"The Secret"
Chapter One
Harry shook the snow out of his head, as he entered the warm, small inn otherwise known as the Three Broomsticks. The weather was getting colder and colder each day. Even Harry's heavy wool coat, snow pants, two pairs of sweaters, and red and gold scarf couldn't stop him from shivering in the winter weather. He took off his gloves, placing them in his left pocket, before stretching his numb fingers. He scanned the crowded, noisy, smoky room, before a familiar voice called out, "Oi, Harry, over here!"
Harry looked over at the person who called his name. He smiled. He walked over to the table near the beautifully decorated Christmas tree and cackling fireplace, where she was waiting for him. "Hey Cho.", he greeted cheerfully, as he slid into his seat across from her. "Sorry, if I kept you here waiting too long.", he apologized.
"It's okay. I only arrived a few minutes before you did.", she answered, smiling, flipping back her long black hair. "Freezing weather we're having today, huh?"
"You got that right.", he grumbled, before he asked. "Hey, you want me to get a butterbeer for you?"
Cho nodded. "Sure."
Harry left his seat, only returning a few minutes later carrying two foaming cups of hot butterbeer in his hands. "Drink up.", he said, handing her one. He drank his deeply, feeling the liquid, already warming every inch of his body.
"So,", Cho began, wiping the foam off her top lip, "was there anything you wanted to talk to me about?"
"Not really. Just wanted to see how you were doing.", he said, nonchalantly. "I'm just so bored. Ron's away visiting Charlie in Romania with his family, Hermione's in France, and everybody else is home. Why are you staying in school for Christmas vacation?"
"My mom and dad decided to dump me at school for Christmas, while they go on a trip to Hawaii. Pretty nice of them, huh?", she said sarcastically. "At least they mailed me my presents."
Harry smiled. He had gotten a few gifts ,too. Ron had sent him a navy blue sweater with a 'H' printed in red on it stitched by Mrs. Weasley, Hermione mailed him a whole bag of candy canes and chocolate that would last him a month and a moving poster of his favorite sport, quidditch, and Hagrid gave him shiny gold cage for Hedwig. He also suspected Dumbledore had left him that parcel on his bed on Christmas morning. When he opened it, he found a old, bit dusty broomstick that had little, gold words printed near the top 'Express 007'. There was a note that came with it too. It read in narrow, loopy writing:
Dear Harry,
This is another and the very last thing your father left me in my care, hoping that I would pass it on to you someday. He would be proud of how much you've grown these couple of years.
Take Care and Merry Christmas!
It was his father's broomstick when he had been at Hogwarts and played quidditch for Gryffindor. That had been the best Christmas present of all. The Dursley's this year had not sent a present at all. Not even a old gray sock or a hanger, like they usually send. Not that Harry cared or anything."So, Harry how much homework do you have left to finish?", she asked, interrupting his thoughts.
"Well…I think I just have an 400 word essay to write for Snape and that's it.", he answered. "What about you?"
Cho frowned slightly, before she slowly slammed her head against the table, "I'm such a idiot. I only did a paper for Professor McGonagall. I have at least 3 more essays to write, not to mention do I have to finish learning how to turn a stool into pig, and I only have a week to do it all!", she exclaimed.
"Haha,", he laughed. "That's what you get for doing it all at the last minute."
"Whatever.", she sighed.
Harry studied his Asian friend that sat across from him. Her elbow was propped up to support her fair face that had on a distressing expression. Her long ,black hair was trailing behind her back and had a blue and silver ribbon in her hair that kept her hair out of her face. She was pretty, sure, any person with two eyeballs could see that. Hell, Harry used to have a crush on her a few years ago. They were just friends now. Not best friends or anything, but friends. "Cho?"
"Yeah?"
"You know you're a good friend of mine ,right?", he asked.
Cho let out a smile. "Yeah….", she said.
"And you know that I can trust you to be honest with me and all, but if I tell you something, do you think you can keep it a secret?", Harry asked, his expression going serious.
Cho raised a brow. "Yeah….", she wondered where this was going.
"You promise you won't tell anyone when I tell you this?", he asked. "I mean absolutely no one. No one can know about this until I feel up to telling them."
She frowned. "What's wrong Harry?", she asked concerned. "You know you can tell me anything."
Harry suddenly felt uneasy. His stomach was getting queasy and he hadn't felt this nervous since, well since his first quidditch game. He knew he could trust her. It was much easier confessing this to her then Ron or Hermione. He didn't want to know how they would react. But he had to tell someone about his secret. It had been bugging him for the past two weeks. He felt like his brain was going to explode. "Cho, I think I'm…"
Cho waited. "Yeah..?", she said, hoping he would go on. " I think I'm what?"
Harry's mouth was open, but no words were coming out. He was frozen.
"Harry?"
He recovered quickly and said, "I think I'm going to get another butterbeer. What about you?"
Cho stared at him with confusion, "What?!"
"I think I'm going to get another butterbeer. You want me to get you one?", he repeated.
"Uh…no thanks.", she answered., puzzlement still marked on her face.
"Oh ok. Be right back.", he got up, heading toward the bar.
He had chickened out. He was this close telling her his secret that's been bothering him endlessly, pleading him to tell someone. But he had chickened out.
'Coward', a voice at the back of his mind whispered.
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