CHAPTER 9: The 3 Witches
They travelled by stealth, each under their individual chameleon charms. Moody insisted that Harry use his invisibility cloak as well, just in case Voldemort possessed any of them and could see him through their eyes. Harry was dead tired, the practice, the encounter with the Dark Lord, everything seemed to be happening all at once. Even still, Hermione and Cho took up most of his thoughts, the accumulative attention from both girls was mentally exhausting. He knew Ron had a thing for Hermione and that Cho had a thing for Cedric, though she said she really liked him. What was he to do? These questions tumbled in his mind over and over and before he knew it they were descending in an abandoned alleyway a few streets from the House of Black.
"Weasley, Shackelbolt, you take point and secure the area. Remus, McGonagall, you head for the rooftop of the adjacent buildings. Snape, you get inside and give the all clear. I will stay here with Potter until we have everything secure," Moody ordered, now in his element.
The order members apparated to their positions, except Snape, who walked up the street, his senses heightened, missing nothing. The immediate area around Sirius' home was impervious to spells, and heavily armed with defensive and concealment charms. Unless told of the location by the secret keeper, the information could never be spread. Harry and Moody stood in the alley, wands drawn and at full alert. Moody's Sneakascope was spinning slowly, a sign that only general interference was affecting it. He signalled the "go ahead: at the order members in turn, then turned to Harry.
"Anything at all happens, you incant 'Portus' and take this watch to safety you hear me? I've set up the portkey already; it just needs to be activated- good for fifteen minutes, that's the delay I put on the spell. Keep your eyes peeled- we've got about thirty feet to cover. Let's go." They walked steadily towards the space between 11 and 13 Grimmauld Place. Moody pulled out a set of keys and slid one into the open air. Harry watched in fascination as a tiny keyhole appeared in the crack of the adjoining walls, and both apartments were pushed apart to allow a hidden doorway to materialize. They opened the door and allowed Remus, Snape and the others inside.
In a brief but depressing moment, the images came rushing to him: snippets of the memories belonging to his Godfather for the short while he lived there. He shut his eyes tightly and eventually they faded away, but the raw feeling of desolation and self-imprisonment still tormented him, as if Sirius himself was haunting this manor. Harry automatically went to the room he and Ron had shared and sat down on the edge of his bead. All the happenings of the past three weeks were flooding back to him in torrents, the O level exams, his vision of Sirius in the department of Mysteries, their fight with Voldemort, Sirius' death, Quidditch trials, Cho, Ron, Hermione, the hearing, everything; and it was finally taking its full toll on him. He sat down there alone, and began to cry. He felt sick of himself, so he yelled in frustration, jamming the heels of his hands into his eyes to prevent the tears. The doorway slammed shut of it's own accord, and the bedside lamp fell over from his outburst of magic.
You're almost sixteen. Don't let these things destroy you.- you little cry baby.
He wiped the tears from his eyes, and began to unpack his things. He will not give himself time to brood; that will only make things worse. He got busy, and only went downstairs for the afternoon to grab something to drink.
A few hours later Ron, Fred, George and Ginny all stood outside of Sirius's manor. They had heard what had happened to Harry earlier that morning- and were also cautioned that his temper can be dangerous; after all, Moody was knocked out cold without so much as a blink from their friend. Being in the same Gryffindor with Harry for five years, they knew that his temper was explosive. But for it to literally blow up in their face was something entirely different. They looked at each other uneasily.
"All right, we spoke of this at home. No one is to get Harry angry. Ever," Fred announced. "Simple as that right?" they looked at each other with an expression of impossibility, but dutifully nodded in unison.
"Wait- is that bet still on as to who he blows up with first?" George asked hopefully, right eyebrow raised.
"I'm betting it's Snape," Ron put in. "I've got four galleons on it." The Weasley brothers huddled in close comparing the pocket change they had on them. Ginny had to force her head in the tight knit circle.
"Ha! That's too obvious. I'm going with Cho," said George, his voice low.
"I'm putting it on Hermione, she seems to know exactly how to push buttons," Fred put in. "We would have voted you, Ron, but this new, er… situation seems quite interesting." The twins smiled at each other, making Ron feel as if he was at a disadvantage, and that his brothers had some inside info that he was not aware about.
