Disclaimer: All legal rights to the Harry Potter books and characters of course belong to J. K. Rowling; rights to the movies belong to Warner Bros. I claim only the story idea as my own intellectual property, for which I seek no compensation.
Rating: T (PG-13-equivalent) for some references to past torture and death, mild language and innuendo, and references to adult relationships.
A/N: If you've followed me over to AO3, you're aware that I've become interested in Harry/Cho recently in addition to Harry/Luna. While I hesitate to say that this ship has replaced that one, since I love both pairings very much, this ship is definitely the one that's fresher in my mind right now. Harry/Cho seems to be dismissed rather unfairly, and I myself did not always see the potential in it, but I have since come around to realize that there's something extremely heartwarming about it. The idea that Harry and Cho could find each other again as grown-ups and actually make it work the second time around because they both learned from their mistakes... that's very special, and I will always root for a couple like that.
That said, this scenario also raises the often unasked question of how well Cho would get along with Harry's adopted family, including a certain witch who she is known to have a distaste for, and another certain witch who was known to be jealous of her. I originally published this fic on AO3 earlier in the year and have now decided to share it here - just in time for Christmas. Re: the controversy surrounding Cho's name, I have opted to follow the lead of the official Chinese translation in crafting a solution, and have presented her birth name as "Qiū", pronounced "Chee-oh".
Cho's Christmas Visit
After some time following Harry through the fields to The Burrow, Cho Chang paused to set down the poinsettia she was carrying. She could already see the bizarrely shaped building in the near distance, which looked like several houses stacked on top of each other. Even the house farther away, which was shaped like a chess rook, looked fairly normal compared to whatever this was. Taking a breath to clear her nerves, Cho reassessed what she was wearing and bringing to Christmas dinner:
A poinsettia, sure. That should be a friendly and seasonally appropriate enough gesture. Of course, I don't know what everybody else might have brought: we'll all look silly if ten of us brought a poinsettia, but I'll look silliest of all just because I'm the new one. I just couldn't think of anything else to bring; I hardly know these people or what they like. And of course, what's a big deal for me is just an ordinary family gathering for them - what if I'm the only person who dressed this formally?
Cho adjusted the shawl she was wearing to keep some warmth outdoors, wondering if maybe the best and easiest route would have simply been to wear something that covered her arms. The black cocktail dress had seemed passable when she picked it out: it ended below her knees, and the neckline was high enough to not show any cleavage, but still...
"Harry?" she called, as he turned around to rejoin her where she'd stopped. "Do I look alright? Am I overdressed? Underdressed? Am I showing too much skin?"
"You're fine," Harry smiled; he had opted to wear a tweed jacket over a dark green button-up shirt. "You're not wearing anything much different from what Fleur will be wearing, I'm sure."
"Fleur is married to... Percy? No, Bill!" Cho picked her poinsettia back up with an anxious look on her face. "Oh, I'm sorry, I know we're almost there - I just need another refresher on who everybody is before we go in. I'm still trying to remember them all."
"No problem," said Harry. "We can afford a couple minutes' break. Do you remember the parents' names?"
"Molly and... Arthur!" Cho exclaimed after searching for the father's name for some time. The mother's name had been easy enough to remember since there were only two women in the family, but it was the men she was having the most trouble keeping straight. Had her friend Luna been here, she could have helped her out: she'd grown up near the Weasleys, in that peculiar rook house, and knew them all - while Cho had grown up in a completely different corner of England.
"And Arthur works for the Ministry, in Muggle Affairs... Oh! Do I call them by their first names, or do I say Mr and Mrs Weasley?" she asked.
"They'll be just fine with first names, but if you want to say Mr and Mrs Weasley at first, they'll find you very polite," Harry assured her. "Now let's go over the siblings from youngest to oldest; we'll start with the ones you already know."
"Ginny is the youngest and the only sister, single, professional Quidditch player for the Holyhead Harpies," Cho began. "Ronald is next; your fellow Auror and he's dating the wizarding lawyer... Hermione." Cho hesitated on this name out of distaste rather than forgetfulness. No, she certainly remembered Hermione Granger. "Then comes George, single, who owns Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes, and then... Charlie?"
"Nope, but you've done very good so far," Harry said. "Charlie is older than Percy; it gets tricky because Percy just seems older."
"Good, good. George and then Percy, also single, who works in the Ministry doing... oh, dear, what does he do?"
"Don't worry about that one. I'll let you in on a secret: none of the other siblings actually care what Percy does."
Cho let out a chuckle, enjoying the relief it brought, before continuing: "Oh, that's right, he's the stuffy one of the group. So Percy and then Charlie, who's also single and works with dragons, and finally Bill, Curse-Breaker at Gringotts, and his wife Fleur, who also works there... did I forget anyone?"
Harry gave Cho two thumbs up. "Fantastic. Everything right so far except for that one mix-up with Percy and Charlie - and there is one last person you forgot, but she's not old enough to talk with you anyway." He resumed walking through the field again as a stone path now emerged, and she followed him.
"Oh, that's right - Bill and Fleur have a baby now, don't they? Babies are nice... Wait, let me count everyone up: you, me, two parents, six siblings, an in-law, a baby, a girlfriend..." Cho paused once again where she stood. "That doesn't bode well; that's thirteen people at the table. You know what Professor Trelawney would say about that."
