One Step at a Time

I don't own 'Harry Potter'

Warning: genderbent characters (Harry, Cho, Cedric)

"Okay everyone, great job! See you after the break!"

Cho watched as Hazel smiled and bid everyone goodbye, the other students slowly leaving the room in small groups so as to not arouse suspicion from Umbridge or her stupid little squad.

He frowned, annoyed at the idea that they all had to hide in their own school. This castle was supposed to be a safe haven, a second home to the students, yet they were being forced to learn in hiding.

This wasn't just their education, it was their very lives that were at stake. No matter what the paper and the bullies said, he knew that Hazel wouldn't lie about something like this. The Gryffindor girl would never make up anything like what happened at the graveyard …

Cho mentally shook off he thoughts and looked at the short girl. Hazel had always been interesting to him, even before trying to ask him out with a cute stutter last year before the ball. He'd thought of the girl as a great Quidditch player but too young for him.

Until the Third Task.

Seeing her come back with his girlfriend's dead body, sobbing but furiously refusing to abandon the other girl even in death put paid to those thoughts. Watching the other girl stand up to Umbridge, the students taunting her, the paper calling her a delusional psycho, Cho had been struck with how much the girl had matured.

She wasn't a child anymore – couldn't be called a child thanks to what she'd experienced – and he was blown away. The girl captivated him even if he was still in agony over Ced dying. Why wouldn't he be? His girlfriend had been murdered just for the sake of being in the way. A Death Eater had infiltrated the school and had the audacity to teach them. The person he'd wanted to spend the rest of his life with was gone.

"Cho? What are you still doing here?"

He turned to see bright green eyes peering up at him from beneath thick glasses and a messy fringe. Hazel really was pretty, he thought. Not that he would do anything. He was still grieving over the girl he loved, and Hazel was dealing with witnessing the death of somebody she'd considered a friend.

"Just wanted to talk. How are you holding up?"

The girl grimaced and he wanted to smack himself. Way to go Cho, let's just ask the most insensitive question you can possibly think of.

"I'm … I'm fine."

"Did you know Ced once broke her arm saving her neighbour from drowning in a pond?"

Hazel looked up and blinked in confusion. "What?"

"She jumped into the pond thinking her neighbour was drowning and ended up needing help herself. She always thought she should help others because it was the right thing to do. Even if she knew things could go badly."

He paused and met her eyes head on, letting the words sink in and watch as green orbs started tearing up. The girl looked so lost and he contemplated the situation. If would be so easy to lean forward and seal their lips together, falling into romance to cover up the pain, using their mutual misery to build themselves together.

But it wouldn't be fair. It wouldn't be fair to the girl that had given her life to be brave and loyal. It wouldn't be fair to he or Hazel either, putting a bandage over their metaphorical wounds to cover up the problems underneath.

He looked at the girl in front of him, really looked for once. She looked lost, determined to fight and help others but not knowing if things would help. She was tired, so tired with everything and was at the end of her tether. Cho knew that her home life apparently wasn't great, and combined with witnessing a murder and being tortured the girl needed help.

She didn't need more responsibilities.

It would be selfish to push for a relationship when neither of them were in the right state of mind, let alone everything happening in the world. For now at least, he would hold back and try and help.

"You know," he said, interrupting the girl before she could break down, "Ced used to teach me a few tricks for catching the snitch. There's a spare broom that the Ravenclaws use, if you want to go now?"

"But – I'm banned!"

Cho grinned. "What nobody knows, can't hurt them."

He watched as the girl wrestled with herself, obviously not wanting any more trouble but wanting some fun for once. He knew what is was to want to let go. People said that time heals all wounds, but six months wasn't nearly enough time to get rid of the black pit of despair in his chest. He could only imagine what it was like to have actually seen that night in person.

Hazel looked up at him with a determined expression. "Okay."

"Great! Let's go now. I'm afraid the spare Cleansweep isn't as good as your Firebolt, but …"

The young man led the girl out the Room of Requirement while chatting about broomsticks, all the while ignoring the mistletoe that had sprung up above their heads.

There would be time for that later.

A/N: Hey guys! I'm so sorry for the break in updates, but I've been really busy with real life and a new job, not to mention helping with people be rushed into hospital. Life is crazy unfortunately. But today there's a four chapter update to make up for it. Make sure to check them all out!

This was a request by ObeliskX, and there will actually be a second part to this coming soon. Probably some time later this week.

About the names, I went with a plant for Harry again, but for Cho and Cedric I literally had no idea lol. I kept Cho as Cho because I actually don't know her nationality or ethnicity - thank you ObeliskX for pointing that out - and I don't know what the male equivalent would be. I apologise if this is incorrect and I've offended anyone, so if this is wrong please let me know what would be right and I'll try another name.

And Cedric, though it wasn't really mentioned, I just went with Cedar. I've seen it mentioned on a few name sites, and I wanted something that I could use 'Ced' as a nickname for. Because 'Cedric' was actually an invented name for a book there's no female equivalent I can find. A lot of Harry Potter characters have weird names, so I didn't think being named after a tree would be that weird lol.

Also, before people accusing me of Cho being too OOC, we never really saw too much of Cho to begin with, and I really don't understand why she gets so much hate. She lost her boyfriend at the age of fifteen/sixteen and so because she actually gives a damn and cries, she's a whiny bitch? I really don't get it, but maybe that's just me.

Thanks for reading!