Harry Potter and the Order Of the Phoenix [95]
“One hundred forty to nothing!”
Harry’s fingers wrapped around the round Snitch. He felt it flutter and vibrate and try to get free, but Harry held on to it tight.
“What’s this!? Harry Potter’s caught the Snitch!” yelled Lee Jordan. The Gryffindor stands erupted into applause. “Gryffindor wins! Gryffindor wins! One hundred fifty to one hundred forty!”
Harry soared to the ground and held the Snitch high in the air. The rest of the Gryffindor team came running up to him and started cheering, “Harry! Harry! Harry!” The rest of the crowd joined in in cheering Harry’s name, everyone except the Slytherins anyway. The cheering continued all the way up to the Gryffindor common room where it turned into a party. Madam Pomfrey came into the common room, and tended to Harry’s room as quickly as she could. She mumbled something about youth and not caring about injuries properly, but Harry was too busy having fun to listen or worry about the crazy Quaffles too much.
Harry, both fortunately and unfortunately, had to leave early to go see Cho. He had to fight his way through the crowd in the common room to get to the door, and had to fight even harder to get through the door, people didn’t want him to leave.
But, he eventually did get through the masses, and quickly arrived at the Great Hall. Cho wasn’t anywhere to be seen, so Harry sat down at the Ravenclaw table to wait for her. Just when he sat down though, she came in.
It was as if she radiated an aura of beauty wherever she went, thought Harry as she came into the room. Even though she was in her normal black Hogwarts, and didn’t have any makeup on, or had her hair done in any special way, she was still the most gorgeous creature Harry had ever seen. How could someone as great as her like me? thought Harry.
She looked around the Great Hall, and when she spotted Harry, her mouth turned into a giant smile which she beamed straight at Harry. Harry gave a weak smile back as she ran over to him.
“Oh Harry!” she squeaked when she sat down. “Great job during the game! I can’t believe you got that Snitch so fast!” Harry didn’t know what to say, he didn’t want to say anything that would sound as though he was bragging since Cho was the Ravenclaw Seeker, so he just said,
“Thanks.”
“Harry,” she continued, “I overheard Professor McGonagall talking to Professor Dumbledore the other day. She said something about a dance, and a rumor, and something else, but… would you like to go to the dance with me?”
Harry was overcome with joy. He was going to go to the dance with Cho! But, then he thought, would there really be one? Was the dance rumor that Cho overheard just the story he had made up to get Professor McGonagall to do something about the clones? Either way, Harry was happy.
“Of course,” said Harry. “I’d love to.” Cho gave a small giggle.
“I can’t wait!” she said. “Now, about the Dueling Club you’re starting… I know you were in it before, so you’ve had more experience than me.” Harry laughed on the inside. The Dueling Club during his second year was little more than a joke. “Do you think we could get together after classes and practice?”
Harry was about to say yes when he remembered his Animagus lessons. He already had those after his classes.
“Um, how about a little later Cho,” said Harry. “I… uh… always have… lots of homework, what with the O.W.L.s coming up.”
“Okay Harry,” said Cho. “And about the O.W.L.s, don’t worry too much about them, they’re not nearly as difficult as people make them out to be. They mostly only test you on stuff you learned your fifth year.”
“I hope so,” said Harry. “So I’ll see you tomorrow, here, around… nine?”
“Sounds good,” said Cho as she and Harry stood up. Cho gave him a kiss, then walked back up to the Ravenclaw common room.
Harry ran back to the Gryffindor room, where the party was still going on, and showing no sign of slowing down. Harry found Ron and Hermione, told them about his new plans, and joined the party. Finally, at about midnight, the party was over, and