"Yeah, but you don't need to worry; Victoire doesn't eat grown-up food yet. She'll be in her crib while the rest of us are eating. Look, we're here now!" Harry became more visibly excited as they crossed over one final hill and saw The Burrow's front yard straight ahead.
This must be the closest thing he has in life to coming home to a mum and dad, Cho thought somberly, gazing at her surroundings. Then her expression suddenly changed to one of alarm as she noticed two familiar faces standing some distance away from the front door but not yet entering the house. A tall red-headed man and a bushy-haired woman, both wearing long-sleeved shirts and khaki slacks, were having a conversation, possibly even a debate; neither of them had noticed Harry and Cho yet. There was no doubt this was Ron and Hermione, and that they had made it there first... but the concerning part was what Hermione was holding in her hands while she talked to her boyfriend.
"Oh no, you're bloody kidding me - look what she brought!" Cho whispered to Harry, and he now saw the exact same poinsettia that she did. Cho winced and hoped it was just her imagination telling her that Hermione's poinsettia was bigger and brighter than her own.
"Don't worry about it; follow me," Harry said, and he led her around the side of the house, behind some brambles and bushes, and up to a back door. "We'll just come in through the kitchen," he grinned.
"Oh, well now, this is a bit underhanded, isn't it, Harry Potter?" Cho asked with a smirk. "Sneaking in the back way just because of a flower?"
"Molly doesn't know you," replied Harry. "She already knows Hermione; I'm going to make sure she gets your flower first." With that, he pulled out his wand and tapped on a nearby window with it. "Auror's house call; just want to make sure all the doors are secured!" he called, and very quickly the back door was unlocked and a short middle-aged red-haired woman came rushing out to hug Harry.
"Harry dear, you made it!" Molly exclaimed. "Oh, and you're even early, too! You'd better not have been getting yourself and Ron into too much danger at work - oh, but I am so proud of you both, you're so brave..." Lifting her head up, she now saw Cho standing some distance away. "Oh, and there she is... my goodness, Harry, she is beautiful. Don't be shy, dear."
Cho humbly stepped forward, holding the poinsettia in her outstretched arms. "A gift for you and your lovely house, Mrs Weasley," she said as Molly took the flower with a beaming smile. "I am honored to be your guest tonight, and I apologize that we haven't met before." She and Harry followed Molly into the house, through the kitchen which already showed evidence of a large amount of cooking, and finally to a sitting room with a Christmas tree, where Molly placed the flower on the center table. Arthur, who was sitting in his favorite recliner, now looked up from his copy of The Daily Prophet with interest.
"Oh, don't apologize at all, dear - we would have met much sooner if Harry wasn't quite so private all the time," Molly finally responded.
"Yes, very true; it took us a while to even suss out that he was dating anyone," Arthur added. "Your parents own the nice magical antiques shop all the way up in Northumberland, don't they? I thought your last name seemed very familiar."
"Aye, they do, Mr Weasley," nodded Cho, grimacing slightly as her nerves caused her to lapse into her long-suppressed Geordie accent from childhood. It was only then she noticed that Harry had separated himself from them at some point, and that she was now alone in the room with the Weasleys.
"Oh no, I'm afraid Mr Weasley was my father," Arthur grinned as he folded his newspaper up and Molly went to go answer the doorbell. "Please just call me Arthur. Can we get you anything? You are our guest, after all."
"Yes, we can get you anything at all," Molly added as she re-entered the room carrying what Cho recognized as the other poinsettia. She placed it in a windowsill and then looked at Cho with concern. "There's a coatrack right behind you, Cho dear, do take off your shawl, you'll burn up with that on - Arthur, can you come in here for a minute?"
"Thank you, Mrs Weasley - Molly," Cho said gently as she removed the shawl with some hesitancy, but felt relieved as she could hear Molly remarking, "Oh, that's an adorable dress," and then she turned around and saw that Molly and Arthur had both left the room. She could feel a smile spreading across her entire face as she lay down on a loveseat in the room and held her fists up in victory.
"I did it - first hurdle cleared," she told herself out loud. "I don't know why I was so afraid - they made me feel at home instantly. I just walked right in and was welcome."
"That's how you know you're at The Burrow," came Harry's voice from out of nowhere, and Cho leapt up to see him emerging from a crouching position behind the Christmas tree. "That was perfect, Cho! See, they love you already and your flower gets the place of honor right in the middle of the room!"
"Unbelievable! The nerve of coming in through the back door! And after I went to ten different florists in London!" Hermione's indignant voice reached the room before she did, but Ron had an amused smirk on his face.
"Wicked clever, Harry," he said, slapping his best friend on the back. "You've learned to be more strategic since becoming an Auror."
"It's not funny, Ron!" snapped Hermione. "I was trying to make a good impression on your mother, and Harry and his girlfriend just completely swooped in and showed us up! That was a dirty trick!" But this only made Ron break from merely smirking into outright laughter.
"Ooooh, careful mate, Hermione will hex 'SNEAK' onto your face if you don't watch out!" Ron laughed at his joke for about five seconds before realizing that nobody else in the room had appreciated it. Harry was frowning with his hands on his hips and a raised eyebrow, Hermione now looked mortified, and worst of all was Cho's scowl as Ron finally noticed she was sitting nearby.
"Oh, oh no, oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know you were - I shouldn't have - I should leave," he stammered as the mood in the room quickly grew chillier.
