Chapter Nine
Visitors and Daughters
A/N: So far I've just been going from idea to idea with each chapter – basically making it up as I go along. But this chapter is going to be a part of the blueprint for the end. You'll start to have a direct clue that something dangerous is going on and that some mistakes are going to be made. Cho won't be physically involved in the major action, being that this ff is not classified as action-packed. But she will have a fairly good idea of what Harry is up to ... (oops!) ... I mean Harry and the 'enemy'. Hope you like it! ^_^
indigal – You read the rumours? I like the one about Nearly Headless Nick being a cheerleader for Gryffindor. That was hilarious. Lol ^_^
Dragoon knight – You didn't end your review with 'SEE YA!' this time. What does that mean?
LogicalRaven – I'm a Cho fan thru and thru! ^_* Thanx so much for your review. But what other version were you referring to? (Sry, I didn't meant to make it rhyme.)
linky2 – Yep, I like Cho/Harry stories too. Thanx for reviewing!
The next day, Paige, Rachel and I decided to spend our time doing the essay for Professor McGonagall in the library. The essay was to be two full rolls of parchments and I had only finished one and a quarter. We took a seat at an empty table and opened our books. I took my quill out and carefully dipped it into the ink. I already knew what I wanted to write for my next paragraph and began to scribble it down fast.
Meanwhile, Paige took a longer time. She flipped through her Transfiguration book and twirled her hair around her index finger, thinking as hard as she could. Once in a while she'd write down something in her angelic writing, but she'd stop as fast as she had begun. After half an hour she groaned and leaned back on her chair.
"This is hopeless!" Paige complained holding up her parchment and looking at it from different angles. "It just doesn't feel right."
"Here let me see," I offered and took the parchment from Paige. She folded her arms with a grunt. I read it through twice. Paige had only finished half a roll, probably because her writing was much smaller then mine. "There's nothing wrong with it."
"Yes there is!" said Paige doubtfully. "It must be set up wrongly, the whole idea of researching of transformation theories was useless – maybe I should rewrite the whole thing." She went to grab her parchment edgily but I yanked it back. "Give it here, Cho!!"
"This is a library," I reminded her calmly. "Keep your voice down, I know what I'm doing."
Rachel quickly looked up to stare at the space behind me but then returned her eyes on writing her own essay. I turned around to see what she was looking at and my heart gave a huge thump. It was Harry and Ron, but I could not imagine what had provoked them to enter the library.
"Hey Cho! My essay, will you?" interrupted Paige. "I thought you knew what you were doing, but apparently you've lost your mind."
"Oh," I said. "Here." I handed it back to her and turned my face back to my essay.
I finished one half of my second roll before a shadow fell upon me. I turned around and saw a red faced Harry staring at me. "Hi there."
"Hello Harry," I said smiling and blushing deeply. I could hear a muffled snort from Paige before Rachel nudged her in the ribs.
"Can we talk." He looked at Paige then Rachel and took a step back nervously. "I mean, if you want – "
I rolled up my parchment and stuffed my things into my bag. "I'd love to." I was about to take my bag with me when I felt a tug on the other end.
"I'll hold it for you." – It was Rachel. She gave me an encouraging smile and gave Paige another warning nudge. "Go for it." I knew she was being her old ridiculous self but couldn't help but feel thankful. "I'll give Paige a good thrashing."
"Thanks," I whispered and ran after Harry.
He was waiting for me outside the library and smiled when I reached him.
"What happened to Ron?" I asked curiously.
"He had to leave," Harry said brushing away the subject. "Did Hermione um, come to see you?"
"Yeh," I said giving him a beam. "She was really – nice."
We made our way outside and began to walk a lap around the lake. Other students were outside; just enjoy the sun or having a talk with their friends. Today was different from yesterday. It must have rained last night because all the clouds were gone and a sapphire blue sky stared down at us. There were only gentle and friendly breezes in the air. My hair danced along with it – I bet I looked like an octopus.
Harry kept his hands distinctively away. He glanced at me from time to time but then lowered her head back down to the floor.
"Have you been really busy lately?" I asked, trying to gain conversation.
He looked a little relieved. "Pretty much."
