A/N My first Harry Potter oneshot, that isn't a songfic, so please be nice. I hope you like the idea. Suggestions welcome, please review.
This is set during Book 6, before Harry and Ginny got together.
Playing with Potion
A Harry Potter One-shot
It was April Fool's Day – Harry's first at Hogwarts without waking up to various Filibuster fireworks whizzing through his dormitory, courtesy of Fred and George. He lay in his bed for a while, admiring the silence and thought of Ginny, grateful that Ron was still asleep. Sometimes, it was hard to remember where his loyalties lay.
After a particularly loud snore, and a grunt of "Lavender, get off!", Ron awoke, looking extremely startled. As he took in his surroundings, an expression of relief began to settle into his features. Harry grinned.
"Alright, Ron?" he asked, and Ron looked at him suspiciously.
"Yeah," he said, eventually, getting out of bed and stretching. "Just had a nightmare, s'pose."
Harry tried to contain his snort of laughter, and got out of bed himself. Whilst groping around for his glasses, he heard a loud tap-tap-tap at the window. He frowned, as a blurry white blob was all he could see. Recognition suddenly dawned on him. It was Pig.
"I'll get it," said Ron, whilst Harry still searched for his glasses. For some reason, they were not on his bedside table. Maybe Seamus had stolen them for an April Fool's Day trick. A loud crack suddenly sounded, shaking Dean and Neville awake, but Seamus just gave another snore and rolled over. Giving up on his glasses, Harry turned to see who had apparated in his dormitory, though he had a pretty good idea as to whom it was.
"Dobby brings Harry Potter April Fool's Day greetings!" squeaked the elf, joyfully, and Harry could see two black rings around his eyes. Dobby was wearing his glasses. "Dobby thought it would the perfect joke to steal Harry Potter's glasses!" Harry groaned, and reached forwards to snatch them back. "Dobby did not mean to upset Harry Potter, sir," Dobby added, meekly.
"S'alright," Harry muttered, and Dobby cracked a humongous smile, his eyes watering. Ron turned around, spitting out owl feathers and attacked his letter. "Bloody owl," he murmured, and Dobby looked curious.
"Don't ask," said Harry, and Ron ripped up his letter, and threw it into the fire.
"Belated birthday wishes from Percy," Ron explained. "Pompous git."
Dobby gave a nervous titter, and turned back to Harry. "Dobby also brings Harry Potter a present," he said. "In case Harry Potter did not appreciate the April Fool's Day joke." He reached into his pocket and handed Harry a vial of clear liquid. "It always comes in handy," he told him. Harry examined the liquid, confusedly.
"Dobby, what is it-" Harry began, but the elf had already disappeared.
"Stupid elf," Ron offered, helpfully, and he came closer to look at the vial of potion. "What do you reckon it is?"
"I dunno," Harry replied, and he dropped it onto his bed before changing into his robes. "But if its potion, it won't be long before Slughorn realises it's gone from his store. I really wish Dobby would stop trying to 'help'."
"Harry, that's it!" Ron cried. "Slughorn! Dobby's given you Veritaserum to try and help you crack old Slughorn!"
Harry shook his head. "No," he said. "I've told you before. Dumbledore said there would be use using Veritaserum, there would be no way we could get him to take it." Ron looked crestfallen. "Stupid elf," he said, again.
"Let's take it to Hermione," suggested Harry. "She'll be able to identify it." Ron looked up, a little more encouraged.
"Yeah," he replied. "Of course Hermione will be tell us what it is. She's amazing, isn't she?"
"Um," was Harry's first answer. "I guess."
The two finished dressing, and made their way to the common room, where Ginny was sat in front of the fire, watching the flames flicker and dance. Harry's stomach gave a jolt, but he gave her a friendly smile for Ron's benefit. Hermione was, of course, sat behind various N.E.W.T. textbooks, head bent and scribbling furiously. Ron rolled his eyes at Harry, and fought his way through the mass of books and sidled in next to Hermione, who looked up. Harry handed her the potion that Dobby had given him, and she inspected it thoroughly.
"Its Veritaserum," she said, eventually, and Ron looked triumphant. Harry felt a little disappointed.
"I told you," Ron declared loudly, and Hermione looked impressed. It was Harry's turn to roll his eyes.
"I wonder why Dobby gave you this?" said Hermione, looking puzzled, and biting her lip. "I mean, it's not like you could use it for Slughorn, could you? Dumbledore said it would be pointless." Harry gave Ron a very pointed look. "Maybe he just thought it would be useful in later life."
"Boring…" groaned Ron and he grabbed the vial, looking at it hungrily. "I said we do some digging with it."
"Like interrogating Malfoy?" asked Harry, in surprise. Ron shook his head.
"No," he argued. "I meant like, just asking each other personal questions. It would funny, wouldn't it?" Harry's stomach jumped again. What if Ron asked him about he felt about Ginny? He wasn't prepared to tell him, not just yet.
"I'm not sure, Ron..." began Hermione, and Harry was quick to agree. Ron gave the pair a funny look.
"Why?" he asked, suspiciously. "Got something to hide?"
"No," answered Harry and Hermione, quickly, and Ron returned to his usual gormless expression.