"No, I appreciate the honesty in your little quip," Cho finally said, tossing her long black hair back and then crossing her arms. "She would do something like that - wouldn't she?"
The conversation had taken an awkward turn, but even that hadn't been as awkward as the silence which now replaced it. The only thing Harry was pleased about was that Cho was pointedly refusing to look at Hermione - which wasn't exactly good, but it felt preferable to the two women glaring at each other.
"Yeah, so, um... Mum needs help in the kitchen, and I just heard her specifically asking for me and Harry," Ron finally said to break the silence.
"But I didn't hear any-" Harry began, before Ron cut back in through gritted teeth: "She was specifically asking for us." Harry took the hint, and followed Ron out of the room, leaving Cho and Hermione alone together. The silence continued in the room until Hermione finally exhaled deeply and sat next to Cho on the couch.
"I know you're angry at me, but I did what I had to do," Hermione said matter-of-factly. "It was a dangerous time back then - more than you knew - and none of us could afford to be sold out. Marietta didn't care about any of us, including you, and she got what she deserved."
"Do you know she has scars?" Cho asked, looking off toward the Christmas tree instead of facing Hermione. "The letters are gone, but the scars are still there. Did she deserve those? Because that's what you did to her - and don't tell me what it was like back then. Let me jog your memory, since you like reading history books: why did Dumbledore's Army form in the first place? Who was the first casualty of that war?"
"Well, I... depending on when we want to consider the starting date, it could have been any number of people..." Hermione stammered, and Cho finally turned to face her with a look that went beyond distaste to pure anger.
"WHO WAS HE?!" she snapped. Hermione's face grew more pale as she hung her head and finally whimpered, "Cedric Diggory." Cho's face calmed as she tentatively reached a hand out to touch Hermione's shoulder, but then pulled it back.
"Ask yourself how far along the war was before you lost anyone you even cared about," Cho said softly. "I know it happened eventually, but not that year. You didn't know what it felt like yet. And yes, Marietta made a mistake, but it didn't deserve cruelty. She never got to go to any parties or dances after that - and I don't just mean during Hogwarts. Think of the worst mistake you ever made, and ask yourself if you deserved to be disfigured for it."
Hermione was now the one who looked angry, as she rolled up her shirt sleeve and placed her forearm in front of Cho's face. Cho gasped as she saw the faded but still visible word MUDBLOOD carved in red in Hermione's arm.
"Don't talk to me about your friend's scars," Hermione snarled. "I'd love to wear a dress like yours, but do you think I want people to see this? Do you even know where I got it? Because this is from being tortured by Bellatrix Lestrange herself and living through it."
"That's horrid," Cho said weakly, wiping her eyes. "I... I never knew you had that."
Hermione rolled her sleeve back down. "Well, I'd rather not have it. It's not the kind of war wound you make a trophy out of."
"I'm truly sorry for what happened... but I would think, having that, that you could show more empathy for what you did to Marietta."
Hermione rolled her eyes, crossed her arms, and let out a Humph. "There's hard decisions in life, Cho," she said. "I did what I had to do. Sorry you can't see that."
Cho crossed her own arms and let out a sarcastic chuckle. "Well, how about that - you finally said the word 'Sorry' and it still wasn't an apology. See, this is why I just can't get along with you. Now make no mistake, I had a rough patch with Harry, too - but do you know the difference between him and you?"
"More than a few IQ points, I would imagine," Hermione scoffed.
"NO! The fact that he actually owns up when he does or says the wrong thing!" Cho yelled. "I have a big heart, Hermione! I give second and third chances, I forgive, and I assume the best of people! And I'd do all those things for you if you weren't so stubborn and abrasive all the time! Even after going through something as horrible as having your arm sliced up, you don't even change! You never apologize for things you do because, as far as you're concerned, everything you ever did was the best decision! Nobody else was smart enough to do what Hermione Granger did; let's all bow down while she... I don't know, blows her bloody nose or something!" Cho turned away from her once again, unable to see the hurt expression on Hermione's face.
"Cho, I... I want to be able to get along with you."
"We're here today because my boyfriend and your boyfriend are best friends," Cho sighed with her back to Hermione. "But you're not my friend. You know a lot of facts and figures, I'll give you that - but you don't know how to be kind to people."
About two minutes later, Cho heard the sound of Hermione getting up and walking away. She glanced up at the room's peculiar clock, wondering how long it would be before Ron's other siblings began arriving. Even though the clock didn't tell time, it did give her a good reminder of who everybody was. Once again, she went over the order of everyone's names in her mind: B, C, P, G, R, G - if only she could think up a nice mnemonic device... Finally, Cho was conscious of someone moving a chair in front of the couch, sitting in front of her, and holding a cup of tea out for her. She snapped to attention when she realized it was Molly Weasley.
"You seem to have something troubling your mind, dear," said Molly. "I don't know what kind of tea you like best, but this should help soothe you. We've still got a good long while until dinner."
"Oh, I'm very sorry - I know it's going to be quite the feast; you probably need all hands on deck in the kitchen?" Cho moved to stand up as she held her tea, but Molly placed her hands on her shoulders.
"No, no, I never ask that of a first-time guest. Trust me, the family - and the feast - will only grow larger in time. As long as you're with Harry, there will be chances to help." She leaned in closer and lowered her voice. "And besides... Ron and Hermione are in there right now, and I don't know if it's best for you to join them." Cho's heart sank as she began to worry that Molly's good impression of her was fading.
