Harry Potter and the Four Guardians - Part 13 by Elf
Standard disclaimers apply

---

Detention wasn't that bad. Actually, Duo was sort of having fun pickling frogs' brains. There was a sort of skill that he needed to use to mix the chemicals, cut the frog's brain out, and steep it in the potion.

Add to the fact that he was actually talking to Snape and that there was a very hot vampire in the room helped a lot.

Every so often, his eyes would stray to Forest, who was perched up on one of the desks with a laptop on her lap. Duo itched to ask the beautiful blond if he could use her computer. He just wanted to hack into something for fun and for the familiarity of it more than anything.

Snape asked, "What are you looking at, Duo?"

"Her laptop," he answered, gazing at it.

Snape snorted, "And to think that Muggle technology shouldn't work within these walls."

"It does," Forest replied, looking up from her computer, "Very well actually. Dumbledore enchanted it so that it would work. I can talk to someone from Spain, Japan, and the States if I needed."

Duo asked, "So, what are you doing?"

"Playing Doom III," she answered with a smile as she looked back at her computer.

Snape asked, "What is Doom III?"

"Oh, this game where I senselessly blow up demons for fun," she answered cheerfully.

Snape snorted and looked over at Duo's pickled brains. He picked up one of the murky brown jars and peered into it. He bent his crooked nose over the opening, his long, raven hair falling around his face as he took a whiff. He nodded satisfactorily and placed the jar down. He complemented, "Not bad, Duo. Not bad at all."

Forest suddenly growled, "Oh, you motherfucker, you're going to fucking pay for that!"

Duo shrank back a little bit as he noticed that her indigo eyes flashed crimson for a moment as she pounded on the keys. He swallowed before asking, "What happened?"

"Oh, you double-dealing bastard!" she growled, "The son of a bitch shot my character! Well, I'm blowing his fucking ass to hell and back!"

Snape looked over at Duo in askance. Duo shrugged and said, "Hey, if I could I'd be listening to Tool right now."

Snape asked, "That CD player you had?"

"Yeah, I don't think very many magical musicians can pull off Tool, Prof-Man," Duo snorted as he pickled yet another brain. He had heard about the Wizards Radio Station or something like that yesterday from Ron after complaining about not being able to listen to Tool or the KoRn, Blue Oyster Cult, and AC/DC CDs still hiding under his bed.

Snape looked puzzled as he walked to his office. Forest snorted and shut off her laptop. She asked, "What about Tool?"

"I was listening to one of their CDs when Snape took it away from me," Duo answered as he tightened the lid to one of the jar he was currently holding.

She asked, "Which CD?"

"Undertow," he answered with a grunt.

Forest tossed her hair out of her face. She walked over and inspected the brains. She tapped a jar with long, dark crimson fingernails and frowned. He asked her, "Are you always like this?"

"Like what?" she asked as she picked up one of the jars and studied it. She took a delicate whiff of it, grimaced, and placed it back down.

He frowned as he looked up at her, answering, "So damned inquisitive?"

"When I'm board and curious, yes," she answered as she swung her limber body on the desk beside Duo's.

At that moment, Snape emerged from his office, wearing the Walkman around his ears with a puzzled expression on his face. He was nodding his head slightly probably in tune to what he was listening to. He pulled the ear phones off and handed them to Forest. She slid them on and sang aloud.

Duo found that she had a very pleasant singing voice, especially for a chick who's singing Tool. She picked up the haunting quality very nicely he realized as he listened to her husky voice. He figured that the fact that she was a vampire had something to do with that.

Duo looked over to see Snape slightly smiling to himself as he began to grade some first years' papers. Duo thought, I bet he likes her version better. He still preferred the original though, but she was a lot prettier than the Tool videos he saw on MTV, that's for damn sure.

Snape said, "How many brains have you pickled?"

"Fifty," he answered after quickly counting, relaxing slightly in his chair.

