Harry held a fist to his nose, which was bleeding profusely, as he and Malfoy sat down in two seats across from Dumbledore in his office. While Dumbledore looked over his glasses at them, hands resting lightly on his huge mahogany desk, Professors Snape and McGonagall stood stiffly at either side of him.

"I am very disappointed in both of you," Dumbledore began shortly; his eyes turned from Malfoy to Harry slowly. "I thought that you had more *decency* than to start a fight in the middle of breakfast."

"He started it," Malfoy said sullenly. He glared at nothing in particular, sulking with hunched shoulders.

Dumbledore held up a hand. "I don't want to hear anything of that sort. I want to make sure both of you realize how *inappropriate* your behavior was."

"If I might add," Snape offered silkily, "I think that expulsion would be a good choice for Potter. This is his second serious offence this year, topping a long list he's made since he first started this school."

Dumbledore shook his head. "Now is not the time, Severus." He turned to Malfoy and Harry. "One hundred points each from both of you."

"That's unfair!" Malfoy cried out, outraged. "One hundred points is far too many for a stupid fight."

"One hundred and ten for you, Draco," Dumbledore said calmly. That shut Malfoy up. "You're not getting off that easy either. A detention for both of you. We shall contact you about this detention when the time arises. I believe both of you should visit Madam Pomfrey. You are dismissed."

As Harry stood up, Dumbledore gave him one last look that hit Harry deep inside. He hated feeling like he let Dumbledore down. He walked slowly out of the office and down the spiral staircase back into the regular corriders.

"Nice going, Potter," Malfoy sneered once they were out of earshot.

Harry shot a look at Malfoy. "I didn't start this, Malfoy."

"I believe you laid the first punch," Malfoy said coolly.

"You also initiated it," Harry snapped. "You know very well that I haven't gotten anyone pregnant. It's your fault the whole school is believing those rumors."

"Do I look like I care?"

Harry gave Malfoy a daring look. "I wouldn't expect you to, Malfoy. But I just want you to remember that *anyone* can start a rumor."

Harry started walking faster, getting out of stride next to Malfoy. Though he didn't turn around to look at his archenemy, Harry had a feeling that he'd knocked that smug smirk off of Malfoy's face.

* * * * *

Some of the Professors took charge of the Great Hall once Harry, Malfoy, Dumbledore, Snape, and McGonagall had all left. Everyone returned to their seats, but they now had new gossip to mule over. Ginny was close to bursting. She wanted to see if Harry was all right, but she knew that Dumbledore would have none of it.

Ginny picked at the breakfast foods for awhile, alone in her thoughts. So alone, in fact, that she didn't see Ron and Hermione until they sat down. Hermione next to her, as usual, and Ron across the table.

"I'm famished," Ron commented as he started scooping food onto his plate.

Hermione looked closely at Ginny. "What wrong? Where's Harry?" she asked after deciding that something indeed *was* wrong.

Ron looked around and seemed to realize that Harry was, in fact, not with them. "Where *is* Harry?" he asked absently.

"He got into a fight with Malfoy," Ginny said in a dead-pan voice.

"What?" Hermione and Ron demanded at the same time. Ron with relish, Hermione with horror.

"You're not serious!" Hermione said. "He wouldn't be so *stupid* as to . . . would he?"

"He got really pissed because Malfoy started taunting us," Ginny explained. "Then he just went off and attacked Malfoy."

"Who won?" Ron demanded joyously.

"Dumbledore interfered, but Harry got in the most damage," Ginny replied. She couldn't help smiling with pride. "Harry had a bloody nose, but Malfoy was really messed up."

"Dumbledore interfered?" Hermione asked, her voice faint. "Oh, Merlin. Do you realize what this could mean for Harry? He could get expelled!"

Ron snorted. "Not bloody likely. In case you haven't noticed, Mione, *everyone* has a soft spot for Harry Potter." He frowned. "Except for Snape. And the Malfoys. And every other Death Eater."

"But before Harry always got in trouble for things helping the fight against You-Know-Who," Hermione said patiently, as if she were talking to a two-year-old. "Starting a fight with Malfoy could hardly fall into this category."

"I, personally, think that it was for a good cause," Ron argued.

Ginny rolled her eyes, sensing a petty, annoying row developing between her two friends. "I'm going to see if Harry is with Madam Pomfrey by now."

"Was he really that bad off?" Hermione asked nervously.

"Nothing a good healing charm won't fix," Ginny assured her.

* * * * *

Indeed, all it took was a quick healing charm to mend Harry's nose. Madam Pomfrey insisted on keeping him for a little while afterwards though. For what reason, Harry couldn't be sure. But he suspected Pomfrey missed the times when Harry would be in there every other day.

As Harry rested on a hospital bed, far away from Malfoy of course, the door opened to reveal a sight for sore eyes. Ginny stood uncertainly there, as if waiting for Pomfrey to start yelling at her. Harry felt gladder than usual to see her. He didn't like contemplating why. Especially since Ron tended to hint at the reasons every time they were alone.

"You're okay?" Ginny asked after deciding it was safe and walking to his bed.

"Annoyed," Harry admitted. "Otherwise I'm fine." He smiled slightly. "Malfoy didn't get many punches it."

"I heard that, Potter," Malfoy spat from across the room.

"I meant for you to hear it," Harry replied evenly. Malfoy kept quiet. "Anyway, how did the school react?"

Ginny rolled her eyes. "They've got enough gossip for the rest of the year. Even more than my supposed pregnancy." She turned around and shot a pointed look at Malfoy. Malfoy sneered back.

Madam Pomfrey came out of her office and stood still for a moment, surprised to see Ginny. "Do you need something, dear?"

