"Veritas."
The moment the word passed over Hermione's lips, Harry thought that the bones in his hand had vanished. There was no way it could contort like that. Yet Draco had practically managed to make Harry's thumb and pinky finger meet . . . over the back of his hand.
"Who are you?" Hermione asked quickly, trying to make the question session as brief as possible.
"Draco Amadeus Malfoy, son of Lucius Malfoy and Narcissa Malfoy." Harry's pinky and thumb were slowly getting nearer to each other, but Harry ignored it. He could in no way be in as much pain as Draco was right now.
"What happened the day you went to Privet Drive?"
"Lucius was going to bring me to see Voldemort and become a Death Eater, but I escaped on my broom before he could capture me and take me. He did manage to cut me open with a slicing spell, though."
"Why did you go to Harry's?"
"All the other people I know would have either turned me over to Voldemort, spat in my face, or I don't know where they live." Draco's expression was calm, but all three saw the shuddering rise and fall of his chest as he inhaled.
"Are you under the effects of a controlling curse such as the Imperius curse?" Each of Hermione's words were almost indistinguishable from the next as she spat them out.
"No."
"Are you a supporter of Voldemort?
"No."
"Are you in contact with any Death Eaters or supporters of Voldemort?"
"No, but many have children that go to Hogwarts and I will be sleeping in the same dorm with their offspring fairly soon."
"Are you part of a plan to harm or damage anyone in anyway?"
"Not at the time being, but if you don't hurry up..." Draco glared at Hermione.
"Do you have an idea as to where the Dark Lord resides?
"No."
Harry's hand was screaming in pain, but he kept his mouth shut.
"Is there a way for someone under the Veritas spell to lie while under the spell?"
"No."
"Finite incantatem." Hermione dropped her wand, a look of horror on her face as Draco fell back, his eyes closed.
"Oh, Draco, I am so sorry..." Her voice trailed off as wide eyes stared at the heaving form next to Harry. Ron slid his hand into hers and squeezed reassuringly as they watched Harry lean over Draco.
"Draco, are you alright?" Harry asked. "How do you feel?"
"Like someone is trying to turn me inside out and ripping words from my flesh, just like I told you before. Ow, it hurts to talk." One mercury-colored eye opened, focused on Harry, and shut again. "Just give me a few minutes, I'll be fine."
Harry heard footsteps approach, and turned around to see Ron and Hermione standing behind him, holding hands. Harry willed himself not to make any comments about it and suppressed a mischievous grin. Instead he smiled wanly.
"He'll be fine. Ron, could you get a damp cloth, or something cold we could put on his forehead? Might help cool him down."
"I... I know a pain-relieving spell," Hermione offered quietly.
"That's up to him, not me." Harry raised an eyebrow at Draco. "You want her to do it?"
Draco nodded vigorously, or as vigorously as he could in his current state.
"Ablego acerbitas."
Draco felt the pain ebb away slowly, leaving his skin extremely warm to the touch. Harry pulled away to avoid the searing heat, looking slightly worried.
"Why is he so warm now?" he asked, alarmed.
"That's just the pain leaving. Once it's gone, his skin will be it's normal heat again." The color that had drained out of Hermione's face returned. "Draco, I'm sorry," she apologized, her voice faltering. "I should have trusted you from the beginning. It wasn't right of me to judge you so quickly, and-"
"Hermione?" Draco interrupted.
"Yes?"
"I forgive you. Now stop. You're making me feel guilty." Draco sat up and opened his eyes. He noticed Harry massaging his left hand, and laughed. "I have the grip of a pregnant woman giving birth, don't I?"
"I've never held a pregnant woman's hand during birth, so I wouldn't know. But if her grip is anything like yours, I feel really sorry for the husband." He looked up as Ron returned with a soaking wet washcloth and tossed it to Draco, who immediately wrung it out over Harry's head. Ron and Hermione went into silent fits of laughter, neither looking very sorry for Harry.
"What was that for?" Harry yelped as the icy rivers ran his neck into his shirt. "That water's freezing!"
"If I had used it without wringing it out, I would be wet. And I couldn't wring it onto the floor or the couch- that would be rude. You were the only other option."
"If you weren't recovering from a Dark spell right now..." Harry started.
"You'd what?" Draco smirked. "Hit me?"
"No," Harry said. "I dunno what I'd do with you. Let's go to bed, shall we?" He reached out a hand to Draco, who took advantage of the help, and pulled him off the couch. No one noticed the evil smile that played at the corners of Harry's mouth.
The four of them traipsed downstairs, parting with Hermione to go to their respected rooms. Hermione's sleep was troubled, her guilt keeping her from sleeping deeply. Ron and Draco, on the other hand, feel into a peaceful slumber the moment their heads hit the pillows.