Forest stated, "I think the kid deserves a break."

"I think he's finished," Snape replied thoughtfully as he looked down at his papers.

Duo smirked as he stood up, cracking his knuckles like he had been tooling with Deathscythe all day. He said, "Thanks, Prof, can I head back to my Common Room?"

"'May' would be the proper usage," Forest corrected between lyrics.

Duo flinched and snapped, "Who asked you?"

"Hey, I was speaking English before you were an itch in your ancestor's pants, kiddo," she retorted, tossing her hair.

Duo stuck his tongue out at her and blew her a raspberry. She threatened, "You'd better do something useful with that tongue or I'll find something useful for you to do with it."

Duo shut his mouth and replied, "That's cold."

"Well, I'm sort of undead. My body temperature isn't 98.6 degrees. More like room temperature at best, a good 68 to 72," she explained, swinging her legs back and forth.

Snape actually chuckled at that as she pulled off the headphones. He confessed, "I had forgotten what some of you vampires were like."

"Yeah, but poor Sean's up in the astronomy tower brooding about what Voldemort made him do," she sighed, flinging her body back on the table and curling her legs up.

Duo looked at the pickled brains thoughtfully. He said, "Well, he snapped himself out of it."

"Still, the Necromus potion's pretty damned powerful. Only a few Potions Masters can brew it," Forest said, sitting back up.

Snape frowned and sneered, "Malfoy."

"I'll kick his ass," Duo threatened.

Snape shook his head and corrected, "His father, Duo. I taught his father that potion. We were actually friends a long time ago. Not as close as Weasley and Potter, but fairly close."

"You wouldn't die for Malfoy and vice versa," Duo surmised as he started to clean up the stray droplets of the potion on his table, "Still, I could probably kick his ass too."

Snape nodded bitterly and snorted, "Exactly. I'm probably closer to Black than Malfoy now, which is chillingly ironic."

"Like rain on your wedding day," Forest quipped.

Duo snorted, "That's not true irony. That's just fucked up circumstances."

"Well, I didn't say that Alanis was a genius," Forest retorted, dangling her legs off the side of the table.

Snape said, "I just wish I could find out what Voldemort's planning."

"Why don't you? You've been a spy before," Forest suggested, standing up.

Duo looked up at his favorite teacher and waited. He was almost afraid of Snape's answer. And when Snape thoughtfully replied, "I just might," Duo was.

******

Okay, there she is, just go up and talk to her. Say, "Hello, Hotaru, can I walk you to breakfast?" It's not that hard, Duo, just go up and do it.

Duo swallowed and straitened his robes and pushed his bangs from his face. Hotaru had her silky raven hair pulled back from her face in a pony tail today and was wearing the traditional Gryffindor robe. He smiled as he walked over to her, repeating his inner monologue in his head like a mantra.

"Hey, Hotaru, can I talk to you for a second?" he called out. To his surprise she turned around to face him, her dark, velvety eyes wide. He looked at her gamine face and found himself wanting to kiss her again, yearning to feel those soft, warm, silky lips against his again.

He felt connected to her and he was damned sure that she felt it to. He also knew it had nothing to do with the fact that she was one of his so-called guardians. This was something a little deeper and much more primal than that.

She asked, "Yes, Duo?"

"I was wondering if I could walk you to breakfast, I mean, if you don't mind or anything," he said all in a rush. He inwardly flinched and thought, Oh, smooth move Maxwell. How come flirting use to be so easy until you met this girl? Yeah, great one, Duo. You could go over and make Lavender blush and titter till she turned blue in the face and then Hotaru Tomoe comes over with all her dark violet eyes and raven hair and you become a stuttering idiot. I'm glad that Heero can't see me, he'd get a good, physco laugh out of it.

She smiled a bit and answered, "Well, I can't. I'm already late to meet Draco."

"Malfoy?" the name came out as sort of a sneer.

