Trials and Tribulations
Chapter 8
Ever since they had agreed to see each other in secret, Hermione had felt tremendously happy inside. Her whole spirit lifted, and even everybody around her was affected by her infectious cheerful smile.
She'd say hi to everyone who passed her, and would flash smiles around so much that Cho would give her a jealous nudge in the side. They would giggle, and continue walking. The Ravenclaw girl had started to hang out more and more with Harry, Ron, and Hermione, for obvious reasons. Ron wasn't exactly jumping for joy about it, not like Harry who had thought that it was a miracle sent from the heavens or something.
The pair was now rarely ever seen without each other, and a lot of other students now found it very normal. Sometimes they would make comments like "Oh Hermione, where's Cho? I was looking for her" and "Oh Cho, where's your twin?"
The four of them now enjoyed many group activities together such as exploding snap and magical chess, even though Ron would always win.
Whenever they had time though, Hermione and Cho would agree on a time and day, and then they'd meet in the room of requirement sometime during the night. It was the only place that they were sure they'd had some peace and quiet, and especially alone time together without disturbance.
Sure, some of the other Ravenclaw students had questioned why a girl like Cho would start hanging out with a Gryffindor like Hermione, but neither of them really cared what the other people thought of their 'friendship'. As long as they didn't know the deeper meaning behind it, everything was kept quiet.
It was almost the end of the school year with only a few days standing between them, and complete freedom from homework.
Yet the group was in the library studying for a last minute test that Professor McGonagall had decided to give them.
"Aw, this should be a crime! Popping a quiz on us for the last day of school, a crime I tell you!" exclaimed Ron as he stared into his transfiguration book blankly.
Hermione cast him a sideways glance, "Well you know Ron, there are such things as pop quizzes. And it is not a crime! Besides, transfiguring isn't bad. In fact, it is one of my more favorite classes I'll have you know."
"Anything that involves a book is your favorite subject…" he mumbled dismally. Cho chortled but attempted to cover it as a snorting cough of some sort.
"You're lucky Cho," said Harry, "you don't have a test for your class. You already took your final test before all of us a while ago. Meh, like I said, lucky."
She smiled, "Well, it wasn't an easy one mind you. Professor McGonagall can be quite unforgiving on her exams." They all laughed.
Hermione closed her book and got up, "Since Cho is not actually studying for anything, I think we're going to go have a talk for a second. I can study up on this test later on in the dormitory."
She grabbed Cho's hand and led her behind a bookshelf in a more secluded area. Looking around to make sure nobody was within earshot, she looked at Cho.
"I was wondering, do you have any plans this break?"
Smiling, she shook her head, sleek locks of black hair fluttered around her face, "No, I was just going to go home to my parents. However, if you have something else in mind, I would happily do something with you."
"That's good to hear. Would you like to come home with me this summer? It'll be much more fun than sitting around in your room all day and stuff. We can go out and do exciting things! You can give your parents an owl that you'll come home with me, alright?"
Cho nodded, and waited by the door for Hermione whom had gone back to the table to pick up her belongings. With her books in one arm, and Cho's arm in another, she guided her through the hallways to the owlery.
Hermione took out a piece of parchment and let Cho write it, and then she fastened it to the leg of her owl.
Watching the owl ascend and then swoop out of the sky windows, she sighed, "I'm actually looking forward to summer now."
The pop quiz turned out to be nothing but a hoax. Professor McGonagall did that only to scare the students into studying when all that happened when they walked into the classroom was a gigantic party. She normally would be against parties of any kind, but she felt that they deserved it after their stressful year.
She did warn them however, that next year's transfiguration classes would be much more challenging, and that they really should study more.
It was the last day of school, and the Great Hall was filled with red and gold silk tapestries with the Gryffindor coat of arms largest in the middle. Everybody was anticipating their leave, not even caring that the House Cup had been won by the Gryffindors for about the third or fourth time running.
The empty golden platters suddenly were empty no longer as food fresh from the kitchens appeared on them. Everyone dug into their last feast of the year while Dumbledore clapped his hands to draw their attention.