I knew that he was being polite, but there was just something that he was holding back. I knew that he had a lot to deal with and that I shouldn't intrude his private life, but I felt very left out. I bet he would tell all his problems to Hermione, that's one thing I envied from her. Yet here I was, with heroic Harry, just me and him, and the world around us.
I needed to do something, so I grabbed his hand. He held it tight and gave it a squeeze. We reached an unoccupied and rather deserted area of the lake. It was right next to the forbidden forest and I felt my skin prickle. After a while we stopped walking a pretty much held hands. It felt so peaceful being out with him and yet so nerve-racking.
"Are you over Cedric?" He asked once more. "I didn't mean to constantly bring – "
"I'm over him," I interrupted contentedly.
He grinned so broadly that I felt like I was floating off the ground.
"Really?"
"Yep!" I walked a little bit closer to him. "I don't want to spend my life mourning over his decease, I want you."
He hugged me and I yelped with surprise and joy. His body felt so warm against mine, a comfort I hadn't felt since the day Cedric died. We just stood there for a moment, embracing each other with warmth and tenderness. I didn't want him to let go and he didn't.
"Thanks Cho," he whispered into my ear. His warm breath tickled against my eardrums. But I just held him, not saying a word.
I felt his hand raise my chin up so that our eyes met. His eyes were green like emerald seas; he really wanted to be with me. Slowly and ever longingly, he lowered his neck until our lips were just about touching.
Out of the blue, Harry's eyes averted to a spot behind me. I struggled to turn around as he tried to hold me back. I could just see it, a man in the Forbidden forest who was lurking in the shadows. I opened my mouth to scream but Harry clasped my mouth and gave me the sign to keep quiet. He reached in his pocket for his wand and I followed suit.
I didn't know who the person was but Harry made it clear to me that he wasn't welcomed. The man didn't seem to even notice we were there, he just continued to skulk on. Harry tiptoed to a large boulder stone that was close to us and the stranger, and I followed behind him. I had a clear view of the man from the place we were hiding.
He was bald and short, looking nervous and desperate in shabby clothes. I didn't know who it was but Harry seemed to as he stood up and walked forwards. I felt awkward in the position I was in so I kept to my hiding place.
"What are you doing here?" asked Harry. His voice was filled with hatred and disgust.
The bald man turned around and looked at Harry with terror. "S-sending a message, Mr. Potter."
"Well deliver it now, I'll pass it on to whoever you're sending it to," I heard Harry snarl.
The stranger gave a feeble grin and said a little more boldly ", it is f- for you, actually – my lord wants to just say, that h-he's back!" Before Harry could stop him, the unwanted visitor ran into the Forbidden forest.
I slowly crept out of the hiding spot, behind the boulder. Harry looked a little terrified at the message but I had no clue on what it was about. "Who was that?" I demanded. "Who's back?" And then it struck me – of course, who else would be after Harry. I gave him a horrified look and he nodded grimly.
"Yep, Voldemort is back."
The murderer of my sister and Cedric, that ruthless man who is after Harry as well, he's still alive? And then again – that dream that I had; the one with the six hooded figures holding Mai-Lin away from me, it all of a sudden made sense. Maybe it was saying that I should fight for the people I had lost and still had. Voldemort had killed Mai-Lin and Cedric and he might kill my Mum, Dad, Paige and Harry too. If I don't do anything, they may be gone too.
"Tell me what's going on," I insisted. I remembered a stranger threatening Hagrid. "Is someone after Hagrid?"
Harry gave me an uneasy look. "No. I don't want to put you in danger and lose you."
"If you don't tell me, you will."
"There's nothing you can do to help."
Why was he being so stubborn? "I want to help."
I sat down beside the lake and he sat down beside me.
"I don't want to panic you."
I gave him a reassuring smile "; I can't be more afraid then now." It was half true. I needed to take the truth in a harsh way; everything in life was harsh after all. Mai-Lin and Cedric's death were hard. My parents not caring about me were hard. And Harry not telling anything to me now was hard.
"No." I could believe it! "I'm not going to, it's confidential." He stood up as fast as he sat down.
