Chapter Seven~ Consequences of Friendship or Love?
***
It was now Friday, the day before the last day of Harry and Cho's detention and for the first time in his entire life, Harry hoped to have more detentions with Cho...
Everyone thought they were boyfriend and girlfriend already, the way the spent time together.
Harry, with Ron and Hermione, often met up with Cho right after classes and they walked to the Great Hall together, they would go thirty minutes before six to meet at the classroom corridor...
Lastly, they would take their free time (sometimes lunchtime) to just fly around on their brooms together. Ron and Hermione approved of course but as Hermione said, Cho might get in danger.
Of course, they didn't ever mention this to Harry.
"Harry! Harry!!" Hermione shouted. She was running through the halls, bumping and pushing everyone in sight just to catch up with Harry who was walking towards the detention classroom.
Harry turned around and smiled when he saw Hermione.
"Hermione!" he said as he opened his arms and caught her perfectly. Hermione was shocked and pushed Harry away.
"Uh, are you okay?" she asked. Harry smiled wider. "Of course I am! Why wouldn't I be?" he said. He sounded dreamy and at the same time, very perky. Hermione frowned.
"Right... right..." she muttered. Harry eyed her. "What did you want to talk about?" he asked. Hermione looked up at him. "Oh! That! Well..." she couldn't tell him... it would change his view on his so-called "perfect world".
"It's about you and Cho..." Hermione whispered. Harry's joyful expression changed. "Cho? What? Why?" he asked in a tense voice. Not that he and Cho were going out but... you get the point.
"It's... well... she's not telling you but..." Hermione uttered. Harry and Hermione heard a voice. It was from behind Harry so Harry had to turn around to see who it was.
It was Cho. She was running towards them and stopped to catch her breath. "Hey Hermione! Where's Ron?" she asked. Hermione smiled nervously. "Oh! Cho! Hi! Ron? He's... he's..." she muttered. Harry and Cho were looking at her. "Hermione, you okay?" Harry asked. Hermione nodded. She was blushing. "Well, see you later Harry!" she said and ran the opposite direction.
Harry eyed her. "Hermione! What was it you were going to tell me?" he shouted. Hermione just raised a hand and kept on running. Harry then looked to Cho.
"Detention?" he asked her. Cho smiled. "Come on!" she said and she walked ahead of Harry. Harry didn't bother to catch up. He was admiring her from the back.
She was poised, even with a bag on her back. Her long, black hair swayed by her movements and she was walking as if her feet were light as feathers.
Harry just stared at her, as he looked much lower than her hair... much lower.
A voice snapped him back to reality, "Harry!" Harry stopped walking and looked up. It was Ron and he was in his quidditch robes. "Cho, you go ahead!" Harry called to her and Cho looked to him.
She nodded and smiled as she left. Harry felt his heart leap.
"Hey! Quidditch practice?" Harry asked, turning to Ron. Ron eyed him from head to toe. "Uh, correct me if I'm wrong but... were you just checking out Cho?" he asked with a smirk.
Harry felt a sudden rush of heat in his cheeks. "W-What? I don't understand you." He muttered as he took one last look at Cho who just turned a corner. Ron laughed. "Come on, you know what I mean!" he said.
Harry looked at his watch. "Oh! Hey! I have to go! Five minutes before McGonagall arrives!" he said as he left. "Did Hermione tell you?" Ron shouted. Harry stopped.
"What?" he asked as he turned around. "Oh! She didn't? Well, I don't have time to tell you now. Quidditch and all..." "But why did you come by here?" Harry asked.
"To ask you if Hermione told you. I guess we'll have to talk later then, see you captain!" Ron said as he emphasized the last word and ran to the pitch. "But Ron! Wait I-damn!" Harry muttered as Ron went out of sight.
Why do people always do that? Harry thought.
He then proceeded to the detention room slowly, not caring about the time anymore and the only thing was on his mind was what Ron and Hermione tried to tell him...
***
"Potter, you are late." McGonagall said as soon as Harry had opened the door and looked up. He nodded a bit, "Sorry Professor, Ron and Hermione had a word with me." Harry said blankly.
Cho noticed this and stared at him in worry and bewilderment.
McGonagall nodded. "Very well. Take your seat." She said as Harry made his way to his chair, staring at the stone floor. He knew Cho's gaze was following him and that she would bombard him with questions when McGonagall left.
Soon, they were alone again. To Harry's amazement, Cho didn't talk. She didn't even look at him. Harry wanted her to be first. Maybe she would shed some light on the problem.
"Cho-" "Harry, I have to tell you something!" Cho said, cutting Harry off. Harry froze. "Uh, okay, you go ahead." He said, staring at her. Cho sighed. "Ron and Hermione had a word with you... about me?" she asked.
Harry didn't really know but he just nodded. "Well, I guess they really want to help me then." Cho said, removing her gaze on Harry and turning to the blackboard.
"Help you?" Harry asked. Cho nodded. "Yes. I can see they didn't have time to tell you." Cho said. Harry stared at her. "What's wrong?" he asked.