"I didn't mean to - I'm not trying to -" she began, but Molly calmed her down with a series of gentle Shhhh sounds.
"Nothing's wrong, nothing's wrong," Molly said, moving her hands down Cho's bare arms to her elbows and then letting go. There was a pleasant warmth to Molly's touch that matched her voice and helped Cho feel more at ease.
"Since it's just the two of us... may I speak plainly, Mrs Weasley?" she asked.
"As plainly as you like, dear. But first, in case she isn't what you were going to talk about, may I ask you about Hermione? Did one of you do or say something the other didn't like? I didn't quite hear what your conversation was about, but... I sensed tension between you."
Cho gulped and nodded, to which Molly responded with, "Take a sip, love." Cho took a sip of tea and then opened up: "It was in the year that Dumbledore's Army was formed. Hermione did something that hurt my friend - someone who I agree did a bad thing - but Hermione's never apologized for it and I don't think she ever will. I know she's a friend of Harry's, so I want to see something good in her, but it's so hard because she... I'm sorry, I don't want to say anything bad about her."
"I understand," Molly nodded. "There's something I would like you to know about Hermione - something she would never tell you herself. I have known her for many years, and I love her deeply and will be proud to call her a daughter-in-law, but... she never feels good enough. She doesn't even realize how much she is accepted. Consider the poinsettias." She picked up the flower from the table and held it in front of Cho. "Hermione was genuinely upset that her flower wasn't the first one I got today, even though it doesn't matter to me. If she ever seems pushy and inflexible and - yes, let's just say it - condescending, just know that the person she pushes the most is always herself. There's a good soul and a thoughtful heart in there - it just doesn't show right away."
"Well, I wish she could hurry up and show that side, because all I'm seeing right now is someone who talks down to me, and only ever feels bad about things that happened to her, and..."
Cho was cut off by Molly holding up a finger and speaking in a suddenly stern tone: "I'll not have any bickering in my house so close to Christmas; trust me, I'll make sure that peace is made - and it will be made before dinner, is that clear, Miss Chang?"
"I... uh... I'll, that is, we'll... do our best?" Cho broke into a nervous smile and felt slightly tempted to prostrate herself or at least bow at the waist. She had been warned that Molly Weasley could be a very forceful and even intimidating person, but up until this point, she had shrugged it off as exaggeration. But no: the stories were very clearly true.
"Good, that's lovely," said Molly, returning to her gentler tone as she stood up and began to leave the room. "Do feel free to explore the house, Cho dear... oh, and one more thing: don't pay Ron's ill-advised jokes any mind. They're not well thought out, but there's no malice in them."
"Oh, that part didn't bother me at all," Cho replied, waving it off. "I thought there was a nice touch of honesty to his joke."
"Really, dear?" Molly asked with a raised eyebrow. "Are you sure we're talking about the same joke?"
"I think so... wait, what joke are you talking about?" But to Cho's further confusion, Molly waved the question off.
"Oh, never you mind, dear - I was thinking of something else. It's water under the bridge now."
Per Molly's suggestion, Cho spent the rest of the evening touring The Burrow. Arthur in particular was very excited for her to see his workshop, and once Charlie had arrived (the next sibling to do so), he showed her around to where all the different siblings' rooms had been when they were children. "Bill and I are the only ones who remember when this was still just a one-story house," he quipped. One by one, she met the remaining siblings as they arrived, and was pleased to find that they were all very friendly and cordial. It helped to finally have faces to match with the names, and even Percy was more tolerable than expected.
Yet meeting this many new people all in one evening was still a bit overwhelming, and Cho still couldn't help but feel that her words, actions, and mannerisms were all being scrutinized. Make no mistake, this night is still a test, she told herself. It's all about making good first impressions with everyone. Most of these people have barely even seen you before.
Finally, after going up and back down she wasn't sure how many sets of stairs, she found herself in another sitting room - this time with an enchanted record player in the corner. Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite floated through the air; Cho recognized the slow delicate woodwinds and strings of the "Arabian Dance" as she helped herself to a seat on the room's couch. Judging by the crib and toys against the wall, this room was being partially used as a nursery for whenever Victoire visited - and most likely for any other grandchildren there might be in the near future.
Cho closed her eyes and moved her arms like an orchestra conductor as she hummed along to the music. If she had to grade how she was doing tonight, she would have given herself an E but probably not an O. The one black spot of the night had been that quarrel with Hermione earlier, and she hadn't even seen her since. Her heart sank to think that Hermione might have decided to go home rather than be at the same dinner as her, but just as she was thinking about that, she suddenly heard someone sitting down next to her and something else tugging at her skirt. Cho looked down and saw a crawling baby that wanted her attention, and then looked beside her to see an elegant blonde: not someone she knew closely, but definitely a face that brought back memories.
"Are you alright, Mademoiselle Chang?" Fleur Delacour asked. "You seem a bit preoccupied. Funny - ze last time I ever saw you was also very near Christmas... at ze Yule Ball?" To Cho's relief, she now saw she was not the only person who would be wearing a cocktail dress to dinner: Fleur's was a very lovely robin's-egg blue, and also just a tad lower-cut than the one Cho had picked.
"Well, I'm enjoying a nice breather before I have to go to the big dinner and see everyone all at once," Cho smiled. "The music in this room is nice and relaxing."