"Good," he said, looking around at their fellow Gryffindors. "Let's take Ginny too, yeah?" Harry felt all the colour in his face drain away. Oh, no. This wasn't going to be fun at all. "Hey, Ginny!"
Ron's red-headed sister appeared at Harry's side, and he had to resist grabbing her slim hand, which was a just inch away from his own. Instead, he concentrated his attentions on a particularly large pimple on Ron's chin. This seemed to help.
"We'd better go into the Room of Requirement though," he said, hurriedly, and Ginny nodded in agreement.
"Yeah," she said. "Wouldn't want the whole of Gryffindor to know our deepest darkest secrets."
The four of them made their way to the seventh floor, and Harry walked past the secret door that few knew about, thinking hard – "I want a room where we can keep our secrets, I want a room where we can keep our secrets, I want a room where we can keep our secrets…" The outline of the giant door began to appear, and he hurried Ron, Hermione and Ginny in before himself, and quickly followed. The ceiling of the Room of Requirement was today a light periwinkle colour. It soothed Harry almost immediately. Maybe the day wouldn't turn out to be too bad…
In the centre of the room, lay a single wooden chair. Harry looked at it, dubiously, and saw it only had three legs.
"Looking forward to this, Harry?" asked Ginny, her brown eyes fixed on him. Harry shuffled, a little uncomfortable.
"Hmphsplut," said Harry, in a tone that suggested that it was an actual word. He shook his head. "I mean, yeah, sure." Ginny giggled – and Harry's insides knotted themselves together. It was amazing, the effect just this one girl had on him.
"I'll go first!" declared Ron, and he dragged Hermione into the centre of the room, plonking her indelicately onto the chair. She didn't look too pleased. Ron uncorked the vial and dropped a single drop of potion onto Hermione's tongue. She swallowed, looking disgusted. Ron rubbed his hands, greedily, looking like the cat that got the cream. "Right, now I've got you right where I want you."
Hermione blushed scarlet.
"Did you snog Victor Krum?"
Needless to say, Hermione's blush did not disappear.
"Yes!" she choked, and Ginny and Harry cheered. Ron's expression was like thunder.
"Was he a good kisser?" he asked, and he looked as if he was afraid of the answer. Harry thought Hermione was going to throw up.
"Ron-"
"Hermione, answer me!"
"He was alright, I suppose."
Ginny was in fits of giggles, sliding down the wall and slowly turning pink. Harry just found the sight of her hilarious. Hermione glared at the pair of them.
"You're next," she warned Ginny, and she quickly sobered up. Hermione got out of her chair, pushing a confused Ron out of the way, and grabbed Ginny under the arm. She then began to drag her to the chair, with both Ron and Harry looking protectively at the small red-head. "Would somebody else like to do the honours?" Hermione asked, holding the vial of Veritaserum up. Harry stepped forward.
"I will," he said, and he took the potion from Hermione, standing tall above Ginny. This was his chance to find out everything he needed, but should he exploit it? He looked carefully at Ron and Hermione, who were awaiting Harry's question. He decided to ask her something that couldn't be considered as a jealous question, and he was sure Ron would appreciate the answer, too.
"How are things with Dean?"
Ginny's face reddened to match her hair, but she answered the question calmly. "Things are O.K, I guess," she replied. "He still treats me like I'm a second-year sometimes-" Harry's heart leapt. "- but I suppose he's just being careful." She looked up at Harry. "Your turn." Harry then began to feel queasy, but he took his seat in silence.
"Do you still fancy Cho Chang?" Ginny asked him, and Harry felt relieved. An easy question. Perfect.
"No, of course not!" he blurted out, before Ginny could drop any potion onto his tongue. Both Ginny and Hermione looked interestedly at him. Harry felt his face flame. He tried to redeem himself. "I just mean, she's last year's news, isn't she?"
He got out the chair before anyone could stop him, and looked accusingly at Ron. "Your go, Weasley," he demanded, surprised at his tone. Nobody else seemed to be, though; they were all crowding around Ron. Harry shook his head. It had just been embarrassment taking over. Hermione dangled the potion over Ron's head.
"Do you fancy Lavender, really?" she asked, as a silvery drop of potion fell into Ron's mouth. He pulled a face at the taste, but answered Hermione's question humorously.
"Bloody hell, no way!" he cried. "You gotta be flipping kidding me! She's like a monkey, all clingy." Ron looked miserable. "I just wish I knew a way to end it. I'm fed up of being called Won-Won every ten seconds."
The whole gang erupted, and Hermione shook the bottle. "Just one bit left," she said, handing it back to Harry. "You keep it. Just in case Slughorn's feeling vulnerable." Harry tucked the vial into his robe pocket, securely. He was hoping he could use it more for when he could get Ginny on her own. His imagination wandered, wildly. That would be something to look forward to.
The four left the Room of Requirement, all a little more embarrassed than entering. Ron was still eyeing Hermione a little sadly, but Hermione was sneaking fascinated glances of Ron every time he looked away. And Harry of course, couldn't keep his eyes off Ginny. He still had hope.
Ginny, however, was starting to doubt her feelings for Dean. Harry didn't like Cho Chang anymore. It would have been the perfect scenario for her, back when she was eleven or twelve.
But she wasn't the same girl she was back then.
Was she?