Rearranged
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A/N: Did you miss what SWAWAS stood for in Chapter 1? It's for Student Wizards and Witches Against School. Clever, ain't I? ^_~ Tally ho! Onward… *coughcough* Scuze me. That came out of nowhere.
Disclaimer: All Harry Potter characters are owned by J.K. Rowling. I've taken artistic license with their personalities and the plot is my own.
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[3]
Harry was in his room poring over the six-foot-long Potions essay Snape had assigned when the picture frame on his desk rattled. He glanced quickly about the room, making sure he was the only one there. The rest of his roommates were out, most likely browsing the library for homework help or relaxing in the common room. He gently tapped the upper right corner of the decorative iron frame. The photograph of him, Ron, and Hermione laughing and playfully shoving each other in front of the Hogwarts Express on the last day of 5th year vanished. On the blank white screen, a message scrolled across.
Think of some good Truths and Dares. The game may be required to enforce our positions, but there's no reason not to have some fun with it. Put Malfoy or Chang on the spot. That should be entertaining. I've got McGonagall's approval. Took a bit of persuasion but I finally convinced the old gal that the game promoted unity among the houses of Hogwarts and a load of other bull. See you at breakfast. We'll have fun tomorrow night. Mione.
A smirk played across Harry's face. He tapped the upper left corner of the frame then said, "No problem. See you tomorrow. Harry." The message scripted itself as he spoke and vanished, on its way to Hermione's identical frame, their private means of communication, as Harry tapped the lower left corner.
He thought about sending it to Weasely, contemplating the forward button hidden in the lower right corner. Finally, he shrugged and returned to his essay. Weasely could be left out. It was only one of the many things he'd been left out of anyway.
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Ginny Weasely nervously fingered her prefect badge. Her mother had been so proud when she'd realized she'd have one last prefect in the family. The twins had left Hogwarts a legend, but known more for their mischief-making than their mischief-stopping. Ron hadn't been particularly keen to make prefect either, especially with all his running around, breaking rules, and nearly getting himself killed with Harry. But proud as Mrs. Weasely was that her only daughter was a prefect, at the moment her daughter was feeling more anxiety than pride.
"Yes Ms. Weasely?" Professor McGonagall asked, seeing the red-haired, freckled girl shifting nervously from foot to foot in the doorway of her Transfiguration class.
"I was wondering if I might speak to Professor Dumbledore?" ventured Ginny. She clasped her hands together nervously and reminded herself that there was no other choice. Dumbledore would be the only one who could help her, to either confirm or dismiss her theories…
McGonagall raised an eyebrow. "Is there a reason for calling on him?" She straightened the papers on her desk.
"Well…"
"It's quite all right, Minerva," said a voice from behind Ginny. She turned and saw Professor Dumbledore, a tall wizard with long white hair and a longer beard the same color. His blue eyes twinkled warmly from beneath his wizard's hat. "Would you like to come into my office, Ms. Weasely?"
Ginny nodded fervently, grateful that she didn't have to ask for the privacy. She remembered to flash a thankful smile at her Transfiguration professor before trailing the Hogwarts headmaster out of the room and towards his office.
"I assume you wanted to speak with me about tomorrow night?" he asked kindly, slowing his pace until she was next to him.
How did he know? She wondered. "T-that's right." She gulped then drew up all her courage, despite her shaking hands, and said, "I have some concerns about the Halloween inter-house game of Truth or Dare that's taking place tomorrow night in the Great Hall."
He didn't say anything, merely looked at her, encouraging her to go on.
Furrowing her brow, Ginny gave him a sideways glance, and said hesitantly, "As a prefect, it's my responsibility to uphold the rules, sir, and report any mischief-making and though there is no hard evidence, I am anxious about tomorrow night." She paused then added quietly, "And I believe I have cause to."
Dumbledore ushered her into his waiting office. "Let's hear it then, Ms. Weasely."
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"I can't believe we have to play Truth or Dare with Malfoy," Ron groaned as he walked with a group of Gryffindors toward the Great Hall on Halloween night. "Can you just imagine what kind of dares that git will come up with?"
"Something bloody, probably," predicted Harry gloomily. He perked up as he caught sight of approaching Ravenclaws, among them Cho Chang, a 7th year he had been interested in since mid-3rd year. He waved enthusiastically.
Ron smirked. "Someone's happy to see their girlfriend."
"Shut up!"
Hermione was off to Harry's side, talking to Lavender Brown, or more accurately, engaged in an argument with Lavender Brown. Parvati and a blonde 7th-year Gryffindor named Dawn Aurore were listening avidly to their heated discussion about the merits of Divination. Hermione still held firm to her beliefs that it was utter hogwash and Professor Trelawney with all her smoke, mirrors, incense, and dramatic predictions, was feeding the class a load of bull, while Lavender argued that Hermione obviously didn't have the proper Inner Eye and just couldn't See the way some students (i.e., Lavender herself) could. Behind them Seamus, Dean, Lee Jordan, and 5th-year Colin Creevey (who had somewhat overcome his fascination with Harry) were discussing the possible strategies the Gryffindor Quidditch team could use when playing Hufflepuff in their next match. Tagging behind them was Neville Longbottom, trying to look as if he understood every word of the conversation piping in with often misplaced, "So true!" "Now the team would really benefit if they did that!" and once with a "Has anyone every thought about selling ice cream at the games?" Further back, the younger Gryffindors were having their own private discussions, drawing attention only by their sporadic bursts of laughter.