"Then don't tell me!" I shouted back at him and ran off.
I don't know why I run sometimes. I'm always running away. Away from things I hate, away from my fears, away from the truth. I just run. If Hogwarts had no boundaries, I would run away from it and never come back. But now, I could only run back into my dormitory. When I run I leave my troubles behind. But even troubles can catch up with you. And when they do, they can hit you hard and fast, knock you to the floor and make you swallow your worries.
I stifled back my tears and pressed my damp face against my pillow. I screamed a hollow scream and pain hit my heart.
No one would ever tell me what was going on; I was always a little girl in their eyes. I could never take the big things. Sometimes I wonder if this is all they see of me. I stood up and clutched my knees close to my chest and rocked back and forwards. Maybe I should take control of my own life. Without evening noticing it, I was drifting off to sleep – and soon enough I was asleep.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I woke up with an aching back from sitting up all night. Some one had drawn the curtains around my bed so that I could have some privacy while I slept. I noticed that my backpack was at the end of the bed as well.
I opened the curtains and saw that Paige and Rachel were still asleep in the beds beside me. Paige was snoring particularly loudly. I didn't want to wake them up, so I quickly changed into my robes and went downstairs. Very little students had decided to wake up at this specific time; most of them were leaning over parchments and open books – including Michelle.
I walked out of the common room and through the corridors. I didn't know what I wanted to do; I just kept walking for no reason. My hair was still matted and fell over my shoulders limply. My head was down and I wasn't looking at where I was going until I bumped into someone.
"Cho?" asked a voice I knew. "Is that you?"
I looked up and saw Hermione. "Hi."
"What's wrong? You look awful." She looked around and dragged me into an empty common room. I sat down at a desk and she sat beside me. Did I look that bad? I felt horrible. I didn't know that I had been crying all day until now. "What is it?"
"I'm fine."
Hermione held me hands together and then said "; I'll tell you the same thing you told me and I hope that you will do it, Cho. Spill."
I couldn't believe that she had remembered a meeting that long ago but it gave me faith. "What's going on?"
Hermione's face turned cold. "Going on, what?"
"There is something wrong. I know it. The message – Voldemort is back." Hermione looked at me wide eyed when I said his name. Yep, strike two, Cho's not so innocent after all. It made me feel better.
"How do you know about that?"
"I want to know what is going on!"
"You said his name!"
"Don't you?"
Hermione stood up and began pacing the front of the classroom. "If I tell you, you don't tell Harry or Ron I told you."
"Deal."
Hermione took a deep breath and sat back down;
"As you know V-Voldermort is back and fully body-able, well, and you know he has been after Harry since – "
"Don't tell me what I know," I said impatiently. "Tell me what I don't."
"Well, Dumbledore and Harry know something that Voldemort doesn't, basically something that is confidential between them and them only. But Voldemort is also trying to pressure Dumbledore into revealing it and there is only one thing that can make Dumbledore give in and fully crack."
"What is that?" I asked interestedly as if I were a pupil and Hermione my teacher.
"You may not know this but Professor Dumbledore has a – well, Muggle daughter."
That came as a shock to me. I never knew that Professor Dumbledore had a child let alone married. It also seemed strange how he never mentioned his daughter to anyone till now.
"His daughter is his private life," continued Hermione. "He keeps his private life and public life a full distance away, his daughter doesn't even know about the Wizarding world."
"And so Voldemort must kidnap and threat Professor Dumbledore's daughter?"
"Pretty much, but Voldemort doesn't know the whereabouts of Dumbledore's daughter, so it makes it harder for him to find. I have heard that her house is covered with layers and layers of magic and the love of Dumbledore himself."
"So what is going on now?"
"Voldemort is searching."
A/N: Okay, so Dumbledore having a daughter is a little bit of a cliché, but I needed something to sum up the reason for the next few chapters. I'm thinking of finishing this story in the next three to four chapters. But I'm also thinking of making another ff about Dumbledore's daughter – maybe. I'm scared that no one might read it. If you want a little sneak peek of the next chapter; I can tell you that Harry and Cho will develop a more friendly connection, less kisses and hugs and more hanging out. Thanx for reading and please review!!!!!