"I understand that you are tucking into a most dazzling feast, but I must congratulate the Gryffindors for yet another impressive year. They have won the House Cup, and so we have these colors to decorate in their honor. However I have one thing of importance to say."
Not many people were actually paying him much attention, except Hermione of course. However, when he mentioned that it was important, a few more heads turned, because Dumbledore's words were almost always of great significance.
"There have been a few disappearances lately, not that you young people should worry much about, but I believe it is within your best safety not to do anything rash," as he said that he looked at Harry with a smile, "but I also wish for everyone to be safe. Suspicious activity should not have to spoil such a grand summer for you guys. Eat plenty, and stay safe!"
And with that, everyone dug into the newly baked pies and other desserts that had appeared before them after most of the main course meals were eaten. The feast finally ended, and with full stomachs, the students began to walk out of the school grounds and towards the Hogwarts express.
For once in her life, Hermione wasn't concerned about studying. As the four of them, Ron, Harry, Cho, and Hermione, boarded the train, they actually were excited to be leaving Hogwarts.
Ron's family was going to Romania to visit Charlie and his dragons. They were to be given free passage by airplanes, which utterly fascinated Mr. Weasley.
"I must figure out how they can stay up in air! It is still a wondrous mystery that has yet to be discovered…" he had said with a twinkle in his eye.
Harry had been invited to go with them, but he actually was going to stay with Sirius in his large, yet creepy, Black manor. No Uncle Vernon or Aunt Petunia could force him to go back to Privet Drive that summer.
And Hermione…well, she could barely contain her excitement! Cho was coming to over to her house so they could spend some time together. She already had something extraordinary planned for her.
They all took a seat in an empty compartment and the ride turned out to be uneventful. Harry and Ron exchanged cards that they had got from the chocolate frogs package. Cho decided to chance an every flavor bean and popped a red one in her mouth; it turned out to be blood flavored. Draco didn't even bother disturbing them this time, and it surprised them all. It was as if he were too preoccupied with something else to come and annoy them.
Finally arriving at the station, all four of them walked out of the train and walked through platform 9 3/4. They waved goodbye to each other, and went their separate ways as a black dog, the Weasley family, and Hermione's father arrived.
"So, is this your witch friend that we've heard so much about? Hi!" he stuck out his hand to shake hers, "I'm Hermione's dad, it's nice to meet you. Well, lets get to the car and go home."
After shaking his hand, Cho grasped Hermione's hand and they started walking down a sidewalk towards a nearby parking area. The parking lot came closer, but Mr. Granger seemed to be fidgeting as if something were nagging at the back of his mind. He kept shooting glances at them, and Hermione realized he must be looking at them holding hands.
She coughed, "Um, dad, Cho is blind, so I need to help her around places." He sighed and they continued walking on.
Cho giggled and then whispered into her ear so that he couldn't hear, "Is your dad strict? Oh and…what's a car?"
It was Hermione's turn to laugh. Cho was a pureblood witch, so she didn't know of cars and modern Muggle transportation objects.
"My dad is just cautious about everything I do, but you get used to it after a while. Oh, and a car is something that Muggles use as transportation to get from one place to another. They use wheels and they can't fly."
They finally arrived at a black BMW that was parked off in a secluded corner, away from possible harm from other careless drivers. Hermione opened the door for her and they sat in the back seats as her dad took to the wheel. Cho sat down and let out a little gasp as the car lurched forward and started moving.
"Wow!"
Mr. Granger looked in the rearview mirror and smiled at Cho's curiosity and Hermione just laughed. "It takes longer than apparating, but it's a lot more fun," said Cho. After about fifteen minutes, they finally arrived home.
Hermione took her hand and led her inside. Mrs. Granger walked up and greeted the pair warmly. "Oh, you must be Cho Chang, the person Hermione is always talking about in her owls home. You're just the cutest thing I've ever seen, and such perfect teeth! That's a wonderful smile…"
Blushing, Cho just smiled back and thanked her. Hermione just led her upstairs to her room, obviously embarrassed by her mom's comments. She closed the door shaking her head, and locked it.
