The One to Keep

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~ Eagles Will Fly and Snakes Will Hiss ~

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BANG! Moments ago a horde of Dementors glided onto the pitch, hungry for fear. Harry Potter had fallen from his broom in the Hufflepuff-Gryffindor Quidditch match just before Cedric caught the Snitch to win the game. BANG! A flick of Dumbledore's wand saved Harry from being killed on impact with the unforgiving ground, but could not pull Harry back into consciousness. Players and spectators alike watched the horrific chain of events as Dumbledore drove the Dementors away with his Patronus. BANG! Harry was rushed to the hospital followed by his friends and teammates - save one. BANG! A rumble echoed through the showers of the Gryffindor locker room. A single path of mud smeared across the floor from the entrance to the showers and a scarlet Quidditch robe lay, rumpled and covered with muck, meters from the running water. BANG! Once again, a disgruntled Oliver Wood slammed his head on the shower tile, an echo hammering throughout the room as he played and replayed his most recent loss. He just couldn't forget the pain of losing; couldn't forget the feeling of watching the Quidditch cup slip slowly through his fingers.

After several attempts to knock himself out and drown in the shower, Oliver rested his bruised head on the cold tile. A tremor of relief crept over his body as he rested and let the warm water rinse the mud and sweat from his body. He looked down at the drain trying to focus on the swirling patterns of dirt and blood swirling down the pipes, but to no avail.

'Why?' he asked himself. 'Was it really just the weather? Or the Dementors? Have I not prepared my team hard enough? I sacrificed a huge piece of my life for that Cup! This can't be happening! And the draft! There must have been recruiters watching! This terrible weather would be perfect for them to scout for new players, to look for people that won't be hindered by the rain! But all they got to see was the glorious Cedric Diggory! DAMMIT ALL!

The thought of the Hufflepuff golden boy once again shining brought another wave of frustration and tears to Oliver's already pained face. Now Cedric stood in the way of Oliver's Quidditch Cup and had crushed his chances for becoming a good pick in the draft. He clenched his fists and squeezed his eyes shut to hold back tears. Oliver stood there for what seemed like hours, letting the flow of water thoroughly cleanse his body, but it did nothing for his mind. Finally realizing that standing in the shower brooding was not the best way to deal with his loss, he shut off the water, toweled off, and changed into his robes. Trudging out of the locker room, he stopped, seeing the one person he least wanted to set his sights on. Outside the room, dressed in mud-stained gold robes waited Cedric Diggory. Cedric uncrossed his arms and looked Oliver in the eyes.

"What do you want?" Oliver snarled.

After a silent moment spent staring at his shoes, Cedric cleared his throat and spoke softly. "I want a rematch, Wood."

This caught Oliver completely off guard. This had been the last thing he was expecting to hear, and having Cedric act so noble after a win only further angered Oliver. "What for!?" Oliver snapped. "You caught the Snitch, Harry fell off his broom!" He looked down and shook his head. "It was a fair game, Diggory."

"No, it wasn't," argued Cedric. "The Dementors knocked Harry off. There's no way that can be a fair win..."

"Look Cedric," Oliver said firmly. "You caught the damn Snitch before Harry fell. Before the Dementors distracted him! You won! We lost!"

Oliver turned away from Cedric. Admitting the game was fair and that he lost was doing enough to shred his already battered pride. He didn't need Cedric's pity and excuses. He could feel tears starting to form again. Cedric could not see Oliver's face but he could tell that the expression was the look of genuine hurt rather than sheer contempt. Cedric looked at the broken man before him and almost sympathized for him. He realized how badly Oliver wanted that Quidditch Cup. Cedric slowly turned on his heel and left, admitting defeat in his attempt to reason with his frustrated rival.

Down the hall, he saw Cho emerge from the Ravenclaw room. She was shivering and soaked from the storm. Cedric wanted nothing more than to run to her and warm her with a tender hug. "But I can't do that right now. Not after seeing the state Wood's in. If I even offered her a jacket right now and he saw it..." Cedric shuddered before that thought could finish. Even looking at Cho longingly right now felt somehow wrong. Then her eyes met his with a soft and worried look in them, and Cedric's own depression dissipated.

"Is . . . is Harry . . ." she stuttered.

"Harry will be fine," Cedric replied softly. Cho's eyes began to water which further strengthened Cedric's yearning to comfort her. Only through an immense force of will did he resist. "I spoke to Oliver," he said in attempt to change the subject. "Perhaps you should seek him. He could use your comfort."

