Chapter Nine: Some Side Effects May Occur
That's got to be it Draco thought to himself just as he had turned to go back to his seat. She used a potion on me!
"YOU LITTLE WITCH!" Hermione jumped, not expecting him to say anything more since he had turned to walk away, but now he was facing her full on. "You used that potion." He stated matter-of-factly.
"What are you talking about? What potion?"
"That-that one Snape had us make the first day! You snuck some from your cauldron and used it on me!" Draco had become positively giddy.
Hermione thought this was absolutely ridiculous. "Why would I care to know your secrets Malfoy? Obviously it has done neither of us any good to know that you haven't changed and are a chronic prat. And if I did give you the potion would you care to tell me when I did it?"
This stumped Draco. She would have had to slip it into his drink, but she was obviously never near his table, let alone his drink.
"AH-HA!" he shrieked. Hermione became nervous because his voice was now reaching a pitch that would rival even Lavender's.
He pointed a finger at her and grinned viciously. "You made Blaise do it earlier when he spilled my pumpkin juice!" Draco was so excited that he had figured this out that his voice had become so shrill a glass jar on a shelf began to quiver. "That's why he likes you, because you two are conspiring against me."
Before he got the chance to do a victory dance Hermione cleared her throat rather loudly to get his attention. "Again I ask, why would I, or your best friend, want to know your secrets?" Hermione could not believe he would be so stupid as to think this. "The only reason I know your secret is because for some reason you decided to show me."
"I didn't decide to, you made me!" He almost looked happy at this assumption. Not because he was glad of the fact that he had been betrayed, and tricked, but simply because he thought he was right. Hermione was tired of arguing with him when he had obviously gone insane.
"Okay, sure Malfoy, whatever you want to think. Now if you don't mind I'd like to pretend this never happened so leave me the hell alone." With that she stomped off to her desk and began reading her book. Well not really, she just pretended to…At least he no longer appeared ready to murder her. But now you know he isn't capable of murder Hermione. He is maybe somewhere deep, deep down…very, very deep…a little deeper... Ah yes there, that might actually be a good guy. Hello down there.
Draco had resolved to confront Blaise at dinner. He had used the rest of DADA to collect his thoughts.
"Hey," he said to Blaise as he sat down opposite him. Pansy still looked spurned and turned to talk to Millicent.
"Hey," Blaise replied smiling. His smile faltered when he saw that Draco seemed oddly pleasant. Draco just sat there smiling at Blaise. "Erm…is something wrong Draco?" he fidgeted.
"Why would anything be wrong Blaise? Have you done something wrong..Blaise?" he asked raising his overly expressive Malfoy eyebrows.
"No…what are you talking about Draco?"
Pansy must have felt the tension because she turned to watch the two boys.
"No? So you haven't been plotting anything with Granger?"
Blaise now looked even more confused. "Well I thought you were okay with me going to the Halloween party with her…"
"Yes, but that isn't what I'm referring to." By now Draco was getting frustrated. "Why did you put that potion in my pumpkin juice? You think it was funny? Just tell me something, was it your idea or Granger's?"
Blaise stared blankly. Now it was Pansy's turn to interject. "Draco what are you going on about? When did Blaise put something in your juice?"
"At lunch! When he knocked into me he slipped that potion in my juice that Granger brewed in Snape's class. They wanted me to spill my darkest secrets!" Draco was panting and become a little unnerved that they were both staring at him like he was crazy. He had to be right. It is the only possible reason he would have shown Hermi…Granger his memories.
"Okay….Draco maybe you are feeling a little ill?" Pansy prompted. "We made that potion the first week of class."
"Well I'm going to go talk to Snape. See you guys later." He got up and tried to remain angry but now he was becoming unsure. What if Granger really didn't do anything? What if I really did want to show her?
Seeing that Snape was no longer at the head table he strode off towards the potions dungeon.
"Yes Mr. Malfoy?" Snape asked warily as he floated through his office door to see who dared disturb him after dinner.
"Professor I need to ask you something about that potion you had us make the first day of class."
"Hostium Specialis. What about it Draco?" Snape asked looking extremely bored.
"Well, how long is it good for? And how long does it take to affect someone?"
"If you read in your book, which obviously you haven't, you would know that it can last for up to three months if bottled and corked. The potion takes affect no sooner than 5 hours after the victim drinks it. Any more questions?" Snape asked becoming very annoyed, but Draco wasn't satisfied yet.
"How exactly does it work?"
"For goodness sake read your blasted book!" Snape shouted and whipped back through door. Draco hurried to his dormitory and opened his book of Practicing Potions: A Guide for Brilliant Brewing.
When a person consumes Hostium Specialis they will begin to feel the effects five hours later. The potion is intended to force the drinker to spill their darkest secret. Only the person who administered the potion will have the power to make the drinker tell their secret. Some side effects may occur but usually last no longer than 24 hours:
Fuzziness/Confusion
Irritability
Loss of memory
Incoherent babbling
Headache
Well there goes that theory. It was less than five hours and I told Hermio-dammit. Granger. I told Granger, not Blaise and there's no way she could have slipped me the potion. Draco laid there trying to figure out why he would have told her his secret and why he was so mad about it. Unfortunately he fell asleep before he could come to any conclusion other than…I wanted to.
They had another Hogsmeade weekend coming up so that the students could get their costumes since Halloween was only two weeks away. That Saturday morning at breakfast the great hall was filled with excited chatter about who was wearing what.
"I'm going as a fairy," Lavender was telling Parvarti along with anyone else who would listen.
"What are you going to be Hermione?" Ginny asked. She and Harry had already decided to go as a knight and his damsel in distress. Fits well Hermione thought.
"Well I'm not really sure yet. Blaise wants to be a werewolf, but I think it's just so that he can run around shirtless. I guess I'll just see what there is and find something I like."
Ron would not disclose who he was going with or what he was going as, but everyone had a pretty good idea who his date would be. After breakfast the great hall began to empty as everyone made their way to Hogsmeade.
Draco, Pansy and Blaise made their way down the little street that ran through Hogsmeade and entered the robe shop Gladrags Wizard Wear. The shop had an ample supply of costumes ever since they were informed by McGonagall that there would be a Halloween party.
Pansy searched the racks for a risqué devil costume that would be sure to knock Neville's socks off. Blaise and Draco pushed through the thick crowd and headed toward the guys costumes. "What are you going as?" Blaise asked him.
"Not sure yet. Something dark that shows off my body." Blaise sniggered and held up a black leotard. "Ha ha very funny," Draco snapped.
Blaise eventually found some ripped pants and a wig of wild dark hair and a kit that included a spell to turn your nose into a snout for four hours. Draco secretly purchased his costume before Pansy brought her red mini dress to the counter. The three exited the shop with their purchases and set off for The Three Broomsticks.
"Hey Hermione, over here!" Blaise shouted as he spotted her, Harry, Ron and Ginny entering.
"Hi Blaise, did you get your costume?" she asked as the four of them awkwardly pulled up seats to join the Slytherins.
"Yep it's going to look great. What did you get?"
"Oh, you'll see I kind of thought it could be a surprise."
"Oh, you and Draco both. What's with all the secrets?" he asked jokingly as he took a sip of his butterbeer. Hermione tried to laugh casually and failed.
The seven of them shared some timid conversation before leaving and heading back to Hogwarts with their purchases. None of them could wait for the party and the halls, and much to Snape's displeasure; the classrooms were filled with excited chatter for the next two weeks until finally it was the day before the party.