To my reviewers, you are greatly appreciated for reading and supporting my fic.

To Oukami-Tora- Thank you for reviewing! Yes, I decided to add a little subplot concerning Ron and Hermione…you'll find out what's going on with them soon enough.

To thebravegodric: Thank you for reviewing! I understand where you are coming from and in hindsight, I think things were a bit fast in the beginning because I had so much to cover. The story is a total of 17 chapters and an Epilogue..but rest assured, I hope you find the latter half of the story with a slower pace.

To Dragon Sword Master: Thank you for reviewing! I'm afraid to tell you that I have written the entire fic already and it is indeed very much a Harry/Cho/Draco love triangle, but, considering that I am a true H/C supporter, you can rest assured that you will have a very happy ending. There is a lemon, but it's not exactly what anyone is expecting. I hope that this doesn't loose your interest and I'm planning that my next fic will strictly be an H/C romance with more action/adventure.

To The Phoenix King: Thank you for reviewing! I am very pleased to hear someone is doesn't mind the pacing of the fic. I was getting a bit worried about that. And to address your other concern, well this is an H/D/C love triangle but you can guess there will be an ending we all want and I don't want to give too much away but you have really hit home with some of your insight about Draco. (wink wink foreshadowing)

To Cimbelmyne madskillzpro: Woot woot! Picked up a new reviewers, very ecstatic about that…big thanks to you both for reading and liking my fic!

P.S. I must have read this chapter a million of times and still caught stupid mistakes with the wording and everything. Would anyone want to be a Beta reader for me? It's not a big deal if no one does but I hate reading posts and realizing I left out a word or something. Thank you so much!

Chapter 8: The Three Broomsticks

Harry walked briskly to meet Cho by the pendulum. Cho was standing there, waiting for him. Her shiny raven-coloured hair was shining in a half-up ponytail style. She had black knee high boots accompanying Marietta's red dress and her jacket formed a perfect hourglass shape around her petite body.

Harry felt a tingling sensation permeate through his entire body, "Wow. You look gorgeous…"

Cho giggled and leaned in to quickly snog Harry's left cheek.

He stood in awe.

Cho noticed the bouquet of white roses in his hand. "Harry, are planning on giving those to me?"

Harry laughed nervously then joked, "No, they're actually there for no purpose. I'm sorry, here, these are for you."

Cho took the bouquet delightedly, "Did Hermione tell you white were my favorite?"

Harry nodded, "That she did. But I swear the roses were my idea."

Cho linked her hand with Harry's. "I have no doubt of it. Thank you. They're lovely."

Walking into Hogsmeade, Harry asked Cho what she wanted to do.

"I'm actually craving a butterbeer. Let's go to the Three Broomsticks."

Harry nodded, "Good call."

Harry and Cho were seated a booth and Harry did not hesitate this time to place his hand over Cho's as he did last year at Madam Puddifoot's tea shop. "Well, as predicted, congratulations on winning the Quidditch match against Hufflepuff."

Cho laughed softly, "Well. In all honesty Harry, I really needed your help. So thank you, both for the help and the compliment."

Harry licked his lips, "Are you happy that we're finally doing something together?"

Cho motioned for the waiter to bring them two butterbeers. "Very much so, Harry."

Harry placed his other hand around Cho's. Her hand instantly felt warmed.

Harry began slowly, "I suppose it's about time I asked you—sort of what I've been wanting to ask you since I saw you way back during my third year. Um…"

Cho placed her free hand on top of Harry's. "You don't have to ask if it makes you nervous because I'm saying yes."

Harry chuckled, "No, no. I want to ask you. Um…Cho? Will you…let me think here, I want to go out with you…like-er—" Harry's stomach starting churning uncontrollably in his stomach, "like—steadily? Do you think you'd want to be my girlfriend?" Harry finished wondering how much worse Ron had been with Hermione.

Cho laughed, "Harry, that was terrible."

Harry laughed at himself, "Tell me about it."

Cho leaned forward and kissed the tip of Harry's nose. "But with such a valiant effort, how can I refuse?"

Harry grinned and kissed Cho on the lips and let his lips linger on hers sweetly and softly.