"You know, I really don't think we should even be having this conversation, this is Harry were talking about. And he needs us," said Ginny. "Imagine how you would feel if your best friends were betting on you to do something stupid right outside your door."
"Yeah well, Harry's our mate, and he won't take it personally-" Fred reasoned.
"- And even if he does we'll get to see this cool new 'Solidus' thing Charlie mentioned," George grinned.
"Well it's your funeral. Don't say I didn't warn you," Ginny reprimanded, huffing off.
"C'mon, they're waiting on us," said Ron. He walked up to the space and knocked on the air in front of him. A small peephole slid open, Moody's magical eye swivelling in all directions, looking at each of them in turn.
"Password!" came his muffled voice.
"What is this? Taking Hogwarts' style? Let us in you old nutter," Fred grinned up at him.
"Ah, that's my lads! Come, come, did you bring those Combusting Canaries I asked for?" Moody grinned at them, he took a real liking to the twins, even though they seem to come off completely different planets than himself.
"Hello Professor moody," Ginny smiled at him. "How are you?"
"Could be better lass, could be better, Potter's defence system is remarkable, even though it wasn't directed. I still feel like a blown fuse." He grinned. "That was a rush- you all should try it sometime." They looked up at him with an expression that said "maybe next time," and went in search of their troubled friend. "He's still up in his room, hasn't been up and about much. Careful now, you wouldn't want to startle a sleeping dragon, take the same attitude with Potter," he said in dire warning. After a taut silence, he cackled loudly.
"MmmhahahaHAHAH!
"He's definitely off his rocker-," Ron muttered, spinning his finger at his temple. They left Moody in his fit of laughter and went up the stairs. With an unsaid agreement, they all paused at his door- standing about six feet away. "Ginny, I think you should go in first, he would less likely hurt you by mistake than any of us."
"Cowards," she told them. They all smiled at her, knowing fully well how to get her to do the things they rather not do.
"It's not that we're afraid of Harry, it's just good tactics to send in a mediator beforehand," Ron told her, grinning.
She knocked softly on the door, "Harry?" A few seconds passed, but she heard no response. She opened the door quietly. "Harry?" she said again, a little more worry in her voice.
"I'm here, Ginny."
She peered through the darkness, the contrast between the bright afternoon light of outside and the dark gloom inside gave her eyes a hard time to spot him. Harry was sitting at the bed-head, his elbows resting nonchalantly on his knees, his back against the wall. He was bareback, his glasses put neatly down on the dresser.
"Hey," she said cautiously. He reached to the bedside table and turned on an old oil lamp. The flickering light threw shadows across his face, his long hair making him look even more menacing than ever.
"C'min, and sit down. What's wrong?" he asked.
"Umm..nothing," said Ginny. She sat down at the foot of the bed, not directly facing him. " Are you okay?"
"Sure," he said, almost too casually. Ginny frowned, that sounded rehearsed. "Where are Ron and the twins?"
"They are right outside the door," nodding in the direction.
"Get inside here, you lot!" Harry said, springing up from his bed and opening the door wide. "What are you doing skulking outside?" Ginny peered at him through the dim flickering light, she could make out some faint scars all over his arms and back and one long one running from his bicep to his shoulder. She remembered that the last time she saw him bareback, he had just finished his match against the Cannons and was glistening from having just showered. Without knowing, she began to blush.
"HARRY! ABSOLUTELY SPIFFING TO SEE YOU MATE! Heard you having a jolly good summer -eh? Well not today, but I mean the Quidditch match was ruddy well brilliant and everything!" George clapped him on the shoulder.
"Saw you wearing number seven out there, starting seeker's number. I hope you don't let it go to your head like Becks," Fred grinned, and shook his hand.
"Hah! Me- a pretty boy? Never!"
"Could have fooled me, gallivanting all over the place bareback in front of our little sister," George teased him. Ginny shot daggers at George, her eyes cold with an unsaid threat.
