Seamus and Rachel stopped kissing, and Seamus wrapped his arms around Rachel's waist in a protective manner.

"What is it?" Lee asked, impatiently.

Lavender had the strangest look on her face as she pushed through the crowd. She stepped up onto the table.

"Seamus." She said, softly.

"What is it?" Seamus looked at her, confused.

"Seamus, I would let go of her if I were you. You don't want to fall any further into her trap."

"Trap? Whose trap?"

"Rachel's trap. I would watch out Seamus. First she sucked in Draco, then you," Lavender was counting it off on her fingers. "And then the Weasley twins."

"What do you mean?" Seamus held Rachel tighter. "We all knew that she was just pretending with Draco."

"That is what she told you Seamus. What if she had been lying all along? Besides, what about the Weasley twins?"

"What about them?"

Rachel was scanning the room. She couldn't see the twins anywhere. They must have gone down to the kitchens to get more food.

"Well, she's got them sucked into her trap as well. She was showing them her bra in the hallway. They were talking about it. Very loudly, in fact."

"Rachel is this true?"

Rachel couldn't say anything. Tears started welling up in her eyes.

"That wasn't what happened!"

"Oh yes it was. You were talking about it loud and clear in the hall. Besides, I don't see the Weasley's speaking up for you."

"They're not here!"

"Oh yes they are." Lavender pointed. Heads turned to see the Weasley's standing right by the portrait hole. No one knew how long they had been there. Their arms were filled with cookies.

"What?" Fred asked, confused.

"Rachel tell me this wasn't true."

"I can explain. It's not what you think!"

"Rachel, I really liked you, but I guess I should pay more attention to the news. All Americans are the same. Lying, cheating filth." He let go of her and walked away.

Rachel felt the tears springing to her eyes. She stepped down from the table. The crowd parted like the red sea, and she went into her room, her eyes leaking tears down her face.

Rachel slammed the door behind her, locked it, and sat in front of it so no one could come in. Then she cried her eyes out.

"Rachel? Rachel can you open this door please?" It was Hermione. Rachel unlocked the door, then ran to her bed. "Rachel, what the heck happened out there?"

Rachel tried to explain. Her voice was thick and clogged. "It wasn't what you think happened. They saw the bottom of it. When Madame Pomfrey had to unbutton my shirt so she could fix my bruise. I don't even know how Lavender heard us talking unless she was waiting outside in the hall. I mean–I mean–you guys and the people at Eastern are the only people who know about it." Rachel stopped, then switched tracks. "Why do I always cry about things? I'm such a weak person!"

"No you aren't. Come on out now. They've gone to dinner. Clean yourself up."

"Hermione, I don't think I'm gonna sleep here tonight. I don't think I could stand to be in the same room as Lavender."

"I understand." Hermione took Rachel's arm.

No one talked to Rachel as she ate her dinner. She finished it rather quickly then went up to the Owlry. She didn't know why, but she felt that, at the current moment, most of the owls loved her more then most of the people. Rachel pulled on one of the leather gloves, and set out to find her owl, Presto Allegro.

The medium sized fuzzy grey owl was sitting on a perch, hooting merrily to Hedwig. Rachel reached up and plucked him off, and set him on her gloved hand. His little talons dug into the leather, and Rachel carried him over to a cleaner corner of the Owlry.

"Presto." She said, petting him with her free hand. "Presto, what am I to do?" She buried her head in his feathers, feeling their softness against his cheek. Presto hooted softly, then turned to look up at her with his deep brown eyes. His eyes had little flecks of gold in them, and looked at her with such love that Rachel almost started crying again. Owls had it so easy.

The Owlry door swung open, and none other then Harry stepped in.

"Hermione told me what happened. And she told Fred and George too. I think they are going to talk to Lavender."

"What's done is done. Nearly all of Gryffindor saw her big–" Rachel paused, searching for the right word, "show. Lie. Whatever you want to call it. People aren't going to forget that." Then, in a softer voice. "Is Seamus really mad?"

"Not really mad as much as–" Harry looked at the ground. "Disappointed. Sad. He really liked you Rachel."

"I really like him too. But the question is, will he ever forgive me for something that wasn't my fault?"

"I think Fred and George are going to talk to him too."

"You didn't answer my question Harry. Will he ever forgive me something that wasn't my fault?"

"We can only hope."