Chessie – You are the greatest beta a gal could ask for.
JessicaLWriter – These two are so stubborn…especially Malfoy. Thanks for your enthusiasm and I hope you like this chapter.
nunce – Emotions did run wild in that chapter. There's much more coming up though. I hope you like it.
DragonSweetie13 – I hope the waiting wasn't too horrible and I hope you like this chapter just as much.
Adieu – Thanks for the nice words. Sorry the chapter took so long, but now you will finally know who took Cho! Yay! Nor more waiting.
Cho Malfoy1 – It was an action-packed chapter. This one is too…with a lot of Unforgivables flying around. Hopefully, the long wait for this chapter was also worth it.
AZnGurLY02 – I hope you like this chapter! :)
Chinese Flower aka Holly – I just adore your reviews…they're just so…so…meaty! I love how you comment on so much! It amazes me how much you absorb and analyze…I love it!!! Can't you just picture Draco fuming? I can and it's not pretty. And Harry. I didn't make him very nice in my fic, but he does genuinely care for Cho. Thanks for waiting so patiently and I hope you enjoy this installment.
JESSA – Read on to see if you're right. Thanks for the nice words!
Ferret Boy – Hallucination…yes. What a great idea. Thanks! By the way, I've taken to reading the logs again, since a certain fic hasn't been posted yet… Just kidding, take all the time you need. ;)
SlytherinChick – I'm so sorry, but Draco made me evil!
*Cho Chang* - Your comment made me laugh! What if 'loathed' was what Draco was about to utter!? Poor, poor Cho! Hmmm…on further thought…I think I might use that in a later chapter…thanks!
pookie6 – LOL…Bonkers? Didn't mean to. And, I know…I am evil. And Cedric? Read on to see if you're right.
Cho-Ravenclaw – Thanks so much for the compliment.
Pamela Eaton – You know…it's funny. The near-confession killed everyone! And as a result, everyone hates Harry. The poor guy. He's just trying to do the right thing. Since you and Ferret Boy are to be 'blamed' for this fic, any feedback I get from the both of you mean the most to me. You guys are my Draco and Cho. So, please, don't be a stranger!
Cordy Says Hi – Yes, I was truly mean and evil for making you guys wait. I hope you enjoy this chapter. :) And, I'm afraid you may have to wait a bit longer for that inspiration.
RowenaRavenclaw – 10 times? Wow. I'm so flattered! I hope you enjoy this chapter…it's the longest one so far.
ObsessedWithDraco – I'm curious…what kind of details are you looking for?
Ophelia Winters – So sorry for being evil. Please forgive me. ;)
annonnomus – Good guy? Where's the fun in that? ;)
karen – Your enthusiasm is wonderful. I really appreciate your kind words and I apologize for making you guys wait so long. And don't be afraid to leave me feedback after each chapter. I would love it, in fact.
foxy4 – Poor Harry. He's really getting bashed for ruining the romantic moment. I'm glad you like the fic. :)
xoxo.P.o.R.s.H.xoxo – Wow! You read my fic in one day? That's a huge compliment right there! I know I'm evil, especially for making you guys wait so long. And, don't hate Harry. He may have poor timing, but he really cares for Cho.
Thalia – I hope you like this next chapter. :)
KInzie – Thanks. To be compared to Rowling, herself. Compliment, indeed!
Lil-Miz-Chief - Thanks for the compliment and the 'push'. It's reviews like yours that make me very proud of this fic.
toxiclove – Thanks. Read on to see if you're right. ;)
Illusia – Even though Draco is a ruthless Death Eater, he does have class. And remember, he does love the girl. Using the Imperius on her is just not his style. Thanks for your feedback.
Mip Boone – No, I didn't stop writing. It just took a while for my muse to come back to me. I really appreciate your enthusiasm.
Cindy Tsui – I realize the waiting must have been hard. Thanks for being so patient. :)
All – I realize most of you have already read this, but for all the people I didn't have email addresses for… I would like to profusely apologize for the horrendously...horribly...horrifically long wait I have caused most of you to endure. Let's just say Cho's portrayal in OotP put me and my muse off for a while. I would also like to thank each of you for the encouragement and nice words you have given me. It means a lot. And I find it absolutely wonderful how each of you support Cho and Draco and want them together, however remote the possibility. And, now…go find out who has Cho! But, I must warn you. This is a very long chapter. So, pace yourself.
Disclaimer – I don't own anything except for this silly Post-Hogwarts plot.
Chapter 11 – Just Let Her Go
Cho immediately turned her head back around and squeezed her eyes shut. She was dreaming. No. She was hallucinating. She had to be. The stress was too much. Yes…the stress. That was the only logical explanation. He was dead. She had been assured he was. He had to be dead.
She had to calm down. Only then would the harrowing hallucination dissipate. She squeezed her eyes tighter and forced herself to take slow deep breaths.
But as hard as she tried, she couldn't focus on her breathing. The only things her mind allowed her to focus on were the strong arm wrapped tightly around her waist and the hot stale breaths grazing her cheek. If it was just a hallucination, why did it all seem so chillingly real?
As if being able to read her mind, the voice answered, "I'm not a ghost. I'm very real. Flesh and blood." To further convince her, the arm wrenched her closer.
With her eyes still tightly shut, Cho began to shake her head in denial and muttered, "No! You're not real. I don't believe it. He told me…he told me –"
"What? What did he tell you? That he killed me? That I could never hurt you again? WHAT DID HE TELL YOU?" the voice cut her off angrily.
"You're NOT here!" Cho berated herself vehemently. "I'm exhausted…my mind is exhausted. I haven't slept for over thirty hours...and everything that's happened today…you have to be a figment of my imagination…you have to be," Cho whispered, desperately trying to convince her mind to stop playing this wicked joke on her.
"Open your eyes. I'm not a figment of your imagination," the voice demanded.
Reluctantly, Cho finally obeyed and nervously looked down at the arm clasped around her waist. To her absolute horror, it was no hallucination. As the grim reality hit her, her body began to recall the immeasurable suffering it had gone through…the stinging pain from each brutal slap…the bruising welts of his relentless vice-like grip on her wrists.
