Second Door to the Right

Chapter Three: Love and All Its Beauty

After a hurried apology to Professor Sprout for being late, Harry took a seat between Ron and Hermione.

"Mate, what kept you?"

Harry couldn't reply. Part of him wanted to blurt out what had just occurred to the entire world, the other to keep it all inside.

"Umm...someone held me up, you know..."

"Who?"

To Harry, it seemed that Ron really wanted to know. But he couldn't just say "Cho." That would lead to an overload of questions, he knew that for certain, and he just couldn't take that right now. His head was still awry, thinking about what had happened. He recalled it, Cho's hands running through his rumpled hair, he had never felt so free. This is unbelievable, he thought. It could have just been a dream, a very real one, right? But then the feeling of Cho's lips came to mind...

"Harry," Ron said impatiently, "what happe - "

"Potter! Weasley! Pay attention! Five points from Gryffindor."

Harry shrugged indifferently, still thinking about Cho. Professor Sprout could take five hundred points from Gryffindor, it didn't matter, just as long as he had a chance with her. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Hermione roll her eyes.

As the Gryffindors headed up back to the castle for lunch, Ron motioned for Harry to slow down.

"Who held you up? Before Herbology?"

Harry gulped. He knew that question would resurface. Better think of an answer quick. He wouldn't be able to delay Ron from asking it again.

"Caesar."

"Who's he?"

"Othello Caesar," Hermione interrupted. "He's a Ravenclaw sixth year. Don't know why he's in that house though. He takes Remedial Potions, you know that?"

Ron's mouth dropped in amazement.

"Not even Neville has to take that! He must be pretty stupid."

"Very," Hermione added briskly. "What were you doing with him anyway, Harry?"

"Just, you know, bumped into him along the way," Harry replied, focusing intently on the grass.

"Was he hitting on Cho? That's what he's been known to do," Hermione asked slyly.

"You were with Cho?" Ron added, acting as if Snape had just been sacked.

Harry said nothing, but quickened his pace.

"Mate, it's okay if you were."

Won't.

"Harry, were you with her?"

Say.

"Spill, Harry. God, I wish I knew the Imperius Curse."

A.

"Harry, you can tell us, honestly."

Word.

"Harry, if you don't tell," Ron threatened, "we'll ask Cho. I'm sure she'd tell us everything."

This last statement convinced Harry he ought to tell. After all, Ron and Hermione are my friends, he thought.

"Uh, yeah, I was with her."

Harry heard a crash behind him. Turning around, he saw Ron had dropped all of his books.

"Blimey," he said weakly, "you were? What happened?"

"You kissed her, didn't you?" Hermione teased. "You were snogging behind a tree, weren't you?"

After helping Ron pick up his books, he looked at Hermione with all the seriousness he could muster.

"Yes."

"Harry, I was joking!" she said brightly, laughing. "And anyway, if you did kiss her, it'd be a chaste one, albeit on the lips, but still."

"Well, I'm not joking."

Another crash. ("Dammit! Not again!")

Hermione slowly walked up to Harry, looking in his eyes as if to verify his words.

"Y-you're not?" she stuttered.

"No."

Whooping erupted from behind them. Ron had left his fallen books on the ground and was dancing around Harry.

"You kissed her? What's it like?" he asked earnestly after finally calming down.

Harry thought about the question. What was it like, kissing Cho? He couldn't find a word that encompassed all the emotions he had experienced. Happy? Shocked? Passionate? Even embarrassed? No, none of those words fit. It was...it was...

"Indescribable."

* * *

"Tell me more!"

It was lunch, the perfect time for a conversation that didn't have to be conducted in whispers and under the nose of a teacher. Cho had just relayed all that had happened between herself and Harry to Celeste, and she was, to say the least, most eager to learn as much as she could.

"Well, what do you want to know? I've told you as much as I could."

"Is he a better kisser than Cedric? From what I've heard from his ex-girlfriends and you, he was quite accomplished in osculation."

"I haven't thought about that yet."

"Think about it now, then."

What Celeste had said about Cedric was indeed true. Cho had experienced it firsthand. The first thing that struck her about Cedric was how tender he was, and his kisses reflected that. They were always so gentle...but they never lingered for very long. But Harry, well, he was much different. So passionate, so ardent, so vibrant and full of life, that one kiss had left her more breathless than Cedric ever had.

"Harry, I suppose."

"You like him more than Cedric?"

"Maybe. I'll need a bit more time before I can give you a good answer."

"Okay. So you think he'll ask you out? He'd better, especially after such a kiss."

Yes, Cho hoped that Harry would have asked her out, right there under the tree, but remember? We were going to be late for class.

