Chapter 2 – Veritaserum Does Wonders for your Speech!

            Cho took the bottle reluctantly and stared after Missy, as she disappeared behind the door with the wizard.

            A long awkward silence took place.

            OK, be professional, Cho. It's all a thing of the past….act as though nothing EVER happened,  Cho thought desperately to herself.

            "Too scared to even talk, Chang?" Draco sneered.

            Cho winced. Just say SOMETHING at least Cho! she thought.

            "R-right. Um…" Cho cleared her throat. "W-why did you put the er - er the Imperius Curse on the muggle?"

            "Hadn't we gone through all of this already?" Draco said coolly.

            'He's right' Cho thought. He's right AGAIN.

            "OK – but you didn't even answer the question properly. Why did you place the curse on the muggle?" Cho said more confidently.

            "Because I fucking FELT like it!" Draco yelled angrily.

            "I'm sorry but that is not a good enough reason!" Cho yelled back. "I'm giving you one more chance – Malfoy -" Cho glared at Draco. "- before I feed you the Veritaserum" she held up the small bottle in her hand which was shaking with anger. "Why – did – you – put – the – curse – on – the – muggle?" Cho said through gritted teeth, very slowly.

            However, Draco did not answer.

            "Right well – you asked for it" Cho said seriously, standing up and pulling her wand from her pocket. She pointed it at Draco and muttered "Ropindulus!"

            Suddenly, a dozen strong ropes snapped from behind Draco's chair and tied him tightly against his chair. Draco twisted and turned but the ropes were too tight. He glared furiously at Cho who was walking gingerly towards him, holding the Veritaserum.

            "M-Malfoy" Cho struggled to say. "I have total control of you – so don't try to act clever OK?"

            "I wasn't" Draco muttered quietly, his eyes following her every move.

            Cho struggled to find a way to feed the Veritaserum to him. Would he be helpful and open his mouth freely, or would Cho have to squeeze his cheeks together in order for her to get the Veritaserum into his mouth?

            "Right – uh, open wide" Cho mumbled awkwardly, holding the un-capped Veritaserum in a slightly shaking hand.

            Draco simply stared at her. Then he laughed openly in her face.

            "You wouldn't dare, Chang" Draco whispered.

            "Wouldn't I?" Cho breathed.

            "I'll say things you wished you never heard…"

            Cho paused.

            He's just mocking me. This is your JOB, Cho. You're not going to stop just because some ex-boyfriend's giving you some noble words…

            "Well I'm ready. Open – wide"

            "Free me first" Draco ordered calmly.

            Cho hesitated, and then pulled out her wand reluctantly from her pocket.

            "Freedakorse" Cho muttered, not breaking the stare between her and Draco. Before the ropes had barely snapped out of sight, Cho grabbed Draco by the wrist with her free hand. The other was holding the bottle.

            "Now, open wide" Cho said for the third time.

Draco obeyed (which was a very rare sight) and Cho poured all the quantities of the Veritaserum. Draco swallowed with slight difficulty as Cho was watching him carefully. She Accio-ed her chair and pulled it close to Draco's.

"I'm ready" Draco hissed.

Cho was slightly wary of the loss of the ropes, so she asked,

"Do you want to jump from your chair and escape?"

"No" Draco said evenly. "I want to stay here and talk"

Cho was satisfied and so she asked another question.

"OK then – why did you put the Imperius Charm on the muggle?"

"June 21st" Draco answered shortly. "It was the day you and I broke up. Today, 8 years ago, we broke up"

"But what has June 21st got to do with all of this?" Cho said with a dry mouth.

"Well – I was jealous of the lad that was going out with his girlfriend of course. I'm jealous with anyone who's found love, and is in love" Draco replied quite happily.

Cho didn't know what to say. She opened and closed her mouth a couple of times, searching for things to say. She scratched her head and looked down at the floor.

She felt a cold finger being placed on her chin, which forced her head up to face Draco. He didn't let his finger go from Cho's chin – in fact; he started to stroke her cheek which made her feel extremely uncomfortable.

"I still love you, Cho"