Dark Days Pass But Are Never Forgotten
By: LogicalRaven
****
Hello everyone, I had a lot of fun with this chapter. I'm taking a different spin on the first part of this story, and I'm having a blast doing it. I've taken down all the boarder and restrictions and let my imagination loose.
I must admit, I'm extremely nervous about releasing this chapter…BE FOREWARNED there is some adult behavior taking place in this chapter, so if you are young and have an impressionable mind, skip this chapter. I don't want to be blamed for the corruption college will cause you later in life. Believe me, my five years in college are just a blur of beer and more beer. Not to mention that girl running around the frat house naked that one night (shakes head…) I'm going for realism, and if I didn't admit that things like what is happening in this chapter didn't happen I wouldn't be staying true to myself as a writer. Don't worry though…they're no gory details….I believe bedroom secrets are just that secrets (unlike Dean's opinions…he he…)
The action will happen in future chapters. I mean Harry just defeated Voldemort, I couldn't just have another BAD GUY just pop out of nowhere. Harry needs to learn there are other demons to battle in life. The demons aren't always going to be in the shape of a Dark Lord.
I personally love writing Mr. Chang's character because he reminds me of my typically Asian relatives. HILARIOUS….he just has high expectations of his daughter. Cho hasn't exactly been willing to please him since Cedric's death, well not according to my stories.
Don't be so hard on Noel O'Riley….I've barely introduced her, and she will be by far, the most complex character I've ever created.
About Grimmauld Place. I know it had tons of charms and spells placed on in by the Order and Mr. Black, but I'm assuming most of them have been taken off. That is why the boys don't need Harry's permission to let people move in. Grimmauld Place is their
residence and they have full privileges there of.
Cho lives in Grimmauld, so she can apparate or disapparate anytime she wants. It's like she had her own personal key, figuratively speaking. Now Mr. Chang doesn't….that is why he can't just pop in and kill Harry…..I imagine there is some kind of curse placed on every residential place to keep unwanted visitors from breaking into places. Remember, not all wizards are good. In my story the Secret Keeper charm has been lifted, so that is how Rita, Mr. Chang and George Steppin all found it so easily….
Don't worry, Dumbledore is keeping a close watch out on the place…..Dark Wizards can't find it, but that will be revealed later…..
On Yet Another Note…..
I almost fell out of my chair when I discovered I had been selected as HarryPotterfanfiction.com's recommended Author of the month….
In fact, I'm still in shock!!!
Thanks to everyone who was kind enough to nominate me…..I am flattered and honored….now I have a sudden urge to go back and edit all my horrid first pieces, which are littered in early mistakes and errors….(not that my current stuff is flawless by any means)
THANK YOU HARRYPOTTERFANFICTION.COM!!!!
and thanks Fanfiction.net also…but you didn't elected me author of the month J
Anyone who wants to join my notification mailing list….
logicalraven@insightbb.com
Read and Review
Nothing is My Own
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There is Always A First Time
Cho Chang paced the small living area of Remus Lupin's flat with a broken expression on her face. Harry watched her with a mixed expression.
"I've never seen him this mad before," Cho stammered as she wiped her damp eyes again.
Harry collapsed into the hard couch with a loud groan. He was unprepared for how hard it felt.
"Why didn't you come to me with this before the Prophet found out?" Cho pleaded desperately, "At least I'd be able to speak with my father about us before he read about it."
"I didn't know anything about it," Harry argued.
"You expect me to believe that you've never said anything to anyone about marrying me? You're telling me the Prophet just made it up?" Cho asked in an impatient voice.
Harry sighed loudly and gritted through his teeth, "That is exactly what I'm telling you. This was a campaign trick plotted by George Steppin."
Cho let a hiccup escape her as she feel to her knees in deep sobs.
"What did I say this time?" Harry asked desperately.
"It's nothing, I'm just being stupid," Cho wailed in a muffled cry.
"Cho, everything is going to be okay…" Harry started forcing a comforting voice.
"So you never wanted to marry me?" Cho interrupted.
Harry froze for a second and gave her a puzzled look, "I've never given it much thought."