All in all, it was a lively group that trouped into the Great Hall. Many of the other students in Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin were already there, separated into large groups by their years. While Dumbledore and the other heads of the Houses had approved the promotion of unity among the different houses of Hogwarts, the prefects had been left to take care of how the game was to be played within such a large group. With Hermione and Ginny as the Gryffindor prefects, Justin Finch-Fletchley and Hannah Abbott as Hufflepuff's, Terry Boot and Valerie West as Ravenclaw's, and Slytherin's prefects being Zachariah Nott and Draco—purely by bad luck and a father skilled in blackmail, as Ron always said—it had been easy to secure the game the way Hermione wanted it. After all, five out of eight prefects were SWAWAS members and majority ruled, after all. She was still promoting inter-house relationships, after all, just not inter-year relationships.
The Gryffindor group separated at the door, weaving through the pillows and cushions spread across the now carpeted floor to settle in front of one of the seven merrily crackling fires. Parvati waved to Dawn as they walked in opposite directions. Colin said a hurried goodbye to his fellow Quidditch fans and scurried across the floor to the 5th-year fire.
As Harry sat down, he noticed that all the tables had disappeared—sunk into the floor and covered with carpeting, Hermione explained to him, familiar with the process she had helped perform earlier after the Halloween feast—but the Head Table where Dumbledore and the rest of the teachers usually sat was still there. Hermione instructed him and Ron and the rest of them to make themselves comfortable in front of their fire.
"I have to up to the Head Table and explain the game and some rules," she said, brushing her hair out of her face. She made a face. "There were a lot more rules, and they were right sensible, but that prat got Snape to remove half of them." She sent a brown-eyed glare in the direction of the Head Table where Draco was already waiting to make the announcements. "See you in a few." She smiled and ran off.
"This ought to be interesting," Ron muttered, looking very anxious to get on with it.
Harry was anticipating it as well. "We'll get a chance to tell Malfoy to stick his bloody head in a toilet," he said happily.
"Or get him to kiss someone," Lavender whispered to Parvati. They immediately swooned and received odd looks from the boys.
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"Truth or Dare, Blaise?" asked a black girl named Ginger Fox. She gave dark-haired Slytherin a challenging look.
Blaise smirked. "Dare."
"Strip to your—" Ginger stopped and cursed. "Damn, that's against the rules." She glared at Hermione who stared stubbornly back at the Ravenclaw. Ginger turned back to Blaise. "I dare you to stand up and close your eyes then spin around with your wand. When I say stop, cast the Lascivious Charm on the first person you see."
"Fine." With a scowl and a shrug, Blaise stood and did as ordered. As she did, the 6th-years closest to her shrank back a little. But it was of little use. When Ginger yelled, "STOP!" and Blaise opened her eyes, the Lascivious Charm spun out of the tip of her wand in a sparkle of red and hit Justin Finch-Fletchley directly between the eyes. Everyone howled with laughter and Blaise spent the rest of the evening trying to keep Justin's lustful gaze and wandering hands away from her.
"My turn," she said, glaring as Justin approached for another attempt at pawing her. Her eyes scanned the room and then settled on Ron Weasely with a malicious sneer. "Weasely."
Ron was already protesting. "Hey, hey, I've already gone! The rules said everyone has to have gone at least once before someone gets it twice…" He trailed off nervously when Blaise said smugly,
"Everyone's already gone, Weasely. I was the last. Now…truth or dare."
Eyeing her distrustfully, Ron snarled, "Truth.'
"Oops," Blaise said with a smile. She tapped her dark red nails against her chin thoughtfully. "A truth, huh? Let's make it juicy." She winked at Draco who was curled up next to her, looking satisfied with his earlier dare, forcing Harry to either kiss Finnigan or trade his Firebolt X broomstick, the newest and improved rendition of the Firebolt. With looks of extreme distaste, Potter and Finnigan had pecked for about half a second.
"Make it personal," drawled Draco, running his hand lazily up and down Blaise's bare arm. From his other side, Pansy Parkinson glared enviously and grabbed Malfoy's free hand possessively.
Hermione watched, tempted to smile in approval at Pansy's brilliant acting. She was so good at acting the whiny, zero-self-esteem, leeching, spotlight-craving whore, that it was easy to forget that she was really the dignified girl with determination glinting hard in her blue eyes, promising her best for SWAWAS. A girl who also loathed Draco, if she recalled correctly. This time, Hermione really had to fight her smile, knowing it'd be out of character with the girl who was supposed to be Ron's best friend and equally indignant at Blaise's pending question.
