Ginny makes a deal Cho cannot refuse

An; the final strand. This one is completely unlike the other two. Ginny is nowhere near as evil as she is in the other strands. This Ginny cares about Hermione, and not in a dark way. But she will still be a deceitful snake in the way she goes about getting Hermione.

The main difference though is that Hermione does feel something for Ginny, just not quite as much as she feels for Cho. And whilst the other two strands are and dubious at best, this one will be completely above board.

Oh and I think I said Cho and Hermione had lived together for 3 years, dating 4 or 5 years. For this strand it's 5 years of living together, 7 years dating.

Naturally this will be a lot of build-up before we get to action. But if you can’t go the long haul then just scroll down. I won’t need to tell you when the action starts.

That's all I've got to say, auf weidersehen for now.

Cho’s POV

This will either be a waste of my time, or a very bad thing. I'm going to actually follow Ginny’s request to meet her in the home teams locker room after the Harpies match.

I should've known the invitation to this game had an ulterior motive. Ginny owled us both VIP tickets to this game as a celebration for mine and Hermione’s engagement. I was sceptical but I gave the benefit of the doubt.

Hermione was excited, for the celebration afterwards rather than the match itself. And you know Quidditch is Quidditch; a sport that I love, live and breathe. So it took no time at all for the pair of us to accept the invitation.

Then Ginny greeted us out front, dressed in her gear. She insisted we come down to the locker room after the game for a quick chat and to meet the team, for Hermione's benefit of course, I already knew most and played with some of them.

But then Ginny addressed me and I knew my initial suspicions were right. Apparently the manager was satisfied for her to come off after she scores 120 points for the team by herself, and once subbed any player can go change out their gear. Which meant Ginny and I could speak alone for as long as we needed.

I tried not to think too much about this chat, focusing on making Hermione feel comfortable. Her knowledge of the rules basically stemmed from her experience of Hogwarts matches, and there were an abundance of different laws in professional Quidditch than the house games at school.

So I always commentate on the game for her, talking about the tactics each team are using and how to spot when they're using them. Explaining why some barges are fouls and some are not. And generally answering any questions Hermione had on the game. She hates to ask too many questions because she hates to seem unintelligent, but she can't help herself at the same time. She loves how patient I am with her, even when it should be fairly easy to understand.

Then the media attention helped distract me. Not in a good way, but it is to be expected. There is a reason why players go to spectate a match they're not playing in, and it's the same reason why most players don't. Everyone assumes you're there to scout out, especially managers and senior players. I'm the Tornadoes captain watching the Harpies play Puddlemere, I'm obviously scouting and just brought my partner along.

It's never because I like to watch Quidditch, or even because I was invited.

So I'm invaded by paparazzi the moment there is a timeout, and like the pro I am I hide my annoyance behind a smile and answer their questions. Hermione is not shy about shooting daggers their way though. That's an advantage at least, they don't bother me too long before they're running for their lives from the glare of the powerful witch Hermione Granger.

But then Ginny bags a 12th goal in the Harpies favour, and right on cue Ginny fist bumps her teammates before flying down to the team bench, another chaser swooping into the mix to replace her.

”Alright, I'd better go see what she wants. Won't be long love” I inform Hermione.

”She WANTS a chat. Just a few minutes of your time. Now stop being so fussy and go” Hermione lightly shoved me in the side, her warm smile making me feel a little better about this chat I was about to have.

I leaned in and kissed her sweetly before stuffing my hands in my winter coat and made haste. The stairs are a long walk, and I didn't want more time to dwell on what I was about to walk into. Get it over and done with I say.

I took the free elevator down to the ground and proceeded in the direction of the locker rooms. VIPs are the only spectators free to walk around this area, besides that I'm a player myself and would probably get away with being here even without the privilege.

I keep forgetting that the Harpies have special conditions about their locker room. Being an all-girl team meant no males could enter, including their own male training staff. The team employs a locker room guard to enforce this. I am envious, at Tutshill we have six males in our squad who change with the otherwise female team, plus a male manager. We had separate showers so the girls just made sure to wear something to and from our one. But separate locker rooms would be a dream.

