I know it's been forrrrrrrever. I'm sorry. Life has been crazy and so I won't make any promises about how soon I will update but I will continue to do so as I can! Happy reading!

Track 5: Rumor Has It by Adele

Bless your soul, you've got you're head in the clouds

You made a fool out of you

And, boy, she's bringing you down

She made your heart melt

But you're cold to the core

Now rumor has it she ain't got your love anymore

CHAPTER 6 - Rumor Has It

Thursday September 15, 1977

Despite her worries from the night before, Katie awoke the next morning feeling peaceful and slightly disoriented. A sure sign that she'd slept like a rock. And likely would have kept sleeping if it weren't for the blonde sitting cross legged at the end of her bed, stroking a loudly purring Luna, and looking as though Christmas morning had come early.

"Erm, g'morning Alice," Katie mumbled and pushed herself into a sitting position. She had a vague sense that she was forgetting something, something important, but for the moment the thought refused to form in her still half sleeping brain.

"Good morning my lovely, secret-keeping best mate," she replied almost gleefully and gave an affectionate scratch to the cat's chin before glancing up. "Did you have a good time last night?"

"A good time?" Katie asked blankly. She frowned trying to recall the previous evenings activities. She'd been studying with Alice and lost track of time which was important because she was supposed to go to the Astronomy Tower with Sirius for-

The color quickly drained from her face as everything came back in a flood of panic, "Oh, bollocks."

"Bollocks, indeed," Alice agreed and lifted a brow. "How long did you really think you could keep it a secret that you were dating Sirius Black?"

"Excuse me," Katie choked out in horror. "That I'm what?"

"Dating Sirius Black," Alice replied patiently and rolled her eyes. "There's no use in denying it. Mary's told me everything. About running into you in the Astronomy Tower last night, that he defended you quite valiantly when Mary attempted to accuse you of stealing him away from Lyssa. It's all rather romantic, if you ask me."

"That is not what's going on," Katie insisted, startling Luna as she threw the blankets off to get up and pace around the room. The cat gave her an offended look before stalking over to Alice's bed for a nap. Katie glanced at the clock on her bedside table and saw that it was still early. Mary worked fast. "What exactly did she say?"

Alice gave her an exasperated sigh, "I knew you would make this difficult. In all honesty, I'm rather proud of you. After Vance dumped you, the cowardly git, I was sure it would be well after graduation before you had recovered enough to consider dating someone. I'm glad you chose to have a little fun with it. Black wouldn't have been my first choice but really I think the two of you might be good for each other. Is he as good a kisser as everyone says? I have to imagine-"

"Alice. Please. Just stop," Katie interrupted with a pained expression. "I know what this looks like but I assure you I am not dating Sirius Black."

Alice rolled her eyes, "Okay, Prewett. I'll humor you. If you aren't, in fact, dating him you won't mind explaining why exactly you were found leaving the Astronomy Tower with him last night and just happened to not mention that you've also been secretly meeting him in the Greenhouse and the library. According to Marlene that is."

Katie winced. If Marlene had gotten ahold of this information it was worse than she'd imagined.

For a moment, she almost wished she were dating Sirius. It seemed moderately less embarrassing at the moment than the actual truth. Not that it mattered anymore. By the time she got to her Potions session with Eddie later that night he'd think she was dating Sirius and all of her efforts would have been for nothing. So really? What was the point in denying it anymore?

She took a deep breath and sat back down on the bed, "Sirius and I aren't dating. He's giving me, er, what you might call dating lessons. I suppose."

"Dating lessons." Alice said the two words as though Katie had crossed some definitive line into complete madness.

"Yes," Katie huffed as her cheeks started to burn. "Dating lessons. That day in Potions when you abandoned me to sit with Eddie, Sirius was sitting behind us. He was apparently eavesdropping the whole class and seemed to think that I don't have what it takes to, um, lure Eddie in on my own. He offered to help as a way to repay me for healing him after the Hippogriff incident."