Cho took a deep breath as her eyes welled up again, "I'm so stupid."
"I thought you didn't want to marry me? I thought you were just as upset as me about this whole bloody situation," Harry said his annoyance getting the better of him.
Cho face grew red as she narrowed her eyebrows together, "I was upset because of the way you did, not that you did it at all."
"But I didn't do anything!" Harry yelled.
Cho dropped her head back into her hands, "So this was just some kind of cruel joke?"
"It was a ploy designed by George Steppin to get me to run for Minister," Harry said with an extremely frustrated tone.
Cho wailed louder at Harry's statement, "I can't believe I actually thought you cared about me, I actually thought you loved me!"
"This is ridiculous, why are you getting all upset over this?" Harry demanded.
"Why aren't you upset at all?" Cho cried followed by a hiccup.
Harry narrowed his eyes and prepared his next statement when a loud crack sounded behind him.
"Harry, Cho, what are you two doing here?"
Harry turned to see the confused face of his former Defense Professor.
Cho tried to wipe her swelling eyes as Remus knelt down to help her back to her feet.
"Obviously you haven't read the Daily Prophet today," Harry said in a sarcastic voice.
Cho dropped her head unto Lupin's shoulder as he turned back towards Harry.
"I haven't actually read it, but I've heard. That still doesn't explain what you're doing here ," Remus replied leading Cho over towards a chair.
Harry shook his head, "I would be at Grimmauld, but Cho's father is over there trying to break down the door."
Comprehension dawned upon Remus face, "Would the two of you like a bit to eat?
Cho dropped her head back into her hands, to weak to answer.
Remus gave her a gentle pat on the back, "Harry, why don't you give me a hand in the kitchen?"
Harry gave Cho a cold glare as he followed Remus a short distance into the kitchen.
"Thank-you, Harry, can you pass me that pot under the counter?" Remus asked pointing to the cabinets opposite the sink.
Harry fumbled around as the anger swimming inside his stomach started to slightly subside.
"I guess the two of you have had a rough day," Remus started casually.
Harry snickered, "How would you like to have a crazy Chinese wizard chasing you out of your house?"
"I'm guessing you could have chosen a smarter way of announcing it to the Changs," Remus continued as he ran his teakettle under the faucet
Harry narrowed his eyes, "That's what everyone is going to think, that I had something to do with this idiotic idea. It's that bloody Steppin, he's responsible for this mess. Now I have Si Chang beating down my door, a girlfriend who is crying because I don't want to marry her and next thing you know I'll be getting wedding gifts from complete strangers for no reason what so ever!"
"Si Chang will calm down eventually Harry, he's the last of your long term worries. I'll have Dumbledore talk to the Order of Merlin to get this George Steppin situation under control," Remus offered.
"Thanks," Harry replied bitterly.
"Why don't you go talk to Cho for a bit, I'll finish up in here," Remus suggested.
"I don't want to go in there," Harry spat slopping down into a kitchen chair.
"Nobody said relationships were easy," Remus said lightly.
Harry sighed, "All she does is cry. It gets rather annoying."
"She's a emotional creature Harry," Remus defended, "I'm sure this hasn't been easy on her either."
"Nobody is trying to maim her," Harry protested.
"No, but you don't have to deal with the disappointment of you parents," Remus reminded him.
Harry narrowed his eyes, "Only because their dead."
"It's your choice, I just think the two of you should work this out," Remus sighed.
Harry shook his head, "Maybe I don't want to. Maybe I'm tired of always trying to work things out."
****
Hermione glared at Ron hatefully, "Will you stop acting like a silly coward, he can't get in no matter how long he beats on the door."
"It sounds like he's blasting it with spells," Ron argued.
Hermione rolled her eyes, "That's is probably because he is."
"It isn't Mr. Chang," Dean yelled from upstairs, "It looks like an entire media crew, several of them in fact. Shame Dumbledore took the Secret Keeper thing off this place."
Hermione rolled her eyes, "This is ridiculous."
"Maybe we should go get Dumbledore?" Neville suggested.
