An Interesting Encounter

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of the characters in Potter Universe. The plot is mine, nothing else.

Cho Chang stood and stretched. She'd just finished her strategizing for the next Quidditch match. It was her seventh year and she'd been made Captain of the Ravenclaw Team. She was almost certain that they'd be able to beat Slytherin at the match. Their team was terrible as always this year, and hers was excellent. They'd wipe the ground with those lying, cheating, Slytherins.

She smiled smugly and glanced around the common room for someone to gloat with. Finding the room rather empty, with only a few students sitting around in study groups, she decided that she'd have to gloat later.

She'd finished all her homework already, and now with her strategizing done, she soon realized she had very little to do. She couldn't force her team outside to practice since they didn't have the pitch reserved until tomorrow, and she was currently fighting with her latest love interest, Anthony Goldstein, so that was out of the question as well. She briefly considered going to find her friend, Marietta, but then she remember that Marietta had left earlier to go get a headache potion from Madam Pomfrey.

So she was left to combat boredom with her own devices. Running a hand through her silky hair she left the Ravenclaw common room.

888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

Hermione Granger hurried through the familiar corridors on her way to the library. She was supposed to meet Harry there to work on their History of Magic project and she was running a bit late. She turned the corner swiftly and ran smack into someone. They both fell up, sprawling across the floor. Hermione's books had gone flying.

“Ugh,” Hermione said, rubbing the back of her head. “Sorry about that.” she mumbled to the other person, waving her wand at her scattered books. She stood as her books flew back to her in a neat pile.

“You should be sorry, don't you watch where you're going?” demanded the other person. Cho Chang got to her feet and brushed off her robes in annoyance, running a hand through her perfect hair.

Hermione frowned, anger seeping through her. “Excuse me? You ran into me as well.”

Cho glared at her. “If you weren't buried behind all those silly books, you might've been able to see where you were going. You ran into me.” she told her haughtily.

“I'm surprised you can see at all with your nose stuck so high up in the air.” Hermione shot back. “What? Have your beauty potions sunk too far into your brain that you don't know how to be polite anymore? Or have you just never known how?”

“I don't think you're one to talk about beauty potions, yours obviously don't work too well. But then again, perhaps this is an improvement from what you usually look like.” Cho replied coldly.

Hermione rolled her eyes. The usual remarks about her looks were getting old; she wondered when people would realize that she just didn't care what they thought anymore. Glancing at her watch she saw that she was supposed to meet Harry fifteen minutes ago. Cho would just have to deal.

“As fun as it's been chatting with you, I've got somewhere to be.” she told her, walking off into the direction of the library.

“Scurrying off after Harry Potter again, are you? You know it's really pathetic the way you cling to him like a lost little puppy.” Cho called after her, scathingly. It seemed she wanted a fight.

Hermione froze, breathing deeply to keep herself from shouting. She wasn't going to rise to Cho's baiting, she had better things to do with her time than stand her and argue with the silly bint. Besides, she added silently. What does she know about me and Harry? She may have had a small amount of his attention in fifth year, but I've got all of it now.

But she doesn't know that. A part of her mind reminded her. No one did yet; they were keeping things between them quiet for now, so that Voldemort and his death eaters wouldn't think to use her as bait for Harry. Ron was the only one who knew of their relationship, and they were planning to keep it that way.

But oh was she tempted. Nobody would believe Cho anyway unless they saw it with their own eyes. Many people knew that Cho was still bitter about the way things had ended between her and Harry and they would take it as such. There were always rumors about her and Harry being more than best friends anyway, ever since Rita Skeeter. She could tell Cho and still not have let their secret out.

Hermione turned back towards her to see a smug smile on Cho's face. Hermione wanted to break her nose. However, she kept her cool and plastered a fake sweet smile on her own face. “Really now, Cho.” she started innocently. “I know you and Harry haven't spoken in a while, but I thought even a Ravenclaw like yourself would be a bit quicker on the uptake. I don't need to scurry after Harry; I'll always have his attention, no matter where he goes.” It wasn't telling her, but it was a hint.

Cho's pretty face clouded over in fury as she remembered her horrible date with Harry in her sixth year. When they'd been at Madam Puddifoot's and he'd told her that he wanted to meet Hermione Granger halfway through their date. She couldn't believe he'd been able to think of another girl while he was with her. Apparently Harry had told Hermione about the date.

Before Cho had time to respond, footsteps sounded in the corridor and soon the subject of their conversation came into view. Harry Potter rounded the corner, his eyes quickly finding Hermione as he went to her. Cho noticed that he'd gotten taller, his hair still as messy as ever, covering that exquisite scar, his eyes were bright as he stared at Hermione. He hadn't noticed Cho yet.

“There you are.” Harry started, taking Hermione's books and giving her a tight one-armed hug. “Where've you been? We were supposed to start working on that project twenty minutes ago.” he dropped his voice down to a whisper and continued, “It's not like you to be late. I was worried.”

Hermione smiled at the last part and tilted her head up to give him a quick kiss on the cheek. “I'm fine.” she reassured him, “I just got held up.” She motioned towards Cho.

Harry blinked, having noticed Cho for the first time. “Oh. Hi Cho.”

Cho gaped at them both. “You—and you—you're together?” she screeched.

Harry tightened his hold on Hermione's waist and glared at Cho.

“She seems so surprised.” Hermione mused, snuggling up nicely to Harry and placing butterfly kisses on his neck.

“I don't see how it's any of her business.” Harry replied, slightly angered at the other girls reaction.