She nodded happily and answered, "Yes, Draco Malfoy."

"His dad's a Death Eater," Duo spat, the first incriminating thing coming to his mind.

Her eyes widened before she glared at him. She snorted, "I don't know why I ever agreed with Setsuna to watch over you. I think you should get what you deserve. If the fates of several dimensions weren't doomed if Voldemort got hold of you, I'd happily hand you over to him." With that, she turned on her heel and stormed away.

Duo banged his head into the wall and grumbled, "Oh, great one, Duo. She hates you."

Trunks ran past him and shouted, "Come on, Duo, you'll be late for breakfast!"

"I'm not hungry," Duo grumbled, wanting more than anything to slam his head repeatedly into the wall before he did any more damage.

Trunks looked at him with those keen, intense blue eyes and pushed strands of lavender hair out of his face. He asked, "Duo, what's wrong?"

"Oh, that Malfoy of all bastards is the girl of my dream's boy friend that's all," Duo snorted as he stormed back to the dorm.

He sat down in one of the push chairs in the commons and looked at the roaring fire. The air had a slight chill to it now, causing Duo to wear heavy clothing under his robes. He picked at the sweat shirt he was wearing under his robes and sighed.

"What's wrong, Duo?" Ginny asked as a pair of big brown eyes peered into his.

Duo smirked and replied, "Hello Red."

Ginny sat on the chair's arm and affectionately patted Duo's shoulder. She asked, "Wanna go get something to eat?"

"Not really. Pounding my head against the wall sounds appealing right now," he answered grimly.

Ginny said, "Harry and Ron are already down there eating. You don't want to miss Transfiguration do you?"

"Gin, I suck ass in that class. I can't even turn a beatle into a button. Hermione can already turn a rock into a dog. Harry can turn a plant into a fish and Ron can turn a lock into a Venus Fly Trap. Even Trunks is doing better than I am after he figured out how to transfer his energy into his wand to his will. He's almost on Hermione's level. Maybe I should go lock myself in the Potion's Dungeon with Snape," he grumbled as he rested his head back into the chair.

Ginny snorted, "Oh, come on Duo, it's all about concentration. Maybe I could help you a bit?"

"Thanks Red, but this is really out of character for me, but I'm beyond help," Duo snorted as he stared into the fire. Then he felt something hard hit his arm and looked over to see Ginny draw her fist back. He blinked and she hit him again, this time even harder. He flinched and snapped, "Hey!"

She stood up, jerking him up with her. She growled, "You're going to eat breakfast with Harry, Ron, Hermione and me if you like it or not. You're going to let me help you in Transfiguration and you're going to help me get Harry to notice me!"

Duo smirked and asked, "What was that again?"

"You've been distant for the past two days, but I've seen Cho and Harry in the hallway together," she sighed, sinking into the chair that he previously occupied.

Duo ruffled her crimson hair and stated, "Hey, Red, if I was Harry I'd chose you any day."

"But you're not Harry, you're Duo and the girl that you like is with Malfoy," she sighed.

Duo asked, "Well, what are we going to do about it?"

"I don't know. Just you know so much about girls and boys and all of that," Ginny answered with a shy smile.

Duo snorted, "Normally, I'd agree with you, but this is after Hotaru Tomoe here."

"Well, I always thought that girl was a little odd," Ginny replied as she stood up.

Duo smiled at her and said, "This is funny. The guy you like is with another girl and the girl I like is off with this asshole and we're sitting here bitching about it."

"Exactly. On with the bitching!" Ginny cheered, throwing her fist into the air.

Duo laughed, feeling better. He looked down at the redhead below him and wondered what the hell was wrong with Harry for not noticing her. He wondered what the hell was wrong with him for not wanting her. Well, maybe not, the Scythe Barer thing would put a dampener on many relationships he realized with a wiry smirk.

Duo said, "Well, I have a plan." Ginny got up and they started out of the Tower together.