Cho faced him. "I'm sorry if I have to bring this up but... it is quite involved." Cho said. Harry nodded. "Well, ever since we spent time together like... like best friends, people have been... talking." Cho explained.
Harry frowned. Cho sighed. "Look, You probably don't hear them but I do!" she said. Her lips were quivering a bit. Harry didn't say anything, nor did he want to say anything.
"I hear people around me. They say things like, 'Cho's only going out with Harry because she thinks she's better off with him. Poor Cedric.' Or things like, 'What a slut! She thinks she can just get any guy she wants!'" Cho said as her cheeks grew pink and her eyes were filling up with tears.
Harry saw her tears fall. "Not that I don't like you but I'm just your friend, right? I mean... they don't know... they don't know how our friendship works! They don't know how I feel! They just judge without even knowing!"
Cho sniffed and wiped off a few tears. "I'm sorry if I'm crying again... it's just that... it... its hurts so much." She said. Harry didn't mind at all. Friends? Harry thought. That hurt him a bit.
Cho tucked a bunch of her hair behind her ear but some still fell.
"And my other fellow Ravenclaws shoot dirty looks at me. Sometimes, I just want to go to you and tell you but I respect them..." "Respect them?" Harry shot at her. Cho stared at him with big eyes.
"Respect? Why respect them if they don't respect you, Cho?" Harry asked. He looked much more upset than her. Cho sniffed. "But..." "You should have told me! We can make this work! I can help you!" Harry said.
Harry looked as if he was about to shout again although his voice was fairly loud. "W-We...?" Cho asked. That meant a different thing to her. Harry was frowning and he suddenly realised what he had said.
"S-Sorry..." he muttered and cleared his throat. "Cho, don't let them do this! Don't make them let you feel inferior!" Harry said. Cho took out her handkerchief and wiped off some tears.
"Harry, I know but..." "Cho, do something about it! I don't want seeing you like this! You don't deserve this after what you have gone through and I care for you..." Harry stopped. Cho eyed him.
They were quiet. "Nothing..." Harry said after a few moments of silence. Cho sniffed one more time and saw Harry looked away. He was blushing and she could see him. She smiled weakly.
"Thank you." She muttered.
Harry looked at her. "Your welcome." He replied just as soft. Looked away also. "Harry?" she asked gently. "Yeah?" Harry replied but they weren't looking at each other.
"This, this thing... I mean... us... are we..."
"I don't know Cho... I really don't know..."
"I see..."
"Cho?"
"Yeah?"
"I meant what I said..."
***
It was now Friday, the day before the last day of Harry and Cho's detention and for the first time in his entire life, Harry hoped to have more detentions with Cho...
Everyone thought they were boyfriend and girlfriend already, the way the spent time together.
Harry, with Ron and Hermione, often met up with Cho right after classes and they walked to the Great Hall together, they would go thirty minutes before six to meet at the classroom corridor...
Lastly, they would take their free time (sometimes lunchtime) to just fly around on their brooms together. Ron and Hermione approved of course but as Hermione said, Cho might get in danger.
Of course, they didn't ever mention this to Harry.
"Harry! Harry!!" Hermione shouted. She was running through the halls, bumping and pushing everyone in sight just to catch up with Harry who was walking towards the detention classroom.
Harry turned around and smiled when he saw Hermione.
"Hermione!" he said as he opened his arms and caught her perfectly. Hermione was shocked and pushed Harry away.
"Uh, are you okay?" she asked. Harry smiled wider. "Of course I am! Why wouldn't I be?" he said. He sounded dreamy and at the same time, very perky. Hermione frowned.
"Right... right..." she muttered. Harry eyed her. "What did you want to talk about?" he asked. Hermione looked up at him. "Oh! That! Well..." she couldn't tell him... it would change his view on his so-called "perfect world".
"It's about you and Cho..." Hermione whispered. Harry's joyful expression changed. "Cho? What? Why?" he asked in a tense voice. Not that he and Cho were going out but... you get the point.
"It's... well... she's not telling you but..." Hermione uttered. Harry and Hermione heard a voice. It was from behind Harry so Harry had to turn around to see who it was.
It was Cho. She was running towards them and stopped to catch her breath. "Hey Hermione! Where's Ron?" she asked. Hermione smiled nervously. "Oh! Cho! Hi! Ron? He's... he's..." she muttered. Harry and Cho were looking at her. "Hermione, you okay?" Harry asked. Hermione nodded. She was blushing. "Well, see you later Harry!" she said and ran the opposite direction.
Harry eyed her. "Hermione! What was it you were going to tell me?" he shouted. Hermione just raised a hand and kept on running. Harry then looked to Cho.
"Detention?" he asked her. Cho smiled. "Come on!" she said and she walked ahead of Harry. Harry didn't bother to catch up. He was admiring her from the back.
She was poised, even with a bag on her back. Her long, black hair swayed by her movements and she was walking as if her feet were light as feathers.
Harry just stared at her, as he looked much lower than her hair... much lower.
