"You think?" he asked.
"Oh yes," she assured him. "Couldn't you tell?"
"I was worried that maybe I was just seeing what I wanted to see," he told her honestly.
"I don't think you have anything to worry about. There was no doubt in anyone's mind as to just how serious you were."
"Thanks," he replied, slightly relieved. "I was reluctant to even teach that curse, but I knew that I had to. It's useful to know in case you ever do get attacked and are forced to fight for your life. Sometimes stunning just isn't enough, especially when you have several attackers. They can just keep reviving each other, and you never gain any ground." He had learned that the hard way, but the only reason he was still even talking about it was to stall the inevitable. He knew why she was there and where she wanted the conversation to go; he just wasn't looking forward to it.
But that didn't stop her from going forward. "You did the right thing, Harry," she reassured him cheerfully. "So cheer up. Besides, there are much better things you should be focusing on, like the upcoming ball."
Harry groaned inwardly but maintained his polite exterior. "Yeah, I guess it doesn't really do to dwell on things you can't control."
"Exactly," she agreed brightly. "So is there anyone special you're looking to go with?" she asked suggestively.
"Yes," he answered tiredly.
"And?" she questioned with a wide smile.
"I'm going with Ginny Weasley," Harry said frankly, hoping she'd just drop it if he came out and said it.
"Yes, I heard about that," she admitted. "You asked her to the ball to prove to her brother how easy it was to get a date. But I'm sure she'd understand, you know, if…." she trailed off slightly.
"If what, Cho?" Harry questioned warningly.
"Well, I was kind of hoping you and I could go together," she explained slowly, completely ignoring his warning tone. "I'm sure that she'd understand if you told her that you don't really want to go with her. I mean, you were just proving a point by asking her, and you didn't know that Michael and I had broken up at the time."
Harry wearily ran a hand down his face, bracing himself for what he was about to say and how she would react. "Look, Cho," he said sternly, "I'm going to the ball with Ginny because I want to go with her, not to prove a point, and not as just some substitute for you."
"But- but I thought you liked me," Cho pouted accusingly, her eyes beginning to glisten.
"I did like you," Harry admitted, "last year. I had a crush on you. But we tried getting together, and it didn't work out. You're a really nice girl, and I hope we can still be friends, but…."
"But we barely even went on a date," Cho interrupted, tears still threatening.
"And look how our one attempt turned out," Harry pointed out. "Look, we don't even have that much in common. And the fact that you think I would even consider ditching Ginny to go to the ball with you shows just how little you know me. Even if I did want to go with you, I would never just abandon someone like that, especially such a good friend. But the point is that I'm happy to be going with Ginny." Harry paused to take a breath and collect himself before continuing softly, "I'm not the right guy for you, Cho."
"Fine," she spat at him, angry tears streaking down her face, upsetting her mascara. "Have fun with your little friend at the stupid ball." She turned away from him and stormed toward the door. She stopped halfway to her destination, turned back to him, and yelled, "She probably can't even afford decent dress robes. I hope you enjoy showing up with the only girl wearing rags." With that said, she whirled back around and stomped out of the room. A loud boom echoed through the cavernous room as she slammed the door behind herself.
"Well, that went well," Harry muttered to himself as he mentally asked the room for some training dummies.
....
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