"Ah, oui, Tchaikovsky. I would gladly rank him up zere with a Berlioz or a Satie or a Debussy. I want you to know I understand what you're going through right now; it is not easy to come into ze family from ze outside. One becomes so much more conscious of every little difference."
"Yes, precisely!" Cho exclaimed. "Oh, I'm so glad you're here, Fleur - you're the first person I've talked to today who actually gets it! I mean, sure, there's Harry, but... he doesn't count. He practically is a Weasley sibling. They're being friendly to me, and I feel liked, but all the same... you're right. I am more conscious of everything." She noticed a hand mirror on a table nearby and picked it up. "I mean, I know race is one of the last things wizards ever get fussy about, but still... it's plain to see that nobody else here has a face that looks like mine. And I love my face; it just... feels different right now." As if on cue, Cho noticed that the suite had now switched over to the "Chinese Dance".
"It's a beautiful face; you should love it," Fleur replied. "I can tell you zat you're certainly getting a better reception zan I did my first time here - alzough I'll admit some of zat was my fault. Trust me: all anyone here cares about is what you're like on ze inside. Even after so many years, do you know Hermione still has ze same inner struggle as you? Oui, her heart tells her she's welcome here, but ever since she started dating Ronald, her head tells her somezing else."
"I heard that from Molly; I hope she hasn't left because of me," Cho said sadly, placing the mirror back down and watching as Victoire crawled around the room curiously. "Things got a bit heated between us earlier. Have you seen her around?"
"Hermione? She's still here," came another female voice as Cho looked to her other side and saw that Ginny Weasley was now sitting on the couch as well, wearing a shirt with her jersey number on it. "She's kind of trying to hide from everybody, though. Ron says she had a big plan for today, and it got all bollocksed up, and on top of that, I guess you two had a row? What was it about?"
"Just an old quarrel from school that's never been resolved," said Cho. "About Dumbledore's Army, and Marietta, and that nasty jinx that Hermione came up with."
"Oh, you're both still on about that?" Ginny asked. "I figured it would have been about Ron, after he... well, you know. As long as we're getting old school business out in the air, I just want to say I'm sorry for being jealous of you."
Cho found these last two sentences a bit perplexing, but decided to start by addressing the last one: "You were jealous of me? Why? You were Ginny Weasley! Everyone was in awe of you - all the boys wanted to date you! You became a professional Quidditch player, for goodness' sake - so don't say you were jealous of me on the pitch!"
"Yeah, I know all those things, but... I never felt quite as elegant as you when I played," Ginny admitted. "I've always been a bit more tomboyish, and most of the time I like that, but I'll tell you what: even now, as a star Chaser for the Harpies, I still wish I had your gracefulness. Combine that with my silly idea that I would marry Harry someday, and... I'm not proud of it, but yes, there was a period where I resented you. But the fact is: you were practically doing ballet out there. You moved like nobody I've ever seen, amateur or even pro, and it was amazing to watch. But besides that... you are a very sweet person, and you're everything Harry's ever deserved. And I want you to know that I told the rest of the family exactly that when they first found out about you."
This was the closest Cho had been to crying all day. "Oh my goodness!" she said. "That's the absolute nicest thing someone from the family has told me all day! You really think all that about me? I'm so flattered..." She leaned forward to hug Ginny while Fleur, smiling, picked up Victoire and placed her in her lap.
But then Cho remembered the other thing Ginny had said and suddenly pulled back, while still keeping her hands on Ginny's arms: "Wait a minute... what did Ron do that Hermione and I would fight about?"
Ginny now had a surprised look on her face: "Oh. Oh my - you haven't heard about it from anyone? I guess Mum wanted to protect your feelings..."
Cho's eyes narrowed, remembering the last thing Molly said to her. "What did he say?"
"I want you to know that Mum didn't like the joke at all, and I stood up for your character..."
"Ginny - just tell me what he said. I appreciate your mum doing this, but I want to know."
Ginny took a deep hesitant breath, and then looked down ashamedly before facing Cho again: "A month ago, when we first learned via a letter that Harry would be bringing you here, Ron joked, 'Well, I guess it's Harry's turn to bring the Christmas tart this year.'"
Cho's mouth dropped open in shock while Fleur tutted in disapproval in the background. A relative silence remained in the room for some time as the Nutcracker Suite finally reached its end; then came footsteps and who should appear but the very man who had just been discussed.
"Cho! There you are!" called Ron. "I've been looking all over for you!" When he reached the couch, he lowered himself to his knees so that he would be at eye-level with her. "How have you been? I'm sorry for that rough start..."
"Oh, it's been up and down," Cho said sharply. "Most of the family is quite nice" - she glanced at Ginny - "and your mother is quite charming, but someone in the family has been calling me a 'Christmas tart'. I'll admit it was even a clever pun, but tell me: is that really what you think about me?" She suddenly wished she had her shawl back, as she covered her arms with her hands the best she could.
"Oh - you heard about that?" Ron lowered his head in shame, then looked back up. "I'm sorry; look, that was just me and my mouth again. I tell a lot of bad jokes and I didn't think anyone would take it seriously. I don't think that's what you're like at all."
Cho's mood softened as her forgiving nature took over. "Does Harry know you said that?"
