Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.
Summary: A 3-Chapter romance fiction of the Boy-Who-Lived in a series of events from Bets to an Amnesia, and Masquerade Balls to the awaited 'key' to Harry's memory. At the start, Harry Potter has just lost a game and had to choose between giving away his Firebolt and kissing his best friend as a form of punishment (I'm definitely not talking about Ron). The story then gets complicated as he developed different feelings for his friend, and has just proposed to her when a certain incident robbed Harry of his memory. It then continues with Cho's persuading 'act', a New Year Masquerade Ball and the Final Revelation.
Author's Notes: I've finished the 2nd chapter earlier than I expected so here it is: A rival's revenge. Cho's a real pain in the ass in these parts…(^_^) Enjoy and don't forget to review! The last chapter will really take some time for me to upload since I haven't made a draft of it yet unlike the other 1st two, so please be patient…(^_^)
CHAPTER II
A Rival's Grudge
As the days went by, fate finally took its course and Harry fell for Hermione as she for him.
Harry had slipped a note to Hermione during Charms class to wait for him that night in the common room:
There's something I'd like to show you...
She nodded as she caught his eye.
*****
That night when Ron finally left his two best friends saying he had enough studying for that day, Harry slowly took something out of his pocket and stood near Hermione.
Hermione looked at him inquiringly.
Harry was a bit edgy at the moment. Butterflies had been dancing in his stomach since he thought of revealing his true feelings to Hermione.
"Harry? Are you alright?" Hermione was feeling strange at the moment too.
"Y-yeah. Uh-Hermione…I-" He sighed and took one deep breath, reddening by the minute. "You've been there for me from the beginning and-I just don't know what to do without you…would-would you be my girlfriend?" He felt heat rapidly warming his face which he tried hard to suppress as he opened his hand to reveal a very thin silver chain and a small lightning-crested locket as a pendant.
Hermione's eyes widened, a blush creeping in her cheeks. She stood up and lowered her head so that Harry couldn't see her eyes. An awkward silence passed, which seemed like ages before Hermione lifted her eyes to his. He could see that it was shining with tears.
Panic crept up his spine and he closed his eyes, expecting her rejection.
"Harry…" she whispered.
He opened his eyes then and before he knew it, he was almost thrown off balance as Hermione threw her arms around his neck.
"I can't believe this is happening…" She whispered.
He hugged her back and felt settled by the warmth of her body against his.
"Yes Harry…" She said against his shoulder.
Harry felt as if fireworks had blown around the castle. He felt at ease with the world at the moment.
They stayed like that for ages before Hermione slowly parted and turned her back to him, lifting her hair so Harry could put on the necklace.
Harry did the honor and glued this memory in his mind forever as he gently laid the chain around her neck and gingerly closed the lock. She turned around beaming at him. Harry lowered his head and kissed her. The fire was the only one to witness this moment and it crackled happily in the fireplace as if in celebration.
*****
Ron had been the first one to know about it and the only people who knew about this were their fellow classmates and close friends.
But as we have already known, rumor spreads fast and Cho got the blow of the news. She was enraged. She had been planning to disrupt their relationship by going up to either of them face to face but couldn't seem to get near them because they were always with friends. Then as if by luck, she saw the Gryffindor-Slytherin Quidditch match and came up with an idea and thought of a plan. But she needed help in this one.
When classes were dismissed, Cho bravely came up to Malfoy and said in a low voice, "We need to talk."
Draco eyed her warily, "Cho."
"It's about Harry, if you're interested."
That caught Malfoy's attention, "What about him?"
"Let's talk somewhere private. I don't want anyone else to hear this."
Draco turned around and told Crabbe and Goyle to go ahead of him and followed Cho out of the room, through a corridor and into another room. Cho closed the door behind her and turned to Malfoy, who sat lazily on an empty chair as if bored.
"Well?"
"Since you have your own grudge on Harry and his friends, I think you might want to be involved in this. Though I need the help myself, I want to have my revenge on Granger."
"The mudblood?"
"Yes, Harry's mine. And she stole him from me!" She said heatedly.
"Oh, I see. You're jealous then?"
"You may call it as that. But she needs to pay. She doesn't deserve him."
"As much as I want to get back on Potter, I wouldn't be fervent enough to join myself into some foolish retaliation that I have no idea if it might even work."
