Chapter 8: Back to Madam Puddifoot's
"No wonder you miss him," Cho said in a choked up voice, when Harry had finished his story. She sat up from where she had been reclining and dabbed at the corners of her eyes with a sleeve, laughing slightly, as though embarrassed with herself. Cho's emotion however, seemed to infect Harry's, and tears threatened to fall from his eyes as well.
Harry turned to the lake hoping Cho would not notice this. "I know you didn't fancy when I did it," Cho began, giving him an affectionate kind of look, "but it is alright to cry, you know. Sometimes it's even helpful." Harry wholeheartedly agreed with this and felt a little better.
Then he realized something. "It's funny... I think the last time I cried was right here," he said, in an offhand sort of voice. Far from being surprised Cho merely looked around. "I remember," she said, giving him another one of those soft smiles she seemed to reserve only for him.
Harry's face went pale. "I saw you here," Cho continued placidly, "end of last term, and—" "You saw me... here," Harry said, his feeling of shock turning into embarrassment. He got to his feet. "Yes Harry," Cho said quickly, also rising. "That's why this is my favorite spot now."
Harry stared back at Cho, who took a few tentative steps towards him. "This is where I go to have a peaceful think about things—er, people rather... well," she stopped directly in front of him and looked up into his emerald green eyes. "One person, actually..." and it could not be plainer to Harry that Cho was talking about him.
It seemed that Ginny had been right about her. Cho had been thinking about him, right here, as a matter of fact. This is where she'd spend her free time, ever since the end of last term; the reason nobody had really seen her around much.
Then Harry remembered the scene in front of the Mirror of Erised and his mind sped into action. Cho had wanted to see Cedric, and when she saw him, she told him about Harry, and at the end, she said good bye to him. She wanted closure, he thought—that's what Tonks would say.
She also had wanted to see him, Harry, and when she did, she had apologized, for everything it seemed. It all made sense somehow. Harry was suddenly overcome by a strong feeling of affection for the girl in front of him; the girl who had, just hours ago, saved his life.
Then he remembered how Cho had thought the mirror was showing her the past; who she'd lost. She thinks she's lost him. "This person," Harry said, "He's really lucky." At these words Cho's eyes glazed over, as though she were remembering something, and Harry suspected she too, was thinking about the mirror.
Then her expression turned glum and she looked out at the lake, taking a few steps towards it, away from Harry. "Well," she said, in a quavering voice, "I've already lost him so it doesn't really mat—"
"No," Harry said so suddenly, that Cho stared at him, looking startled. He wasn't going to let her finish what she was about to say. She hadn't lost him. He, Harry, was going to admit what he'd been feeling for some time now; that he still cared about her. He wanted to comfort her, now more than ever.
Nervous though he was about what he was about to do, he walked purposely to her. "You haven't," he said, gently cradling her head in his hands, and now Cho looked a bit frightened. Then Harry kissed her very slowly, very tenderly; letting his nerves drain away.
Cho grabbed a handful of his robes and pulled as though she were trying to keep her balance. Her lips were as soft and sweet as Harry remembered, and when he pulled his face away from hers, he knew he had done the right thing.
Cho opened her eyes and Harry saw that the fright had turned to disbelief. There were tears standing in them, but this time, they were happy tears. "Do you mean it, do you really mean it?" she asked, trembling as though she did not dare to believe it. Harry pulled her into a tight embrace. "Yes... I do," he said softly.
It was hard to tell who was squeezing the other harder. Harry hugged Cho so tightly that he was worried he'd actually bruise her, and Cho held onto Harry as though she never wanted to let him go and, although he could not breathe properly, it felt very nice indeed. After an extended moment, they reluctantly released each other.
"Oh Harry," Cho said softly, "I've only ever wanted to be here for you. You don't know what this means to me... what you mean to me." "Oh... well," Harry said, the image of Cho and the mirror coming to mind once more. "I have an idea," he grinned. Cho smiled and stood on tiptoes to give him a kiss.
Everything seemed to make sense now. Cho still fancied him. And Ginny had known because Marietta had told her. That's why Marietta was looking for Ginny right before dinner on that Saturday after the ball. Ginny had even mentioned how Cho didn't dance with anyone that night.