She asked, "What?"

"Well, I'll beat the living shit out of Malfoy and you'll give Cho a couple of Jerry Springer-esque bitch slaps," Duo proudly proclaimed. He had explained to Ginny the torrid freak show that was the Jerry Springer Show one day during Quidditch practice after making one of his infamous pop-culture jokes and she had been clueless about it.

Ginny giggled and pantomime a few slaps and Duo chanted, "Witching ho! Witching ho!" Ginny laughed uproariously at this as they walked into the Great Hall. Duo leaned closer and whispered, "Witching ho." Ginny giggled and pushed him into his chair.

******

"His dad's a Death Eater," Duo spat, his eyes flashing violet fire.

Death Eater, one of Voldemort's inner circle, one of his loyalist followers.

And could Draco's father really be one or was Duo just being jealous?

"Hotaru?" Draco's voice called out as he peered at her with a smile on his handsome, pale features.

She shook her head and smiled back and answered, "Yes, Draco?"

"You looked like you were some place else, Hotaru," he replied, his grey eyes twinkling.

She chuckled, "Maybe I was."

"Was I there?" he asked with a smile.

She was about to answer him when he grabbed her hand and helped her over a fallen log. They were on their way to one of the other classes they shared together, Care of Magical Creatures. She found that class enjoyable and Hagrid amusing and likeable. She was looking forward to having a class where she wasn't alone where Duo could distract her.

She kept a hold of Draco's hand as she answered, "Maybe."

"Maybe? What does that mean?" he asked teasingly, but under his cheerful tone she sensed a hint of possessiveness, something that she didn't like.

Hotaru shrugged and answered, "If I invite you or not."

"Oh, so this is an invitation only affair. Well, Hotaru, I assure you that I'd be on my best behavior," he replied with a dashing grin.

At that moment, Harry Potter and his crew, including Duo Maxwell, rushed past. Ron asked, "Really, Duo, what were you and my sister laughing about earlier?"

"Confidential information, buddy," Duo answered impishly.

Hotaru froze. Of course, why would Duo even give her a second glance when he had someone as lively and fiery as Ginny Weasley to keep him company? She wrapped her arm around Draco's and said, "I think you're invited." He smiled brilliantly as they walked away.

Hotaru pretended that she didn't see the look of smug satisfaction that Draco cast Duo or the utter hurt plastid upon Duo's features.

******

"Duo, you need to get over her fast. She's trouble if she's snogging Malfoy," Ron advised Duo as they continued their walk to Hagrid's cottage.

Harry saw the look of utter hurt on Duo's face when she and Draco had walked off together, holding hands like that. He had felt the same way when he saw Cho and Cedric together. Besides, from what Harry had put together, Hotaru was here to help protect Duo, not to hurt him.

It looked as if she was doing a better job of doing the later than the former in Harry's humble opinion.

Harry asked Duo, "Does she know who Malfoy is?"

"I told her, but I think it pissed her off more than anything," Duo replied, shoving his hands deeply into his robes' pockets. He sighed, his breath clouding the air for a moment.

Harry suggested, "Why don't you try talking to her. It wouldn't hurt."

"You know, it use to be easy. Going into the Gundam, becoming the God of Death, completing my mission, go back into hiding, and every so often I'd pick up a girl, have a one night stand, and it's over. Now, this is complicated," Duo sighed, looking up at the cloudy sky.

Hermione patted his shoulder and said, "Life wouldn't be interesting if it wasn't complicated."

Harry snorted and replied, "Easy for you to say, Hermione."

Ron scratched his nose and asked, "What's up with you and Ginny though?"

Harry shifted uncomfortably in his shoes. He had eaten breakfast with Cho and she asked him to walk around the grounds during their free time tonight. He had of course accepted, but he knew that Ginny had a huge crush on him and really didn't want to hurt her feelings.