"I'm just here to see Harry," Ginny said honestly.

Pomfrey nodded. She went straight to Harry and put a wrist on his forehead. After a moment, she smiled warmly at him. "You're fine, Harry. Go ahead and leave with your girlfriend."

Harry ignored her comment and climbed off the side of the bed. Ginny and he left the room quietly. As they were walking down the hall, they heard Pomfrey snap something fierce at Malfoy for something or other.

"Chess?" Ginny suggested after a little while.

"Sure." Harry stayed quiet for a moment, then spoke. "I want to get back at Malfoy."

"I think you already did." Ginny smirked. "Did you see the bloody mess his face was?"

"No, I want something more along the lines of . . . gossip. Let's hit him exactly where he hit us," Harry explained.

"Sounds fair. What have you in mind?"

"Nothing yet," Harry admitted. "When the opportunity presents itself, we'll be able to spot it."

* * * * *

As it turned out, the perfect opportunity presented itself when they got back into the common room.

After breakfast, Ron and Hermione could be found sitting in their usual spot, and various students were playing games or chatting around them.

"When Harry and Ginny come back," Hermione began, "I want to tell them that we're not going to be keeping this secret anymore."

Ron nodded stiffly. "If you think that's the best way to go about."

Hermione bit her lip, uncertain for, perhaps, the first time in her life. She looked down at the ring on her finger and began twisting it around nervously. She wasn't about to admit to Ron that she was uncertain, of course. She would never hear the end of it.

Ron put his arm around her and kissed the side of her neck tenderly. "I'm sorry, Mione," he whispered in her ear. "You do what you think is best."

That just made Hermone all the more uncertain. "Maybe we should discuss this with Harry and Ginny?" she suggested.

Ron shook his head. "No. They're too noble. Even if they hate us, they're not going to let you go through the humiliation that people are placing on them."

"They hate me?" Hermione demanded. Her lower lip began to tremble.

Ron realized what he'd said. "No, no," he assured her. "It was . . . I was exaggerating!"

"Then they at least don't like me?" Hermione was quick to assume. A single tear fell down her cheek. "I'm so *miserable*. My two best friends and my boyfriend all hate me."

"When did I say I hated you?" Ron asked, confused.

"You don't have to say it!" Hermone informed him haughtily. "I'm not stupid. I can see it in the way you look at me."

"Oh, yes, now I understand," Ron said sarcastically.

"See!" Hermione accused.

At that moment, Harry and Ginny came into the room. Hermione shrugged Ron's arm off her shoulder and folded her arms crossly. Harry and Ginny automatically went to sit on the couch opposite of Ron and Hermione.

"Nice going, mate," Ron congratulated Harry.

Hermione made a noise.

"What did I do now?" Ron asked exasperatedly.

"You're encouraging him to become a delinquint!" Hermione cried out as if Ron was the most dense person she'd ever met. She sat forward suddenly and took Harry's hand in her own. Her eyes were intense as she said slowly, "We all love you, Harry."

Harry looked uncomfortable. "Er . . . thanks, Hermione," he said awkwardly. He pulled his hand gently from her grasp so as not to offend her. Hermione sat backwards with an air that told she thought she'd just done the world a lot of good.

"How did Malfoy look?" Ron asked eagerly.

"Bloody as hell," Ginny said, relishing the words.

"Ginny!" Hermione cried, affronted. She put both arms around her stomach protectively. "You're becoming worse than Ron."

"Sorry," Ginny apologized, sounding anything but.

"It wasn't--" Harry began, but they were interrupted quickly.

Lavender and Parvati stood with their arms crossed, deadly gazes directed at Harry. "Why do you still hang around with this git, Ginny?"

"After all he's put you through," Parvati added.

"I have something to say," Hermione began, standing up.

Ginny stood up even quicker, a brilliant plan coming to mind. "Harry and I were going to keep it a secret, but I think that with recent events everyone deserves to know the truth."

Harry looked at her oddly. Lavender and Parvati's expressions were eager, waiting for her to give them some nice gossip that they could inform the school of.

"Mal--Draco is the *real* father of my baby," Ginny anounced, putting a hand on her stomach for show. "Harry was being very noble by letting everyone think it was his, but I can't let him suffer anymore. Especially today. The real reason he attacked Mal--I mean, Draco, was . . ."

"Malfoy was threatening her," Harry continued for Ginny. "All of those stories you've heard about being a player are true . . . just not about me. Malfoy is the one who did the real damage."

Ginny knew she was going to laugh. She let out a muffled sound that could have been taken as a sob, and Harry spun her around so that she could bury her face in his shoulder. He patted her back comfortingly. "Malfoy has harrassed Ginny enough," he said stonily. "I'm just glad the truth is finally out."

"Oh, my," Lavender whispered.

"Harry, we are *so* sorry," Parvati continued. " *I* tried to tell Lavender that you would *never* do such a thing to anyone, let alone Ginny . . ."

Lavender gasped. "You did not!" she accused. "I was the one who was defending him."

"It doesn't matter anymore," Harry said strongly. "Can you just leave Ginny in peace?"

"Oh, yes, of course," the two girls muttered absently. They left the four friends, muttering amoungst themselves. Both of them broke apart to go tell seperate sides of the room to tell of the recent revelations.

Ron was shaking with laughter, and he waited until Lavender and Parvati were out of earshot to let it rip through him. Before long, all four of them were giggling.

"You are utterly brilliant, Ginny!" Harry praised.

* * * * *

Author's Notes: Thank you for the enthusiastic reply to chapter 25. (Technically it's chapter 24, but we'll count the Author's Notes as a chapter too.) Thank you also to Jo and Amy for beta-ing!