"I am not 'gallivanting all over the place, it was hot in here and I took off my training robes and didn't bother putting on a shirt, I'll do so if it bothers you Ginny," he looked at her.
"Good excuse, planned that didn't y-" Fred began.
"Fred! No it doesn't bother me at all," Ginny cut him off, blushing furiously.
"I think you should put one on before she explodes," Ron stage whispered, clearly audible to everyone.
"RON!"
The Weasley brothers laughed, and Harry just smiled alongside them. He opened his cupboard and took a clean t-shirt from a hangar. Ron glimpsed the blue robes Dumbledore gave him earlier that summer.
"Blimey, Harry. That looks really wicked," and expensive, he thought to himself.
"Oh yeah, Dumbledore gave me this. It's cool isn't it?" handing him the robes. Ron felt the exquisite material and the way it stormed in this dim candlelight. He frowned slightly, and gave it back to Harry.
"What's the matter?"
"Nothing," Ron's faced soured. Harry caught on, Ron was very touchy about not being able to afford nice things. He said nothing more and put back his robes.
"OY ! THAT'S ENGLAND'S NEW KIT? Let me see those!" Fred took Harry's red international kit from the cupboard and held it aloft so that he could see the back. "Ah boy! It's 'POTTER' for England! Harry congrats mate, you know you're definitely going to Euro cup if you keep that form from two days back." As he said it, Harry realized it was only two days since he played his first international for England. All that happened this last week felt as if it was spread over months. Everything seemed to be happening to him all at once and he quietly wondered how he was keeping his head together. He now dreaded when Ron found out that Hermione fancied him. Instinctively; Harry knew Ron did not have the guts to tell Hermione how he felt before. He watched Ron uneasily and finally put on the shirt he was holding in his hand. They stood there for half a second in uncomfortable silence, everyone trying to read Harry's thoughts. Ginny was the first to break the silence.
"Come on downstairs Harry, we're hungry and were not leaving you up here alone," Ginny said, taking his hand and pulling him away into the hall. "Harry, don't you think your hair is a bit too long?" she asked him, smiling in a way that said she would kill him if he ever cut it.
"I don't know, I never gave it much thought," he said absentmindedly. They were going down the stairs facing the front door when Ginny reached up to teasingly play with a lock of his hair. He was about to tell her something when Moody opened the door and let Dumbledore, Cho and Hermione inside. They all looked up at him at the same time, the two girls catching Ginny smiling up at him, playing with his jet black hair in one hand and holding his hand in the other. Harry looked downstairs, the two girls were shooting narrow gazes back up at them. He stepped out of reach of Ginny's playing, but she still held on to his hand. He had to wiggle his hand slightly for her to let go, but the damage was already done.
Play it cool, you haven't done anything wrong…
"Hermione, Professor Dumbledore!" Ginny greeted them, coming down the stairs. She eyed the beautiful dark haired girl, "Cho, what a surprise. What are you doing here?" her voice dripping with sweetness. The three witches eyeballed each other. Both Alastor Moody and Professor Dumbledore, feeling the tension, hastily excused themselves after closing and locking the door. When Moody made good on his escape he paused on the level of Harry's step.
"Lovely situation you've got yourself here, hope you survive," he whispered to him, then chuckled softly to himself as he followed Dumbledore to the study.
What to do now?
Harry panicked. He made his way down the stairs, sidestepped Ginny and stood dumbly in font of Cho and Hermione. He put his hands in his pockets. Hermione noticed that he was wearing one of the shirts she bought for him, and how it fitted him snugly around his shoulders. It irritated her to know that both Ginny and Chang was probably noticing the same thing. Her expression darkened a notch. Harry felt the tension building. From her expression, he could tell that Hermione was irritated by travelling with Cho, Cho was irritated at Hermione for being Harry's close friend, Ginny was irritated by seeing Cho here, and both girls were angry at Harry for holding Ginny's hand and letting her play with his hair. Like locked in a Chinese torture device- no escape.
"Hey," he greeted them with a smile, lacking anything else better to say.
"Hello," Hermione said rigidly.
"Hi," Cho said coldly.
"Good trip?" he asked, trying to ease the tension.