"Don't underestimate me Malfoy. I'm not placed in Ravenclaw for nothing." She said quietly. "Gryffindor and Slytherin are having a Quidditch match against each other, so I guess I'd come to you. Do you remember the rogue bludger? This has already happened before. I planned to go at it again but this time I want it to go straight to that mudblood's face! But it wouldn't be effective if it is directly done since most people would be suspicious of it. So as you want Harry to have a taste of pain too, I think he should have a go at it first and when people are focused on him, that's when I'd have my revenge and aim that bludger on Granger."
Malfoy raised a brow, "And you believe this would work?"
"I know spells you have no knowledge of Draco. I reckon I can pull it off nicely." Cho said smugly.
Draco narrowed his eyes, "I would ignore that comment for now. Very well then. If you think Potter would have a part on it, then it's settled." Draco waved his hand in a careless gesture, "But if you're so sure about your plans, what has it to do with me?"
Cho beamed. "You needn't worry about anything. I just need you to threaten or bribe your beaters into aiming a hard shot on Harry with one of the bludgers. I'll sneak in before the match to put a charm into both bludgers and when it's aimed for him, the charm will be activated and there will be no way he can dodge it. Once he gets hit hard, the bludger will go away for a moment and will automatically target on Granger."
"The chest is well protected if you're too naïve to notice that…"
Cho snapped, "It's you who's ignorant. The enchantment is easy to break if you only know what to spell you're dealing with."
Malfoy slowly stood up giving Cho the impression of a panther ready to jump on its prey.
"We Malfoys are proud. And we don't hesitate to take on anyone who dares insult us, Ms. Chang."
"I know. We Chinese are the same. That's why I'm having my revenge on Granger and asking for your assistance all the same."
Draco Malfoy looked at her closely, then said, "So, there's not much to do then but enjoy the fun and watch the action take place." He said with a devious grin slowly settling on his face. Folding his arms on his chest, he went back to sit on the chair and made himself comfortable on it.
"Yes."
*****
The day of the Quidditch match.
The volume was raised to a high level as players zoomed in and out of their positions on the Quidditch field. The match against Gryffindor and Slytherin had finally started and delighted students watch as their team played the game with great enthusiasm. Flaglets and banners were being waved and cheers were chanted for support. Harry stopped in midair on the right corner of the field, keeping out of the way but still putting much attention to the game. He scanned the field for the Golden Snitch and spotted Malfoy just a few distance away sneering at him.
Harry was already used to getting taunts from his archenemy and ignored him at any rate and went back to focus on the game.
Gryffindor had shot another goal and scored 80-20, their team on the winning side. Then he suddenly caught sight of a golden streak across the middle of the field. Harry made a dash for it, Malfoy on his tail.
Harry had expected someone to block him from winning and dodged an incoming bludger. What he didn't expect though was being chased by one again. Dobby couldn't possibly make a bludger chase him again. After all, they had settled on that already. But who? Harry made a wide lop and missed the bludger by an inch.
"Not again!" He muttered under his breath. The bludger came expectantly after him but he hadn't seen the other one heading his way.
"Ooof!" He caught it squarely on his stomach. Air was knocked out of his lungs and slowly crashed on the ground. There were Ohhs and Boos that can be heard from the crowd.
Harry's head was spinning but he can't pass out now when there's still a rogue bludger on the loose and heading straight for him. He sat up and held on to the broom for support which had fallen beside him. He could barely move when the bludger came back for him.
"HARRY! Watch out!" Came Hermione's voice.
As if voice-activated, the bludger diverted its course and instead of aiming at Harry, it was going her way.
There was a sudden panic in Harry's chest as he began to realize on what it's going to do. The people around Hermione were starting to get out of the way in fear. Ron was too far away and the rest of the students were running in alarm. Harry could see Hermione ran with the rest of them but it was getting obvious that Hermione was the target as it flew closer and closer.
Harry was on his broom and zoomed faster than anyone could ever imagine. He won't-couldn't let that bludger hurt her. It was only a matter of time before the bludger would hit Hermione and he urged his broom with incredible speed to catch up with it.
His only thought was stopping the bludger from touching Hermione. When he finally caught up with it and just mere meters away from her, he urged his broom towards the small distance between them and got hit instead.
There was a sickening crash as Harry went propelling into a pillar on one of the stands. There was the sound of wood breaking and collapsing. Harry disappeared into a smoke of dust under the stands.
"NO!" Hermione cried.
She and Ron were one of the people to be the first to reach Harry. Teachers were following too and soon people began to crowd around the place but only to be warned to step away from the scene.
As the clouds of dust cleared, they could clearly see Harry among the broken beams and boards.
