Happy Birthday, Cho Chapter 8

A/N: Okay, Wow! I know its been a very, very long time since any update whatsoever came on but school does not give me much time to write just for my pleasure and for my readers. If any of my previous readers are reading this, thank you for coming back to me even though I haven't updated like I should have. In my previous chapters, I responded to my reviews but since it's been a while, I won't. Since I'm now on summer vacation, I'll update more often. At the end of this month I will be going to a writing workshop and Southern Illinois University. I love writing and I've been told by many both on FFN and in the world of school that I am a very good writer so I want to get as good as I can so there will be a short time when I won't update but after this wait, a few days shouldn't hurt. There is also a possibility of me posting one of my original fantasy stories on fictionpress.com but that's not a given. I will let my readers know if I do. Anyhow, without further ado, here is the long awaited and postponed, Chapter eight of Happy Birthday, Cho.

Harry had been having disturbing dreams so he was not quite sure that what he was seeing was real as he regained consciousness. He was in the hospital wing, a place that he had spent more time in during his time at Hogwarts then anyone else since the era of Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs and he was closing in on their record.

His dreams had been very confusing yet even more disturbing. In one of them, Harry was barely scratched after the collision but Cho was paralyzed from the neck down. Most of them were like that, Harry being relatively unharmed but Cho with serious injuries. It was a possibility that Harry couldn't bear to think of.

As he came out of his coma, the first thing he realized was that it was nighttime. He was very sore and his muscles didn't want to move. He could barely sit up. Harry then heard a familiar voice from somewhere else in the room.

"Any improvement, Madame Pompfry?" the voice said.

"Well, Albus," Madame Pompfry replied. "Miss Chang came out of it for about half an hour earlier this evening. She had some food and asked about Mr. Potter, who has not awaked, to my knowledge. I'm not worried though. He should be up and at it by tomorrow."

"I should hope that that is the case because the whole school has been buzzing over the match and the aftermath so maybe this will create some semblance of order," Dumbledore said

Harry wanted to ask Dumbledore about the match but suddenly, unconsciousness took over again.

The next time Harry awoke, it was because the curtains of the hospital wing had been opened and the early morning sunlight was streaming through onto his closed eyelids. He blinked a few times before his eyes came open fully, but they went shut almost right away. He wasn't unconscious again; he was just tired. As his body became more awake he was aware that someone was singing. It was a beautiful, melodious sound. Harry didn't open his eyes again just yet. Instead, he let the song wash over his body

"Listen, my love to the song in my heart

It is calling to you in a beautiful song

Gently, so gently, it beckons your near me

And circles around you and carries you home

Come, to me, o my love

Come, to me, o my love

O, my love, come to me"

The singing then changed to a humming of the tune and Harry opened his eyes to see who it had been. The world was very blurry for Harry without his glasses so all he could see was a shape sitting with its legs hanging over the edge of the bed directly across from him. Harry reached over to the table and felt around until he found his glasses and placed them over his eyes and the world suddenly became clear, as did the figure sitting on the bed across from him. Harry was moderately surprised at who it was. It was none other than Cho. Harry pulled himself into a sitting position as Cho began to sing again. When she finished, Harry applauded. Cho, who obviously hadn't realized that Harry was awake, turned towards him in surprise and blushed a little.

"Sorry," she said. "I didn't mean to wake you."

"You didn't" Harry replied. "Besides, I wouldn't mind waking up to that. You're quite a good singer."

"No I'm not," Cho said blushing all the more.

"Yes, you are," Harry said. "I would say that even if I didn't know you and had just heard your voice." Cho shook her head but Harry was insistent. "Cho, I would never lie to you and I'm telling you; you are a good singer."

Cho smiled a little and looked at her feet. "How are you feeling?" she asked after a minute of silence.

"Not bad," said Harry. "A little tired, that's all. What time is it?"

"About six-thirty in the morning," she answered. "It's also Sunday in case you're wondering. We weren't out that long. I was up at about seven last night and you were still out so I was a little worried."