"Yes," they answered in unison, making it quite obvious that they didn't have a 'good trip'. They did not fly nor used a portkey, they took a taxi here, Dumbledore having a merry conversation with the cab driver up front, leaving Cho and Hermione to brood quietly in the backseat. They were talking cordially at first, but soon realized that there was something more between them and Harry, not quite figuring out where each other stood in Harry's eyes or how serious they were. They pretended not to notice that anything has changed, but the conversation became strained and they eventually kept quiet for the rest of the two and a half hour long journey, neither feeling much love for the other.
"Hey, what's up with the council meeting going on here? Can we join in?" George said jovially, hastening down the stairs and put his arms around Cho and Hermione, standing in between them like some sort of ladies man. Hermione and Cho smiled, Fred and George grew on them in those DA meetings Harry was teaching in the last year.
Whew, I could have cut the tension here with a knife. I owe you one, George.
Fred and Ron joined them at the foot of the stairs, Ron greeting Hermione and warily eyeing Cho.
"What're you doing here?" Ron said bluntly.
"If I had a sickle for every time you lot asked me that recently, I would be rich. For you information, Ron, I did not ask to be here. The Professor thought it would be safer for me to stay here after what happened this morning, so… if you have a problem- talk to him," Cho countered. She and Ron never got along, and it seems it would stay in that vein. She turned to Fred, George and Harry. "Could you guys please help me with my stuff?" she asked kindly.
"Sure," Harry replied and grabbed her two cases, Fred and George taking her trunk. Ron made to take her gym bag, but Cho smoothly picked it up and said, "I can manage, thank you," and followed the boys upstairs.
"Here Ron, you can help me take mine." Hermione handed him her one case she held in her hand and charmed her trunk so that it rose a foot off the ground. Hermione glared at the back of Cho's head. "She could have easily charmed her trunk but she just thrives on attention doesn't she?" she muttered under her breath.
"Hey! Not everyone is at her beck and call! I'm helping you aren't I?" protested Ron.
"Only because she refused your attempt to help her with her bag," Hermione responded coolly.
"That's not the point!" Ron argued, mentally kicking himself for putting his foot in his mouth, again. He just couldn't say something witty and brilliant anytime he spoke to Hermione, and always felt stupid afterwards. He chided himself silently and followed her upstairs, Ginny taking up the rear with an amused shake of her head. At the landing, Fred suddenly dropped his end of the trunk.
CLUNK!
"George, what are we doing? We could simply charm this trunk instead of lugging it around," he said matter-of-factly.
"Oh yeah. Allow me," he pointed his wand. "Locomotor trunks!" It rose and hovered slowly of the carpet, idling like a car. "Want to see a cool spell? Check this out, Harry…" he said, eyes twinkling. He turned his wand as if it was a key in an ignition, "Nitrous maximus!" The rear end of the trunk fishtailed on the spot then took off down the hall at amazing speed. Harry stared at it in amazement as it tore down the hallway, power sliding at the corner and eventually broke through a door, making a tremendous crashing sound.
"Oops," Fred said, "I forgot about the braking spell to stop it," he said in a fraud apology, smiling in a way that Harry knew that Fred had done no such thing.
"Let's go and see where it broke before your mom finds out and strangles us," said Harry. Cho was now at the top of the stairs, she had a suspicion that the crash had something to do with her things. She glared at Fred and George, who merely shrugged.
"Don't worry Cho, we'll fix you up in no time." They grinned and followed Harry, who was now stepping over the ruins of his bedroom door, clothes and pieces of trunk all over the place. Harry saw some really enticing underwear sprawled on his bed, and fantasized about it being there after a completely different set of circumstances. He looked over at George in accusation.
"Great, now I have no door," he grumbled, stepping over the carnage that was once his clean bedroom floor. Cho walked in at that moment.
"Oh no!" she cried, clearly embarrassed that her things were all over the room. "My stuff! You two are going to pay-"
"Oh ye of little faith; George if you may...?" said Fred in his best gentleman's accent.
"But of course, monsieur Fred," in the same tone and gallantly waved his wand, "Reparo!" The door pieces jumped back into place, fitting a bit oddly here and there, but all in all, was not a shabby job.