He was unconscious, Glasses broken and blood streaming down his face, arms and in some other parts of his body. He was in an incredibly bad state.
Hermione pushed through the crowd and dropped down on her knees at Harry's side. Tears flowing down her cheeks, she slowly reached out to him.
"No! Don't touch him yet Ms. Granger. It might make matters worse." Madam Pomfrey appeared beside the Headmaster and kneeled down next to Hermione to look at Harry.
"Oh, dear…"
"I think we need to get him up to the Hospital Wing, Poppy," Dumbledore said quietly.
"Yes, yes." She said and conjured up a cot after examining Harry with her eyes and slowly levitated Harry, careful not to move him.
"Make way please, make way."
"Students, please go back to your respective common rooms. Go on," McGonagall's firm voice sounded over the noise of students.
"It's going to be alright Hermione. Harry can take care of himself." Ron said quietly seeing that Hermione was very much upset by the situation.
Though this was not much of an encouragement, Hermione nodded. Her hand went unconsciously up to the locket on her neck and held it tightly in her hand. Yes, it'll be ok. Harry will be alright. He's going to be. She told herself firmly but still tears flowed down her cheeks.
*****
Loud noises of heavy footsteps echoed across the quiet atmosphere of the Hospital Wing. Madam Pomfrey and the rest carried or rather went with the levitating Harry as they brought him to an empty hospital bed and slowly lowered him to it. Hermione and Ron were just behind them, intending to keep close to their best friend. One could really feel the tension inside the room.
Madam Pomfrey and the rest of the Hospital staff were running about and doing all they can do to help Harry's injury. Hermione and Ron were then ushered out of the Hospital Wing. Hermione was still in tears as she and a pale Ron went back to the Gryffindor common room.
"Will he be alright?" Hermione asked when they entered the common room, a blank look in her eyes.
"Why do you keep asking me that bloody question?" Ron said irritably, but then he suddenly wanted to take back his words when he saw Hermione's face. "I-I'm sorry. Honestly, I don't want to know right now. To tell you the truth, by just looking at him earlier, he was hurt badly-"fresh tears swelled up in Hermione's eyes, "not-not that he'll die or anything!"
"You're making it sound worse," Hermione muttered.
But she knew all too well what Ron was feeling at the moment. He was worried too; he just doesn't want her to see him look weak.
"Er-am I?" Ron's hand went up to his head as if he found an itch there, and then waved it in a surrendered manner, "Ah! Forget it! There's no use worrying…It's Harry were taking about here-I mean we've handled more disasters than any witch or wizard of our age could have. Not to mention how dangerous some are! It would be front page if a bloody bludger could bring him down to his deathbed! No. I believe in him and he wouldn't deserve his title as the Boy-Who-Lived if that'll be the end of him!" he said firmly, more to himself than to Hermione.
Hermione only nodded. She couldn't help herself if she did loose Harry. But of all the adventures they've gone through, it's somewhat unbelievable that it would really end here. There's still more of it. There's got to be more of it…that she knew in her heart.
*****
That night, Hermione was restless. She can't seem to fall asleep, even if her eyelids were already heavy. She kept tossing and turning in her bed, uncomfortable with every position. To add to her discomfort, Harry's bloody image kept on popping in and out of her mind. After wrestling with her pillows, she finally abandoned her conquest for sleep and got out of bed. She pulled her thick blanket from the bed to wrap around herself and looked out of the nearest window. The moon was so round and bright at that moment, and mist drifted out of the lake adding a magical effect to the atmosphere. Silhouettes of the top of the trees in the forbidden forest looked calm and unperturbed. The beauty of the scene was a contrast to Hermione's feeling of deep longing and anxiety.
She sighed and closed her eyes as she felt herself drift into her own secret world. Memories of their time together as a trio came flooding inside her mind, but what she treasured most in those memories were the recent ones with Harry. They had secretly been using his father's invisibility cloak for their current visits in the North Astronomy Tower.
The cloak.
Hermione suddenly opened her eyes as a sudden thought crossed her mind. She threw the blanket carelessly on top of her bed and bent down on her palms to retrieve the invisibility cloak at the roof of the base underneath her bed, (Harry had suggested her to use it for her late night study that week) and silently tip-toed out of the girl's dormitory.
The common room was silent. Only the sound of the crackling fire was heard through the room. She glanced around to see if anybody was around at that time of night and let out a sigh as she found out that she was alone. She made her way across the common room and slowly walked out of the portrait hole, careful not to wake the snoring fat lady. She threw the magical cloak over herself and cautiously walked her way towards the Hospital Wing.