"Let go! Let go of me! Please?" Cho cried softly yet determinedly, as she struggled to break free from his hold.
"You can fight all you want, you're not going anywhere."
"What…what do you want?" Cho pleaded.
"Well…if I remember correctly, we didn't leave on such good terms. All I want is to make it up to you. That's all," said in such a false polite tone, it only made Cho struggle more.
"You can start by letting me go."
"If I let you go, I'll have to put you in a body bind. Trust me. You'll be much more comfortable in my arms. I won't hurt you."
"How can I believe you? You had no qualms about hurting me before."
"True. But you lied to me, Cho. How can you blame me when it was your fault I was so upset? You made me hurt you."
Her eyes widened in disbelief. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Somehow, his twisted little brain blamed her for his vicious violent behavior.
"What do you want from me?"
"What do I want? Oh, nothing. Nothing you can't help me get, that is." The same callous hand that had covered her mouth earlier now roughly grabbed her face and forced her to look out the window just in time to see a white-blond Slytherin throw a spell at the raven-haired Gryffindor. "Which one do you think loves you more, hmm?"
Taken aback by the seemingly irrelevant question, Cho took a moment before she stammered, "What…what are you talking about?"
"Don't play dumb. You know very well what I'm talking about."
"I don't! If you're going to kill me, then do it," Cho countered bravely.
"Oh, I'm not going to kill you. I need you to help me get what I want, remember? Then we can call it even. You help me get what I want and I'll forgive you for lying to me." He then reached a hand out and gently tucked one of many loose strands of her dark tresses behind her ear. His next words made her skin crawl, "In fact, since I'm feeling so generous today, I'll not only forgive you, but I will also make you my wife. Imagine…you'll be married to one of the most powerful and influential Death Eaters. It will be such an honor for you. Mrs. Cho Davies…I think it has a nice ring, don't you?"
Cho renewed her struggles, which only made Roger grip her harder. "You're mad! I will never help you and I will never marry you! I could never marry a repulsive Death Eater. You're nothing but a…a pathetic…ruthless…scummy…minion of…of Voldemort! I can't believe I was ever friends with you. I thought I knew you. But, you're exactly like them. You're absolutely despicable!" Cho spat with vehemence and loathing.
"Interesting. I never knew you to be so prejudiced. You seem to take a certain fondness to Malfoy and he's exactly the same as me...a repulsive Death Eater, was it? Why is that? What does he have that I don't?" Roger challenged.
"I don't…love him if that's what you're getting at."
"Are you sure? I could have sworn you do. That kiss you gave to him before he rushed out to fight Scarhead seemed rather amorous to me," Roger smirked.
Cho suddenly felt sick. Roger had been in the house all along. He had witnessed everything from the moment Draco had brought her to the clearing.
"Then you wouldn't care in the slightest if I…say…pointed my wand at him right now and…killed him?" Roger goaded.
Cho didn't respond.
"What about Scarhead, then?"
"Harry and I are only friends," Cho said, the response automatic now.
"Only friends?"
Cho defiantly kept quiet.
Roger chuckled lightly, "Hmph. I wonder…aren't you the least bit curious about which one loves you more?" After taking a few more moments to observe Draco and Harry, Roger suddenly exclaimed, "I have a brilliant plan."
Without waiting for a response, Roger quickly tightened his hold around Cho's waist and hoisted her over his shoulder.
Panic-stricken, Cho started pounding her small fists on his back in an effort to make him release her. Her efforts, however, were futile and Cho soon found herself being carried out of the abandoned house. "Where are you taking me?! Let me go!" Cho screamed.
Roger didn't answer as he quickly sped away from the fighting Cho could now hear and see all around her.
Cho looked around wildly, desperately hoping to find where Draco and Harry had been fighting. However, in her disoriented and frantic state, she couldn't locate them in the cluttered tangle of robes and cloaks. Cho screamed and yelled, hoping someone would throw a glance in her direction. But, it was useless. The fighting was too loud and too chaotic.
At last, to her amazement, she found them. Growing smaller with each running step Roger took, were Draco and Harry's lithe forms as each bitterly fought the other. Cho screamed with all the remaining breath she could force from her lungs, "HARRY! DRACO, HELP! DRACO!"
But, it was too late. With a swift turn, Roger had effectively erased Draco and Harry from her view.
"Nooo!" Cho cried out.
Was this how it was all going to end? Was Fate so cruel as to hand her over to a man she despised and feared with every shred of her being? She had accepted Cedric's death. She had even been willing to endure a possible life on the Dark side with a man she had only just begun to feel for again. But, this…this was asking too much of her. She absolutely refused to bow to this.
"Let me go, you bastard! I will die before I let you take me! Let me go!" Cho cried hysterically over and over again as she struggled madly within Roger's hold.
It was during this tirade when she heard it.
"IMPEDIMENTA!"
Cho immediately looked up as a white-hot beam of light whizzed by them. She could scarcely believe it when she saw a pair of cloaked figures advancing quickly towards them, gaining ground with each sprinting step. One, she noticed with great relief, had distinct white-blond locks.
But Roger had made another swift turn, and once again, the cloaked figures vanished from sight. Roger did not let up on his pace until he finally located another abandoned house. Once inside, he swiftly removed Cho from his shoulder and pointed his wand menacingly at her throat. It was only mere seconds later when the pair of cloaked figures burst through the entrance. Both faces shared the same expression of contempt and confusion.
"Harry! Draco!" Cho cried out at once.
Harry was the first to speak, "Cho! Are you all right?"
Cho tried to answer but only managed a nod due to the pressure from the wand digging into her throat, punishing her for her relieved cry. She turned her eyes to Draco's, hoping to also assure him she was all right. She sadly shifted her eyes to the ground when she quickly realized Draco had no intention of meeting her gaze, but instead, seemed intent on keeping his cold gray eyes on Roger.
Satisfied Cho was seemingly unharmed, Harry looked to Roger, "Hand her over right now if you want to live to see the end of this day."
