Lost Love

Chapter 2 - Fuming

How could this have happened? How could the Ravenclaws have won the match? Harry had practiced his life away every second of the day…it wasn't possible…no…

But it was true. Harry had lost a game. And this time it wasn't a mistake. He had blinked; and the Snitch was in Cho's hand. And her face…it was the same face he had seen in his dream so long ago in his fourth year…his dream about winning the Triwizard. It was the same, beaming, glowing…perfect face. Harry snarled in disgust. He hated her…that girl…she just had to be perfect!

Cho hovered over treetops, looking down at the figure of Harry. Seeing him like this made her want to rematch...it made her wish she had let him win the game. No! she thought. I mustn't think things like that… Cho heaved a sigh and shook her head. Brushing a strand of hair from her eyes, she realized she was still holding the Snitch, and in surprise let it go. It fluttered down, beneath the trees. Cho gave a squeal, clapped her hand over her mouth, and dived after it, between the trees, the branches scraping her.

Harry lifted his head from his hands, just in time to see the Golden Snitch flutter down in front of him. Harry grabbed it, and looked up, wondering how it got there. And what a sight he saw; Cho Chang, still in her Quidditch Robes, diving down towards him. Harry gave a shout and rolled out of the way, just in time. Cho managed to pull herself out of the dive and landed on the ground smoothly.

"Harry!" Cho exclaimed, as if she were surprised to see him there. She glanced over his angry, depressed expression. "Oh…the match," she said softly, allowing herself to look him straight in the face. "I'm really sorry, Harry. I wasn't trying to…make you angry…" she began. "I hate seeing you like this. If I had known…" Cho's voice trailed off again. She looked into Harry's bright, entrancing eyes, then looked down at his forlorn figure. His hair was still messed, obviously 'aired out' from the match. Cho gulped. She fell into the traps of love again; how could she have ever been so terrible to him?

"Cho," Harry nodded, speaking coldly. He listened to her speak, anger boiling up inside of him again. But he couldn't find a way to release that anger; but…why? This hadn't ever been a problem before. Harry looked up at Cho again. "No, I shouldn't be acting like this. It's my fault I lost the match, I'm not angry at you," he said humbly, surprised at his own words. He let himself gaze into Cho's deep, brown eyes, before tearing himself away. "Please, just go away…I've got enough to deal with without you interrupting me," he said, his stony voice emerging again.

Looking hurt, Cho started walking away. Turning back, she said, "I'd better take that Snitch back." Harry looked down at the little golden ball, the wings beating against his palm. He held it out, and Cho grabbed it out of the air. "Thanks," she muttered and started away. Harry watched her leave, her waist-long, midnight-black hair rippling in the soft breeze. At that moment he had an urge to call out her name, to bring her back…but the results of the match were still flashing in his brain, and his anger hadn't subsided; much, that is.

Cho exited the forest, turning back to see if Harry had come out. No. That wasn't surprising…she headed back to the pitch, her head down, her hair blowing behind her elegant figure. Her mind full of thoughts, she jumped on her broomstick and, after putting the snitch away and getting out of her Quidditch robes, headed back to the school for the feast, celebrating a Ravenclaw victory.

Entering the Great Hall, her eyes traveled over to the Gryffindor table. They all looked so depressed, and Cho felt like it was all her fault. She couldn't help but notice Harry wasn't at the table; was he still in the forest? Slightly worried, Cho sat down, smiling weakly as her house members congratulated her. It seemed that Quidditch was the only reason anyone even talked to her anymore; Cho had been so overwhelmed with her own problems that she had gone on her own to sort everything out that people began to think she disliked them, and because of that, she was rarely addressed, except for when she performed well in Quidditch. But it hardly bothered Cho. She had enough on her mind…however, it was a bit disturbing, the way she was treated.

In the meantime, Harry had left the forest and gone to his Common Room. He found his team members there. They merely glanced at him, and a few of them muttered at him not to worry…it was only a match. Shaking his head, Harry said in a hollow voice, "It's all my fault. I shouldn't have missed the snitch." And with that, he climbed up to his dormitory and flung himself onto the bed, wanting to howl in rage. But it was over. It couldn't be changed.