Chapter 4

AN: Something is wrong with the uploading program. Punctuation won't show up. Instead they're âE?. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Days went by, mostly spent playing Quiditch games in the backyard. (The new house had a backyard equipped with Quiditch goal posts ever since Ron became the Keeper for the Chudley Cannons.) Harry and Ron would have races in the air, since Ron got a Nimbus 2002 from his team. They couldn't afford a Firebolt 2, like Harry's team, but Ron still loved his new broom.

When the boys were flying Hermione would usually curl up under the oak tree with a good book or talk with Ginny.

When they're weren't flying, Harry and Ron would help out at Fred and George's shop testing out new and wacky inventions or playing a game of Exploding Snap. Quite a few familiar faces came by at the shop. They once welcomed Prof. Dumbledore who was looking for something to surprise the teachers in the Staff's Lounge. Fred suggested a Cheery Fruit Basket that was guaranteed to make the teacher who eats it in a very good mood and unable to give homework or detentions. When the professor was about to pay, Fred said that he could have it for free.

"My treat to the students. I mean teachers." Fred said. Dumbledore laughed and said that he would buy more later on. Harry and Ron both laughed.

"Oh Harry! Could I have a word with you? It's about Head Boy meetings." Dumbledore beckoned Harry to go outside with him.

"Sure professor." Harry obeyed. They stepped outside into the warm sun and took a seat by an ice cream store nearby.

"I suggested to Cho that we have a Head Boy/Head Girl meeting before school starts. Since you weren't a prefect last year, you have a slight disadvantage. But I have no doubt that you'll be a fine Head Boy."

"Thank you headmaster."

"None of that headmaster and professor stuff, you can just call me Albus or Dumbledore if you like." He winked at him.

"Thank you. Albus!" Harry said a little uncomfortable. The greatest wizard of all time after Merlin was letting Harry, a 16 year old boy who just happen to escape from the darkest wizard of all times 5 times, call Dumbledore by his first name. It was unbelievable.

"You were originally supposed to be a prefect in the fifth year, but we were unable to foresee the circumstances. Despite that you weren't a prefect you still have excellent leadership skills. You just need to be informed of your duties as a Head Boy and what you'll be facing. Especially that both of you are 6th years. So we have arranged to meet at Hogwarts on the last day of August. There will be a portkey at the Leaky Caudron at 4 pm. Just ask Tom, he'll tell you were it is. We'll have dinner at Hogwarts and you'll be spending the night there. Is that Ok, Harry?"

"No problem professor."

"What did I tell you about the 'professor' thing?" Dumbledore smiled. His eyes twinkled behind his half moon spectacles. "Excuse me, but I have to go buy a pair of earmuffs for my brother, he seemed to have worn them off while I was practising my speeches for start of the terms." He laughed. Dumbledore apparated somewhere while Harry went back to the shop after they said goodbye.

"Hey Ron! Com'ere for a sec!" Harry distracted Ron from flirting with this pretty blonde girl. " Tsk, tsk. What would Hermione do if she was here" Harry joked as he pulled Ron away from the girl.

"We have an open relationship, she knows that I love her. Unlike someone." Ron defended himself. But Harry quickly noticed that his ears were turning red rapidly.

"Whatever, Dumbledore just told me that Cho and I will have a meeting the last day before school and will spend the night at Hogwarts before anyone else does. I've made up my mind that I'll tell her then."

"But man, that's only a week away! You haven't thought about how you're gonna tell her yet!"

"That's why you and Hermione are gonna help me!" Harry exclaimed. Ron suggested that they start planning immediately. They apparated into Ron's room found Hermione, who was apparently looking for something. She was apparently unaware that Harry was with Ron.

"Ron, after last night, did you see my under-." She broke off, just as she saw Harry. "Statements essay?" Ron said obvious trying to cover something up. Harry immediately knew what was going on and decided to speak no more of it. He told Hermione about the meeting on Sunday and asked her what he should do."

"Planning is not such a great idea Harry. Bring it up whenever you think it's a god time. Nothing ever goes as planned. You're better off not knowing when or what to say. The best advice I could give you is maybe when you two first explore you Common Room.

"We get a Common Room to ourselves?" Harry said awestruck.

"If you read Hogwarts: A History you would've known that!" Hermione said in a matter-of-factly expression.

Harry acted upon Hermione's advice and tried his best to relax the next four days.

On the evening before the meeting, tension broke out as Harry was deciding on what to wear.