Shoving Harry aside, Draco, livid with rage, advanced towards Roger and screamed, "What in bloody Hell's name are you doing? Didn't I tell you if I ever saw you near her again, I would kill you on sight? I generously let you live that day. I can see now that was a mistake."
"Generous? Generous by sending me on a suicide mission?" Roger responded acidly.
Draco narrowed his eyes and was about to answer when Harry spoke up, "I'm warning you, Davies. Hand her over now. You won't make it out of here alive if you don't. Any unfinished business you have with Malfoy is between you and him. There's no reason to drag Cho into it."
"Stay out of this. I can handle this!" Draco snapped.
"You can handle this? It's obvious he has a bone to pick with you. It's your fault he has Cho right now!"
"You know what, Potter? I've had enough of your tongue! When I tell you to stay out of this, it means to stay out of this! You nosy git! It doesn't mean –"
"Will the both of you shut it?" Roger interrupted, irritated. "I heard all the bickering before Malfoy summoned the Dark Mark and I must say it's gotten rather irksome. It's the same old thing with you two. You two will bicker over anything! Don't you ever tire of it?"
And for once, both Harry and Draco fell silent.
Having successfully attained everyone's attention, Roger turned back to Cho and again dug the tip of his wand into her neck and threatened, "Just two words and it will all be over. Ava-"
"What do you want?" Draco quickly snarled before Harry could.
"What's wrong, Malfoy? Worried about her? Well, of course you are. I mean…you wouldn't have gone to all that trouble to safeguard her in that house for nothing. Am I right?" Roger taunted.
Draco remained silent, but stared daggers at Roger.
Roger laughed. "What were your last words to her again? Let's see…oh yes…now I remember. 'Don't leave this spot until everything is over…only answer to me or to Potter…no one else…if something happens to the both of us, wait until all is clear and take off towards Hogwarts'…and the best part…'promise me'…such passionate and caring words for a man known to have no heart, eh Malfoy?" Roger finished dramatically as if he were performing on stage. "You see. I have a knack for committing certain things to memory. And, if I remember correctly, there was also a kiss mixed in there somewhere." Roger then turned to rouse Harry, "It was really romantic, Scarhead. You should have been there."
Cho had her eyes closed during Roger's rendition of her last moment with Draco. With each word, the heat found its way onto her face and when she finally looked up to steal a glance at Draco, she saw the scarlet had also crept into his pale cheeks. She didn't notice, however, the betrayed and hurt look Harry threw in her direction.
"Davies, shut up! Hand her over to me right now!" Draco ordered, refusing to take anymore ridicule.
"I don't think so. I was sorted into Ravenclaw for a reason…I learn very fast. You want to know what I have learned?"
"Let her go or I'll hand you over to the Dementors myself!" Draco threatened, outraged by Roger's audacity and insubordination.
Ignoring Draco, Roger continued, "I learned an important lesson…a lesson we weren't taught at Hogwarts, oddly enough. To get what you want, sometimes you have to use bait. A very practical and useful lesson, I should add. In fact, I learned it from you, Malfoy. You've employed it many times, and it's always worked. Why mess with a tried and true technique?" Roger then roughly tugged at his grip on Cho, "Taking my cue from you, Malfoy, Cho will be my bait. If you both obediently do what I say, no harm will come to her. If you don't, she might have to pay the price for your stupidity."
"Stop with your mindless babbling and tell us what you want," demanded Harry.
"It's all very simple, really. I want you both dead," Roger revealed casually, as if he were merely asking for a hand with his studies.
Cho eyes widened with shock. She didn't know what Roger had wanted from her, but she hadn't expected this. She looked over at Draco and Harry. Unlike her, it seemed as though the two had expected nothing more and nothing less.
Roger continued, "You die, Scarhead, because the Dark Lord wants you dead. All of us want you dead. You, Malfoy, because I'm sick and tired of following your orders. You've been a prick since the day I joined the Dark side. Nothing I did was ever good enough for you. Once you're gone, the Dark Lord will have no choice but to fill your post and once he sees I've successfully brought Scarhead to him, something you've never managed to do, he will be all too happy to appoint me as his second in command. I will finally have the glory and recognition I deserve for faithfully serving the Dark Lord. But do you two know what will be my sweetest reward? It will be the one thing you both cherish the most. So much, in fact, you both might be willing to give up your lives just so she can live. We all here already know Scarhead would. The question is…would you, Malfoy?"
Cho immediately looked to Draco. Admittedly, she was just as eager as Roger to hear Draco's response. However, Draco remained silent, his stormy eyes and cold expression revealing nothing except for the utter contempt he felt for Roger.
"The only way she'll live is if you agree to give yourself up today, Malfoy. But, don't worry. She'll be in good hands," Roger finished as he caressed Cho's cheek. Cho flinched at the touch.
"You dirty bastard, don't you dare bloody touch her!" yelled Draco furiously.
"Get your filthy hands off her!" yelled Harry simultaneously.
Harry shot Draco a scowl, miffed at the compassion he was showing for Cho.
Roger smiled triumphantly and softly proclaimed into Cho's ear, "I told you they both love you. I suppose the real question now is who loves you more? Imagine telling this story to our grandchildren one day…how I had to kill off these less-than deserving fools for your love…kind of romantic, really."
Cho cringed at his words and closed her eyes.
Roger then turned to Draco and Harry and demanded, "Now, both of you, drop your wands and kick them over to me."
"You're out of your mind!" Harry retorted, unconsciously gripping his wand tighter.
"Am I? Maybe I am." Roger then turned to Cho and addressed her inauspiciously, "Do you know what the Cruciatus Curse is, Cho? Do you know what it does to you…what it can do to you? Of course you do. You are a Ravenclaw, after all. The Cruciatus Curse. One of the Unforgivables. So cruel and so painful, some actually wish for death instead of having to suffer the pain. If it's cast long enough and if the caster is powerful enough, you can die from it." Roger carried on as if he were teaching a lesson at Hogwarts, "I've only experienced its unpleasant effects once in my life. I ask you. Who could be so heartless and so cruel to have made me suffer from it? Do you want to know who did me the favor?"