Harry nodded. "I woke up some time late last night. Dumbledore and Madame Pompfry were in here and they said you had been up."

Cho said, "Did anyone tell you what happened about the match? Madame Pompfry wouldn't tell me last night. She was worried I had a concussion or some kind of brain damage so she wouldn't answer any of my questions."

Harry shook his head and said, "I wasn't awake for that long and I don't think either Dumbledore or Madame Pompfry even knew I was up."

"Oh," Cho replied and there was another period of silence broken when the door opened and Hermione and Ron came in.

"Harry!" Hermione shouted. "You're up!" She ran over and gave him a hard hug causing Harry to wince. "Sorry," she said.

"'S'okay," Harry muttered. "I'm just sore is all."

"Well you should be mate," Ron said pulling Hermione off of his best friend. "You fell about forty feet."

"Is that all?" said Harry. "Well, I've fallen farther than that before. Remember third year?"

"How could we forget?" Hermione replied. She and Ron were now standing on the left side of his bed holding hands. "You scared everyone half to death with that."

Harry laughed. "Ah, the memories," he said.

Ron and Hermione shared his laugh. "Are you two feeling good enough to come down for breakfast or shall we bring you something?" Hermione asked.

"I'd love to go to breakfast but I don't think I can move very fast," Harry replied.

"What about you, Cho?" asked Hermione.

"I think I'll stay here and keep him company," she replied.

Ron and Hermione gave each other a knowing look and smiled before walking out.

After he ate his breakfast with Cho in the hospital wing, Harry felt he had enough strength to walk back to his common room. He still had potions homework and he doubted that Snape would give him a reprieve for Quidditch injuries. Cho laughed when he told her this and agreed that Snape was a greasy-haired old git.

Cho said she would walk Harry back to the portrait hole despite Harry insisting that he could do it himself. Harry really didn't mind, but he didn't want Cho to go out of her way just because she was in better shape than he. Madame Pompfry was used to Harry just walking out of the hospital wing when he felt up to it so Harry didn't think it would matter.

Cho took Harry's hand as the walked down the corridor leading away from the hospital wing. "Are you sure, you're feeling okay?" she asked.

"I told you before, yes," Harry replied.

"I know," Cho said. "It's just that I don't want anything bad to happen to you."

"I totally understand, Cho, but I honestly feel fine."

"Do you feel good enough to have a date tonight?" she asked.

"I'm pretty sure I can manage that," Harry replied. "I'll need to get my homework done first though."

"Oh, me too," Cho replied. "You forget I have N.E.W.Ts coming up soon so my teachers are laying on the work."

"I can imagine," Harry replied. "How about seven-thirty tonight by the lake?"

"Sounds great," Cho said and stood on her tiptoes to kiss Harry on the cheek. Harry was about eight inches taller than she was, but neither of them really cared.

The two reached the portrait hole and said their good-byes, promising not to be late for their date and hugged before Cho walked away.

"I honestly haven't seen anything quite like you two since Lily and James were here," the Fat Lady said.

"I've already heard THAT one from Professor McGonagall, but it's still nice to hear," Harry replied then he spoke the password. "Godric"

The Fat Lady swung open for him and he climbed into the common room. It was almost deserted although Harry did see the remains of a party that evidently had happened the previous night while he was in the hospital wing. It was a beautiful day outside and he supposed that most people would want to spend it outside. Seeing as he had a date that evening, he didn't want to use up his energy walking outside. He thought that he might drain himself just walking up the stairs to his dormitory to get his potions homework.

Harry hobbled his way up the staircase until he reached the sixth year boys dormitory. He walked in the door and noticed that Ron was also in the room searching frantically through his trunk.

"Whatcha looking for, mate?" Harry asked and Ron looked up to regard him.

"Parchment," he replied. "I need to work on Flitwick's homework and I can find any damned parchment!"

Ron's ears were turning their customary shade of red that they did when he was angry about something.

"Something the matter, Ron?" Harry queried.

