Chapter Twelve
Ginny and Cho lined up with the other students with their valuable permission slips clutched tightly in their hands for Mr Filch's doorway inspection. They gained a sense of freedom as they crossed over the threshold of the huge doors - even though they frequently passed through these very doors, sometimes more than once or even twice each day, but having Hogsmeade Village as their destination imbued their crossing with a particular delightful significance.
Joined from hip to shoulder the pair shoved their hands deep into their pockets and began the long snow covered walk to the village, it was snowing and cold but the harsh cold weather hadn't quite set in just yet.
"Hmmm, our last day as friends," said Ginny with a twinkle in her eyes and a hint of mirth at the corner of her mouth.
"Dropping me tomorrow?" answered Cho, knowing Ginny was only baiting her.
"It's just that after I catch the Snitch tomorrow, I expect you will throw a huge wobbly and stop speaking to me."
"There are so many assumptions in that statement, Weasley, I don't know where to begin." Cho responded, bumping Ginny's shoulder.
They carried on in friendly silence for a while and then Cho asked,
"Are you staying at Hogwarts for Christmas?"
"No, I need to be at home. It will be our first Christmas without Fred."
"Of course. Your Christmases as a child must have been jolly occasions with so many people?"
"Yeah, we've always been a very close family, we were never short of a laugh. We were a bit poor but every year mum knits us each a woolen jumper with our first initial on the front, and usually some sweets or something small. What about you?"
"I have to stay at Hogwarts, being Head Girl, not that I am disappointed. We don't really celebrate Christmas, oh I always get a small gift but we focus on New Year Festivities at the end of January."
"Oh the Chinese New Year? What are the customs?"
"We hang decorations, we share the Reunion Dinner, there are the fireworks of course, and gifts, often money. The colour red is very important; it symbolises luck, joy, and happiness."
"Oh cool, I can expect a cash gift in January then?" joked Ginny, bumping Cho's shoulder.
"You can expect to give one - yes," Cho rebounded, she could give as good as Ginny.
"Can we start with coffee to warm up, my face is frozen?" Ginny asked, hopefully.
"Madam Puddyfoots?" Cho responded, looking up and down the High Street.
"Fine," they trudged further up the street which was flooded with Hogwarts students, wandering in and out of shops, trailing in snow and mud, and letting all the warm air out. They were finally outside the front door of Madam Puddyfoot's, knocking their boots against the doorstop.
"How about we each order something for the other?" suggested Cho, as they entered.
"Great idea," said Ginny approving the scheme, they sat in the window and Ginny grabbed the menu. Cho leaned back to the table behind and nicked the menu for her perusal, Madam Puddyfoot gave them a few minutes before heading over to take their order,
"Good morning, Ladies, welcome to my Boutique Coffee Shoppe, I am Madam Puddyfoot, what can I get you?" She greeted them with a genuine smile and her pen was poised over her little notepad, waiting patiently.
"Morning, Madam Puddyfoot. Ginny would like a hot chocolate with caramel and rock salt and extra marshmallows please and a large piece of that Chocolate orange Jaffa cake with ice cream, please."
Madam Puddyfoots eyebrows rose but she made the corresponding marks on her pad, she turned her eyes upon Ginny, "And Cho will have?" She asked with a smile.
"Oh, you read the Daily Prophet?"
"I saw the match! I wouldn't miss it, and I will see the pair of you battle it out for the Snitch tomorrow. I am very excited. This Tournament is your idea, isn't it?" she looked from one to the other, she nodded and continued, "It's bringing extra business into the Village as well, all the store keepers are benefitting - so whatever you order today, is on the house!"
"Oh that's not necessary - " both girls moved to reassure the woman, but she help up her hand,
"It's my pleasure, now Ginny, just this morning, I have iced a lovely Chocolate Hazelnut Layer Cake and that served with ice cream might help weigh Cho down during tomorrow's match. I assume that's what's happening here?" She gave them both a mock severe look and then smiled at them.
Ginny and Cho laughed and agreed. That sat quietly while their order was being prepared. They looked awkwardly at each other, then around the shop and out of the windows, it had occurred to each of them the possibility of this being a date, their first date. But Cho didn't want to make a move, she didn't want to risk making things awkward and Ginny had been encouraged by Hermione's little speech but she wondered whether making a move would be insensitive.
