Later that evening, Hermione was waiting at the portrait hole when Pansy and Blaise walked up. She'd already muttered the password, and after a bit of a surprised glance at Blaise, she walked inside, motioning for them to follow. Draco was hidden in the room, as were Lavender, Ginny, Ron, and Harry...all were ready to jump to Hermione's side at the first sign of Danger. Hermione, in the meanwhile, turned back and looked at the two Slytherins.

"Before we get down to business, would either of you like some tea?" She motioned to the teapot.

"Tea Sounds lovely..." Pansy said, and Blaise agreed. After the two of them had cups of tea and were settled in, Hermione took a sip of her own water. After giving it about five minutes to insure that the Veritaserum worked, Hermione got straight to the point.

"So the two of you are against Voldemort." She said, calmly.

"Yes..." Blaise and Pansy said in unison, looks of utter loathing on their faces.

"I see..." Hermione said. "Okay...have either of you noticed anything...odd...about the earth or the forest?"

Confused, Pansy replied...under the influence of the Veritaserum... "The forest speaks to me...it's stupid, I know...but it does. I go out into the forest behind our palace, sometimes...just to get the peace and quiet...and the forest comforts me." Hermione could barely contain her excitement as Blaise replied as well.

"The earth obeys me at times...I've been known to make odd things happen when I got angry." He said, softly. "I never thought anything of it...it just happens when I'm upset, mainly."

Draco walked out of his hiding place. "That's because you direct more energy angry than you do any other emotion." He immediately realized his mistake...the Slytherins were glaring at Hermione like she had betrayed them. "Woah, both of you...chill. Look..." He held up a bottle of clear liquid. "Veritaserum...brewed by Hermione herself...Wasn't it, Harry?"

Harry cursed as he walked out of his hiding place. "Indeed. But you didn't need to tell us all about it. Look..." He told the Slytherins. "No dark mark..." He slid up his left sleeve to prove it. "And, I'll even drink some tea."

Both Harry and Draco took a drink of tea, waiting a few minutes before Draco spoke. "Ask me something I'd never tell anyone else, Pansy. You certainly know enough about me to."

Pansy thought for a few minutes. It had to be something he'd never dream of telling anyone...something...SHE HAD IT! "When we had your sixth birthday present, we went to the muggle swimming pool...what happened?" She knew she'd scored when she saw Draco open his mouth. She fully expected him to snap his normal answer to the question...even when his cover was at stake.

"My trunks fell down and I got so embarrassed that I took a dump in the pool..." He said, blushing too brightly to notice Pansy's shocked look.

"That's...the truth...for once." She said, softly.

"Look...if you want me to prove that there's Veritaserum in the tea..." Draco said. "Did your father beat you?"

Pansy's mouth worked furiously as she thought desperately...but even as she opened her mouth to say "No" she heard herself sigh and say, softly, "Yes."

"There you go." Draco told her, calmly. "I'm sorry...but anything else you wouldn't have believed." He rested a hand on her shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze before sitting down beside Hermione and rubbing her stomach.

Hermione looked at Pansy. "You too, huh? My foster parents haven't stopped beating me since I moved in." She'd taken a sip of Draco's tea. Shit...not even Draco knew about that...

"What?!" Draco said, looking horrified.

Hermione nodded and looked down, then she looked up and brightened. "I think you two passed." She stood and walked to the cabinet where the other two rings were. Walking back to Pansy and Blaise, she opened it. "Hold your hand over the box, palm down."

As they did, they both retrieved the rings that chose them...Hermione grinned as Harry said. "So...How soon can you move into the Prefect Dorms?" He arched an eyebrow, questioningly.