Chapter Thirteen: The Plan

"Hi, Harry."

Harry swallowed, his throat stuck, his eyes frozen open like plates. It couldn't be. She wasn't due for another week. What the hell was she doing here?

"Cho," he said in a strangled voice. "Hi." She looked exquisite, her black hair loose and flowing down her back. She wore a black miniskirt and a rather fitted little t-shirt, and she was very tan. "You're...you're early," he added.

"Yes, well," she said, smiling up at him brightly, "I managed to get an extra week off work."

"That's great," Harry lied. He looked at her, forcing a smile, then looked back at Ginny, who was looking resolutely to the floor and blushing.

"Don't you have something to tell Cho, Harry?" Ron asked, giving him a pointed look.

"What?" Harry said quickly, but then he saw Ron's eyes go to Ginny. SHIT. He and Ginny were-at least in Ron's universe-a couple.

"Right," said Harry. "Uh, yeah."

"Harry-" Ginny began.

"What's up?" Cho asked, ignoring Ginny.

"Well, uh, Cho, you see," said Harry slowly, moving down the stairs past Ginny, not able to look at her. "Uh, Ginny here...and me. We're...sort of...well, going out."

Something flashed in Cho's eyes. Disappointment, and something else. Jealousy? She glanced at Ginny and back at Harry.

"Oh," she said slowly. "I didn't know," she added, giving Harry a very pointed look.

"It only just happened," said Harry quickly. "I mean, only JUST. I was going to write to you today and tell you all about it."

"Only just?" said Ron. "But you told me earlier-"

"In any case," said Harry very loudly, interrupting Ron and shooting him a significant look, "I'm really sorry. I wasn't expecting you so early, see. I...I meant to save you a trip."

"Uh huh," said Cho, looking both hurt and angry. "Well. I suppose...I should just go."

"No!" said Ginny quickly. Harry whipped his head around to stare at her. She widened her eyes significantly at him. Right, Harry thought. She's trying to help me, trying to keep Cho here, for me.

"What?" said Cho, staring at Ginny.

"Cho," said Ginny slowly. "Look, uh, I know this is a bit awkward but...well, you've traveled all the way here, haven't you? Why cut your holiday short? I mean, you and Harry are friends, aren't you?"

"Well, yes," said Cho slowly. A bit too slowly.

"Well, I'm going to be in Quidditch practice every day for the next week, you know, preparing for the World Cup-"

"You're playing in the World Cup?" said Cho, looking impressed in spite of herself.

"Yes," said Ginny quickly, "and I just won't be around to spend time with Harry, see. I know Harry wants to catch up with you, don't you Harry?"

"Yeah, yeah," said Harry quickly, wishing he could run screaming from the room right then.

"Since I can't be around, why don't you and Harry hang out?" said Ginny. "I mean, it's fine with me. I'm not jealous or anything."

"That's good to know," said Cho, her dark eyes glittering a bit.

"It's perfect, really," Ginny went on, regarding Cho coolly. "You can keep Harry occupied and spare me a whole lot of guilt for not getting to spend time with him myself."

"That's generous of you," said Cho sleekly, shifting her weight so that her hips moved in a very appealing way.

Ron, meanwhile, had watched this whole exchange with his mouth open, like a fish. He started to say something but Harry shot him another meaningful look.

"That's a great idea, love," said Harry a bit loudly, crossing to Ginny. "There's the spare bedroom she can use. That is, if Cho wants to." He looked at Cho and gave her what he hoped wasn't a pained smile.

Cho gave Harry a sweet and frankly seductive smile. "I'd love to, thanks."

"Excellent," said Ginny, her voice a bit tight as though it was costing her something to be polite to Cho. "That's settled. And now I really should get home. I have to get ready for practice."

"Of course," said Cho, smiling sweetly.