Visitors and Daughters
A/N: So far I've just been going from idea to idea with each chapter – basically making it up as I go along. But this chapter is going to be a part of the blueprint for the end. You'll start to have a direct clue that something dangerous is going on and that some mistakes are going to be made. Cho won't be physically involved in the major action, being that this ff is not classified as action-packed. But she will have a fairly good idea of what Harry is up to ... (oops!) ... I mean Harry and the 'enemy'. Hope you like it! ^_^
indigal – You read the rumours? I like the one about Nearly Headless Nick being a cheerleader for Gryffindor. That was hilarious. Lol ^_^
Dragoon knight – You didn't end your review with 'SEE YA!' this time. What does that mean?
LogicalRaven – I'm a Cho fan thru and thru! ^_* Thanx so much for your review. But what other version were you referring to? (Sry, I didn't meant to make it rhyme.)
linky2 – Yep, I like Cho/Harry stories too. Thanx for reviewing!
The next day, Paige, Rachel and I decided to spend our time doing the essay for Professor McGonagall in the library. The essay was to be two full rolls of parchments and I had only finished one and a quarter. We took a seat at an empty table and opened our books. I took my quill out and carefully dipped it into the ink. I already knew what I wanted to write for my next paragraph and began to scribble it down fast.
Meanwhile, Paige took a longer time. She flipped through her Transfiguration book and twirled her hair around her index finger, thinking as hard as she could. Once in a while she'd write down something in her angelic writing, but she'd stop as fast as she had begun. After half an hour she groaned and leaned back on her chair.
"This is hopeless!" Paige complained holding up her parchment and looking at it from different angles. "It just doesn't feel right."
"Here let me see," I offered and took the parchment from Paige. She folded her arms with a grunt. I read it through twice. Paige had only finished half a roll, probably because her writing was much smaller then mine. "There's nothing wrong with it."
"Yes there is!" said Paige doubtfully. "It must be set up wrongly, the whole idea of researching of transformation theories was useless – maybe I should rewrite the whole thing." She went to grab her parchment edgily but I yanked it back. "Give it here, Cho!!"
"This is a library," I reminded her calmly. "Keep your voice down, I know what I'm doing."
Rachel quickly looked up to stare at the space behind me but then returned her eyes on writing her own essay. I turned around to see what she was looking at and my heart gave a huge thump. It was Harry and Ron, but I could not imagine what had provoked them to enter the library.
"Hey Cho! My essay, will you?" interrupted Paige. "I thought you knew what you were doing, but apparently you've lost your mind."
"Oh," I said. "Here." I handed it back to her and turned my face back to my essay.
I finished one half of my second roll before a shadow fell upon me. I turned around and saw a red faced Harry staring at me. "Hi there."
"Hello Harry," I said smiling and blushing deeply. I could hear a muffled snort from Paige before Rachel nudged her in the ribs.
"Can we talk." He looked at Paige then Rachel and took a step back nervously. "I mean, if you want – "
I rolled up my parchment and stuffed my things into my bag. "I'd love to." I was about to take my bag with me when I felt a tug on the other end.
"I'll hold it for you." – It was Rachel. She gave me an encouraging smile and gave Paige another warning nudge. "Go for it." I knew she was being her old ridiculous self but couldn't help but feel thankful. "I'll give Paige a good thrashing."
"Thanks," I whispered and ran after Harry.
He was waiting for me outside the library and smiled when I reached him.
"What happened to Ron?" I asked curiously.
"He had to leave," Harry said brushing away the subject. "Did Hermione um, come to see you?"
"Yeh," I said giving him a beam. "She was really – nice."
We made our way outside and began to walk a lap around the lake. Other students were outside; just enjoy the sun or having a talk with their friends. Today was different from yesterday. It must have rained last night because all the clouds were gone and a sapphire blue sky stared down at us. There were only gentle and friendly breezes in the air. My hair danced along with it – I bet I looked like an octopus.
Harry kept his hands distinctively away. He glanced at me from time to time but then lowered her head back down to the floor.
"Have you been really busy lately?" I asked, trying to gain conversation.
He looked a little relieved. "Pretty much."
