Harry Potter Still Living

The first day back and already Snape had given nearly all of Harry's fellow Gryffindors detention, with the exception of Dean, Seamus, Neville (which was a big shock to Harry), Ron, Hermione, and Harry (which was another big shock to Harry. Snape had been getting jumpier throughout the whole lesson, his eyes looked strained, his hair like a wet black mop, he was slightly more pale than when Harry had last seen him and whatever was bothering him he seemed to want to take it all out on Harry's classmates. This didn't worry Harry though; he had other responsibilities to deal with. The first of the monthly prefect meetings was tonight, and he, Ron and Hermione had been chosen as the new Gryffindor prefects. Among the Slytherin prefects were Harry's worst enemies Draco Malfoy, Vincent Crabbe, and Gregory Goyle. Snape had obviously appointed them prefects, the slimy git. The Hufflepuffs were Justin Finch-Fletchley and Hannah Abbott. The Ravenclaws were Padma Patil and, the reason Harry was worrying about the meeting so much about this meeting, Cho Chang.

She was a year ahead of Harry and he still didn't know how to act around her since Cedric's death last year the thought of how she would react had been haunting Harry's thoughts all summer long. He had thought about the good reactions and the bad reactions. So, now in fifth year, Harry decided to be mature about it and ask Cho how she was doing after the meeting. He was going to abandon all pretence to ask her how she was doing, and then just hope for the best response possible. This didn't sound like the Harry from last year even to himself, no, not at all. Had Cedric's death affected Harry in a major way even more possibly than anyone else? "No," Harry thought to himself, "that would be greedy of me to say, it was those nearest to Cedric that would be affected the most. People like Cho..."

So that night he went to the defense against the dark arts classroom with Ron and Hermione. Who had told him that whatever he did was the right thing, and to just trust his instincts. Harry was getting really nervous throughout the meeting, he was screwing up his nerves for what he was about to do, and trying to pay attention to Dumbledore the whole time. Malfoy had a look of malice on his face, and everyone in the room had the same look whenever they cast eyes upon him during the meeting. Cho however, when Harry looked over at her, looked almost bored. She looked over at him, they held each other's gaze for a moment, both smiled weakly, then desisted turning back to face Dumbledore who had just said that due to last year's events the password to the prefect's bathroom would be changed monthly instead of remaining the same all year. This month was to be "Phantom Foes." The meeting then ended, and Harry felt a little more confidant after his brief encounter with Cho, but was it enough...

He walked out of the classroom holding the door open until Cho walked out which was right ahead of Malfoy. Harry pushed the door shut on Malfoy's nose. "Cho," she turned looking surprised, "could I have a word."

Looking even more surprised and slightly confused now she replied, "Sure, just a second," she took her wand from her bag, and asked Padma to carry the bag to the common room for her. Padma politely agreed, "O.K. I'm ready now," Cho said turning back to Harry, Ron already had Harry's bag, and was headed back to the common room with Hermione. Harry and Cho started towards the Great Hall, then out of the Entrance Hall towards the grounds.