.Gone?..said.Filch,.his.face.contorting.with.rage..
.Gone,..said.Harry.calmly..
Filch.opened.his.mouth.furiously,.mouthed.for.a.few.seconds,.then.raked.Harrys.robes.with.his.eyes..
.How.do.I.know.you.haven.t.got.it.in.your.pocket?..
.Because.‐..
.I.saw.him.send.it,..said.Cho.angrily..
Filch.rounded.on.her..
.You.saw.him.‐?..
That.s.right,.I.saw.him,..she.said.fiercely..
There.was.a.moments.pause.in.which.Filch.glared.at.Cho.and.Cho.glared.right.back,.then.the.caretaker.turned.on.his.heel.and.shuffled.back.towards.the.door.
.He.stopped.with.his.hand.on.the.handle.and.looked.back.at.Harry..
.If.I.get.so.much.as.a.whiff.of.a.Dungbomb.
He.stumped.off.down.the.stairs..Mrs.Norris.cast.a.last.longing.look.at.the.owls.and.followed.him..
Harry.and.Cho.looked.at.each.other..
Thanks,..Harry.said..
.No.problem,..said.Cho,.finally.fixing.the.parcel.to.the.barn.owl.s.other.leg,.her.face.slightly.pink...You.weren.t.ordering.Dungbombs,.were.you?..
.No,..said.Harry..
.I.wonder.why.he.thought.you.were,.then?..she.said.as.she.carried.the.owl.to.the.window..
Harry.shrugged..He.was.quite.as.mystified.by.that.as.she.was,.though.oddly.it.was.not.bothering.him.very.much.at.the.moment..
They.left.the.Owlery.together..At.the.entrance.of.a.corridor.that.led.towards.the.west.wing.of.the.castle,.Cho.said,..I.m.going.this.way..Well,.I.ll….I.ll.see.you.around,.Harry...
.Yeah….see.you...
She.smiled.at.him.and.departed..Harry.walked.on,.feeling.quietly.elated..He.had.managed.to.have.an.entire.conversation.with.her.and.not.embarrassed.himself.once….you.were.really.brave.standing.up.to.her.like.that….Cho.had.called.him.brave….she.did.not.hate.him.for.being.alive….
Ol.course,.she.had.preferred.Cedric,.he.knew.that….though.if.he.d.only.asked.her.to.the.Ball.before.Cedric.had,.things.might.have.turned.out.differently….she.had.seemed.sincerely.sorry.that.she.d.had.to.refuse.when.Harry.asked.her….
.Morning,..Harry.said.brightly.to.Ron.and.Hermione.as.he.joined.them.at.the.Gryffindor.table.in.the.Great.Hall..
.What.are.you.looking.so.pleased.about?..said.Ron,.eyeing.Harry.in.surprise..
.Erm….Quidditch.later,..said.Harry.happily,.pulling.a.large.platter.of.bacon.and.eggs.towards.him..
.Oh….yeah…..said.Ron..He.put.down.the.piece.of.toast.he.was.eating.and.took.a.large.swig.of.pumpkin.juice..Then.he.said,..Listen….you.don.t.fancy.going.out.a.bit.earlier.with.me,.do.you?.Just.to.‐.er.‐.give.me.some.practice.before.training?
.So.I.can,.you.know,.get.my.eye.in.a.bit...
.Yeah,.OK,..said.Harry..
.Look,.1.don.t.think.you.should,..said.Hermione.seriously...You.re.both.really.behind.on.homework.as.it.‐..
But.she.broke.off;.the.morning.post.was.arriving.and,.as.usual,.the.Daily.Prophet.was.soaring.towards.her.in.the.beak.of.a.screech.owl,.which.landed.perilously.close.to.the.sugar.bowl.and.held.out.a.leg..Hermione.pushed.a.Knut.into.its.leather.pouch,.took.the.newspaper,.and.scanned.the.front.page.critically.as.the.owl.took.off..
.Anything.interesting?..said.Ron..Harry.grinned,.knowing.Ron.was.keen.to.keep.her.off.the.subject.of.homework..