Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
Foreword: Just something completely random I thought up. I always wondered what the gossip mill was like in Hogwarts and thus I wrote it out.
Gossip
by Romantic Silence
"Harry is definitely dreamy isn't he?" Lavender sighed. "He really grew up from being that thin little boy in First Year."
Parvati Patil and Fay Dunbar giggled as they nodded their heads in agreement.
"So, Parvati, you were the one who went with him to the Yule Ball two years back, did you go very far with him? Kept some secrets from me, hm?" Lavender questioned her best friend, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.
At the reminder of that horrid date, Parvati frowned. "Humph, I told you before, Lav, it was no fun at all! Although, I have to blame Weasley more for the bad time. At least Harry was trying..."
"Don't talk about my Won-won that way!"
"Won-won?" Fay asked, snorting. "I can't believe you fancy him of all people."
"He's funny and his blue eyes are to die for!" Lavender took on a dreamy look. "I guarantee that I will snag him this year!"
Parvati and Fay turned to one another, shaking their head. Their friend was "in love" and there was no way for them to stop her. Once Lavender her sights on a boy, she had to date him no matter what. The only boy to ever successfully fend off her advances was Harry Potter, but he was claimed already by their resident bookworm.
Speaking of which, Parvati beamed. "Hey, have you seen Hermione lately? Isn't she absolutely beautiful now? I mean, sure, Harry is all grown up, but you always pegged him to become a looker, but I honestly didn't see Hermione be as attractive as she is now!"
"Ugh! I know! I'm so jealous!" Fay moaned in frustration. "My hair is still a frizzy mess while hers are so wavy and gorgeous!"
Lavender, broken from her stupor, patted her friend on the shoulder. "Don't sell yourself short, Fay! You're stunning!"
"Speaking of Harry, that reminds me. I've been hearing that Ginny still fancies Harry even though she is dating Dean!" Parvati announced.
"Oh Merlin!" "No way!" Came Lavender and Fay's response.
"It's true! I overheard her talking about it with some friends in the common room a few days ago."
"You don't think she's dating Dean to make him jealous do you?" Fay asked curiously.
Parvati and Lavender contemplated Fay's question. They wouldn't put it past Ginny to do something like that. However, she was a nice girl. But then again, even nice girls go absolutely spare if they really fancy a bloke. The two girls merely shrugged and stated that they hadn't the foggiest.
Lavender sighed. "I wonder when Hermione and Harry will stop dancing around each other and just date already?"
"Aren't they already dating?" Parvati voiced.
Lavender shook her head. "If they were, I would know."
"I don't know." Fay disagreed. "If you ask me, there are plenty of hints that they are. They probably just don't want anyone else to know. You know how Rita Skeeter was all over them during the Tri-Wizard Tournament."
"Viktor was so hot! I'm even more jealous of Hermione! I think she has a thing for Quidditch Seekers." Parvati joked, earning the giggles from the two other girls. "Anyway, Fay could be right. I definitely saw a lot of things that points to the two of them having some kind of intimate relationship. Oooh! Maybe they're shagging each other!"
"Shagging! Hermione Granger? Shagging?" Lavender shouted in a whisper. "I hardly doubt that!"
"No, hear me out! Last year, there was a night where Hermione didn't come up to the dorm at all. At first, I thought it was nothing, but later that morning, I caught her and Harry coming into the common room looking rightly ruffled and in a hurry!"
"Scandalous!" Fay blushed. "Now that you mention it, Hermione was very happy that day and she was walking kind of weird!"
"Oh Merlin! It's true then! Harry and Hermione are shagging!" Lavender excitedly announced.
"Who is shagging who?" A curious voice behind the three gossiping girls asked.
Standing on the steps leading to the boys dormitory was Hermione Granger. Her wavy locks were pulled back in a pony-tail where the end rested on her shoulder. It was nothing different, but one thing that stuck out to the three gossipers was the dress shirt she was wearing. It was several sizes too big for a girl that was Hermione's size. If they could hazard a guess, it was definitely one of Harry Potter's shirts. The two top buttons were undone, revealing a little bit of flesh. It was obvious she wasn't wearing a bra.
The three gossipers looked to Hermione's face, wondering if they had overheard them. However, instead of a look of anger, it was just a look of general displeasure. It was no secret that Hermione disapproved of their rumor mongering. Having dealt with Hermione more often, Lavender simply smiled and answered, "I didn't think you were curious, Hermione! You want to join in?"
Hermione frowned and shook her head. "No thanks. Anyway, just because it's only been a few weeks into term, that doesn't mean you should slack off. I know it's Saturday, but please actually try to get some of your work done." Her reprimanding finished, Hermione walked away from the stairs and went up to the girls dormitory.
Once all three were sure that Hermione was gone, the three quickly turned to each other sporting wide grins.
Lavender was bouncing on her heels. "Did you see Hermione? Oh Merlin! It's true! It's definitely true! Hermione is shagging Harry!"
"Definitely! Definitely! It was always obvious! I mean for Merlin's sake, she has Harry's old Quidditch jersey for her pajamas!" Parvati righteously exclaimed.
"We have to tell everyone!" Fay suggested excitedly.
The three girls were in consensus and they quickly left the common room to contact their friends in other Houses.
Little did they know, Hermione overheard the entire thing. She calmly walked back down the stairs shaking her head at the antics of her dormmates. Having gotten what she had needed from her trunk, Hermione walked back up to the boys dorm. The Sixth Year dorm was empty save for Harry's bed. Harry was sitting on top of the sheets, reading a book garbed in only a pair of boxers and a white shirt.
"Lavender, Parvati, and Fay knows." Hermione told him as she sat down on the bed. "Well, not necessarily, but come dinner, the whole school would think that we're shagging."
Harry chuckled. "But aren't we shagging?"
Hermione grinned and fell back on the bed. She stretched, exposing her stomach to an observant Harry. "I suppose we are, but I would prefer to think that we are merely enjoying one benefit of being a couple."
"Whatever makes you happy, Hermione." Harry smiled. "So, condoms?"
"I have it." Hermione reached into her pocket and took out four packs. "Honestly, I wished there was some sort of spell for this. It would make things so much easier."
"I already placed an order for the ingredients so we'll have all we need for the birth control potion in a few days."
"Much better than condoms."
"I definitely agree."
The two turned and stared at one another. Hermione raised an eyebrow and shook the pack of condoms suggestively.
Harry smirked slyly. "I thought you would never ask!"
The two began their little romp, casting the necessary spells required for their privacy. Outside the door leading to the dorm, however, was Neville Longbottom and Seamus Finnigan. The two turned their heads to each other, aghast at what was transpiring in the dorm.
"So... want to play exploding snap in the common room?" Neville asked.
Seamus nodded dumbly. "Sure."
They later vowed never to speak of what transpired.