"Mind," Ginny went on airily, crossing the room and walking with a distinct and very sexy swing to her hips, "I don't know how I'll be able to sit on my broom properly, after the way Harry shagged me last night. What was it, baby, six times? Seven? You have such...limitless stamina, honestly. I'm bloody well exhausted."

Harry's mouth dropped open. He tried to talk but only a choking bark came out. Ron made a similar kind of noise. Cho said nothing, but pursed her lips.

"How nice for you," she said, through gritted teeth.

Ginny smiled breezily at her and opened the front door and walked out.

"Uh, Ginny!" Harry called loudly, finding his voice at last. "Can I TALK to you a minute? Outside?"

"Of course," she said, in a kind of purr.

Harry practically sprinted across the living room and shot out the door, shutting it behind him. He whirled on Ginny.

"What the BLOODY hell was that?"

"I'm helping you," said Ginny sharply.

"Telling Cho we shagged last night helps me?"

"Yes," said Ginny. "I saw the way she was looking at you, Harry. She wants you badly, can't you tell?"

"Yeah, I'm sure she's dying to have at me now!" said Harry sarcastically.

"Harry," said Ginny, rolling her eyes. "In case you didn't notice, I talked up your skills in bed AND I made her jealous. That means she'll want you even more. Trust me, I know how that girl thinks. She likes challenges. She wants to compete with me, over you-it's a turn-on for her."

"That's weird," said Harry.

"I never said girls weren't weird," said Ginny loftily.

"Bloody hell," said Harry, running a hand through his hair. "This is nuts. Cho shouldn't even be here yet!"

"But she is," said Ginny firmly, "and we're just going to have to deal with it."

"How?"

"We stick to the original plan," said Ginny. "We break up next week sometime and you, in your agony at me dumping you, go tumbling into Cho's arms."

"But-"

"Look, Harry, do you want to be with Cho or don't you?" Ginny said, her voice a bit harsh. "Because I'm trying to make that happen for you."

"I...I know," said Harry, feeling miserable. He thought of Cho, how scrumptious she looked, and he knew that a strong part of him still desired her. "I...I do want Cho." Of course I do, he told himself. Of course.

"Fine," said Ginny, her voice still slightly sharp. "Then just trust me on this, let me handle things. You just hang out with Cho when you can, figure out what it's like to be friends with her first. I mean, that's sort of an important part of any relationship right?"

"Yeah," Harry mumbled.

"And next week when I dump you, she'll be there to help you pick up the pieces," said Ginny. Harry couldn't help but notice the slight bitterness in her tone, but he said nothing.

"All right," he relented. Anything to make this situation a little less agonizing than it had so rapidly become.

"I have to run," said Ginny.

"Wait," said Harry, grabbing her arm. "When will I see you again?"

"Two days," said Ginny. "Let's meet at Fortescue's, at two o'clock-I've got a three hour break between my morning and evening practices. And bring Cho. And tell her you're meeting me."

"Right," said Harry, bewildered.

"'Bye," she said, leaning up to peck him on the cheek. At that moment Cho opened the front door. Ginny grabbed Harry by the chin and kissed him full and long on the lips. Harry cursed himself as he felt a stirring in his trousers-he was stuck in the most awkward situation of his life and he STILL couldn't fully control his lust!

"'Bye," Ginny said again, flashing Harry a very seductive smile. '"Bye, Cho!" she added in a honeyed voice, waving sweetly.

Cho said nothing, only smiled, and waved back, her eyes looking daggers at Ginny. Ginny skipped away down the street, her hips swinging, Harry's eyes fixed on the curve of her luscious backside.

"So," said Cho.

Harry blinked and whirled around; Cho's voice was like hearing a loud scratch of a needle across a record.

"You and the Weasley girl," said Cho, smiling a bit dangerously. "Who would have thought? I must say I'm disappointed. I was so hoping to have you to myself."

Harry could think of nothing to say to this and settled for laughing nervously. He began to wonder why the hell he'd woken up this morning at all.