"Excellent! aaaand now..." Fred swept his wand about the room, "Scourgify y packimup!" Cho's clothes picked themselves up from the floor and flew into the empty drawers that Ron would have used if his things were here. Cho was impressed.
"I have to learn that one for the future," she smiled at the twins. Her smile faded and she narrowed her eyes at them. "Wait one minute," she hissed. "Whose room is this?"
"Ah yes, about that..." Fred trailed off, trying to look perplexed. "I can't remember precisely...it slipped my mind," scratching his head. Harry saw where they were going with this.
"It's my room, Cho," Harry explained. "I'll help you unpack..." he made to open the drawers.
Cho watched him a moment, thought for a second, opened her mouth, hesitated, then changed her mind again, and went for it. " Wait-" Harry froze. "I-er…don't mind staying here, if you're okay with it," she said quietly. Fred and George were watching the exchange attentively, their heads swinging from one to the other. Harry didn't really see anything particularly wrong with it- and said the first thing that came to mind.
"I guess so." As he said it- he realised what he had just done.
Once again Harry, acting without thinking – argh! Cho- me- alone- in a room- for the summer- only us- What will it be? Go brave and agree to that proposition? Yes! Play it safe and take it back? That should be the right call- So punk out like a chicken then?- No! Stand up like a man? YES! What about Hermione? How would he react? Well..er- damn. Hermione. It should be a no...Right? He was confused. He didn't want to make it sound like he was backing out, so he hastily gave her an escape route if she was also feeling weird about it.
"You okay with it?" he offered. Ah. That sounded stupid, Harry thought. Would she back down? When he saw her sizing up the living conditions as if planning for a bit of a feminine touch, he knew he had put himself in a bind.
"Sure- It beats having to unpack and pack over," she smiled at him. "Well, I guess that's that. I'm really hungry though- haven't eaten for the day and it's nearly five o'clock. Lets go down to the kitchen," she went back out into the hall towards the staircase. Fred and George looked at Harry with an expression on their faces showing that they were mightily pleased with themselves.
"All righ' Harry?" George asked, patting him on the back.
"You owe us one, mate," Fred reminded him. The twins gave each other a bounce of fists.
"Mission complete!" they announced, then left Harry there standing dumbstruck in the new sleeping quarters he now shared with Cho. He pounded his head with the sides of his fists in frustration.
"Brilliant move, Harry."
He needed to clear his head, so he went to the bathroom to take a shower. Afterwards, feeling refreshed and invigorated, Harry put on some of the nicer clothes Hermione picked out for him, actually enjoying the fact that he had something of his own now. He looked in the mirror, the shirt he wore fit him well and the jeans he bought were comfortable and new. He put on his Horntail boots, and left his hair wet- out of a bad habit. He did notice one thing that changed; he was looking at himself in the mirror without his glasses. Seeing them on the bedside table where he left it, he put them on. Now, when he tried to look through them, they were making his eyes water. He took them off, making sure that he wasn't going insane.
"Wow. That's different." Smiling at this good turn of events, Harry made his way down to the dining hall to join the others. As he passed the kitchen, he heard voices quarrelling. Stopping to listen in, he heard Molly and Remus arguing. As usual, it was about him.
"How can you even think of letting him go again after what happened? Are you insane?"
"We are not imprisoning him Molly, he can't cower all the time. This is what he loves Molly,"
"Quidditch is a game! You are talking about someone's life in peril here, Remus!"
"You underestimate the lad, he's not a kid anymore and he could take care of himself," his deep voice getting angrier.
"First Sirius, now you! How many times do I have to tell you that Harry IS NOT JAMES!"
"No he isn't. And you are not Lily. You are not his mother. You may love him as if he was your son, but you cannot coddle him any longer. He has his path, as do we all."
"GET IT IN YOUR HEAD THAT HE-WHO-MUST-NOT-BE-NAMED IS AFTER HIM! ANYTIME HE STEPS OUT OF THIS MANOR HE IS IN DANGER! "
"As are we all. I have learned the hard way what happens when you imprison a spirit such as his in one place. He and Sirius are too much alike for me to repeat the mistakes of the past. I will not see him chained to this house!" Remus roared, his voice now a venomous growl.