Cho had confided a rather complicated story of difficulty, she had worked really hard to get herself back on her feet, back to Hogwarts, she was finally having success; both academic and Quidditch. Ginny didn't want to upset Cho's equilibrium, or risk making things awkward between them. Cho had once called her juvenile, even though she had been sure it was a joke, that comment that often returned to swirl throughout her mind, leaving her with a distinct loss of confidence.
It was a bit of an icebreaker when the store owner returned with a tray holding their drinks. Ginny sipped and smiled in surprise, her hot chocolate was delicious - albeit, very rich. Cho licked her lips and realised that she had hit on a new favourite - hot chocolate with peanut butter! They both enjoyed the desert that had been ordered for them but swapped halfway through - just for kicks and giggles! The two of them felt the effects of the huge sugar hit and decided to take a walk before looking in on all the other High Street shops.
They wandered along the main street and followed a track that wended away from the path to Hogwarts, this one headed towards Shrieking Shack, there was a little overhang that offered a view overlooking the historic building. Usually the pair were full of teasing jokes and almost incessant conversation but from the moment they had sat down at the coffee shop their interaction had taken on all the hallmarks of the nervous first date they now seem to be having, wanting to or not.
A few flat jokes, non comments and delicate silences, they looked at each other and looked away, "Well, this is really awkward," growled Ginny finally, she kicked the fence post in frustration.
"Are you cross with me?" asked Cho, in surprise.
"No, of course not. I had just been looking forward to today and it's just going so… uncomfortably."
"Well, it is a bit. But uncomfortable with you is still preferable to being comfortable with someone else," said Cho and Ginny turned to look at her for a long moment, processing the most likely meaning of such a statement. Cho leaned forward and took her hand, Ginny looked down at their joined hands and finally decided to take the plunge,
"So this is a date?" she asked, hoping it was and that the awkwardness between them could be buried.
"It's not only up to me," responded Cho.
"Was that what you meant when you asked me?"
"Well, sort of."
"That's not very encouraging, Chang."
"I like you, Weasley, but I've been reluctant to say anything. I don't want to jeopardise our friendship and I don't want to risk my own recovery."
"Okay, that makes sense. I like you too. But we don't have to do anything, we don't have to rush or… I understand how important this year is for you. I do."
"Thanks."
Cho turned away, she walked to the end of the overlook and leaned over. A moment later she stood, turned back to Ginny and hurled a snowball straight into the redhead's face. Ginny was caught so by surprise she stood staring at Cho, mouth opened, snow in her hair, on her face, the front of her clothes.
Cho burst out laughing, ran past her, shoving her out of the way and made her way into the tree line, she turned back, grabbed another handful of snow and ducked behind a tree.
"That's it, Chang! You are dead meat, DEAD!" she screamed, swiping at the snow on her face and running after her. Chang anticipated her, stuck out her foot and tripped her, Ginny fell right over and when she turned to look up at Cho she copped a second snowball to the face!
But Ginny wasn't the seventh in a long line of Weasley's for nothing, sure, she had been caught off guard, and then she had fallen straight into her opponent's trap but she was not without resilience or resources! They two darted in and out of the tree line, pelting each other, hiding and jumping out. When they were exhausted and about to give up, they noticed other students standing at the overlook and with a quick glance, they had confirmed a new alliance and turned their snowballs on the other students.
They ran, not into the trees, but up toward the High Street and pinged more snowballs at students along the way, Within minutes, there were loads of students hurling snow and shrieking up and down the main street. Cho grabbed Ginny's sleeve and dragged her back between Dervish and Banges magical equipment store and Gladrags Wizardwear, she pushed Ginny against the wall and kissed her.
Nothing more was said and all the awkwardness evaporated. They had a butterbeer in Honeydukes, looked in the shops and had lunch at the Three Broomsticks. They bought Hermione the Honeydukes chocolate as requested but filled up the bag with quills, stationary and other academic supplies from Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop for their friend as a gift. They brought themselves sweets and stationary as well and made to return the Castle after what had turned out to be a very satisfactory first date!
Hermione was very pleased with her gift when Ginny and Cho handed it to her over the dining table. She poked through the stationary nodding and looked at the various jars and packets of sweets,
"Thanks girls, how was your day?"
"Really good," they both coloured a little and became busy dishing up their dinner.
Nothing got by Hermione, she gave each a furtive glance as was pleased to note that she had been correct. It might not have started out as a date, but she would have happily completed the homework of both until the Christmas break, if it hadn't finished up being a date. The filled the silence with a short monologue recounting her visit with Hagrid.