"I think he will, in a little bit, I guess. I hope."

"That's awesome!" Celeste leaned in a bit to give Cho a quick hug. "This is exactly what you need after Cedric. Just make sure he doesn't find out about it."

"Ugh, you're right. If he hears about this, well, I shudder to think what will happen."

"So, let's try some of this salad here, shall we?"

Cho made a face of disgust. "Hope it's not Caesar!"

The two friends burst into laughter.

* * *

At the Gryffindor table, the laughter had caught Harry's ear. It was this girl with light brown hair...and Cho. Her laugh had such a ringing sound to it, so satisfying to hear.

"You're looking at her again," Ron observed wryly.

"Can't help it. She's intoxicating."

Now that he had told about the kiss, the fact that he fancied Cho didn't have to be kept a secret any longer. In fact, Harry planned to be as forthright about it as he could to put people off their guard. Now that he had kissed her, there seemed to be only one more (very sensible) thing to do...

"Gonna ask her out, Harry?"

"Yeah. When we find out when the next Hogsmeade visit is, I'll ask."

He didn't have to wait long.

When Ron and Harry quickly dashed up the Gryffindor Tower to put away a couple unneeded books, they discovered a new notice on the bulletin board.

"Harry, look! Hogsmeade visit, the 23^rd! Blimey, they've never had one this early before. Looks like you'd better ask her out soon."

"Ron, it's only the first day back - ____"

"But if you ask her out early, you'll have something to look forward to!"

Ron has a point, Harry thought.

"I'll ask her tomorrow then, I guess. Why don't you ask Hermione out?"

"Yeah, you're right," Ron replied in an off-hand voice. "But why should I bother? I'm betting you ten people have already asked her. One of them is probably Malfoy, the shit-eating bastard."

"Well, let's go. We've got Binns next," Harry said, not wanting to discuss the relationship between Hermione and Malfoy.

Sprinting downstairs, they were just on time.

"Settle down, class. Wessel, Peter, take a seat please."

"More like 'go to sleep, class'," Ron muttered under his breath, dreading the hour and forty-five minutes ahead of him...

"Ron! Wake up!"

"Geroff," he murmured sleepily, feebly waving away the thing that was prodding him.

"RON! Oh, you're hopeless. Ennervate!"

As if he was just gored in the stomach by a raging bull, he sat up, obviously mad that someone had just woken him up.

"What did you do that for, Hermione? I was having a dream, a good dream at that! All those Galleons, now they're gone, thanks to you!"

"They were never there, so move. We have Potions and we're already late, courtesy of your little nap."

"Bloody hell, WE HAVE BLOODY POTIONS?"

This sudden realization had woken Ron up better than any spell could have. Snatching his bag, he ran out of the classroom, almost knocking Harry, who had been watching nearby, into the wall.

"Let's follow Ron then. C'mon, Hermione."

The two of them pelted down the hallway, knowing that every second they were later, the more of an excuse Snape had to take fifty points from Gryffindor on the first day back.

* * *

The Ravenclaws and the Hufflepuffs emerged from the dungeons ashen-faced, most walking with their heads down, others wishing Snape would die.

"I still don't understand how we got an O on our damn O.W.L.s," Celeste said angrily. "I couldn't remember anything from last year...or any of the other years, come to think of it! And Snape assigns one of the hardest potions for class! Plus, we've got that crap essay about molewood and all of its damn uses. It has too many damn uses to keep track of. The damn essay's probably going to fill up ten damn scrolls of parchment, at least."

"I guess we better get some of it done this week, before Quidditch season starts. I don't know how I'm going to manage all these N.E.W.T.s along with Quidditch," Cho said softly, looking equally downtrodden as the rest of the students.

"I don't know how I'm going to be able to fit in Quidditch at all! You're not a Chaser. Davies went into his whole thing about the front three - which he is a part of, by the way - not being fast enough, not using all the strategies he's invested so much time in. Someone ought to kick him off the team. He's going end up killing himself and the other Chasers."

"Thankfully, he's leaving at the end of this year."

"Yeah, maybe we'll have a decent captain by then. HEY, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?"

Celeste's bag was suddenly lying on the floor, pages from her books flying everywhere. Cho looked behind her, three figures were tearing through the hall, apparently late for Potions. One of them had been going at such a speed he (or she) knocked into Celeste's bag, scattering her books everywhere. Still looking at the misfortunate students, Cho thought she saw someone who looked quite familiar...

"Damn them! Now we're going to be late! It's not like the hallway's narrow! It's wide enough for human bullets to travel through without knocking something to the ground."

