[a/n] https colon slash .net slash s slash 2788096 slash 8 slash If You Can Help Her || Flipping another fanfic. Underlined is quoted from the chapter. In this Harry rather groveled after the incident. In mine he …doesn't.
Harry Does Different CDLIV
The Hell With It
If You Can Help Her – Chapter 8 – Cho's Assault
He turned around and saw her walking confidently toward him. Remembering what Ginny had said about her fancying him, he got nervous. He asked, "Um, hi, Cho. What do you want?"
She smiled as she stood face to face with him, his back against a wall. She said in a seductive voice, "I want to know what a handsome, brave, famous, intelligent man like yourself sees in that tiny redhead, when you could have so much more?" At that moment, she planted her lips firmly on his, pushing his head against the wall.
Harry heard Ginny's voice scream, "What!?" and used his hands to push Cho's face away from his and looked around, but couldn't see Ginny anywhere.
He screamed at Cho, "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?" and ran off, pushing her away in the process. He didn't notice Cho's angry expression as he ran toward the Great Hall, hoping Ginny was there.
When he got there, he didn't see Ginny, but he saw Ron with an angry look walking straight towards him, with his fists clenched. He nervously asked, "Hey Ron. Have you seen Ginny?"
"YEAH, HARRY! I saw Ginny! She'd gotten some pictures of you guys from Colin, and went looking for you so she could show them. When she came back, she was crying and angry, then grabbed her books and ran out of here! Before she was gone, I asked her what was wrong, and all she could say was, 'Harry, Cho, kissing!' Now I've gone along with you dating her Harry, but if you've been cheating on her, best mate or not, I'll…"
"You think I'm cheating on her Ron! Cho cornered me in the hall and kissed me! Ginny saw and ran off before I pushed Cho away, and I swear I pushed her away! If you don't believe that, the hell with you! I need to talk to Ginny! Where is she?"
Ron gave Harry a sympathetic look and replied, "She's probably gone to her first class, Harry. They start in ten minutes. It's a good thing, too. It'll give her a little time to cool off. The way she looked a minute ago, she'd probably hex you!"
Harry went to his first class, all thoughts of breakfast gone. He forced himself to concentrate on his tests to make it through his classes until lunch. He slowly approached the Great Hall, hoping Ginny would get there first. He was right. He saw Ginny sitting alone, so he approached her from behind and asked, "Er, Ginny, may I sit down?"
She stood up and faced him with the meanest face he'd ever seen and shouted, "I'M SURE THERE'S A SEAT BY CHO AT THE RAVENCLAW TABLE! OR BETTER YET, SLYTHERIN – THAT'S WHERE YOU BELONG!" Tears began escaping her eyes as she screamed, "I never thought you'd do this to me! I loved you! HOW COULD YOU?!"
At that moment, she pulled out her wand, pointed it at Harry, muttered a spell he'd never heard before, and turned to walk out of the Great Hall. He tried to stop her, but he felt a weird sensation as his boogers came out of his nose, formed into bat-like shapes, and began attacking him. Grossed out and confused, he couldn't do anything but close his eyes and guard his face with his hands until the bat-bogies disappeared. Opening his eyes and looking around the hall, he noticed all the Slytherins laughing at him, along with many other people from all the other houses, including Cho Chang.
Feeling miserable and defeated, but still hungry, he sat down where Ginny had been a few minutes before. He slowly ate for a few minutes, before Hermione came and joined him. She said, "Ron told me what happened. Ginny wouldn't listen to either of us when we've tried to talk to her. She asked Ron why he hasn't beaten you up yet."
"Well, judging by what just happened, she obviously won't talk to me, either!" hissed Harry.
"Look, Harry, I know you're upset, but don't take it out on me! I'm trying to help."
Harry put his head in his hands. "I'm sorry. You're right. I just don't know what to do. I love her! Why won't she at least let me explain?"
"I know you love her, but you've got to understand her point of view. In her mind, she has seen proof positive that you're in love with Cho. She is hurt and thinks everything you ever said about loving her is a lie. She won't believe anything you say unless she hears it from Cho, too."
