He soon found her with a group of Ravenclaw girls. She was wearing black dress robes, lined with midnight blue fabric. She saw him approach, smiled at him, and then turned back to her friends. Harry frowned. He saw something different in her eyes when she looked at him.
The doors to the Great Hall opened, allowing the group of students’ entry. Harry took Cho’s arm and led her into the newly decorated hall. The room was draped with banners of every color hanging from the ceiling and along the walls. Candles and torches lit the hall and gave off an ambiance that seemed to make this room inviting. The students dispersed and went to find a seat at one of the many tables that had been placed along the floor; the four house tables had been removed to make space for what was surely to be an extraordinary evening. He and Cho sat at a table with Marietta and her partner, Roger Davies. The tables were set for eight people, so Harry kept an eye out for Ron, Hermione and their partners.
Cho and Marietta got up from the table, told the boys they would be right back, and went off on their own. Harry took a moment to talk with Roger. “How are your N.E.W.T classes going, Roger?”
The Ravenclaw lowered his head and shook it. “If at all possible, Harry, stay in sixth year. It will only get worse.”
Harry chuckled. “Is it that bad?”
Roger looked up. “I thought O.W.L.s were bad. These bloody exams are months away, and yet I feel that they could sneak up and suffocate me any minute. The professors are loading us with work; I don’t think I’ve gotten more than four hours of sleep a night.” He leaned back in his chair. “If it weren’t for these little distractions, I think I would go mad.”
“Aren’t you still playing Quidditch?”
Roger nodded. “Yeah, I am, but I’ve given up my captain duties to Cho. She’s earned a run as captain.”
The girls soon returned to much fuller table then when they left. Ron and his partner, Luna Lovegood, had joined them. Soon after them, Hermione and Seamus made themselves known as the torches suddenly dimmed. A platform raised itself in the center of the hall. A selection of instruments appeared on the stage: an electric guitar, a drum set, a bass guitar and a keyboard. Four people walked through the great doors and up to the stage. Each taking an instrument, they started playing an upbeat tune. The room started to feel different as the music coasted across the air. Harry began to feel himself sway to the tune. The rest of the hall seemed to be feeling the same.
Soon, the open floor around the band was filled with couples of students dancing. Harry took Cho’s hand and led her to the dance floor. Putting a hand around her waist, they started swaying together to the music. He looked into her eyes as they danced and saw that something had definitely changed in the way she looked back at him. He could still see a caring person in those eyes, but there was defiance in them.
The music ended and the students went back to their tables. They empty plates were filled with food and the goblets with drink. The eight students began to eat happily and talked with one another. Roger and Cho talked with Harry, Ron and Seamus about the upcoming Quidditch season while Hermione and Marietta talked about their roles as prefect and Head Girl. Hermione was interested that Marietta was going into the Ministry of Magic after leaving Hogwarts. Luna listened to the conversations, but seemed to be in a world of her own.
Harry leaned in close to Ron. “What made you bring Lovegood?” he asked.
Ron shrugged. “Actually, she brought me. I was talking with Hermione about the ball and she just came over and asked me out. What could I say?”
Harry chuckled. He reached for the pitcher of pumpkin juice that had been set in the middle, but found it was empty. “House-Elves must be off their form tonight.”
Hermione gave him a scornful look. “They might do their work better if they got paid, and had holidays.”
Ron shook his head. “Hermione has a thing for House-Elves.”
“Then you should think of a career in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures,” Marietta said. “If you’re going to do anything about the treatment of House-Elves, that would be the place to do it.”
Ron groaned. “Thanks, Edgecombe. Give her something else to obsess over for the next two years.” Luna leaned over and placed her head on Ron’s shoulder.
Harry enjoyed watching his friends bicker back and forth, as long as he knew it was nothing serious. While each student ate, the band continued to play song after song. Harry had never heard this music before and he wondered if it could be another wizard group like the Weird Sisters, who had played at the Yule Ball two years ago.
When the food was gone, the tables were emptied as the students began dancing again. Harry kept a close watch on Ron and Luna, in case his friend needed rescuing from the odd Ravenclaw girl. Ron seemed to be able to hold his own.