I knew that he was being polite, but there was just something that he was holding back. I knew that he had a lot to deal with and that I shouldn't intrude his private life, but I felt very left out. I bet he would tell all his problems to Hermione, that's one thing I envied from her. Yet here I was, with heroic Harry, just me and him, and the world around us.
I needed to do something, so I grabbed his hand. He held it tight and gave it a squeeze. We reached an unoccupied and rather deserted area of the lake. It was right next to the forbidden forest and I felt my skin prickle. After a while we stopped walking a pretty much held hands. It felt so peaceful being out with him and yet so nerve-racking.
"Are you over Cedric?" He asked once more. "I didn't mean to constantly bring – "
"I'm over him," I interrupted contentedly.
He grinned so broadly that I felt like I was floating off the ground.
"Really?"
"Yep!" I walked a little bit closer to him. "I don't want to spend my life mourning over his decease, I want you."
He hugged me and I yelped with surprise and joy. His body felt so warm against mine, a comfort I hadn't felt since the day Cedric died. We just stood there for a moment, embracing each other with warmth and tenderness. I didn't want him to let go and he didn't.
"Thanks Cho," he whispered into my ear. His warm breath tickled against my eardrums. But I just held him, not saying a word.
I felt his hand raise my chin up so that our eyes met. His eyes were green like emerald seas; he really wanted to be with me. Slowly and ever longingly, he lowered his neck until our lips were just about touching.
Out of the blue, Harry's eyes averted to a spot behind me. I struggled to turn around as he tried to hold me back. I could just see it, a man in the Forbidden forest who was lurking in the shadows. I opened my mouth to scream but Harry clasped my mouth and gave me the sign to keep quiet. He reached in his pocket for his wand and I followed suit.
I didn't know who the person was but Harry made it clear to me that he wasn't welcomed. The man didn't seem to even notice we were there, he just continued to skulk on. Harry tiptoed to a large boulder stone that was close to us and the stranger, and I followed behind him. I had a clear view of the man from the place we were hiding.
He was bald and short, looking nervous and desperate in shabby clothes. I didn't know who it was but Harry seemed to as he stood up and walked forwards. I felt awkward in the position I was in so I kept to my hiding place.
"What are you doing here?" asked Harry. His voice was filled with hatred and disgust.
The bald man turned around and looked at Harry with terror. "S-sending a message, Mr. Potter."
"Well deliver it now, I'll pass it on to whoever you're sending it to," I heard Harry snarl.
The stranger gave a feeble grin and said a little more boldly ", it is f- for you, actually – my lord wants to just say, that h-he's back!" Before Harry could stop him, the unwanted visitor ran into the Forbidden forest.
I slowly crept out of the hiding spot, behind the boulder. Harry looked a little terrified at the message but I had no clue on what it was about. "Who was that?" I demanded. "Who's back?" And then it struck me – of course, who else would be after Harry. I gave him a horrified look and he nodded grimly.
"Yep, Voldemort is back."
The murderer of my sister and Cedric, that ruthless man who is after Harry as well, he's still alive? And then again – that dream that I had; the one with the six hooded figures holding Mai-Lin away from me, it all of a sudden made sense. Maybe it was saying that I should fight for the people I had lost and still had. Voldemort had killed Mai-Lin and Cedric and he might kill my Mum, Dad, Paige and Harry too. If I don't do anything, they may be gone too.
"Tell me what's going on," I insisted. I remembered a stranger threatening Hagrid. "Is someone after Hagrid?"
Harry gave me an uneasy look. "No. I don't want to put you in danger and lose you."
"If you don't tell me, you will."
"There's nothing you can do to help."
Why was he being so stubborn? "I want to help."
I sat down beside the lake and he sat down beside me.
"I don't want to panic you."
I gave him a reassuring smile "; I can't be more afraid then now." It was half true. I needed to take the truth in a harsh way; everything in life was harsh after all. Mai-Lin and Cedric's death were hard. My parents not caring about me were hard. And Harry not telling anything to me now was hard.
"No." I could believe it! "I'm not going to, it's confidential." He stood up as fast as he sat down.
"Then don't tell me!" I shouted back at him and ran off.
