Chapter Thirty

December arrived and brought with it more snow, more cold winds and even more homework for the fifth years, desperately trying to get through to their O. . Harry wondered how anyone was meant to do so much extra homework as well as studying and any other hobbies. For the first time Harry was slightly glad to not have to worry about Quidditch matches and practice, at least he had a few more hours a week to catch up on everything.

Pansy, Draco, Hermione and Neville were more busy than ever, they seemed to be forever called away on more special Prefect duties, watching the first and second years as they spent break times prowling the corridors, away from the howling winds and driving rain that was outside. Draco came close to cursing a couple of the 'snotty brats' as he called them.

Peeves was also making every effort to cause havoc for the teachers and Filch as they tried to decorate the castle, making yet another job for the Prefects to help with.

Hermione felt there was likely to be a connection between Peeves's interference only happening when Umbridge was strutting around supervising the decoration process. She didn't think it was wise to comment on the connection though.

Harry was looking forward to being home more than ever before. Slytherin was still doing well in the Quidditch matches but Harry felt disconnected from it now he wasn't on the team, he understood for the first time why Daphne liked to play but watching mostly bored her.

Being away from Umbridge's ever watching eye would also be a relief. He had managed to avoid another detention with her but it seemed to take every inch of strength he had not to yell at her every time he saw her and her stupid pink hair bow.

The one thing he was enjoying was the DA meetings. Everyone was improving massively, it was the one O.W.L he had no worries about passing, even with Umbridge's useless book being their only official resource.

He made his way, with Daphne, Draco and Pansy for the last DA lesson before the Christmas holidays began. He reached the Come and Go room and double checked the corridor was clear, even though they had already checked the map and there were no teachers nearby, it was better safe than sorry.

Luna opened the door for him and grinned, "Merry Christmas Harry." she said dreamily.

Everyone was already there and had clearly been there for a while, decorating the room with streamers and a large Christmas tree.

"Wow, this place looks great." Harry grinned.

"We thought it would be festive." Angelina explained, "There was a house elf, Dobs or Dobby or something… Dobbin maybe? Anyway he wanted to help and got us all the decorations. We didn't use the ones with your face plastered all over them, I think you've got a fan there."

Harry grinned and thanked them all again, taking his place at the front of the class, "Well since we are about to all be away for three weeks, I thought we would just go over what we've already learnt, make sure it's really sorted and perfect before we move onto something a little more challenging next term."

"We're not going to learn anything new?" Zacharias Smith moaned. It was clearly meant to be a whisper but carried clearly across the room, "If I'd know that I wouldn't of bothered coming."

"Door's right there Smith." Pansy said, "But after your awful performance last week I'd say you need the practice."

"And the week before that." William smirked.

A ripple of laughter went round the room and Zacharias looked awkwardly around him, trying very hard to be invisible.

Cho laughed, looking sweetly towards Harry and blushing slightly, her long eyelashes catching in the light. His brain went blank for a moment at the sight of her smile. He shook his head and forced himself to look away from her so he could continue teaching the class.

"We can practise in pairs, I think we'll start with the Impediment Jinx, a couple of you were struggling with aim and this is a really useful spell. So we'll do that for, lets say ten minutes? Then we'll move on to Stunning, it's a tough one but a needed one. Being able to stun your enemy is a vital tool in a battle, because, well, if they're stunned it makes it far more difficult for them to try and kill you." Harry told them.

There was a ripple of laughter around the room before they partnered up and Harry walked around the room, watching and correcting them on any small imperfections. They had all improved more than he, or anyone, could of hoped for. He regularly had to unfreeze people and nearly everyone managed to hit the person they were aiming for.

Harry let them keep going for a few extra minutes while he pulled out the cushions and gave one to each pair.

"Draco would you mind going with Ginny for a moment, Neville can you swap with Pansy for the next one? Balances your levels a little bit better." Harry asked, "Fred go with Angelina and George with Terrance? I think the rest of you can stay as you are for now."

"Are you saying I shoot like a girl?" Draco asked with a smirk.

Harry grinned, "No comment, your honour." he waited a few moments for everyone to get themselves sorted and positioned in front of their cushions, "So it's easy in a classroom to match up skill levels and wait nicely for your turn. Next term I would really like to try without the waiting, get your speed reflexes up and maybe even more two against one work. We'll see how it goes but that is the aim so use this time to really focus and try your best to master the spell."

He watched from the front of the room as they tried to stun one another. Mostly they were very good although, for all his posturing, Zacharias wasn't as strong as he pretended so Harry had to swap his partner for a boy three years younger than him, much to Zacharias's grumbling.

At the end of the hour, Harry regretfully called them to stop. They put away the pillows and stood around waiting.

"You are all doing really well. I know it sounds cheesy but I am really proud of the effort you've all put in and how well we're doing. Next term I want to push it up to the level, I was thinking that we could begin with Patronuses." Harry said.

There was a murmur of excited agreement around the class. Harry was glad that they were still excited about his teaching, he had worried that they would quickly get bored and want to drop out. Several of the students were a lot older than him, although it showed the effect on the students, having a new teacher every year, it had meant that, a few cramming sessions over the years had put Harry miles ahead of everyone else.