She dropped onto her bed, "Sorry about that. My parents are dentists, so they're obsessed with all things related to teeth." She noticed Cho's baffled look.
"Dentists, are people in the Muggle world who clean teeth and take care of them, such as pulling them out, and also filling them."
Cho cringed at hearing the pulling out part, but she smiled, "Well, they think I have nice teeth." And they both laughed. She sat down on the bed and breathed in deeply. The smell itself reminded her of Hermione, and with the sounds of birds chirping out the window as the sun started to descend, she felt calm in this little room.
It wasn't exactly small, but it was cozy. The carpet was a plush dark brown and the walls were off-white. An oak dresser was the only piece of furniture in the room besides three bookcases filled to the brim with textbooks and other leisure readings. A small bed was pushed against the wall, and a mattress was brought in for Cho to sleep on.
They laid down on the bed, and after a while, they drifted off into a light slumber. It felt good to finally relax after that whole time in Hogwarts doing nothing but homework and exams.
All that was on Hermione's mind however, was the one big event that she had planned before she invited Cho. It was to be kind of like a date, and tomorrow, she'd take her shopping for more fancy clothes to wear.
Hermione was the first to wake up as the sun pierced through her windows unmercifully blinding her. She had a sore neck due to the angle at which she fell asleep in, but she didn't mind; Cho was with her.
She stared at the dark-haired beauty and marveled at how she could still look nearly perfect after all that she had gone through. Smooth skin, velvety hair, what more could someone want? She was the object of every guy's affection, and yet here she was with Hermione. It felt almost surreal, until Cho began to stir and opened her eyes.
"Is it morning already?" she asked groggily as she wiped her eyes, still obviously sleepy.
Hermione laughed and stroked her hair, "C'mon, I know you're tired, but you don't need any more beauty sleep. Besides, you'd end up as irresistible as a veela."
They dragged their unwilling bodies out of the comfort of the bed and got dressed in proper Muggle attire.
"I'm going to get you some proper dress clothes. I have something special planned later on for the summer, and you'll need dressier clothes than what you brought."
And so they went downstairs, said good morning and goodbye to her parents, and walked out the door. There was a fancy clothing store not too far from where she lived, and so the walk itself only took about ten minutes.
They arrived at a small but quaint outlet that had all sorts of dressy gowns and other kinds of clothing for special occasions.
"Hi, may I help you ladies find something?" asked one of the store's attendants. Hermione shook her head, "No thank you, we're just looking around." And so Cho wandered off to find some place to sit as Hermione picked out several dresses for her to try on.
"I think all of these will look nice on you, but you have to decide which feels the most comfortable," she said as she guided Cho to a nearby dressing room with cream-painted wooden doors.
Taking her seat on the suede couch and waited patiently as Cho tried on the numerous dresses she had handed to her. Finally, the door opened slightly and she poked her head out, "Um, I found one that fits, and is pretty comfortable…but uh… I'd rather have your opinion on what it looks like…"
As the door swung open slowly, Cho stepped out hesitantly and Hermione's jaw nearly hit the ground. She could have sworn that Cho couldn't get anymore captivating, but as she appeared before her, she suddenly realized she had forgotten how to breathe.
She had chosen the black dress. It was a formfitting, sleek dress that cutoff right before it hit the knees, and it complimented her flawless curves nicely. The dress itself had two straps that wrapped around her neck in a crisscross manor leaving the skin exposed on her collarbone.
She blushed and smiled, "Um…Hermione, are you there…? What do you think?"
Seeing her in such a splendid dress made Hermione's heart flutter, and she wanted to say she looked spectacular, but he only thing that came out was
"Hauh."
Cho looked at her because of the weird, half choking, half gawking, sound. "Err, is that a grunt of approval?" feeling stupid, Hermione hit her head. She opened her mouth to speak and
"Guuh."
Once again, she humiliated herself by not saying even a real word, but just sound affects. Inside, her head was screaming. IDIOTIDIOTIDIOTIDIOTIDIOTIDIOT!
