Hey y'all! Sorry about the double post thing! I've been busy but I updated anyways!

A big thanks to my reviewers, LT200 - glad you like me adding Grawp and Hagrid. My forum gals Vivi and Shari - you know you rock! El Permanente - I especially love your reviews! And Angel3ve - Oops sorry I didn't realise I said it wrong, but thanks for pointing that out! And Thankx for your review!

Okay on with the story whereby Harry and Cho reconcile when Cho has a nasty encounter with a certain Slytherin (its not who you think it it!). Enjoy!

Disclaimer - I dun own nuthing!

Chapter 7 - Consequences

Cho crossed her arms and huddled deep in her warm cloak feeling utterly miserable, she was wet, cold but worst of all her pride was shattered. Cho Chang – perfect, pretty and sociable had been caught eavesdropping, she hated herself at the moment, but she didn't doubt that Harry, Ron and Hermione thought less of her. She had always been immaculate and perfect in everything she did. How did she let this happen?

Cho sniffled miserably; as quietly as she could without being heard, she snuck a glance at Harry and felt another wave of sadness at the sight of his fierce scowl. And to think she got angry at him for something so petty, now it was his turn but he had every right to be angry at her.

Ron was shooting glares at her and although Hermione smiled at her; Cho still read wariness in her eyes, Hagrid was still looking perplexed and Dumbledore, as always was smiling so brilliantly she felt surprised she wasn't already blinded by his twinkling blue eyes and gleaming white teeth.

'Well now' Dumbledore beamed, 'to clear up some uncertainties I shall explain what Hagrid had attempted.'

Cho, Harry, Hermione and Ron were all seated inHagrid's cosy little hut, a fire blazing merrily in the hearth and each of them held a cup of strong hot tea, but none of them were drinking it. And the rock cakes and macaroons remained strangely untouched on the table and Cho decided it looked rather inedible and had politely refused when Hagrid offered her one.

Fang, Hagrid's faithful hound had curled himself up at her feet, pressing his warm body against her leg and she felt a little comforted knowing that not everybody hated her that moment.

'As Hagrid will be going away – he has expressed his concern for his giant friend Grawp. Hagrid and I all trust you youngster are entirely capable of keeping Grawp company a few times a week' Dumbledore continued, 'and I know you are wondering why I'm asking you'.

Hermione nodded slightly looking mystified and Cho; eyes fixed on her toes had also forgotten her inner woes and began to listen attentively.

'Well firstly – and quite obviously, there is no one else I would entrust this task in the whole of Hogwarts, secondly; considering the intelligence and level of education each of you have is another consideration, and the last reason – I know definitely, that each of you are the only people willing to do this'.

Cho opened her mouth to retort but Professor Dumbledore beat her to it, he turned his merry eyes towards her.

'And Miss Chang here may not be willing to assist, but unfortunately however I do insist; it shan't be that bad actually, I'm sure this would be a wonderful way for you to get to know each other better'.

At this, Cho felt Ron, and Harry shoot murderous, glares her way, Cho determinedly fixed her gaze on Fang, he gazed at her with trustworthy, doggy eyes and slobbered all over her fingers – she carefully wiped her hands.

'But Professor Dumbledore- Hermione finally spoke breaking the tension, 'surely this isn't safe, with the impending war and the Death Eaters loose…'

'Er Hermione' Hagrid interrupted, 'yer do know why we're havin the giants 'ere don't yer?'

Hermione grimaced, realisation dawning on her face. 'To protect the Forbidden Forest' she murmured.

'Quite right Miss Granger, we have put up a good shield on the forest, it is completely safe to wander in and out' Dumbledore assured her.

'I can't do this' Cho suddenly spoke, she winced at how sullen her tone sounded, 'I'm a 7th year, I'm busy with homework, and Quidditch'.

'Of course' Dumbledore nodded, 'however, the burden you carry is quite a lot but I assure you this will only be for four weeks, your first game will not be played for another two months and NEWTS will not begin for another good months.'

Cho sunk in her seat feeling defeated; she was getting exactly what she deserved she thought darkly.