She was a good friend, not like Ron, Hermione, or even Duo, but still a good friend none the less. Harry figured that he needed all the good friends that he could get. He just didn't expect the wave of jealously that washed over him when he saw Ginny and Duo together, laughing like that.

Duo grinned, "Red's just a really good friend, Ron. Besides, I don't think I'm her type. So you can send off George and Fred. I really don't wanna fight those two. They might kick my ass."

Harry laughed and replied, "Or turn you into a canary. If they ever try to see you any candy, don't buy it."

"Dude, that's just wrong," Duo chuckled, shaking his head.

They were almost at Hagrid's hut when a blur of black, blue, and lavender landed beside them. Trunks straitened out his robes with a chuckle. He turned to face them; his cheeks whipped pink from the wind and his intense blue eyes shining. He shook his head, causing his lavender hair to fall around his angular features. He laughed, "Man, you have no idea how good that feels!"

Hermione gulped and asked, "What happens if someone catches you?"

"I doubt they could see me, Hermione. Besides, I waited until everyone else left the castle to fly here," Trunks assured her, the grin still on his face.

Harry snorted, "Oh, good and well you can fly on your own power." He would do almost anything for that ability. Still, he figured that his Firebolt was good enough to take flight on.

Ron's face scrunched up as he asked, "What about Quidditch, are you still going to play?"

"Yes, only you four and Ginny, even though I don't know who told her," Trunks cast an angry glance at Duo, who only winked, "Well, and Hotaru and Setsuna too as the other professors, know what I am. I need to keep the secret from the rest of the school. Besides, wouldn't it look really strange to suddenly quit the team before our first game?"

Ron chuckled, "Brilliant, Gryffindor is sure to win the cup this time! Who could get a Quaffel past someone who could destroy a planet!"

Harry smiled, pleased with the idea of winning every Quidditch match. Trunks shook his head and replied, "Well, Dumbledore suggested that I let a few balls past not to raise too many eyebrows. I've already promised not to go off my broom either."

Ron asked, "What sort of broom do you have?"

"A Comet Sixty, like your brothers, but mainly, don't tell anyone," he leaned closer as he continued, "I jazz it up with my ki."

Duo whistled and stated, "And I thought that I was bad!"

Trunks grinned sheepishly and replied, "Well, I have to train somehow."

Harry asked, "What is this about training, you keep talking about it?"

"Sayans over go a long, hard training regime to keep up their power. It's a philosophy that my father lives by and I agree with him," Trunks answered with a grin.

Harry asked, "I thought your father was dead?"

"The alternate reality version of him, Harry," Trunks corrected as they reached the hut.

Harry imagined what it would be like to go to a world just like this one, except for the fact that Voldemort didn't kill his parents and Sirius was never incarcerated. He could imagine being held in his mother's arms for the first time and what it was like to have a normal family. To be just a normal wizard, and not the Boy Who Lived. He was envious of Trunks at that moment as they walked to the back corral.

Neville looked up at them and waved at Trunks. He looked rather distraught, but then again, Crabbe and Goyle were alternately pushing him. Trunks glared and grumbled, "Those bastards. They have no right to pick on him just because they're stronger."

Duo warned, "Um, Trunks, buddy, just don't kill them, okay."

Ron chirped, "Go ahead and kill them, their fathers are Death Eaters too." Harry groaned, imagining Trunks punching Goyle's head in before kicking Crabbe in the gut, collapsing it. Then Snape taking a thousand points off Gryffindor before Trunks was expelled, leaving Duo in easier reach for Voldemort, who would in turn attack Hogwarts . . .

Hermione warned, "Don't start trouble."

Trunks gave her a flashing grin as he walked over beside Neville, glaring at Crabbe and Goyle. Crabbe and Goyle glared back before looking down and moving away. Trunks grinned as he leaned against the corral fence.

Duo climbed up the fence and mused, "I wonder what Hagrid's going to bring out today."