"Let me help, Celeste. Reparo! I hope none of the teachers saw that; we're not allowed to use magic in the halls. Oh, well."

* * *

"Today we shall be working on the Invigoration Draught. Up here on the board are the instructions, and I hope those who can read properly shall be able to follow them. At the end of the class, please fill your flask with whatever you managed to concoct and bring it up to me." Snape's cold glittering eyes surveyed the room, landing on Harry, Hermione, and Ron. Having arrived late, it was very possible that he loathed them more than ever. As the class began gathering their ingredients, Malfoy moved his cauldron over by Hermione and set it up there.

"What brings you here?" Ron said disgustedly, wrinkling his nose.

"Why, I'm going to work with my friend," he replied smoothly, giving Ron a supercilious look. "I'm going to work with Miss Granger."

It's just like back in Care of Magical Creatures, Harry mused. Malfoy and Hermione are working together.

"Hermione's a little off-color today, isn't she?" Harry asked Ron.

"More like bloody mad," he spat, bringing his knife down so hard half of his ginger roots went flying across the room.

As Ron went to retrieve his roots, Harry tried to eavesdrop on Malfoy and Hermione's conversation. Unsurprisingly, they weren't talking about Potions or even anything related to academia.

"Did you know there's a Hogsmeade trip coming up at the end of the month?" Malfoy asked in a tone Harry had never heard him use before. It was, well, almost kind.

"Is there?" Hermione replied indifferently, concentrating a little too hard on her roots.

"Yes, the 23^rd. Hermione, look at me."

He's calling her by her first name?

"If you already haven't promised your sweet little heart to anyone else, would you like to go to Hogsmeade with me?"

Harry tried to inconspicuously study her face. Though she was still looking at Malfoy, her face was slightly red, her eyes glinting with a fervor he had never seen before.

"Of course, Draco."

She's calling him by his first name?

Harry turned back to his own potion, his head spinning. Did Malfoy - Malfoy, the high and the mighty, the pureblood - just ask Hermione out? No, this wasn't possible. He, Harry, must have heard wrong. Sure, she was acting oddly today, but this was beyond weird. This just wasn't right.

"Harry."

Ron was back.
"Yeah?" Harry answered, trying to keep his face from showing the absolute tumult inside him.

"I've decided I'm going to ask Hermione to go to Hogsmeade with me after class."

"But Ron - "

"Think she'll agree?"

No use. Ron obviously would not listen to a word he said. How disappointed he'll be when he finds out she's going with Malfoy. For the rest of the class, Harry worked in silence. Ron seemed to be muttering things under his breath, and though the most he heard was a lot of buzzing, Harry had a pretty good idea as to what Ron was saying.

At the end of class, just as Hermione swung her bag onto her shoulder, Ron approached her, looking as if he just stepped off the Knight Bus.

"Um, Hermione? Could I have a word?"

"Okay, Ron. Draco, you go ahead. I'll catch up later."

For a moment, it appeared Ron was going to fall over, hearing Hermione refer to Malfoy as "Draco", but he soon regained his composure.

"Uh, you know there's going to be a Hogsmeade trip?"

"Don't even bother," Hermione interrupted, rather rudely in Harry's opinion. "I'm already going with someone."

"Y-you are?"

"Yes, so ask someone else."

Hermione turned on her heal to walk away. As the click-clack of her shoes grew fainter, Ron's face turned steadily more pink, the disbelief more evident in his eyes. Just before she was about to turn the corner, Ron yelled out, "OY! HERMIONE!"

"WHAT, RON?" she yelled back, facing him.

"WHO ARE YOU GOING WITH?"

"WHAT? I CAN'T HEAR YOU!"

"I SAID, WHO ARE YOU GOING WITH?"

"WHERE?"

"TO HOGSMEADE!"

"OH! WITH DRACO! SEE YOU AT CLASS THEN!"

* * *

"Think he's going to ask you out after dinner?"

"I hope," Cho replied, her eyes darting back and forth from Harry to her dinner.

"Don't worry. I'm sure he will. After all, the Hogsmeade trip is pretty soon."

"It is?"

"Yeah. Near the end of the month. Early, don't you think?"

"Mm."

It means I can see Harry sooner, she thought. Oh, I want to go out with him! Why won't he ask? I'm almost positive he fancies me.

Cho looked at Harry in earnest, as if staring at him would make her wish come true. I know he will. Just be patient.

But didn't you just say you're almost positive he fancies you?

Almost positive?

Almost?

Oh, what if he doesn't?

