Author: Lyta Padfoot
Category: General, Romance, Humor
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Harry Potter is the property of J.K. Rowling. Characters and situations are used without permission, no infringement is intended.
Summary: Cho goes downstairs early one morning and finds Sarah Fawcett up to something, leading Cho to a revelation about her friendship with Roger.
* * *
Ravenclaw tower was designed with the common room in the middle of the tower, the boys dormitories on the lower floors below and the girls above. As February the fourteenth dawned, fifth-year student Cho Chang sprinted down the stairs to the common room only to discover Sarah Fawcett on her knees stringing clear fishing line across the foot of the staircase that led to the boys dormitories. After a whispered charm, Sarah tapped the fishing line with her wand and it shimmered completely out of view.
"Are you trying to drive Penelope insane or is that simply a side effect?" Cho asked, curious.
Sarah looked up, startled, a dozen excuses poised on the tip of her tongue until she realized it was Cho and visibly relaxed. While not an avid prankster herself, Cho could and often did appreciate the efforts of others. Sarah knew Cho could be counted on not to interfere and thus was not alarmed to see her.
Sarah flashed her a brilliant smile as she rose and tucked her wand into the pocket of her black school robes. "Merely a bonus. Penelope needs the stick removed from her arse."
Cho shook her head. She knew Sarah was not fond of their Head Girl though she herself rather liked Penelope. "She'll know you were behind this."
"She won't be able to prove it unless you grass me up. And I don't see you taking down my work," Sarah challenged. She crossed her arms over her chest an effected an uncanny impersonation of the Head Girl that was marred only by the quirk of her mouth and the waggle of her eyebrows. An instant later the effect dissolved completely as Sarah burst into hearty laughter very uncharacteristic of the dignified Penelope.
Sarah pulled her book bag from the other side of the couch and set it down on a nearby table. From there, Cho noted, the blonde girl had a clear view of the large mirror over the fireplace and the two staircases shown in its reflection. Sarah dug through her cluttered bag until she retrieved her Potions textbook and reading glasses. She shot Cho a last grin before she pulled a sugar quill from one pocket of her bag and began to suck on the tip as she idly flipped through the pages of her book.
Settling down to wait for some unfortunate to spring the trap, Cho thought as she moved to fireside wing chair that provided a better view. After all, she was not known for mischief making and was on excellent terms with Penelope.
"Strange to see you study," Cho remarked as she watched her friend. Sarah Fawcett was one of those rare and disturbing individuals who achieved excellent marks with the only bare minimum of effort. In all their years together at Hogwarts, Cho had seen more blue moons than Fawcett study sessions.
"This is me we're talking about," Sarah quipped but her expression softened to become oddly serious. "Just because you don't see me study doesn't mean I never do."
Cho nodded and was about to respond when her ears detected someone tromping up the boys staircase. An older student, she thought from the heavier tread.
And Sarah heard it as well. A look of glee came over the blonde witch's face before she turned back to her book. From her position, Cho could clearly see that Sarah's eyes were on the mirror and not the potions book.
Around the corner came Roger Davies, carrying his broom under his arm. He was dressed for the out-of-doors in his school cloak with stripped scarf looped around his neck. His face was hidden by a much battered copy of Quidditch Through the Ages held together by what appeared to be an entire roll of spellotape.
As she watched him approach the hidden trip line, part of Cho wanted to warn him, the other part wanted to see him fall flat on his face. Revenge for one too many criticisms in practice, though Cho would never admit it to a living soul even on pain of being barred from magic for life, she savoured Roger's compliments and felt his criticism like stab wounds.
Roger, blissfully unaware of Cho's thoughts, continued on up the stairs. Had he seen the look of anticipation on the Seeker's face or the mere presence of Sarah Fawcett in the common room so early in the morning he might have halted and proceeded with caution.
But he didn't notice.
As his foot came into contact with the invisible line, Roger lost his balance and feel forward. He landed only a few feet from Cho, his book coming down on the flagstone floor with a satisfying plunk. Roger tried to strand, but his scarf had somehow become entangled with the fishing line and he could only raise his head a few inches without it becoming too tight around his neck.
