Chapter 30
Harry Potter rushed through the crowded halls of Hogwarts, his mind buzzing with thoughts of classes and Quidditch practice. Life had become a whirlwind of responsibilities, leaving little room for anything else. But as he turned a corner, he overheard a snippet of conversation that brought an old memory rushing back.
“Did you hear? Draco Malfoy is dating Astoria Greengrass!” a Hufflepuff whispered to her friend.
“No way! I heard the crazier one—that Hermione Granger is dating Astoria!” the friend replied, eyes wide with disbelief.
Harry stopped in his tracks, the words ringing in his ears. It had been weeks, maybe months, since he had seen Draco kiss Hermione in the shadowy corridors of the castle. At the time, he had been too overwhelmed by everything else to fully process what he had witnessed. But now, hearing these rumors, he felt a knot of unease tighten in his stomach.
His thoughts raced as he tried to make sense of it all. Hermione Granger, the Slytherin who was always top of their year and notoriously private, had always been an enigma to Harry, someone he rarely interacted with outside of classes and the occasional school event.
He chuckled to himself, shaking his head at the absurdity of the rumors. Hogwarts was always abuzz with gossip, and it seemed this was just another wild tale spun by bored students. With a smirk, Harry continued on his way, dismissing the rumors from his mind—for now.