I don't know why I run sometimes. I'm always running away. Away from things I hate, away from my fears, away from the truth. I just run. If Hogwarts had no boundaries, I would run away from it and never come back. But now, I could only run back into my dormitory. When I run I leave my troubles behind. But even troubles can catch up with you. And when they do, they can hit you hard and fast, knock you to the floor and make you swallow your worries.
I stifled back my tears and pressed my damp face against my pillow. I screamed a hollow scream and pain hit my heart.
No one would ever tell me what was going on; I was always a little girl in their eyes. I could never take the big things. Sometimes I wonder if this is all they see of me. I stood up and clutched my knees close to my chest and rocked back and forwards. Maybe I should take control of my own life. Without evening noticing it, I was drifting off to sleep – and soon enough I was asleep.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I woke up with an aching back from sitting up all night. Some one had drawn the curtains around my bed so that I could have some privacy while I slept. I noticed that my backpack was at the end of the bed as well.
I opened the curtains and saw that Paige and Rachel were still asleep in the beds beside me. Paige was snoring particularly loudly. I didn't want to wake them up, so I quickly changed into my robes and went downstairs. Very little students had decided to wake up at this specific time; most of them were leaning over parchments and open books – including Michelle.
I walked out of the common room and through the corridors. I didn't know what I wanted to do; I just kept walking for no reason. My hair was still matted and fell over my shoulders limply. My head was down and I wasn't looking at where I was going until I bumped into someone.
"Cho?" asked a voice I knew. "Is that you?"
I looked up and saw Hermione. "Hi."
"What's wrong? You look awful." She looked around and dragged me into an empty common room. I sat down at a desk and she sat beside me. Did I look that bad? I felt horrible. I didn't know that I had been crying all day until now. "What is it?"
"I'm fine."
Hermione held me hands together and then said "; I'll tell you the same thing you told me and I hope that you will do it, Cho. Spill."
I couldn't believe that she had remembered a meeting that long ago but it gave me faith. "What's going on?"
Hermione's face turned cold. "Going on, what?"
"There is something wrong. I know it. The message – Voldemort is back." Hermione looked at me wide eyed when I said his name. Yep, strike two, Cho's not so innocent after all. It made me feel better.
"How do you know about that?"
"I want to know what is going on!"
"You said his name!"
"Don't you?"
Hermione stood up and began pacing the front of the classroom. "If I tell you, you don't tell Harry or Ron I told you."
"Deal."
Hermione took a deep breath and sat back down;
"As you know V-Voldermort is back and fully body-able, well, and you know he has been after Harry since – "
"Don't tell me what I know," I said impatiently. "Tell me what I don't."
"Well, Dumbledore and Harry know something that Voldemort doesn't, basically something that is confidential between them and them only. But Voldemort is also trying to pressure Dumbledore into revealing it and there is only one thing that can make Dumbledore give in and fully crack."
"What is that?" I asked interestedly as if I were a pupil and Hermione my teacher.
"You may not know this but Professor Dumbledore has a – well, Muggle daughter."
That came as a shock to me. I never knew that Professor Dumbledore had a child let alone married. It also seemed strange how he never mentioned his daughter to anyone till now.
"His daughter is his private life," continued Hermione. "He keeps his private life and public life a full distance away, his daughter doesn't even know about the Wizarding world."
"And so Voldemort must kidnap and threat Professor Dumbledore's daughter?"
"Pretty much, but Voldemort doesn't know the whereabouts of Dumbledore's daughter, so it makes it harder for him to find. I have heard that her house is covered with layers and layers of magic and the love of Dumbledore himself."
"So what is going on now?"
"Voldemort is searching."
A/N: Okay, so Dumbledore having a daughter is a little bit of a cliché, but I needed something to sum up the reason for the next few chapters. I'm thinking of finishing this story in the next three to four chapters. But I'm also thinking of making another ff about Dumbledore's daughter – maybe. I'm scared that no one might read it. If you want a little sneak peek of the next chapter; I can tell you that Harry and Cho will develop a more friendly connection, less kisses and hugs and more hanging out. Thanx for reading and please review!!!!!