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Lyra's POV:
The next day as Lyra was walking through the Hogwarts corridors towards the great hall for breakfast, she was welcomed with sly glances and smirks.
She was completely unaware that Fred had went back to the party after she specifically told him to leave, and she was unaware of what the rumours were.
She was also unaware of his drinking, and his conversation with George.
Rumours from last night had spread like wildfire. From the moment she stepped into the Great Hall for breakfast, it was clear everyone knew something had happened.
As Lyra approached the Slytherin table, she was already stressing by the whispering around her.
She sat down by the Slytherin table at her usual spot, beside Daphne and Theodore. Daphne, who looked much more calm than last night, glanced up at Lyra, eyes gleaming with amusement.
"Sleep well?" Daphne asked, her tone teasing.
Lyra shot her a glare, but it was playful. "You mean after dragging your drunk arse to bed? Sure."
Across the table, Theo leaned forward, watching her closely. "So, care to explain why the entire school thinks you and Fred Weasley had a moment last night?"
Lyra nearly choked on her food. "What?" she sputtered, eyes widening. "That's the rumour?"
"Not just that," Astoria chimed in, leaning forward. "Apparently, Fred fought off that Hufflepuff guy because he was jealous."
Lyra pinched the bridge of her nose. "That's not what happened at all. Collins was being an idiot, and Fred stepped in. That's it."
"Sure, sure," Blaise drawled, smirking. "And I bet you two had a lovely moment after, right? Maybe exchanged a few tender glances, touches perhaps?"
Draco snickered from his seat, clearly enjoying the show. "Honestly, Lyra, you've been spending an awful lot of time around Gryffindors lately. People are starting to talk."
Lyra shot him a look of pure exasperation. "Nothing happened. Besides, Fred and I can barely stand each other."
Theo raised an eyebrow. "Uh huh. That's why you were cleaning him up like a doting nurse after?"
Lyra shot Daphne a desperate 'you told them?' expression.
"Let me guess," Daphne grinned. "As you were tending his wounds, you realised your faces were just mere centimeters away from each other. Oh god, don't tell me you guys were just about to snog, before I interrupted?"
Lyra felt her face heat up, and her eyes narrowed at her friend. "No? We were justâ"
"About to kiss," Daphne finished, giggling. "You know, people saw him walk out of the girls' dorm looking all beat up and dazed. Plus, the look on your face last night... Everyone could tell something happened."
Lyra sighed heavily, her frustration mounting. "I can't believe this. People are ridiculous."
But it didn't matter how much she protested, the rumours had already been spread
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As the day went on, the whispers only grew louder. Every hallway, every classroom, people were talking about the supposed "moment" between Fred and Lyra.
Things like this happened almost everyday at the school. Two people at a party entering a room, and coming back twenty minutes later. But everybody knew the 'relation' between Fred and Lyra, so this was unexpected.
Even the professors seemed to have caught wind of it, though most didn't address it directly.
Except for Professor Snape, of course, he made sure to give her a side-glance everytime he mentioned the word Gryffindor, Fred Weasley or just the word Weasley.
But when it reached lunchtime, Lyra was done. Done with the rumours and done with her work. She shoved her books into her bag before heading down to the great hall.
As the entered, she noticed her friends. She also noticed Fred by the Gryffindor table, surrounded by his usual friends, including Angelina, for some reason.
They seemed to be friends again, for some reason. Although the fake smile plastered across the male Gryffindor's face told her something else.
His face was still bruised from the fight, his lip slightly swollen. She wondered if he had remembered the moment they had together last night. Of course he remembered.
Suddenly, their eyes met across the hall, and for a brief moment, he stopped talking, stopped all moment. But Lyra quickly turned away, making her way to the Slytherin table where her friends were waiting.
The moment she sat down, Daphne leaned in again, smirking. "He's been staring at you since you walked in, you know."
"Who?" Lyra asked, pretending not to know who she was talking about.
"Fred, obviously." Daphne grinned. "He's been watching you all day. It's actually kind of cute."
Lyra groaned. "It's not cute. It's annoying."
Theo, who had been listening in silence, finally spoke up. "You know," he began, his tone light but with an edge of seriousness, "if you really want to put an end to these rumours, you could always hex someone in front of the whole school. That usually does the trick."
Draco snickered from beside him. "Or you could just kiss him. That'll really confuse everyone."
Lyra shot him a deadly glare. "Not helping."
But Draco just shrugged, clearly enjoying the chaos.
Suddenly, Colin Creevey, a first year Gryffindor, came running up towards the Slytherin girl, looking rather nervous. He stood before her in silence, and she could spot the 'golden trio' snickering from across the Gryffindor table.
Lyra raised an eyebrow at Colin, before he spoke out softly.
"Don't tell Fred I told you, but I think he fancies you. He can't stop talking about you in the common room." Colin muttered, before running away.
A rapture of laughter could be heard from the Gryffindor table, and Ron Weasley gave the first year a high-five. Lyra groaned, they clearly set the poor first year up for this.
The Slytherins around her also laughed, even Daphne.
"You traitor." Lyra muttered with her head down in her hands, looking defeated.
"When a first year asks, you know it's serious." Daphne giggled, rolling her eyes as she stroked her friend back, in a sense of comfort.
"Imagine that, Fred Weasley, of all people. You've really captured his heart with all those insults." She continued before leaning in, whispered slightly
"Do you think he is using his hand, thinking about you? That's another rumour going around, made by the Gryffindors themselves."
Lyra shot Astoria a withering look. "What the fuck, that's a rumour? This isn't funny."
"Actually, it's hilarious," Blaise chimed in, a smug grin on his face.
Draco, sitting across the table, smirked, looking far too amused. "He's probably planning to serenade you with a love song on his broom. Should we start taking bets on when he'll do it? Valentine's Day is around the corner."
It was true, the snow had began setting, and there was five months left of school.
Pansy let out a cackle, her laughter sharp.
Lyra threw a napkin at Pansy's head, earning a round of laughter from the others. "You're all unbearable."
Theodore, who had been quietly smirking throughout the exchange, finally leaned in closer. "To be fair, though, Lyra, you do spend a lot of time talking about him. And apparently, he spends a lot of time talking about you. Maybe there's something there after all."
Lyra glared at him, though there was no real hatered behind it. "You honestly think I'll steep that low, Theo."
"Let's see.. Yeah!" Daphne teased, grinning like a madwoman. "You did beat up Angelina. That's practically a declaration of love, isn't it?"
Pansy gasped. "And he beat up that Hufflepuff boy. He might as well get down on one knew and propose."
Lyra let out an exasperated groan, sinking lower into her seat as her friends continued to laugh around her.
Why couldn't they all just let her have one day of peace?
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