Asking out Cho
The next week was easier for Hermione. She was back to her normal self, and regained her spot as top student of her class. She hung out with Lavender whenever she had free time, and they became very close. She no longer spent any time with Ron (or Harry, but that's obvious). She had moved on with her life.
Harry wasn't quite so sure of himself, though. He was still trying to sort out his thoughts and feelings. He wasn't sure he had done the right thing in suggesting to Hermione that they just be friends. He still liked her, and he wanted a little more than 'just friends'. In fact, he wasn't sure he was even getting friendship from Hermione. It seemed to him that Hermione was forgetting about him, and Ron too. She seemed to spend all of her time with Lavender Brown, another Gryffindor 7th year. I just want things to go back to normal, he thought. Well, no I don't. Do I? Don't I want to date Hermione? But it's not meant to be. Even Cho said so. But Cho may have been jealous. She wanted to date me too. But then why didn't she ask me to Hogsmede last Saturday? Doesn't she like me? Maybe she doesn't. Then why was she bloody trying to seduce me? Was she not trying to? Is that her way of being friendly? No, it can't have been. She acted normal towards me last weekend. Was she dared to have sex with me? No, why would someone dare her to do that? Harry sat there confused by his thoughts. Why am I even thinking about her? Do I like her after all? Was that why I suggested that Hermione and I just be friends? Maybe I should ask her to Hogsmede this weekend. Harry decided that that was probably the thing to do.
On Friday night he decided to approach her. He found her outside of the prefect dormitories. She was wearing her Quidditch uniform and was obviously headed for practice. She stopped when she saw him, though, and said, "Hi Harry! What's up?"
"Not much. Do you have a date for Hogsmede?" he asked.
"No, not yet. I was planning on asking Seamus Finnigan because nobody had asked me and he was a pretty good date last weekend. If you want, though, I could go with you. I haven't asked Seamus yet, and I would prefer to go with you even though you were a pretty lousy date the first time. So, do you want to go with me?" said Cho.
"Yah, that'd be great. Thanks a lot. I know it's really last minute."
"Okay, so what time do you want to meet? Last time you took a while to get ready, so maybe a bit later this time, or would you prefer that we went early?" Cho asked.
"How about 6:30? We can go for dinner, and then maybe do something afterwards if you like," Harry suggested.
"Sounds good. I'll meet you in the Great Hall for 6:15," Cho agreed. She smiled at Harry, then continued down the hall.
Harry wasn't sure if he had done the right thing, but he needed to see if he really did like Cho. With that thought, he headed back to his room. If he was going to Hogsmede tomorrow he needed to pick out something to wear.