I Want to Feel Something, Anything

Cho pulled her robes around her small frame even tighter. Nothing really fit well anymore… not with all the weight she had been losing.

She looked up at the dark forest looming up ahead. She knew it was forbidden for a reason, but she couldn't think of any. Taking a deep breath, she stepped inside the forest.

It was dark and gloomy, the smell of death and decay in the air. But she couldn't feel it… she couldn't even feel afraid.

But she didn't feel much of anything anymore. Not after he died…

Holding her head high, she continued walking straight. She didn't know what she hoped to gain from this?

Death maybe? Death certainly sounded nice right about now. Because she couldn't deal with it anymore. She couldn't deal with the pain of losing him.

The moment he had died, a part of her had died too. She was now a zombie, not really dead, but not alive either. Cho was just going through the emotions. It had been so damn long since she had felt anything.

Marietta followed the tracking spell, thanking Merlin that Cho was all in one piece when she had found her. When Cho had disappeared from their bedroom, she had just known. Known that Cho was going to try and do something stupid.

And Marietta loved her too damn much to let her go without a fight. So she had grabbed her cloak and wand and followed Cho outside.

Cho had stopped in a small clearing, the moonlight shining down on her. Her pale skin looked almost translucent in the dark.

"Cho," Marietta called out, her heart breaking when she saw how lost she looked.

Cho turned, smiling sadly at her friend. "Why are you here?"

"Because I won't let you do something stupid," Marietta replied, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"But I don't want to live anymore…" Cho said out loud.

Marietta shook her head, tears in her eyes. "Don't say things like that!"

"It's been so long since I've felt anything," Cho said, looking up towards the moon. "Maybe I won't even feel death's cold embrace."

"Stop talking like that, Cho! I know Cedric was your boyfriend, but I don't understand why you're acting like this. He wouldn't want you to take your own life," Marietta said, taking a few steps closer to Cho.

"Because I feel guilty. Why did I get to live when he didn't? Why should any of us live, while the others die? It just isn't fair, Marietta." Cho turned to face her, tears running down her face.

"That's just life, Cho. All of us will die sooner or later, but only when the time is right. The time was right for Cedric… not for you though, I'll be damned if I let you go."

"Why do you care so much?" Cho whispered, unable to control her grief.

"Because I love you, Cho. I love you more than anything. I know I'll only ever be your friend, but it doesn't change the fact that I love you. Seeing you like this… so broken and depressed, it kills me Cho."

Her eyes had widened. "I had no idea."

"Of course you didn't, you were so wrapped up in your self-pity," Marietta snapped at her.

Cho's cheeks reddened. She lowered her eyes, mumbling softly, "I can't change, even if I tried… even if I wanted to."

Marietta shook her head, her red curls bouncing. "I don't believe that, and I know you don't either."

"But-"

"No, no buts Cho. You will get better, you'll see." And with that, Marietta crossed the short distance between them, crashing her lips against Cho's. They kissed passionately for a moment, each not really thinking of anything but the feel and sensations.

Pulling away, Marietta blushed. "Now come on, we're getting you back inside the castle." Taking Cho's hand, she led the girl back inside.

Cho allowed herself to be pulled along, too shocked to really say anything. Because for the first time in months, she had actually felt something.