Love In The Shadows | Fred Weasley x OC

Chapter 15

Chapter 15: Rumors

Hogwarts was abuzz with gossip, and at the center of it all was Adhara Malfoy. It seemed that every student had an opinion about her relationship—or lack thereof—with Fred Weasley. The chatter in the Great Hall was relentless, with whispers and glances exchanged among classmates.

"Did you see Adhara coming out of the Astronomy Tower? We all know Fred was there last night." a Gryffindor whispered to his friends.

"Apparently, they were up there together late at night," another added, eyes wide with excitement. "I bet they're dating!"

Adhara sat at the Slytherin table, trying to eat her breakfast, but the words floated around her like a swarm of pesky flies. She barely registered the food on her plate. Instead, her thoughts were consumed by the persistent rumors. It was ridiculous how quickly things escalated from a simple friendship to something everyone insisted was romantic.

"Adhara, are you listening?" Vera nudged her, breaking her out of her reverie.

"Hmm? What?" Adhara replied, shaking her head slightly to clear her mind.

"I said, I think it's hilarious how everyone's convinced you and Fred are dating," Vera said, a playful smile on her lips. "You've officially become the star of the school's gossip column."

"I wouldn't call it hilarious," Adhara muttered, pushing her food around her plate. "It's embarrassing."

"Oh, come on! You can't tell me it doesn't feel good to be the center of attention, even if it is just for ridiculous rumors," Vera teased, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "At least it's not about something serious."

"Fair point," Adhara conceded, rolling her eyes. "But you can't deny that it's annoying. I don't want everyone speculating about my personal life, especially when it's not true."

"But what if it were true?" Vera asked, leaning forward with a curious expression. "What if you and Fred really were together?"

Adhara shot her friend a look. "You know how my family feels about these things. They wouldn't approve, and I have no intention of giving them more reasons to meddle in my life."

"Fair enough," Vera said, her tone shifting slightly. "But you can't deny that Fred has a way of making things fun. He's a good guy."

"Yeah, he's fun, but that doesn't mean I'm interested in him like that," Adhara replied, trying to sound resolute. But even as she said it, a small part of her wondered if it was entirely true.

Later in the day, as Adhara made her way through the bustling corridors of Hogwarts, she overheard snippets of conversation that confirmed her fears.

"Did you see Adhara leave the Astronomy Tower?" a Ravenclaw girl said to her friend.

"Yes! And Fred was with her! They were definitely up to something!" her friend responded, a teasing tone in her voice.

Adhara felt a flush of embarrassment creep up her neck. Why did it matter so much to everyone? She decided to ignore the whispers, focusing instead on her classes. But as she sat in Potions, her mind wandered back to the Astronomy Tower incident. She and Fred had simply bumped into each other there; it wasn't like they were plotting anything scandalous.

"Adhara? Are you daydreaming again?" Professor Snape's voice sliced through her thoughts, pulling her back to the present.

"Uh, no, sir," she stammered, quickly straightening in her seat.

"Good. Then perhaps you could enlighten the class on the properties of this potion," he said, gesturing to the cauldron in front of her.

"Yes, of course," Adhara replied, her heart racing as she tried to recall the lesson.