The guard standing there just glanced at me and nodded politely, stepping out the way to let me through. I smile at him and speak my thanks, and that would be the last time I would genuinely smile that day.

Ginny was already in her personal clothes, except for the purple knee length socks she was in the process of removing and she had only her knickers on below the waist.

Now listen, I love Hermione with everything I am, and she wins hands down to everyone. But I am just like any human being, when their eyes see something nice a reaction of some kind must occur. Ginny is a stunning woman no doubt, and even I am not completely immune to her bodily charms. Her personality and attitude ruins it, but I can appreciate her form easily enough.

My spluttered cough wasn't meant to declare my entrance, I just choked on air seeing her exposed firm backside, but it ended up working for me. Ginny looked up from her bent position, her foot propped on the bench to make her sock removal easier.

”Come in, take a seat” Ginny said, positive or negative, I couldn't distinguish her tone one way or the other.

I decided not to sit on the bench behind her, that was a fools trap. The thought came to me about whether Ginny called me here privately to...seduce ME. But I batted that thought away, remembering that I know she has the hots for Hermione only. Still though, sitting behind that delectable rump, watching it wiggle in my face as she continued to change. I'd either turn into a flushed vegetable, or lose my nerve completely and scarper back to Hermione, back to safety.

I was mighty relieved when she pulled up some trousers and stood up straight. She turned to me and looked me up and down. If she saw the heat in my cheeks she didn't comment on it, or just assumed the chilly air was responsible. ”Do you consider yourself a lesbian?”

I still had no idea what this was about, she weren't making it easy to work out either. Was her question an ice-breaker or did it actually have a point to it? ”I’m marrying a girl aren't I?”

”You’re marrying Hermione. The greatest catch of our generation, everybody wants her” Ginny told me.

”Including you” I promptly added.

Ginny chuckled and tilted her head to indicate her approval. ”Right you are, but we're missing the point. Take the person out of the equation, and think on the gender. Do you consider yourself a lesbian?”

”Why are you asking?” I countered.

”Why are you avoiding the question?”

”I’m fine to answer the question, but is it worth the answer? Is this what you wanted to speak about, or is it leading somewhere else?”

Ginny snickered, finding my cautious attitude amusing. ”I just want to know, for interest’s sake.”

I don't believe her one bit, there was something more than general interest but to find out what I needed to play her game for the time being. ”I don't consider myself a lesbian, because I'm attracted to men too.”

Ginny was satisfied with my answer. ”You’re bi, I guessed as much. And Hermione?”

I felt even more defensive now she turned her question towards Hermione. ”She’s bi too.”

Ginny's smile unsettled me, I don't know why. ”That's nice to know.”

”Why is it?”

”My my, you are so defensive tonight aren't you” Ginny couldn't keep the smile off her face. I was fast growing sick to of it.

”Can you please...just fucking tell me why you called me down here?” I snappily asked.

Ginny's face did darken this time, her eyes fierce. ”Alright then. Your proposal. I'm here to question you on your proposal to Hermione.”

I was already positive my engagement would've had something to do with her wanting to speak to me, but the proposal specifically wasn't the top of my list. ”What about it?”

”I found the news of your engagement very interesting, the timing really struck me, didn't feel quite right. I expected you to propose one day, surprised you hadn't already to tell you the complete truth. But hearing your news the other day, I just wanted to clarify. Did you always intend to propose to Hermione this week, or did our mutual friend Annalise have anything to do with it?”

The colour immediately left my face and I felt a boulder form in my gut. ”An-Annalise? Annalise Turnbull? No. She didn't. I didn't know-”

”That I’m on talking terms with her” Ginny finished for me. ”Oh I very much am. We've slept together enough times, nothing serious you know just harmless fun. And as you know, Annalise is very active with her mouth, and I'm not just talking about her cunnilingus skills.”

