Lunar New Year falls on the day of a Hufflepuff-Gryffindor Quidditch match, which is unfortunate, because while Cho's been dating Cedric for some time now, she refuses to forgo her New Year's red. She's used to having her holidays overlooked, though, so when Cedric gives her a puzzled look over breakfast (red hair ribbons and underwear- not that he can see the latter- the best she can do given the dictates of school uniforms) she simply smiles and says nothing.
It doesn't matter if he doesn't understand, she tells herself. This doesn't belong to him, neither the secret rush of joy and firecrackers, nor the mini-banquet and hongbao her mother sends from home. (Well, technically Dumbledore gives her a hongbao too- filled with sesame candy instead of money- but that's not the same thing, even if she hasn't the heart to tell him his gestures are misplaced.) It's not the same anyway- it can't ever be, when she's at school on her own, cast adrift from the warmth of family and community- and she'd rather keep her celebrations private than suffer through awkward explanations.
So she says nothing. Smiles. Kisses Cedric before the match, cheers Hufflepuff even as she assesses Harry's flying, nods at Parvati across the pitch. Afterward, she leaves Cedric to his teammates and climbs to the top of the Astronomy Tower, where she sets up a tiny altar for her deceased ama with Dumbledore's candy and a stick of incense. It doesn't feel like enough, but she knows- she hopes- the sentiment is appreciated somewhere beyond the stars.
Then she goes back to the Ravenclaw common room, where Padma and Parvati and Su Li are waiting for her.
"Gong xi fa cai," says Su, smiling. "No Cedric?"
"Happy new year, Cho," says Padma. "Hope you don't mind that we're adopting a Gryffindor this year- apparently Lav can spare Parvati for a night after all."
"Hey!" Parvati says. "I'm just happy that we can celebrate together; holidays are terrible when you're alone."
"Which means," Padma says severely, "no ducking out on us for Holi this year, or there will be consequences."
Cho has to laugh. "I'll keep that in mind. Gong xi fa cai! And no, no Cedric; this is just for us."
Su drags her into a one-armed hug. "Great. Let's eat! My mum sent us persimmons this year."
Cho unwraps her mother's basket, smiling. It's not quite family, this, but friendship and understanding go a very long way.
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that unnoticed, & that necessary
Date: 2010-08-01 07:50 pm (UTC)It doesn't matter if he doesn't understand, she tells herself. This doesn't belong to him, neither the secret rush of joy and firecrackers, nor the mini-banquet and hongbao her mother sends from home. (Well, technically Dumbledore gives her a hongbao too- filled with sesame candy instead of money- but that's not the same thing, even if she hasn't the heart to tell him his gestures are misplaced.) It's not the same anyway- it can't ever be, when she's at school on her own, cast adrift from the warmth of family and community- and she'd rather keep her celebrations private than suffer through awkward explanations.
So she says nothing. Smiles. Kisses Cedric before the match, cheers Hufflepuff even as she assesses Harry's flying, nods at Parvati across the pitch. Afterward, she leaves Cedric to his teammates and climbs to the top of the Astronomy Tower, where she sets up a tiny altar for her deceased ama with Dumbledore's candy and a stick of incense. It doesn't feel like enough, but she knows- she hopes- the sentiment is appreciated somewhere beyond the stars.
Then she goes back to the Ravenclaw common room, where Padma and Parvati and Su Li are waiting for her.
"Gong xi fa cai," says Su, smiling. "No Cedric?"
"Happy new year, Cho," says Padma. "Hope you don't mind that we're adopting a Gryffindor this year- apparently Lav can spare Parvati for a night after all."
"Hey!" Parvati says. "I'm just happy that we can celebrate together; holidays are terrible when you're alone."
"Which means," Padma says severely, "no ducking out on us for Holi this year, or there will be consequences."
Cho has to laugh. "I'll keep that in mind. Gong xi fa cai! And no, no Cedric; this is just for us."
Su drags her into a one-armed hug. "Great. Let's eat! My mum sent us persimmons this year."
Cho unwraps her mother's basket, smiling. It's not quite family, this, but friendship and understanding go a very long way.