'Now seeing as it would be unsuitable for all four of you to do this together, I would expect you to pair off. Let's say Tuesday's Ron and Hermione and Friday's Harry and Cho'.

Dumbledore's response was met with a lot of vehement replies.

'Sir' Harry spoke with a tinge of anger, 'can we not decide who we rather run the errands with?'

'Mr Potter, I am doing this as a precaution for your own safety. Both you and Miss Granger have been acquainted with Grawp, and another reason is because it would be safer pairing you off in Male and Female should any danger arise.'

Harry made to argue again but he shrugged.

'Now, seeing as everyone is here, Hagrid perhaps you can take the four down to see Grawp now and give them further instructions' Dumbledore suggested.

'Now?' Ron queried turning his gaze to the windows where it was still raining quite heavily, Cho shuddered.

'I don't see why not?' Dumbledore beamed, 'everyone here is available and Hagrid will leave tomorrow morning so there is no better time. I shall leave you to it and I hope you youngster will find this task more enjoyable than you initially believed'.

Cho scowled and bit back the urge to retort, it wasn't fair; she thought, other than this incident, she was the perfect student and she shouldn't have to deal with yet another burden on her shoulders.

With a swish of his flowing robes, Albus Dumbledore bid farewell to them and strolled out the door leaving everyone in awkward silence.

'Er…' Hagrid cleared his throat, 'ell let's get goin then!'

Rather reluctantly, the four of them stood stiffly and Fang began to bark in excitement as Hagrid swung the door open and seeing the four of them exit it. Cho was the last to leave the house; she lingered at the door and surveyed the sultry weather tentatively.

'What's troublin yer Cho?' Hagrid asked waiting for her to step outside.

Cho shook her head and ventured outside, 'nothing' she mumbled.

'Right, follow me then – don't lag behind!'

Hagrid made his way to the Forbidden Forest and the four of them hurried after him, without a glance in her direction; the trio headed together leaving Cho alone, fortunately Fang had decided to keep her company and she felt like hugging the hound in gratitude.

'Now the four of yer's better remember the route cos I've moved Grawp already' Hagrid spoke cheerfully; 'mind you – despite Dumbledore's assurance to wander the Forest; it's still not entirely safe. So yer should stick together and don't stray no matter what, I'll have Fang to keep an eye out fer yer youngster!'

'Hagrid; what do you actually want us to do?' Harry asked.

'Well, it's not much of a chore really – Grawp can hunt fer his own food and do everythin himself; all I ask is fer the four of yer's to keep him company' Hagrid explained earnestly.

'Then why do you need me as well?' Cho blurted in exasperation, 'I'll just be a burden'.

Hagrid chuckled, 'nah I'm sure you'll be 'elfpful, besides. Dumbledore said its be'er ter pair yer up and you can roster the days ter just a visit once a week, come and walk o'er ere Cho – don't fall behind now'.

Cho gratefully wedged herself between Hagrid and Hermione and Fang bounded off ahead of them. The Forbidding Forest wasn't the best place to be in a stormy weather as it was right now, besides her she noticed Hermione looking just as pale and jumpy as she felt.

Walking on the other side of Hagrid, Harry and Ron were engaged in a muffled conversation, the forest was alight for a second from a streak of lightning followed by the clap of thunder. At this, Cho jumped and found herself clutching Hermione's arm.

'Scared?' Hermione raised a brow.

'N – No' Cho stuttered angry at herself and quickly removed her vice-like grip on Hermione's sleeve.

Suddenly; from somewhere in the forest – there was an awful roar from an unknown creature and this time Hermione let out a yelp and clung onto her.

'Scared?' Cho asked nervously – her heart beat skipping a notch.

Hermione glance at her, face white and eyes wide – 'wh – what was that?' her voice unsteady.

'It's probably only Grawp girls' Hagrid reassured them. 'Hurry up were almost there'.

For a moment, Harry turned around his eyes raised to make sure they were okay; and it looked like to her that Harry's gaze lingering on her for a little longer than was necessary; probably her imagination, Harry was mad at her right?

'Grawpy! Grawpy where are yer?' Hagrid began shouting.