Hermione shook her head as she gave Padma a nervous glance, "I'm not so sure that is going to work. Harry needs to set the record straight. I mean he hasn't exactly told anybody besides us he isn't running for Minister of Magic."
"So you think Harry should go public?" Ron asked with a narrowed brow.
Hermione bit her bottom lip, "Perhaps, I definitely think he needs to have another talk with George Steppin."
"I think it would be just as effective to curse Steppin and lock him in the attic with Mrs. Black's portrait," Ron suggested.
"Ron, do you ever use your brain?" Hermione said with a deep sigh. "I imagine Harry and Cho will be returning sooner rather than later."
"What makes you figure that?" Ron bitterly, still slightly stunned from Hermione last retort.
Hermione choose not to answer.
****
December O'Riley sighed loudly as she started at the scrolls piled on her desk. Work was always a good thing, as long as she wasn't thinking everything was okay.
The picture of a small group of friends from her youth stood out as a single decoration on her desktop. How she missed them. Sirius Black was wrapping his arms tight around her waist as she glanced at the picture. Those were happier days, yet even in this carefree picture she could see the pain on Remus J. Lupin's face.
How could she have been so blind back then? A fool would have notice how much he cared for her, how much he loved her.
December shook her head viciously as if she were trying to shake her thoughts from her head. Those were different times, she told herself. She was a Auror and a professional. She had no room in her life for any more complications.
Still the issue of her troubled niece dwindled in her mind. There was so much that Noel didn't understand, there was so much she would never accept. It had been ten years since the death of December's brother, and even she didn't know all the details of his death.
He worked in the Department of Mysteries as an Unspeakable. His specialty was draughts and potions. The exact details of his work were still undisclosed and out of reach even for an Auror of December's status.
The only details ever revealed were a dark creature of some sort killed him. Her brother's wife and young daughter had moved to Germany a few months after his death. At the time of the tragedy December had been so withdrawn and cold from the deaths and tragedies surrounding her friends, the sting of it felt like barely more than a pinprick.
However things had changed, and December had felt more alive than she ever thought she had before. She felt she finally had something to live for again. Seeing young Noel had suddenly made the death of her only sibling much more real.
Noel Holley O'Riley was the only child of the late Raymond August O'Riley. She had feared young Noel would be bitter against dark creatures due to the mystery surrounding her father's death, but she would have never guess she would be so resentful.
December sighed again as she picked up a copy of the Daily Prophet. Harry and Cho were beaming off the front cover wrapping happily in one another's arms. December recognized the picture as one that was taken during Harry's seventh year during the holidays.
"You're mother would have loved to see this," she whispered as she smiled back at the picture, "But not necessarily read this."
December's face contorted uncomfortably as she read through the article.
"That's ridiculous," December said to herself as she slammed down the paper. She could just imagine the trouble this little article might cause.
Just as she was about to rise to her feet to go have a word with Remus Lupin about the article, someone much more helpful showed up at her door.
"Goodevening December," Dumbledore greeted.
"Professor Dumbledore," December acknowledged.
Dumbledore chuckled softly, "Please call me Albus, I have just informed Minister Fudge that I will not be accepting my former position as Headmaster at Hogwarts. I feel the school is in good hands."
"I'm sure Hogwarts is sorry to hear that your departure is now a definite," December offered.
"Headmistress McGonagall is a fine successor and has my complete faith," Dumbledore said softly, "I am here to discuss something much more pressing."
"It wouldn't happen to be something published in the Daily Prophet," December said quickly as she picked up the paper off her desk.
Dumbledore nodded, "Indeed, have you spoken to Harry about this nomination."
"I'm afraid I haven't spoken to him much about it. I don't think he's enjoying this attention much," December replied.
Dumbledore nodded, "Harry has been through a great deal, and it is most distressing that his burden continues to grow."
"Have you spoken to the Order of Merlin, sir?" December asked.
Dumbledore nodded, "They can be a stubborn bunch. They will stick by their nomination, and George Steppin will continue to do his job until the Order of Merlin tells him not to."
"So what can we do?"
Dumbledore winked lightly, "I don't think we can do anything at all. However, I do believe that I can do something in this particular situation."