Cho fearfully glanced over to Draco, remembering his contemptuous comments about Roger after he had found her half beaten that day at Malfoy Manor.
"Don't look at him! Look at me. I'm the one who asked you a question. I repeat. Don't you want to know who almost killed your husband?" Roger snapped jealously.
"You're not my husband," Cho responded defiantly, through clenched teeth.
After a moment's silence, Roger's jealous eyes and expression subsided and his tone softened, "True. But, in time I will be. It's only a matter of time before you will be my wife. You will bear me children as beautiful as you are. How many do you want? I've always wanted five. My family was small. I've always wondered what a big family would be like. We'll teach them Quidditch and they'll play professionally. We'll be the most beautiful and powerful family on the Dark side. Everyone will look up to us and envy us."
Cho couldn't believe the words coming from Roger. Was Roger so deranged to honestly think she would end up with him and bear him children? Was he so out of his mind to think this entire ordeal would result in a fairytale ending for them both?
Draco remained silent, but the tension in his jaw revealed how much he wanted to wring Roger's neck.
Harry, however, could not contain his revulsion and yelled, "She will never be yours!"
Roger looked over to Harry and raised one eyebrow with lively interest, "Jealous, Scarhead? Aren't you tired of being jealous and bitter? As much as I loathe to, I have to side with Malfoy on this one. The fact of the matter is…she will never be yours. As hard as you've tried, you've never convinced her to be yours. Face it. You lost her to Malfoy, of all people. But, don't despair. You will be out of your misery soon enough. And the same goes for you, Malfoy."
Draco finally spoke up, "You'd better hope I don't get out of this alive. Cause if I do, I'll –"
"You'll what?" Roger scoffed, "cast the Cruciatus on me again? That will be an amazing feat considering you'll be dead. That's right, Cho. It was Malfoy who paid me the favor. When your precious Malfoy intercepted me that day when I was about to take you to go see the Dark Lord, he cast the Cruciatus on me. I thought he would be happy about my little discovery…I was even excited I had seen him before the Dark Lord…I was sure I had finally proven myself in his bigoted eyes as a true loyal follower of our Dark Lord…that he could no longer keep his prejudices about my not being a Slytherin. But, I was wrong. I was gravely wrong. He didn't even listen to my explanation about how you had lied to me and how you were a spy working for Scarhead. He mercilessly cast it on me. After that, he coolly dispatched me on a mission to Azkaban, with full knowledge of it being a death trap. I didn't understand at the time why he behaved the way he did, but it soon became very clear…he was incensed I had assaulted you…someone he obviously cares so much for. Sure, he claimed you were part of a plot to bring Scarhead to the Dark Lord, but I knew there was more to it than that. It was so obvious. I was stupid not to have figured it out earlier. It was all for you, Cho. Do you know how much pain I suffered at that moment…for you? Have you ever experienced the Cruciatus, Cho?"
Cho's eyes widened with fear as his accusatory words got angrier and angrier and she could see the now familiar incensed hatred in his maniacal eyes. Horrid memories of that afternoon flashed before her and she instinctively recoiled from him. But, Cho could feel the wand dig deeper and deeper into her neck, and before Draco or Harry could stop him, Roger cried, "Crucio!"
At once, unbelievable pain coursed through every nerve in her body. It felt as if a million knives were being stabbed through her flesh relentlessly. She clutched at her sides, desperately hoping to stop the invisible knives from digging deeper into her flesh. As the stabbing pain weakened her, her legs immediately gave in and she collapsed onto the dusty wooden floor. An endless pool of tears flooded her eyes as she convulsed uncontrollably, each muscle fiber in her small body screaming and begging for the merciless pain to end. The pain was absolutely intolerable, and all she wanted at that very moment was to die. So overcome with pain, she did not hear Draco and Harry's frantic and heated demands for Roger to stop.
Then, as quickly as the invisible knives had begun to pierce her flesh, they had stopped. But, the hurt of each stab still remained and resonated through each nerve. She didn't know if she could ever move again. And, in all honesty, she didn't know if she even wanted to make such an attempt. As the pain began to slowly ebb away, she was finally made vaguely aware of the irate and concerned voices filling the air. Seconds later, rough fingers forced her eyes open and she found herself face to face with Roger, not a trace of concern apparent in his intense unforgiving brown eyes. As he took her roughly by the arm and began to brusquely pull her up, her body screamed out with rebellious cries.
"How did you like that, love? Don't worry, the pain should subside soon, that is, it should, unless these two continue to ignore my commands or decide to do something stupid to jeopardize your life." Roger then turned to both Harry and Draco and once again demanded, "Your wands, gentlemen."
Tears silently cascaded down Cho's red cheeks as Roger smugly seized each wand, "Very good. I knew it would only take some persuasion on my part before you two would see it my way."
"You'll never get away with this," Harry said, refusing to accept defeat.
"No?" Roger sniggered. "It seems as if I've already won and you've already lost." Then without further ceremony, Roger pointed his wand at Harry and called out, "Imperio!"
Cho had never seen the Imperius Curse on anyone before. She looked at Harry fretfully. But, to her relief, he didn't seem to be in any pain. On the contrary, he looked as though a raging war and all its worries did not exist. She had never seen him so utterly relaxed…so blissfully ignorant. It was a rather nice look for Harry, Cho thought sadly.
"Who would have ever thought a repulsive Death Eater like me would one day have control over the leader of the Light side…the bloody Boy-Who-Lived," Roger laughed with twisted delight. Soon, Roger turned to Draco and said, "Now that we have Scarhead under control, let's deal with you."
"What do you plan on doing? You know very well you can't kill me. If the Dark Lord learns of your treachery, you'd be –"
"You don't think I've considered that? I'm not as impulsive as you think. I have a plan. And Scarhead and Cho are going to help me execute it. They will do my bidding and kill you for me. After you're dead, I will take Scarhead back to the Dark Lord. Then, at last, I will have all I've ever desired. All the glory…the recognition…and the one woman who will be mine forever. Mine to do whatever I want," Roger then tried to place a kiss on Cho's cheek only to be denied when she swiftly turned her head away.
