In the common room, Cho pulls her knees to her chest. There's a space next to her where Luna normally is. Luna's been gone for days now. Cho doesn't think about it, nor does she think about the way that various corners of the room seem to stare at her. Ravenclaws are not known for their fighting. They're known for thinking. Cho is, for better or worse, known for both. On some level, she does like that, being known, but she would prefer to be invisible. Being seen in this war means an X over your name, and Cho cannot tolerate the sight of her own blood.
Someone calls a hissing blood traitor from across the room. Voldemort might breed in Slytherin but that doesn't mean he can't slip outside, sneak into the calm silver and blue commons of this house. There are no uninfected homes these days. Cho clenches her toes in her shoes, but does not otherwise flinch. A reaction is as good as a confession. Still, it makes her skin creep, makes her think of her parents tucked away and not thinking that their daughter is fighting a war. Cho is braver than people think she is. You have one emotional breakdown over a dead boyfriend and everyone thinks you can't carry any weight.
A first year waddles up to her and taps her on the shoulder. Cho jumps at the intrusion, and then turns around, setting her Charms textbook face down on her lap.
"Neville wants to see you," the first year sputters. She puts the emphasis on the wrong place in Neville's name, and Cho imagines this girl has never heard of Neville Longbottom before. It takes a long time before houses start speaking to each other. Cho thinks this is a shame. They're not all so different, in the end. Cho whispers a thank you to this girl, this child, and tries not to think of the many years ago when Cho was her, when she walked through the Ravenclaw common room unable to breathe she was so enchanted. It doesn't seem like seven years ago. It feels like decades. Her bones ache. She ignores the stares that accompany her exit from the common room and breathes a little easier when she steps outside, when Neville turns to her, smiling.
Cho grins back. She feels safe around Neville. He has become their accidental leader, and the role, surprisingly, suits him. He walks taller than he ever has, though with a constant air of caution, like death could leap out of any corridor. These days, it could, and Neville thinks he has to protect all of them before himself. Cho is starting to get the feeling that Gryffindors are all warriors with self-sacrificial complexes.
"I was going to do some touring around the halls," Neville says. By touring, he means snooping, and it would be dangerous these days but Neville can get away with a lot of things. Everyone still remembers the small, shaking boy he used to be. Being perpetually underestimated will allow anyone to get away with unimaginable things.
"Looking for company?" Cho asks, but they're already walking toward the stairs. Her skin prickles. She is not as brave as Neville is. Ravenclaws are cautionary people. Neville would leap into battle, wand at the ready, while Cho would stand back and draw plans. She is not built for wandering the halls in a building owned by Severus Snape. But she also knows that Neville would never let anything happen to her, so she keeps going.
cho/neville - the heart for it (1/2)
In the common room, Cho pulls her knees to her chest. There's a space next to her where Luna normally is. Luna's been gone for days now. Cho doesn't think about it, nor does she think about the way that various corners of the room seem to stare at her. Ravenclaws are not known for their fighting. They're known for thinking. Cho is, for better or worse, known for both. On some level, she does like that, being known, but she would prefer to be invisible. Being seen in this war means an X over your name, and Cho cannot tolerate the sight of her own blood.
Someone calls a hissing blood traitor from across the room. Voldemort might breed in Slytherin but that doesn't mean he can't slip outside, sneak into the calm silver and blue commons of this house. There are no uninfected homes these days. Cho clenches her toes in her shoes, but does not otherwise flinch. A reaction is as good as a confession. Still, it makes her skin creep, makes her think of her parents tucked away and not thinking that their daughter is fighting a war. Cho is braver than people think she is. You have one emotional breakdown over a dead boyfriend and everyone thinks you can't carry any weight.
A first year waddles up to her and taps her on the shoulder. Cho jumps at the intrusion, and then turns around, setting her Charms textbook face down on her lap.
"Neville wants to see you," the first year sputters. She puts the emphasis on the wrong place in Neville's name, and Cho imagines this girl has never heard of Neville Longbottom before. It takes a long time before houses start speaking to each other. Cho thinks this is a shame. They're not all so different, in the end. Cho whispers a thank you to this girl, this child, and tries not to think of the many years ago when Cho was her, when she walked through the Ravenclaw common room unable to breathe she was so enchanted. It doesn't seem like seven years ago. It feels like decades. Her bones ache. She ignores the stares that accompany her exit from the common room and breathes a little easier when she steps outside, when Neville turns to her, smiling.
Cho grins back. She feels safe around Neville. He has become their accidental leader, and the role, surprisingly, suits him. He walks taller than he ever has, though with a constant air of caution, like death could leap out of any corridor. These days, it could, and Neville thinks he has to protect all of them before himself. Cho is starting to get the feeling that Gryffindors are all warriors with self-sacrificial complexes.
"I was going to do some touring around the halls," Neville says. By touring, he means snooping, and it would be dangerous these days but Neville can get away with a lot of things. Everyone still remembers the small, shaking boy he used to be. Being perpetually underestimated will allow anyone to get away with unimaginable things.
"Looking for company?" Cho asks, but they're already walking toward the stairs. Her skin prickles. She is not as brave as Neville is. Ravenclaws are cautionary people. Neville would leap into battle, wand at the ready, while Cho would stand back and draw plans. She is not built for wandering the halls in a building owned by Severus Snape. But she also knows that Neville would never let anything happen to her, so she keeps going.