Hermione lay in bed, her face buried in her pillow, stifling the occasional sobs that issued from her mouth.
Parvati walked in and approached the girl.
"Hermione, what's wrong?" she asked.
"Go away." Hermione sobbed.
Parvati shrugged her shoulders and left the room, hearing a locking charm cast behind her.
((Taboo))
For two weeks, Hermione had avoided Cho. She didn't stay after classes; she didn't go to the extra lessons. She just came and went as quickly and quietly as possible.
Hermione was sitting in the common room one night, in her favorite armchair, when Ginny came up to her.
"Hey, 'Mione. Professor Chang wants to see you."
Hermione paled.
"Tell her I'm sick." she replied.
"She is right outside the portrait, 'Mione. She can hear you."
"No she can't."
"Not even when she has some extendable ears?"
Hermione scowled at the redhead and pushed herself out of the chair, hugging the book she had to her chest.
"Hello Miss Granger. You haven't been coming to lessons." Cho said as they began to walk down the halls.
"I haven't been feeling well." Hermione replied.
Cho looked the girl up and down and then shook her head, "You're lying, Hermione."
"Fine. I was lying. But," Hermione broke off as they entered Cho's office.
"But?" the Professor asked after she shut the door behind her.
"I'm sorry. It's just… I can't believe I did that. It was highly irresponsible of me to do such a thing and it is against school rules and I am six years younger than you-"
"And you are an adult, as am I and I returned the kiss along with the feelings that I believe that you feel as well.
"But isn't it not allowed?"
Cho sighed. "If you did everything according to the rules, you wouldn't have helped save the Philosopher's Stone or gone to the Department of Mysteries! Either way, Dumbledore is turning a blind eye between a certain Golden Boy and Snarky Potions professor! He would be a downright arse if he decided that Harry and Snape can do each other and we can't even kiss!"
Hermione's eyes went wide and she opened and closed her mouth for a few moments.
Cho smiled, "Poor dear." she laughed lightly and ruffled the young woman's hair, "I broke your brain, didn't I?"
Hermione nodded and blinked rapidly.
Cho sat on her desk cross-legged.
"So you see, not many of the unwritten rules are actually followed. I believe that even McGonagall had a fling with a student some years ago… What was his name…? Peter Paranoff or something like that. I even have a picture of them together if you don't believe me."
"No, I-I believe you." Hermione replied, trying to shake the images out of her head.
"So, do you wish to pursue your feelings?" Cho asked.
Hermione blinked. That was nowhere near subtle. It was quite straight forward and made Hermione blush.
Cho smiled. "Let us do this, Hermione. There is a Masquerade Ball on Christmas Eve. We all shall dress up as other people: our favorite book characters, celebrities and such with masks. Well, if we can find each other by midnight and know for sure who the other is when we take our masks off, we shall go out. If our guesses are incorrect, we shall not. How is that?"
"Lovely." Hermione said. "And to sweeten it, we can use charms that change our hair and skin color. You are about the only Asian in this school."
"Yes, I am, aren't I?" Cho chuckled.
