A/N: A little heads up again, for those who aren't familiar with the Mafia genre. Basically, in this game, there are two or three factions (Town, Mafia and Neutrals), and their goal is to annihilate the other by 'killing' nightly and 'lynching' daily. Day and night phases are usually a few minutes, depending on the game mode. Mafia knows each other, Town doesn't, Mafia has less members, Town has more. Everybody has a special role; they have abilities which they can use. Whichever faction stays alive, wins. All of this is inspired by 1. Town of Salem, 2. Forum Mafia on the ToS forums. Enjoy.

Word count: 577

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry: Flying Assignment #9 - It could be simple, it could be relationship changing, but deceit must be the main aspect of your relationship. (extra prompt used: (dialogue) "They haven't seen the best of us yet.")

"You were actually mafia?" Sirius frowned, throwing his cards down the table, a look of mild shock etched onto his face. "How? You had both me and Harry convinced that you were a good guy; nobody had raised any suspicions about you, and you made all of us believe that Ginny killed half of the players, while, in fact, it was you all along. How in Merlin's name can you do that?"

"Because, Sirius," Hermione explained, "this is a game of deception. You are meant to lie if you're on the 'bad' side, or if your alignment is neutral according to your role card. Which means, since I was mafia – a member of the 'bad guys gang' – I was supposed to tell everyone a plausible lie, which I did, because it was my intent to win. I can't blame myself for not warning you not to believe every word I say; that's not what this game is about."

"I trusted you!" Sirius exclaimed, fake mockery glinting in his stormy grey eyes. "And you betrayed me. You have to redeem yourself now."

Instead of a reply, Hermione let out a rather exasperated sigh before placing her cards right beside Sirius's. "Me? Say, how do you think I should fulfil this whole redeeming objective?"

"I have a few ideas," the man smirked, to which the brunette simply rolled her eyes. "Would you like to hear about them?"

"Not necessarily," Hermione said. "Although, now that you mention it, on the contrary, I believe that you should be the one to make amends since you've lost the game."

Sirius seemed to be deep in thought for a brief period of time before speaking again. "How about we don't compensate at all and let it slide? After all, we're even. You've lied to me, and I played horrendously – according to you. I'll admit to being wary of what you may have in store for me."

"You act like such a sissy sometimes," Hermione noted with a sly smile. "Now, are you up for another round? Harry and Ginny are two floors above us, and we can still call back everybody else to play again."

"Only if I get to be mafia with you," came the answer from Sirius.

The brunette witch chuckled. "If I will be mafia, that is."

"They haven't seen the best of us yet," Sirius winked, gathering the cards in his hands from across the battered oak table. "I'd rather be a bad guy with you than with anyone else."

"I wouldn't be a bad guy with you; you're a terrible liar," Hermione noted offhandedly.

Sirius pursed his lips and peered at the girl with slight scepticism. "Unlike you."

"I'm not a good liar; I simply have a lot of experience in this game," Hermione objected. "Plus, your facial expressions are way too telling for your own good."

"You know me all too well."

"That I do," the girl nodded. "However, you have to admit. You're like an open book; it's not hard to read you like one."

"That doesn't give you the right to lie to my face," Sirius commented, bitterness seeping into his voice.

"This is just a game, Sirius," Hermione said. "Now you make me wonder what would happen if I deliberately deceived you about a matter of more significance."

"Say, how about that next party?" Sirius asked suddenly, not even trying to hide the fact that he was steering the conversation away.

Hermione just giggled again.