Song selection:

1. Rumour Has It ~ Adele

Hermione's POV:

I raced by Ginny's side as we dashed up the many stairs to Gryffindor Tower, dozens of scenarios for damage control running through my mind.

We skidded to a stop in front of the Fat Lady where we found Harry leaning beside the portrait, nervously awaiting us. I took in his creased brow and wringing hands, inferring that he already knew. I took a deep breath, knowing that if I couldn't get Harry on my side no one would listen to me. For all I knew, Gryffindor would burn me at the stake for daring to associate with a former (or in their opinion, current) Death Eater.

"Listen, Harry," I began before Harry cut me off.

"No need to explain. Ginny's been gushing about you two for days." He gave me a once over, letting out a breath he seemed to be holding. "I don't love it, but Ginny adores...whatever this is, and you clearly adore him, and he you, so, I don't know, I guess it's okay. But tell him to watch himself. I defeated Voldemort, he won't be a challenge; so he'd best stay in line with you."

I wrapped him up in a relieved hug. "Thank Merlin, Harry. I don't what I'd do if you hated me."

He stepped away from my embrace, the worried look still affixed on his features. "It's not me you have to worry about. Pretty much all of Gryffindor is inside awaiting an explanation. I doubt everything Ron has been spouting is true, but even the biggest lies are palatable when paired with even a smidge of truth. I would know."

I nodded somberly, my spark of hope easily squashed. Harry's eyes flickered to Ginny, who was standing at my side, mysteriously not all over Harry as usual.

"Harry? Ginny?" I asked quietly. "Are you two alright?"

Ginny, who had been surprisingly quiet so far, grinned widely. "Yup. We've just had a little tiff." She leant closer to Harry and planted a quick kiss on his lips. "We're fine though."

Harry made a sound of agreement, and I filled that problem away for a later date, very much preoccupied with the issue at hand.

The Fat Lady chuckled. "Well you've got a fair bit of talking to do, the lot inside is in quite a tizzy. Is it true you had a three way with that cute blond one and the toothy brunette?"

I opened my mouth to tell her off for spreading rumours, but Ginny beat me to the punch. "Sod off and let us in. After ever after."

At the password, the Fat Lady sighed and swung open. "You lot are no fun. Always so serious."

I rolled my eyes and walked into the common room with Ginny and Harry standing protectively on either side of me. The common room was buzzing with the low hum of conversation, but it ceased instantly as I was spotted. I almost expected the sound of a record scratching to make the moment perfectly cliche.

"Right, before everyone starts wildly speculating-"

Peter Parker, the annoying third year that had proclaimed himself the official photographer of an imaginary school paper, held up a camera and yelled out a question over me. "Is it true your constant Slytherin orgies are a feeble attempt to make Gryffindor's own Ron Weasley jealous?"

With that, an explosion of questions rang out, students shouting ever wilder rumours over one another. I sighed, covering my face with my hands and rubbing my eyes. I took a deep breath and shouted. "Excuse me! Can someone please explain to me why this third year knows what an orgy is and why he thinks I participated in one? And for that matter, why everyone has their wands in a twist about my love life?!"

Neville cleared his throat and stepped out of the crowd of students. "Look, Hermione, I know it's not really our business, but this isn't really about the Gryffindor-Slytherin rivalry. There are plenty of good or at least not malicious Slytherins, why did you have to pick one of the few that are actual Death Eaters? His dad is in Azkaban! For Merlin's sake, he's still on the ministry watchlist!"

The students behind him started shouting again, some in agreement, though some were protesting that all Slytherins were evil and Malfoy was up to no good.

I shouted above the din once more. "I'm glad you lot are a smidge less immature than I thought, but that didn't answer my first question. What the hell are you debating about? It's not that complicated!"

A caramel-skinned second year I recognised as Rue Aster raised her small hand and asked in a timid voice, "What about the love hexagon? And the duel for your hand?"

"No, no," called out Silena Beauregard, a 6th year notorious for having all the juiciest gossip. "I'm pretty sure it was a love heptagon and the duel was settled three days ago. What I want to know about is the Slytherin three-way you had with Kathrine Peirce and Enzo St. John. That must've been wild."

My mouth fell into a perfect "o" and I placed my hands on my temples. "What. The. Fuck."

Ginny sighed sympathetically. "I told you it was bad."

I straightened. "First of all, none that is true. Second of all, how long have you had to speculate, and who have you blabbed your lies to?"

Neville spoke up again. "Ron told us all this about 10 minutes ago, but it all seemed so crazy we wanted to get our story straight before we spread it since so many of us disagree on the details."

"Alright," I paused, collecting my thoughts and deciding what to withhold and what to say. "I am not in any sort of love heptagon, or any other shape for that matter. I have had several...trivial interactions of a romantic nature with a Slytherin, and not that it's any of your business but it was only one, certainly not 7. There have been no duels or orgies, though there might be a murder when I find Ron."

