Chapter 10

I awoke the next morning to find Ginny's bed empty. So there went another chance to talk to her. I started to walk down the stairs to the common room, but heard yelling.

"Ginny your being ridiculous!" It was Hermione's voice. I walked down the rest of the stairs and stood in the door way to the common room. Just about all of Gryffindor was standing around watching as Ginny and Hermione were having a yelling match across the common room. Ginny stood on one side while Hermione stood on the other side, Harry and Ron a few steps behind her.

"I'm being ridiculous? Your being ridiculous! Siding with her? You saw what she did, Hermione!" Ginny yelled back, her face completely red.

"Yes I did see, Ginevra! I was there! Harry was just comforting her as I yelled at YOUR brother for not sticking up for her when your OTHER brother was harassing her all break. You didn't stick up for her either GINEVRA!" Hermione was beyond angry and even though she wasn't yelling at me I still shrank away into the background.

"Why are you defending her? She's stealing Harry from me!" Ginny yelled.

"Harry isn't yours Ginevra!" Hermione yelled back.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN HARRY'S NOT MINE?" Ginny screamed. Harry's face paled and he looked at Ron out of the corner of his eye. Ron's mouth was dropped open in shock at Ginny's behavior.

"Exactly what I said." Hermione began to get calmer knowing that she was winning the argument. "If Harry liked you he would have asked you to be his girlfriend or at the very least on a date by now."

Ginny didn't say anything. She just stared at the ground and a look of realization passed over her face. She looked up into Hermione's smug face and her mouth dropped open. She gave a shrill scream and said, "YOU LIKE HIM DON'T YOU, HERMIONE GRANGER?"

It was Hermione's turn for her mouth to drop open. Hermione gaped at Ginny like a fish and looked behind her to Harry. He even had his mouth dropped open.

Hermione stared at the ground. "Yeah I do." she whispered. It was so quiet in the common room that everyone heard.

"You do?" Harry asked. Hermione's eyes shot up to meet his and she nodded her head then looked back at the ground. Everyone stared in shock at Hermione's sudden confession. I kept looking back in forth between Harry and Hermione.

Everyone watched, shocked, as Harry started to walk towards Hermione. She began backing away from him a startled look on her face. Harry moved too fast though and in a few steps had grabbed Hermione around the waist and pulled her to him kissing her.

It was just like a soap opera.

Everyone gasped in shock at seeing Harry and Hermione kissing passionately. I started blushing and looked at Ginny. Her face was bright red, but she wasn't blushing. After a few seconds she went storming out of the common room pushing a table across the room.

I shook my head at her and looked to Ron. He stood with his hands covering his eyes. I walked over to him and grabbed his elbow, pulling him out of the common room and down to the Great Hall.

"That is just about the scariest thing I have ever seen." Ron said disgustedly once we the portrait door shut behind us. "I had no idea they liked each other. Did you?" he asked. I shook my head no. "That is just weird."

I giggled at Ron's antics and made him sit across from he at the Gryffindor table.

"Why do you want me across from you?" he asked once we were seated.

"I don't think that I can make eye contact with either of them." I said hiding my face as they walked into the Great Hall holding hands. They sat down next to us.

It was awkwardly quiet until Hermione said, "Ginny is sending us both daggers." I looked up for a brief second and saw Ginny glaring back and forth between Ginny and I and whispering to Lavender.

"When did she become friends with Lavender and Parvati?" I asked, looking at a spot just above Hermione's head.

"I don't know. Yesterday?" Hermione said exasperatedly. "Emerald will you look at me?" she added with a sigh.

"I don't think she can Herms." Ron said with a sigh of his own. Hermione glared at him and began a conversation with Harry.

I rolled my eyes and smiled at Ron.

The day went by uneventfully. It wasn't until the next morning that something happened.

I got up as normal and got dressed. I was up a bit earlier than usual though. I went down to the common room. Seeing no one there I decided to go to breakfast. I was practically the only one at the table. There were a few first and second years on the other end, but I was mostly alone.

I didn't notice anything amiss, that was until Hermione came rushing into the Great Hall, Ron and Harry right behind her.

"What's wrong Herms?" I asked, using her despised nickname.

"Did you not hear what everyone's been talking about?" she asked sinking onto the bench.

"No." I said confused.

"Everyone's saying that Snape is your father." Harry whispered.

"What?" I screamed.