As they danced, Harry began to notice, for the first time actually, the Hogwarts professors spread out among the floor. Professors McGonagall and Dumbledore soon got into the spirit of the evening and could be seen dancing to the beat. He saw Kevin and Sara soon take to the floor and hold each other closely. Cho’s gaze soon followed Harry’s. “They look sweet together, don’t they?”
Harry nodded. When the music died down, he took Cho’s hand and they walked off to the side. Walking in silence, they soon found themselves just outside the Great Hall. The music could still be heard, but was at a lower volume. They stood next to the railing, looking out over the entryway. Cho held onto Harry’s hand. “Harry, do you think you and I will be as happy as Kevin and Sara?”
He squeezed her hand. “Of course we will.”
“With each other?”
This was what Harry had been waiting for. “You’ve been feeling the same way, haven’t you?”
Cho nodded. “I didn’t think I would. I thought that once we were together, nothing could pull us apart. We seemd to be in love with each other. All the time we spent with one another, the feelings we shared told me that we belonged together.”
“So what changed?”
“I think I did,” she answered. “Harry, you’ve always been strong, which was what attracted me to you in the first place. After Cedric was killed, I needed someone who could help me through it, someone who understood. That was you, and I already felt strongly for you. It made sense, but then we started fighting. I thought that I had made a wrong choice.” she placed her other hand on his. “Then, after the attacks during the summer, I started having those same feelings again because…” a tear slipped down her face.
Harry raised his free hand and wiped it away. “Because what?”
“Because one of the Aurors that was protecting us died,” she answered, more tears streaming from her face. “He was my brother.” She leaned in and laid her head on his chest.
Harry put his hand on the back of her head and ran it through her hair. It all made sense now. Cho needed someone to be with her when she was sad. “I’m sorry, Cho.”
She pulled her head up and looked in his eyes. “Thank you, Harry. I’m sorry if I’m making you feel like a crutch, but I really did feel love for you.”
“It was just love for a friend, wasn’t it?” Cho nodded. “I’ve felt that love for a long time, and I knew that was what it was becoming between us.”
An upbeat tune started playing from inside the hall. He heard someone singing.
I see clearly
Everything has come to life
A bitter place and a broken dream
And we’ll leave it all behind
On this day
It’s so real to me
Everything has come to life
Another chance to chase a dream
Another chance to feel
Chance to feel alive
The words reached Harry’s ears. They sparked something in the back of his mind. “Cho, listen to me.” He placed a hand on her chin and held her gaze in his. “When you came back to me, it was the one of the happiest times of my life. What neither of us knew at the time was that we aren’t meant to be together. We just enjoy it.” He leaned in close to her. “You’re stronger now, Cho. I’ve seen it in your eyes. You’ve felt it, too. That’s why you’re feeling for me have changed, because you don’t need a crutch anymore. You don’t need someone to hold you up. You need someone to love.” He pressed his lips to hers for a moment, and then pulled back. “And you know that person isn’t me.”
Cho was silent for only a moment. “Yes, I do know.” She leaned in and hugged him. “You are the greatest person I could ever call my friend, Harry. Thank you for helping me see that I can do this myself.” She let go of him, smiled and walked away.
Harry stood by the railing for a moment. He felt a weight lifted off his shoulders. Now he could concentrate on someone else.
“Nicely done, Potter.”
Harry turned quickly and saw an unfamiliar wizard standing behind him. “Who are you?” he asked, annoyed that someone was listening in on his private conversation.
“Please, forgive me, Mr. Potter,” the wizard said. His dark blue eyes showed his sincerity to Harry. He ran a hand through his slick black hair before continuing. “I am Griff, a Ministry wizard sent to protect the school. I was patrolling the halls when I noticed you and your friend at the top of the stairs. I did not want to disturb you. I am sorry if I caused you embarrassment.”
Harry didn’t like the idea that someone had just heard him bear his heart to Cho, but didn’t feel that this wizard meant to be rude. “I would have felt more embarrassed if it had been someone I knew instead. It’s all right.” It really wasn’t, but Harry didn’t want to pick a fight with a Ministry wizard.
He left the railing and went back inside the Great Hall. Ron was sitting at their table, looking very exhausted. Harry took the chair next to him. “Luna showing you a good time?” he asked.
Ron used whatever energy he had left to give Harry a murderous look. “I am never dancing again.”