Cho looked at him with tears now dripping from her eyes. Cedric did not give her much of a smile and walked away. Cho stood there and watched Cedric leave her and enter the Hufflepuff locker room. He had never acted so coldly to her, especially when she was trembling like this. She stood there for several minutes pondering over Cedric before realizing Oliver must be heartbroken over the defeat. She took one last look at the Hufflepuff side of the hall before heading for the Captain's offices. She entered Oliver's room and saw him on the futon with his face buried in the pillow. She made her way to his side and heard what sounded like a faint sniffle.

"Oliver?" she whispered while petting his back.

He did not move, but his sniffles increased. Cho said nothing and continued to comfort him with her touch. Not receiving a reaction and fearing he would soon lash out at her again, she took a deep breath and prepared to leave. To her surprise, he turned his head to face her, his eyes puffy and red and Cho's heart immediately went out to him. He had never faced her with such a miserable expression. He looked at her briefly, allowing a tear to fall, and rested his head on her lap. They stayed quiet for several minutes as Cho continued to pet his hair while Oliver wept. For the first time in their relationship, Oliver took a great deal of solace in Cho's love for him and he began to wonder if he were feeling the same type of love for her.

~*~*~

Weeks later at the Ravenclaw table, mere moments before their first Quidditch match of the season against Hufflepuff. Roger and the other team members stuffed their faces with eggs, bacon, porridge, and almost any other breakfast food they could get their hands on. Cho on the other hand, was too nervous to eat anything. After watching the horrific scenes of the Gryffindor-Hufflepuff match, she was afraid to play, knowing the Dementors were still in the area. Adding to her anxiety knew that her rival in this game, Cedric, had beaten Harry Potter, the most talented Seeker the school had seen in years if you believed everything you heard.

Her thoughts were interrupted when a bowl was slammed in front of her. "Eat something!" ordered Roger. "You need energy."

"No, thanks," replied Cho.

"YES!"

"NO!"

"If you don't eat, I will force this soppy porridge down your throat!" warned Roger as he held a porridge coated spoon to her face.

The rest of the team members chuckled, thinking Roger had just made one of his usual innuendoes. Cho's stomach grumbled. Maybe a little bit of food won't hurt. She refused Roger's porridge and reached for and apple.

"Get that thing away from my face, Roger!" scoffed Cho as Roger pulled back the spoon.

"Ahh... The 'Ravenclaw Scarlet Woman' and the 'Hufflepuff Golden Boy!' Out on the Pitch! How nauseatingly romantic! Doesn't' it just give you that fuzzy feeling all over?"

Cho and the Quidditch team turned to face Draco Malfoy and his Slytherin thugs, Crabbe and Goyle. They were accompanied by Eliza LeStrange. Rex and the other Chasers rose from their seats. The Ravenclaw Chasers dwarfed Crabbe and Goyle, but the two minions of Malfoy stayed where they were.

"Sit down," whispered Cho to the Chasers. They did not listen.

"What's the matter Miss Chang? Throat's too sore to speak properly? That's what the 'Good Wood' does to you I bet! Don't choke out there little girl, and I don't just mean on the Pitch!" teased Eliza. The three Slytherin boys snickered. "And remember, nothing spreads her wings better than an eagle," she whispered to them. Eliza's voice managed to add dirtiness to the word "wings" that even caught Roger off guard.

Cho nearly chocked. on her apple in shock. How could Eliza even hint such things? And what had she told the school? She couldn't turn around and look at Eliza. Instead, she faced her plate with her jaw hanging open.

"Jealous LeStrange? Irritated that the Good Wood only goes for the sweet girls leaving you with the pygmy snakes of your own house?" Roger rose and scoffed looking at Eliza from head to toe.

Crabbe and Goyle looked at each other dumbfounded apparently not picking up on Roger's hidden meaning. Eliza on the other hand, flushed a fierce red at his comment. Draco started cracking his knuckles tempting the Ravenclaw Chasers to swing their own knuckles at him.

"BOYS! What is going on here?" squeaked Professor Flitwick as he hurried toward the crowd. "Come now boys! We have a game coming up!"