Cho laughed and went back inside the dressing room to change back into her Muggle clothing. She came out and Hermione just stood up dumbly and paid for the dress. The clerk waved goodbye and asked them to come again. They took up each other's hand and started walking back.
They had walked in silence, the only sound was the paper bag brushing against Cho's leg, until Hermione spoke up.
"…I meant to say that dress looked nice."
/
After that, the summer went by rather slower than expected. They spent most of their time taking walks out to the park, and then just sit underneath a tree and soak up the fresh air and scenic sounds such as birds and laughing kids.
Harry and Ron were sending them owls at occasional intervals. Ron was having a grand time over in Romania, and he talked all about the different dragons that Charlie showed them. He even sent a photograph of all of them standing in front of various breeds such as the Romanian Longhorn, Norwegian Ridgeback, and the Antipodean Opaleye. The dragons would trample in the background as the Weasley family would run back and forth looking for cover.
Harry was sending cryptic letters from Sirius' house in case Hedgwig was intercepted or anything. They were having fun as far as she could tell, even though all they were doing was sneaking through the towns with Sirius in his animagus form snatching food and the like.
Finally, though, the day had arrived for the special event that Hermione had been planning to bring Cho to.
It was actually a cloudy night, with the moon not even able to penetrate the thick fog with its silver glow. There was a gloomy mist hanging about them as she held onto Cho's arm. "I'm going to apparate us over there. It's much too far for us to walk."
Cho was wearing her newly bought black dress, and Hermione was wearing a strapless white formal gown that went down below her knees. Firmly holding onto Cho's arm, she pictured the place in her mind and apparated there.
They squeezed through space and then uncompressed right next to the large building with a loud 'pop' sound. Nobody was around to see or hear them appear out of nowhere, and so they walked around to the front.
"What are we doing Hermione, where are we going?" she asked quietly as her brown-haired friend led her around a corner.
"Tickets please?" she heard a suave man ask. There was a moment of silence, and then he talked again, "Thank you, enjoy the performance."
Cho felt for Hermione's hand and held on. The man had said something about a performance. She was led into a building, and the atmosphere turned cool as the air conditioning blew into the building.
"We're going to go take a couple of seats here, but we need to cross over some people, watch where you step," whispered Hermione.
"S'cuse me."
"Pardon me."
They stepped across some feet, and they ended up sitting down in some very comfortable stationary seats with armrests. It was like the seating that was often found in the Muggle movie theatres only more extravagant.
Still holding hands, Cho leaned over to her left, "Hermione, where did you take me?" she whispered.
Hermione leaned in to her right, "We're in a performing hall. This is an orchestral symphony. It's music that Muggles make by playing different instruments like violins, violas, flutes, and things like that. I thought that…well…since you can't see, you'd like this. You don't need to see in order to feel music. What do you think…?"
Cho sat there, and as the lights dimmed, and the ensemble began their first movement, she turned her head and smiled, "It's perfect." She closed her eyes, though it made no difference because the wonderful music enveloped her, allowing her to unwind.
The orchestra played some of the classics from Bach, Beethoven, and also Mozart. Familiar tunes were played, and the crowd clapped politely after each brilliant song, but it was the last song that had ended the performance perfectly.
The first movement started of at a pianissimo, which was so soft, that she could barely hear it, and then it grew louder into an explosion of sound. The time signature changed often as the beat was thrown off at different rhythmic paces. It seemed erratic, but also a bit mysterious. Towards the end of it, it changed its key signature to match that of a happier tune.
The crowd applauded, and then quieted down as the orchestra began its second movement. A xylophone and marimba started off the movement happily, as it imitated the sound fluttering birds, and then the flutes joined in, adding to the harmonious mix. It sounded, and felt, like it was a joyous celebration. Every instrument was ringing with a festive tone. It was as if this were the exact feeling that Cho and Hermione had been feeling for the past few months. A delightful feeling that was too hard to explain with words, but something that this orchestra could easily put out with music.