“When? Why?” Cho continued ranting. “Honestly, Harry, you could do so much better.”

Harry opened his mouth to respond angrily at Cho, but at that moment, Hermione's tongue brushed against that oh so sensitive spot at the base of his neck and he had to snap his mouth shut to keep back the moan that threatened to come forth. His eyes fluttered shut briefly and as he felt Hermione's warm breath tickle him as she giggled he realized something. She was enjoying this. Hermione was enjoying the idea of making Cho suffer. He turned to look at her in the eyes, making sure she was okay with things, before he turned back to Cho with a critical look.

“No, you know, I really don't think so.” he replied to her earlier statement, before capturing Hermione's smirking lips with his own.

Cho continued to stare at them in open shock, finally turning on her heel and storming out of the corridor when things between the other two started to get heavy.

She stomped outside into the sunlight and let out a deep breath as she spotted what she was looking for. Anthony Goldstein was sitting underneath a tree near the forest. She set off towards him, plopping down into his lap when she reached him. He looked up at her in surprise, but she grabbed his face and gave him a long searing kiss before he was able to say anything. He didn't protest as she desperately tried to rid her mind of the image back in the castle that felt as if it had been burned into her brain.

Harry Potter had finally moved on.

888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

Hermione's books lay unnoticed on the floor, scattered around the couple as Harry had Hermione pushed up against a wall, his knee between her legs, one of his hands under her shirt, their mouths moving together, one of her hands in his hair, the other trailing down his chest, lower and lower….

Harry groaned into the kiss. Hermione finally pulled away. “Harry,” she whispered breathlessly.

“What?” he asked, trying to recapture her lips.

She turned away. “No, Harry, we have to stop.”

Harry growled into her neck. “Why?”

“We're in the middle of a hallway. Anyone could come by at any moment.” she told him reasonably, biting her lip to keep from moaning his name as he mercilessly attacked her neck.

“Everyone's outside.” he murmured, opening her robes to give him better access.

“Not the teachers.” she countered, pulling her robes back together.

Harry pouted. “Hermione.” he whined, grinding his hips against hers. She could feel him pressing against her stomach insistently.

Hermione bit her lip, quickly weighing her options. She glanced to the side and saw an empty classroom. “All right.” she agreed finally. “Grab my books, in here.” She motioned to the empty classroom.

Harry scooped up her books and followed her into the unused classroom. She locked the door behind him and put a silencing spell on the room. And her books tumbled to the floor once more as they came together in a heated kiss that led to so much more.

888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

Later as they lay together on the Professors desk of the unused classroom; Hermione, on her side, her head propped by her hand, tracing circles on Harry chest, finally spoke into the comfortable silence.

“Do you think it's bad of me? Wanting to get back at Cho like that?”

Harry paused to consider the question. “No,” he said finally. “She started it, didn't she? Besides, she's never made it a secret that she's not too fond of you. And she said some pretty rotten things about you last year.” he added, remembering the two conversations he'd had with Cho about Hermione.

“Did she now? Talk about me behind my back, did you?” Hermione asked with a smirk.

“Hey, I defended you!” Harry exclaimed, hurt that she'd accuse him of something like that.

“Did you now?” she asked, placing a kiss on his chest. “My knight in shining armor, eh?” She grinned.

Harry rolled his eyes at her. “Yeah right, like I need that title.”

Hermione grinned again. “Touché.”

“D'you think she'll tell?” Harry asked quietly.

Hermione shook her head. “I doubt it. And even if she does, I don't many will listen. Those rumors are old. I guess we can thank Rita Skeeter for that.”

Harry just nodded.

“Would it be so bad?” Hermione asked softly. “If she told and people believed her, if people knew?”

Harry glanced at her, seeing the look of uncertainty in her eyes. He pulled her closer, placing her head in the crook of his shoulder. “You know I'd like nothing more than to be able to tell everyone that you're mine. I'd shout it from the rooftops if I could. And I give Terry Boot a telling off for always giving you the eye in Transfiguration.” he added.

Hermione giggled.

“But you know we can't.” Harry continued. “It's bad enough Voldemort and the Death Eaters know we're friends. If they knew we were more they'd be there every time you left the castle to try and kidnap you or worse. Just to get to me. I don't want that. I couldn't handle that. I need you too much.” He tightened his arms around her and kissed her hair.

“I know. I know.” They'd been over this many times. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Hermione smiled as she sat up and slid off the desk. “Come on now, we've got a History of Magic project to finish.” she told him, gathering her scattered clothes and quickly getting dressed.

Harry groaned as he rolled off the desk and followed suit. “Have you seen my shoe?” he asked.

“Over there.” Hermione pointed across the room. “You know, perhaps I had an unfair advantage with Cho.”

“Are you still going on about that?” Harry asked, shoving his foot into his shoe and straightening his robes.

“Well I did.” she replied. “After all, she can't see these.” She motioned towards the simple diamond ring on her left hand, and the white gold band on his.

Harry walked back over to her and enveloped her in a hug. “You know,” he said in a teasing voice. “Most guys wouldn't have been able to handle such a commitment.”

“Yes, well, you're not most guys, now are you? And we're not most couples for that matter.” she replied, kissing him on the cheek.

“No, I suppose we're not.” Harry agreed.

THE END!

A/N: Okay so it got pretty fluffy there for a bit, but it's late (or early) and the idea just kinda came and wrote itself. Hope you all liked it.

Please review and tell me what you think! =)

-->