"Don't you dare fucking touch her," Draco fumed as he stood before Roger with clenched fists.
"You're mad if you think I will simply be yours after what you've done. I will never be yours," Cho spat adamantly.
Roger ignored Draco and focused instead on Cho and her impassioned words, "Well, maybe not willingly at first, but I have ways around that. That's one of the many appealing things about the Dark Arts. There are a number of useful potions and spells to help me make you submit to me. And as you know very well, I have no qualms about using any means necessary to get what I want. In fact, once the Imperius is on you, I daresay you might actually enjoy it and even…want it," Roger whispered wantonly as he caressed her cheek and brushed his lips along her ear.
Cho winced and tried to squirm away from Roger, all the time whispering repeatedly, "Please stop, please."
"You bloody asshole! Get your fucking hands off her! When I get out of this, I am going to fucking kill you. You hear me? YOU'RE FUCKING DEAD!" Draco seethed with rage as he made a hasty lunge at Roger.
"Impedimenta!" Roger yelled.
Draco stopped mid-lunge and fell straight to the floor.
"DRACO!" Cho shouted fearfully and tried to run to him, but was stopped by Roger's grip on her arm.
As Draco slowly made his way to his feet again, Roger continued his taunting, "She is mine now. I'll do anything with her as I please. She will serve me in any way I please. Those are the spoils of war after all. It's a shame, really. You had your chance with her and you blew it. Now, it's my turn."
"You fucking asshole…"
But, Roger merely ignored Draco again and pointed his wand at Cho and said, "Imperio."
A sense of calm and bliss immediately filled Cho's senses. The intolerable physical torture and unbearable worry she had felt just moments before faded and she felt an unfounded happiness she had never felt before. She could still see all figures in the room. The only thing different was a blanket of haze that seemed to cover it all. It was like she was in a dream. She could still hear all the voices also, but for some strange reason, Roger's voice was the only one that seemed to resonate the most clearly to her.
"Now Cho, I want you take this pale wand and help me teach its owner a lesson. His final lesson." Roger then turned to Harry and commanded, "Take this wand, Potter. On the count of three, I want you and Cho to point your wands at Malfoy and cast the Cruciatus Curse on him. Stop only when I command you to stop. I want him good and dead. On the count of three, I want you both to show Draco Malfoy just how painful and fatal the Cruciatus Curse can be."
"You son of a bitch. I knew there was a reason why I could never stand your -"
"Don't you understand your situation here? You're about to die. At the hands of your most hated enemy and the woman you love. Your reproach and your irate words don't affect me anymore."
Cho could hear Draco's scathing words and Roger's dispassionate reply. Instead of pleading for Draco's life or admonishing Roger's vindictiveness, she ignored the direness of the situation and simply stood by and waited patiently for Roger's cue.
She didn't have to wait very long.
"Potter? Cho? On my count…one…two…three."
"CRUCIO!" Cho and Harry exclaimed in unison.
As soon as the curse hit, Cho could see Draco drop down to his knees doubling over in pain. She could see Draco's face contort with agonizing torture, but his cries were muffled and drowned out by Roger's maniacal laughter. A miniscule part of her wanted to rush to him and comfort him and make his pain go away. But, a much larger part of her felt nothing more except the glazed-over bliss that had overcome her senses just moments before. And so, she obediently remained by Harry and Roger's side.
Seconds turned into minutes as she stood there with her wand pointed diligently at Draco. He was lying on the floor now, shaking violently, strands of his disheveled blond hair obscuring his pained expression. Cho had never seen such an expression on anyone before. It almost amused her in her state of carefree bliss.
All of a sudden, there was movement to her left and she noticed Harry's wand move from Draco to point over to where Roger stood to her right. Despite the commotion, Cho kept her station and firmly held onto her wand, which remained aimed at Draco.
"It's over, Davies. Command Cho to stop the Cruciatus on Malfoy."
"Potter!? But, how…how did you?" Roger stuttered incredulously.
"Didn't I tell you? I'm immune to the Imperius," Harry informed with a smirk, "no, I suppose not. Now, give Cho the command or you'll get a taste of the Imperius and that's a promise."
Roger hesitated several seconds before Harry lost his patience, "Now, Davies!"
"Cho, stop your Cruciatus," Roger sullenly commanded.
Cho obediently lowered her wand.
"Now release her from your Imperius."
Once Roger lifted the curse, the ignorant bliss Cho was becoming so fond of began to immediately fade away. In its place came a heavy throbbing and she rubbed her temples in an effort to dissipate it. At the same time, the anxiety and dread slowly seeped back into her consciousness. When she finally opened her eyes, she found herself in Roger's arms. His wand was again aimed at her throat.
"You won't get away. Let her go and surrender. Make this easy on yourself. We don't have to fight," Harry declared, his voice finally resonating clearly in Cho's ears.
"You think I'm going to just let her go after all this? You're the one out of your mind, Scarhead. You may be able to fight off the Imperius Curse, but her life is the price you'll have to pay for being so valiant and stupid. If I go down, she goes down with me. AVAD –"
"FINE! YOU WIN!" Harry grudgingly conceded, "just let her go and I'll let you go. I just want her to be safe."
"You and Malfoy. You two never learn your lesson, do you?" Roger criticized, stealing Harry's smirk.
Then as quickly as he had hoisted her over his shoulder earlier, Roger thrust Cho forcibly towards Harry and yelled out "Stupefy!" before he fled the house.
As soon as Cho landed safely in Harry's arms, the spell hit her square in the back and her world quickly went blank.
***************
"Come on, Cho. Wake up for me."
She knew that voice. It was so familiar, so friendly. It was her best friend's voice. She feebly tried to open her eyes, but her body felt so heavy and fatigued. It felt as though she hadn't rested in days. Had she fallen asleep in the Hogwarts medi-ward again? If she had, she didn't want to wake up. She deserved to rest. And, it felt so good to finally be able to sleep.
"Please, Cho. I need you to wake up for me."
Cho heard Harry's pleading voice again. Why couldn't Harry just let her sleep?
"Harry?" Cho murmured groggily, her eyes still closed. "What are you doing here?"
