Roger.Davies.and.his.girlfriend.seemed.glued.together.at.the.lips..
Cho.s.hand.was.lying.on.the.table.beside.her.coffee.and.Harry.was.feeling.a.mounting.pressure.to.take.hold.of.it..Just.do.it,.he.told.himself,.as.a.fount.of.mingled.panic.and.excitement.surged.up.inside.his.chest,.just.reach.out.and.grab.it..Amazing,.how.much.more.difficult.it.was.to.extend.his.arm.twelve.inches.and.touch.her.hand.than.it.was.to.snatch.a.speeding.Snitch.frommidair….
But.just.as.he.moved.his.hand.forwards,.Cho.took.hers.off.the.table..She.was.now.watching.Roger.Davies.kissing.his.girlfriend.with.a.mildly.interested.expression..
.He.asked.me.out,.you.know,..she.said.in.a.quiet.voice...A.couple.of.weeks.ago.
.Roger..I.turned.him.down,.though...
Harry,.who.had.grabbed.the.sugar.bowl.to.excuse.his.sudden.lunging.movement.across.the.table,.could.not.think.why.she.was.telling.him.this..If.she.wished.she.were.sitting.at.the.next.table.being.heartily.kissed.by.Roger.Davies,.why.had.she.agreed.to.come.out.with.him?.
He.said.nothing..Their.cherub.threw.another.handful.of.confetti.over.them;.some.of.it.landed.in.the.last.cold.dregs.of.coffee.Harry.had.been.about.to.drink..
.I.came.in.here.with.Cedric.last.year,..said.Cho..
In.the.second.or.so.it.took.for.him.to.take.in.what.she.had.said,.Harry.s.insides.had.become.glacial..He.could.not.believe.she.wanted.to.talk.about.Cedric.now,
.while.kissing.couples.surrounded.them.and.a.cherub.floated.over.their.heads..
Cho.s.voice.was.rather.higher.when.she.spoke.again..
.I.ve.been.meaning.to.ask.you.for.ages….did.Cedric.‐.did.he.‐.in.‐.in.‐.mention.me.at.all.before.he.died?..
This.was.the.very.last.subject.on.earth.Harry.wanted.to.discuss,.and.least.of.all.with.Cho..
.Well.‐.no.‐..he.said.quietly..There.‐.there.wasn.t.time.for.him.to.say.anything.
.Erm….so….d.you….d.you.get.to.see.a.lot.of.Quidditch.in.the.holidays?.You.support.the.Tornados,.right?..
His.voice.sounded.falsely.bright.and.cheery..To.his.horror,.he.saw.that.her.eyes.were.swimming.with.tears.again,.just.as.they.had.been.after.the.last.DA.meeting.before.Christmas..
.Look,..he.said.desperately,.leaning.in.so.that.nobody.else.could.overhear,..let.s.not.talk.about.Cedric.right.now….let.s.talk.about.something.else.
But.this,.apparently,.was.quite.the.wrong.thing.to.say..
.I.thought,..she.said,.tears.spattering.down.on.to.the.table,..I.thought.you.d.u.‐.u.‐
.understand!.I.need.to.talk.about.it!.Surely.you.n.‐.need.to.talk.about.it.t.‐.too!.1.mean,.you.saw.it.happen,.d.‐.didn.t.you?..
Everything.was.going.nightmarishly.wrong;.Roger.Davies.s.girlfriend.had.even.unglued.herself.to.look.round.at.Cho.crying..
.Well.‐.I.have.talked.about.it,..Harry.said.in.a.whisper,..to.Ron.and.Hermione,.but.‐..
.Oh,.you.ll.talk.to.Hermione.Granger!..she.said.shrilly,.her.face.now.shining.with.tears..Several.more.kissing.couples.broke.apart.to.stare...But.you.won.t.talk.to.me!.P.‐.perhaps.it.would.be.best.if.we.just….just.p.‐.paid.and.you.went.and.met.up.with.Hermione.G.‐.Granger,.like.you.obviously.want.to!..