Harry, after toweling off and changing into dry pyjamas, climbed in bed next to Draco, but the turning wheels in his head didn't let him rest. When he finally did drift off, though, an elfish smile pulled at his lips all night.
---------------------------------------------
"Ron, get up!"
"No mum, just five more minutes..." Ron pulled the sheets over his head and turned away from the voice.
"Ron, you dolt, I'm not your mother. Why the hell does everyone call me their mother?"
Harry yanked the covers off of Ron, covering his mouth with one hand to muffle Ron's
yelps as the cool air hit him. "Come on, get up"
"Harry," Ron groaned, checking the clock. "It is... 7:30! Go back to bed!" Ron snuggled back into his pillow. He would sleep without any sheets, if that was what Harry forced him to do.
"I wanted to get back at Draco for wringing out that ice water on me last night."
Ron sat up immediately, a grin lighting up his face.
"What're you going to do?"
Harry motioned for Ron to step outside the room so they wouldn't wake Draco, and Harry told him all the details. A minute later (there wasn't much to this evil little plan), Ron padded back into the room, trying his best to hold back the laughter.
"Wingardium Leviosa," Harry whispered, and Draco rose a few inches off the bed, still curled in a fetal position. Ron silently opened the door, and Harry maneuvered the sleeping boy through the doorway, up the stairs, into the bathroom, lowering him carefully, gently, into the bathtub. Upon the muted impact, Draco barely reacted, just fidgeting and tucking his arms in closer around his chest. As eager as he was, Harry almost regretted disturbing the docile, almost vulnerable Draco that surfaced during sleep...
But Harry turned the cold shower on anyways, and was rewarded with a satisfying shriek from Draco.
During the next very hectic moment Draco jumped up and turned off the water, Harry and Ron bursts into fits of laughter so strong that they had to clutch each other to stay standing (which was meaningless since they ended up sitting down anyways), and the rest of the household woke up and came running.
"Harry? Ron? Is everything- OH, OH MY-" Hermione, who had reached the bathroom first, abruptly turned around the moment she saw Draco standing in the tub, his white pyjamas soaked through. Realizing this, he made a few guttural sounds as he searched for the nearest towel. This new discovery made Harry and Ron laugh so hard they started choking. Draco quickly shut the door and glared at the pair, showing no remorse that they could barely breathe.
"I know you planned this," he directed at Harry.
Harry just grinned innocently.
"Is everything okay in there?" called an anxious voice, belonging to Mrs. Weasley. "Do you boys need help?"
"Mum, they're three teenage boys locked in a bathroom, one soaking wet. What do you think they're up to?" came the taunting voice of Fred. A sharp slap followed.
"Ouch, Ginny, that hurt! Oh right, you have a little crush on..."
"Fred, that was second year. I'm going out with Dean Thomas."
"What!? When did this happen? George, our little sister has been keeping secrets from the family!"
"I knew," Mrs. Weasley said. "And so does your father, and Percy, Bill and Charlie, too. Ron's known since the train ride home."
"Why were we kept in the dark?"
"Hmm, let's think about that," drawled Ginny in a sarcastic tone very similar to Draco's.
"Right, now that they've forgotten us," Ron managed between gasps of air. "Draco, where did you learn to scream like that?"
Draco scowled, blushing furiously. He was about to retort using fairly nasty phrases when Mrs. Weasley raised her voice above the din.
"What happened? Is anyone hurt?"
"Just his pride," Harry muttered to Ron. Draco blushed a deeper shade of red.
"No mum, Draco just had a little encounter with the shower," Ron snickered. "D'you think you could get him some dry pyjamas?"
"Ronald Weasley! What did you do?" The mounting fury in her voice made all three of them jump. Draco looked amused.
"Nothing! We just need a set of clothes, preferably closer to Harry's size than mine."
They heard feet patter off down the stairs, and they didn't have to wait long before they heard them return. Unlocking the door, a hand slid in, tossed the clothes on the counter, and shut the door.
Draco grabbed the faded flannel clothing and ducked behind the shower curtain to change. Both Harry and Ron could hear Draco swearing under his breath, mumbling threats of revenge for them both.
Finally, Draco pushed back the curtain and stepped out of the tub, his dripping clothes slung over one arm. Without saying a word to either of them, he stalked out of the bathroom, making to throw the pyjamas in his shared room, but was stopped by Fred and George.
"Brilliant prank they played just now," Fred said casually.
"And we're suspecting that you want to get back at them, right?" George suggested.
Draco nodded. "And why would you be interested in that?"
"Draco!" Fred put on a look of shock. "We're the notorious Weasley twins! Why wouldn't we be interested in playing a joke for revenge?"
"Just think of the worst thing you could do to Harry and Ron. Without inflicting any physical damage, of course," George added as an afterthought when he saw Draco smile with glee.
"But have your ideas ready for tonight." Draco raised an eyebrow at Fred, who just shook his head. "You'll see."