Fortunately, neither Filch nor any Hogwarts' staff crossed her path and she finally arrived at the Hospital Wing. She carefully opened the door, went in and closed the door without making any noise to wake the other patients.
Since Hermione was there when Harry was placed into a bed, she already knew where she was heading and saw that the white curtain that covered the bed from view was removed. She could make out his figure as she came nearer the bed.
She had an intake in breath. Harry was sleeping serenely. He was very much alive and well except for some cuts on his face and the rest if his body. She didn't really know if it was Harry's fast recovery or Madam Pomfrey's excellent care that caused his immunity for farther injury but she was deeply relieved by the outcome.
She moved the stray hair from his face; his glasses were taken off earlier. He was really handsome even when he's asleep. She could stare at him for hours and not get bored by it. She sat on his bed as she took off the invisibility cloak. She felt something swell in her; Harry's recovery was a load lifter in her case. He unconsciously moved his face in the other side of the pillow facing Hermione but he didn't wake up.
Hermione let out a sigh. "Silly me. I was worrying too much I guess," she said to herself.
What she didn't know exactly was that Harry was beginning to wake up and is very much aware of another presence near his bed. His instincts told him to pretend to sleep.
"You were there to save me when that bludger almost hit me," new tears feel down her cheek and she carelessly wiped it away. "I'm sorry you had to go through all this because of me…I love you Harry," she sniffed and slowly lowered her head and kissed him.
Soft lips touched Harry's. He hadn't expected this. If he hadn't caught himself on time, he would have opened his eyes wide at that very moment. He was very much aware of the feeling it ignited inside him and this surprised him. He felt something special about that kiss-time seemed to stop at that moment. It was as if the world was focused on that one kiss.
Soft footsteps outside the room brought them back to reality. Hermione stood upright, her eyes sharply turned to the door. Her ears were ringing as she quickly put on the cloak. Her eyes were darting from one corner to another, looking for a place to hide and then she swiftly tip-toed to a dark shadowy part of the Hospital Wing.
The door slowly opened and in came Madam Pomfrey, still very much wide-awake and prim. The only thing that held a sign of fault was the tired look in her eyes. The nurse as Hermione had somewhat expected passed the other patients and went straight to Harry's bed. She took out a small bottle on the side pocket of her apron and placed it on the table. Then she took another object that looks like a small and rather squat glass and poured some of the red syrup in it to the brim. Madam Pomfrey carefully adjusted Harry so he won't choke when she makes him drink the syrup.
After forcing the drink down Harry's throat, she put the bottle back inside her pocket and strode out of the room.
There was a soft click from the closing door and Hermione let out the breath she was holding earlier. She sighed and slowly went back to Harry's bed. She took one last look and got her last kiss before she too decided to go.
Harry opened his eyes just as the door closed. "Who was that?"
*****
"He's been sleeping all day?"
"How long has he been here?"
"A week I reckon…must have been hit hard, that one."
"Should we wake him up? Madam Pomfrey said he's well enough to have visitors."
"No! Let him wake on his own-"
"And wait for him to wake up 'till Merlin knows how long???"
"Too bad Hermione can't come right now…she's got Arithmancy exams today. Not to mention her doubling on subjects…again. She's taking her academics too seriously, I tell you!"
Harry slowly opened his eyes to see who had been talking.
"Oh! He's awake!" piped up a blonde-haired girl.
Several heads bobbed in and out of Harry's view. All of them were near the same age as his; two of them have ginger red hair and freckles.
"Harry, how are you mate?" Ron beamed at him.
Harry looked at him strangely.
"What? Is there something on my face?" Ron looked at the others, who shrugged their shoulders.
"Who are you?" Harry asked as he slowly sat up on his bed. "How'd you know my name?"
"Who-what the bloody hell are you talking about mate?" There was a confused look on Ron's face.
"Who are you? And-and what is this place?"
"You're joking right? I mean-I'm the same Ron Weasley since birth…earth to Harry,"
"Er?"
The others were looking at one another, confused.
"Are you alright, mate?" Ron touched a hand on Harry's forehead and the other on his own as if comparing their temperatures.
"I'm…fine? Whoa…this is definitely not Privet Drive…wait…what am I doing in a Hospital? Did I have an accident or something? "
"He's gone off his rocker!"
"I think we better call Madam Pomfrey…" the red-haired girl told the freckled boy.
