The Littlest Things DxH

Disclaimer: You know, the disclaimer line is kind of like a telemarketer. No matter how many times you try to avoid them, they just keep coming back. Well, here's mine coming back again: I don't own anything. If I did, I would be married to Tom Felton.

Author's Note: 154 reviews and over 11100 hits. Wait a second. Okay, I'm conscious again. YOU ALL ARE AWESOME! Thanks to all who read and reviewed (rano, heytheredalaila, Missy Muggle Witch, superfragile, ChasingStarlight, Rambina, xNikkixMasscurex, Trignifty, LilBitzer, Sincerely Izi, firebirdflame, bookworm-bianca, evilcrossedwithgood, IreadDrSeuss, dee-dee142, IrethFalassion, YellowFang's Loyalty, missMANNEQUINx, honestlyybailee, LlamaPhi, Uber-l33t Rabid Ninja Squirrel, Haddaleyferret, Querida Goddess, reader101, ILOVERWHPDM, erii-baby, wildchild1017, ALottaRandomnessInMe, Forks-and-knives, S.Atkins, ELM-tree10, Bella's-Choice, Vinwinz, selenehekate, purplekitten7, SCaRoL, xblackdragonx, PeanutluvsHP, FelizNavidad, DracosLover1313, hsmprincess, turbyhurby288, and burnin4Christ) Enjoy! (The italics and bold indicate written words.)

AUTHOR'S VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: This chapter is very serious, actually. The funniness will start again, but I'm warning you that this chapter might not be what you expect.

Prologue:

Hello, fellow readers. Why do I bother to do this at the beginning of every chapter? You have to be either reading this story backwards or sideways (whichever you prefer) to not know who I am. In case this is your first time reading this story, I am the narrator. Veritaserum, huh? I think our little Hermione and Draco are in trouble! What if they confess some things they rather keep to themselves? That won't go over too well. Hey, at least I get some good laughs. Carry on, now, readers.

Ch. 21:

Hermione was ready to pee her pants. I have to take VERITASERUM!? AND I HAVE TO HAVE A HEART-TO-HEART WITH MALFOY!?!?! She looked at him; of course he had a smirk on his face. My life sucks.

Meanwhile, Draco was dancing for joy in his mind. Now I will be able to see what she is really feeling for me. Then I'll know how much longer I need to work on her and finally win that bet. Draco' stomach suddenly twinged. What the hell was that? His eyes widened. That couldn't have been guilt!? I don't even like her so why should I feel guilty? He looked at Hermione, who was chewing her lip. His stomach contracted again. Draco, you're a Malfoy and a Slytherin. Act like one. But somehow he could not gain back his earlier elation.

"Okay, class," Snape drawled. "Let's have the boys drink first since they are usually more….reticent about their feelings." He grinned evilly. "Now drink up."

Now Draco was panicking. OH, CRAP! What if she finds out about the bet? The boxers incident? My past? He looked at the cauldron like it was a bubbling pit of toxic poison. Which it is really, now that I think about it.

Hermione was watching Draco as he battled with his mind. Can't he just hurry up and end the misery for both of us? Finally she couldn't take his stalling any longer. "Malfoy, just drink the stupid potion before I stuff it down your throat!"

Draco shot out of his thoughts and gave Hermione a dark look. "Hold your horses, Granger." He steeled himself and drank a ladleful all at once.

Hermione was fascinated as she watched the transformation. Draco's eyes lost their luster, his body gave an involuntary shudder as the Veritaserum oppressed his conscious mind and rewired his brain to speak involuntarily. It seemed like an almost imperceptible wind ruffled his blonde hair. He walked stiffly to his chair and sat down; he still remembered that he was to be interrogated.

Hermione sat in a chair facing him. She decided to test him to make sure the Veritaserum was alright – she didn't want him to suddenly talk like a chicken or think he was a dragon and try to jump out a window. "What is your name?"

"Draco Malfoy." The answer was automatic.

"Who are your mother and father?"

"Narcissa Black Malfoy and Lucius Malfoy, both purebloods."

Hermione was satisfied with his answers. The Veritaserum is working as it should, she thought with a sigh of relief. The last thing I want is Malfoy doing something stupid. Her brain stopped and mulled over what was going on. What should I ask about? His childhood? Perhaps that's a good place to start. "What was your childhood like?"

"Terrible." Hermione was taken aback by Draco's cold voice. She hesitated before asking her next question.

"How so?"

"My father beat me and my mother. He did not care for his family. Consequently I was subject to his disgust and disapproval. I was never good enough for him. I never learned to live and love like a normal human." Draco's voice was monotone the entire time.

Hermione was shocked, the other conversations drifting into the background. How did he survive? She looked at his dull eyes. His eyes are nothing compared to that night….She shook her head. What the hell, Hermione!? Focus! Just keep going! She decided to get off the topic of his family. She didn't want to hear any more, plus she was quite sure that Draco would be livid if he found out that he told her about his childhood. She decided instead to get the answer to another sensitive question.

"Why do you act so mean to people, especially Muggle-borns like me?"

"I was taught to despise your kind. That hatred was ingrained into me. It is a part of my psyche, unalterable because I learned it at such a young age." Hermione shuddered at his voice. So cold...

"Then why…" Hermione paused. Gather your courage Hermione! It's now or never! "Why are you…pursuing me?"

Draco suddenly looked at though he was in excruciating pain. He's trying to free himself from the Veritaserum's bonds! That potion's grip is impossible to break! He'll die! Fear rose up in Hermione. "Malfoy, stop!" she called, panic creeping into her vocal chords.

Draco was meanwhile having the battle of his life. His conscious mind, shoved into a corner by the Veritaserum, registered Hermione's question and was fighting back. The Veritaserum recognized Draco's resistance to telling the truth and was trying to subdue his mind again. His conscious mind was fighting tooth and nail: I can't let Granger find out the truth! I can't! I'll be ruined! The Veritaserum reacted so strongly to this thought that it slammed his brain with a wall of force, sending waves of tortuous pain through the nerves and causing his muscles to spasm.

Hermione was watching this inner turmoil in horror, staring at Malfoy's twitching body. "Malfoy, stop fighting! It will kill you! Malfoy!" She was shaking him now, her eyes wide with terror. "MALFOY! STOP IT!"

Snape, who had gone into his study to grade some papers, raced back into the dungeon classroom. "What is going on here!?" he bellowed. He saw Hermione, hysterical, shaking Draco furiously. Snape ran over to her. "Miss Granger - !"

"Professor, he's fighting it! He's fighting the Veritaserum!" Hermione's hair was frizzing with her panic, her eyes lit with lightening.

Snape's own eyes widened. He knew the consequences of fighting Veritaserum. "Mr. Malfoy, you must stop now. No one has ever overcome Veritaserum. STOP FIGHTING!" Draco was still jerking and writhing on the chair. The class, those both under the Veritaserum and those not, were panicking, running to get help, any help.

Draco was too engrossed in the battle to hear Snape's voice. I must not tell the truth. I…must…NOT! The Veritaserum practically screamed, clamping down on Draco's mind. Draco's mind finally cracked under the pressure. His body went limp.

Hermione saw the change and fear ignited every nerve ending in her body. Her own brain was pulsing with fear…for him.

"MALFOY!"

Author's PS – Pretty intense huh? Funniness will return momentarily, I promise. I just needed to get some seriousness in there. Reviews and constructive criticism welcome.