With that, the twins clamored down the stairs to the kitchen. Draco threw the wet clothes on the floor of his room, grabbed his wand and dried them with a charm, and walked out just as Ron and Harry reached that landing.
Harry noticed the drastic change in Draco's mood, but brushed it of to the other boy being a good sport. Although Harry slowed down, Ron followed the wafting scent of bacon as if he hadn't eaten in days. Draco fell in step with Harry.
For a few moments, all that could be heard was the creaking of the stairs. Then...
"You know, you look good wet."
Harry ran for his life down the rest of the stairs, forced to take them two at a time to escape Draco, who was trying to strangle him.
………………………………............................................................................................
To the five children who were kept in the dark about Fred and George's little secret, the day was agonizingly slow. They would complete one task to glace at the clock and realize that a mere half hour had passed. Games of wizard chess, exploding snap, and Muggle card games that Harry and Hermione taught the others couldn't seem to make time move any faster. They were so bored that when Hermione suggested reading up on the material for the fall term, even Ron seriously considered it before sinking back into lethargy on the couch.
All that was seen of Fred and George was the occasional rushing in and out of the kitchen. Whenever someone walked in, they were grabbing food or something to drink. When someone knocked on their door, a mad scramble could be heard before the knocker was admitted. In all, it added to the heightened anticipation and made the day crawl by more slowly than ever.
Mrs. Weasley was extremely suspicious. Usually during the summer, her children would be energetic and bothersome, especially when friends were visiting. Therefore, the sight of five children loitering in her living room and her two most troublesome offspring behaving very furtively sent her maternal mischief radar through the roof.
Dinner was uncharacteristically quiet, the teens barely participating in the chatter that the adults used to keep the room from falling into silence. Mrs. Weasley tried very unsuccessfully to slip in a few prying questions, but never got a specific answer. During dessert, which several children were barely picking at, she finally snapped.
"What is going on?" she demanded, hands on her hips. Eyes flashing, she looked from child to child. "All day you've been almost silent. Even during the most boring parts of previous summers the house has never been as quiet as this, and you have guests! And you're not eating your dessert!" At this several of them shoved a few fork-fulls of apple pie in their mouths. "There's something you're hiding," her eyes flicked to Fred and George, "and it's bound to get you in trouble if you don't confess, now."
All four of the Weasley children who were in on, or at least given the heads up on, that night's rendezvous immediately put on expressions of utmost innocence. Draco looked as if the sudden outburst had frightened him (Harry was sure that he was faking it), and Harry and Hermione both stuffed so much pie in their mouths that it was impossible for them to make any facial movements except for chewing very, very slowly. Bill, who was still working a desk job for Gringotts so he could help the Order, immediately knew something was up but said nothing. Mr. Weasley just looked at the children very fiercely.
"Whatever is going on, it better be stopped immediately. For the past year, people have put their lives on the line to protect you children, and I don't want you to shatter all that hard work over your little plans. Someone could get hurt!" Mrs. Weasley paused as she saw Harry freeze mid-chew, his eyes glazing over.
"Harry? Harry, are you alright, dear?"
He nodded, but Harry wasn't alright.
He saw the mingled look of fear and surprise on his godfather's face as he fell through the ancient veil...
Shaking his head to rid himself of the memory, he looked up to find the entire table looking at him with concern. He swallowed his mouthful, which went down like a rock, and pushed away from the table.
"I... I don't feel good. I think I'm going to go lie down." Keeping his eyes averted, he felt sixteen eyes follow him up the stairs and out of sight, and then he broke into a run, barely making it to his room before the first sob came out.
No, do not do this. Sirius would not have wanted this. Sirius would want you to miss him, but he wouldn't want you to break into hysterics every time someone mentions his name.
Using this as a starting point, Harry eventually calmed himself down, although his breathing was still ragged. By the time Ron, Hermione, and Draco burst through the door, Harry was almost back to normal. Or as normal as I'm bound to get, he thought sardonically.
"You okay, mate?" Ron, shifting uncomfortably, was trying to read Harry's expression.
"Mum's in a right state- she thinks that you're deathly ill, the way you paled the moment she said-" He stopped mid-sentence, realizing what her words must have brought to Harry's mind.
Hermione sat down next to him and put her hand over his, her thumb stroking the back of his hand soothingly. "Oh, Harry, I'm so sorry. Do you need to talk about it?" she asked tentatively, afraid of sending him over the edge again. He shook his head, but welcomed the motherly touch. He lifted his head and met Draco's gaze, and suddenly wanted to throw himself in the pale boy's arms, but restrained himself. Instead he managed a small smile.
How the hell did I end up with friends this good? he asked himself. I certainly don't deserve them.
After a long silence, Harry sighed and looked up.