”As a matter of fact I don't” I threw back at her. ”I hope you’re not suspecting that I've slept with Annalise Turnbull?”

”Why would I need to suspect, when I heard it from the whore’s mouth?” Ginny's smirk spread and I knew I was in trouble here.

”What has she told you?” I ordered instead of asking her.

”I can see the fear in your eyes Cho, so you know exactly what she told me. And she showed me exactly what you two got up to last week.”

”Nothing happened!”

”Oh, well that's not what I saw when she showed me the photos.”

But it was the truth.

Okay, I'll explain. Annalise Turnbull, the top-model hotter-than-hell little nymphomaniac, whose only goals in life are to win every beauty contest and take every desirable celebrity person to bed. Male or female.

It's no surprise that she's nabbed Ginny. She's nabbed everybody. Viktor Krum. Gwenog Jones. Amelia Lockhart, yes Gilderoy’s not-a-phoney niece. Oliver Wood. Marcus Flint (they weren’t always desirable). And the big one, Harry Potter, oh I kid you not.

And recently it could’ve been me on that long list...could’ve been. I did not go through with it. I couldn’t.

Yes, I flirted.

Yes, I found her incredibly alluring.

I do admit to a bit of...touching. was involved. An offer was made, I agreed to said offer. We left the bar together. We got to my front door, yes mine and Hermione’s home.

And it ended there. The moment I stopped and looked at our house number. The wore off and the lust evaporated. I couldn’t do this to my beautiful, loyal girlfriend. And she wasn’t even that, she was...is everything to me.

But I was wrong. Annalise was directly responsible for my proposal. Not in the way Ginny thinks, not in the way Hermione will see it if she finds out. I looked at my front door, OUR front door, and when I thought about the girl who I share that house with I didn’t picture my girlfriend anymore.

I saw my life partner. I wasn’t coming home from Quidditch to a shared house with my girlfriend, I was coming home to my WIFE. I sent Annalise absolutely packing after that, and now I see maybe I should’ve been a little less harsh about it. Maybe then she wouldn’t have opened her big mouth.

I bought a ring the very next day and asked Hermione to marry me over what was meant to be an ordinary evening dinner, it turned into a celebratory meal when she said yes.

And honestly I had forgotten all about what nearly happened with Annalise. Can you blame me, when the woman I love agreed to marry me? Nothing was on my mind other than her.

Now I’m paying for my mistake.

“Ginny” I tried pleading to her, hoping she didn’t see me as fake. I was anything but fake. “I know we’ve never liked each other, we are constantly rubbing each other up the wrong way, or trying to outdo the other for our stupid pride and ego. But we have always had one thing in common, Hermione means the world to both of us.”

Ginny was listening, and probably liking the fact she had my fate in her hands. She was letting me talk though, so I did. “If you had Hermione’s heart, would you have slept with Annalise? I don’t think you would, you’d have been tempted but you’d never go through with it. I know you well enough to say that you are far too loyal for that. You couldn’t do that to Hermione, no more than I could. So I’m telling you now that I did not sleep with Annalise, and if you’re honest with yourself you know I’m telling the truth.”

Ginny blinked and her eyes flickered down to the floor for a moment. Was she thinking about what I said? Did she believe me? I didn’t have time to ask that very question before her eyes met mine again. “I do believe you didn’t sleep with her, but Cho, you’re wrong about one thing. If I had Hermione, I would not have been tempted by Annalise. That is not me getting one over you, it’s the complete truth.”

My eyes started to well up at her confession. I know what she was saying, and I felt ashamed because she was absolutely right. It didn’t matter that I stopped it from happening, it didn’t matter that I changed my mind, the very fact that I agreed to a night of passion with someone other than the person I intend to marry. It was unfaithful.

I knew what was being offered to me, and I agreed to it, I couldn’t blame the . I knew what I was doing, if I had taken her to a hotel room and not the house I don’t think I would’ve stopped what happened. I could argue the point all night, but I’d lose the argument. I wanted to cheat on my girlfriend, now fiancée.