A voice snapped him back to reality, "Harry!" Harry stopped walking and looked up. It was Ron and he was in his quidditch robes. "Cho, you go ahead!" Harry called to her and Cho looked to him.
She nodded and smiled as she left. Harry felt his heart leap.
"Hey! Quidditch practice?" Harry asked, turning to Ron. Ron eyed him from head to toe. "Uh, correct me if I'm wrong but... were you just checking out Cho?" he asked with a smirk.
Harry felt a sudden rush of heat in his cheeks. "W-What? I don't understand you." He muttered as he took one last look at Cho who just turned a corner. Ron laughed. "Come on, you know what I mean!" he said.
Harry looked at his watch. "Oh! Hey! I have to go! Five minutes before McGonagall arrives!" he said as he left. "Did Hermione tell you?" Ron shouted. Harry stopped.
"What?" he asked as he turned around. "Oh! She didn't? Well, I don't have time to tell you now. Quidditch and all..." "But why did you come by here?" Harry asked.
"To ask you if Hermione told you. I guess we'll have to talk later then, see you captain!" Ron said as he emphasized the last word and ran to the pitch. "But Ron! Wait I-damn!" Harry muttered as Ron went out of sight.
Why do people always do that? Harry thought.
He then proceeded to the detention room slowly, not caring about the time anymore and the only thing was on his mind was what Ron and Hermione tried to tell him...
***
"Potter, you are late." McGonagall said as soon as Harry had opened the door and looked up. He nodded a bit, "Sorry Professor, Ron and Hermione had a word with me." Harry said blankly.
Cho noticed this and stared at him in worry and bewilderment.
McGonagall nodded. "Very well. Take your seat." She said as Harry made his way to his chair, staring at the stone floor. He knew Cho's gaze was following him and that she would bombard him with questions when McGonagall left.
Soon, they were alone again. To Harry's amazement, Cho didn't talk. She didn't even look at him. Harry wanted her to be first. Maybe she would shed some light on the problem.
"Cho-" "Harry, I have to tell you something!" Cho said, cutting Harry off. Harry froze. "Uh, okay, you go ahead." He said, staring at her. Cho sighed. "Ron and Hermione had a word with you... about me?" she asked.
Harry didn't really know but he just nodded. "Well, I guess they really want to help me then." Cho said, removing her gaze on Harry and turning to the blackboard.
"Help you?" Harry asked. Cho nodded. "Yes. I can see they didn't have time to tell you." Cho said. Harry stared at her. "What's wrong?" he asked.
Cho faced him. "I'm sorry if I have to bring this up but... it is quite involved." Cho said. Harry nodded. "Well, ever since we spent time together like... like best friends, people have been... talking." Cho explained.
Harry frowned. Cho sighed. "Look, You probably don't hear them but I do!" she said. Her lips were quivering a bit. Harry didn't say anything, nor did he want to say anything.
"I hear people around me. They say things like, 'Cho's only going out with Harry because she thinks she's better off with him. Poor Cedric.' Or things like, 'What a slut! She thinks she can just get any guy she wants!'" Cho said as her cheeks grew pink and her eyes were filling up with tears.
Harry saw her tears fall. "Not that I don't like you but I'm just your friend, right? I mean... they don't know... they don't know how our friendship works! They don't know how I feel! They just judge without even knowing!"
Cho sniffed and wiped off a few tears. "I'm sorry if I'm crying again... it's just that... it... its hurts so much." She said. Harry didn't mind at all. Friends? Harry thought. That hurt him a bit.
Cho tucked a bunch of her hair behind her ear but some still fell.
"And my other fellow Ravenclaws shoot dirty looks at me. Sometimes, I just want to go to you and tell you but I respect them..." "Respect them?" Harry shot at her. Cho stared at him with big eyes.
"Respect? Why respect them if they don't respect you, Cho?" Harry asked. He looked much more upset than her. Cho sniffed. "But..." "You should have told me! We can make this work! I can help you!" Harry said.
Harry looked as if he was about to shout again although his voice was fairly loud. "W-We...?" Cho asked. That meant a different thing to her. Harry was frowning and he suddenly realised what he had said.
"S-Sorry..." he muttered and cleared his throat. "Cho, don't let them do this! Don't make them let you feel inferior!" Harry said. Cho took out her handkerchief and wiped off some tears.
"Harry, I know but..." "Cho, do something about it! I don't want seeing you like this! You don't deserve this after what you have gone through and I care for you..." Harry stopped. Cho eyed him.
They were quiet. "Nothing..." Harry said after a few moments of silence. Cho sniffed one more time and saw Harry looked away. He was blushing and she could see him. She smiled weakly.
"Thank you." She muttered.
Harry looked at her. "Your welcome." He replied just as soft. Looked away also. "Harry?" she asked gently. "Yeah?" Harry replied but they weren't looking at each other.
"This, this thing... I mean... us... are we..."
"I don't know Cho... I really don't know..."
"I see..."
"Cho?"
"Yeah?"
"I meant what I said..."
