Note: I am new to writing anything Harry Potter so please keep that in mind when reading as well as I do not have a beta either. Hope you enjoy.
"The muggles have something called the Kinsey scale to help determine the spectrum of a person's sexuality," Hermione added while diligently scratching away at her History of Magic homework. As an eleven-year-old oddity, she was very familiar with the Kinsey scale. Hermione knew something was different about her when other girls started giggling about boys she just didn't have the ability to swoon at them like the girls did. She found herself looking more towards her fellow girls with attraction than that of boys. Hence, the diligent and studious Hermione Granger researched sexual orientation. She took the Kinsey scale test. Scoring a firm six.
Fay raised her eyebrow at Hermione. "What is a Kinley Scale?"
"Kinsey scale and it is a rating scale used to determine a human's sexual orientation. It is ranked from zero to six. Zero being exclusively heterosexual and six being exclusively homosexual with bisexual being a firm 3." Hermione added with her voice going into a teaching like pitch.
"Well, wizards have a way of telling if a person is 'you-know', of the same persuasion." Fay Dunbar spoke quickly to interrupt her and then whispered. "Homosexual."
Hermione lifted her head and looked at her roommate. "Which spell is that? I haven't heard of it." She thought that she had read ahead enough to know most spells in the wizarding world by name at minimum.
"I don't know the exact name, something like libinis, libibili, or libidinis, invento, invenio, but you can find it in the restricted section of the… library." She paused when she noticed all the girls watching her with interest. "Why does it matter anyway? We all know McGonagall is 'you-know', of the same persuasion... um…likes girls…women... not the same persuasion as me," She choked out in a whisper at the end of her sentence.
Hermione hid her snicker behind the bushiness of her hair as she leaned over her homework paper. "And how do you know this?" She asked once she could stop her body from trying to laugh.
Lavender Brown jumped into the conversation excited to be able to gossip finally. "My mother ran into Professor McGonagall and Madam Bones at a romantic restaurant on Valentine's day past when they were going to dinner. She told my auntie that Professor McGonagall was holding the Ol' Bones hands and all cuddled up with her."
In exhilaration, Parvati Patil added, "That's still no proof Lavender! You don't want others to hear you."
"That's defamation and an accusation like that could ruin a family's reputation. And a punishable crime!" The quiet ginger girl, the last of Hermione's roommates, added in disgust.
"But, I am telling the truth! And I can prove it!" Lavender squeaked out.
"There is no reason to prove anything. It's not important to know who is homosexual and who is not." Fay reasoned.
Hermione sat quietly listening to the conversation wondering if what Lavender spoke of was actually… true. Something deep inside of herself squeezed her heart with the need to know. She wanted to know if her beloved professor was a lesbian or was this just another rumor.
"Then why even bring up the question, to begin with? You said you wanted to know if the professor was gay? Are you smitten with her?" Lavender asked Fay directly. "You are barking mad if you think we are going to drop this now."
"I meant no such thing! I merely was curious because she is never married and with you saying the woman needs to get laid. I was not saying I had an interest in her. I just was curious if she preferred her same-sex!" Fay tried to escape the accusation fast.
"I will prove it! I swear the professor likes women! I don't care if you were merely curious, now we all are curious!" Lavender beamed with a calculating smile. "Meet me in the back of Transfiguration class. Say five minutes before the class start." She whirled around jettisoning off of her bed and rushing out the door.
"Well, I for one do not wish to be punished for defamation of an Order of Merlin (First Class) recipient and renown Transfiguration Mistress, but, I really want to know." Fay cleared her throat loudly. "Do you think Lavender will be able to find the spell?"
"Probably not. She has to have permission to enter the restricted section and without it, she will need to sneak past Madam Pince. Which I might add is nearly impossible. She has an uncanny love for those books. It is said she even put jinxes and hexes on certain books. It makes a girl wonder." Parvati snickered and then looked at Hermione and added. "What is with those books by the way? What makes them so precious to her? You seem to have a kindred heart with her." She paused momentarily and cocked her head slightly. "Come to think of it you have a kindred heart with dear Professor McGonagall too. What is your take on her inclination towards women?"
Hermione lifted her head from her homework and pretended to not know exactly what Parvati was asking. "Inclination? What do you mean? How would I know what Professor McGonagall likes or dislikes?" She started closing up her books and putting up her supplies into her book bag. "Besides, Madam Pince and Professor McGonagall know how to appreciate the need for knowledge and books. That is what the so-called kindred heart we three have. I am going, we shouldn't be late for dinner."