******

"Damn it," Forest cursed loudly.

Duo had found himself in the dungon again, grinning up at the blond vampire. Harry was beside him, watching worrily as she floated, trying to thread a punching bag through a hook in the ceiling. Harry wondered why he followed Duo here, but he realized that he had wanted to speak to Sean again, ask him some more questions.

Forest cursed, "Mother fucker, get in the damned hook!" She finaly threaded it through and she chirped, "Hell yeah." Then she gave the bag a good side kick.

Duo walked over to the bag, giving it a few punches and kicks himself. Forest lifted an eyebrow and said, "Someone's taught you some things. Looks like a combination of Akiedo and Jeet-kun-do."

Duo nodded happily and answered, "Yeah, Heero was Japanese and Wufei was Chineese. I know more Akiedo than Jeet-kun-do."

Harry asked, "How did you know that? All he did was move."

Forest chuckled and answered, "Trunks would of told you the same. Its just when you see enough of it you can distinguish the styles. For example, Akiedo is about throws, blocks, and holds while have you ever seen a Bruce Lee movie?"

Harry nodded and answered, "My cousin use to worship him before he got into video games." He remembered watching Enter the Dragon with Dudley and then Dudley wanting to practice the moves on him. Uncle Vernon had locked him in the closet for a day when Dudley tried to do a high kick and only ended up over balancing himself, thus, falling on his arse.

"He was the man who practicaly formated Jeet-kun-do," Forest explained.

Harry reasoned, "Which has more punches and kicks, right?"

"You're a fast learner, Harry. Wanna learn a few good things?" Forest replied apprasingly.

Duo punched the bag again with a grin. He said, "Come on, it'll be fun to get your ass kicked repeatedly."

Harry looked at the clock on the wall and frowned. He was going to be late with his walk with Cho. He smiled happily as he draped his cloak over his shoulders. He said, "Later, but I have to meet someone. Thanks though."

He ran out of the room, running into Sean. Sean smiled and straitened Harry to his feet. He asked, "Where are you off too, Harry?"

"No where," he replied, trying not to blush.

Sean shook his head and teased, "Ah, the Ravenclaw perfect and Seeker, you're meeting her. Well, Harry, have fun. You only live once you know."

Harry shouted, "Thanks!" He ran up the stairs, hoping that Cho wouldn't be mad that he was late. He reached the entrence to the Ravenclaw dorms and smiled when he saw her tiny body standing there. She looked lovely, her long, raven hair floating about her oval features.

He smiled and stammered, "Hi, Cho." His cheeks were bright red and his heart was pounding, but the smile that Cho gave him was worth it.

She asked, "Ready for our walk?"

He held out his arm, as he saw Malfoy do. She smiled and took it. His face grew warmer as he managed, "Of course."

******

Ginyu was croaking loudly. Trunks looked at the alien frog and snapped, "If you don't stop it I'll shove your face into this pillow." He waved his pillow for emphasis.

Ginyu croaked again and jumped off the nightstand, hopping out of the dorm room. Trunks growled, "Ginyu, you get back here!"

He chased the frog down into the dungons and frowned. Snape lived down here as well as the other Slytherins. Still, the thought of punching Goyle and Crabbe was very entertaining as he followed the frog into a room.

He froze when he saw Draco Malfoy talking to what looked like an older version of himself through a misty, green fire. Ginyu hopped back to Trunks' feet and Trunks peered into the room, lowerng his ki so that Malfoy wouldn't sense him.

Malfoy said, "Father, what do you want? Why couldn't you just owl me?"

"Because this is important, Draco, I want you to listen to me," the other Malfoy demanded.

Draco asked, "What is it, Father?"

"Does Duo Maxwell have anyone that he pals around with or any one that follows him around?" Malfoy asked his son.

Draco looked confused as he answered, "Yes, Potter, the Weasleys, Granger, Hotaru Tomoe, one of the new students, but he just likes her. The feeling's not mutural. Oh, and Trunks Briefs, the freakish boy with the lavender hair."

