"Oh no, no no no no," Hermione stammered as Seamus walked into the common room from the 8th year corridor. "I would rather swallow a flobberworm than play Veritaserum or Vanish! Scratch that, I would rather swallow ten flobberworms!"
"Oh, Mione, come on! It'll be fun!" Harry whined. "We never got to play in school, you know, with me fighting death everyday….trying to save the world… I just never got to enjoy being a teenager... but it's totally fine if you don't want to, you've always been more mature, wiser…" Harry sighed, his head staring at the floor as he spoke.
Hermione was being played, she knew it. But she could never deny Harry anything, especially when she owed him so much, he knew that.
"Fine, Harry. But you have to stay the night! Or ask McGonnegal to let you floo, I will not allow you to apparate after drinking," she growled in response, and a smile appeared instantly on his annoying face.
"Fantastic! How do we play?" Harry asked the group as he plopped down on the carpet near the fire.
Hermione sat next to him, and could feel herself subconsciously wringing her hands as everyone formed a small circle. It was nearly 11, all of the younger students had gone to bed, something they usually did when Harry Potter arrived anyway.
They had all fought in a war, she knew that, but she was still nervous what secrets she might disclose. The fears she kept hidden in her nightmares. The fears she kept even from Harry.
"Well, when you have the bottle you get to pick a person. You ask any question you want. They can take a drink and answer truthfully, or lose an article of clothing. Oh and the Veritaserum is mixed with firewhiskey, so if it's not the potion, it's the alcohol that'll get you talking," Dean responded to Harry with a wink.
Hermione wanted to vomit. She looked around the small group which consisted of Luna, Neville, Harry, Dean, Ginny, Seamus, and herself. They were all her friends, she was safe. She just needed to remind herself that no one here would hurt her, just embarrass her. Or get her naked. That was all. Very normal night.
"Harry, who was your first kiss?" Seamus asked, as he was first with the bottle.
"Ginny," he responded immediately, not even bothering to take a drink, just taking the bottle instead. Everyone knew it was Ginny, there was no reason to question it.
"Luna, what's the weirdest thing Neville did in bed?," Harry asked before casting a side glance to the tall wizard next to her.
"Mmm nothing weird I suppose. I don't like to kink shame, though he did let me put some fingers up him once. That may have been weird for him I suppose," she replied in her fairy-like voice, and Hermione was surprised the she didn't cough as she took a giant swig from the bottle prior to her response.
Hermione let out an awkward laugh, both confused and surprised at Luna's forwardness. The rest of the group laughed as well, besides Neville, who was sporting a pink shade to his face. But Ginny's was the loudest and Hermione silently wondered what else she knew about the former couple's sex life.
Luna took the bottle from Harry before turning to Neville.
"Neville, did you like when I put my fingers in your bum?"
Hermione could feel her eyes nearly leave her head, and was shocked when Neville chose to discard his shoe instead of answer the question. Interesting… she'd have to circle back on that with him later.
Hermione wondered if Ginny knew and shot a glance at the redhead, who seemed equally shocked and impressed by his lack of response.
Neville took the bottle from Luna and examined the group, and Hermione grew nervous. Harry knew her deepest fears, but Neville knew her secrets.
"Hermione…." He said with a smug drawl. "Who do you like? Like like?"
"Merlin, Neville, what are we twelve?" Hermione asked, but her stomach tightened at what her brain might say. She didn't like Ginny, or she didn't think she did? But she had been so confused lately, and there was no telling what the potion would make her say.
She cast a glance to the witch in question, sitting cross legged with an oversized jumper swallowing her whole. Hermione wasn't certain if what she felt for Ginny was romantic, but she was certain it wasn't completely platonic.
She shot a dirty glare at Neville before discarding her shoe as well, half tempted to throw it at him. If the game kept like this, she'd be naked in no time.
Hermione grabbed the bottle from him and glanced around the room deciding on her next victim.
The game continued on until everyone was in various stages of undress and intoxication.
Luna was absolutely smashed, but still completely dressed. The girl had no problem answering any question asked of her, and though unsurprised, Ginny was still impressed at her lack of humility.
Dean and Seamus were both down to their underwear.
Neville bore only his briefs and T-shirt, while Harry sat fully clothed in his shirt, jeans, and underwear.
Ginny had hardly looked at Hermione, it felt indecent. Wrong when she felt how she did, and even worse when she knew Hermione would probably be uncomfortable if she did. But she knew the witch sat in her knickers, tank top, and bra, having lost her jumper, jeans, and both socks.
Ginny herself was getting dangerously close to nude, and would have to start answering questions lest she want everyone to see her completely bare.
"Harry, why did you and Ginny break up?" she heard Hermione ask her ex. Both had said it was mutual, something they just realized needed to happen, but neither went into detail, instead glossing over the weeks that surrounded it whenever anyone would ask. It was private, and Merlin knows the couple never had much privacy.
Ginny watched in slight surprise as Harry took the bottle, took a long pull, and answered "the sex."
She couldn't help the laugh that left her lips, and couldn't contain the tears as the group glanced between the two in surprise. The reactions were mixed throughout, which wasn't surprising in the least.
"The sex?!" Seamus asked immediately, as if disbelieving sex could make anything bad.