Ron shook his head: "No, trust me, he would have given me a piece of his mind by now. But look, I'm not here about me, alright? Well, it's partly about me, because Mum's been talking to both of us, but Hermione just really wants your forgiveness. She's really bothered by what happened, and... you can think I'm an arse if you want, and you're probably right, but please just find a place for Hermione in your heart. It would mean a lot to her. That's all I'm asking for, Cho."
"I can approach her myself, Ronald." Hermione's voice from the doorway caused everyone to either look up or turn around as she strode into the room. By this point the magical record player had started back up again and was now playing Liszt's Christmas Tree Suite. Hermione approached slowly with a somber face and her arms in her pockets, until she was standing behind Ron.
"I wish to speak with Cho privately, please," she said in what Cho thought was an unusually humbled tone. Everyone seemed to recognize that this was a more vulnerable Hermione Granger than usual, as Ginny and Ron quickly left the room, followed by Fleur carrying Victoire. Cho stood up opposite Hermione, cast a spell to lower the record player's volume, and waited patiently for the other woman to talk.
"I thought about the things you said to me; they were all very valid," Hermione finally began. "But there's more to me than you think. The truth is... I know I seem very confident and like I always know what I'm doing, but really... I'm a very insecure person. I actually second-guess myself a lot, and there's many things I regret. There's things I could have, and should have, done differently - things that keep me up at night worrying. And what happened to Marietta is one of those things. Even if something I did wasn't right, I tell myself it was, because... it's easier than telling myself I've done everything wrong. But trust me: every time I'm in a room with you, I know there's somebody in your life that I hurt, and I push down the regret but it's still there. I'm sorrier than you can even imagine, and honestly, I'm not even hoping that you'll like me. I just don't want you to hate me."
"I said a lot of things, but I never said I hated you," replied Cho. "I've found you difficult, but I've never, ever, hated you. I don't know a single person who does." She paused while Hermione shivered and whimpered. "Hermione... do you want to tell me what you're feeling?"
"This is an apology; I shouldn't make it about myself."
"No, please, I'd like to know you better. The apology was lovely; I can tell it came from the heart." For the first time in her life, Cho reached her hands out and touched Hermione's shoulders.
Hermione was hesitant, but then continued: "You were a good person that year, you know. Because of you, Marietta still had one friend who was willing to be there for her - and that's one more friend than I had when I started at Hogwarts." She continued to shiver, and Cho gently led her to the couch, where they both sat down.
"I'm still a very scared and lonely little girl underneath all of this," Hermione said. "I keep waiting for the day when I don't feel different anymore, but the feeling doesn't leave. I need everything in my life to be in this rigid structure, I need it all to go perfectly, and it never does. And yes, I'll always be a respected person, but that's not the same as being loved or even liked - because at the same time, I'll never be the kindest or warmest person in the room, especially not when standing next to you. I just knew as soon as Molly met you, she wouldn't like me as much anymore. Even though she's known me for years... I can't afford to lose her caring about me. I just don't want this to fall apart!" She doubled over in tears, burying her face between her knees while Cho patted her on the back.
"Molly adores you, Hermione," she reassured her. "She told me so earlier today. Nothing's falling apart, and nobody's asking for you to completely change who you are. Yes, there's times you could be more considerate of others, but... you don't need to push yourself or the rest of the world to be perfect. Mistakes and flaws are made to be forgiven. That's why I was there for Marietta, that's why I took a second chance at dating Harry, and that's why I'll be here if you ever need me. Trust me, I've also been self-conscious about feeling different today - I think it's time we stick together."
Hermione slowed her sniffling and looked up at Cho's face. "Even after all this... you'd really give me that much?"
"It's what a friend would do," Cho smiled. "You can have the dress off my back - except not right now, or then the family really will think I'm a Christmas tart."
"Oh dear Merlin, that's horrible!" exclaimed Hermione, sitting up and finally allowing herself to laugh. "God, that's almost horrible enough to be funny! Did Ron actually call you that?"
Cho raised an eyebrow. "How do you know it was Ron?"
Hermione sighed: "Because out of all the Weasleys, only my boyfriend would tell a joke like that. It's annoying, but..." She placed a hand on top of Cho's with a smile. "Nobody's perfect, right? Please, sit beside me at dinner tonight - you can be right between me and Harry."
Cho gladly took Hermione up on her offer - mostly due to a genuine desire to make up with her, but it was fair to say that some Ravenclaw cunning was at play as well. She suspected that she and Hermione would earn some more points if Molly saw them both sitting together and getting along, and judging by the beaming smile on the Weasley matriarch's face, the plan worked. (Furthermore, based on Hermione's smirk, she had maybe planned the same thing - How quickly I forget that she was a Hatstall, Cho thought.)
The dinner proved as delicious as promised, and Cho was relieved that the large table did not feel crowded, even with all twelve adults seated there. It was a table full of joy and laughter; she was excited to hear everyone share their latest stories, and was very pleased to answer everyone's questions. As soon as she mentioned having spent summers in Hong Kong as a child, Charlie quickly jumped in and asked her if she'd ever seen any Chinese dragons. By now, Cho's nerves had calmed greatly - although she still had her reasons for turning Bill down when he offered her a glass of eggnog with rum. The only moment of confusion or concern came at the beginning of the meal, when she noticed an empty seat at the table next to George.
"Is that supposed to be there? Are we waiting for someone who hasn't shown up?" she whispered to Harry, who shook his head.