When Alice didn't immediately respond, she rushed on, "I knew it was stupid. I shouldn't have done it and now everything is ruined because Eddie will just think I'm dating Sirius and not want anything to do with me at all. And now the whole bloody school is going to think-"

Without warning, Alice began laughing hysterically, falling sideways onto the bed in her mirth.

Katie scowled, "This isn't funny. Everyone's going to be talking about it. It's only 7 bloody AM and you and Marlene already know. This is the worst day of my life!"

"Merlin, Katie. You're such a drama queen," Alice replied, hiccuping slightly between chuckles. "You're lucky this is so bloody hilarious or I'd be furious that you hadn't told me."

Katie groaned and threw herself backwards onto the bed next to Alice, "It is not hilarious. And I was going to tell you...eventually."

"Well," Alice said. "If you want my opinion, it's likely the best thing that could have happened and the timing was ace."

"What do you mean?" Katie asked doubtfully.

"Well, it just so happens that Mary was in the Astronomy Tower with Amos Diggory last night because Eddie finally put her in her place. I believe he called her a heartless, gold digging shrew. Or something to that effect. Amos was supposed to be her revenge but now, she's singled you out to sink her claws into instead. Eddie won't be able to help but be sympathetic and you're all he's going to hear about all day," Alice rolled on her side and gave Katie a knowing grin. "There's nothing like having every girl in school talking about you to catch a bloke's attention."

Slightly disturbed by Alice echoing Sirius' words the night before, she started shaking her head, "But Eddie and Sirius hate each other. There's no way he's going to be interested in me when he thinks I'm with Sirius."

Alice gave her a pointed look that suggested Katie was being dense on purpose, "First of all, they hate each other because they're rivals. Which often means one wants what the other has and at the moment that thing appears to be you, doesn't it? Second of all, you aren't actually with Sirius and you'll have a perfectly private opportunity to explain that tonight at your Potions session with him. You can bond over how much of a twit Mary is, he'll sympathize, see how brilliant you are and that's that! Though really, if you ask me I think Sirius is the better choice between the two."

As Alice's words sank in, some of the panic began to recede. Maybe the two of them were right, maybe this could be used to her advantage.

Alice shrugged, "Don't get me wrong. Eddie's a fit bloke but it seems as though Sirius has taken an odd interest in you, doesn't it?"

Feeling calmer, Katie waved her hand absently at Alice's suggestion, "Sirius doesn't want anything to do with me like that. Do you really think Eddie will believe me?"

Alice's expression suggested she wasn't entirely convinced about anything regarding either boy but nodded anyway, "Of course. So long as you don't go mental every time you hear someone talking about it today. Because people are going to be talking."

"Yes, yes," Katie grumbled and got to her feet. "Sirius told me the same thing."

"Smart, that one," Alice replied thoughtfully. "And gorgeous too. Quite a package."

"Drop it, Alice. It's never going to happen," she went over to rummage through her wardrobe for an outfit and turned back to Alice. "Boys like him don't go for girls like me. Even if I was interested he's made it explicitly clear what he thinks of me from the start."

Though things had seemed different the night before.

But she pushed that thought away before it could take root. Sirius was a professional after all. She was more than terribly certain that he could make a girl believe anything he wanted her to. And he was trying to teach her to do the same. It wouldn't do anyone any good to read into anything.

Alice sighed and walked over to her friend. She tucked a piece of dark hair behind her ear and smiled sympathetically. Her friend had been through a lot in the last year and was suffering from an incredibly illogical inferiority complex, "You don't give yourself enough credit, Prewett. I'll see you in Herbology, okay?"

"See you," Katie replied and stood for a moment in the silence after Alice had left. Despite feeling as though her world had been turned upside down in the last few days, she was feeling dangerously optimistic for the moment. Maybe there was some method in all the madness.

As predicted, the gossips of Hogwarts were in their element most of the morning. Breakfast was a nightmare of whispers and glares from the endless females that were constantly swooning over Sirius. And the boy, in question, wasn't making any of it better. Every time he made eye contact he'd give her a cheery wave and go back to what he was doing.

The arse was enjoying it.

The only thing that got her through Transfiguration was the fact that McGonagall seemed to notice his antics about halfway through her lesson and moved him to the front of the classroom where the only person he could torment was McGonagall. Satisfied with the brief reprieve, she was feeling much better by the end of class.