There was a roar in response and Cho began to feel herself tremble as the ground started to shake.

'Hagger?'

Cho gave a terrified scream and instinctively backed away, her eyes widening as a grotesquely grinning face suddenly appeared above the trees.

'There yer are!' Hagrid beamed pleasantly, 'yer remember 'arry and Hermy?'

Cho watched with morbid fascination as Hagrid nudged Harry and Hermione forwards, they both looked uncomfortable but not as terrified as she was. But Ron – who haven't met the giant yet, was trembling from head to toe, his face so pale the freckles on his face stood out quite visibly.

'Bloody hell' he breathed.

The giant's face twisted and Cho thought the thing look like he was trying to think very hard before his face broke out into another grotesque grin and exclaimed, 'Hermy! Harry!'

Hagrid beamed at Grawp looking very pleased, 'good boy Grawpy! Yer remember them!'

Grawp crouched to the ground, lowering himself so he could observe Harry and Hermione with curiosity, Harry looked rather pale and Hermione was beside herself with terror, her frizzy mop of hair blowing back as the giant sniffed her.

Cho would have thought the scene amusing if it wasn't for the fact that she was terrified, apparently Grawp thought there was something funny with Hermione's hair too and sat on his backside with a loud crash and there was a deep rumbling sound in his throat as Grawp – the giant giggled.

Even Ron couldn't help cracking a joke, 'oi Mione I think Grawp's like's your hair'.

'Shut up Ron!' Hermione snapped flushing.

'Now' Hagrid exclaimed brightly waving his hands to get Grawp's attention, 'I'll be away for a while Grawpy yer hear?'

Grawp gaped at Hagrid with a dumbfounded expression on its huge face, Cho thought the thing wasn't smart enough to understand but gave a yelp as Grawp began to roar in protest.

'No Hagger go!'

Hagrid patted the giant fondly, 'now Grawp don't be difficult, I've found some friends to 'elp yer. See 'arry and Hermy? They'll be 'ere, and these two as well, come o'er Cho, Ron!'

Both Cho and Ron took a step backwards, Cho gulped as Hagrid ambled towards them and ushered them towards the sixteen-foot-tall giant.

'Grawpy, this is Ron' Hagrid shouted, 'and Cho'.

Grawp studied them curiously, he lowered his head again, first eyeing with Ron with a stupid expression before turning his eyes towards her.

Cho broke out into a cold sweat, 'h-hi' she squeaked.

Grawp suddenly offered her his index fingers; she stared at the proffered finger stupidly.

'Don't be shy Cho, Grawpy won't 'urt yer' Hagrid reassured them.

Harry made his way towards her, 'Cho don't – ' he began.

Cho studied the giant's expectant face; why he's nothing but an oversize baby Cho thought and she understood his intentions, tentatively she reached out and shook his finger, and Grawp broke out into a grin, before opening his mouth to speak.

'Grawp!'

Cho nodded, her fear slowly replaced with fascination as Grawp opened his mouth trying to form a word.

'K – Ko -?'

'What's his saying?' Hermione wondered.

'I – I think he's trying to say my name' Cho responded slowly, 'Yes Grawp I'm Cho'.

'Ko!'

Grawp sat back with an extremely pleased look on his face, 'Hagger, 'arry, Hermy, Ko' then his eyes riveted to Ron and surveyed him with a frown.

'R – Ro – Ron?'

'Blimey' Ron exclaimed, 'he got it right!'

'See Grawpy ain't bad' Hagrid admonished them, 'Grawp learnt some new things, an' he doesn't 'urt humans anymore do yer?'

Grawp's attention had drifted and he had sat up and began to run his huge fingers down a tree.

'Careful' Harry warned, grabbing both Ron and her arm pulling them back as branches and leaves rained onto them.

'Er…yer should still be careful' Hagrid added as an afterthought.

Once introductions were made, and Hagrid had told them everything he thought they should know, Grawp was most disappointed for them to leave and even attempted to follow them back to Hogwarts – his massive size did not go undetected.

'Grawpy, NO!' Hagrid had finally shouted, 'Grawp STAY! Good boy!'