"Just relax!" Ron said. Just be yourself and don't say anything stupid like last year. Whatever you do don't mention other girls, and definitely not Hermione. For one thing, she's my girl. Second of all, you'll bring up the fiasco last year and she'll be mad again." He was helping Harry pack and decide what to wear.

"Just let your natural charm shine through, Harry. And you'll be fine!" Hermione just came into the common room. She noticed what the two boys were doing.

"Natural charm, my ass! When loverboy here is nervous, you'll be lucky if he doesn't mention how much he loves this other girl when he's trying to ask Cho out!" Ron commented.

"Thanks a lot mate." Harry said sarcastically.

"You won't mention me this time right, Harry?" Hermione said trying to suppress a giggle. Harry remembered the last date he had with Cho Chang.

It was last year, in his fifth year. They were in the Three Broomsticks. They were getting along fine when Harry mentioned that he had to meet Hermione somewhere. She of course became upset and tried to make him jealous by mentioning Roger Davies and Cedric Diggory. The two ended up fighting.

Afterwards, when he heard that Cho was now dating Michael, Ginny's ex- boyfriend, he sensed that he still had feelings for her. Luckily, the rumours of Cho and Michael dating were untrue, but Harry's feeling for Cho was real. He tried his best to rebuild his friendship with Cho and to his amazement they became friends again.

"Maybe I'm rushing things, we aren't ready yet. She still had to get over Cedric and our horrible date last year." Harry doubted himself.

"Come on mate! What have you been planning for then, hmm? Take your chances and stop making excuses!" Ron slapped Harry's back.

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Harry ran up the stairs leading to Dumbledore's Office as fast as his legs could carry him. He was almost late.

"Sorry Professor, Cho. I'm a bit late." Harry was a little uncomfortable that they were both just looking at him, when he unwillingly stormed in.

"Not at all, Harry. Please take a seat." Dumbledore conjured up a velvet chair. "And please, you have to get rid of the habit of calling me Professor Dumbledore. A few people have mentioned that it is a long name." He smiled.

Cho gave Harry a warm smile that made him melt right into his chair.

"If I'm not mistaken, I believe that you two are the first Heads from the sixth year. Traditionally, only 7th years are legible to become Heads. Both of you convinced me that 6th years are perfectly capable of the job also, even without Prefect experience." Albus smiled at Harry. "If you seek help, I'll be glad to assist you."

"Professor? Do we have any meetings like the Prefect Meetings?" That was the first thing Harry heard from Cho in a week, it sounded so sweet.

"Cho, I told Harry and now I'll tell you. Don't bother with the 'professor' thing you can just call me Albus. It's much less of a hassle. And yes, I would recommend a meeting once a while. As you two chare a dormitory I'm sure it would be rather easy to find a time when we could all meet. Once a week would suffice, I believe."

"Do we need a teacher to supervise us, . Albus?" It seemed that Cho was just as uncomfortable with calling Dumbledore 'Albus' as Harry was.

"Not unless you want one, but I would appreciate it if you two checked in with me once in a while. Have to keep this old bloke up to date, otherwise he might wander off." The professor joked. "I do believe that's everything for today. Anymore questions?" Cho and Harry shook their heads. "Alright then, I suppose you two are excited to see your new dormitories. Don't worry about your luggage, they're already in your common room."

"Let's go!" Harry said.

"Now each of you take these," Dumbledore handed them each a small wooden necklace with a emerald and sapphire in the middle.

"Harry, I think you should take the emerald one because it matches your green eyes perfectly." Cho said a little bluntly, making Harry blush pinkish colour.

Harry muttered a thank you while he blushed and accepted the necklace from Cho's hands. He was surprised how the split-second touch of her hand could arouse him, but it made him feel warm inside. He quickly put on his own and offered to help Cho to put on her necklace. He thought that maybe acting like a gentleman would help win her heart, besides, he was longing for her touch again.

"You must know that these diamonds have certain magical properties that differ with every person. But they share one common use, just speak your destination within the castle and they'll get you there in a fraction of a second. Call it our special apparation system if you will. Only our staff and the Heads can use these necklaces, so I would appreciate it if you don't mention this to your friends as temping as that is."

"I understand Albus, I swear that Cho and I won't abuse it."

"Professor, what other purposes does this necklace have? What do you mean by 'it varies with every person'?" Cho asked.

"Oh yes, some allow you to hear one other person who is wearing a necklace for a small period of time, others enables you to fry without a broom. Many have a few abilities. It's up to you to discover them all. Now, shall we go?"

Dumbledore shouted " Head Common Room!" Harry and Cho followed suit. He felt that he was lifted off the ground by some force and dropped back down. When he landed he was in a complete different room. Their common room.