"I've got to admit," Alice began as they left the Transfiguration classroom. "He's in rare form today. Didn't you say he promised not to say anything to anyone?"

"Yes, he promised," Katie glowered. "And as far as I can tell, he hasn't. But somehow he's still managed to encourage it anyway. He's such a git!"

"Now is that any way to talk about your lover, Prewett?"

As if on cue, Sirius materialized at her side as they headed down the staircase toward the courtyard that led out to the grounds.

"I am not your lover," she ground out between her teeth.

Sirius tilted his head to the side considering his fellow students as they passed by, "Well I know that. And you know that. But some of the stories I've heard today make me think we should rethink it. Apparently we have a very adventurous idea of when and where we snog. One in particular actually made Remus blush if you can believe that. Would you like to hear it?"

"No," Katie snapped and stopped for a moment as they entered the courtyard to glare up at him. "And I'd appreciate it if you stopped encouraging all this madness."

"Aw, lighten up, Prewett. Might as well have some fun with it," he paused and raised and eyebrow. "Is it true you have a tattoo?"

"Who told you that?" Katie's eyes narrowed as she glanced at Alice who was pretending, unconvincingly, that she hadn't heard the question. "You know what? Never mind. Just do me a favor and pretend I don't exist for the rest of the day, okay?"

"Can't," he replied simply and offered a smug smile.

"Um, I've got to head to Arithmancy," Alice said and began slowly heading back towards the castle. "See you in Herbology, Katie!"

Before Katie could protest, she'd disappeared back through the archway into the Entrance Hall leaving Katie now standing alone with Sirius. She turned her glare back on him, "And why can't you pretend I don't exist?"

"Aside from the fact that you're ridiculously adorable when you're furious?" Sirius began and only laughed when she moaned in frustration as two sixth year girls erupted in whispers over the comment. "I thought you might like to know that a certain Hufflepuff has been asking about us, you in particular."

"Asking what, exactly?" she demanded and checked her watch. They only had five minutes to get to Care of Magical Creatures.

However, instead of just helpfully offering the information he had dangled in front of her so that they could get to class on time...and preferably not at the same time, he instead asked, "Why don't you let me walk you to class?"

"What?" she asked horrified. "Absolutely not."

"Well I'm going that way anyway" Sirius reminded her matter-of-factly and tossed a casual arm over her shoulders. He tugged her close so he could talk into her ear. "And besides, Eddie's just stepped into the courtyard so just play along."

She looked up at him irritated but resigned, "I hope you know what you're doing."

With his arm over her shoulders, they made their way across the courtyard and out onto the grounds towards one of Kettleburn's workstations near Hagrid's hut. Once they were out of hearing distance, he glanced down at her in amusement, "It's just like I told you. Everyone's talking about you, and Eddie can't help himself. Been asking around Gryffindor about how serious we are, claims he's never heard you say anything about me. Not that the ponce knows how to actually listen..."

"And what have people told him?" Katie asked hesitantly. She wasn't sure she wanted to know.

"There seems to be some disagreement on that topic," he replied with an unnecessarily amused smirk. "Though I reckon he's heard enough stories about your snogging skills that he's fairly chomping at the bit to get you into a broom closet."

"It may need to be a bloody public broom closet if these rumors are ever going to end," she retorted. "And you aren't helping!"

"Am so," he protested and gave her what she imagined was a very practiced, wounded look. "I haven't told anyone anything. Not even that we're not together. Per your instructions, of course."

"I should have known you'd find a way to get around that," she rolled her eyes. "Okay fine. I get it. Eddie's curious and I suppose that's good?"

"Precisely," he replied and paused with her just outside the clearing where the rest of their Care of Magical Creatures class was congregated and trying not to look like they were watching. "You also happen to be the center of everyone's attention today. I really think you're failing to take advantage of this opportunity."

"Opportunity?" she asked skeptically.

"Yes, Prewett," he sighed and tapped her nose for emphasis. "Have some fun! Play the game for a little while, you might find you like being Hogwarts' bad girl for a few days."