Harry looked appalled at this suggestion. "You want me to try to get Cho to talk to Ginny!? I don't ever want to speak to her again, let alone ask her for a favor! She obviously wanted to break us up! Why would she help us get back together?"
Hermione looked at him seriously, while putting her hand on his. She replied, "It's up to you. If Ginny's not important enough to talk…"
Harry sighed. "Fine! I'll try! Would you please find Ginny and bring her here while I talk to Cho?" Hermione nodded while Harry got up and walked toward the Ravenclaw table where Cho was sitting. She looked up at him and smiled when he asked, "Cho, can I talk to you?"
"Of course, Harry" she answered, apparently oblivious to the dirty look he was giving her." They walked into the hall and she said, "I guess you've finally come to your senses."
Harry yelled, "If you think I want to date you, you're wrong! I am in love with Ginny, and now, thanks to your little stunt today, she thinks I'm cheating on her, so she won't speak to me! You're gonna tell her the truth!"
"I will not!" yelled Cho, glaring defiantly at Harry.
Harry smiled and promised, "You will or I'll tell everyone you're the worst kisser in the school!"
Cho looked horrified! "You wouldn't?"
"After what you've just done to me, what do you think?"
She sighed, "You would. Fine, I'll tell her!"
Harry grabbed Cho by the arm and dragged her to the Great Hall, where he saw Hermione dragging Ginny in through another door. When Ginny saw him, she tried to make a break for it, but Hermione held her arm too tightly. Harry dragged Cho over by Ginny. Both Cho and Ginny were looking around, avoiding making eye contact with anybody. Ginny still pulled on her arm trying to free herself.
Harry began speaking. He said, "Ginny, you know what? Fine. Hermione, let'er go. It's pointless. Beat it Weaslette!" he snarled at the redhead, deliberately using Draco Malfoy's insult. Then he turned to the Asian girl and yelled, "Tell them the truth! Tell them ALL the truth."
Cho took a deep breath and responded, "Fine, with the way you've been yelling and dragging me around, I don't know what I ever saw in you! This morning I cornered Harry and pretty much forced myself on him! He pushed me away and yelled at me, and then he went looking the little brat! He's obviously too blind to see her undeveloped top, not to mention your second-hand robes and books, but I…"
"Get out of here, Cho!" Harry yelled as he released her.
"Fine! You deserve each other!" screamed Cho, as she walked away proudly.
"Harry…I …" Ginny's voice, sounding very weak, she'd stopped just after turning the corner.
Harry looked to see her head facing the floor. He vaguely noticed Hermione lingering "You what?" his tone hostile "You see me getting attacked and you blame the whole thing on me? That it?"
"Mate, that ain't right, you-" Ron interrupted.
Harry glared back "Butt out of things that don't concern you!"
"My sister! She concerns me!" shouted Ron, clearly becoming angry.
Harry's wand came out like lightning, flicking lightly between the redheads "No way I'm letting EITHER of you get the drop on me again."
"Mr. Potter, lower your wand imMEDIately!" Professor McGonagall appeared just then "Imagine my annoyance when I heard members of my House arguing. NOW imagine how displeased I am to see one pointing his wand at his supposed friends."
All the Gryffindors started talking at once, before Harry cut them off with a hiss reminiscent of Parseltongue, then explained "Cho Chang jumped on me saying I was the hottest thing since Merlin and tried to suck out my appendix through my throat. Then, I try to tell my FORMER girlfriend" at this Ginny blinked, stunned "exactly what happened and SHE turned a hex on me…real nasty too…I could barely see and my nose feels like it had an iron up it. So, no, I DON'T trust her, or her brother. I'm putting a couple wards up on my bed."
"There are indeed certain wards you may use, Potter." The Head allowed, speaking tersely "Bare in mind you may be responsible for accidental injuries of any of your dormmates. And I expect a list of what you use. Now, attending you Mr. and Miss Weasley, ten points from each of you and a detention. Separately, Miss Weasley, assault on a fellow student is not to be tolerated. That is assuming you do not wish to dispute Mr. Potter's claim?"
