Emma Potter; Going to War

28: A Snake's Point of View

Harry met me. Ron and Hermione by the foot of the marble staircase later than expected after their last D.A. meeting. Hermion was reading a book, I was mentally preparing S.S. scheduels Ron was leaning against a pillar, trying to memorize facts for hisTransfiguration homework. It was the only way we could meet after dinner.

"What kept you?" Ron asked, as Harry sank into the seat beside me. 

Harry did not answer. He was in a state of shock. 

"Are you all right, Harry?" Hermione asked, peering at him .Harry gave a halfhearted shrug. In truth,it seemed he didn't know whetherhe was all right or not.

 "What's up?" said Ron, hoisting himself up onhis elbow to get a clearer view of Harry. "What's happened?"

 "Is it Cho?" Hermione asked in a businesslike way. "Did she corner you after the meeting?" 

Looking numbly surprised, Harry nodded. Ron sniggered, breaking offwhen Hermione caught his eye. 

"So — er — what did she want?" he asked in a mock casual voice. 

"She —" Harry began, rather hoarsely; he cleared his throat andtried again. "She — er —"

"Did you kiss?"I asked briskly. 

Ron  stared avidly at Harry. 

"Well?" he demanded. 

Harry looked from Ron's expression of mingled curiosity and hilarity to Hermione's slight frown to my smirk, and nodded. 

"HA!"

 Ron made a triumphant gesture with his fist and went into a raucous peal of laughter that made several timid-looking second years walking across jump. A reluctant grin spread over Harry'sface as he watched Ron rolling around on the floor. Hermionegave Ron a look of deep disgust.

 "Well?" Ron said finally, looking up at Harry. "How was it?"

 Harry considered for a moment."Wet," he said truthfully.Ron made a noise that might have indicated jubilation or disgust,it was hard to tell. 

"Because she was crying," Harry continued heavily. 

"Oh," said Ron, his smile fading slightly. "Are you that bad atkissing?" 

"Dunno," said Harry, who, it seemed,  hadn't considered this, and immediatelyfelt rather worried. "Maybe I am."

 "Of course you're not," said Hermione absently.

"How do you know?" said Ron in a sharp voice.

 "Because Cho spends half her time crying these days,"i said vaguely. "She does it at mealtimes, in the loos, all over theplace." 

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

"Ron," said Hermione in a dignified voice, "you are the most insensitive wart I have everhad the misfortune to meet."

 "What's that supposed to mean?" said Ron indignantly. "What sortof person cries while someone's kissing them?" 

"Yeah," said Harry, slightly desperately, "who does?" 

Hermione and I looked at the pair of them with pity. Tell me, are all boys like this?

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

"No," said Harry and Ron together. 

I sighed and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. 

 "Well, obviously, she's feeling very sad, because of Cedric dying.Then I expect she's feeling confused because she liked Cedric and nowshe likes Harry, and she can't work out who she likes best. Then she'llbe 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 elsemight 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 Cedric died, so that'sall very mixed up and painful. Oh, and she's afraid she's going to bethrown off the Ravenclaw Quidditch team because she's been flying sobadly."