The Color of a Million Different Faces
By: percychased
Wordcount: 984
Things happen. People change. They move on, and you have to live with it. Even though you don't want to, you have to.
That's what Cho tells herself.
Her and Cedric; they had a teenage romance, silly dates, awkward kisses, and unwavering loyalty. She was so sure back then, back in the 'glory days' that they would last forever. Dancing at the Yule Ball and staring into his eyes, always counting on him making her blush.
But, as Cho knows, every good thing comes to an end. Well, perhaps it doesn't, but she doesn't know, does she? Every good thing that's happened to her has come to an end, so why should she think any differently?
Cedric. Even thinking the name caused little pinpricks of pain to course their way throughout her viens, to make her blood run cold and to freeze her body with grief.
And Harry. The Boy Who Lived, defeater of the Dark Lord. Even before Cedric, she had always been a little fascinated by the raven-haired, emerald-eyed Gryffindor, who had always been nothing less than considerate to her despite all of the turmoil and harrowing publicity. In her opinion, he was so genuinely nice that he should have been placed in Hufflepuff.
But that crashed and burned, too, didn't it? On Valentines Day, in the middle of a tea shop, no less. She still felt a little twinge of guilt for accusing Harry of wanting to be with Hermione; she had ended up dating and marrying Ron, hadn't she?
The pinpricks of pain drew patterns on her heart, leaving gashes and wounds only visible to herself. They faded with time, but scars never really go away. Not really. They're permanent, and even if she can't see them in a mirror, she knows they're there.
After them two, she'd vowed to herself that she wouldn't find anyone else. Because why love when it's going to hurt someday?
But, of course, promises are made to be broken.
Along came her white horse, her knight in shining armour. No, this girl was not a knight, and could not be considered as such. This girl, one who bore the burden of physical scars instead of emotional ones, was a girl. One with hairstyling charms and skin glamours and makeup.
There was others who had different kinds of scars, just like Lavender. Her Lavender. Criss-crossing her neck, her face, her torso, and her arms. But that never affected her beauty.
Cho noticed, that every single time that Lavender looked in the mirror, she would cringe subtly. That wonderful girl would only notice the things that were wrong, the things that shouldn't be there. Cho felt that way, too. But she, instead, felt like her whole being was a scar, an unintended gash that maybe, perhaps, should not be there.
They were like two puzzle pieces, Lavender and Cho. Perfectly carved out to fit together. They may have been polar opposites, but Cho's grandmother was a Muggle and she taught her that on a magnet, North and South attract to each other. Cho was the North, cold and bitingly beautiful, silent and uninhabited. Lavender was the South, warm and sunny but hiding volcanos of explosions underneath the surface.
So, the naive part of Cho concluded, they belonged together. North and South. It really was the perfect fit, wasn't it?
They healed the other with reassurances and a partnership that no one would ever, ever be able to understand. They'd be there on those long, lonely nights, just to hold and to love. To be there when needed.
"Don't worry, it'll be alright in the end," Lavender would smile, showing off that perfect line of white teeth, and her face looked so hopeful and reassuring that Cho believed her with every ounce of her being.
But who knew the thing that felt the most natural was so wrong in societies' standards?
They were not doing anything to harm anyone, that's for sure. The biggest extent they went to was holding hands in public, and even then, it caused a pandemonium. That's when Cho felt that familiar sense of dread, that familiar sense of foreboding.
The one that foretold that bad things were going to happen, that she would once again be estranged from contentment. Was it really that much trouble to ask to be happy?
She heard the taunts coming from the street, the petty name calling and the cringes of disgust, even from people she once considered friends.
"It doesn't matter, though, does it?" asked Lavender. "We have each other, right? That's all we're ever going to need." And again, she used that fantastic ability of hers that made Cho believe every single word like it came from Merlin himself.
"Just us two," Cho said, quietly but looking up at Lavender with a twinkle in her coffee-black eyes.
"And it's going to be a long road there," began Lavender, eyes shining, "but we'll get there one day - I promise. One day, we'll be carefree and happy, running around barefoot and chasing rainbows. But we gotta look to where we're achieving, right? And not look back."
"The past is the past," agreed Cho softly. Lavender never failed to amaze her; what was in-depth gossip at Hogwarts with Parvati was now deep, meaningful words, ones that coud convey so many complex emotions in just those simple words.
The past is the past. Live for the future.
a/n - found this on my flash drive, haha, buried underneath lots of everything. Cho/Lavender is just a fab pairing. Black Fire Potion, HP Potions. Brown Positive, Colors Competition. The Ultimate Femmeslash Competition. Valentines Day, the Holiday Category Competition. As strong as we are united competition. Please don't favorite/follow without reviewing! :)