Draco smacked Crabbe and Goyle from the sides as a signal to leave. Eliza reluctantly followed but flashed the Ravenclaws dirty looks. She made it clear to them that she was not done terrorizing Cho. As if the pressure of the Hufflepuff game wasn't enough weight on Cho's shoulders. As the Slytherin gang neared the door, Draco stumbled and fell, triggering a few sniggers from the Ravenclaw team. Cho was still too stunned for Draco's accident to register, and only Roger noticed Drew sitting across the room, and for a moment, thought he saw a wand disappear up Drew's sleeve. Roger blinked, and when his eyes opened again, Drew was writing silently in his journal again, no sign that he had ever been doing otherwise.

~*~*~

Cho skimmed around the Quidditch field searching for the Golden Snitch. She saw Cedric hovering, still on the other side of the Pitch. She noticed him watching her as if he would pounce if she made any sudden movements. With every second that passed, she became more and more nervous. She could feel his eyes glued to her and she expected him to attack at any moment. Cho felt herself starting to panic. She was too worried to realize that the Chasers were in total control of the field thus giving Ravenclaw a significant lead. Still, they would lose the game if Cedric caught the Snitch. Cho drifted a little faster along the edges of the Pitch until something soared millimeters from her face.

"WATCH IT BRIAN!" Roger yelled to the Hufflepuff Beater after attempting to knock Cho off her broom. Roger slammed the Bludger Brian's way in return but missed.

The near accident roused Cho's senses and relieved most of her nervousness. The fact that she was almost knocked out only increased Cho's desire to find the Snitch. She kicked up the speed on her broom and weaved up and down through the field, Cedric following her closely just as she had anticipated. However, she was too swift and agile for him; he could not keep up to her pace. She glanced over her shoulder and noticed Cedric struggling to tail her. His heavy weight prevented him from matching her patterns too closely. This gave Cho an idea. She speed and wove faster. He continued to follow, as she had hoped.

'Come on, Cedric! Chase me!' Cho thought as she turned a glance at him.

Cho slowed on her broom to tease him a bit and lead him to think that he could catch her. As soon as he was a meter away, she blasted across the field like a cannonball. She loved the fact that boys chased after her, even if it was in Quidditch. Even though she still thought of Cedric as a friend, his chase pumped a rush of adrenaline through her veins which drove her harder.

'What are you doing to me, Cho?' thought a panting Cedric, trying desperately to follow.

Cedric smiled at Cho's play and sped on to follow her. Instinct told him that she was only trying to tire him out, however the merry chase only energized his senses. The intensity of the sport and thrill of chasing his love sent his heart into a frenzy of beats. At the far end of the Pitch under the Ravenclaw hoops, Cho swerved a 180 on her broom to face Cedric. Tendrils of hair outlined her flushed sweat-beaded face making her look like she'd just been through a vigorous workout. Cedric found his lungs failing as Cho looked at him with a playful grin.

"All right there, Golden Boy?" teased Cho.

"You . . . have . . . no idea . . . Scarlet Woman!" Cedric winked and panted.

Cho flashed him another cocky smile as she straight up into the air with a speed that shook Cedric's robes. She was but a blue streak headed towards the sun. She flew higher and higher. Cedric tried to follow but was blinded by the sun's stinging rays. He could not keep up.

"Fly away, Cho! Fly away!" He whispered moments before she caught the Snitch.

Cheers erupted from the Ravenclaw and Gryffindor stands. (Gryffindor needed Ravenclaw to beat Hufflepuff to have a chance at the Cup). Cho descended to the ground to meet her teammates who hoisted her up on their shoulders and paraded down the Pitch. The Hufflepuffs hung their head in defeat, except Cedric. He hovered where Cho left him and silently applauded the Ravenclaw Seeker.

~*~*~

Moments after the game, the Ravenclaws headed to the common room for a victory party, but Cho sat on Oliver's futon far away from the revelry as he paced irately before her. His arms were crossed as his eyes stayed focused on the floor. Every few moments, he shot an angry look at his girlfriend in her royal blue Quidditch robes. He had all the team's players' last names, but he had never connected Ravenclaw's Chang to Cho. "How could I have missed that? Did I really let this girl blind me that much!? She's my rival!"

"How could you not have told me?" Oliver asked as he stopped pacing and gave her a sharp look.

Quidditch was Oliver's one true sanctuary, and it had just been invaded. His girlfriend was the Seeker for a rival team, and she was good. His one area where he felt truly great and she had to show up as one of his rivals. He had wanted to keep his two worlds separate, but they had just collided and shattered, with the pieces mixed beyond all hope of separation.

"I did say something! If you would only listen..." Cho argued.

