Chapter 3: The Stag

"So? How was it?" Hermione asked enthusiastically. It was the day right after the Yule Ball and Harry was once again in his hideout with a plate filled with his breakfast. He usually had his breakfast really early in the morning before any student was awake, this time however, he overslept a little, largely due to the late night that he had with Cho. Thanks to some assistance from Dobby, Harry successfully smuggled some food to his hideout to eat with Hermione who was avoiding Ron that very morning due to their altercation last night.

"Pretty good," Harry admitted, "we left the Ball early and came up here to spend the rest of the night together."

"And?" Hermione asked, filled with curiosity.

"And what, that was it," Harry said, face turning a little red.

"Oh come on Harry, you are atrocious at lying, what actually happened," Hermione pestered him. Deciding that the easier path would be to admit what truly happened, Harry relented.

"Fine, she gave me a peck on my cheek right before she entered her common room."

Elated by this new news, Hermione made an excited squeal before continuing.

"And?"

"That's it, I told you she entered her common room didn't I?" Harry replied, getting slightly annoyed now

"Oh come on I don't mean what happened after the peck, I'm asking about what happens now?" Hermione said.

"Huh?"

"Boys," Hermione muttered in exasperation, "what are you going to do about you 2?"

"Nothing?"

"Really Harry, nothing?" Hermione said, glaring at him, "don't you like her?"

"I do."

"Then?"

"What on earth am I supposed to do?" Harry retorted.

"Ask her out on another date?" Hermione said, making it sound like the most obvious thing ever.

"Why would she want to go on a date?"

"You do realise that the Yule Ball was a date do you?"

"We went as friends though."

"It technically is still a date Harry," Hermione sighed, "and yes, she would definitely want to go on another date."

"Why though?"

"Merlin's beard, Harry James Potter! She literally gave you a peck on your face you dimwit!"

"What if it was a friendly gesture or something related to her culture?" Harry protested.

"Have I ever given you a peck?" Hermione asked in exasperation, "And for your information, I'm pretty damn sure that is not a Chinese culture thing, tell me, did she ask about me during your conversations?"

"Er... yes."

"Did she ask about our relationship?"

"Er... yes," Harry admitted.

"There you go, that's all you need, she is clearly interested in you, I saw her facial expression when I waved at you, she looked very confused, that would only happen if she is interested in you already."

"Really?" Harry asked bewilderedly, "Are you sure about this?"

"100% certain," Hermione said agitatedly, "ask her to go on a date with you to Hogsmeade the next weekend."

"Should I really do that?" Harry asked nervously, "What if she says no?"

"For fuck sake Harry," Hermione cursed, surprising Harry as she almost never cursed, "do you like her or not Harry?"

"I guess?"

"Then don't miss this opportunity!" Hermione said, "Cho is a popular girl, miss her now and she will be gone forever."

"Fine fine," Harry sighed, "I will ask her the next time I see her."

"You better do," Hermione glared at him, "otherwise I won't help you with your assignments for the next month."

"Hermione!"

"Perhaps a Bubble-head charm?" Cho suggested.

"Hm… that might be one way…" Harry replied

"But it might be a little hard to perform, and since you will be underwater for around 1hr, its effects fade away near the end," She remarked.

Harry sighed, why has no wizard come up with an easier solution for this?

"We shall save this for in case then," Cho said, trying to sound cheerful and optimistic. It was a Saturday morning 1 week after the Christmas break and both were scouring through the books that they had picked up from the library.

"Haiz, let's keep looking," Harry sighed. While Harry was focused on finding the solution to the 2nd task, he was still distracted by the fact that Cho was in the very room with him. Harry thought about the Yule Ball and what a night it was, the ceremony and the dance didn't strike him that much, but the time spent with Cho in the hideout certainly did. Those few hours were the first time he had felt so comfortable with someone in a while.

Cho did really look stunning that day didn't she… He thought.

He thought about the dress she wore, she had explained to him that it was inspired by a traditional Chinese dress. He personally loved it, her representing what she was, her roots and all. He admired that about her, she was never caught up on what others did or said about her, and she always stayed true to herself and avoided any drama.

That's someone he wants to be with. He thought

Thinking about this however, reminded him about the task given to him by Hermione. He had to ask Cho on a date during this very session or he will risk pissing Hermione off. Gritting his teeth, he decided to just go ahead with it.

"Urm, Cho?" Harry asked nervously.

"Yes?" Cho replied, looking up at him with the same sweet smile that he had grown to love. This however, led to more butterflies in his stomach. Gulping, he mustered the courage to ask.

"Urm... there is a Hogsmeade weekend next week... I was just wondering- wondering whether- whether you would want to go to Hogsmeade with me?"