"Me and Hermione are fighting," Ron replied dejectedly.

"What about?" Harry asked with sincere concern in his voice.

"Well," Ron began. "After we took you and Cho your breakfast we were going to go to the library and study for the charms final."

(A/N: Just a little head's up, this section is in First Person: Ron's P.O.V.)

As we got closer to the library we went around a corner and we ran into Cho's friend Stephanie Druin. You know her? Technically, we didn't run into her I did. She must have been carrying four or five books and a load of parchment because when I ran into her it spilled out of her hands and all of the ground. I tell you, mate, it's a good thing she was carrying any ink in her arms otherwise it would've been a messy situation. Well, I guess it is a messy situation, but I'll get to that later.

Anywho, I felt really bad, what with knocking over her stuff and all so I helped pick it up and I apologized.

"Thanks, Ron," she says and gives me a kiss on the cheek and then walks away

Now, I've just been kissed, right? So I do what any guy after he's been kissed on the cheek. I bring my hand up and touch where she kissed me, right.

Now, Hermione gets all offended and says, "Oh, I suppose that kiss was so much better than mine." I try to respond here but she just keeps going. "Don't say anything Ron. I can take a hint." And she storms off but then she turns 'round and says, "I'll bet Harry wouldn't do that to Cho. And with me right next to you, Ronald Weasley!" and then she fumes off.

Now, a fair crowd had built around here, what with her making a scene and all and I'm standing there all dumbfounded because Hermione just yelled at me and she hasn't yelled at me since we started dating so now I'm not sure if my relationship with her is over or not and I still have homework to do and I don't know if I can look at my charms notes because you aren't in that class with us so we write little notes to each other on my parchment, and O BLOODY HELL! I can't even find my damned parchment!

(End Ron's P.O.V)

Ron then fell down on his bed and buried his face in his hands. His shoulders were moving up and down and Harry could tell that his friend was crying. Harry sat down next to Ron and patted him on the back.

"Ron," he said. "It's going to be okay. Look, I'll go find Hermione and talk to her. I'm sure it's nothing. I mean, you guys fought all the time before."

"But before was different," Ron said pulling his face up and away from Harry. He obviously didn't want his best friend to see him cry. "Before we hadn't held hands or kissed or dated or anything. She was just my friend and now Dumbledore comes up to me and says that she's my true love but my true love just yelled at me over nothing."

"Look, Ron," Harry replied sternly. "Just because it's true love, doesn't mean it's going to be perfect. I'm sure that my parents had fights. I know your parents have had fights and I'm pretty sure me and Cho will have fights. But I know that my parents loved each other, your parents love each other, me and Cho love each other and I know that you and Hermione love each other. I'll go talk to her. I didn't think I had the strength before because I was so sore but I feel better now. I'll go talk to her after you tell me one thing."

Ron sniffed before responding. "What's that, mate?"

Harry took on a different façade as he asked, "Who won yesterday?"

Ron laughed. "I knew you would ask that."

"Well"

"Well," Ron began. "After you and Cho had been carted off no one had left so Dumbledore got down on to the pitch and announced that (Ron puts on a Dumbledore impression) this is the first time that something like this has happened but a tie in the Quidditch Cup finals is not and that Gryffindor and Ravenclaw are Co-Champions. We both get our teams engraved on the trophy and all that good stuff."

"Great," said Harry. "I'm going to go find Hermione now."

"Thanks mate," said Ron wiping his face on his robes.

"No problem," said Harry walking away. "Oh, and Ron"

"Yeah?"

"Your Dumbledore needs work."

They both laughed and Harry walked out of the dormitory in search of Hermione.

A/N: At Last! Chapter Eight has been completed. I decided to add a subplot to make it more interesting. I hope you liked it even though it's been ten months since I updated and I'm eternally sorry for that. Summer is really the only time I can write for as long as it takes so I'll try to finish this fic this summer so we don't have another long break. Please R & R and Ill get cracking on chapter nine.

Thanx

ruhnas