But then the large bass drum and timpani struck, and cymbals clashed as it signaled the third and final movement. It was a dark movement that sounded of grief and anger. Such emotion and feeling was put into each strike on the large drum as it sounded like enraged thunder. It was fearful, but exciting all the same as the violins played frantically as high as they could on the E string while the lower strings and low brass played deep, menacing dark chords.
And then with one final, massive cymbal crash, every instrument stopped playing except for the first chair flute player. It still retained that melancholy tune, but with a twist. The happy fluttering notes that had been sprinkled all throughout the second movement were now mixed in, and then the song ended on a promising and bright chord.
The audience clapped as they gave a standing ovation to the talented musicians.
Everyone started to file out of the grand hall to the outside chill. Outside, the sky was still covered in those ominous clouds, and the moon was nowhere to be seen. Hermione and Cho walked outside hand in hand as they started to stroll absentmindedly down the sidewalk in the direction of home.
"That was… absolutely the best thing I've ever heard in my life," exclaimed Cho, "I never knew such a thing existed in the Muggle world. I'll have to go listen to more of these orchestra performances and-"
She suddenly stopped talking, her eyes wide.
"Cho, what's wrong?" asked Hermione, a hint of alarm behind her calm voice.
Slowly, but without elegance, she began to stumble off the sidewalk onto the grass. Hermione followed her, but was unsure where she was going, since she couldn't actually see.
They had walked into a nearby foliage-covered area. A thick concentration of trees surrounded them, but there wasn't an actual forest in this part of Britain, or at least, none that she knew of.
"Cho, Cho, where are you going?" she called after her through the thick leaves and bushes that obstructed her vision. She had no idea what was going on, but a feeling of anxiety began to pool at the bottom of her insides.
As she chased her deeper and deeper into the forest, that anxiety gave way to fear and began eating her away.
She swatted at a tree limb and suddenly found herself in an open field with Cho standing lonely in the middle of it.
Trees still surrounded them, but it seemed more like as if it were acting as a green fence more than anything. Clouds hung above them as Cho looked around frantically, suddenly remembering who and where she was.
"Hermione! Hermione! Where are you? We need to get out of here!" she yelled out.
Hermione broke into a run and desperately hugged her, "Oh Cho, why'd you run off like that? What happened?"
Cho's eyes showed deep concern, "I was put under an Imperious Curse! I know it! We must get out of here now!" Wasting no time, she grabbed her hand and began to run towards the direction where they came from, but suddenly they both stopped as they saw a figure emerge from the dense mass of trees.
"No… that's…impossible…!" choked Hermione as she stared at who was staring so coldly back at her. Cho shook her hard, "What, what is it? What do you see?"
"Hello Cho. Good to see you're happy without me."
Dropping her hands, and then falling to her knees due to the sheer weakness that enclosed her body, she felt tears sting her eyes and fall freely to the ground.
"…Cedric…? Is that you…?"
The ghostly but solid figure walked towards them, his pale skin as cold as his distant stare.
"Petrificus Totalus!"
Both girls suddenly froze in their spot as the petrification spell hit them. They couldn't move a muscle, but as soon as the person behind Cedric stepped into view, they wished they could.
Trademark red eyes and slits for a nose made Hermione want to scream out as Voldemort stepped into view, however she couldn't even utter a word due to the petrificus totalus spell.
"Cedric…I thought you had died! They found your body…and…you were killed… by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named…" whimpered Cho as Cedric released her from the freezing spell by whispering finite incantatem.
He walked up to her and placed a bitter hand on her cheek, "Voldemort," she winced at his name, "has brought me back…but only temporarily." He looked at Hermione, who was standing rigidly, and sneered at her.
"I came back because I loved you so much…didn't you love me? Don't you love me? Only if you proclaim your love for me right here will I be fully brought back to life." She looked up at him, but she couldn't see him. There was no warmth in his touch either, only something dead and isolated.
She began to think back on their time together, just her and Cedric. They were so happy together, dancing at the Yule ball, playing Quidditch matches against each other, and just being together.