“Ginny” I begged, eyes flooding out tears. “I do love Hermione, you know I do. I will never, EVER be tempted like that again. And I’m not going to promise you, I’m going to prove it to you. I’ll do whatever you want, just don’t tell Hermione about Annalise. I’m begging you.”

———

Ginny’s POV

A part of me actually felt sorry for Cho. When she’s begging to me I could feel the genuine feelings flowing out of her. We both loved Hermione intensely, and I’d be doing the same grovelling if I was in her position.

But I meant what I said, I would never even contemplate cheating on Hermione. Cho did. The one thing I could say about Cho before this was there was no way in hell I could ever see her straying. I had blatant bullshit stories ready before this, that I mentally tore up and scrapped because I knew they’d never stick. Cho had Hermione-vision, she didn’t see any beauty other than the one she’s marrying.

I was a little surprised to see her flustered when she came in, looking at my half-dressed form like I was a siren of some kind. That should’ve been a shock in itself to see Cho look attracted to someone other than Hermione. But I was already shocked by someone that literally fell into my lap a few nights ago.

Apparently when Cho ditched Annalise she immediately went back to the bar, in a quest for a serious rage fuck. I was there actually thinking about what I could do to win Hermione, getting absolutely nowhere with it. Then like the gods answering my prayer, Annalise chooses me as her partner and spouts off during sex about that bitch Asian seeker in love with the know-it-all.

I had my resolution. And now here I was, I could crush their relationship like a twig or be merciful. It was a real battle between both for a while, but I reminded myself of my original goal, to have Hermione for myself.

If I had Cho in my debt, I can make her agree to anything I wanted. I could fuck her fiancée with her permission. And that was mightily appealing. She said she was begging me now, but I think there’s still a little bit of work to be done before she’s ready to agree to this deal.

“You know, I don’t think it’s that easy Cho. Because what I ultimately want is Hermione to be happy and looked after, and I can no longer trust you to do that.”

“Oh come on, you know I can make her happy and look after her, I’ve done so throughout our entire relationship” Cho replied, still sniffling.

“Up until now yes. I didn’t say I never trusted you, I said I trusted you no longer.You made that mistake once and you can make it again, next time something WILL happen. Why should I give you that opportunity?”

Cho bowed her head like a . “What do I need to do to prove to you I mean what I say?”

I walked over to her and tipped her head up gently by the chin. “What if I said I could put you and Hermione on a level playing field? If you tell Hermione now that you tried to sleep with someone else, she won’t understand because she’s never cheated. But what if she did, what if when you tell Hermione about Annalise she forgives you, because she cheated as well.”

Cho looked confused and shocked all at the same time, momentarily escaping her misery. “Hermione would never cheat on me though.”

“You were saying the same thing about yourself ten minutes ago.”

“But this is Hermione Granger. She’s the definition of loyalty, she’s too smart to be sucked in like I was, and her moral compass alone will never allow her to become a cheat.”

I can second that, even if I could get Cho’s permission actually getting Hermione to cheat was by a long stretch the hardest part of this plan. So maybe it was not just Cho’s permission I needed, maybe I needed her help too.

“What if this person she cheated with had all the right tools? What if this person knows everything they need to know to capture her interest? How she likes to be touched, what gets her in the mood, what she finds attractive about a person? You know Hermione inside and out. Surely there’s stuff you do that makes her weak at the knees, little quirks that make her heart race.”

Cho stared at me and her intelligent brain worked out what I was planning. “You want to sleep with Hermione. And as part of our deal, you want me to help you do it.”

“I’d give you an Outstanding on that if I could” I responded.

“And I’ve got a great big F you can go off with” Cho bit back. “I said I’d prove it to you that I’m worthy of Hermione. I will not let you use this as an opportunity to take her from me.”

