"Because they are taking such a small quantity, the effects will only last about half an hour, which will be plenty of time for us to ask them a couple of questions," Professor Slughorn explained after he set the empty vial down. "Please keep your questions tasteful; Don't ask anything that you wouldn't answer yourself."
Hermione was regretting this decision; How could she have let Draco get to her like that? He was the only reason she had volunteered in the first place. She had not considered the possibility of having to admit to things she didn't want to, but now it was becoming a reality. She just hoped for the love of Merlin that no one asked her anything too embarrassing. She would much rather be seated in her desk asking the questions, than answering them.
Harry was the first person to raise his hand, and Hermione eyed him nervously.
"Yes, Harry. Ask your question," Professor Slughorn instructed.
"Hermione, what's your biggest fear?"
The words spilled out of her mouth before she could stop them. "Failing an exam."
A few people laughed, but no one had expected anything different; She shot him an appreciative look.
Dean raised his hand next.
"Seamus, did you or did you not eat my last chocolate frog a couple of days ago and blame it on Ron?"
"I did," Seamus said.
"I knew it!" Dean exclaimed. "Sorry, Ron!"
Seamus slapped himself on the forehead and several people snickered. Hermione's nerves were subsiding now that the questions were being asked; It appeared that people were going to be respectful of their privacy after all.
"Draco, what is your greatest aspiration in life?" Blaise asked with a laugh.
"To be one of the most influential wizards in the world," he smiled. "And by most influential, I mean richest."
The Slytherins laughed, but most of the Gryffindors simply rolled their eyes. Apparently, Draco really was as self-centered as he came off to be.
"Seamus, who is your favorite professor and why?"
"Madam Hooch because flying is the only class in which I've managed not to blow something up."
It took everyone a moment to calm down and stop laughing so they could proceed with the questions. It was Lavender who raised her hand next.
"Hermione, who do you think is the hottest guy at Hogwarts?"
Hermione's face flushed and she bit her tongue. All the girls immediately burst into excited whispers, either trying to guess who Hermione would say or admitting how jealous they were that they hadn't thought of the question first. As hard as Hermione tried to redirect her mind, the only person she could think of was Draco. She imagined kissing him, how it felt when he touched her body, how she could see each of his muscles ripple with effort when he was above her, thrusting himself into her. The uncomfortable tingles erupted in her stomach and radiated down her legs again and she squeezed her eyes shut.
"Come on, Hermione! You can't fight it forever," another girl said.
It was true. It was becoming harder and harder to suppress her answer to the point it was almost painful. Finally, when she could withhold it no longer, the word spilled from her mouth without her consent.
"Draco," she said.
Hermione slapped her hand over her mouth just as the entire room burst into an uproar. There were laughs, and gasps, and catcalls. Lavender appeared genuinely sympathetic for having asked her question, but the damage was done. She was absolutely terrified to look at Draco for fear that he was angry and she couldn't even meet Harry or Ron's eyes for fear of their judgment. Instead, she hid her face behind her hands.
"Draco, how do you feel about that?" Blaise asked excitedly.
"About what?" Draco said, eluding the question.
"That Hermione thinks you're the hottest bloke at Hogwarts."
He shrugged and tried to keep his expression stoic. "It's not her fault; I am incredibly handsome."
Hermione heard Ron snort at this comment and several other Gryffindors laughed. At least he had detracted the attention away from her, and she was grateful even if that had not been his intention.
"Seamus, what's one thing you've done that would have earned you detention if you'd been caught?" a Slytherin boy asked.
Seamus laughed. "Just one? Well, I did set the curtains in the Gryffindor tower on fire last year."
Nearly everyone laughed, especially the Gryffindors who recalled the event. Seamus had singed off at least three feet of the curtains and Professor McGonagall was furious when she saw then; Luckily, he was never blamed.
"Don't worry, Mr. Finnigan, nothing you say will be held against you," Professor Slughorn assured him when he saw the worried look in Seamus's eyes. He sighed with relief.
"Draco, who is the most attractive girl in school?" Pansy said as she batted her eyelashes.
Please, Godric, don't say me, Hermione thought. For the love of Merlin, don't say me.
Draco's jaw hardened. How dare Parkinson ask him that question when she already knew it wasn't her? He had told her countless times that he did not like her, and would never like her, as anything more than a friend and yet, she refused to leave him alone.
"Not you," Draco answered sharply, hoping this would be a sufficient answer to overcome the power of the Veritaserum.
Blaise, as well as several other Slytherins howled with laughter. Pansy, who looked completely unaffected by Draco's remark, sat back in her chair and crossed her arms over her chest.
"Then who is?" she pressed.
Draco felt the answer on his tongue, as if it were tangible, and he had the urge to spit it out. If he jumped up and ran out of the classroom, he might make it to the corridor before the answer was ripped out of him. But it was a long shot.