"Sir?" December asked suspiciously.
Dumbledore took a seat in front of her desk, "I have come here to ask a favor of you."
"A favor?" December continued in the same tone.
Dumbledore nodded, "I believe I'm going to need a campaign manager."
****
"A drink, that's what you two need," Dean stated firmly with a nod as Harry and Cho sat silently avoiding one another's eyes in the parlor of Grimmauld.
"No thanks, Dean," Harry replied flatly.
Dean shook his head with a hearty laugh, "Don't be silly. A bunch of us are going down to the Three Broom Sticks here in a bit. It will do you both some good to get out."
Cho took a deep breath, "What if my father finds us there?"
"Don't be a worry wart, why would your father be seen at a bar when he's out looking for Harry?" Dean asked.
"He's right you know," Justin said as he made his appearance.
"Who all is going?" Cho dared as she snuck a glance at Harry.
Dean shrugged, "The normal bunch. Parvati, Padma, Lavender, Justin, Ernie, Neville, Seamus and whoever else might want to go. I doubt Ron will though, Hermione probably won't let him."
"Whole bunches of people usually show up though. Last week Fred and George put on a wicked show to promote their shop," Justin added, "Come on Harry, Cho, it will be fun."
"I'm not really in the mood to have fun," Harry replied bitterly.
Dean gave an evil grin, "Fine, if you would rather sit here and wait for Mr. Chang to figure out a way to break through the curses on this place."
Cho let out a light gasp, "Oh, Harry, maybe they're right."
"You can go if you want to," Harry said curtly before she could finish.
"I think they're right," interrupted another voice.
Dean blinked hard, "I don't think I heard you quite clearly there Hermione."
"I said I think you two are right. It would do both of them some good to get out of this house and away from everything," Hermione said in a matter of fact voice.
"Wicked," Dean laughed.
"As long as you don't plan on brining any muggles into Hogmeade," Hermione said looking at Dean with a serious expression.
"Ah Hermione, what kind of wizard do you think I am?" Dean questioned trying to look innocent.
"So, does this mean you and Ron are going with us?" Justin asked.
Hermione looked insulted by the mere suggestion, but her expression changed as she glanced over towards Harry, "Well, I can't very well leave these two in your care now can I?"
"Excellent!" Dean exclaimed.
Harry shook his head as Cho rose from his seat to excuse herself to go get ready from their outing.
"Harry, is there something you'd like to talk about?" Hermione asked in a low whisper as the rest of the group followed Cho up the stairs.
Harry shook his head, "Nothing."
"You are going tonight aren't you?" Hermione asked.
"Do I have a choice?" Harry replied bitterly.
Before Hermione could continue her interrogation Neville and Ernie interrupted them.
****
It was a busy night at the Three Broom Sticks. Fred and George were entertaining half the bar with their new growing hats; they worked on the same principle as their invisibility hat.
Harry sat bitterly staring at his purplish drink as the happiness hovered around him.
"Harry, have a shot of fire whiskey on me," Seamus offered.
Harry sighed, "No thanks."
"The entire point of coming here tonight was to have a good time," Cho said softly.
Harry cut his eyes up towards her, "I thought it was to hide from your father."
Cho didn't respond but turned her head away instead.
Probably crying again, Harry thought bitterly to himself.
Neville and Padma were sitting at a nearby table. Neville was telling her a story with nervous hand motions, Padma was looking at him curiously laughing lightly as spaced intervals.
Dean was over by the bar talking to young looking witch, with Justin looking at him jealously.
Hermione and Ron were at a table near the back. Hermione was apparently lecturing him about something since Ron was rolling his eyes with a frustrated look on his face.
"I think we need a little music in this pub," Fred announced, "This is called a Tunes Box, we got the idea from something muggles call Karaoke."
Harry felt his stomach shift uncomfortably as the bar full of people started asking Fred and George about their latest product.
"Why don't you ask Fred and George is they need any help at their shop?" Harry heard Hermione ask Ron from across the room.
The noise, since music was too kind of a description for the Tunes Box, was extremely loud. Harry felt his hands slipping towards his ears in protest as Fred lifted the box lid.