“Thought you hated dancing in the first place.” Harry filled a glass with some pumpkin juice; the jug had been filled since the last time he had seen it.
“I do,” Ron answered. “She doesn’t take no for an answer.” He leaned down and started rubbing his foot. “Where’s Cho? Did she run off with Marietta again?”
Harry shook his head. “Probably went back to the Ravenclaw common room.”
“How come? Don’t tell me you two had another row.”
“No,” he said. “We just decided not to see each other anymore.”
Ron sat back up, quickly. “Really? I knew she was no good for you.” Harry reached across and slapped the side of Ron’s head. “What was that for?”
“It wasn’t that she was no good for me, but that we were no good for each other. It was mutual, so let it go.” Harry took a long drink. Luna came over to the table soon after and dragged Ron away for another dance. Harry had a good time watching Luna dance while Ron flopped around on his feet. He got up and started walking around the hall. Every student he passed seemed to have a smile on his or her face. There were students he had seen losing their minds just last night, laughing and forgetting all the pressures of school tonight.
“It was a good idea, wasn’t it?”
Harry turned around and saw Kevin and Sara leaning against a wall. “What was?”
Kevin waved his hand around the hall. “This ball. It was designed to take everyone’s mind off the pressures of school, and it looks like it worked. Having a good time?”
Harry shrugged. “Pretty good, I guess. Just met the weirdest Ministry wizard. Some prat named Griff.”
Kevin’s smile vanished from his face. “Did you say ‘Griff’?” Harry nodded. Kevin leaned in close to Sara, said something in a whisper and walked off.
“Is everything ok?” Harry asked.
“Yeah,” Sara said, though her voice was shaking. “Griff just isn’t someone we expected to be here. He and Kevin aren’t on good terms.” She composed herself. “But that shouldn’t concern either of us. How are you and Cho getting along?”
“Well enough, since we broke up anyway,” he said, with a smile.
“Oh, that’s too bad,” Sara answered. “I hate to see any relationship end.”
Harry shook his head. “It’s not so bad. Hey, have you seen Ginny?”
Sara craned her neck to see around the hall. “Can’t say I have. Do you know who she came with?”
“Probably Dean Thomas.”
Sara pointed at a clump of students. “I see him over there, but he doesn’t have his arm around Ginny.”
Harry headed in the direction she was pointing. It was just as she had said. Dean was talking with a group of students, but was keeping very close to Padma Patil, the sister of fellow Gryffindor Parvati Patil. Harry couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Was it possible that Dean and Ginny had broken up, as he and Cho had? Or was it possible that he had been wrong about their relationship all along?
***********************************************
Ginny Weasley threw the covers off of herself. She was tired of feeling sorry for herself. She wasn’t going to continue living each day fearing that she would run into Harry and Cho in some romantic embrace. She was going to speak with Harry directly and make him realize her feelings for him.
For the past couple of weeks, Ginny had been talking with a few Ravenclaw girls her own age. From what she had heard, it was entirely possible that Cho would not be with Harry past tonight. If Ginny was going to make anything happen, it would have to be tonight. Putting on her new dress robes, she made her way down to the Great Hall. The ball had already been going on for an hour or so, but that didn’t matter. All that mattered at that moment was finding Harry.
She bounded down the stone steps thinking only that her life would be changed after tonight, but stopped as she rounded a corner. She was looking directly at the doors to the Great Hall, and saw two people just outside of them. Harry and Cho were standing by the stone railing, holding each other very closely. She didn’t know why, but Ginny’s legs would not move.
When it seemed that this night could not get any worse, she saw Harry raise Cho’s face to his and kiss her deeply. Ginny could feel heat in her face as she watched the drama unfold in front of her. Her earlier conviction forgotten, she raced back up the stairs to Gryffindor tower. She threw herself onto her bed, but did not start crying or feeling sorry for herself.
Instead, she was angry, angry to enough to think, Fine, if the two of them want to have each other, they can keep each other. I’ve had it with him and my feelings controlling my life. Damn you, Harry Potter.
Author's Note: The lyrics to the song I use was Alter Bridge "Metalingus." It's a great song that I wish could be played while you are all reading this. I felt the words at the time Harry and Cho were talking would stimulate something in one or the other.