* * *

Ron hadn't said much for the rest of the day, and dinner proved to be no exception. He, who had always greeted food with much excitement, was poking about his dish with a fork, occasionally shooting a nasty look at Hermione. Hermione, on the other hand, did not possess one bit of the melancholy Ron had, and was chatting avidly with a group of guys, smiling as she went along. At this point, Harry couldn't stand watching his friends like this, so he tried to speak to Ron.

"Uh, do you think I should ask Cho out after dinner?"

"Whatever you want then," came the toneless reply.

"Well, um, you think I should ask her out soon?"

"Sure, yeah. Okay."

Harry shook his head and went back to cutting up his chicken.

* * *

"Hey, Cho, could I have a word?"

She looked behind her, halfheartedly wondering who it might be, even though she had a rather good idea who.

"Yes, Harry?"

He jogged up the staircase and pulled her aside near a suit of armor.

"Hey, uh, you know there's a Hogsmeade trip coming up the 23^rd?"

"Why, no. I've been so busy today, not even a chance to check out the bulletin board," Cho lied, hoping that in this instance, lying had been the right thing to do. Even if it wasn't, she was at least telling a half-truth. True, she had been too busy to check out the bulletin board.

"Well, are you going with anyone yet because I was wondering if you would like to go, you know, with me."

He said this all very quickly, though Cho personally thought he wasn't nearly as nervous as when he had asked her to the Yule Ball last year. She wanted to yell, "Of course, Harry, I'll go with you! I would never go with anyone but you, my darling!" and then kiss him, but she knew that simply wasn't the right way to go about it.

"Of course," she answered slowly, simply, hoping it would be enough, letting a small smile slip out. "Of course I will."

But then she couldn't restrain herself. She hugged Harry tightly, whispering, "Yes! I will!" over and over again, completely overjoyed, not caring if she made herself conspicuous, because at that moment, she wanted to yell out to the world, "I love you, Harry!" not caring what other people thought of her. That was the way Harry made her feel, unchained, flying, flying from responsibility and obligation, flying from obstinate parents, flying from the past, flying from life, absolutely free...

And before she could quite figure out what was going on, Harry had her in a sweeping kiss, Cho nearly dizzy with elation. He was bending her back, her hands clasped behind his neck, his lips working furiously against her own...

"Hello?"

Cho tore herself away from Harry to look at the figure, slightly stunned, standing near her.

"Oh, hi, Celeste."

She let go of Harry and faced her friend formally. Celeste raised an eyebrow, and Cho fought the urge to just laugh out loud. Ever since they met, this quirky gesture of her friend's had always amused her.

"Celeste, this is Harry. Harry, Celeste."

They shook hands, and she greeted him by saying (in a very sly voice), "So, this is person that's swept my friend off her feet?"

Cho pretended to be mildly interested in a portrait of a sleeping witch. Astonishingly, however, Harry handled the situation with much ease.

"No. I'm the person who's swept off my feet."

Cho couldn't help but giggle.

"Look, Harry, I've got to get going. Snape's assigned us this essay that'll take at least the rest of this week to finish. I'll you later, okay, darling?"

She used the word hesitantly, not knowing if it was suitable yet because, technically, they had only just become a couple. It had also been the word she had used so many times to address Cedric. Cho was still not sure whether or not she was ready to bestow the honor of being her "darling" onto anyone else.

"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow then."

He gave her one last hug, and she and Celeste walked up to the Ravenclaw Tower.

* * *

Harry collapsed onto his bed, not wanting to be in the boisterous common room.

Wow.

* * *

"Damn, he is some kisser."

Celeste was in a virtual swoon by the time the two had arrived in the Ravenclaw common room. Cho had secured two seats in a corner so their conversation would not be overheard.

"Wish I had a guy who could kiss like that," Celeste sighed dreamily, nearly falling off her chair. "Know what? If I had a choice between Harry and Cedric, I so would have gone with Harry."

"Well, you know, at that time, Harry just didn't hold any appeal to me. That's how it works. One day a guy's scenery, the next day, the leading man in your life."

"Yeah, but really...if Harry asked me out...wow..."

As Celeste was staring out through the window with a rather glazed look, Cho sighed, releasing all the feelings that had locked up within her since Harry had asked her out. Surprise and shock mingled with euphoria and joy, mixed with just a little guilt. She didn't know how it was possible to hold so many emotions without exploding. She also didn't know how it was possible to have feelings that covered the entire emotional spectrum. In a desperate attempt to keep herself from being overwhelmed, she grabbed for a roll of parchment lying on the table and a quill.

"Celeste, we've got to start working on Snape's essay."

"Shit. Did you have to say that, Cho? I was thinking what it would be like to kiss Harry. Great. Thus ends my brief daydream."