"Oh Merlin, I'm so glad you're all right. Come on. You need to wake up," Harry insisted.
"All right…all right. I'm up…I'm up," Cho said, slightly annoyed.
When she opened her eyes, what she saw made her blink several times. Why was she in this old abandoned house? Where were all her patients? Where were all the other medi-witches?
"Harry? Where are we?" Cho asked, bewildered with her new surroundings.
"Cho, look at me. Don't you remember anything?"
Cho began to shake her head slowly while she took a closer look. Why was she in a black medi-witch uniform? Why did Harry have bruises and cuts all over him? The confusion clouded her mind even more.
"The spell combined with your exhausted mind and body must be the reason why you can't remember," Harry told himself. "Malfoy? Davies? Do you remember them?"
With wide eyes, Cho scanned the house again. This was so strange. Why was she here?
Then she saw him. Lying prone on the dusty floor with his mussed up blond locks. And all at once, it came flooding back to her. Taken captive by Death Eaters. Draco. Living at Malfoy Manor. Narcissa. Being held hostage by Roger. Harry. Crucio. Imperio.
"DRACOOO!"
She immediately began to make her way towards him, but Harry held her back.
"Cho, there's nothing you can do for him right now. I need you to calm down," Harry tried to soothe her.
"DRACO!!!" she yelled again hysterically. "Let me go! Let me go! I have to see if he's all right. Harry! LET ME GO!!" Cho began to slap Harry's hands from her arms and tried to free herself. Harry reluctantly let her go and she crawled towards Draco. Upon meeting his crumpled form, she immediately checked to see if he was still alive. To her immense relief, she found a heartbeat, though it was dangerously weak. Cho shot Harry a terrified look and demanded, "What happened to him? Harry! What happened?"
"I can't explain now, but he will be down for a long time. He can't hurt you now. Cho, you've got to listen to me. I've got to go after Davies. Just stay here. I will come back. I will take you back home and this nightmare will soon be over."
Cho didn't see or hear Harry leave. All she could focus on at that moment was Draco and making sure he was all right. She looked at him again. The last thing she remembered was Draco making a lunge at Roger causing Roger to throw a spell at Draco. After that, she couldn't remember a thing. The only reasonable explanation that came to mind was Roger.
"Draco, can you hear me? What did Roger do to you? Oh, dear Merlin, please be okay, please be okay," Cho prayed.
She leant down and tenderly pulled his head into her lap. A steady stream of tears fell as she smoothed his tousled locks out of his face and rubbed away the dirt. Memories of the past they shared flashed through her mind. He couldn't die. What would she do if he did? What would she tell Narcissa? She had already lost Cedric. She didn't want to lose Draco also…not like this. He had to live and take care of Narcissa and give her all the grandchildren she wanted.
So entrenched in her thoughts, she did not notice the presence of a third person inside the house.
"Cho? Are you okay?"
At the sound of the apprehensive voice, Cho finally moved her eyes from Draco and looked up at the bewildered face staring anxiously at her.
"Ron?"
"Are you okay? What happened?" Ron knelt down beside her, his eyes taking in the scene before him.
"I'm okay. But, you've got to help me with Draco," her tone suddenly urgent.
"Where's Harry? What's wrong with Malfoy? Is he dead?" Ron asked curiously as he gave a curt nod in Draco's direction.
"No, he's not, but I'm afraid he will be if he doesn't get back to the Manor soon. You have to help me!" Cho persisted.
"You've got to calm down. Tell me. Where is Harry?"
"Harry? Harry's gone. He went after Roger."
"Roger? Roger who?"
"Davies."
"Davies? The Ravenclaw? But why?" Ron asked, irritated with Cho's abrupt responses.
"Ron, I don't have time to explain! You've got to help me with Draco!" Cho pleaded again.
"Help him? Why would I help him?"
"He's hurt! We can't just leave him like this!" Cho cried.
"You're right. I'm not going to leave him like this. I'm going to kill him."
"What?" Cho whispered, her eyes widening with and horror and her heart filling with more dread.
"I'm going to kill him. We will finally be rid of Malfoy," Ron answered with a sadistic smile. He then reached inside his robes and pulled out his wand. But before he could aim it toward Draco, Cho earnestly threw herself over his body, effectively shielding him from Ron's death curse.
"What are you doing? Move out of the way so I can kill him!" Ron ordered.
"No! You'll have to kill me first," Cho defied him.
"Are you out of your mind? Do you know who that is? He is Voldemort's second in command. He is Harry's nemesis. He took you from us to lure in Harry. Why on earth would you want to die for him?"
Without hesitation, Cho passionately replied, "Because I love him. I want you to spare him because I love him."
As soon as the words had escaped her mouth, she knew they were true. She wasn't just saying it to sway Ron. In her heart, she truly felt it. The strong feelings had finally evolved into love and she wanted to cry for it felt like an immense void in her heart had finally been filled. At that moment, she knew Draco Malfoy was the man who would forever possess her heart. He had successfully captured it before and he had it now. She realized this now. This was the man she would always love.
Perhaps it was his near-confession of his true feelings before Harry had come upon them. Or maybe it was the fact he was willing to sacrifice himself so she could live. Or perchance it was how incensed he became with Roger for revealing his wicked lustful schemes towards her. Or possibly it was how she knew the void in her heart could never be filled again if he died at this very moment. But, truthfully, she knew all these reasons played their part in making her realize her love for him.
"Love him? Are you mad? You love Harry! The evil git has brainwashed you. You don't know what you're saying! Now, get out of the way. I have to get rid of this bastard before he does anymore damage," Ron argued, still determined to rid the world of the pompous Slytherin.
"Ron. I beg you. Don't kill Draco. Please, hear me out. He hasn't brainwashed me and I don't love Harry. I love Draco. I have to save him. I am taking him back to the Manor. If you won't help us, please just leave and forget you ever came upon us!" Cho entreated.