Harry reflected on Remus' words as he walked down the corridor towards the large double doors at the end. It was good that Remus was on his side; he thought that he and Sirius were alike in many ways. His heart filled with pride that he thought so highly of him. When he opened the door he froze. That couldn't be- Harry could have sworn he saw a reflection of himself in the mirror- except that he was wearing a dark uniform, and there was a huge scar covering his eye. He blinked, and peered hard at it; but only saw himself a normal reflection.
Must be my imagination..
"What's wrong Harry?" Hermione asked him, catching the faraway look in his face. He came out of his idle gaze, and looked at her. She had done something with her hair, it seemed like she managed to keep it under control and let it gently fall around her face.
He gave her a puzzled look, and replied, "Nothing. Just imagining things."
"C'mon Harry, sit down, we haven't got all day. Mum says she'll only serve when everyone's here. And it's only you and Professor Lupin not around," said Ron. The table seated twelve, two at the ends and five on each side. Professor Dumbledore sat at the head, Moody on his right. They were in deep conversation with Arthur Weasley, who sat on Dumbledore's left. There was a space next to Mr. Weasley, which must be for Mrs. Weasley, he thought, and George sat opposite that space; by Moody's side. Next to George sat Ron, then Hermione and Fred. The other end of the table was most likely reserved for Remus, which meant Harry had to sit in between Cho and Ginny, directly opposite Hermione. He quickly analysed the situation; the girls would surround him. Gritting his teeth he took his place and settled down.
"I like your shirt," said Cho, fixing his twisted collar.
"Thanks," Harry replied.
"You do? I picked it out for him," Hermione said matter-of-factly. Cho watched her out of the corner of her eye, ignored her, then turned her attention back to Harry.
"What happened to your glasses?" she enquired.
"Nothing, its just that I don't seem to need them anymore," he said, smiling at her.
Why doesn't he smile at me like that? Hermione asked inwardly.
"Now Hermione won't have to keep fixing them," said Ron. " I'm surprised they lasted this long after all the mess we've been through."
"I think without them it shows off the colour of your eyes more," Ginny told him, staring directly into those vivid green eyes. Harry also noticed that Ginny also had done something to her hair and added a little make-up, making her look older and enchanting. She smiled secretly at him and pushed a lock of hair that was threatening to fall into his face again. Hermione let out a soft 'humph' and began talking with Ron.
"Er- thanks…I guess?"
Cho opened her mouth respond but was interrupted by Remus and Molly who had just entered, levitating dishes of food in front of them. After they placed it on the table, and took their seats everyonel began to eat ravenously, the food was delicious. The chatter was pleasant enough, if you did not notice the fact that the girls did not talk directly to each other. Harry was telling the Weasley brothers about the match a couple days before and all seemed to be going swell until Ron upped and changed the subject.
"Well at least Kreacher won't be sneaking into our room all hours of the night, eh Harry? Heard he kicked the bucket soon after…after…well…er - you know what," he finished lamely. Harry's face darkened, he did not care much for the grouchy house elf, but it was just another reminder of Sirius' fate.
"What do you mean 'our' room?" Cho asked him. Fred and George were shooting Ron 'shut up" looks but he got so accustomed to it that he never heeded them anymore, which is what he should have done in this particular instance.
"Well the house elf that used to keep this place run-down used to sneak into the room Harry and I shared last year and take stuff to hoard away," explained Ron.
"But, but I thought I was bunking up in that room," said Cho, utterly confused. Hermione and Ginny ears perked at this.
"What!" Ginny snapped.
"Excuse me?" Hermione asked dangerously. Harry was looking very uncomfortable.
"Uh- pardon me, I need to use the bathroom," Harry said and tried to make a hasty retreat.
"Sit!" Hermione ordered. He sat down abruptly. "What is this I'm hearing- about you and Cho sharing a room?" Molly overheard that last and now took her attention off the adults.
"Er-" Harry stalled.