"I'm not sure where they would get a wretched idea like that from though." Ron said grimacing.

My face paled as I looked around the now full Great Hall. It was then that I noticed everyone staring at me, even the Slytherins, as they whispered back and forth. I chanced a look at the teacher table and found Snape, McGonagall and Dumbledore missing.

"Emerald?" Hermione asked, a sad look on her face. I gave her a small smile. "Is it true?" she asked.

"I'm not sure." I said shrugging my shoulders. "I had my ideas but I never told anyone except- GINNY!" I screamed standing up from the table.

She looked up from her discussion with Lavender and Parvati, her eyes wide. When she saw it was me who yelled she smirked at me and winked.

I moved towards her not even trying to hide my emotions any more.

"You are a self conceited bitch." I said punching her right in the nose. She grabbed her face and screamed.

"You whore!" she screamed. I hauled back to punch her again but was pulled away from her.

"Calm down." Harry whispered in my ear holding me back.

"Miss Weasley, Miss Farali!" Professor McGonagall said coming in the room. "Miss Weasley go see Madam Pomfrey. As for you Emerald, go to Headmaster Dumbledore's office immediately."

I stomped my way to Dumbledore's office. Finding the door open I barged in.

"It wasn't my fault." I yelled running in.

Snape stood up fast from the chair in front of Dumbledore's desk, looking shocked at my appearance.

"May I ask what wasn't your fault?" Dumbledore asked trying to hide his amused smirk.

I looked over at Snape and began to back out of the room. "I'll come back later." I said trying to leave.

"No stay, Miss Farali. I'm done here." Snape said rushing past me.

"Have a seat Emerald." I walked over to the chair Snape just vacated and sat down. "What have you done now?" Dumbledore asked, a knowing smile on his face.

"I swear to Merlin, Headmaster it wasn't my fault." I said standing up and putting my hand over my heart."

"Alright Emerald. Sit down. Now tell me what happened."

"You know how I stayed at the Weasleys for break?" he nodded. "The whole entire time I was there I was harassed my Charlie. He kept flirting with me and Ginny never stuck up for me. Ron tried to comfort me but Hermione was still angry at them both for sticking up for me. When we got to the train station Charlie kissed me! But anyway, on the train Hermione was verbally assaulting Ron for not sticking up for me. I tried to defend him and Hermione yelled at me. I sat down and Harry grabbed my hand as a form of comfort. Ginny barged in the compartment jumped to conclusions and has been spreading rumors about me ever since." I jumped over the whole Harry and Hermione thing yesterday morning and to the point.

"Is that all that happened, Emerald?" Dumbledore asked with a smirk.

"No. When I found out Ginny said a secret I told her I called her a self conceited bitch and punched her. Professor McGonagall made me come here." I said staring at the ground.

"Emerald you need to control your language. What secret did Miss Weasley say?"

"Headmaster I really don't want to talk about it." I said looking away.

"I understand Emerald. You can go but I need you to do me a favor. Can you go down to the dungeons and get Professor Snape for me?"

I nodded. "Thank you for being there for me Headmaster." I left the room and skipped my way to the dungeons. There was absolutely no way that Snape could have heard the rumors about him being my father. He had been with Dumbledore during breakfast.

I peaked my head into his classroom and found it empty. I walked to the back of the room and peered into his office. He was sitting in his chair behind the desk.

"Professor?" I asked timidly. Suddenly I wasn't so sure of myself.

"What is it?" he growled, not even bothering to look up.

"Headmaster Dumbledore wants to see you." I hissed. I might be a bit afraid of him hearing the rumors, but that man still pisses me off. Using that tone with me, I don't know who the hell he thinks he is.

He looked up and glared at me. I'm not completely sure if I imagined it or not, but I could almost swear that I saw an odd expression flash across his face, it only lasted a second though.

"Fine." He said standing up. The force of how fast he stood up made both the table and the chair move. He walked past me and out of the potions room. He didn't say another word to me but just walked off down the hallway. I watched him go for a while before going to Gryffindor tower.

Once there I grabbed my books and went outside. I sat by the lake for a while. At least until a First year came up to me.

"Um… Emerald Farali?" she asked. She was a short little thing with choppy blond hair.

"Yeah?" I asked.

"Professor Dumbledore sent me to get you. He says that he wants you in his office and it's real urgent."

This is the last chapter I have written. I hate to say it but in order for me to write I need to know that people are actually reading this, so review!