"Believe me Cho, I would have remembered something like that if you told me!" spat Oliver.

"What is such the big deal? I'm the Ravenclaw Seeker! So what?" Cho stood up and adjusted her royal blue robes.

"Big deal!?" Oliver's tone rose. "You are now my RIVAL! MY ENEMY! An obstacle in the way to my Quidditch Cup!"

"Obstacle?!" Cho tried to keep her voice soft as to not upset Oliver. The words 'rival' and 'obstacle' still stung in her ears. "Oliver, it doesn't have to be that way!"

Oliver turned away from Cho and pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. He propped his arm against the wall and leaned his forehead on it. He took a deep breath and took a few minutes to organize his thoughts.

"Why, Cho?" Oliver breathed still facing the wall.

"Why not, Oliver?" scoffed Cho. "I thought you of all people would appreciate the fact that your significant other plays Quidditch!"

"You don't understand!" Oliver shouted flinging his arms in the air.

"I guess I don't Oliver." Cho said coldly as she headed towards the door.

"CHO! Cho WAIT!" Oliver pleaded as she rushed after her and grabbed her arm.

Cho stopped in her tracks but did not turn around to look at him. He drew her in with the hand that held her arm, placed his other hand around her waist, and whispered in her ear.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be so harsh," he breathed.

His faint breath against her ear sent shivers down her spine. She slowly turned her head and found his face close to hers. A tear ran from her eye and trickled down her cheek. Oliver brushed it away with his thumb and cupped her face in his hands. They gazed intently into each other's eyes before Oliver slowly moved his lips to meet with hers.

"I'm so sorry," he said delicately as he rested his forehead on hers. "I just get so stressed out with the Quidditch Draft coming up."

"Does this still bother you?" Cho asked.

Oliver straightened his posture and pressed his lips together in resentment. "No. No, it's just that . . ." he exhaled and looked down, "Quidditch is the only thing I'm good at." He looked back in her eyes. "But you... you're smart, beautiful, AND a very good Seeker. You're perfect!"

Cho only gave Oliver a half smile and looked for sincerity in his eyes. His mood swings were worse than anyone she'd ever met before. She couldn't figure out why one minute he hated her and the next minute he adored her. Despite his bad moments, she could not resist his charm. When she finally saw the sincerity in his eyes, she gave him a full smile and let him show it through his kisses.

~*~*~

Cho and her friends lounged at the Three Broomsticks at Hogsmeade the weekend before winter break, their excitement escalated from thoughts of Winter Vacation in Marie's Swiss Chalet. Normally, the Hufflepuff boys joined them in casual outings but their presence was replaced by Oliver. Obviously, Cedric was trying to avoid Cho and Oliver when they were together, even if it meant isolating himself from half of his friends. Oliver sat close to Cho with his arm around her as she quietly sipped her cocoa. Oliver still hadn't fully adjusted to the fact that Cho was the Ravenclaw Seeker and his rival in the near future, but he was doing well in controlling his temper for the time being.

"Okay," started Marie as she spread pamphlets across the table. "There's skiing, ice-skating, snow-boarding..."

Marie continued listing muggle winter activities was doing little more than confusing her friends, who were unfamiliar with muggle recreation. Cho and Jenna exchanged confused looks while Marie elaborated on ski lifts, ski boots, and just plain skis.

"Um . . . Marie?" interrupted Jenna. "What exactly is 'skiing?'"

"Oh, sorry! I forget that not everyone knows about this muggle stuff," Marie blushed. "Skiing is where you slide down a snowy mountain with thin boards on your feet. It's loads of fun but can be dangerous."

"Oh," Cho and Jenna said in unison still unfamiliar with the topic.

"Don't worry girls it will be great! There are instructors there that will help us and different levels of slopes. You will all do just fine!" She cleared the pamphlets and brought out tickets, maps, and schedules. "I figured that we can fly to the Geneva Airport and ride the shuttle up to Champéry . . ."

Again the girls exchanged confused looks as they looked at their ticket. Joey (being aware of Marie's plan) grabbed a handful of tickets, kissed Marie good-bye, and set out to give them to the Hufflepuffs missing from the table.

"Marie, why would we need a ticket to fly on brooms?" asked Cho.

"Because we're not flying on brooms. We are going on MUGGLE planes!" said Marie. "Isn't that exciting?"

"Muggle planes?" questioned Cho. "What's a plane?"

"Here."