Cho could not help but snicker at Roger's predicament, across the room Sarah clapped and whistled.
"Brilliant move, Davies," Sarah commented. "You ought to get up and take a bow."
"A little assistance would be appreciated," Roger growled from the floor. The look he shot Sarah was positively lethal. Sarah tugged her wand out of her pocket and cast a quick charm rendering the fishing line visible again. Then she severed with it another spell, allowing Roger to sort out the tangled mess of scarf and fishing line.
"You know Roger," Cho teased, "I think I rather like having you fall by my feet."
Roger flushed and started to mutter about how Fawcett was going to die, slowly, and in great pain.
"You wish," Sarah declared as she hastily gathered up her things. Cho could not help but notice that she had her wand out. Another point in Sarah's favour was that she knew when to begin a retreat.
"Why St. Valentine's Day?" Roger demanded as he managed to pull out his own wand and transfigured the fishing line into a deck of cards, which he then pocketed. "Shouldn't you be out ambushing couples in the astronomy tower with a camera or sending Howlers disguised as Valentine cards?"
"I did that last year," Fawcett replied, fingering a strand of her long blonde hair that had managed to worm its way loose from her neat French braid. It never ceased to amaze Cho how Sarah could present such a clean cut front but be so mischievous underneath.
Roger looked down his nose at the petite Sarah with a look he usually reserved for Slytherin Beaters. "Give me one good reason I shouldn't tell Penny?"
Cho was amazed how unflappable Sarah was in the face of Roger's wrath. Had she been in her shoes, Cho knew she would have owled her grandparents with a request to join then in Hong Kong! Sarah on the other hand appeared almost serene, but then Sarah was more of an acquaintance than friend to the Quidditch captain. "Ravenclaw can't afford to loose more points."
Roger sighed and ran a hand through his thick hair as though it were a towel of sorts and he were attempting to wipe his hands of Sarah. "I'm glad I'll be rid of you soon."
"I'll haunt your dreams forever, Roger." Sarah teased. Cho felt a spark of anger at Sarah's comment but it extinguished as the rational part of her reminded her that Sarah teased almost everyone: male and female. She was not flirting with Roger. She had a boyfriend, Stebbins the Hufflepuff.
"My nightmares." Roger retorted, defeat and exasperation lacing his voice.
Sarah hid a smirk, they all knew Roger would keep shum. With that Sarah headed up the stairs to the girls dormitory. She knew Roger would not tell, but she also knew Roger's patience could only be stretched so far.
"How can you not strangle her?" Roger asked Cho as he sank into a chair next to her.
"I would just as soon stay out of Azkaban, thank you," Cho said. "I've heard the weather is dreadful and you know how much I dislike sleet. No brooms permitted either."
Roger grinned. "That would drive you mad."
There was something in Roger's gaze as he smiled at her that made Cho uncomfortable and a tad guilty. She was dating Cedric and happy about it, but Roger always made her laugh. She knew that he had certain feelings for her, but she was afraid to let things move beyond friendship for fear of wrecking their relationship should romance not work out.
After all, she reminded herself, you can only ever go forward, not back, and life affords only one chance at the Golden Snitch.
Roger was waiting patiently as Cho fell back to reality. She appreciated his understanding with regard to her daydreams. Most were annoyed by them. Cedric was amused, but Roger understood.
"Before Fawcett intervened, I was planning on flying. Would you care to join me?" Roger asked, her eyes glued to his shoes, his cheeks still tinged a far darker pink than usual.
"Got to keep my skills up for next year." Cho said with a smile. She found herself chafing without Quidditch and the constant physical activity of the many practices. She also missed the camaraderie of the team and the thrill of competition.
"Yes," Roger frowned. "Its a crime that Quidditch has been cancelled!"
"I thought you were a cert to be accepted by the Cannons when you leave?"
Roger's look clearly said that was not the point. Cho decided not to pursue that line of conversation.
"I'll go get my cloak," she said. She bounded up the stairs to her dormitory unaware of how Roger watched her.