Blaise was still thinking amidst impatient grumbles and urgings to hurry up. Hermione took the time to run curious eyes over Draco, one of the SWAWAS main concerns. He seemed fairly in character tonight; cold, cruel, and condescending. His mocking tone and malicious smirk matched the contemptuous gleam in his eyes. She had to admit he was playing his role well. She had never quite been so tempted to kiss him before…
Ugh. Hermione shuddered. Draco is a pathetic little pawn in my game, she reminded herself. He was practically worthless and his character was nothing like him. She had to be sure she remembered that and didn't accidentally start falling for his bad-boy, you-know-you-love-to-hate-me-cauz-I'm-so-much-better-than-you attitude… Though it was really getting a rise out of her.
"Who do you like better, Weasely," Blaise's cold voice cut through Hermione's thoughts, "Your famous pal, Harry Potter, or the bookworm, Hermione Granger?"
Ron's eyes widened. "Y-you can't make me choose between them," he sputtered.
"Ron!"
"Answer!"
"Yes she can."
"It's in the rules, you have to answer!"
"Just answer, Ron," Harry said, shrugging. He pushed his glasses back up his nose. "Hermione and I aren't going to get offended and start hating you." He gave Blaise a what-kind-of-idiots-do-you-take-us-for look, making it clear he knew that she wanted to start a fight and knew better than to take the bait.
After a moment of consideration, Ron grinned. "I like Hermione better 'cause she helps me with my Transfiguration homework!" The 6th years laughed. Harry grinned.
"I like her a lot for that too."
"Is that all I'm good for?" Hermione asked, pretending to look annoyed.
"Just playing, 'Mione." Harry ruffled her hair.
Ron was looking gleeful as he searched for his next target. Obviously, Slytherin. He needed retaliation…Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw would live with missing the next few turns. "Pansy," he said, drawing out the name in anticipation. His eyes gleamed. "Truth or Dare."
She looked at him in loathing, clutching Draco's arm more firmly to her side. "Dare," she replied loftily. "Some of us aren't afraid to accept them, Weasely."
"That's because if you blow yourself up doing something stupid, your parents would be able to pay for the funeral," Draco remarked, making a few Slytherins snicker at his reference to the Weasely family's wealth—or lack of it. Hermione noticed he hadn't exactly complimented Pansy either, a girl she knew he was supposed to dislike but put up with anyway because his father liked his associations with purebloods.
Ignoring Malfoy's deliberate insult as he had come to do after many years of turning as red as his hair and hastily thrusting a sword in Draco's face and yelling some curse that usually backfired, Ron focused instead on Pansy. "I dare you to wear Hufflepuff colors for the rest of the night." He grinned at her horrified expression. "Hufflepuff colored pajamas," he amended.
A few minutes later, a very angry and extremely ridiculous looking Pansy, yelled, "That's it! Truth or Dare, Granger!"
Hermione felt excitement rush over her. Finally! Her last dare from a Ravenclaw boy had merely been to burn her History of Magic essay. She didn't bother telling them she had two copies.
"Dare," she said recklessly.
Pansy's eyes narrowed in satisfaction. "Snog Malfoy," she hissed. Hermione's eyes widened immediately in alarm, but not at the prospect of kissing Draco. Pansy's suggestion was extremely out-of-character. She was supposed to be the clingy type who hated sharing anything, especially Draco. Pansy paid no mind to the warning Hermione shot her through a poison-tipped glare and everyone else assumed it was because she loathed the idea of snogging Malfoy. "Kiss him and it better be good…tongues and everything," demanded Pansy. She pointed at Blaise. "And she'll time you. Two minutes! Two full bloody minutes!"
Malfoy was looking at Pansy with more hatred than usual.
Hermione got to her feet from her comfortable cushion on the other side of the circle and walked slowly towards Draco. He sat still, simply look at her, his light blonde hair haloed by the glow of the fire, his pale skin awash with warmth, contrasting with the black he wore under his equally black robe, the silver and green Slytherin crest embroidered on the side. Feeling her heart pounding, unable to tear her eyes from his, Hermione advanced slowly, repeating to herself This is Draco…pathetic little Draco with no backbone…practically worthless…pathetic little thing with no backbone…practically worthless…but Merlin, what gorgeous lips! Her eyes widened. Now where had that come from?
She studied the lips in question as she reached Draco and reluctantly sank to her knees in front of him. Yes, they were gorgeous. As was the rest of him, in a dark kind of way. Her breath became ragged as he continued staring at her, unmoving, no taunt leaving his lips. She closed her eyes and inched her face forward, until she could feel his warm, equally uneven breath, fanning across her skin.
By Merlin, what is going on? she wondered. Then she stopped thinking and pressed her lips to his.
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A/N: Woohoo! That's the third chapter. ^_^ The kiss…to be continued. Don'tcha love Mione/Draco action? Sorry for the cliché Truth or Dare scene though... Are you wondering what Ginny talked to Dumbledore about? You'll figure out…or find out…whichever comes first! So read on! Uhh…after I post the fourth chapter of course. If you're stuck here, which it seems you are for now, go REVIEW! Lovely little self-promotion going on, see?