Marie showed them a page in her Muggle Studies book on travel. The girls and Oliver studiedphotos of airplanes, gawked at diagrams of wing lifts, and read about the theory of flight. They started to worry when they realized that muggles fly without magic.

"MAIRETTA ANTOINETTE EDGECOMB!!!" Jenna stood up screeching drawing the attention of the entire room. "Do you expect us to leisurely sit inside this thing as it . . ." she panicked at the live picture of a plane taking off, "as it just simply LIFTS in the air?!" Jenna angrily flung her arms in the air gesturing at the plane taking off.

"How bad can it be, Jenna?" expressed Marie. "Muggles do it all the time!"

"But why? Do you have any reason? Why can't we use Floo Powder?"

"Where is your sense of adventure? Travel was my favorite topic in Muggle Studies! I think it will be fun! Besides, Mommy won't let me travel all that way by Floo Powder. Says it's too dangerous and expensive to network the fireplaces that far. And don't even think about broomsticks! Too cold and you know that distance travel by broomstick is restricted!"

"Oliver, what do you think?" Cho asked her boyfriend and he bit his lip at the ticket.

"I can't go," he replied.

Cho went pale and gaped in shock. She had been looking forward for this trip for quite some time so she could spend leisure time with Oliver away from books and his Quidditch scrolls. Cho's friends on the other hand, had been expecting a rejection from Oliver but were still upset to see their friend distressed.

"Why?" she choked.

Oliver looked down and took a deep breath. "I have special Quidditch training at the Joscelind Wadcock's Quidditch camp that week. It's very prestigious honor to be accepted into the program. If I do this, I might get picked for Puddlemere United in the draft. I'm sorry Cho."

In spite of her embarrassment, Cho simply smiled and said, "I understand."

She didn't really understand. She couldn't comprehend why every excuse he gave her was Quidditch related. 'Before it was practices and tactics and now it's that stupid draft! Why do I even bother, Oliver! Why can't I win with you!? Don't you know there's more than Quidditch?' Cho took a deep sigh and recollected the thoughts that ran through her head. She had never felt this way before. She always stood by Oliver when he wrote his plays, waited for him after his practice, and had yet to feel second best to a sport. That had just changed. For months she had shown nothing but care and love for Oliver, but he never appreciated it. He took her for granted and Cho was beginning to realize how that it wouldn't change.

Tomorrow, most of the students were going to leave for home for the Winter break. After a week at home with their families, Cho and her friends - minus Oliver, would be meeting for their ski trip. The rest of the time spent at Hogwarts, Cho gave Oliver the cold shoulder every chance she got. She only spoke to him only to respond to questions, and she kept her answers clipped. Even her kisses and hugs were forced; she only went through with them because she felt obligated to. She didn't want Oliver to know how much he had upset her this time. She didn't want to give him the satisfaction she was beginning to suspect he felt at having such control over her.
Cho quietly wandered the halls of the Hogwart's Express during the train ride home. Oliver's destination was miles north of Hogwart's and therefore had no need to ride the train south to London. Cho was only mildly surprised to learn that she didn't feel very bothered that Oliver was not there. The emptiness that rushed into her every time he was absent just wasn't there anymore. As soon as he'd said he wasn't going on the ski trip, she had expected to feel terrible during the entire break knowing that Oliver wouldn't be with her, but instead she was just filled with a hollow anger and growing resentment towards his twisted priorities. She stopped in her tracks outside a familiar compartment labeled 'Prefects Only.' There was one Prefect that instantly entered her mind. She knew she was meters away from Cedric, but couldn't understand why her body felt warm and her heart raced. She suddenly swelled with a desire to open the door to spend some time with her friend as she hadn't seen much of him since Oliver's loss when the Dementors swarmed the Pitch. It wasn't the sign saying "Prefects Only" that kept her from opening the door, she knew Cedric would leave the compartment for her. She stopped because thinking of Cedric, remembering his face, his gentle eyes and pleasant demeanor and how he treated her warmed her spirits in a way that was something other than pleasant memories of a friend. It was a surge of feeling she had not felt before - at least felt before concerning Cedric.

The knob turned and the door started to creak open. Before the door opened to reveal who was on the other side, Cho dashed down the hall and into her original compartment. Cedric popped his head into the hallway trying to see who was there. He had sensed someone outside the door, someone he felt he wanted to see, but he couldn't place an actual person to the feeling. Seeing no one, he pulled himself back into the Prefect compartment and closed the door.