In all due respect, how can ones lover be taken if one is more than willing to give her away for a sex-crazed trollop. “Your poor faith in Hermione really astounds me, it’s almost as if you think she won’t turn me down. But more to the point, you don’t understand what we’re trying to achieve here.”

Cho glared at me hard for my former comment, but because of the latter she kept quiet and listened. ”You attempted to cheat on Hermione, you intended to, no matter how unsuccessfully. And that's all we need her to do to save your...I was gonna say relationship but it will soon be marriage won't it. My point is you win because you'd have both cancelled each other out and then you're heading off into the sunset together, happy that you'll never cheat on each other again.”

Cho brought a finger up to her chin, taking note of what I'm explaining to her. ”Hermione cheats with me and I’d have gotten what I wanted for years. Hermione doesn't cheat, then she marries you and is eternally happy. But not only that, you'd have proved to me you deserve her.”

”But isn't this whole idea completely contradictive. Because I genuinely fucked up, we have to get her to fuck up as well, instead of owning up” Cho was seriously trying to be the voice of reason towards something beneficial to her own happiness.

”Would you rather I stitch you up and we take a chance on Hermione's forgiveness? I'm telling you now, you get one chance with her and that's the chance to be with her. Now maybe her love for you will save you, but you'd be playing big boys gambling if you take that option”.

I actually do remember a chat back at Hogwarts, long before Cho, where Hermione spouted to me the importance of being faithful. ”Faithfulness should not have compromises or conditions” I believe was a quote that stayed with me. Thinking about that made the situation a near impossibility. To go back on those words made her a hypocrite, and hypocrisy was something Hermione hates.

Cho jolted me out of my thoughts. ”I know you're going to get a kick out of me just entertaining the thought, but I need to know. What if Hermione does, you know, sleep with you?”

I smiled again, hoping it seemed encouraging when it was in fact smugness. I never had any intention of keeping it a one night stand. I never intended for Cho to redeem herself, that had nothing to do with it. This wasn't about her anymore, her and Hermione were finished when she agreed to take Annalise to bed. I will sell out Cho to Hermione whatever happens.

She gave me this opportunity and I wasn't going to let it slip through my fingers. I just need her help to get the ball rolling, to get her demise underway. And it doesn't matter if they break up, or stay together and get married, I will keep bedding her until she's to choose me.

But for now I had to pretend to be the friend, not the rival. ”As much as I would love to steal her from you Cho, you know that she loves you. The greatest unfaithful sex in the world couldn't change that in one night. If she were to cheat with me, and it's a big if, she'd certainly feel rotten in the morning. About as rotten as you feel knowing you betrayed her. THEN you can both fess up, forgive and forget.”

Cho had an expression on her face never aimed towards me before, approval mixed with gratitude. She was fooled by my plan, I think she still had doubts in her head around my motivations. But she also knew I had her, if she ever had them, nuts in a vice. I had all the right in the world to snitch on her, I had the right to make her my if I wanted; but as far she knew I chose a solution that if done right would turn a negative situation into a positive result.

”You know” Cho said. ”If you told me a week ago that I’d let you attempt to sleep with my fiancee, so that I can avoid the backlash of attempting to sleep with Annalise Turnbull, I would have knocked you spark out and spat on your body.”

Woah, what a claim, harsh but doubtful of success. She continued ”I’m only considering it now because...I know I'm screwed if I don't. At least this way, my chances of a second chance are much greater. I know I will never do that to Hermione again, I don't just say it I know it. But you are dead right, giving people chances is not something Hermione takes lightly. And what exactly can I say to persuade her I'm worth trusting again? ”I’m sorry love, but in my defense she was hot as hell””.

”And speaking of, you should probably be getting back to her, or a moving photo of her fist clattering a photographer will be on tomorrow's back page cover.”

Chi sniffed in amusement, her nose had been running so it still sounded like she was crying, and her eyes still a little red. “Don’t take it too personally if I root against you seducing my fiancee.”

