13

It was early in the morning and hermione had just sat down at the Gryffindor table with Ginny when the owls came and delivered her a newspaper and a Witch Weekly journal. She was shocked to see that the cover of Witch Weekly had a picture of her and Harry hugging with the phrase "HARRY POTTERS SECRET HEARTACHE."

Hermione sighed at the sight of the journal and handed it to Ginny. "I cannot handle Rita Skeeter. Go ahead and take this. Do with it what you will."

Instead of giving it back to the owl, Ginny decided to read the paper aloud to Hermione.

"Hermione Granger, a fourth year at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, seems to be slumming it with not only one triwizard candidates, but three of the four. Granger seems to have wooed Golden Boy Cedric Diggory, Quidditch Star Viktor Krum, and the Chosen One Harry Potter. It is usual for girls at the hosting school of the triwizard tournament to fancy a chosen candidate for the challenges, but not very many girls succeed in seducing even one champion. Granger has used her manipulative ways and supposed love potions to win her way into three golden hearts..." Ginny stopped after a few minutes to see Hermiones reaction to the written content.

"Love potions? Please! Ive been dating Cedric for months now! I've known Harry for years! It's not like I want Krum to fancy me! Next thing you know, Fleur the Veela will be announcing her love for me too!"

A girl from Beauxbatons stopped in her tracks when Hermione said this. "Oh pleeze, az eef shee would ever love someone az 'eedious az you. 'Ze red'ead, maybe, but you? Never," she scoffed and strutted away, most likely to tell her other beautiful French friends.

Hermione turned to Ginny and laughed. "You know, I've been to France with my parents and I saw the Beauxbatons academy. Quite frankly, I find it fairly ugly." At this Ginny laughed so hard she snorted, attracting the attention of the nearby Slytherins, who pushed their noses back in response.

Ginny glared at the students. "'Mione, don't listen this foul woman, I bet she has at least seven cats," Ginny assured Hermione about Skeeter.

After breakfast, Hermione headed to double Potions with Ron and Harry, who were finally talking again after yet another dispute. Hermione huffed as she entered the room full of fourth year Gryffindors and Slytherins.

"Hey Granger! I read your article in Witch Weekly! Who's your next victim? Poor little Longbottom here?" Joked Pansy Parkinson.

"Please, Pansy, if anything, you're just jealous that I'm getting the attention that you couldn't get if you tried." Shot back Hermione. The Gryffindor students all laughed at Hermiones comeback and it lifted her spirits a tiny bit.

"What article, Hermione?" Asked Harry.

"Oh, he doesn't know? It's been the highlight of the school for hours now, Potter! HARRY POTTERS SECRET HEARTACHE! Hermione Granger manipulates the male champions' feelings with a love potion! No doubt she's shagging Weasley behind everyone's backs as well!" Shouted Malfoy. The Slytherins erupted with laughter and sneers. Both Hermione and Ron turned a dark scarlet.

After several minutes of jeering and laughing, Professor Snape entered the classroom, slamming the double doors shut and silencing the class at the same time.

Throughout the lesson, the Slytherin students continued to make remarks towards hermione, until finally, Professor Snape noticed.

"What is going on here?" He sneered as he turned towards Harry, Ron and Hermione.

"Nothing, Professor," Hermione whispered.

"Granger, if you are to speak to me, please do so in an audible voice. As much as I would not like to hear your voice, I would like much more to hear a reasonable explanation for all this ruckus, as it appears to be surrounding you in particular."

"Nothing, sir. I apologize for the-"

"That's a lie, professor! Look, she is talking to them about a magazine!" Shouted Pansy Parkinson.

Professor Snape picked up the issue of Witch Weekly and read it aloud. "Harry Potters Secret Heartache. Hermione Granger gets all three male triwizard champions to fancy her through love potions and manipulation."

Hermiones eyes started to tear up from embarrassment and she looked away as her face turned a deep shade of scarlet once again.

"Fascinating though your social life undoubtedly is Miss Granger. I must ask you not to discuss it in my class. Ten points from Gryffindor," sneered Professor Snape before he walked over to his desk and threw the magazine on it.

Hermione was filled with embarrassment. She gathered up her books and ran out of the class before Professor Snape could continue his lesson.

Later that evening, Cedric walked down the hallways to go to his interview with Rita Skeeter. He pushed open the door to the nearly empty classroom. The only people there were Harry, Viktor, and Fleur, all whom were glaring at him or one another. He joined and greeted them, but the only response he received was a grunt from Viktor and a glare from Fleur. Harry kept his head down.

Suddenly, a loud bang erupted from the back of the room. The door slammed open and Rita Skeeter entered nonchalantly, with her enchanted notebook and quill behind her.

"All right dears! Who's ready for their interview?" Her voice was full of emotion as she grabbed Harry by his sleeve and started to pull him outside the room. "Youngest first! The rest of you get ready, I'll be back soon to hear all of the tea at Hogwarts!"

The remaining three shuffled uncomfortably for a few minutes until Krum grunted again.

"What, Krum?" Cedric spat.

"You took Hermininny away from me at the ball."

"Okay, first of all, that was two months ago. Second, I didn't even take her away, she left on her own accord, and third of all, you didn't even chase after her anyways! I believe your problem with me is irrelevant, considering you are the one who fancies my girlfriend, not the other way around."

Krum was about to make a comeback but There was the sound of a door slamming and someone storming down the hallway. Next thing they knew, Rita Skeeter entered the room again and pulled out Cedric.

"Oh, dear, here, come to this room here. This is where you'll do your interview." She said sweetly.

Cedric followed her into the room and sat down on one of the two chairs, Rita sitting on the other.

"Well, honey, we all know that you're the true Hogwarts champion, but how do you really feel about Harry Potter also being selected by the Goblet of Fire?"

"Well, Harry's a friend of mine, so I think it's great that we're going through this together."

Rita sighed, as if the answer didn't satisfy her need for gossip.

"And what about Hermione Granger? She has captured the hearts of all the champions, aren't you scared she'll come after you too?"

"Hermione Granger is not capturing all the champions hearts, and she already my girlfriend!"

"Honey, Hermione Granger is everyone's girlfriend, don't take it so personally."

"Why are you so cruel? She's a sweetheart and all you're doing is trying to get her hated. Why do you have to be like this? Just stay out of our lives! And for your information, I've been dating Hermione since before the triwizard tournament!"

"My, my, dear, no need to fly off the handle, it's my job to be involved in your lives," she said calmly.

"No it isn't! It's your job to make sure that people know what's going on in the wizarding world! You are nothing but a gossip!" Spat Cedric as he stormed out of the room. He rushed down the hall and went to see his sweetheart in the library.