"I…love…" she started quietly. Cedric looked at her with a loving yet poisonous smirk. Cho had almost said his name, but then she remembered the time she spent after his departure, the time she spent with Hermione.
Their experiences together were nearly the same. The warmth, the touch, the feeling of security and passion, she just couldn't choose between them. Had this happened right after the Triwizard Tournament, she would have immediately said she loved him, but too much has happened. It just didn't seem right.
She looked over in the direction of Hermione's presence. Cedric frowned in anger and stared in her direction.
"Don't tell me you've fallen for her," He spat out the last word with disgust, "What has she ever done for you? Nothing! You don't love her, and she very well doesn't love you, so just tell me what I need to hear! Tell me you love me! IMPERIO!"
Cho's brain was exploding, but with a good sensation.
Say that you love Cedric. Say that you love Cedric.
"I…love…"
Say that you love Cedric. Say that you love Cedric. SAY THAT YOU LOVE CEDRIC.
A small voice had started to fight back. She remembered the times she spent with Hermione, and she enjoyed it. The concert, teaching her how to play Quidditch… there's just too much.
No…I do love Cedric…but…I love Hermione more… she said back to the voice.TELL HIM THAT YOU LOVE HIM. SAY THAT YOU LOVE CEDRIC.
"No!" she screamed.
Looking up, and although she couldn't see, she could feel the hurt look on Cedric's ghostly face. "I love you…but I love someone else more. I'm sorry…"
"No, no, NO!" Cedric screamed at the top of his lungs as his artificial flesh began to disappear. Voldemort grinned and hissed into his ear.
With anger and hate powering him, Cedric whipped his head around with a vicious look of revulsion and violently grabbed Hermione's throat as he pulled out his wand. "YOU DID THIS! YOU TURNED HER AGAINST ME AND WARPED HER LOVE TO YOU! CRUCIO!"
Hermione's ear-piercing scream ripped through the dead air as her body felt as if it were being jabbed and punctured by hot steel knives. Her skin itself did not tear physically, but in her mind, she felt as if death were now something more inviting.
"I'LL GET RID OF YOU…YOU… FILTHY MUDBLOOD! I SWEAR I'LL KILL YOU!" He shrieked as Hermione shook and convulsed, helplessly clutching her body on the ground.
"No, Hermione!" shouted Cho as she leapt up, "Don't hurt her!" She ran over to their direction, attempting to do something to try and stop him. All he did was extend his arm and push her away.
"Stay out of this! She is the one who ruined your love for me! I'm going to get rid of her so we can be happy together, just like we used to be before I died!" he cried out. Voldemort hissed at him from behind and Cedric nodded.
"SECTUMSEMPRA!"
Just as the deadly curse had been uttered, Cho flung herself in front of Hermione's already shaking body due to the Cruciatuscurse.
Right before her eyes, and Cedric's, Cho's body literally ripped itself apart. Just as if a sword was slashed across her chest, her torso split open with a ragged gash that ran from her shoulder down to her opposing hip, blood spurting everywhere. She let out one ragged scream before falling to the floor limp and unmoving.
Cedric panicked, "No! Cho, why'd you save this stupid girl? That wasn't meant for you! I never wanted to harm you, WHY'D YOU DO IT?"
Just then, Dumbledore, Harry, Ron, Sirius, and Lupin burst through the thick foliage behind them. Voldemort's blood-red eyes darted towards them and as soon as he saw Dumbledore, he hissed and fled.
Cedric was left with no more power, and so the flesh that had started to disappear, began to blow away in the wind as dust. No longer filled with spite and hatred, he took one long look at Cho's body. A spectral tear slid down his now transparent skin and he reached out for her.
"I'm so sorry."
A rushing gust swept away his spirit and artificial body as it turned into nothing but dust. Hermione was also released from the Cruciatus curse, and she stood up with a head-splitting ache. When she saw Cho's body, she suddenly wished she had the comfort of a Cruciatus curse instead.
Cho's blood-spattered body was torn and ripped with a giant slash diagonally down across her torso. A thick sanguine liquid was oozing out of the cut.