"And what am I supposed to tell Harry when he comes back? That the love of his life doesn't love him? That the love he risked his life for doesn't love him back, but is now in love with his enemy? Do you know how much torment he has gone through these past several months since you've gone missing? For a time, we even thought you were dead! When he found out you were still alive, he was beyond ecstatic. When Malfoy propositioned him to trade places with you, he did so without hesitation and much to everyone's protest. That's how much he loves you. He doesn't think of himself when you are involved. You are the only one who matters to him. And this is how you repay him? You take up with his enemy?" Ron scolded, his tone not in the least sympathetic to Cho's plight.
"I'm sorry. But, I never meant for Harry to do any of those things. I love Harry. I really do. You have to believe that. But, not in that way. I never did and I never will. I admit there was a brief moment at Hogwarts when I thought we could be something more. But, it didn't work out. I was still too distraught over Cedric and I was being completely unfair to Harry. In time, I realized Harry was a better friend than what I wanted him to be. I thought he realized this too. He will always be just a friend to me. I'm sorry if he had to risk his life for me. I never wanted him to," Cho tried to reason with Ron.
After getting little response, Cho continued to plead her case, "I even tried to starve myself at the Manor just so he couldn't come and risk his life. I realize Harry is everything to the Light side. I didn't want Draco to succeed. I didn't want Voldemort to succeed. I still don't. But, Draco wouldn't let me die. I was miserable. I didn't know what to do. But, now I know what I have to do. I have to save Draco. I have to bring him back to the Manor, if not for me, then for his mother. I can't and I won't let you take him away from me. Just put yourself in my position, Ron. What if this was Hermione? Could you abandon her so callously?"
"But, that's completely different!" Ron argued.
"How is it different?" Cho challenged. "Love is love. It is still the one person we are willing to do anything for. And I'm willing to die for him if you still insist on killing him. A life without him is not a life worth living. I understand this now. In time, Harry will understand this too. He has to."
Cho could see Ron wrestling with all she had just told him. After a few silent tense minutes had passed, Ron grudgingly gave his answer, "Fine. I will let Malfoy go this one time, but I can't promise it again in the future. Merlin, I can't believe I'm doing this."
"Thank you…thank you so much," Cho said as a light smile finally broke onto her lips as she looked down at Draco.
"But what will you do when Harry comes back? Where do you intend on taking Malfoy? Do you even know your way back?"
"No, I don't. Draco blindfolded me when he brought me here. I honestly don't know what to do. Maybe one of his Death Eaters will find us. All I can really do is wait. If only I knew what Roger did to him. His pulse is so weak. I'm a bloody medi-witch and I don't even know how to begin to heal him right now. I feel so bloody helpless."
Ron surveyed the abandoned house, which was honestly more like a shack, and finally suggested, "Well, I can help you move him to that far corner. It's reclusive enough and I can cast a spell that should make you both blend into the surroundings well enough so Harry won't be able to spot you when he comes back."
"All right," Cho readily agreed.
After Ron moved Draco's prone body to the corner, he turned to Cho, "I'm going to go look for Harry. If he tries to come back here, I'll try to lead him away." Ron then reached in his robes and proffered a long pale stick, "And, I found this when I first came. It must be Malfoy's. Take it. It'll come in handy."
Cho grasped the wand and once again voiced her gratitude, "Thank you, Ron. How can I ever repay you?"
"I just want you to make sure this is what you want."
"Yes. This is what I want. And, please tell Harry how sorry I am. Tell him I never meant to hurt him. Please take care of him for me."
As soon as Ron left, Cho turned back to Draco and knelt down beside him.
******************
Cho was happy. Well, as happy as she could be with all that had happened. She had saved Draco's life and she had realized her love for him. As she sat in the far corner with him lying next to her, she envisioned a life with him. Of course, she was not foolish enough to believe it would be an ideal life. The dreams and hopes of her modest life in a small town had been spectacularly chased away the moment she declared her love for Draco. In fact, she knew it would be a life she would undoubtedly despise and detest. She knew she would be forced to side with Voldemort and help the Dark side in its efforts to reign over the wizarding world.
But, she would endure it. If Draco would have her, she would do anything for him. It would take time, compromise and patience, she realized. But, she knew if they both truly loved each other they could make their life work. The future held a different kind of promise now.
Thoughts similar to these ran through her mind as time passed and were only interrupted when she heard voices drawing nearer and nearer.
"Come on. We don't have much time. Malfoy should still be down, but there's a slim chance he's already gained consciousness."
"I already told you. There's no one here. I passed by on my way to find you and I saw no one in this house," Cho could hear Ron plead with Harry.
"She's here. Maybe you went to another house."
"No, I'm pretty sure it was this one."
Harry and Ron finally reached the house. To Cho's dismay, Harry seemed utterly spent and physically exhausted.
"Cho! I'm back!" After he could find no one present, Harry grew more frantic, "Cho? Where are they?!"
"I told you I saw no one," Ron repeated, exasperation apparent in his voice.
"But, I left them here! I don't understand. Malfoy was down and Cho started to tend to him. I told her to wait here for me and I would be back to take her home."
"Maybe Malfoy came to and took her away again."
"No," Harry replied adamantly. "He was down. I saw him. Both she and I cast the Cruciatus on him. If it had been only Cho casting the curse, yes, he might have been okay by now…but I cast the curse also…Malfoy should be down for at least the night if not longer. I knew she would be safe here with Malfoy. That's why I left. I knew she would be safe here while I went to go hunt down Davies. He couldn't have come to. This doesn't make any sense!" Harry paced back and forth, raking his hand through his tousled tresses.
"Malfoy was under your Cruciatus?" Ron asked slowly, wanting to confirm Harry's statement.
"Not just me, but Cho too. Davies put us both under the Imperius and made us torture Malfoy. I suspect Malfoy won't wake till morning. That's why this is so strange!" Harry revealed.
"So that's why he was out…I can't believe he didn't die," Ron whispered under his breath as more pieces of the puzzle came together, silently crediting, albeit halfheartedly, Draco's threshold for pain.