He bit hard on his knuckle just as Hermione's name slipped out of his mouth. Thankfully, it was a jumbled murmur and no one caught it. But Pansy wasn't backing down that easily.
"What was that, Draco? I'm afraid no one heard you." An evil smile curled its way across her face.
Draco could no longer fight the power of the Veritaserum.
"It's Granger. ARE YOU HAPPY NOW YOU BLOODY INSUFFERABLE COW?" Draco snapped in rage. He leaped off his chair and stormed down the aisle, stopping only to collect his bag before disappeared out of the classroom.
Everyone turned to Hermione, whose face was impossibly red. Before anyone could ask her how she felt about Draco's answer, Professor Slughorn stepped up.
"Well, it seems this experiment has been almost a complete success," he said and ushered Hermione and Seamus to take their seats. "Let's give our volunteers a round of applause, shall we?"
...x...x...x...
"So when were you going to tell us that you have the hots for Draco bloody Malfoy?" Ron barked. "What are you thinking, Hermione?"
"Back off, Ron. She didn't say she liked him, just that she thinks he's hot," Harry warned.
Ron huffed. "What's the bloody difference? He's a wanker."
"Physical attractiveness has nothing to do with the merit of someone's character, Ronald," Hermione snapped. "He can be a wanker and still be attractive."
Ron shook his head. "I'm not buying it. And was it just a coincidence that he said your name too?"
"Perhaps he has an appreciation for intelligence and..."
"You can lie to yourself all you want, Hermione. I'm a man, I know how we think. He isn't into your essay writing ability."
"ENOUGH, Ron!" Harry growled. "Unless you want us to force some Veritaserum down your throat and prod embarrassing answers out of you as well."
Ron opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again. "I'll see you two back in the common room."
He pushed his plate away and hurried away from the Gryffindor house table. Hermione watched him storm out of the Great Hall, nearly shoving someone out of his way in the entrance hall.
"Thank you, Harry," Hermione said as a single tear slid down her cheek.
He forced a smile. "Don't worry about him, Hermione. He's just jealous."
She forced a nod. "It was a completely harmless question. I just don't understand why he's taking it this way. So what if I think Malfoy is attractive?"
Harry shrugged. "If it makes you feel better, it doesn't bother me."
Hermione smiled and wiped her cheek. "Thanks."
...x...x...x...
After leaving Potions, Draco headed to the Slytherin common room where Blaise found him sulking in front of the fireplace.
"It wasn't a big deal, mate," he said encouragingly. "After seeing her Saturday night, I might have said the same thing."
Draco scoffed. "Then it should have been you up there."
"Seriously, no one even talked about it after you left," Blaise assured him. "Although I'm pretty sure Parkinson likes Hermione quite a bit less now, if that's possible."
Draco's didn't even want to hear about Parkinson. If she never spoke to him again, Draco would be perfectly fine with that. In fact, he preferred it.
"You know, I've never hit a girl before, but I'm considering it," Draco mumbled.
"Drake, it wasn't Granger's fault!"
"Who said anything about hitting Granger? I'm talking about Pansy."
Blaise burst into laughter. "Only if I'm there to watch it. Now come on, I'm hungry."
As they stepped into the Great Hall, Draco's eyes traveled involuntarily to the Gryffindor house table. Even at a distance he could tell that Hermione was upset; Her face was blotchy and she appeared to be arguing with Weasel. He felt a twinge of anger in the pit of his stomach.
"You alright, Drake?" Blaise asked.
"I'm fine," he answered dryly. "Just deciding if I'd rather take out my anger on Weasel than Parkinson."
Blaise followed Draco's gaze and found Hermione sitting at the Gryffindor table. It did look like Weasley was yelling at her, and she looked like she was crying.
"Come on, Drake," he said, pulling on his best mate's sleeve. "You don't want to make a scene."
"And if I do?"
Blaise rolled his eyes. "He's not worth it. You'd probably get three months of detention for starting a fight in the Great Hall."
"I wouldn't be starting it if he swings first," Draco assured him.
Blaise shook his head. "Now's not the time, mate."
...x...x...x...
"Drake," Blaise whispered as he nudged his arm. "She's leaving."
Blaise was pointing across the hall at Hermione who had stood and gathered her things.
"And?" Draco said, pretending he didn't care.
"Now's your chance," Blaise encouraged. "Go talk to her."
Draco looked at him hesitantly. "Why in Salazar's name would I want to do that?"
"Please... You think I'm that dense?" Blaise raised his brow. "You're willing to pummel Weasel for yelling at her and you don't want to talk to her?"
Draco shook his head. "You know I can't."
"You can't or you don't want to?"
He groaned. "Of course I want to but..."
"Then what the bloody hell are you waiting for?" Blaise asked, furrowing his brow. "Get off your lazy arse and go!"