Katie snorted, "We both know that's about as far from the truth as possible."

"Yes, but the rest of them don't know that," he grinned. "Besides, if what I heard about that tattoo of yours is true, that bad girl is in there somewhere."

He ran a hand down her arm until he reached her fingers, which he brought to his lips for a brief kiss, "See you after class, love."

He winked at her and then headed through the small crowd of seventh years shamelessly ogling them instead of listening to Professor Kettleburn who was trying in vain to recapture everyone's attention. Feeling like she'd rather throw herself in the lake than join the class, she forced her feet to move and joined a cheerful looking Marlene McKinnon.

"You two are just too much," Marlene whispered once everyone's attention had returned to Kettleburn's lecture. When Katie opened her mouth to protest, Marlene rolled her eyes, "Don't worry. Alice has told me everything. But I do have to agree with her, I think Sirius is the better choice."

Unwilling to explain to yet another person that she was hardly Sirius Black's type, she chose instead to give Marlene her best indifferent shrug and attempted to focus on Kettleburn's detailed talk on the Hippogriff adolescence.

Which in retrospect showed a great deal of self control as James and Peter made kissy faces at her the entirety of the class, Sirius refused to do anything about it, and Marlene was telling anyone who would listen how cute she thought it all was.

Yes, she thought, it was the kind of self control that truly deserved an award for not hexing every one of them into next week.

The dungeons were blessedly silent when Katie slipped into the classroom she had reserved for her Potions session with Eddie. Sighing in relief, she shut the door behind her for good measure and hoped it would deter everyone but Eddie from joining her.

What a day.

She wasn't sure how girls like Lyssa Shacklebolt and Mary MacDonald lived like this. Knowing every person in the school was talking about them, all the time. Always wondering if the whispers that followed you through the corridors had even a semblance of truth to them.

It was exhausting and, despite being fairly positive that it had succeeded in catching Eddie's attention, all she really wanted to do was curl up under a blanket and sleep for a few days. She was not cut out for this drama.

She set her bag down and began setting up the potion and their last set of ingredients. They would only have one more session after this, she mused. And she still wasn't sure anything would come of it.

As if on cue, she heard the door creak open behind her and she caught the brief scent of Eddie's cologne. Taking a deep breath she turned to offer him a smile, "Hello."

He smiled warmly and made his way over to the table, "Hey there. You're here early."

She was sure she was imagining it but he seemed pleased about it, "Um, yes. I had a bit of a crazy day and figured I'd head down here for a little peace and quiet before we got started."

"I don't blame you," he chuckled and the grin he sent her made her heart jump.

Oh boy, she thought. Oh boy was she in trouble.

He lifted a brow, "Feeling better?"

"I am actually," she answered and had to force herself not to take a step back when he moved considerably closer to her.

"I'm glad to hear it. There were some nasty rumors going around today. I was hoping you missed the worst of them," he was so close he had to look down at her when he spoke.

She swallowed nervously. It was now or never, Prewett. "I may have heard one or two. Some business about me and Sirius Black, I think? It was all a bit ridiculous."

She saw the flash of pleasant surprise on his face before the look of satisfaction. He shook his head with a slight smile, "I told Mary you were smarter than that."

She laughed lightly, "I'm afraid she jumped to some conclusions last night. Sirius and I were actually doing some studying but she didn't want to listen."

"Sounds like Mary," he said with distaste. "She and Lyssa are so wrapped up in themselves that they sometimes forget us mere lesser wizards and witches have relationships outside of snogging and shagging. I think I may also have had something to do with it. We rowed again last night and I told her it was finished between us. I'm sorry you had the bad luck to cross her path."

"It's not your fault in the slightest," Katie argued, feeling a nice warm glow from his concern for her. "It's a small castle, people talk. I'm sure by tomorrow, some other pour soul will be the object of their torture."

"You're probably right," he laughed and glanced down at her again. "I'm glad you aren't taking it personally. You're a smart bird, way too good for Sirius Black too, you know."

Katie felt the blush creep into her cheeks before she could stop it and nervously began rearranging the ingredients on the table to give herself a moment of composure, "Well thanks."