Like Ron, Cho too was trying to put all the pieces together. It wasn't until Harry mentioned the Imperius Curse did full comprehension dawn on her. That's why she couldn't remember! Roger had put her and Harry under the Imperius and had forced them to cast the Cruciatus on Draco. Unlike the effects of the Imperius, she remembered all too clearly the effects of the Cruciatus. The pain was absolutely intolerable and she remembered how all she wanted was to die. Cho she looked down at Draco guiltily. Draco not only had to endure hers, but had to endure Harry's as well. Harry's curse alone should have killed him. Tears found their way down her cheeks. She couldn't even will herself to imagine the kind of pain Draco went through. It was amazing he was still alive.
"What?" Harry inquired, not able to understand Ron's mumblings.
"Uh…nothing," Ron stammered and then offered, "maybe one of his Death Eaters came and took them."
"Dammit, Ron! You're not helping. I have no intention of leaving this place till I find her. I've gone through too much these last several months, not to mention today, to just let her go," Harry snapped with frustration.
"And what do you plan on doing? Sit here all night? I told you! There is no one here! Even if she were somewhere nearby, do you honestly think she would come to you?" Ron snapped back, obviously also at the end of his rope.
"And what is that supposed to mean? Why wouldn't she come to me?" Harry's tone growing more irate.
Ron hesitated a moment before he decided to continue, "Look. I didn't want to bring it up, especially with all you've been through…and today. But, enough is enough. I'm not going to let you continue down this destructive road you're so set on. You were there! Couldn't you tell Malfoy and Cho have feelings for one another? It was plain as day!"
"I can't believe this. First, you accuse me of treating this thing with Cho like some sort of boy-hood contest between Malfoy and I. Now, you have the gall to stand there and tell me Cho has feelings for the bloody git?" Harry said heatedly.
"Did you not see the way Malfoy reacted when she scolded him? He was behaving like a scorned lover! If he didn't have feelings for her, do you think he would have tolerated her words? You know what Malfoy is like. He would have punished her right then and there for being so disrespectful."
"Fine. Even if Malfoy does have feelings for her, she doesn't have feelings for him," Harry finally somewhat conceded.
"Harry, wake up! Your vision is clouded by this imaginary love you pretend exists between you and her when it doesn't! The sooner you come to realize the truth, the better off you'll be! The better off the rest of us will be!" Ron informed his love-sick mate.
"She may not love me yet, but she will. I know she will," Harry responded stubbornly.
"You can't force it, Harry. She doesn't love you. She loves that slimy git Malfoy. Sure, she never came to his defense, but she certainly never joined us when we bashed his name. Looking back, I'd say she never got over him. I'm sorry to tell you this, but it's the truth. You're going to have to accept it and move on."
"But, how can you be so sure?" Harry asked, suggesting that on some level, perhaps he was accepting some of what Ron was trying to impress on him. "I mean, what does she see in him? He continually manipulates her and uses her. She's not stupid. She wouldn't fall back into that trap," Harry reasoned.
"Who knows why women do the things they do. I'll never understand them myself. And, you're right. She's not stupid. If she loves him, there must be a reason. I don't know what that reason is and I'm pretty sure I don't want to ever find out, but there must be something she sees in him the rest of us don't. Besides, you said it yourself. She's loved the git before. In all honesty, it's not too surprising she loves him now. The best thing you can do…the only thing you can do is to just let her go."
"I can't. How can you ask me to let her go? If she loved somebody who I knew was good for her, maybe it would be easier. But, if what you say is true and she really loves him, how can I rest easy knowing she's with that snake? He's a Death Eater for Merlin's sake! What kind of real future could he really give her?"
"That's not our problem. If she chooses to be with Malfoy, she will have to face the fact her future will be a dark one. Come on, mate. Let's go home. It's been a long day. I'm tired and I know you must be exhausted. And, we still have to let the others know about Malfoy and Davies."
"I can't believe that son of a bitch Davies. He was hiding out in another run-down house after he fled this one. The moment I found him, I didn't hesitate. What he did to Cho made my blood boil. And the despicable vile things he had the nerve to utter about using dark magic on her for his own sadistic pleasures was beyond reprieve."
"Davies. I can't believe it either. Who would have thought? Well, you can rest assured he will never hurt her or anyone again. You made sure of that," Ron said, trying to calm Harry down. After a brief moment, Ron tried again to get his friend to leave, "Come on. We need to get back. The others are probably worried sick about us."
Cho saw Ron leave first. Harry remained for a few more moments. What she heard next made her heart ache, "Cho, wherever you are, I hope you're safe. No matter what Ron or anybody else says, I'll always fight for you. I'll always love you and I'll find you and bring you home soon." After a few seconds of silence, her best friend finally left.
Cho could feel the self-doubt and guilt churn in her heart and stomach as Harry's words hung in the air. Ron was right. How could she do this to him? Where was her loyalty?
She looked down at Draco. Was she being stupid? Was she making a huge mistake? Could she really give up her life and her friends for Draco and his love? And would Draco even accept her? Was she really ready to switch her allegiances just to be with him? Was Narcissa right when she had claimed a life with your one true love, however damaging it might be, was a life infinitely better than a righteous one?
However much she wanted the answers to her questions, she also knew it was no use raking her exhausted brain for them. She was never good at predicting his actions or his thoughts. These were questions only Draco could answer.
As she lay down next to Draco, she cautiously allowed her hand to cup over his. The last thing she allowed her mind to ponder before sleep overtook her was the thought of tomorrow. Harry had said Draco would wake up by tomorrow. Tomorrow would be when all her questions and doubts would be answered. Tomorrow would be the day she and Draco either end the last chapter of their relationship or begin a new one.
A/N: *sighs HUGE sigh of relief* Boy am I ever glad this chapter is finished. It was such a challenge b/c of all the crazy action, dialogue, spells, emotions, and that god-awful portrayal of Cho in OotP. But, YAAAAAY! Cho does love Draco! But honestly, did you really think she wouldn't? She'd be crazy not to, right? Right. Funny how all she needed to realize this was for him to nearly die! But, does it mean they'll be together??? Hmmm… Remember, Draco is an enigma. Merlin only knows what's going on in that gel-ed up head of his. Anyways, reviews of any kind are greatly appreciated. Thanks!