Cho turned around smiling at his rather perturbed expression and waved at him, 'we'll be back Grawpy!'

Grawp reluctantly sat back with a grunt and watched them leave wearing a rather mournful look on his face.

On a particularly busy afternoon, Cho was in the library seated with some friends in her year finishing off their Potions essay together. A group of Slytherins were grouped together nearby.

Anthony Goldstein dropped his quill and leaned backwards on his chair with a loud sigh, 'finished!'

'Can I borrow your notes Einstein?' Michael Corner asked hopefully.

'Do it yourself!' Goldstein retorted, he stood stuffing parchments, text books and quills in his bag, 'well I'm off, I'll seeya at dinner'.

Marietta eyed Michael suspiciously, 'I thought you said you've finished your potions essay?'

'Erm…'

'Do any of you have 'Magical Drafts and Potions' with you?' Cho asked shuffling through her work.

Marietta and Michael shook their heads. Cho sighed standing up, 'I'll be right back you guys'.

Cho wandered towards the bookshelves, fingers tapping her chin thoughtfully scanning the rows of books.

'Well, well, well look who it is'.

Cho felt a hand on her shoulder and she whirled around and instantly shook the offending hand off as she noticed who it belong to.

'Sod off Bletchley' Cho answered curtly to 7th year Slytherin and Keeper Miles Bletchley.

'Now that's not very nice' Miles drawled running his gaze up and down her figure in a suggestive manner, 'thought you might like a – chat'.

'In your dreams' Cho rolled her eyes and tried to step around him but he blocked her path, 'move'.

'Now Chang' Miles murmured stepping closer and Cho backed up until she felt herself trapped in a corner with Miles Bletchley leaning forwards, arms resting on the wall besides her.

'Back off Miles' Cho hissed recoiling in disgust. 'I'll make a scene'.

'Go ahead' Bletchley leered, 'no one will notice all the way in this cosy spot you've found'.

Cho reached in her robes and whipped out her wand but with surprisingly fast reflexes, Bletchley had said: 'expelliarmus'.

And suddenly her wand flew up in the air and landed with a clatter several feet behind them.

'Shit!'

'No one to help you now' Bletchley sneered running a hand through her hair.

'Don't touch me!' Cho exclaimed and began to struggle in earnest. Miles response was to laugh and grab her wrist with a painful vice-like grip.

'What's going on here?'

The second she felt herself freed, Cho wrench herself away shoving Miles Bletchley off and staggered forwards grabbing her wand and pointing it towards the smug looking Slytherin.

Why was the lecherous bastard still smirking?

'Ah Malfoy, Higgs, nice of you to join us'.

Cho whirled around to see her saviours were Draco Malfoy and seventh year Slytherin Terence Higgs. It was her turn to smirk; little did Bletchley know they were friends of her's.

Draco Malfoy raised a brow and Terence Higgs surveyed her looking mildly amused.

'Well Chang, whatcha going to do now?' Miles taunted.

Cho felt her lips twist into a nasty snarl, 'you'll pay for that Bletchley, next Quidditch game'.

With a nod at Malfoy and Higgs, she stalked passed them. Behind her, she heard Miles Bletchley snap in confusion, 'why you'd let her get away?'

Cho hurried out of the library afraid they might come after her and forgot to stop by her friends in her haste to get away.

'Cho!'

She ignored whoever it was called out her name and merely quickened her speed.

'Hey Cho!'

She felt a hand on her shoulder, with a little gasp she wrench herself away and quickly whirled around raising her wand in defence a hex rolling on the tip of her tongue.

'Harry?'

Harry Potter frowned, his expression shrewd and calculating as he surveyed her rather dishelmed appearance. 'What's wrong you look – upset'.

Cho lowered her wand and leaned against the wall exhausted, 'it was that prat Bletchley, the stupid git cornered me in the library'.

Harry raised a brow scowling, 'Slytherin Keeper Miles Bletchley? What did he want?'

'Trouble' Cho retorted, 'us Ravenclaws don't call him Sleazy Bletchley for nothing you know'.