"I never got to dance with you," Harry said regretfully, remembering that he had been on his way to see her and might have even asked for a dance, had he not taken a little detour named Gabrielle. Cho smiled. "That's okay. I can forgive you for that," she said, grinning, "Mark... Evans, was it—is another story."
"What's wrong with Mark?" Harry asked, semi-defensively. Cho laughed slightly. "Nothing, I'm sure... but Gabrielle is a little delicate, and I just don't want to take any chances, that's all." Harry took hold of her hands. "Mark's a good kid," he reassured her, "and besides, Gabrielle's got you and me to look after her."
"Yes," Cho agreed, "but she's always on about him, and they're still a bit young, you know. I mean, when did you start thinking about someone like that?" Harry considered this. "Well... not until my third year, I suppose."
Cho looked at him quizzically. "It was right before this quidditch match," he elaborated, and Cho grinned, catching his meaning. "She was the seeker on the other team, and she was beauti—" "Okay, okay," Cho cut in, though Harry noticed she had gone pink.
He pulled her into another hug and noted how good it felt to hold someone this way, almost with his whole body. Then he recalled not having felt this warm since the last time he'd worn that odd cloak. And then it hit him. "Hang on," he said, letting go of her.
"It was you... you put that cloak on me when I was here that night." He was half-thinking out-loud. Cho shrugged innocently. "You looked cold," she said, tenderly taking hold of his hands and brining them to her lips, "but I didn't want to bother you."
Harry felt another surge of affection, but he really wanted to stay on the subject. "But it's so big," he said, thinking of how the cloak seemed fit him perfectly and how much taller he was than Cho. "It was my brother's cloak," she replied, but this did not make sense either; Cho's brother was much taller than Harry was.
"It's magical you see," she continued, "It conforms to fit its owner. My brother gave it to me when we were in Hogsmeade; remember how hard it was raining the night term started... anyway, consider it an I'm-sorry present, for how I acted last year."
"You didn't have to do that. I—" "I wanted to," Cho interrupted, "it felt really good when I did it... like I was the one keeping you warm." Cho shrugged and then smiled, and Harry smiled back, noticing he hadn't felt this happy for almost a month now.
"Speaking of last year," Harry said, recalling their fight right before his last occlumency lesson with Snape, "I know I wasn't very, uh... tactful." Hermione's description had stuck out in his mind. Cho simply shook her head. "You had a lot to cope with, I know," she said, as though Harry need not apologize for his part in their breakup.
"Well," Harry said suddenly, "Let's just forget all of that then; just start over, I mean." Cho smiled again. "I'd like that," she said pleasantly. "Well then," Harry said brightly, remembering the first time he'd ask Cho out. He cleared his throat and put on a mock nervous voice. "Ah, do you want to come into Hogsmeade with me tomorrow?"
Cho sniggered, obviously remembering the same occasion. "Oh, yes," she said, in a mock breathless voice. "Right, well that's settled then," Harry finished, and they both laughed. Harry looked up at the moon and suddenly realized how late it must be now.
Cho must have grasped the same thought because she half suggested splitting up, pointing out that, if they were to get caught separately, they might receive detention together.
"As tempting as detention with you sounds, I think I've got a better idea," Harry said, opening up his bag and extracting his father's old cloak. He put it over the pair of them and Cho took his arm affectionately. "Let's get you back to your dorm then, shall we," Harry said with a grin.
Despite the fact that they were under the invisibility cloak, Harry thought that their moonlit stroll was quite romantic. He looked at Cho's face, illuminated by the light of the moon through the thin, silky cloak, and saw a thoughtful expression on her soft face.
"What's up?" Harry asked, his curiosity getting the better of him. "I was just wondering," Cho said, still looking pensive, "Have you been back to the room of requirement lately?" Harry just managed to wipe the surprised expression off his face before Cho's eyes met his.
"Why do you ask," he said, keeping his cool and giving her an innocently puzzled look. She returned her gaze to the oak front doors that were slowly looming nearer. "There was this mirror there and..." Cho paused, still thinking. "It's a little hard to explain," she finished.
Cho looked at Harry again, but this time Harry did not dare look at her. It felt as though she was staring right through him. "Do you think magical devices could be mistaken?" she asked, her thoughts clearly on Harry's image in the mirror.