Harry watched as Cho's face turned slightly pink, her smile grew slightly more shy as she gave her reply.

"You mean on a date?"

"Er... you can put it that way I guess," Harry replied nervously, "you can say no if you don't want to, it won't-"

"I would go with you," Cho replied, cutting him off. Harry's heart did a somersault when he heard a reply, face turning even more red.

"Great- great, yeah awesome."

That day soon came and Harry was at the main gate, waiting for his "date" to show up, and show up she did.

Cho walked towards him, bidding her friends goodbye while they giggled at her. She was wearing a simple dress, with a blue jacket over it and a beanie that matched. Despite it being simple and very much a casual outfit, she still looked like the most beautiful person Harry had ever seen. If this was a month ago, Harry would probably be a nervous wreck again with his face bright red. Thankfully, the few study sessions they had after the Ball ensured that this wasn't the case.

"Hi Cho, you look amazing," Harry commented when she finally reached him.

"Thanks! Urm, should we go then?" She replied.

"Where do you want to go?" Harry asked, unsure himself.

"Let's just walk around first."

Walking around the streets of Hogsmeade, Harry felt truly relaxed, no stress about the second task or what the school thought about him or the possible threat of someone trying to get him killed. Damn, this is barely half the school year and someone is already trying to kill me, what a surprise, he thought.

As they did some window shopping, rain started falling and they ran for shelter, entering the three broomsticks for some drinks.

"So… your parents moved into Scotland as a couple and married a few years later giving birth to you soon after?"

"Yeah, China was rather unstable during the 60s, the wizarding world managed to get by rather unbothered in the beginning but it started getting pretty bad so they decided to leave for Scotland."

"Have you been to China then?"

"A few times, but only for short visits, Pa and Ma are always busy so they can't afford to stay for long."

"What do they work as?" Harry asked curiously.

"Ma works at her Chinese restaurant, Pa is an Auror."

"Interesting mix of careers."

"Very much so," she chuckled, "they always said I took on both of their talents."

"The talent of an Auror I can see, but as a chef?"

"You don't think that I can cook well?" She asked with a slightly accusatory tone.

"Whoa whoa I did not say that," said a slightly perplexed Harry, making Cho laugh.

"Relax, it was a joke, but yeah I can cook pretty well, mostly Chinese cuisine though, Ma made sure that I can cook, she always said that no man will marry me if I can't cook him a good meal, a Chinese thing apparently."

This comment made Harry laugh, Harry couldn't confirm what she said, in fact, she was the first Chinese he had ever met. He didn't really care about it though, it only made her more unique.

"You should come to her restaurant one day, she's an excellent cook," she added.

"Yeah, I would, but I'm more interested in your cooking."

"Fine, if you come, I will make sure you are impressed," she said, filled with determination.

Haiz, why couldn't life be this simple sometimes, no dragons or mermaids (at least they think he will need to face one). He hoped that he would have the chance to go to the restaurant someday knowing how busy he is, well not really busy, more controlled when he thought about it.

"They are always busy," Cho commented, with an unusually sad smile, "they probably got it from their grandparents, traditional Chinese thinking, grind as hard as you can so you can enjoy when you are older."

"They weren't there for you when you were growing up?" Harry asked curiously.

"Well, they were, but not much, Ma always had to run the restaurant, she left early and came back late, Pa was always busy, going on long assignments for the Ministry, gone for weeks sometimes, but when he came back, he usually had a week or 2 of holiday, those were always the best, however when he was on assignment, it can get a little lonely, especially when I was younger, we had a caretaker for a short while but for most of my childhood, it was me alone at home," she reflected.

"But that was when I got good on the broom," she chuckled, "Pa used to play Quidditch back in China, he taught me a little here and there when he wasn't on assignment and whenever no one was home, I would sneak into the broom shed and take out his broom to fly, he eventually caught on when he noticed I was getting good unusually fast, thankfully, he didn't tell Ma, she would probably kill me if she found out, became our little secret."

"Ah, so you do have a naughty side to you," Harry teased.

"What, you think I'm always the polite and reserved Cho Chang, you haven't seen all of me then," She laughed.

Interesting thought indeed, a slightly more playful side of Cho, definitely something Harry really wanted to see.

"But eventually I had a baby sister, when I was around 7 I reckon, her name is Cheng, Pa named her after Cheng Pei-pei, a Chinese action star in the 60s due to how she was always kicking Ma when she was pregnant, she's 9 now, I call her Pei pei sometimes because it's cuter, she's adorable, kept me company before I left for Hogwarts and every holiday," she said, reminiscing about those times.

"That's so cute, at least you have someone to keep you company now," said Harry with a smile.

"Yeah, I guess I do," she replied with a bright smile.

