you want to know about it or not."

"It's not a good news?"

"I don't know." Cho answered softly.

"I want you to be honest with me."

"Alright, yesterday, whey you asked me, I told you the truth." Harry nodded, "But I think, in some ways, I still love Cedric, and I love you, too. I hope you can understand, I do love two people at the same time. I know it's not great, but…"

"It's alright, I don't mind you still love him. A heart can get expanded, of course you can have more than one person you love in your heart." Harry replied.

Cho smiled in relief, "Thank you."

"Cho you know how great it felt when you said that?"

"When I said what?"

"When you said that you love me also. You might not realize how great you are, but I do. We, Cedric and me, we do."

"Did Hermione say anything to you?" Cho asked.

"Um…"

"I see, does Ron know?"

"Yeah, he said that I'm fraternizing with the enemy."

Cho laughed, "In Quidditch?"

"Yep."

"It doesn't matter, you are much, much more than Quidditch." Cho answered softly, but it made Harry's heart contract.

"You are, too." Harry pulled Cho close, and captured her lips in a kiss. Cho felt her heart started racing, it was beating in a very uneven but pleasant rhythm. Even when Cedric kissed her, she didn't have this kind of feeling.

Finally, they pulled away, Cho smiled, and so did Harry. "Harry. Promise me that you'll never leave me behind like Cedric did. Remember what I told you when you were at my house?" Harry nodded, "It really hurts, please, don't leave me."

"Cho, I'm sorry, but I can't promise you anything right now. I have no idea when Voldemort would just come. My life is…" He trailed off.

"Then take me with you, we'll die together if we have to. I don't want to be alone on the world again, never again."

"I promise." Harry whispered into Cho's ear. "No one can separate us, not even Voldemort."

"Yes, not even Voldemort." Cho whispered back. She flung her arms around Harry. Harry wrapped his arms around Cho's tiny waist and pulled her closer, held her; listening to her heart beat; enjoying the scent of the hair. They stood like that, blocking out the rest of the world. The only thing that mattered to them was each other.

A/N: Great, nothing can separate them, but guess who can? I can, just kidding, I won't be so mean to them, well hope you like it, please REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!