"Yeah, I reckon they can," Harry guessed. This seemed to do the trick because Cho's face immediately brightened. "I hope so," she said, and then she lovingly squeezed his arm. Harry couldn't help but feel guilty after that and told himself he would be honest with her... from now on, anyway.
Just as they reached the oak front doors, there was a sudden creaking noise and one of the huge doors began to swing open. A seventh year Hufflepuff prefect stepped out, closed the door behind him, and leaning against it so that it would have been impossible for Harry and Cho to enter.
The student rummaged in his robes for a moment and then pulled out something very small, which he brought to his lips. Then he lit one end of the cigarette with a bit of flame from the tip of his wand.
"Disgusting," Cho muttered, and both Harry and the prefect looked in her direction. Surprised no doubt by a voice from an unseen someone, the seventh year dropped his cigarette and took several steps towards them, drawing his wand as he did. Cho quickly turned to Harry. "I'm sorry," she mouthed as Harry led her away very slowly.
The prefect stopped a few feet from them and looked around nervously. After a moment he seemed to relax and walked back to the double doors. He picked up his cigarette and started puffing on it once more, and after a while, even started humming some slow tune.
Harry looked down at Cho who was still looking apologetic, but now there was a bit of fright mingled with the sorry expression. Sensing that it would be okay, Harry gave her a quick smile, which regretted this almost at once.
A mischievous grin came over her lips and she took hold of Harry's hands, moving them to the small of her back. Then she placed her arms about his neck and gently pressed her body to his. Harry remembered the occasions in which he had witnessed this reckless side of Cho and knew this would be another one.
He couldn't believe Cho wanted to dance just now, but he supposed the humming prefect near by would not notice if they moved slowly enough. Besides, they could not enter through the front doors unnoticed so long as he was around.
So they danced, slowly and very quietly, underneath the moonlit sky, as well as the invisibility cloak. They were enjoying themselves so much, wondering what each other was thinking, that they hadn't even noticed when the prefect had set off. They simply realized that he was quite some distance away by the time they caught sight of him.
Harry wasn't sure it was a good idea when Cho removed his father's old cloak and tucked it away safely into his bag, but then she took his hand and they started towards her dormitory, and he decided not to argue the point.
It felt quite nice to Harry to be walking hand in hand with Cho Chang, even if, or perhaps because, it was very late at night. But the moment they reached a familiar corridor that led to Ravenclaw House, Harry's heart seemed to skip a beat and he noticed the shadow that Parvati had once pushed him into.
Cho stopped and squeezed his hand, and for one wild second Harry thought she could read his mind, but when he looked at her, she was not looking at him or the shadow filled wall. Cho was watching a torch-lit corner very intently. "Listen," she whispered.
Then Harry heard the footsteps as well, but before he could cast around for a spot to hide, Cho spotted the dark shadow Harry would rather have avoided and pulled him in just as two patrolling prefects rounded the corner.
It was Ron and Hermione, making their rounds hand in hand. Surprisingly Harry was not upset at this, but he knew that it was because he actually missed them. He felt Cho's eyes on him and flashed her a grin. Cho returned a smile and they both looked back at Ron and Hermione.
"They make a cute couple," Harry said, nodding approvingly. "They do," Cho agreed, turning playfully back to him, "But I can think of a cuter couple." Harry had been feeling more and more comfortable with Cho as the night went on, but at these words he felt himself go red.
They stepped out of the shadow and watched the two prefects disappear behind another corridor. Harry had been watching Hermione; thinking about her image in the Mirror of Erised, and suddenly knew what he should do. "Would you mind if I met you at Madam Puddifoot's tomorrow," he asked Cho, "I think it's time I made things right.
"Alright," she said, wrapping her slender arms around one of his and giving it another affectionate squeeze. As had been the case for most of their journey, Harry felt an urge to kiss her again and suddenly recalled the bitter feeling he had had when Hermione pointed out how he never "started it". "It's not like I'm scared or anything... I just haven't tried, that's all..."