"I'll be fine, really. I just lost control back there. Probably lack of sleep." Harry stood up, taken aback by the three worried gazes still appraising him. Now he was irritated. "Really guys, it was nothing, I'm fine," he said, impatience lining the edge of his tone. "What happened after I left?"
"Mum just flew off her rocker with worry about you, asking if you'd seemed sick earlier today or if she should come up here and see what was wrong with you. We were able to keep her in her seat, but she's still freaking out." Ron grinned. "You turned her attention away from the rest of us, and I have a feeling she won't remember that she's supposed to be suspicious until she's sure you're perfectly fine. Which, knowing Mum, might take a while."
Harry's smile broadened. "So we're still on for tonight?"
"Of course!" said two identical mouths in unison as the twins stuck their heads in, followed by the rest of their tanned bodies. Even though they had been working in the shop all summer, they had still found time to practice Quidditch, and it showed. They had been given some very appreciative glances lately, and neither was complaining.
"Did you think that Mum becoming suspicious would head us off?" asked George incredulously.
"She tried to head us off on the joke shop so many times we lost count. But thanks to you," Fred wrapped Harry in a brotherly bear hug, squeezing tighter when Harry squirmed and shouted into his shirt. "Thanks to you, all students at Hogwarts will be able to skive off classes when they get too boring!" He released Harry, who was now wearing a scowl identical to Draco's earlier one and straightening out his shirt and glasses. Everyone, minus Harry, was laughing, punctuated only by Hermione's grunt of disapproval at the words "skive off."
"And this is how you repay me?" demanded Harry with mock anger. "By shattering my rib cage and damaging internal organs?" He smiled at the twins. "You just better come up with some good things soon; I want to stop by the store before term starts and get enough to last me 'til Christmas holidays. Or at least the first Hogsmeade weekend, if we have them."
The twin's faces lit up.
"What do you mean, if we have them?" Ron blurted out. "They can't just take away
Hogsmeade visits, can they?" He was crestfallen.
"They sent us the permission slips, yes, but now with Voldemort on the loose, the Ministry might think that letting a bunch of kids run wild in a wizarding village without established supervision a tad dangerous," Hermione explained.
Ron just grunted and sat on the bed, sulking.
"Why'd the Dark Lord have to come back? Ruin a perfectly good visit to Honeyduke's…."
………………………………............................................................................................
"It's almost midnight," Hermione whispered. She and Ginny had snuck into the boy's room when they were sure the adults were sleeping.
"Where are your brothers?" Harry asked Ron in a hushed voice. "Whatever their 'surprise' is, it better not take to long. I want sleep."
Ron yawned. "I dunno, but I think I'm going to go back to bed . . ."
There was a soft knock at the door, then the twins poked their heads in.
"Ready?" one red head said. Harry couldn't distinguish between them in the dark. The same red head motioned for them to follow him, putting a finger to his lips to signal silence. Despite the precautions they took, a few stairs creaked, and there were muffled exclamations as toes were trod on and ribs elbowed.
Upon reaching the bottom of the stairs, Fred and George ushered them into the kitchen, where they moved the rug in front of the sink, revealing an old trapdoor. Ron's and Ginny's mouths dropped open, which Harry took as a sign that neither of them had ever seen the trapdoor.
"Listen up," said Fred. "From this moment on, you are not allowed to repeat a single detail about what you see, hear, experience, etc. If you do, we'll know. And we'll kill you." He smiled sweetly. "Anything you'd like to add, George?"
George shook his head, wearing an expression identical to his twin's. "No, dear brother. Other than I'll raise you from the dead and kill you again after Fred's done with you if you utter anything about this to Mum or Dad. Any questions?"
"Yes." Ginny was excited, but very suspicious. "First question: What is down there and how did you find out about it?"
Fred was so impatient he was almost bouncing, so George answered. "It's the old cellar that was used when this place was part of a farm. Since our family doesn't need space to store preservatives and hang meat anymore, Mum threw a whole bunch of junk down here. She didn't see the passageway leading to the bigger rooms, though. We have no idea what they were used for."
"As to how we found out about it? George was going to hide a good deal of Percy's knickers under the rug, making a lump so noticeable that Mum would have to lift up the rug to see what was there and hopefully embarrass Percy, but we found this and abandoned the plan for a bit of exploring." Fred kept checking his watch. "Can we go now?"
"No. Second question: Why are you bringing us down here, and will there be blood?"
"Because we couldn't do this during the day when Mum could walk in at any time, and if we did it in the house at night she'd wake up and find us anyways. And no, there won't be blood." George frowned at Ginny. "If you don't want to do this, you can go back to bed."
Ginny glared at him. "I just wanted to know what I was getting myself into, that's all."
"Alright then, if we don't have anymore questions, let's go." George yanked open the door and turned around, lowering himself carefully into the hole. It was apparent that he was climbing down a ladder, and they heard a soft thud as he reached the bottom.