I smiled and responded ”I won't, just don't be surprised if Hermione looks a bit sluggish and wild the next morning, my sex partners really do go for a ride. I'll owl you again to set up a meeting, then we'll work together on the plan.”

She nodded her understanding then left. And I couldn't help muttering under my breath ”two mistakes in one week, you're really going to regret this one.”

---

Later that week

Hermione POV

I was asleep when Cho finally clambered into bed behind me. I had been dreaming of cruising in the Adriatic, Cho’s bikini and a seemingly endless supply of tropical fruit smoothies served in coconuts.

She took a while to settle, a lot of sighing going on, before snuggling up to me and intertwining my body with her arms. Her warm, ticklish breaths on the nape of my neck stirred me even more awake. ”Yyyaaahhh, whhaaa-what took you so long lovey?” I yawned.

Cho kept silent for a few moments, besides a light kiss on my pulse point, then replied ”just business, don't worry about it.”

I hummed a few chuckles ”you know that by saying don't worry about it, you inadvertently make people worry about it. It's basic reverse psychology.”

Cho went silent again and I gathered it must have been through tiredness, so just as I was about to stop waiting on her reply, she replied with something completely out the blue, yet incredibly common. ”I love you Hermione.”

My eyes popped open and my surprise was evident in my voice. ”Yeah, I love you too.”

”You do don't you, love me?”

Even whilst baffled, I still reply immediately ”of course I do. I’m marrying you Cho, of course I love you.”

The insecurity did not stop. ”You know I love you right? You know I'm not lying, or just saying so? I have loved you from our first night together back in Hogwarts til now, and forever after this night. You know that don't you?”

Even if I didn't before I certainly did then, but that was a moot point. ”Yes, I've always known. Love, what's brought this on?”

”Nothing...nothing, just needed to hear you say it.”

Okay, I didn't buy that for a second. ”Did anyone say something different?”

”No. No they haven't. I just thought it had been a while since I last told you, and that I should tell you more often.”

”That you love me?”

”Yes”

”Cho you can barely get through a sentence as it is without saying it. Are you sure you're feeling okay?”

”I say I love you all the time yes, but not how much. Anyone can say I love you and not mean it, even if they think they do. But I'm different, I know I love you because I'm lost without you. If I lost you I'd never love again, they'd be nothing left”

It wasn't the words that made me turn over and embrace her, yes they concerned me but they were nice to hear. But when I heard her ragged breaths I knew she was crying, and so it proved there was something horribly wrong and I had to fix it.

Losing myself in her wonderfully sleek hair, I clutch her to me like she'd break if I let go. ”Cho Chang, nobody is more sure of how much you love me than I. You make it blatantly obvious day-in-day-out. Even if you never said it, I’d know it.”

”And...if I was to...” she didn't finish and I knew if I pushed she'd clam up. You have to let Cho speak under her own power or you'll never find the information you need. ”In our weakest moments, when we're not ourself, sometimes we forget don't we? But you'd rather remember in times like this, when you're holding me or vice versa, than in a cold bed all alone.”

I wasn't really sure of what to say, so I only hummed my agreement. I mean...she’s right, even if I was not sure exactly what I was agreeing with.

”I’d forgive you Hermione. If you ever did something that contradicted your love for me, I'd forgive you. I will always forgive you.”

I rubbed Cho’s back, appreciating the sentiment. ”Okay. But Cho, I never have and never will-”

”Shh” she put her fingers to my lips and ducked her head up. ”It doesn't matter, I just want you to know.”

I nod my head and she settled back down again. I think she either fell asleep straight away or my calm breathing lulled her to sleep very quickly. I could not be more awake, my mind just trying to make sense of what just happened.

Was Cho trying to tell me something? What she said about ”moments that contradict our love”, did she mean times when we get angry, arguments perhaps? But she also said she’d forgive me if I forgot. I mean even in our most hurtful moments we never gave each other any indication that we love the other person less than we did before. If anything we loved each other more, time proves that theory.