Harry couldn't help but grin as he started leading Cho back into the shadow. "What are you doing?" asked Cho, allowing herself to be led backwards, although a bit hesitantly. "I'm not really that kind of girl, you know..." "I know that... I just wanted to kiss you good night, that's all," he said innocently, "trust me." Then Cho grinned slyly, and Harry knew that this shadow would never remind him of Parvati again.
; )
Harry awoke the following morning to an empty dormitory and immediately dressed for breakfast. On his way to the owlry, he thought about what he would say to Hermione and wondered vaguely what Ron would think about it.
Because he was still feeling a bit giddy about his reconciliation with Cho, he decided he would surprise Hermione and Ron with the news once he got them to Madam Puddifoot's, if he managed this, that is. Harry also thought of surprising Cho by sending her a small token.
When he reached the owlry, he called down one of the school owls, a brown, and attached the replica Firebolt Tonks had given him last Christmas to one of its legs. He couldn't use his own snowy owl because it would be obvious who the present had come from even before it was opened.
After the owl had left, Harry took a look around for Hedwig, hoping she would not be mad with him, as she had been one occasion in which he used a school owl instead of her to send a message to Sirius. He guessed she had not yet returned from the night's hunting because she was nowhere in sight.
Some ten minutes later Harry was to be found readying himself to enter the Great Hall. With a deep breath he wished himself luck and then entered. As he approached the Gryffindor table however, Harry could not help but look quickly over at the Ravenclaws and, as easy as it usually was for him to spot Cho in a crowd, it seemed even easier this morning.
She glanced at him just as he spotted her and gave him a quick wink that put a grin on his face. Harry thought of the small gift he had just sent her and had to turn away to hide his anticipation. Instead, Harry continued down the Gryffindor table and concentrated on finding his old friends.
And there they were; Ron and Hermione, sitting together about halfway down the table and trying, in Harry's opinion, to look as though they were still just friends; there was more room between them than usually. Harry stopped just behind them.
"How was patrol duty?" he asked casually. "Fine," Ron said, surprised, although Hermione did not move; on the contrary, she seemed to have frozen. He smiled at Ron, rather indifferently, and Ron gave him an anxious nod, as though he had been waiting for this.
"Look Hermione," Harry began, quite clearly, "I'm sorry about what I said. I didn't mean any of it. I was really stupid." Still, Hermione did not move. Harry had a feeling she would have to see his face in order to know just how sorry he really was, so he took a seat beside her, straddling the bench so he could face her directly and half-expecting her to scoot away from him, but still, she did not move.
"Hermione," he said softly, "please look at me." At first Hermione did nothing, but then she turned very slowly to him, her expression detached, as though she really did not want to hear what he had to say. But Harry noticed that she was fighting back tears and knew there was some hope of getting through to her.
"Listen," he said, resisting the urge to take hold of her hand, "I know how much you mean to me, even if you don't. You're one of my best friends, and... I miss you." Hermione closed her eyes and two great tears rolled down her cheeks.
"Oh, it's alright," she squeaked, wiping her face with a sleeve. "I shouldn't have... I mean—" but Harry interrupted, "You meant well Hermione... I know that now." She looked at him hopefully. "I was a git," he admitted, shaking his head in self-disgust. "I'm really, really sorry. You have to believe me."
Hermione nodded at him and half-sobbed, half-smiled, and Harry smiled back. Her eyes told him all he needed to know; she had forgiven him. Harry outstretched his arms to give her a hug, and Hermione hugged him back. Further down the Ravenclaw table, Harry caught sight of Cho, who grinned.
"So," Harry said to Ron, after he and Hermione had let go of each other, "Hogsmeade today." "Yeah," said Ron, looking quickly at Hermione. "Harry," she began slowly, "We have to tell you some—" "You know," Harry said loudly, cutting her off, "I reckon Ginny's right... you two do look good together."
The pair of them shared a surprised look and then goggled at him. "How did you know," asked Hermione quietly. "Yeah..." Ron joined in, "we haven't told anyone yet." Harry smirked. "I saw you two at Hagrid's," he said casually.
Ron and Hermione stared at one another once more. "I guessed you go there," he told Hermione, and then he gave Ron a suggestive look, "but when I looked into the pumpkin patch..." he left it hanging.