"Are you going to make a move?" Hermione asked Harry. It was now only a week from the 2nd task and they were in the hideout again. While Cho often dropped by to help them out, she was having Charms lesson at the moment, leaving only Harry and Hermione in the room.

"Hermione," Harry sighed, "this is not the time to be worrying about this, we still haven't found a solution to this stupid task.

"Yes but at this rate you are going, you are going to tire yourself out before the task even begins, relentless studying and preparation is needed but you still have to take breaks in between, you have been going like this for the past 3hrs Harry," Hermione said worriedly.

"Well well well, how the turn tables, you are now the one telling me to stop studying," Harry snorted, "but to answer your question, I have no idea."

"How hard is it to decide? You 2 clearly like each other," Hermione replied, staring at him confusedly.

"Hermione, when you have to face this situation, you will realise how difficult it is to ask someone to be your girlfriend," Harry sighed, "especially when you are currently in a murder mystery plot and trying to figure out who is trying to get you killed."

"Cho clearly don't care about all of this," Hermione retorted, "she is happily spending time with you isn't she."

"Look Hermione," Harry replied, tone getting more and more dangerous, "I don't want to talk about this now, let's just focus on this task can we? This shit is already stressing me the fuck out."

Sensing Harry's displeasure, Hermione thankfully dropped it, turning her focus back to helping Harry with the task. This proceeded till the sky became dark and Harry decided to call it a day. Angrilly closing the book shut, Harry stormed out of his hideout in frustration, intending to take a shower before heading to bed after another failure of a night. On his way to the shower however, Harry unexpectedly ran into Fred and George, probably off to perform some of their late-night antics.

"Hiya Harry," Fred and George said in unison with a cheery tone, something that brought a small smile onto his face.

"Good to see you 2," Harry replied, "Er, what are you 2 doing in the castle at this time?"

"Business," both replied with a smug smile on their face, whatever they were off doing, Harry knew that it wasn't something good, "what about you Harrikins, off to see a special someone?"

"What?"

"Perhaps off to see a special Ravenclaw?" George replied, raising his eyebrow comically.

"Oh, no."

"Come on Harrikins," Fred replied, "no need to hide that from me, there is no shame in having a girlfriend."

"Exactly," George continued, "this twin of mine for example, recently got together with one."

"What? No, we aren't dating- wait a second, you have a girlfriend?" Harry asked, looking at Fred with interest.

"Oh come on Harry, there is no way you are such a hermit, Mr Fred Weasley here has been a little of an exhibitionist with his girlfriend Angelina Johnson," George replied, earning a glare from Fred.

"We have not been like that thank you very much," Fred replied, "but yes, I'm dating Angelina."

"Wow, congrats," Harry replied, "you 2 got together after the Yule Ball?"

"Actually, we got together during the Yule Ball itself," Fred answered with a bright smile on his face, "what about you Harrikins, you and Ms Chang disappeared from the Ball rather early, off to do something... naughty?"

"What! No! We just left to have a conversation."

"A conversation hmmmm," George replied, "I heard that you 2 went on a date to Hogsmeade together as well didn't you?"

"Nothing stays quiet in this castle does it," Harry sighed.

"Nothing," the twins replied in unison.

"Well yes, we did go to Hogsmeade together."

"And you 2 aren't dating?"

"We aren't," Harry replied confidently.

"Why?" Fred asked curiously, "You 2 seem pretty close to each other from what I've heard, unless... unless you are a bit of a player yourself Harrikins."

"WHAT! No!" Harry protested once again, "I just... I don't know, I'm just not sure about how to make the move."

"Ah," George replied knowingly, "I see, Harrikins is scared to take it a step further."

"Not really scared," Harry admitted, "just hesitant and unsure about how to make the move I guess."

"That is where I can give some advice actually," Fred replied in a more serious tone, "from my experience, you will eventually find the moment where everything clicks and you 2 are in a unique situation where you are closer than ever, that is when you should make your move."

"In Mr Fred Weasley's case, it was landing a violent and abrupt kiss," George added, earning himself a kick from Fred.

"It was not a violent or abrupt kiss," Fred replied, glaring at George, "but yes, for me it was giving her a kiss after the final dance during the Yule Ball, you see Harry, if both of you actually get along well and clearly have feelings for each other, you will find yourself in a situation where you subconsciously know that that is your best chance to make the move, you don't have to do it through a kiss, perhaps just a hug or a confession will do."

"How would I know that that is the moment though?"

"As I said Harry, you would know, love is a magical thing that can never be explained," Fred replied, sounding wiser than Harry even knew was possible from him, "unfortunately Harrikins, we have some matters to attend to, good chat with you."

Giving Harry a wink, both Fred and George quickly left and disappeared after a turn, leaving Harry with a lot more questions than answers.