"That's for George's twin Fred, who died at the Battle of Hogwarts," he whispered back. "At family dinners, the Weasleys always leave one seat empty out of respect."
Sometime after dinner, Molly left the room and then returned with an armful of parcels wrapped in simple brown paper. "Alright, everyone, time for the yearly sweaters!" she called. Two seats away from her, on the other side of Hermione, Cho could see Ron crossing his fingers and muttering, "Please not maroon this year, please not maroon." She watched silently as one by one, each sweater was handed out to a family member and opened. Harry and Hermione were also included in this, and Cho took particular notice that Fleur received two parcels, one of which contained a baby-sized sweater for Victoire.
"And finally, one for Cho Chang," Molly said with a smile as she took the seat next to her and held out the final parcel.
"Oh no, no, I couldn't possibly," Cho objected, holding her hands up. "I'm not family; Harry and I don't even live together. I wouldn't feel right accepting it."
Molly pulled the parcel back slightly, but did not look offended. "Every guest always gets a sweater," she said, "and I made this one very special for you. Now hopefully this doesn't bother you, but I did want to know more about the young lady Harry was dating - maternal instinct, you see - so I felt obliged to do some research. But I can say that you are very much a lady, and you've been a delight."
Cho smiled nervously. "Dare I ask what kind of research you did?" As Molly held out the parcel again, Cho finally took it and began cautiously tearing the paper open.
"Arthur and I know your parents' antiques shop going back quite some time. I went in to see them during a day you weren't working there, and I told them about how I knit sweaters every year. They told me that red is considered very lucky in their culture, so I knew right away what the main color would be." Cho had now unwrapped the parcel and saw she had a bright red sweater with a large, sparkly, silver C in the middle.
"Red and silver?" Cho asked gently as she ran her hand over the fabric. "Oh, thank you, this will be very good for Northumberland weather." Harry, wearing his own green sweater, had now silently assumed the seat behind his girlfriend.
"Silver was your parents' idea," Molly replied. "They said gold is also lucky, but thought that color combination might be a bit too Gryffindor for your tastes. So they suggested I add just a touch of Ravenclaw. Oh, and I also designed it so that either side can be the front or the back."
"Well, now I'm curious: what's on the other side?" Cho unfolded the sweater and turned it around, her eyes widening at the sparkling silver 秋 character on the back. "Oh my goodness..."
"They also told me your name was Qiū by birth, and showed me the character for it," Molly continued, leaning in. "I'll tell you a secret, Cho: this is the most difficult sweater I've ever knitted. It took me more than just a couple tries to get that right... but I knew it was going to be special for you, so I put all my love and effort into it."
Cho had held her emotions in all evening and night, but she could already feel her eyes growing wet and knew what would be next. "Bless you, Molly, bless you..." she stammered before standing up and saying slowly and cautiously, "Now, please don't think badly of me for leaving... just please pardon me... because I'm about to cry in front of everybody..." Her voice broke halfway through the last word, and she rushed out of the room, clutching the sweater to her chest.
Harry followed her out of the dining room and back to the sitting room that had the Christmas tree in it, where Cho fell to the couch, buried her face in the sweater, and bawled. He took a seat beside her and put his arm around her shoulders; after all this time, he knew that his girlfriend felt emotions strongly - but even so, it took a lot to push her to cry this much, both when she was sad and when she was happy.
Finally, Cho lifted her head back up and wiped her eyes, then traced her fingers over the threads of the Qiū character lovingly. "This is as elegant and skillful as anything I've ever seen," she said gently, "and Molly put in so much hard work for someone she hadn't even met. I just... you know, if I'd gotten this earlier tonight, it would have made me uncomfortable. I would have looked at it and thought, Oh, great, something to remind me I'm the only Chinese person here. But instead, it feels like she wanted to take something unique about me and embrace it. And I love her for that."
"And she loves you, Cho... Well, don't just carry it around; put it on so we'll match," smirked Harry. "You've got the red, I've got the green - put them together and we'll finally have Christmas. Besides, Molly's not going to let you leave until she sees that on you." He stood up and Cho did the same, turning the sweater around so that the Qiū character would be on her front, and then slipping it on over her cocktail dress.
"There, what did I say? You look beautiful in it," Harry continued. "I mean, usually I'd be in favor of seeing you take a dress off, not putting something on over it, but... I can't argue with the results."
"Easy there - don't get saucy with me in your family's house, or you'll get us both kicked out," Cho quipped back. "Although... it is a shame... I've looked all over this house and I haven't seen even the smallest sprig of mistletoe. I don't seem to be able to kiss you, Harry Potter."
"I suppose we could always try kissing anyway, mistletoe or not."
"Mmmmm... now there's an idea I'll support."
Harry and Cho embraced and pressed their lips together for a good few minutes. As he ran his hands through her lustrous black hair, she found herself thinking about a delicious encounter from about a month ago, when they had rolled around in his bed from midnight to sunrise... Each had been quite pleased to have an entire night of the other...
Her thoughts were brought back down to earth as her boyfriend let go of her. "Stay here for just a moment; I'll give you an introduction," he said. Cho nodded and Harry walked back to the dining room doorway.
