THC/The Houses Competition

House: Gryffindor

Class: Ancient Runes

Category: Drabble

Prompt(s): [Object-Potion] Veritaserum

Word Count: 897

"Oi, you lot!"

Harry blearily looked up to see Seamus standing in front of the fireplace in the eighth-years' common room, beckoning everyone to join him.

At first Harry had thought it would be a terrible idea to put all the returning 'eighth-year' students from all four Houses in the same living area, but it had turned out surprisingly well. After the previous year, and the final battle, it seemed that everyone — including himself — had lost their taste for discord and conflict, and the lines between Houses were now so blurred that when Harry walked into the Great Hall sometimes he forgot which table was supposed to be his.

It was nice to have a room to themselves where they could relax without little first and second years running around like wildlings. Since they were older than the other students, McGonagall had relaxed quite a few of the rules for them, and as long as they didn't draw attention to it, she seemed willing to overlook the occasional party.

They had just finished their last exam of the first term, so even though the train was coming early tomorrow to take them all home for the winter holidays, all the eighth-years and a few of the seventh years, too, were staying up late and having a few drinks in celebration. Perhaps more than a few, Harry thought, watching as some people struggled to stay upright, flocking around Seamus.

"I've got the latest party game box from Weasleys! Truth or Dare: All Truth Edition," Seamus said.

There were confused looks from all around the circle.

"Why does it come in a box?" Neville asked.

"Because," Dean said, standing up next to Seamus with the opened box in his hands, "this box comes with question cards and a bottle of truth serum."

"I'm sorry — Veritaserum?" Hermione sounded outraged. "That's a Class 2 restricted potion!" Harry was impressed she remembered that; he'd seen her take at least three shots of Firewhisky earlier.

"Well, yes, but it's diluted!" Seamus said defensively. "It won't force you to answer. If you don't like the question you don't have to answer, just take a shot of Firewhiskey."

Hermione still looked disgruntled, but Ron pulled her into his lap and whispered something to her that calmed her down. Harry looked away as they kissed and unexpectedly met the gaze of Draco Malfoy. He was half-draped over Parkinson, and a corner of his mouth curled up into a lazy smile…Harry hastily looked away, cheeks flaming, and took a sip from the bottle of truth serum when it came around.

Seamus pulled a card from the box and turned to Dean.

"What's the worst date you've been on?"

"Madam Puddifoot's with Ginny in fifth year," Dean answered. "Sorry, Gin."

"No offense taken," Ginny laughed from her seat next to Luna on the sofa.

Dean got to ask the next question, but he put back the first card he drew after looking at it and began peeking at the other cards in the deck.

"It was a bad card!" he insisted, and finally settled on a different one. "Right, Neville, this one's for you. Who's hottest: Dumbledore, Dobby, or Hagrid?"

There was quite a bit of laughter at the question, and Neville looked bewildered.

"Dumbledore, I suppose?"

"Good answer, mate," Dean said, passing the box down to him. Neville didn't sort through the cards at all, and the next few questions were rather uninteresting, at least to Harry, until Parkinson ended up with the box. She didn't have any compunction about not looking through the cards, and after inspecting a few, pulled one out with a sly smirk.

"Draco, darling." Malfoy did not look reassured by the endearment. "Who is your secret crush?"

Harry thought for sure that Malfoy wouldn't answer and would take a shot instead.

"Potter."

Harry thought he'd imagined it, but the rest of the room had heard it too. There were a number of oohs and everyone was looking between Harry, who was too stunned to react, and Malfoy, who was trying to hide behind an amused Parkinson and then gave up and stormed out.

Harry was surprised. He couldn't deny that there'd always been…something going on between him and Malfoy. This year it had seemed a bit more flirtatious than antagonistic, but he hadn't thought there were actually any romantic feelings behind it — at least, not on Malfoy's part. There definitely had been on Harry's end of things, but he'd been sure that with all the history between them that Malfoy would never feel that way.

He'd lost track of the game momentarily while he was thinking, and was startled when someone called his name.

"Harry!" It was Luna. Good. Harry trusted her to not give him an embarrassing question. "Who do you most want to kiss in this room right now?"

Harry had just enough time to realize Luna had betrayed him before his mouth did, too.

"Malfoy."

Everybody started talking all at once.

"Technically," Dean's voice cut through them all, "Malfoy's not in the room right now, but if you wanted to go fix that…" He gestured towards the door that led up to the eighth-year boy's dorms.

It took Harry a second to understand, and then, to the sound of catcalls and cheers from his classmates, he scrambled awkwardly to his feet and went to — hopefully — go claim a kiss.