Comprehension dawned on the couple and then they shared a grin, which made Harry want to laugh. "Hagrid was looking for all three of us," Ron said suddenly, "but he found me first, and you'll never believe—" but then Ron stopped himself and look around casually.
"We'll tell you at Hogsmeade," Hermione half-whispered. "Right," Ron agreed, "no one else should hear this." "Okay, I know just where to go, then," Harry said, pulling a bowl of cereal towards him and reaching for the milk jug. "I've got loads to tell you two."
A few minutes later the sudden sounds of screeching and fluttering announced the arrival of the morning post. Harry turned his head upward, as though looking for Hedwig, but out of the corner of his eyes, watched Cho instead.
As expected, when the owl landed in front of her, she looked doubtfully at it. The brown walked right up to her and she finally reached out for the parcel. Cho untied the package, unwrapped it carefully, and then stared at the miniature Firebolt. A smug smirk appeared upon her face.
Harry smiled, and then, "Ouch!" Hedwig had nipped at his finger and was now trying to deliver the small envelope attached to her leg. "What's that?" asked Ron. "Dunno," Harry said, relieving Hedwig of the small letter and offering her a piece of toast.
The envelope was actually an elaborately folded piece of parchment, and at first Harry did not see anything else. But then he looked at it properly and his heart gave a jolt. There, in the middle of the parchment was a drawing of a golden snitch with the intertwining letters H and X artfully etched into the background.
"Well we know who the H is," said Ron, "but who'd you reckon the X is?" Harry shrugged, though he knew perfectly well who sent it to him. He carefully selected his words. "I haven't been introduced to anyone whose name started with that letter," he said, hopeful he'd remember to ask Cho about the X some time.
; )
When they reached the high street at Hogsmeade, Harry immediately started off towards Madam Puddifoots. "You'll never guess who I ran into last night," he told them. "Ginny," Hermione guessed, and Ron made a sour face. "Was she on patrol by herself," Ron half-demanded.
"Dunno," Harry answered truthfully, "but Belatrix wasn't alone." Harry heard them stop in their tracks. "She was in the Forbidden Forest with a couple of Dementors," he continued, turning to give them a serious look. "You're not joking, are you," asked Ron nervously.
Harry shook his head gravely and, for the rest of the journey, did all the talking while his two best friends listened in numb disbelief. During the explanation Harry purposely left out Cho's involvement, which raised a few questions from Hermione that Harry tactically ignored by pretending not to hear them.
Ron and Hermione did not notice the name of the little café they were entering because they had begun to ask for more details about what had happened. Ron was just about to ask Harry another question when he froze, noticing that every single table was composed of couples, most of whom were kissing.
Hermione raised an eyebrow at Harry and Ron's ears started turning red. "Ah, is there some reason you brought us here?" Hermione asked suspiciously. Harry however, merely scanned the café and saw Cho seated at a half-hidden table for four with her back to them. "Come on," Harry said, starting towards her.
"Can we sit here," he asked when they had reached the table, and Cho turned around. The looks on Ron and Hermione's faces were well worth the effort it took for Harry to not have mentioned Cho this whole time. He took a seat and, thoroughly enjoying the moment, kissed her on the cheek as she took hold of his hand.
"Hullo Hermione, Ronald," Cho said, smiling at the pair of them. Ron and Hermione looked at each other, then at Harry, and then back at Cho. "You two made up, then," Ron said, as though this could not be more obvious. Harry and Cho shared a grin.
"Hang on," Hermione said suddenly, a small smile playing on her lips. "Were you two together last night?" Again, Harry and Cho grinned at each other. Hermione took a seat and tugged on Ron's sleeve rather hard, practically pulling him into the last seat. "So can we get the whole story, then?" Hermione asked Cho, "Harry seems to have left you out of it."
Unnoticed by the overly affectionate couples around them, they spent the next half-hour quietly talking about the fresh attempt on Harry's life, as well as the return of Buckbeak the Hippogriff to the Forbidden Forrest and to Hagrid's care.
"So, you saw our old car, then," Ron asked, grinning. Harry grinned back. "She would've had us," Cho said, "that car came just in time." "Yeah," Harry laughed, "smacked right into her. She was out of it for bit." Ron grinned, "I guess she got... tired." They all broke into laughter and several kissing couples stopped and stared at them, some looking put out.