"Who's next?" he called up. "Fred's staying behind so he can close the door when the last person comes through."
The other five looked at each other. It was obvious that they were all unsure whether to stay or go. Surprisingly, Hermione stepped up first and climbed down, followed by Harry, Ron, Draco, Ginny, then Fred.
After the door was shut, George used Lumos Maxima to lead then through a very narrow passage into a fairly large chamber that was lit with large candles, had personal-sized cushions stacked against one wall, and was filled with their friends from Hogwarts. Naturally, almost everyone there was a Griffyndor. Last year's Quidditch team had been invited, along with all of the graduated Griffyndors, this years seventh, sixth, and fifth years, along with a few of Fred and George's younger acquaintances.
Draco felt very out of place.
Fred leaped up on the edge of a table that was filled with Butterbeer, pumpkin juice, a type of punch that had bright electrical pulses zooming through it, and bowls of different candies from Honeydukes. Adjacent to it was another table filled with cakes, pastries, cookies, and other sweets. Ron's eyes were shining with amazement, and Harry's mouth was watering profusely.
"Hey! Hey! Everyone, shut up a minute!" Fred jumped up and down, waving his arms. A little bit of the electric punch sloshed over the rim of it's bowl, causing the table to smoke. Harry made a mental note to stay away from that beverage.
The room had fallen quiet, and everyone was looking expectantly at Fred. Harry saw Seamus and Dean making their way over to them, and Lee was already standing by George. Angelina and Katie waved, and Harry waved back.
"Welcome to the cellar of the Burrow! What are we doing here at this lovely hour of the night, you may be asking yourself. Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes has produced a new line of party games, and tonight you will trying out two of them before they hit shelves. And, we've provided refreshments, so fill up! The first game will be a revised version of the classic Spin the Bottle, so all who would like to participate, grab a cushion and form a circle!"
Harry had played Spin the Bottle before, and had been humiliated enough without any enhancements. He was still deciding whether he wanted to do this or not when Draco's firm fingers grasped his wrist and pulled Harry down next to him.
"Don't tell me you were thinking about not playing?" Draco cocked an eyebrow. "After the infamous snog session you had with that looker Cho last year, Harry Potter is nervous
about a game of Spin the Bottle?"
Harry tinged pink. "I've never had very good luck with this game," he muttered, avoiding Draco's gaze. "After I kissed Cho, someone convinced me to play and everyone ended up trying to snog me. It was fairly embarrassing." His tinge became red.
"Wow. Maybe after tonight you'll become the Griffyndor sex god," Draco teased, snickering. "That would really give Chang a run for her money, wouldn't it?" Harry just fixed his attention on Ron, who was inhaling a plate of sweets. Much to Ron's chagrin, Harry nicked one and swallowed it. Immediately he turned bright pink.
Well, at least people can't tell I'm blushing anymore, he thought as he smacked Draco, who was laughing along with everyone else in the room. After a moment, his dye job began to fade.
As people turned to look at what was the cause of such an eruption of laughter, they started to notice a certain light-haired, fair-skinned Slytherin in their midst. Many started glaring at him and whispering things to their neighbors. Fortunately, Hermione picked up on this before things got too out of hand.
"For those of you who haven't heard, or haven't been informed, this summer a few of us became friends with Draco Malfoy. He's here tonight under peaceful terms," at this she glared at a few people who were scowling at Draco, "and you are to treat him as you would a fellow Griffyndor."
In response to the heated stares, Draco just smiled brightly and waved. This sent the scowlers into internal fits of rage, and those who weren't as haughty laughed.
Harry marveled at how easily Draco was able to stay relaxed and comfortable in a room full of people who, less than a month ago, were his sworn enemies. He asked Draco about it, and Draco grinned wickedly.
"Easy," he replied, leaning in close and dropping his voice so only Harry could hear. "If they try anything, my strong, overprotective boyfriend will kick their arse before they can beg for mercy."
Harry scowled. "I am not overprotective."
Draco just nodded. "Whatever you say, sweetheart." Harry's scowl deepened.
Draco was saved from a beating by George, who was standing in the center of the circle holding a silver bottle.
"You play this version just like you would any other version- you spin the bottle, and whoever it lands on, you kiss. But," he continued, an evil glint in his eye, "as soon as the bottle lands on your partner, a glowing line that resembles a string will form a bridge between your lips and your partner's lips. The intensity of the kiss is decided by the color of the string. Cooler colors, such as blue, purple, and green, mean shorter kisses. Red, obviously, is an extremely long, extremely passionate kiss. And black means that you have to have a full-on make-out session. The string will remain attached to both players until the kiss is fulfilled, and there is no way to take it off. Those who are now too scared to play, please back out of the circle."
No one moved.
George's grin widened. "Then let the game begin."