"Nu-uh, not your turn, mate," Harry replied slowly to Seamus, the alcohol clearly affecting him now. "Buutttt, have you and Dean kissed?"
Seamus glanced down at his state of undress and flushed a deep purple as he took a drink of the potion, and a very timid 'yes' leaving his lips.
Harry cheered at the declaration and slapped his palm to Dean's back. Of course everyone speculated the two were a thing, and the kiss could have not lead to anything, but it could mean something. And was wholly interesting nonetheless.
"Ginny, how could the sex make you break up!" Seamus shouted more than asked when it was finally his turn. And Ginny, in only her bra and knickers knew she had to answer, but the truth was already nearly out, what was the harm in explaining now?
"We did it after the battle, and it was… fine, truly Harry, it was. But it wasn't mind blowing? And it made me realize I loved Harry platonically, not romantically," she replied and her chest burned from the firewhiskey and embarrassment as she relived the memory of their after sex affairs, staring at each other as they realized the fire between them had finally burned out.
She couldn't help but hope she hadn't embarrassed Harry in the process, they had maintained a solid friendship, and she wanted it to stay that way. But a quick glance to the wizard showed no bad blood was there; her answer was seemingly good by his standards.
She looked around the group before settling on Neville. "Name one professor you've had a crush on."
Neville took a pull from the bottle before instantly responding, "Snape."
Ginny let out a startled giggle, and saw the mortification creep across Neville's face, clearly he thought his brain would provide a different response.
"Neville! He was your boggart!" Hermione exclaimed, astonishment clear in her tone.
"Well, yes, but not because he scared me! It's just… he scared me!"
"Mate... do you like blokes?" Dean mumbled in a drunken state.
The Veritaserum clearly hadn't worn off because Neville was trying to stop the words from leaving his mouth but was unable.
"Yes!"
Ginny was… shocked to say the least. She hadn't realized how many people weren't straight, maybe it was a Gryffindor thing? To be brave enough to admit it to yourself? And especially others.
"Neville, he was so mean to you!" She heard Hermione continue, and was thankful the witch hadn't asked him another question, she had no idea what he would answer at this point. But it was Luna who responded instead.
"Yes but Nev has a bit of a degradation kink," she said earnestly looking around with meaningful eyes.
"Ooookayy, that's enough for Neville!" Harry exclaimed, and Ginny was truly grateful he stepped in before the poor guy was further subjected to embarrassment.
Neville was still an unnatural shade while he examined the group, and Ginny was nervous after placing all that attention on him. She hadn't expected it to go poorly, not that poorly. She expected him to say Sprout or maybe Pomfrey, but definitely not Snape.
It seemed her nerves were right to fear the Wizard's choice.
"Ginny. Who do you fancy?" he asked innocently, but Ginny knew better. Ginny especially knew better after his little comment in the corridor earlier.
She narrowed her eyes at him, and wanted nothing more than to bat-bogey hex him where he sat. Instead, Ginny reached around to the clasps on her bra and unhooked them, keeping her eyes trained on him as she took her time placing it on the floor.
She could feel her chest growing red as the embarrassment set in. Harry had seen her naked, well mostly naked in a very dark room. And though she wasn't particularly shameful, the idea that Hermione could see her was terrifying.
What would she think of her?
Ginny couldn't look at her, she was terrified at what the witch might be thinking. Ginny decided she could never look to her again, actually.
It's not like it mattered anyway. Hermione and her were just friends. She had seen tons of breasts by sharing a dorm for 6 years. And tons of girls had seen her breasts because of quidditch.
But it was different. She knew it was different with Hermione. Because she wanted it to be different. Needed it to be.
Ginny eventually realized she had been holding onto the bottle for a few minutes, causing a stall in the game, and prolonging the awkward silence post bra removal.
"Luna. Tell us the most embarrassing fact you have about Nev, please," Ginny said with a smile to her best friend, silently praying this would be worth it.
Luna thought long and hard, and Ginny could feel her heart racing with anticipation. Please, Luna, please.
"Neville had a wet dream about Harry once," she replied eventually.
Ginny felt triumphant for a moment, a giggle escaping her, but a full laugh followed when she saw Harry blush at that revelation.
"Luna!" Neville groaned, his head falling into his palm. "It was during 7th year when they were hunting horcruxes, everyone was having wet dreams about the Chosen One! Oh, sod off Seamus!" he continued as the boy was now doubled over in hysterics.
Ginny let out another laugh, it was a fair point, if she was getting her rocks off at the idea of Harry saving the world, it was no surprise others would too. She turned to look at Hermione, hoping to see what kind of reaction she was having to this strange admittance.
But as Ginny looked across the circle to Hermione, she noticed she already had the witch's full attention.
Because there sat Hermione, long hair framing her face as it fell into cascades against her black bra, bottom lip pulled into her teeth, focused on no one but Ginny.
The look wasn't one of embarrassment, or awkwardness. But almost hopeful? And her eyes were pleading as she continued to gaze at Ginny.
Ginny felt her chest burn brighter now, but suddenly courageous by her deep brown eyes.
The want swelled deeper and deeper as she watched Hermione examine her. Ginny was topless.
Ginny was topless.
Ginny was topless and Hermione was staring.
"It's Hermione. I fancy Hermione."
