Light in the Darkness

Chapter 15: To Save Mr. Weasley's Life

They sat quietly together in the Common Room while they waited for Harry to return. Hermione, in the meantime, began composing a rather long letter to someone. Ron was trying to finish his Transfiguration homework while Fred and George spoke quietly about their plan to drop Puking Pastilles in Umbridge's tea. If they timed it right, they might be able to make her cancel classes the following day.

Finally, Harry sauntered into the room. He looked dazed, like he wasn't quite sure of his surroundings. The moment they saw him, Fred and George began clapping for the fifth year. "Well done, Harry," George said, patting him on the back. Harry smiled at little.

"Is it Cho?" Hermione said in a very business-like manner. "Did she corner you after the meeting?" Ron sniggered while Fred and George both cracked smiles. Hermione knew what had happened, they all did. They just wanted to hear Harry say it.

"She-" Harry's voice was too dry and had to clear it twice before continuing. "She-er-"

"Did you kiss?" Hermione inquired while the boys around her laughed. Harry turned a shade of red that could have rivaled the Weasleys' hair.

"Way to go, Harry!" Fred cheered. George sniffed a little and pretended to wipe a tear from his eyes.

"They just grow up so fast," George said. "One day he's fighting You-Know-Who, the next he's off kissing girls."

"Well?" Ron said. "How was it?" Harry thought for a moment.

"Wet," he said finally. Ron made a noise that Fred guessed was supposed to be disgust. He had to agree with his little brother on that. "Because she was crying."

"Merlin, Harry," Fred said seriously. "You were really that bad?"

"Dunno," Harry answered. "Maybe I am."

"Of course you're not," Hermione interjected at once.

"How would you know, Granger?" Fred wanted to know, jealousy surging through him.

"Because Cho spends half her time crying these days," Hermione replied. Fred wasn't sure how this was related to how well Harry could kiss. "She does it at mealtimes, in the loos, all over the place."

"You'd think a bit of kissing would cheer her up," Ron said, grinning.

"Ron," Hermione said, "you are the most insensitive wart I have ever had the misfortune to meet."

"We agree," Fred and George said together.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ron asked. "What sort of person cries while someone's kissing them?" Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes, probably wondering why she had to explain everything for them.

"Don't you understand how Cho's feeling at the moment?"

"No," Harry and Ron said together.

"Well, obviously, she's feeling very sad, because of Cedric dying. Then I expect she's feeling confused because she liked Cedric and now she likes Harry, and she can't work out who she likes best. Then she'll be feeling guilty, thinking it's an insult to Cedric's memory to be kissing Harry at all, and she'll be worrying about what everyone else might say about her if she starts going out with Harry. And she probably can't work out what her feelings toward Harry are anyway, because he was the one who was with Cedric when he died, so that's all very mixed up and painful. Oh, and she's afraid she's going to be thrown off the Ravenclaw Quidditch team because she's been flying so badly."

"Dump her," Fred and George said together.

"A girl with that much going on, needs to work on herself," Fred continued, looking Harry in the eye.