He sat down on his on cushion, set the bottle in the center, and spun it. The bottle rotated quickly, a silver blur until finally, it slowed down, ending on Katie.
Instantly a green thread formed between their mouths, and as George walked toward her it magically contracted.
"May I?" he asked, offering her his hand.
"I don't get much of a choice, do I?" she said, smiling. George leaned down and kissed her for a good ten seconds, then stood back up. The string was gone, and his cheeks were flushed.
Katie spun the bottle, watching it carefully, until it landed on Ginny. A yellow string sprung up between them, but they paid less attention to that than yelling at the twins.
"YOU DIDN'T TELL US IT WAS GIRL/GIRL AND BOY/BOY!"
"YOU'RE DOING THIS FOR YOUR OWN SICK AMUSEMENT!"
"THERE IS NO WAY I'M KISSING HER!"
"I AM NOT A LESBIAN!"
Fred and George were rolling around in laughter. "Every other game of spin the bottle you've played with us has been homo friendly, why not this one?" Fred managed. "It's not like you have much of a choice anyways- that string won't go away until you kiss."
Reluctantly the girls approached each other, identical looks of disgust contorting their faces. They leaned in and gingerly pressed their lips together for a few seconds, then pulled back.
The string was still there, but a much paler yellow than before.
"You still have a good ten seconds left, according to the string," called Fred.
Katie threw up her hands. "I will get you for this, Weasley." Turning to Ginny, she grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her in, kissing her fervently, then letting her go. The string was gone. Flustered, Ginny sat down, glaring at her brothers, and spun the bottle.
It landed on Dean, and a purple string appeared. Then Dean got Angelina, who got Fred (she bit him during their kiss as revenge for Katie), and Fred got Hermione. Ron didn't watch their kiss.
Then Hermione spun. The smile on her face turned to a slack mouth partially open in shock when the bottle landed on Ron and a red string attached itself to their lips. For a moment, the room was silent as they looked at each other with wide eyes, and then came the catcalls and whistles.
Ron blushed a red to match his hair, but Hermione had paled. Finally, Harry shoved Ron in Hermione's general direction, and they tentatively brushed their lips together.
"Hell Ron, it's red! It's going to take more than that!" Fred exclaimed.
Ron blushed a deeper red, but seemingly steeled himself. Then, he leaned in, wrapping his arms around Hermione's waist, and kissed her passionately. After the initial kiss, Hermione linked her hands around his neck and kissed back, letting her eyes close.
"Damn. Sure looks like they've had practice," Draco whispered to Harry. Harry didn't even nod- he couldn't. The sight of his two best friends making out had frozen him in his seat, his eyes as big as dinner plates.
Draco poked him in the ribs. "Enjoying the show?" he asked, a playful smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "You seem unable to stop watching."
Harry moved his lips, but no sound came out. Luckily, he was saved by the breaking of the kiss as Ron pulled away from Hermione, his face now a deeper red than his hair. Both were grinning, and the string was gone.
The rude comments and teasing remarks followed them back to their cushions, where Ron spun the bottle again. He was shocked again, but recovered from the shock with disgust very quickly.
"I have to kiss Draco?" he asked, eyes widening in horror as he surveyed the blue string between them. "Merlin this is going to be so disgusting and will haunt me through the rest of my life."
"Thanks for the encouragement," Draco spat. He stood up and went over to Ron. "It's a good thing this is only blue, otherwise I'd have to commit suicide after this."
"For once, we agree on something," Ron said, defeat pulling at his shoulders. "Ready?"
"Whenever you are." Draco closed the space between them with a step forward, tilting his head upwards to meet Ron's mouth. They held the kiss for a few seconds, then broke apart, spitting as if to rid themselves of germs.
"Good Lord, you don't have cooties," said Ginny. "Grow up a bit."
Both boys glared at her. Draco stalked back over to his seat and spun the bottle again, fuming. His stomach rolled as it landed on none other than Harry. And, to top off his luck, a black string sprung between them.
It was as if a vacuum had sucked all air and sound out of the room. For a minute, Harry and Draco froze, then looked at each other, thinking the exact same thing:
Well, at least we've practiced for this.
The other players took their silence for shock, and the taunting was worse than it was for Ron and Hermione.
"Um, Fred, exactly how into this do we have to get for the string to go away?" Harry asked.
"Very." Fred smirked. "I suggest that if you want to be done anytime soon, you better hurry up."
Harry and Draco approached each other in the middle of the circle as the entire room held it's breath. Some onlookers felt that this is what Draco deserved for being here, even if it did mean Harry was subjected to him. Others felt sincerely sorry for both. Then, of course, were those who were turned on just by the thought of it. And there was Ron, who had shut his eyes and buried his face in his hands, too disgusted to even watch.
Harry wrapped his arms around Draco's neck and leant in to whisper in his ear.