In the booth behind Harry and Cho, a desperate voice was cracking.

"But Draco—why? Is it me? Did I do something wrong? I shagged you every night we were together!" Pansy Parkinson cried softly.

Cho widened her eyes and detached herself from Harry, "Is that Pansy behind us?"

Draco nodded in exaggerated sadness and took Pansy's hand, "Pansy…Pansy…not so loud, love. Listen, it's not you. I could never break up with you unless it was, you know, extenuating circumstances. I'm so bogged down with schoolwork this year and I'm not feeling up for dating, that's all."

Pansy continued to sob, "Is it another girl?"

Draco laughed cynically, "No way, Pansy. Only you."

Harry laughed at how obviously artificial Draco was being. Clearly, someone wasn't getting enough runs on the sheets.

Pansy cried, "I—I—just don't understand, Draco. I love you."

Draco winced, "Love is such a strong word, Pansy. I'd…hate… to see you waste those kind of emotions on me. I'm just not ready for that sort of thing. Look, dear, I've got to run now and get back to school. Can we talk about this later?"

Pansy shouted, "Ohh! I can't stand it!" She arose quickly from the booth and ran out of the Three Broomsticks.

Draco rolled his eyes and stood up, stretching. "Got that out of the way…." He narrowed his eyes to see Harry and Cho watching him, knowingly.

"Found that amusing, Scarhead? Hmm…so did I. Girls are always human hosepipes. Just like the one sitting across from you, isn't that so, Chang?"

Cho glanced down.

Harry stood up angrily, "Don't even talk about her that way."

Draco raised his eyebrows, realizing he'd struck a nerve. "Kind of depressing realizing that it was you, who had caused Cho all that pain last year. Relationships are a fickle thing." Draco turned his head to face Cho, "Cho…I hope you know that the biology of the male population requires the fulfillment of certain…urges." He turned back to Harry. "Isn't that so, Potter? You're going shag her then broom her fast. It's what we all do. Don't act like such a saint. How convenient for you that Cho was suffering from Pretty Boy Diggory's death that all she has to do is look for comfort in you…the poor boy who lived to see his dog-like poor excuse of a godfather died by the hands of an ingenious Death Eater."

Harry curled his fists so tightly that he felt his nails digging painfully into his skin. Not only was Draco bad-mouthing his intentions about pursuing Cho, he was exploiting her pain about loosing Cedric and his over Sirius' death.

Draco stepped out from his booth, "But then again…look at it from Chang's perspective. What's she got to loose with Harry? I mean, Potter's got a dick, a baby carrot, perhaps, but I suppose it still sort of functions. The more the merrier for Chang, isn't that right? How was Michael Corner, by the way?"

By this time, everyone at the Three Broomsticks was staring at Draco, Harry and Cho. Cho tried hard not to change her apathetic face despite the watchful eyes of her peers, but she was starting to crack from all of the insults Draco was throwing at her.

But Harry had clearly cracked. He whipped out his wand faster than the speed of light.

"Expelliarmus!"

Draco widened his eyes, considering he was caught off-guard. He reached into his pocket for his wand, but immediately went flying back and landed painfully on the bar. His wand had been stripped from his grasp.

"Silencio!" Harry shouted and pointed his wand at Draco's body, stretched sloppily on the bar.

Harry walked up to Draco, "Listen, here, Malfoy. I'm going to say some pretty awful things to you that thankfully you can't respond to. If you ever disrespect Cho, Cedric, or Sirius again, I will make you wish you hadn't been born. Believe me, you Death-Eating half-witted git. I am so happy that I have humiliated you in front of everyone because you deserve it. You deserve far worse—like rotting in Azkaban, just like your evil and twisted father!"

Draco felt his insides boil but blushed a deep crimson for being unable to speak and defend himself. More so, defend his father. The idea of being silenced by Harry made Draco want to immediately kick something.

Harry went back to his booth, "Come on, Cho. Let's get out of here."

Cho leapt to her feet quickly and seized Harry's hand. She took one last look at Draco. She had never seen such a look of hatred portrayed by Draco before. Shuddering, Cho clutched Harry's hand tighter and walked outside.