"That's horrid," Cho said with a pained face.
Harry suddenly laughed, finding the situation suddenly comical.
Cho glanced at him nervously, "What's so funny?"
Harry looked at her and asked in a strained voice over the music, "What are we doing here?"
Cho suddenly forced a smiled, "You're guess is as good as mine."
Harry took a quick sip of the purplish liquid and made a reach for Cho's hand, "We need to talk."
"What?" Cho asked, but her voice was almost lost in the noise.
Harry tried a little louder, "We need to talk!"
Cho nodded towards the door and two made a quick disappearance. The streets of Hogmeade were incredibly crowded and Harry and Cho decided that Grimmauld would be a better place to have private discussion. There were too many prying ears lurking around such a public place.
Grimmauld was empty, since every one of its residences was celebrating nothing at all in the Three Broom Sticks.
"Should we have a drink?" Cho asked as she walked across the kitchen they had just apparated into.
Harry grabbed the back of his neck and nodded, a drink would probably make what he was thinking about doing seem easier.
"It's been an interesting day," Cho sighed as she poured and handed Harry a glass of Seamus's fire whiskey.
"Yea," Harry said truthfully, "It has been."
Cho took a gulp of her own drink and sighed, "I'm sorry about me overreacting earlier. I…"
"Your father sincerely hates me," Harry replied flatly as he took a drink of the smoking liquid.
Cho looked at Harry then gave a nervous sigh, "I don't care what my father thinks."
"Maybe you should," Harry replied instantly.
Cho shook her head and wiped her damp eyes, "I love you Harry. It's my choice not his."
"You've had nothing but trouble since we've been together. Since you've met me. First Cedric gets killed, then you almost end up killed by a Dementor, then the Death Journal, the attack on Hogwarts, Vampires…"
"I don't care about all those things. Most of them would have happened if I had met you or not," Cho argued as she choked down the remainder of her drink.
"Cho, you know that isn't true," Harry protested.
Cho let a hiccup escape her as she poured some more smoking alcohol into her glass, "So you're wanting to breakup with me, is that it?"
"I just think it would be better for you," Harry started.
Cho almost finished her second glass in one gulp, "Do you?"
"Cho, please don't be upset," Harry pleaded grabbing her hand.
"Upset, why should I be upset? My boyfriend is dumping me because he can't handle my father's opinion. I mean you think it would be me dumping you over an issue like this," Cho stammered bitterly as the tears swept down her face.
Harry finished off his drink as Cho tapped off his and her glasses, "I didn't say I was dumping you."
"Then what are you saying exactly?" Cho demanded.
The warmth from the whiskey swept through Harry's body as he took an abnormally large gulp of his drink followed by a smoldering cough, "I don't know what I'm saying."
"You're drunk," Cho observed as Harry caught his head in his hands and rubbed his eyes behind his glasses.
Harry glanced at Cho's half empty glass, "If I'm drunk I don't even what to think what you are."
Cho giggled slightly as she sniffled loudly trying to subside her tears, "I've heard rumors about Irish Fire Whiskey."
Harry suddenly laughed, "Imagine what your father would do if he caught us right now."
"He'd probably kill both of us," Cho offered joining in Harry's laughter, although the situation wasn't very amusing.
"He probably thinks we're sharing a bed or something," Harry slurred as he poured some more whiskey into his glass.
Cho eyes softened as she leaned in closer to Harry's face, "Do you ever wonder what it would be like to share a bed with me?"
Harry laughter died back as he raised his eyebrow towards her, "Cho, we've shared a bed loads of times."
Cho grinned bashfully, "That isn't exactly what I meant."
Comprehension dawn slowly on Harry's drunken mind, "Oh….err, well you see."
"So it has?" Cho accused.
Harry blushed lightly, thought it could have been the drink that brought color to his face, "I am a guy."
"Another drink then?" Cho offered as Harry gulped down the rest of his glass.
What was happening? He was pretty sure he was going to call it quits with Cho tonight, at least that had been his intentions when he had told her they needed to talk. Now they were talking about possibly the farthest conversation from that subject.