"So, are you interested?" he asked, nibbling on a pale earlobe.
"Very," came a response through two very flushed lips before they were pressed to Harry's. Immediately, Draco's hands were all over Harry, trailing from shoulders to chest to back, unable to stop feeling, searching for the one place that would flood Harry with pleasure.
As Draco began sliding his hands up Harry's shirt, he found it. Harry's sensitive spot was a small patch of skin right below his left nipple, and Draco expertly caressed it until he felt Harry moan. Their tongues continued to duel as Draco pushed Harry's shirt up, and to Harry's disappointment he broke the kiss, only to push Harry to the ground and start licking that one spot, the black string still attached to their lips.
Does that God damned thing ever go away? he thought furiously, running his hands down Harry's bare sides. If this keeps up, we'll be at it all night. And I don't want to be a fucking exhibitionist!
Draco parted his lips in an invitation, which Harry ignored, choosing instead to kiss and lick a trail down Draco's neck to his chest, where he started biting and scraping. He could feel Draco suppressing the moans that would embarrass them both if either of them uttered a sound, leaving them open for endless teasing.
Harry noticed the string had disappeared, although no one had bothered to tell him about it. He kissed his way back up to Draco's lips, left one last, long, lingering kiss there, and opened his eyes. He knew the rest of the players, even Ron were staring at them, but he just smiled at Draco, who smiled back.
"Interesting," he said casually, rolling off of Draco and standing up. He knew the rest would brush it off as a comment on the snog session, but Draco understood the full meaning and laughed. The Griffyndors that weren't staying with the Weasleys were shocked again- they had all heard Draco laugh, but at their pain, never along with someone.
All of a sudden, the two very flushed boys were aware of the looks they were attracting. Harry's shirt was still riding up, revealing a good strip of tanned stomach, and Draco's open shirt revealed the milky-white chest that Harry loved to run his hands over. They sat down, avoiding the hungry looks people were sending them. Harry spun, hoping against all odds he wouldn't get Seamus, who was looking at him as if he were dessert.
To his relief, the bottle landed on Ginny, and a yellow line forged between their lips. After sharing their kiss (Ginny winked at him afterwards, and Ron almost threw himself at Harry), Ginny spun again.
"WHY DO I HAVE TO GET ALL THE HORRID MATCHES?" she shrieked. The bottle had landed on Fred, who had turned an awful shade of green that almost matched the string between them.
"George, are you positive that there isn't a way to cut this thing apart?" he pleaded.
George, who was looking equally revolted, shook his head and looked away.
Fred and Ginny leaned in for the kiss, punching and scraping at each other. When they pulled away, both looked almost as repulsed as Ron and Draco had after their kiss, and neither would look at the other with anything but disgust.
Fred, who looked like he would rather be anywhere else at the moment, took his turn, and the bottle landed on his twin.
"HAH! Serves you right!" yelled Katie and Ginny in unison. Ron was torn between amusement and disgust.
"Feeling incestuous tonight, aren't we Fred?" taunted George as his fingers traced the red line between them. Fred smacked him, then leaned in and roughly kissed George, pulling him closer as the kiss deepened. George returned the kiss, his hands cradling Fred's face until they broke apart. Fred pretended to swoon, and fell back into George's waiting arms in a dramatic faint.
Now it was Ron's turn to be green.
"You know, those Weasleys have more guts that I gave them credit for," Draco stated to Harry. "Honestly, I don't think I would ever kiss my siblings, if I had any. Not even goodnight. Too unnatural."
"Good thing I'm not your sibling then, eh?"
After a few more comedic rounds of the game in which there were a few good snogs and plenty of blushing, George snatched up the bottle and set it aside.
"Refreshment break!" he announced. "Everyone get something to eat or drink, then grab a seat for the new and improved version of Truth or Dare!"
There was a collective groan, followed by laughter and giggles. Ron had yanked Harry off his cushion to attack the snack table before anyone else, which left Harry as an open target to anyone who came up behind him. Unfortunately, it was Seamus.
"Hey Harry." Seamus was so close that the hairs on the back on Harry's neck stood up. His eyes widening slightly, Harry looked over his shoulder and greeted Seamus, randomly grabbing a cup so he could get out of there as soon as possible. He scooted through the crowd, ignoring exclamations as he stomped toes.
Flopping back down on his cushion, Harry took a gulp of the drink, and immediately felt as is he had swallowed fire. His eyes watered so much that he had to blink several times before he could see clearly again.
"Never took you for a firewhiskey drinker," Draco commented, gracefully sitting next to Harry. "Strong stuff, isn't it?"
"Merlin, yes," Harry choked, his throat still burning. Taking a closer look at the drink, which he had mistaken for punch, he realized that the little electrical flashes were actually fire. "Seamus was getting too close for comfort so I grabbed something and ran. Bad choice." But he raised the cup to his lips again, taking a much smaller sip than before. This time, the burning sensation was just a warm, pleasant tickling feeling.
