I had just gotten my face to stop looking so blotchy and swollen when Alice came in, but like any good friend, she could tell. Her face fell.

"What happened?" she asked, voice sympathetic.

All that work I'd done on my face was for naught – I leaned into her shoulder and couldn't help myself. She put her arms around me and stroked my hair, not saying anything even remotely close to "I told you so" about how right she'd been that I liked James.

"Everything was great for a while – we went to the Three Broomsticks and got candy, and then… I fell on him."

"WHAT?" Alice leaned back to look at me.

"I fell on him… and he kissed me." Alice's eyebrows went up so high I thought they might disappear up into her hairline.

"Well…"

"Please don't say anything."

"Wasn't going to… but, okay, you kissed him. Why all the crying?"

"I just…" I sniffled a few more times, annoyed at myself for the continued tears. "I just… he was really good at it." She was silent. "Good enough that it made me think about all the other girls he must have practiced on."

"Ahh. Well. Do you want me to stay with you for a while?"

"No, it's alright."

"You don't want to come down to dinner?"

"No, I can't face him yet."

She nodded, understanding. "Alright, well, I'll bring you something back, and you, just read a book you love. Pride and Prejudice?"

Alice hadn't read Pride and Prejudice. She had no idea why the thought of reading it – being reminded of the similarities of my own situation – would make me cry even harder. I felt myself well up again.

"Okay! Sorry! Forget I said anything." Obviously she was at her threshold of being able to deal with "girly stuff". She gave me one last hug and got up to go to dinner.

I settled on a transfiguration book, which had decidedly no love story involved.

By the time she got back with a bit of food in a napkin, I had lost myself in its pages, and succeeded into turning several of my tears into pearls.

As I munched, she asked, "You okay then?"

I nodded and swallowed. "Yeah, I will be."

The next morning, I had about fifteen glorious seconds before the preceding day's events swam up uncomfortably. I groaned, remembering, realizing that I couldn't just take every meal in my room, especially as Head Girl. I got dressed, dreading every moment more and more.

As I walked the familiar route to the Great Hall, I could have sworn people were stealing glances at me. I wrote it off as paranoia – James couldn't have possibly spread a rumor this fast… though considering Hogwarts' history with rumors…

It was worse when I actually entered the hall. Dozens of people erupted into whispers at my presence, and my cheeks responded. I was now thankful I had chosen to wear my hair down that day. As I looked to find a seat, I saw James, Sirius, and Remus all looking at me – Sirius, smirking, Remus, apologetic, and James… unreadable, maybe even a bit ill. Odd.

I sat as far away from him as possible, ending up with some second years who apparently could not carry a conversation in my presence. I tried a few questions about classes, but after several clipped answers, I gave up. Thankfully, the mail came before it got too painfully awkward. The second years got caught up in their mail from home, and a familiar owl dropped a folded sheet precisely onto a saucer.

It was in McGonagall's neat, severe hand.

Please come see me in my office as soon as you have finished breakfast.

M.M.

I felt my eyes widen, and caught one of the second years trying to catch a glimpse of the letter's contents. I folded the paper shut, suddenly not hungry.

I got up and again, heard the whispers and felt the eyes – I especially avoided James'.

The stares followed me all the way up to McGonagall's office. I knocked lightly on the familiar wood.

"Enter," came her voice from the other side of the door.

She sat at her desk, grading papers, and waved me forward. I approached, nervous, and she came out from behind her desk to stand beside me.

"I have heard a very… disturbing rumor, Ms. Evans," McGonagall spoke hesitantly, staring down at me through her spectacles.

"What is it, professor?" I was shaking.

"What I am told is that upon your last visit to Hogsmeade, you and Mr. Potter were-"

"Oh, that was nothing-"

"Having intercourse, in the middle of the street."

My heart stopped, and I could feel my eyes well up. "Wha-? No, I would never-"

She put a hand on my shoulder, a gesture that surprised me immensely, stopping the barrage of words. "I know that you would never behave like that, but I felt you should know, so you can set your reputation to rights."

"Thank you, Professor."

"And as Head Girl, you have my permission to set an appropriate punishment for the person responsible." Her lips twisted slightly in what might have been the barest hint of a smile. I imagined several choice hexes I could use on Potter.

She took her hand back, resuming her usual straight-backed pose. "Though I am curious why a rumor like that would be started about my Head Girl and Boy, of all people."

I flushed red immediately, swallowing. "Well, we were on a date, and I was walking on the fence by the Shrieking Shack, and I fell…"

McGonagall looked dubious.

"…onto him."

"Ah… well, if that's all, you may go." She turned to go back to her desk.

"He kissed me." The words tumbled out of my mouth before I knew what was happening. She turned, looking more surprised than I had ever seen her. A few tense, awkward moments passed.

"Are you looking for my approval, Ms. Evans?"

"What? No. I'm sorry, I don't know why I said that." I started to leave.

"If it makes you feel better, I think Potter has grown into a fine young man. He wasn't made Head Boy for nothing."

I turned and smiled at her, then fled once and for all. For some reasons that shouldn't have mattered, it did make me feel better.