"I don't think there is anything wrong with 'sharing a bed'," Cho continued lightly, not taking her eyes off Harry, "After all, it's just another way of showing our love for one another."
Harry heart was now racing in his chest as the air him suddenly became thick and hard to breath, "I don't see anything wrong with it either…."
Cho laughed playfully, "Do you not? You look someone just knocked you off your broom."
Harry smiled nervously, "This isn't exactly the conversation I was expecting tonight."
Cho touched her face lightly as the drink rushed though her giving her an unexpected swell of courage, "Then lets not talk anymore tonight."
"Okay," Harry slurred again, feeling suddenly inadequate.
Cho let out a girly giggle as she pulled Harry to his now wobbling feet, "Come on."
"Come on where?" Harry asked stupidly as she let him out of the kitchen and towards the stairs.
Cho smiled suggestively, "Do you want to do it right here?"
"Do what?" Harry asked as she tripped and toppled over on the bottom stair.
Cho frowned playfully as she gave Harry a quick kiss, "I thought we weren't going to discuss this anymore."
"Girls really don't make much sense do they?" Harry asked stupidly.
Cho pulled him back up towards his feet and the two of them stumbled clumsily up the stairs and into Harry's bedroom.
"Cho dear, the drinks are downstairs," Harry laughed collapsing loosely into his bed.
Cho shook her now spinning head, "You really are a terrible drinker."
"Like you're much better," Harry accused as she collapsed next to him with a giggle.
Cho made a dramatic motion with her hands, "At least I am fully aware of what we are doing up here."
Harry slowly turned towards her, "I should sure hope so, since you did drag me up here against my will."
"Against your will? I thought you wanted to share a bed with me?" Cho asked.
Harry laughed loudly as the Fire Whiskey clouded his thoughts, "I thought we already had shared a bed."
Cho shook her head, "You know what I'm talking about Harry."
Harry started to say something but his voice caught in his throat as he became quickly aware that Cho had taken off her shirt and flung it across the room.
"Err," Harry started feeling the alcohol rushing through him.
Cho looked at him frankly, "I'm a little warm."
Harry made a reach for his wand, "I know a good cooling spell."
"I don't need a cooling spell," Cho smirked taking his wand from his hand and setting it back on the bed table.
It must have been the alcohol that made Harry do it. As Cho leaned over him to place the wand on the table he closed the distance between their faces. It was a drunken tumble that was full of giggles and passion.
"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Harry asked Cho whose face was flushed.
Cho nodded with a giggle as she pulled Harry's head back down towards hers.
****
The Three Broom Sticks was slowly becoming more and more crowded as the hour of midnight crept upon Hogmeade. Most of the visitors were sharing drinks and laughs with an occasional song tossed in.
Fred Weasley jumped upon the bar top to sing one of the Weird Sister's new releases as the bar below cheered him on.
"Honestly," Hermione sighed sipping on her butter beer shaking her head in protest.
Ron ceased his clapping and turned up his own bottle, he'd never drink anything stronger with Hermione around.
"I'd never have the courage to get up there like that," Padma said lightly as she turned her head from the elder Weasley's performance.
Neville shook his head in agreement, "Neither would I."
"Oh come on Neville, you were a Gryffindor," Ron jeered, and quickly received a disapproving glare from Hermione.
"That isn't bravery, it's stupidity," Hermione replied flatly as she rolled her eyes.
Padma grinned lightly as Ron snarled his nose and took another rather large sip of his butter beer.
Neville suddenly looked around the room, "Has anyone seen Harry lately?"
Hermione joined in Neville scanned, "Surely they didn't leave without us seeing them."
"Oh Hermione, maybe they needed some alone time together," Ron stated frankly.
Hermione huffed in frustration, "Something was bothering Harry today. I'm wondering if he might be planning on calling it quits with Cho out of frustration."
"Harry wouldn't do something like that. The two of them have been together for ages," Ron argued letting butter beer dribbled down his chin.
Hermione licked the edge of her napkin and rubbed it on the corner of Ron's mouth, causing both Neville and Padma to give a slight chuckle.