Ginny shook her head meekly, "No ma'am." but flashed angry eyes at Harry.
"That will be fifty points and a week's detention." McGonagall ruled "Your first will consist of composing a letter to your parents that Mr. Potter will confirm the accuracy of the facts of the case. Questions? Fine. Get on with your studying."
Abcij
Harry initially was pleased with that, but it kept him tossing and turning overnight. Particularly how no one seemed to mention anything about consequences for Cho. In the Common Room next morning, there was a buzz of conversation that ended when he appeared.
"Morning Harry." Said Hermione with some trepidation.
He gave her a friendly smile and nod "Once again, Hermione, I'm sorry for snapping at you. And really, I thank you for trying to be the peacemaker. But somehow, everything changed halfway through. Ginny just wanted to walk away, I figure why force her. And Ron's whole attitude just pissed me off. What about Cho? Isn't what she did illegal somehow?"
"Can we walk and talk at the same time?" asked Hermione, noticing the attention the pair were garnering; particularly the angry look from a passing Ron who just kept going. "Harry, tell me what you're thinking. How are we going to fix this?"
He shrugged "I don't know, in truth…I don't know I want to. Think about it, done nothing else all night. I save Ginny from a giant snake AND Voldemort…so cool you don't flinch… THEN Ron wants me to help her, amazingly it works. What happens next? He's nasty because we start dating. Guess he wants her all miserable again, huh?"
"I guess that's a way of looking at it." She acknowledged the reasoning without verbally agreeing to it.
He threw up a hand in annoyance "Well then yesterday, all I'm doing is minding my own business when that Chinese slut jams her tongue down my throat."
"Please Harry, don't be crass." Scolded Hermione "But no she certainly had no right."
Brows furrowing "Isn't a crime? Somehow? I mean it's not rape, really."
"No, and I don't even know if …legally… a man CAN be raped by a woman." She cogitated "I mean rape requires penetration of the-"
He waved his hands in denial "Enough! I get the imagery."
"Nevertheless you probably have a point." Hermione went on, hardly noticing his discomfort "Depending on the severity, it could still be sexual assault, at the very least some type of inappropriate contact."
Harry nodded "Madam Bones was one of the loudest supporters. Think I'll have a chat with a non-Weasley red."
"Don't you think that might …uhhmmm…upset Ginny? Seeing you talking to another girl?" cautioned Hermione.
Temper flaring "Since when have I need-!" but he cut himself off apologizing "Sorry Hermione. I get the point of your question. But since you mentioned assault, isn't that EXACTLY what Ginny did to me?"
"Err…i…umm" she stammered "That's not for me to …ahh"
He suddenly gave a nod of complete understanding as they turned down the hallway which led into The Great Hall "This isn't going to be pretty, 'Mione, and you don't want to choose sides. I get that. You may have to, but I don't see Cho being punished AT ALL. And maybe Ginny wasn't enough."
"It's not for you to decide, either, Harry. I know that much law." She felt more confident with facts.
That was when he called out "Hey Susan! 'scuse me, Hermione."
Legally speaking, Cho got about a slap on the wrist. The Wizarding World just didn't recognize what she did as a serious crime, in fact it was barely illegal. Madam Bones did push for change in Section 9 of the Wizard Charter which covered sexual relations; that would take years if at all. But when Rita Skeeter got hold of the story, she published things her Quik-Quotes Quill claimed Harry said. Cho didn't even finish Hogwarts as her father was recalled by China's government.
Ginny was convicted of magical assault. Her Hogwarts credits were canceled; she would have to restart as a First Year. The headline Girl Who Attacked BWL did nothing for the Weasley reputation in Britain. Due to her age there was no prison time. Perhaps the worst for her was that, during the hearing, a different redhead was holding HER Harry's hand.
A few years later, as the Wizarding World was recovering from The Second Blood War, Ron Weasley married Hermione Granger. Harry Potter had a place of honor as the bride's brother. He danced a couple of duty dances with the groom's sister, exchanged small talk, wished her luck in her career with the Holyhead Harpies. As much as possible, though, the Hero danced with his fiancée.