"Alright everybody, it's that time!" he called. "Bill, Ron - sit down, mates, you've had your turns to do this. Here she is, debuting the latest Weasley family sweater: the incredibly lovely Miss Cho Chang!" Cho entered the room wearing the sweater to a burst of applause; feeling a sudden jolt of confidence, she spun around and then bowed. Among the crowd, she could see Hermione, holding two thumbs up with a beaming smile - but as she returned to the table, she noticed that Arthur was clutching a wrapped rectangular package with a rather somber expression.
"Cho, I was trying to find the time to do this that would put the least damper on the evening," he began. "I think right now is pretty much the closest we're going to get to that. I think you already know that the Lovegoods live near us, but what you may not know is that the Diggorys live nearby as well." He cleared his throat and looked anxiously at Molly, who nodded for him to continue. "Anyway, the thing is, I happened to mention to Amos recently that Harry was bringing you this year. A couple of days after I told him that, he gave me this and said he wanted you both to have it. Now, I should warn you in advance: I have no idea what is inside. It's up to you if you'd rather open it here or take it home."
Arthur placed the package in front of her on the table, and Cho picked it up with some apprehension. It was a very small and light package; whatever was inside was surely just some small trinket - some photos of her and Cedric from the Yule Ball, perhaps? Yet at the same time, it seemed a bit too narrow to have photos inside - it was almost like the shape of a box where one would store a... no, that couldn't be possible, could it? Surely he'd been buried with that?
She cautiously unwrapped the layers of packaging, pried the lid off the box that was underneath, and then dropped it to the table in shock. The Weasleys gathered around, craning their necks to see what had been inside. Cho gulped, reached in, and carefully pulled out a wand. There was silence in the room as she held it up for Harry to see.
"Do you recognize this?" she asked. "Is this the wand you remember?" Harry frowned: the last time he had seen this wand, a dead boy had been clutching it to his chest. The last time its owner had ever used it, he had been holding it up in defense, only to be killed with it still in his hand. Had Cedric been disarmed first, Harry supposed, the wand might have simply been lost, unless anyone from the Ministry had dared to search that long-forsaken graveyard.
"Yes: there's only a few wands in the world I'd recognize by sight, and that's one of them," he replied. "That's the wand of Cedric Diggory, no question about it."
"Pardon ze interruption," chimed in Fleur, leaning over, "but zere appears to be somezing else inside ze box." Cho looked around for a place to set Cedric's wand before finally handing it to Molly, then reached back in the box and pulled out a small piece of paper. She unfolded it twice, and her eyes raced across the page.
"What does it say, love?" Molly asked. "Do you want to read it out loud?" Cho stayed silent until she had finished reading, grasping the paper with both hands and holding it close to her face so that nobody would look over her shoulder. Finally, she cleared her throat and began to read:
Dear Mr Potter and Miss Chang,
I am very pleased to hear that you are together now. You should both know that you are people who my son admired, and he would likely be very pleased to see that the world has brought you together. Of course, if Cedric were alive, certain things might be different in the world. Perhaps he would not be seeing this at all - perhaps, if Mr Potter will pardon my saying so, I would be writing to my daughter-in-law right now. But as far as this world goes, I do not have a doubt that Miss Chang will find a place in the Weasley family's hearts. If I know anything about Molly and Arthur, it is that there is always an extra seat and plate at their table.
As to the item I have chosen to give you both - you may think it odd that I would not hold on to perhaps the most important possession my son ever owned. But some things have occurred to me lately. First, I am well aware that this is a wand of historic significance. It will outlive me as well as you, and therefore it belongs somewhere that will allow its memory - and my boy's memory - to live on. If you see fit to, Harry, perhaps you should mount it on your office wall and keep it as a reminder of what you fight for every day. But ultimately I ask that you also not hold on to it - when the time comes for a memorial and museum to the fallen, I want this donated. I want it in a place of honor so that everyone will know who my boy was. The world already knows Harry Potter, and all I ask of him is that he will not let the world forget Cedric Diggory.
Even though I do not intend for you and Cho to keep this permanently, there is one last reason I wanted this wand to pass through your hands. I want to make sure you have something that can serve as my - and Cedric's - blessing for you.
With Love and a Merry Christmas,
Amos Diggory
As Cho finished reading, she looked up to see Molly handing her the wand back. Then she saw that Hermione had used this time to find a spare chair and place it next to Fred's.
"In honor of another missing guest," Hermione said softly.
Cho never did make it back to her apartment that night. After posing for the family photo, exchanging some final hugs and handshakes goodnight with the Weasleys, and Flooing back to Grimmauld Place with Harry, she simply decided to fall asleep on his couch instead. She was so tired that she didn't even bother to take off her Christmas sweater and her dress. At the same time, she realized that she had forgotten to bring her shawl with her; it was still back on the coatrack in The Burrow. But no matter: Harry could go back and get that for her tomorrow.
Tonight was a success, Cho decided after her boyfriend had pulled a blanket up over her and kissed her goodnight on the forehead. The Weasleys were definitely people she would be able to get along with and call family. True, she and Harry didn't live together yet, but that could happen soon enough. Even if they chose to take their time with it, they could manage it for a year or two.
It wasn't conventional, perhaps, but there was certainly no reason to call it improper. His house and her apartment were directly connected by Floo, and Lily Liu would still be small enough to carry for a while...
Yes, those were the first and middle names they would pick. Cho knew that Harry would love them. She moved her hand to cradle beneath her stomach, looking forward to telling him about the gift she had inside.