"Stop that!" Ron protest pushing Hermione's hand away.
"But your face is dirty," Hermione said ignoring Ron's protest.
"Do you want to get out of here?" Padma quickly whispered to Neville, recognizing a chance to escape the bickering couple.
Neville nodded quickly as they both quickly rose from their seat. Hermione and Ron didn't seem to notice.
The night was warm and humid as the two finally pushed their way out of the crowded pub.
"I'm glad to be out of there," Padma said as she took a deep breath of the heavy night air.
Neville nodded as he glanced back over his shoulder, "You don't think Harry and Cho broke up tonight, do you?"
Padma looked taken back by the question, "Harry did seem upset today, but you can't very well blame him for that."
Neville bit his lip nervously as they two walked towards the town center, "I suppose plenty of girls will be happy if they do."
"Do what?" Padma asked in a confused voice, since it had been several moments since they had spoken.
"Break-up," Neville said quickly as he fidgeted with his thumbs.
Padma shrugged, "I suppose so, one of them being my sister probably."
"I never knew Parvati had a thing for Harry," Neville confessed.
Padma laughed lightly, "Then you were the only one at Hogwarts who didn't."
Neville suddenly dropped his head, afraid his embarrassment would be too obvious.
"I didn't mean anything by it," Padma said quickly noticing Neville sudden change.
Neville nodded lightly, "I wasn't exactly in the popular circle at Hogwarts."
"That's ridiculous, I knew who you were," Padma said shaking her head in disagreement.
Neville dared at quick glance, "Only because I was friends with Harry."
"That isn't true. Everybody knew you were the best student in our year at Herbology," Padma stated. "That was impressive enough."
"Herbology isn't all that impressive," Neville replied bashfully.
"Of course it is, I was never very good at it, and I was in Ravenclaw," Padma confessed, "It takes a person with a ton of patience to do well in Herbology."
"And Herbology definitely doesn't earn one popularity points," Neville continued as if he didn't hear Padma's previous comment.
Padma raised one of her eyebrows at Neville who smiled nervously at her, finally looking up from his hands.
"Why are you so hard on yourself?" Padma asked.
Neville shrugged, "I guess I've always just felt I've been a bit of a disappointment. I mean my parents were Auror and look at me. I can't even get a job."
"Neither can I," Padma tried to offer, "I'm sure you'll find something you're great at."
Neville blushed lightly, "I suppose. I just wish …."
"You wish what?" Padma asked lowering her head so she could look at his face.
Neville sighed, "I just wish I knew what it was like to be like everyone else."
Padma laughed lightly, "You are like everyone else."
Neville was now bright crimson, "No I'm not. I'm not brave like Harry, or charming like Dean. I'm not even smart like you and Hermione. I mean even Ron is wittier than me."
"You don't need to be like Dean or Harry. You don't even need to be like me," Padma said touching his hand softly, "You're the sweetest most genuine person I've ever been around."
"That is one of those back handed compliments, only because you can't think of any other decent qualities I might possess," Neville frowned.
"No it isn't," Padma argued. "I'm really enjoying spending time with you."
Neville lowered his eyes nervously as Padma gently touched his cheek, "You haven't been with many girls have you?"
"I took Ginny Weasley to the Yule Ball," Neville fumbled, then lowered his head as if he'd just embarrassed himself further.
Padma grinned mischievously and planted a quick kiss smack on Neville lips. Neville took such an enormous gulp of air he almost chocked. His eyes were wide with shock as the fuzzy image of Padma pulled back with a grin.
Neville felt every single muscle in his body fail him as Padma laced her fingers though his and lay her head over on his shoulder.
****
WOW…..I hope everyone likes the chapter. I'm using my own life to base this phase of Harry's off of. I don't want you to think of everyone a stupid drunk, but I think having a couple of party focused characters is validly based.
Dean and Seamus always struck me as two who just wanted to have fun, and Ernie and Justin are just following the crowd…..Thanks again to everyone who nominated me for Recommended Author of the month of HarryPotterfanfiction.com….I'm honored, honestly.
NEXT UPDATE: 04-11-04