'A-are you okay? How'd you get away?' Harry demanded jaws tightening and he looked towards the library as if he had a mind to go over and find him now.

'I almost didn't' Cho ranted still quite upset, 'but luckily, Terence Higgs and Malfoy interfered'.

'Draco Malfoy?'

'Yeah' Cho replied, 'thankfully'.

'You mean he wasn't part of it? He just let you walk off?' Harry demanded incredulously, 'I don't believe you'.

'I don't care what you think Harry' Cho snapped suddenly feeling angry, 'it's bad enough facing him without having to face your disbelief okay!'

Harry didn't pay attention to her words; his eyes were on her wrist as she waved her hands about to make her point. With narrowed eyes he gently pulled the sleeve back on her robe and studied the reddish-brown bruise imprinted on her wrist.

'He'll pay for what he did' Harry growled, 'I'll make sure of it'.

Cho felt strangely better, with Harry sudden friendship and the way he always seem to be there for her.

'Yeah well its not the first time its happened' Cho responded softly, 'and it won't be the last, I just wished I was able to get him back instead of just walking away'.

'What?'

'I just told him I'll make him pay next time we play Quidditch, when I tell my team mates I know they'll give him hell' Cho answered with a little smile. 'There very protective of me – being the only girl'.

'Yeah well, you can count on us Gryffindor giving them hell for you as well when I tell them. And I bet Hufflepuff will too, no one gets away with sexual assault' Harry mumbled looking rather serious.

'Thanks' Cho smiled. 'I'm not usually so helpless, I can take care of myself – I'm a big girl now, Bletchley just caught me by surprise that one time, but it won't happen again'.

Harry frowned, 'it shouldn't have happened at all, maybe I should start up the DA again – everyone could do with extra training now with the war'.

'That's a good idea! Um...Harry - you didn't answer my question, weren't you mad at me?' Cho asked tentatively.

Harry shrugged, 'well I can't stay mad at you, and besides if were going to work together on Grawp well - you know'.

Cho smiled brilliantly, 'you know I wouldn't have been eavesdropping if you weren't talking about me'.

Harry blushed, 'oh - er really?'

Cho smirked as she noticed he looked mildly uncomfortable - the poor thing was probably trying to remember what he had said.

'Your awfully cute when your nervous you know' she giggled.

Harry looked startled, 'say what? You think I'm cute?'

Cho bit her lip frowning worriedly, 'oh well - '

'Go on' Harry said eagerely, 'you can tell me what...'

He trailed off as he noticed her friends from Ravenclaw walking towards them, 'we'll talk later, bye Cho'.

'Bye' Cho echoed watching him disappear around a corner wondering what on earth that was all about?

'Cho what happened? Why did you leave the library?' Marietta huffed as she flounced towards her, 'here's your stuff, you left it behind'.

'Thanks, I ran into Sleazy Bletchley' she rolled her eyes and told them what had happened in the library.

'That horny bastard!' Michael ranted furiously, 'how dare him! I'm going to pummel the slimy git when I get my hands on him!'

'Save it' Cho retorted, 'until Quidditch that is, there's no need for everyone to get in trouble for causing a fight'.

Michael smirked slinging an arm over her shoulder, 'we'll make sure he gets what he deserves'.

'And I suppose you told Harry?' Marietta asked cautiously.

'Yeah, he was pretty mad as well. Harry promised to give him a beating when Gryffindor plays Slytherin' Cho replied with a large smile on her face.

'We should get Hufflepuff to do it too!' Michael exclaimed.

'Never mind!' Cho replied flippantly, 'come on, its time for dinner, and promise me you won't pick a fight with Bletchley!'

'Whatever' Michael answered non-commitmently.

After dinner when Cho question him how Miles Bletchley had suddenly sprouted a faceful of boils, Michael shrugged.

'Are you going to admonish Harry for sticking his foot out and tripping Bletchley as he ran past?'

Cho blushed and shook her head.

Okay so what do you think? I'll try to write more next time, cos I was really hoping to get a lot more done in this chapter - but I didn't.

So I'm eagerely waiting your reviews, so purdy please read and review!

Till next time!

Vivvy