With a slightly embarrassed sort of look, Cho and Hermione glanced at Harry and Ron and then at each other. "Bathroom?" Hermione suggested, rising from her seat. "Yes," Cho agreed, standing up, "It's right this way." Harry watched them walking off, linked by the arms, as though they had been friends for quite some time. "It's too bad about your broom," Hermione was saying to Cho. "We were just glad she flew off," he heard Cho say.
Harry turned to Ron, expecting to see the same expression on his best friend's face as had appeared on his own; that of bewilderment. But Ron merely looked bored and drummed his finders on the table. "You'd think they were mates," he said to Ron; he had a feeling that Ron knew more about it than he did. "Oh," Ron said suddenly, "they've been... for a while now."
"What," Harry said, surprised. "Yeah. Remember that duel Hermione told us she interrupted—between a Ravenclaw and a Slytherin? Well it was actually Pansy and Millicent who tried to ambush Hermione, but Cho turned up and ah, evened the odds." Ron had an odd expression on his face that Harry could not read.
"When McGonagall turned up, Hermione was terrified—thought she'd loose her badge. But Cho lied right to McGonagall's face—told her she was dueling with Millicent and that Hermione had just stopped 'em. Pansy played along; probably was just as scared as Hermione. Cho and pug-face got detention for a week, but her and Hermione have been mates ever since."
Harry remembered the time he had noticed something pass between Hermione and Cho at the Gryffindor ball. So that's what that was, he thought. Then he recalled a talk with Hermione where she told him to "leave Cho out of it." She didn't want anyone to say anything bad about her.
"So," Ron said, a bit airily, "you don't think she's gonna ah, act like she did last term?" Harry looked around to make sure the couples around them were still preoccupied. "Remember that mirror back in our first year," Harry asked in barely a whisper. Ron nodded.
"Well, I managed to make it come to the DA room, only I left the door unlocked by accident." Ron's eyes went wide. "Then, Cho came in, but not before I got back under my dad's cloak. It turns out that Cho's deepest desire—" Ron clapped his hands to his ears. "Wait, do I wanna hear this" he said in a pained whispered.
Harry laughed. "Anyway," he continued, "her deepest desire was to say good-bye to Cedric, and to apologize to me. She sort of even asked the mirror if I still fancied her." For a moment, Ron nodded approvingly, but then he gave Harry a sidelong look. "So," he said, in that same airy voice, "you and Cho. I thought ah, you and Parvati."
Harry immediately panicked and let loose the first retort that came to mind. "What about you and Padma," he said in a high pitched whisper, and it was Ron's turn to panic. "That—it was—I sort of just—went along with it," he sputtered.
"Thought she could keep a secret," Harry muttered, not really registering what Ron was going on about. "Yeah," Ron agreed, his face looking glum. "That's what she said to me, too." Harry's mind froze. Had Ron just admitted that Parvati Patil kissed him as well?
"You mean," Harry chocked, "You... and... Parvati?!" Ron shook his head. "Padma," he corrected. Harry's mind sped back into action, much like it had when he mistook Hermione's meaning on the morning after the ball. "Padma," he said dully, looking towards the bathrooms for a sign of the girls.
"Hang on," said Ron, comprehension dawning on his face. He looked at Harry critically, rising very slowly from his seat. "You kissed her, didn't you," he said, triumphantly. "You kissed her sister," Harry fired back, smirking.
Ron's demeanor changed almost instantly, his face turning pale. He cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Right," he said, after a moment, "I won't tell if you don't." He was half-pleading. "Deal," Harry grinned, and a small laugh escaped Ron's lips.
"You think we should sign a jinx or something," Harry joked, and Ron considered this for a moment. "Nah, I recon those two can do worse things to us," he said, "and that's enough to keep me quiet." Harry gave it some further thought. "Maybe," he began slowly, still thinking, "Maybe they wouldn't be all that upset?"
A short silence followed in which the pair of them stared at each other, considering this possibility. Then, at the exact same moment, Harry and Ron burst into tearful and uncontrollable laughter. The whole café turned as one to survey the two madmen and threw them reproachful looks. Harry hadn't laughed this hard in such a long time, and by the looks of it, neither had Ron.