Trunks' fists clinched together in anger as he listened. Ginyu pointed and Trunks nodded. He picked up the frog and continued to listen as Malfoy's father said, "Thank you, Draco, you have helped me greatly."

"Father, why do you care about who hangs around the American anyway?" Draco asked, peering into the fire.

Malfoy sneered, "It's none of your concern, Draco. Good night." With that, Malfoy's image flickered from the flame, leaving the fire bright green.

Draco put the fire out with a flick of his wand and sighed. Trunks gathered up Ginyu and floated to the ceiling. Malfoy walked out and looked around, frowning. Trunks watched him from where he was floating, frowning.

He figured that Malfoy didn't know that Duo was the Scythe Barer, but his father did and was finding out about the four Guardiens.

Trunks floated down to the ground again and looked at the frog, which croaked happily. Trunks whispered, "Good job, Ginyu. Thanks."

How am I going to stop him short of killing him? Trunks thought as he headed back up to the tower.

******

"How are you?" Harry asked, knowing it was a question Cho was probably tired of hearing.

Cho shrugged and answered, "Coping I guess. Still, how did you deal with it?"

"I had to. Voldemort really didn't give me much of a choice," Harry replied with a shrug, trying to forget that horrid night when Wormtail killed Cedric.

Cho chuckled, "You probably didn't want any of this."

"It's better than living with the Dursleys," he replied dryly, letting a smile stray on his features.

Cho laughed and said, "Still, Harry."

Harry looked into the night and at the full moon. He thought fleetingly of Remus Lupin and hoped that he was hidden away safely where no one could harm him and he couldn't harm anyone as of now. The light cast a silvery reflection on the cold lake and Harry watched the shimmer while reflecting on everything that had happened in the past five years from Hagrid appearing to now, sitting with Cho.

Harry smiled at her and answered, "I wouldn't trade it for anything."

Cho reached out and brushed his hair from his forehead. His breath caught as she traced his scar with her fingertips. She withdrew her fingers and stood up. He stood up as well. They turned to look at the lake and Cho rested her head against his shoulder. It felt good and natural to wrap his arm around her.

Cho confessed, "Some times I still exspect to see Cedric walk down the hallway, waiting for me. And he never does."

"I'm sorry," Harry replied.

Cho smiled sadly at him and stated, "At least you survived."

"I always survive, whether I like it or not," Harry snorted, which caused Cho to laugh.

He looked at the lake and thought aloud, "Still, I wonder if I could of done something different that night. Like grabbing the cup for myself and not letting Cedric touch it."

"Harry, you didn't know any better. You were being good and noble, and that's what I like about you," Cho soothed, running her fingers through his hair again, looking at the scar. "So much pain, Harry, so much pain."

Then the most amazing thing happened.

Cho leaned over and kissed him. It was a quick kiss, a gentle kiss, but a kiss none the less. Harry felt almost giddy when she pulled away.

She blushed and said, "I shouldn't have done that."

"I rather enjoyed it," Harry replied with a grin. Then, feeling rather bold himself, he leaned over and kissed her. This kiss was a bit more intense, fueled with the grief of the past few months. Cho's arms wrapped tightly around his body as they kissed and he cupped her face with one hand, marveling at the softness of her skin and ran his fingers through her long, silky hair.

They pulled away, their breath mingling in the frosty air. They chuckled and looked down. Harry looked up at the sky again and the misty moon hanging bloated there. He said, "It's getting rather late."

"Will you walk me up to my dorm?" Cho asked.

Harry took her hand and squeesed it gently. He smiled as he answered, "I'd love that."

As they walked past the Gryffindor tower they didn't notice the small red head watching them. Or the cry of grief of a little girl who's heart was breaking as Ginny Weasley sunk to the floor.

*******

TBC

*******

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