They looked related, Harry thought.
*****
Madam Pomfrey sighed. "Oh dear, I expected this to happen but…"
"What happened? What's wrong with Harry?" Ron said.
"Poor boy…I'm afraid he has amnesia."
Silence covered the room.
A moment later it was broken by Ginny who first asked, "Is-is it going to be permanent?" asked Ginny.
"I can't say exactly but there's a possibility. Still, there's still hope that he can recover from it. Though I'm sad to say I haven't a clue how…I reckon he'll heal on his own time."
Some were frowning at this, the others worried.
Harry on the other hand didn't hear a word. He was awed by the sight around him. Even though the place was like any ordinary hospital-we'll a bit bigger, pictures on walls were moving in their frames. A patient laying a few beds away was flying or rather, floating as what Harry could see, some distance above the bed. And some apparatus were moving as if an invisible arm had used them.
*****
Harry's friends had tried their best to keep it all in secrecy but the news leaked out. By the end of two weeks time, the subject on Harry's amnesia was no longer a secret.
Cho made an effort to try to get to speak with Harry personally without anyone, so she decided to go one day to the Hospital Wing alone and made sure Harry's friends were not present.
She slowly walked into the Wing looking around for Harry's bed, and when she finally found it, she saw that he was reading a book or rather looking awed and fascinatingly watched the pictures moved on the pages of the book-Hogwarts, A History. Probably Hermione's idea, she thought and suddenly scowled. She just stared at his slightly scarred face for a moment before she sighed heavily and walked towards his bed.
"Hi, harry." She said.
Harry looked up from the book to see who the visitor was, "Uh-hello?"
"I'm glad to see that you are better…"
"Er-who are you?" Harry asked as he put down the book.
"Oh…I-I'm Cho. Cho Chang,"
"Are you one of my friends?"
Cho squashed the feeling of awkwardness that slowly crept inside her, "Well…I guess so. How are you?"
"Fine, I guess. Without counting that I somewhat forgot why I'm here. The last thing I remember was…I lived in Privet Drive…I think."
"You mean…you don't even recall how you got here in the first place?" She couldn't help it. She was too curious.
"Yeah…lucky I'm not alone. Guess I have friends who didn't forget me after all." Harry smiled uncertainly.
"Has-did Ronald and-and Hermione already visit you?"
"Yeah." Cho's heart sunk. "Ron and the rest were the first to see me when I woke up…but it had been awhile now since their last visit…wait, who's the other one again?"
"Uh? Which one?" Cho asked, confused.
"The other one you mentioned with Ron…"
"You mean Hermione?" Something inside Cho was starting to grow.
"Yeah, I think that's it…who's that?"
Cho just stared.
"Er-what's wrong?" Harry asked uneasily.
Cho's mind snapped back, and something close to hope was threatening to push out, "I-nothing. She's your best friend."
"Oh…" A pinkish tint appeared on Harry's cheeks. "No wonder it's so…familiar."
Cho suddenly turned away, her back at Harry, "So...you've forgotten about your girlfriend then?"
Harry's eyes widened and his stomach gave a slight lurch, "I-I have a girlfriend?"
Cho felt the rush of triumph and quickly forced tears in her eyes, "Yes, you have. I understand and don't blame you for forgetting…but," that's when Cho turned teary-eyed at Harry, "It's so hard for me to accept it. It's hard for me to know that you don't even remember even a slight memory of me…" She turned away again, covering her face with her hands, a smile hidden behind it.
"No! Please don't cry-I mean…I'm sorry-I didn't…," Sheer panic mixed with guilt and confusion struck Harry.
Cho sniffed, "It's alright. I can't blame you for it. How could this happen to you? To us?" She then threw her arms around Harry's neck, sobbing more than was normal or rather necessary.
Unfortunately for Harry, he was too occupied with the female-crying-don't-know-what-to-do-dilemma that he hadn't noticed. He gingerly patted her back, still out of words.
"I'm sorry," she said as she let go of Harry, "I can get pretty emotional at times…" she sniffed again. "Please don't tell your friends I'm here. They-don't really insist of our relationship."
"Why?" Harry asked, surprised.
"It's just that they don't insist of you having a Ravenclaw for a girlfriend you see. Our houses don't get along that much."
"Oh…alright."
"Well, I better go. It's almost time for my next class. Get well fast Harry," she said and grabbed the opportunity to kiss Harry's cheek before she walked away.
"He's mine." Cho said to herself, grinning smugly as she wiped her face from tears.
*****