Disclaimer: I do not own "Harry Potter". It is hereby © to J.K. Rowling. I wrote this story when I was 12 years old in the year 2003. So, "Half-Blood Prince" wasn't out yet either. It didn't exist at this point. Again, errors in spelling and grammar have been intentionally left in to preserve my skills as a young writer. This story is complete. This is a repost.

Chapter Twelve: Loneliness

Harry finished his breakfast and left for the North Tower. Cianna and Cho followed him at a distance. Ron caught up with him a few minutes later.

"What's up Harry? You just look…happy…" Ron said.

"You know what I said at breakfast? Well it looked like Cho didn't believe me, but she does. She just doesn't want to admit it…" Harry replied quietly since Cho and Cianna weren't very far behind them.

"Well that's good…I wonder what Quidditch is going to be like…oh yeah, our new beaters…they're real good, aren't they Harry?" Ron asked loudly.

"Yeah…Liam's real great…he's probably almost as good as Fred…" Harry answered.

"And Liam's friend…what's their name…oh yeah, Alexa is good too…" Ron said.

The rest of their walk to the North Tower was silent. They reached the stifling hot classroom and took seats in the back. Cho was about to sit over at Harry's table, but let herself get steered away by Cianna. They were sitting with Lavender and Parvati at the very front of the room. The class started and time slipped away again. Next thing Harry knew, he was in Gryffindor Tower all alone, as Christmas drew near. Sure Ron and Hermione were good company, but nothing but Cho could fill the gap in his heart. Cho had become colder to him towards the middle of November, and even asked Professor McGonagall for a new schedule. Both she and Cianna got new schedules and the only time Harry saw her was either walking with Cianna and Akira in the hallway, in Transfiguration, or in the Gryffindor common room after dinner for about two minutes…before she went into the girls dormitory and stayed there the rest of the night. Harry would've apparratated in the girls dormitory, but he didn't for Cho's own privacy. Ron sat in a chair nearby, and Hermione sat in a chair, reading a book.

"What's wrong, Harry?" Ron asked.

"It's been so long since I've seen her, or even talked to her…" Harry replied.

"Oh…but you know, we haven't found out who's set you up…even though our suspect is Malfoy, we haven't been able to get any dirt on him…" Ron said.

"You know Harry, she cries at night now…" Hermione said from behind her book. "She cries about you…just last night I heard her whispering 'Come back…please Harry, come back!' I pity her…she still cares for you so much, but she's blocking out all her emotions. Next thing you know she'll be an ice queen with a soft spot." She added.

"Well…something's going to have to happen. The other guys in all the houses know that you and her aren't together, and Ginny tells me from Akira that boys are asking Cho out every minute. They've had to stun a few people because they wouldn't go away. Just last week, Ginny tells me, Cho had to curse this one guy because he would follow her around every minute possible." Ron said, in a light tone.

"Something is going to happen…soon…tomorrow maybe…I don't know…be on your guard…" Harry said, slightly mysterious.

The next day when Harry was going to lunch and walking down the hall he heard a cold scream. Harry recognized the scream instantly. It was Cho.

"CIANNA! AKI!!!! HELP ME PLEASE!!!!" Cho was screaming.

She was on the same floor as he was, going to lunch also. She was screaming still, but Cianna and Akira were nowhere in sight. He rounded the corner and saw several students surrounding a small area where Cho's screams came from. He moved closer and saw Ron and Hermione near the front. Hermione was clutching her face in horror and Ron well, was just shocked. Harry pushed his way through to Ron and Hermione.

"What's happening?" Harry asked urgently.

"I just found out…the boy Cho had to curse was Malfoy. He kept bothering her. Now he's trying a more direct approach." Hermione answered.

"Remember how Dumbledore said that Malfoy was the Slytherin's second heir? You think he's still alive? Because he's kind of like Peeves…only You-Know-Who can control Malfoy. But You-Know-Who was destroyed with the Order of the Phoenix…unless…" Ron said thoughtfully.

"How long has this been going on?" Harry asked.

"Just started. We'll have to wait and see what he's planning on…" Ron answered. "You were right. Something was going to happen…and it did."

"Go ahead and scream, Chang, your sister and Kelsey won't hear you. The teachers can't even help you. Because they can't even hear you. I put a very powerful silencing charm around this area so only the ones present here can actually hear you. Your sister and Kelsey won't come running for you anytime soon. I slipped a little bit of a sleeping draught in their morning tea…it's a special type of sleeping draught…it activates on time. So your little friends are probably sleeping somewhere…most likely the grounds…" Malfoy said evilly.

"Wow…I'm impressed, Malfoy. I didn't think you'd put this much thought into your plan…but it isn't working…I'm even more impressed that you were even able to properly cast a silencing charm. Looks like you actually learned something…for once…" Cho responded icily.

SMACK! Malfoy had just hit her.

"Expelliarmus!" Malfoy shouted as Cho was going for her wand.

Her wand flew ten feet into the air and landed somewhere in the next hallway. Malfoy had pinned her against the wall and was holding her by her throat.

"Never insult me, Chang. For that, I get a little kiss…and you can't stop me!" Malfoy snickered.

Malfoy kissed Cho for the second time, but was trying make it last longer. Cho was struggling to get him off. When he finally stopped kissing her, Cho had tears forming in her eyes.

"Ugh! Just get away from me!!" She cried.

Malfoy was trying to get her robes off without releasing her, and tore them instead. Cho was crying now, and the students were very scared. Malfoy pulled off Cho's tie and bound her hands with it…Harry couldn't stand there and watch he had to do something, fast. Malfoy got her vest off, and was going for her shirt next.

'But what? Yeah, I know I have to save her…but how? Simple…stunning spell. Or full body bind, works too.' He thought.

He moved in between Hermione and Ron and ran forward towards Malfoy.

"Petrificus Totalus!" Harry yelled, his wand raised.

Malfoy fell onto the stone floor motionless. Harry rushed over to Cho, carefully untied her hands, and helped her up. Cho looked up at him, the coldness melting away.

"Harry!" She exclaimed.

She hugged him and held him close.

'You really do care about me!' Cho thought.

'Of course I do. I heard your scream and I came running.' Harry replied.

'Thank you…'

Her face was shining with tears.

"I'm sorry…" She whispered.

Hermione was crying with happiness and everyone around started cheering. Harry took out his cloak and put it on Cho as the both of them walked towards Gryffindor Tower together. Hermione and Ron ran after them. The four of them went inside the common room. Akira was playing cards with Liam and she looked up when she saw Harry and Cho together like old times.

"Aki, I've forgiven him. And that's that. We'll never be apart." Cho said.

Akira stared at her sister for a while, then grinned. She gave Harry a hug too.

"Welcome back into Cho's life!" Akira said brightly.

Harry smiled. He was truly happy again. He had Cho back. And that was all that mattered.