"You're welcome," he replied and followed her lead as he pulled his textbook out to help her get started on the potion. "It's actually refreshing to talk to a bird at this school that isn't interested in making a fool of herself for him."

Katie smiled in amusement. The similarities between Eddie and Sirius was sometimes scary. Probably why they hated each other so much. She glanced over at him, "You'd be surprised what girls might do for a pretty face."

"Yeah?" he asked invitingly and lifted a handsome, blond brow. "You sound like you might know a bit about that."

"A bit," she agreed and couldn't help a short laugh. "But not when it comes to Sirius. We're what might loosely be called friends."

"Well I'm glad to hear it," he said and gave the potion two clockwise stirs. "Have anyone else on your radar, then?"

She leaned over his arm to glance at the next ingredient that went into the potion, humming lightly to herself as though considering his question. Though she'd practiced Sirius' rules in her head a million times, it was still nerve wracking to pull off. But Eddie did not disappoint as he instivitively moved closer to her and when she finally looked up their faces were only inches apart.

She had opened her mouth to answer him, but the words got lost on their way out and instead she found herself staring for just a moment at his mouth. The smirk on his face was almost instant and he placed a knuckle under her chin to lift it slightly, "I was hoping it might be me. You know, you're cute when you're flustered, Prewett."

"And what makes you think I'm flustered?" she asked slightly breathless. She was 98% sure he was about to kiss her and she was suddenly sure that every whisper, rumor, and pain in the ass from Sirius was worth it. It was all worth it.

"C'mon, Prewett," he lifted his brows in amusement. "I can tell when a bird wants to be kissed."

With more boldness than she felt, she smiled, "Are you an expert, then?"

"Absolutely," he replied and slipped his hand from her chin to the nape of her neck as he leaned down and pressed his mouth to hers. When she leaned into him, she was pleased that he wrapped his other arm around her waist and tangled his fingers deeper into her hair. He was deliberate without being insistent and she felt like she was beginning to melt against him when he finally pulled away.

He grinned, "Definitely too good for Black."

"Er, um, thank you," she laughed as she tried to get her brain to cooperate.

He chuckled and took her hand, running fingers lightly over her palm, "I was hoping that you might be free for the Hogsmeade trip. It seems I need a new date. What do you say?"

"Definitely yes," she replied happily but grimaced. "As long as you don't mind the talk about me and Sirius going around."

He smirked, "They won't be talking much longer. At least not about the two of you."

The suggestion in his voice was enough to have her stomach doing somersaults and, despite efforts to control it, her face flushed warmly.

"I have to say it again. I do enjoy it when you get flustered," he replied with a lifted brow and leaned down to kiss her briefly one last time. "Why don't I clean up here tonight and you head up early. It's the least I can do after the day you've had."

"Oh no, I couldn't leave you to deal with all this. The potion needs at least another half hour of monitoring," she insisted feeling simultaneously guilty and pleased that he had even offered.

"I insist," he replied with a smile. "Go get some sleep. We can talk about Hogsmeade later."

"Well if you're sure," she hesitated but swallowed her fear as she reached up to kiss him on the cheek. "Thanks for everything tonight."

"Sleep well, Prewett," he replied and scooted her out the door.

At the top of the stairs, out of view of the dungeon door, she allowed herself a moment to do a small victory dance. In her wildest dreams, she never imagined it would have been so easy.

Eddie Bones had asked her out on a date.

She was definitely going to have to thank Sirius. But for now, she was going to take the glowing warmth inside her to bed and enjoy her secret for the few moments it would last. The morning would arrive quickly and be unforgiving she had no doubt. Especially when everyone learned that Katie may or may not have been snogging Sirius Black but was absolutely now snogging Eddie Bones.

Unable to help it, Katie let out a laugh at the ridiculousness of it all. If anyone had told her a two weeks ago that she would have taken dating advice from Sirius Black, survived a vicious Hogwarts gossip storm, and be asked out by Eddie Bones, she would have called them mad. But madness, it seemed, wasn't all that bad.

xoxo ASiriusObsession