"Harry? What's this I'm hearing? Ron is not staying in your room?" Molly asked, not sure if she heard correctly.
"Well… you see, Fred and George were carrying Cho's things when-"
"FRED, GEORGE! I SHOULD'VE KNOWN YOU TWO WERE BEHIND THIS!"
"Molly, calm down," Arthur said evenly.
Remus smiled. "Molly, remember this manor is technically Harry's. He can decide to sleep in whatever room he likes, and thereby have anyone in his room that he likes."
"Sirius' house is mine?" asked Harry.
Dumbledore nodded, "It's in his will that you inherit his estate and possessions. I was one of the signatories to his last wishes. He would have wanted you to honour him by not allowing his family home to go asunder."
"Does this mean that I can leave the Dursleys?" asked Harry eagerly.
"Yes, but I rather you did not leave them as yet, however, I will understand if you do wish to move in. I trust you, and I would like you to start making your own decisions."
"What do you want to do, Potter? Moody enquired.
"I want to stay. " Harry said it without hesitation.
"I knew you would say that," Dumbledore sighed. "Very well, we would go to the Ministry on the morrow and finalize the details."
"Great," Harry smiled. He was finally leaving that horrible place, and starting out on his own. He began making plans, he would most definitely need a house elf to keep here tidy, maybe Dobby or Winky would come? He also thought about the décor, it still was too dreary and ominous for his tastes. I'm sure Hermione would help me redecorate this place. ..
" ...about the room? Harry? HARRY?" Hermione was talking to him; his mind must have been drifting.
"Huh?"
"I said; 'What about the room?' " Hermione was fuming. The room? Oh, the new sleeping arrangements. The adults were all watching, maybe this was his first test in being responsible. He kind of wanted Cho to stay with him, but he was sure that Professor Dumbledore and the other adults were expecting him to do the proper thing. He could not let them down in such an obvious call.
"Well Cho could stay there as all her stuff is packed, I have less unpacking to do so I guess I can relocate to another room," he told everyone. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Remus smiling, he knew he would make the right decision. Fred and George looked utterly exasperated, as if Harry had just given away his best possession to a complete stranger. Hermione practically glowed at him and Ginny smiled up at him. Cho looked a bit relieved, she did not want to be put under the spotlight in these not-so-friendly circumstances.
Later that night Harry was unpacking his stuff and throwing them in a suitcase. Cho was inside the room, sitting on the bed. He kept glancing at her, not being able to keep his mind straight. It was after nine and Cho was ready for bed. Her hair was splayed all about her shoulders and her face clean of all makeup. She looked much younger and more innocent than when she was all dolled up, and it endeared him to her. To make matters worse, she was wearing a short white pants and a baby-t top. Completely oblivious to the effect she was having on him, she continued chatting along merrily, Harry answering her at random intervals.
"Mom was like up at all hours of the night, doing research. She's taking your circumstances to heart, and now that she heard that we were attacked she's more determined than ever to clear you off all charges." She smiled, making Harry's stomach twist and feelings swell up inside him. "I know everything's going to be okay, I believe in you."
Flashbacks of when he arrived by Hermione came to him, and he had to admit, Hermione's response felt more authentic. He sighed, how could he have not seen the signs? He straightened up from his packing, his back aching and his knees felt stiff. Today was a long day- surviving a visit from Lord Voldemort an all, and he was dead tired. He heard her get up from the bed, and approach – her approaching footsteps making his stomach knot. He turned around, and Cho was there, her pink top and white shorts designed to drive him nuts. He looked at her slightly parted lips, and she smiled naughtily. Slowly draping her arms on his shoulders, she pulled him close.
They kissed softly, Cho running her fingers through the hair at his nape. She pressed against him, and said against his lips, "I never told you, but you're a great kisser," and kissed him again. Harry was really getting into it when she broke off the kiss and said, "Maybe we ought to stop before someone walks in," she let go of his hair and stepped back, her face flushed.
"You're right," he agreed, once again feeling torn. Was he doing the right thing? Sure he was- Ron liked Hermione- didn't he? "We've had a hectic day as it was." He grabbed the suitcase, said goodnight and left the room.