That's When

It happened outside the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.

It came from behind her, a voice she didn't identify right away.

"Er - Cho? Could I have a word with you?" said the boy that half the school wanted to hear those words from.

Feeling like she'd had the Trans-American Monarch Butterfly migration fly through her lower abdomen at that moment, she fought furiously to keep a level head, and ignored the embarrassing giggling coming from her classmates.

"Okay," she said, and followed him as he moved a bit down the hall out of earshot of the people milling about the hall.

What could he possibly want with her? He'd never even spoken to her before, not even during the Quidditch game last year. Could it have to do with Quidditch? Or did he want to ask her something about the O.W.L.s?

Her confusion was swept aside for the moment as he stopped and turned around, and for a second, she thought he was going to be sick, because he was a very green shade at the moment. The sound he made next, neither confirmed nor denied her thinking.

"Er," he said haltingly.

He paused for the briefest of moments here, long enough for her to formulate the thought: No, he can't be about to ask--

"Wangoballwime?"

No, he can't-- "Sorry?" she said, slightly shrilly, but he didnt seem to notice.

"D'you - d'you want to go to the ball with me?" said the boy whom she had a crush on for 10 years.

"Oh!" she said, fighting back tears, as she felt her face burn. "Oh Harry, I'm really sorry," and she truly felt so. "I've already said I'll go with someone else."

She was extremely sorry. Why, why did he have to be one of the only people who'd asked her to the Yule ball who was actually sincere about it? And why did he have to have been second?

"Oh," said Harry, looking like he wanted to die.

"Oh okay, no problem," he said after a pause, not sounding like he meant it whatsoever.

"I'm really sorry," she said again, trying her hardest to keep her wits about her, and not to break down wailing.

"Thats okay," he said again, sounding strangely dull.

They stood there for an extremely awkward moment, most of which was filled with her mind screaming at her to run.

"Well-" she said, trying to affect an escape, knees shaking.

"Yeah," he said, still in that dulled tone, not moving an inch.

Why won't he leave?

"Well. Bye," she said, and felt her face burn brighter still.

She turned and walked away, not looking at anything, not feeling anything.

"Who're you going with?" came the voice again. Why can't he torture me in peace?

Someone said "Oh- Cedric. Cedric Diggory," and a second later she realized it was her.

"Oh right," he said in a new tone that she couldn't identify.

He didnt say another word, and walked off. Taking advantage of this, she turned a corner, and headed for the first floor bathroom.

Bursting through the door, the room was unsurprisingly deserted.

She had enough sense to whip her wand about with a Silenceo Charm before falling to the ground and screaming in anguish.

Edging to prop herself on the wall, she began to sob silently.

Why couldnt he ask first? WHY? why does this always happen to me?

All sense gone, she cried.

Her heart broke.

End.