Seamus' eyes were the size of saucers. "Wait, you're really dating Malfoy?"

I blushed furiously, knowing that I most certainly wasn't. I scrambled to cover it up with a biting retort. "Wait, you really think it's your damn business? Now where the fuck is Ron, I have a corpse to make if you're done being an absolute flibbertigibbet."

Seamus put his hands up in a gesture of peace and took a half step back. "Jeez, sorry. He's upstairs in the dorm."

I stormed forward with Ginny and Harry at my back, the crowd of Gryffindors parting before me, whether out of shock or fear I didn't know, and I didn't care. I threw open the door of the boy's dorm, and in the back of my mind I thought I heard it crack; though it was hard to hear anything over the ringing in my ears.

I found Ron lying leisurely on the bed, reading some pointless Quidditch magazine. "Ronald Billus Weasley!" I shouted.

He looked up calmly, a single eyebrow raised. Instantly, I realised that what he wanted was a reaction, and my rage grew tenfold. Really? Trying to destroy my reputation and rile up all of Gryffindor just to piss me off? Not a great plan. I put my hands on my hips and willed all signs of anger from my face. Well he's not getting one.

I cocked my head. "Congratulations."

He looked shocked as to why I wasn't yelling. "W-"

I interrupted him instantly. "You have invented a new kind of stupid. A damage you can never undo kind of stupid. An open all the cages in a zoo kind of stupid. A 'truly, you didn't think this through?' kind of stupid."

"Hey th-"

"Let's review. You took a secret you were never meant to know, that you knew nothing about, and shared with all of Gryffindor for what, revenge? A reaction? Now not only does the whole house know you tossed aside the best thing to happen to you since Harry, they know she was snapped up by the hottest guy in Slytherin House and your childhood rival. What the hell kind of plan was that? And you tossed in some easily refutable rumours that are so absurd I bet I have grounds for slander charges. Why?"

Ron took on the appearance of a fish, his mouth opening and closing without producing any noise. After about a whole 30 seconds of that, he found his voice. "Hermione, I hate Malfoy. You could have gone to anyone for your rebound, but you chose the man who made it his personal responsibility to shame me and my family for six years. If anyone is after revenge, it's you."

"Ron! You went after me, put a wand to my throat! I don't care what I did, for what purpose, that is something the man I love would never do. Because, no matter how confusing, I still love Ron. But you're clearly not him. And I don't know if you ever will be again, so if I want to move on, heal the heart you broke, what reason could you possibly have to stop me?"

Ron dragged his hands through his hair, clearly aggravated. "Ginny, Harry, out."

I spoke before they could comply or object. "No. You made this about more than just us when you involved the whole house, they stay."

"But-"

"Why Ron? Why are you acting like this?"

"No, I-"

"Ron just-"

"Because I still love you!" He shouted. "Regardless of all of this, I do!"

------------------------------------------------

Draco Malfoy POV:

I left just after Hermione did, after that debacle, I needed a shower and a good long wank. Unfortunately, I was accosted by Blaise the instant I entered the boy's dorms.

"Draco," he said in a sombre tone.

"Sorry mate, it's going to have to wait, I've had a hell of an afternoon." I snagged my towel out of my trunk and started to walk away.

"Yeah, not if you want to stay out of Azkaban it's not." I froze.

"What?" I muttered, my back still to him but senses on full alert.

"Your new girl. Look, I get it, I'd tap it if I could, but rumours are starting to get out and if they get to Potter you're in deep shit. You have to cut it off."

I was next to him in a flash, and I pulled out every one of my SlytherinIntimidationTactics™. "What?" I snarled, my face inches from his.

He was unfazed. "I'm just looking out for your best interests. Potter runs this damn school, what with his Chosen Oneness, and you are on thin ice with the ministry as it is. They're just begging for an excuse to throw you in Azkaban with your old man. I'd imagine the instant he finds out you're running around with his girl behind his back he'll hex you to hell, and you aren't allowed to fight at all under ministry probation rules, which means goodbye Weaslette, hello Azkaban. Really, it's for the best."

I backed off instantly, the tension in all my muscles dissipating. I chuckled lightly. "You're a good pal Blaise, but I'm not dating Potter's girlfriend."

He looked puzzled, but stuck to his theory. "Fine, shagging her, whatever."

I laughed. "No, not that either. It's quite funny actually."

Blaise frowned. "What is?"

"The fact that you think I'm sneaking about with Potter's girl, when she was just helping facilitate my giving Hermione Granger lessons in the boudoir."

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{SirenSong55: I'm a Ravenclaw. Any other ravens feel like we're the forgotten house? Gryffindors have the golden trio, Slytherins and Hufflepuffs have the house equality "movement" but Ravenclaws are just "the smart house". No? Just me? Ok I'll go.}