Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter
POV: Cho
"Cho? Hey, Cho"
Cho Chang lowered the copy of Witch Weekly she had been pretending to read. Roger Davies the Ravenclaw Quidditch captain had just sat down opposite her.
"Oh hello, Roger"
"Hi" said Roger awkwardly. "Um, Cho, listen. I was wondering if you wanted to go to Hogsmeade with me?"
"No thank you" said Cho quickly. She immediately knew that she had sounded rude. "I mean I don't want to go out with anyone just yet. Not after…"
"I understand" said Roger. "I'm sorry"
"That's alright" said Cho.
Roger looked around uncomfortably before mumbling something about needing to return a library book.
Cho stared at the spot where Roger had been sitting after he got up. It wasn't that she didn't like him. In fact she might have accepted his invitation if it hadn't been for Cedric. Cedric Diggory had been killed by Lord Voldemort at the end of last year and to make things worse the Ministry of Magic were acting as if his death was an accident. Cho was so lost in her thoughts that it was a few seconds before she realised that Roger's vacated seat had been filled by her friend, Marietta Edgecombe.
"Sorry, Marietta, I didn't see you there"
Marietta nodded stiffly.
"We're you thinking about Diggory just now?" she asked.
"Yes" Cho admitted.
"I think you should talk to someone about him, Cho" said Marietta. "You could talk to Professor Flitwick. Or Sprout might be better since she's head of Hufflepuff. Or how about Madam Pomfrey? Perhaps she could give you something to…"
"I'm not ill, Marietta!" said Cho.
"Sorry"
"That's alright" said Cho. "Actually there is someone I'd like to talk to"
"Who?" asked Marietta. "Flitwick? Sprout?"
"It's not a teacher" said Cho. "I want to talk to Harry Potter
Harry Potter had been with Cedric when he died. It seemed lately that Cho's mind was always on Harry or Cedric. She wanted to know exactly how Cedric died and the only person who could tell her that was Harry, but she had never been able to work up the courage to ask. Or to be more accurate something or someone always interrupted at the wrong time and caused her to lose her nerve. In addition to not being able to find the courage to talk to Harry about Cedric, Cho didn't have any idea what she should say if she did. She couldn't start a conversation with 'Hi Harry, could you tell me what happened when Cedric died"
An odd expression passed over Marietta's face.
"Do you like him?" she questioned.
"Harry?" said Cho. "Yeah I suppose – I mean he's nice"
Apart from thinking that he was nice, Cho wasn't entirely sure how, or what, she should feel about Harry. However, she did not dwell on this because for the third time that evening, her thoughts were interrupted; this time by a fifth year called Padma Patil.
"Hello, Padma" said Cho.
"Hi" said Padma in an excited whisper. "I just heard there's going to be a club for students who want real defence against the dark arts lessons. My sister, Parvati, in Gryffindor, told me about it. I thought you'd be interested"
"It could be worthwhile" said Cho. "How did your sister find out about it?"
"Hermione Granger told her" said Padma "You know Harry Potter's friend. Apparently that's who she's got to teach this thing"
"He's doing it because of You-Know-Who, isn't he?" said Cho at the same time as Marietta said in a horrified voice "You mean it won't be Professor Umbridge?".
"Of course not" said Padma. "The last thing we want is for her to find out. And yeah I think Harry and Hermione want to start this club so we'll at least have some hope if there's an attack on the school"
"Well I don't think this sort of thing is a terribly good idea. We could get in a lot of trouble" said Marietta with concern. "Not just us, but our families."
"Marietta's mum works for the ministry" explained Cho.
"She won't be working there much longer if I get on the wrong side of Professor Umbridge" said Marietta. "l I don't want any part of this. And I hope you won't be stupid enough to join, Cho. It could ruin our whole future"
Cho thought that Marietta had her priorities wrong. She thought that fighting the dark side, even if it was just by joining a student club, was far more important than staying out of trouble with a teacher whom she did not care for.
"You're the one who's stupid if you don't join" said Cho angrily. "You know Umbridge isn't teaching us anything useful. I'm joining Harry's club, Padma. When is it starting?"
"First Hogsmeade weekend. Twelve o'clock in the Hog's Head" said Padma. "It's just for everyone who's interested to come and hear what Harry's got planned and organise a time and a place to meet"
"Thanks for telling us about this, Padma" said Cho earnestly. "I'm really looking forward to it"
"So am I" said Padma. "I can't wait to see what Harry's going to teach us"
Cho's reason for saying she would join Harry's club was twofold. It was true that she was interested in the lessons, but she also thought it might give her a chance to know Harry better.
"I think you should come, Marietta. Umbridge will never know so your mum's job will be safe. At least come and meet Harry in the village"
"Ok I'll come" said Marietta in a defeated tone.
Cho contemplated asking Roger if he was interested in joining Harry Potter's defence against the dark arts group, but she decided against it. Partly because she was sure he would turn it down because it was his last chance to win the Quidditch cup and partly because she was afraid he might think she had changed her mind about going out with him. Her own reason for wanting to join Harry's club was twofold. It was true that she was interested in the lessons, but she also thought it might give her a chance to know Harry better.