This stuff isn't so bad, he thought, just as the last person sat down and the game began.
The main differences between the Muggle version and the Wizard version were the use of a very diluted Veritaserum and some concoction the twins had cooked up to make you do the dare you were given. If you answered truth, you were given a drop of Veritaserum; Dare, and you were given the peppermint flavored liquid.
Due to the presence of their little sister, Fred and George limited the raunchiness of the dares and truths permitted, to the disappointment of many players. And so the game began, with players admitting their darkest secrets and doing the weirdest dances. A few love letters were owled, a couple people kissed, and some almost died of embarrassment before Ginny and some of the other tired players decided to retire.
Then the game became much more dangerous. Questions so prying that even the interrogator blushed at the answer were asked, dares that were sworn never to be repeated, and then Draco was given the chance to get his revenge.
"Harry, truth or dare?" Draco asked, the look in his eyes making Harry wish he were anywhere but the Weasley's secret cellar.
"Um... Dare," he said, choosing what he hoped would be the safer option, since he had no intentions of spilling any secrets as of this point and time.
"Turn Weasley #6 on so that we can all see it."
Harry's jaw dropped in horror. He could read the expression in Draco's eyes, which was clearing stating that this was revenge for the shower. But Draco had overstepped the boundaries. Fred and George were looking at Draco with admiration.
"You did not just say that," Harry said, disbelieving. "Uh-uh. Not happening."
"I'm a Slytherin. Of course I said it, now do it." Draco shoved Harry over towards Ron.
"Don't I get a say in this?" Ron asked, backing away from a very red Harry. "I have to consent, right?"
"No, Ronniekins, you do what they tell you to. If you're not man enough to do it, go take a nap with Ginny." George was purposely taunting Ron to make him play, and it worked.
"I am not a bloody fifth year. I'm just not gay, alright?" Grudgingly he turned to face Harry, who was still standing uncomfortably in the center of the circle.
"Erm.. How do you want to... uh... do... this?" Harry asked, squirming under the gaze of everybody watching.
"I dunno, do you just wanna start snogging or something?" Ron jerked as he gave his answer, repulsed at is own suggestion. Harry just shrugged, but didn't move.
"I can't do this! He's my best friend!" Harry cried out, a look of total desperation registering itself on his face. "It's too... yuck."
"How eloquent. Now just get on with it." Draco was sitting with his knees drawn up to his chest and his elbows resting on his knees, observing the scene before him with mild interest.
Draco is going to die. Draco is going to die. Draco is going to die VERY FUCKING PAINFULLY! The mantra repeated inside Harry's mind with variations as he shuffled over to Ron, and tentatively leaned up and brought their lips together.
At first, Harry could feel Ron twinge and almost pull away, so he leant in further for reassurance. He was about to stop altogether from lack of response when Ron finally moved his mouth against Harry's.
After a while, Harry stood up, avoiding Ron's gaze, walked slowly over to his cushion, and sat down quietly, ignoring the jeers he was receiving from the male members of the game. He new that Ron had turned as red as when he had kissed Hermione, if not darker, and did not want to see. The girls had respectfully looked away from both him and Ron, feeling out of place in a very male situation.
The game went on, as all games do, until (to many's delight) so many people were yawning that they called it quits. With the wave of a few wands, the tables were cleared, the cushions disappeared, and the only sign of a party were the departing guests. Those who could disapparated, and the other left using an entrance that led to somewhere outdoors.
Harry yawned and stretched, his feet dragging as he plodded towards the ladder. Squeezing through the small passage and scrambling up the ladder, his eyes watered from fatigue, causing him to bump into the table on the way to the stairs.
"Whoa there, mate," whispered Ron, catching him by the elbow. "I'm guessing that the firewhiskey really got to you, eh?" He steadied Harry and helped him up the stairs.
"Look, Ron, I'm sorry . . ." began Harry, but Ron waved a hand to silence him.
"It's alright, it was just a dare, albeit a very embarrassing one. But isn't that the point of truth or dare, just to make a complete fool out of yourself?" Ron smiled. "Besides, it could have been worse. You could have had to do it to Seamus."
"Seamus wouldn't have taken as long to be stimulated." Harry ducked as Ron swung at him good-naturedly.
They both changed and fell into their separate beds without another word, too exhausted to waste oxygen on trivial words. Harry was almost asleep when Draco snuck in, the first rays of dawn slipping through the cracks in Ron's blinds. The dip in the bed as Draco added his weight to it brought Harry a bit closer to consciousness.
"Harry, you awake?"
"Yea."
"Go to sleep."
"Draco?"
"Hmm?"
"You're dead."
"Okay. G'night."
"Night."