Our most vicious row had been just before the Horcrux hunt. Yes, seven years and we never came close to getting worked up again like we did that night.

What with her being older than me, and the fact she'd lost someone she loved before, it's no wonder she took exception to me expelling her from joining us. I couldn't bring myself to take her, if I was to die I most likely would do so even if she accompanied us, then she'd have actually SEEN someone she loved dying in front of them. And it was the same in reverse, I couldn't be responsible for the life of someone I cared so much about, so early on in the relationship. It was my first proper relationship, and my feelings were soaring so quickly they began to scare me.

When I saw her after stepping out the passageway into Hogwarts, I think my heart stopped and restarted. I saw her shock turn to tears and I didn't even realise I had run at breakneck speed into her arms until I felt them wrapped tight around me. From that day onwards we'd stuck like glue. That fight diminished our love? More like cemented it.

So I know she couldn't mean anger or arguments, either one never really happens. ”Contradictive of love”, something that makes us forget we love someone, something that would take a lot of forgiveness.

Does Cho think I'm having an affair? Maybe she thought she had worked it out, or someone had told her. That would explain her insecurity, but also not...because surely she'd be angry first. Cho has not got a lack of self-esteem, if she found out I cheated on her she'd go after the arsehole who dared to come between us, and then go to town on me (verbally, never physically) until I grovel and plead.

At least, that's what I imagined. I wouldn't know for sure, I’VE NEVER CHEATED ON HER. But this feeble, cryptic approach was as much as a surprise as the thing she suspected me of. Maybe she felt if she told me she loved me and would forgive me, I'd confess to the non-existent affair.

But I can't confess to something I haven't done. I don't know anyone who would spread lies about me like that, or if they did she'd never believe them. If there was something I missed in the Prophet, I'd have heard her march into my department then send for her (me) legal representation to sue them for libel. And I most certainly have not been in a romantic scenario with someone where I could be photographed and labelled as cheating.

No, something was telling me Cho had worked her brain muscles too much, and had mistaken an innocent situation for evidence of my infidelity. Like when someone catches their lover meeting a stranger for coffee, only to find out they are a sibling the lover has lost touch with.

I do get a lot of client's, and sometimes I get emotionally involved or try to take responsibility for someone in a personal way. I once gave up mine and Cho's bed for a week so an innocent homeless man got to testify in the Wizengamot, about the gang of thugs who beat him senseless in the street. That was a particularly vile case.

If someone told her that there was something to a relationship with my clients that was inappropriate, then not only would I be investigating my own department for the lying culprit, I’d prove it to Cho tomorrow that I’ve only had eyes for her.

Eventually I fell back asleep and when I woke up again it was seven o’clock. Cho was gone and likely at training with the Tornadoes. I got up and made myself some breakfast, and boiled the kettle for my morning coffee.

I can’t erase last nights conversation from my head. I really needed to get a second opinion. I decided to call Ginny after breakfast, she’ll know what to do.

——————

Cho’s POV, later that night

I’ve really been struggling with my emotions today. When I’m performing way below par, snapping at my teammates and generally not enjoying my time in the air; that’s when you know I’ve got a problem. I was recalled after half an hour and told to go home by a red-faced head coach.

I very nearly snapped my broom on my way into the locker room. I slammed my locker shut and rested my forehead against the cold aluminium. I’ve always tried to hide my tears, no sobbing or sniffling, slow tear streams that I’d wipe long before they rolled over my cheeks.

But there was no case for that with me literally bawling my eyes out, and drowning the silent room in booming sobs I don’t think I’ve ever produced before. Not even when mourning Cedric.

Why was I crying? Nothing had happened yet, everything was planned but Hermione was fully expected to pass the test. I believed in us, and so does she.

But how could I be so sure of that when only a few days ago I nearly betrayed the woman I love. With some floozy I had no connection whatsoever with. Why did I think that would be better than what I’ve got? I deserved to lose her, but I just can’t bear her actually leaving me.