The pain of seeing her bleeding body tore her apart, and it ripped at her soul more than any curse could. Anguish, torment, and sadness, but mostly guilt washed through her body as she remembered what she saw so long ago.
That exact same picture. It happened when she had crashed while riding her broomstick, and Cho had saved her by putting a cushion beneath her. When she had gone to go see if Cho was okay, that image of her bleeding had flashed before her eyes. Now, it has happened.
"NO!" she cried, "She's not dead!"
Running over to her pale body, she rested a trembling hand on her feeble-looking face. She had lost her grace and elegance to the scarlet liquid that was splattered across her delicate skin. Everyone else suddenly gathered around her.
Dumbledore pulled out his wand and kept uttering some sort of spell or charm as he waved it over Cho's pulsing red body. The large slash across her chest seemed to stop oozing blood, and it even started to stitch itself back together.
He stood up and looked at her grimly and shook his head. Hermione's silent tears were sliding down her cheeks like a faucet as she stared into Cho's agonized face. She bent over and placed her forehead against hers, and began to whisper so quietly that only Cho could hear, if she were able to hear at all anymore.
"I love you."
She stood up, everyone's eyes on her as she grabbed Harry's wand that he had in his pocket. She wasn't sure what the effects of using a wand that wasn't specialized for the user were, but she was about to find out.
"ENNERVATE!" she aimed at Cho's unmoving body as it was hit with the spell. It jumped up.
Nothing.
Frowning with despair, anger, and love, she pointed the wand again.
"ENERVATE!" Cho's body jumped again.
Nothing.
"ENERVATE DAMNIT!" she screamed with all emotion. Normally it would have been hilarious to hear Hermione curse, since she never condoned the use of them, but in times like these, it wasn't funny. Even the lightest of curse words like damn seemed horrible to Hermione.
But maybe the damnit did it. Cho's body began moving, slowly, but it did start moving. She clenched her teeth in seething pain and opened her eyes.
"Where…where am I?" she asked weakly.
Hermione stared at her with shock, and then gave her a fervent kiss. Everyone stared in bewilderment, and Ron looked as if his heart was shot out of him, but they shrugged it off as they realized the situation they were under.
Cho smiled jokingly, "And what was that for?" Hermione gave a stressed laugh and nearly choked, "Are you kidding? You nearly died! I couldn't have had you die on me!" And she gave her vice-like hug.
"That's enough Miss Granger, I believe Miss Chang needs her rest," said Dumbledore, much to the surprise of Cho, who wasn't able to see all the people around her. She blushed suddenly, "How long were you guys standing there?"
Harry looked down at her bleeding body, sad because of the unexpected kiss yet relieved at the same time because she didn't die.
"Long enough to see what's going on between you guys," he joked with a hint of jealousy behind his voice.
Lupin looked at both Hermione and Cho and thought that they might want some alone time due to the circumstances. He coughed, "Well, I believe I need to get going before the full moon hits me. Will you guys all accompany me home please?"
Ron looked at him childishly, "But you can't even see the moon right now, there's too many-" Sirius elbowed him in the side, knocking the wind, and the stupidity, out of him. He nodded his head.
"Let's get going." All five of them walked away into the sea of green and out of sight.
Hermione looked down into Cho's cloudy eyes and realized that her own pair of eyes were still misty from crying.
"You nearly died…I thought I had lost you to Cedric…" at the mention of his name, Cho winced.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have said that." Added Hermione quickly as she realized how it must have felt to have been betrayed by her first love.
Cho looked up into her eyes and smiled, "Did you really mean what you said before?"
Hermione understood exactly what she meant, "Yes…I do really…love you a lot. When I saw you practically die right before my eyes, my heart was ripped from me. It hurt loads more than the Cruciatus Curse, though that did drive me insane."
They both chuckled lightly and continued to gaze at each other. Cho grinned, "If that curse could drive you insane, imagine what I can do." Hermione blushed fiercely and laughed to mask her embarrassment.
"Oh you're such an idiot…" she said lovingly as she smiled into a kiss.