"Well, I think that's it then. I hope you all have a very good Christmas." Harry smiled. He glanced down at the map, "Coast is clear. See you next year."

The students started leaving in small groups of two or three. Harry hung back, wanting to make sure everyone got out safely.

Cho Chang was also hanging back, clearly waiting to be alone with Harry. Pansy and Daphne dragged Draco out of the room, despite him wanting to wait and see what happened.

"We'll see you in the library Harry?" Hermione asked, once her and Neville were the last ones left, besides Harry and Cho.

Harry nodded and tried to calm his pounding heart. The door closed behind Hermione, leaving Harry and Cho alone in the silent room.

"You… your stunning charm has gotten a loads better." Harry said after a few moments of silence, "What… what are you thinking?"

He'd heard his mother ask Severus that question before and it always seemed to make him smile so he wasn't expecting Cho to burst into tears.

"What did I say?" he asked panicked, he wasn't sure if he should go over to her or not.

"I'm sorry." Cho said, shaking her head, Harry was struck by how pretty she looked even with tears streaming down her face, even with red, blotchy cheeks and nose, "It wasn't you, it was just… I was thinking about… about him." she pointed to the picture of Cedric that they had put up on the wall.

There were a lot of pictures up there, mostly family members. Harry had put up a picture of Danica, mounted on a scribbled drawing she'd made him when she was about two. He'd also put up one of the few pictures he had of James.

It was a beautiful mural of everyone they were honouring in learning to defend themselves. It had been Hermione's idea, something to bring everyone together and sooner or later everyone had put up at least one picture.

"I was wondering, if… if he'd known all this… would… would he still be here now?" Cho asked, barely more than a whisper, as if saying the words out loud made them more true some how.

Harry sighed at the picture of the grinning Cedric, looking handsome and bright and alive in his Quidditch uniform, the wind blowing his hair across his forehead.

"He did." Harry shrugged, "He did know this stuff, all of it and more. Cedric… he was brilliant."

Cho nodded, wiping her eyes, "Are you sure?"

Harry nodded and slowly put an arm around her shoulders, "I'm sure. It… it was really quick. And there's nothing you can do to stop a killing curse, you can be the best in the world but there isn't a shield or anything that will stop it."

"You did." Cho said, with a small smile, "When you were a baby."

Harry shrugged, "That was a fluke, no one even really knows why it happened."

"I'm really sorry." Cho said suddenly, "It must be really hard for you, talking about Cedric, and what happened that night."

"It's OK. I mean, yes it is hard, very hard but..." Harry wasn't sure how he was meant to finish that sentence, in truth he didn't want to be talking about Cedric or what happened.

Cho turned to face him, smiling slightly, "Harry, I like you. I mean really like you." she said quietly.

Harry didn't know what to do, his heart was racing, his mouth felt all dry and he was sure the temperature in the room had risen by ten degrees.

"Mistletoe." Cho said, moving even closer, so her body was pressing against Harry's.

Harry looked up and nodded at the small sprig of mistletoe that was hanging from the celling. Cho reached up and pulled his head down slightly to kiss him.

Harry felt the gentle pressure of her lips on his and leaned in to get even closer to her. She pulled away, Harry wasn't sure how long it had been, it could have been hours as far as he knew.

"I'll see you after Christmas Harry." Cho said softly.

Harry nodded, "Yes. Yes, merry Christmas."

He watched as Cho left the room and waited until the door was closed behind her to lean heavily against one of the tables and catch his breath.

He left the room after a few minutes, making his way to the library, happy to see his friends gathered around the table in the corner, it was fairly sheltered from the ever watchful glares of Madam Pince.

"Harry you look really flushed, is everything all right?" Daphne asked, moving her bag so he could sit down.

Harry nodded, he couldn't stop grinning, "Cho kissed me." he said quickly.

"How was it?" Pansy asked, quickly shutting her book.

Harry shrugged, "Wet?"

"Eww Harry!" Pansy said, wrinkling her nose, "I did not need to know that!"

Harry shook his head, "No, I mean she was crying."

"Oh." Pansy said.

"Were you really that bad?" Draco asked.

Harry rolled his eyes, "Feeling the love here guys."

"She was clearly crying about Cedric." Hermione pointed out.

"Thank you." Harry said, he sighed, "She was talking about how if Cedric knew all the stuff I was teaching, maybe he would of survived."

Their little table fell quiet.

"He did know though, didn't he?" Neville said quietly.

Harry nodded, "Yes. That's the bottom line with all this, you can know everything possible to defend yourself and it still might not be enough."

"That doesn't mean we stop trying though." Draco said firmly, "We still learn, we still work hard and give ourselves and everyone around us the best chance we possibly can."

"And take as many of the bastards down with us as we can." Pansy grinned.

Harry nodded and smiled, his friends always seemed to know what to say to make him feel better, something he would always be grateful for.

"And there is more important things to think about at the moment." Draco said seriously, "Harry kissed a girl!" he mocked in a sing-song voice.

Harry blushed as the memory of Cho's touch flowed into his head, he thought it had been a pretty good kiss and he was looking forward to the next one. He bent his head low over his text book, shielding his bright red face from his friends.

He'd kissed a girl!