The thing that makes me most angry about what I did, I had no reason to do it. I have everything I could ever want with Hermione. The fact I have the fortune of her loving me back, that should have set me up for an entire lifetime of happiness. If I didn’t have her love, I’d give everything else up to get it. That included Quidditch.

So all I did was go for something I didn’t really want, risking to lose everything I ever wanted in the process.

The tears wouldn’t stop and I couldn’t have my teammates seeing them, so I left without even showering.

I didn’t go home. Today was the day, my role last night was to plant a seed in Hermione’s head that made her doubt me. That wasn’t to say I was pretending, every word and emotion was the truth. But that seed of suspicion from Hermione would be watered by Ginny.

Ginny’s role, other than to seduce Hermione, was to play on the idea that I suspected Hermione of cheating. Not the other way round. This was under the theory that Hermione is more likely to be malleable when miserable, rather than seething with rage.

But me and Ginny have a deal. Over the past few days I’ve constantly been reiterating the conditions. This opportunity will only come once, and if Ginny is unsuccessful then this thing stops. If she fails, she FAILS. I’ve got her word that she won’t say a word to Hermione about my near slip-up, if Hermione passes the test.

Do I trust her word? No. But I have to. I can’t change what happened, I can’t change what she knows. She wants Hermione. This might be her only chance. She can’t herself on Hermione, she wants Hermione to love her, not the opposite.

The part I believe the least is where Ginny said it will be just the once. I wasn’t born yesterday. If Ginny is successful she’ll come time and time again to seduce Hermione, with the assurance that she knows she’s been able to do it before. If Hermione cheats on me, we’re as good as over anyway, and it’ll be my fault.

Maybe there’s a masochist in me that thinks I should be punished for my straying, and that I myself should be the one to ensure it. Even thinking about cheating on Hermione, that is unforgivable to me. I won’t ever forgive myself.

If Hermione passes the test, she’ll save both of us. If she fails, I lose everything. If Ginny betrays our deal and tells her anyway, it could only lead to Hermione forgiving me, or not forgiving me. Hermione will save me, or she’ll punish me. It didn’t matter what Ginny does, it’s about what Hermione does.

I stayed away all day, and most of the evening. Going alone to all the places that mean something to me and Hermione. What I thought would be the longest day of my life, turned out to absolutely fly by.

Those precious memories, I could relive them all as if in real time. Everything looks the same. It’s almost like coming to these places is like building a part of your life inside a bubble. Everything is how you want it to be inside, nothing will ever change inside the bubble.

If the bubble could expand to cover the world, let today be the day it happens.

Eventually I ran out of places to see, and knew that if Ginny hadn’t completed the job by now, well she’d be getting and that’s when she’ll show her true colours or not. It’s time to face this thing.

I apparated on the path in front of our house and, like Deja Vu, I was stopped by the numbers on our front door. Last time it was a cold reality check, that came to bite me in the arse. This time it made too scared to enter my own home. My home for now at least.

I’m close to being broken. I need to get a grip, hope and believe everything should work out.

I stepped through the door and the smell of our usual dinnertime aroma was missing. I was drawn into the kitchen and my expectations of seeing my soon-to-be brunette wife at the hob or the table were denied. The food I could see and smell was on the table, the meal for two had grown cold and left half-eaten.

Wine glasses were empty.

I wasn’t a hundred percent sure if Ginny intended to talk Hermione back to her place, or if she’d do it here in our home. I hoped it would be the former, I hated the idea of walking in on it.

That’s way ahead of things though, Hermione could just be asleep. “Mee?! Are you home?”

No answer followed, but I checked the other downstairs rooms. Sometimes I found her napping on the sofa. But she wasn’t in the living room.

We had a guest bedroom downstairs, I checked there too. No luck.

I called up the stairs “Hermione?”

Still no answer, but I could make out sounds of movement, and something else. Extremely muffled though discernible if I strained my ears enough. Faint loud breaths in a quick staccato rhythm...and the headboard rocking?