It's 2:25 am on saturday morning. I'm dead tired eating a sausage mcmuffin and chugging out another flufftastical chapter cause I have insomnia. Yay me.

Can I point out chapter six had over 1000 hits in under an hour. What the fuck guys, it's not that good.

CHAPTER EIGHT - THE TRUTH

Veritaserum.

Hermione's face contorted as she stared at the drink. "Do I even what to know how you have a stock of veritaserum?" Hermione groaned as she threw back her drink.

"Veritaserum? Wha'?" Seamus asked, a little too late. He'd already downed his drinks.

"What? It makes it more fun, promise." Pansy cooed. "And if you must know, Drake brews it for me in exchange for favors."

"Pansy, stop talking and leave it for the game." Malfoy said plainly.

"Wow, Drake's actually into a game for once." Pansy smirked.

There were five loveseats situated in a circle around the table where all the alcohol had been moved to. They were paired off; Pansy and Neville, Ginny and Blaise, Theo and Tracey, and Seamus and Dean. Luna and Hermione were the only two without seats, and the only available seat was the one that Malfoy had taken up with his long, cursed legs.

"I think I'd be rather fond of sitting next to you, Theo." Luna said sweetly. "Do you mind sharing your half of the seat?"

Theo stared at her blankly. "Uh, sure?" He scooted as close to Tracey as the seat would allow, but Luna instead pulled him back towards the arm of the chair and proceeded to sit with her back to the crook of the arm with her legs draped over his lap. She pulled out a Quibbler, and began to read.

"Loony." Malfoy said under his breath. Hermione smacked his leg, glaring at him. He shrugged it off before straightening in his seat. They sat as far away as physically possible from each other.

"I do believe ladies first, therefore, birthday girl?" Ginny said. She was sitting way too close to Blaise.

"Uhm." Hermione scanned around the group, trying to think of someone that she wanted to know something from. Her eyes landed back on her redheaded friend.

"Ginny."

"Dare."

Damn. Hermione's face scrunched up in defeat as she thought about a dare that didn't have her running down the hall naked. "I'm really bad at dares." Hermione finally admitted when she came up with nothing.

"I'll take that as a failed dare." Ginny said with a grin, taking two shots.

"Wait you have to drink when you fail a dare?" Dean asked.

"Yes." Several Slytherins said in unison.

"New rule. If you make someone answer a question and it wasn't your turn, drink." Theo butted in.

"Like five. Or we'll make you wish you didn't ask it, either works." Blaise added. "That way no one's abusing the veritaserum."

"One last question then. Wha' types o' dares are we not allowed t'do?" Seamus asked.

"Nothing." Blaise answered immediately.

"No one's leaving this room." Theo clarified. Blaise pouted. "Vipsy will make sure of that, right Vipsy?"

"Anything for the young master and his friends!" Vipsy chirped from where she sat behind his chair.

"OK. I'm done." Seamus said, settling back into his seat.

Ginny grinned. "Seamus, your turn."

Seamus gave her a look that screamed Really Bitch? "Truth."

"Who do you think is the most attractive person in school?" Ginny asked.

Seamus paled and looked constipated as he tried to fight the veritaserum. "Dra-" he finished super quietly.

"Dra? Draco? Another one?" Pansy asked in shock.

"I don't swing that way." Draco said very quickly.

"Not Draco!" Seamus said in shock. "Draven Morris."

"Oh, he's in my year and house. He's quite lovely. Attracts many Wrackspurts."

"What's a Wrackspurt?" Theo asked quietly to Tracey. She shrugged.

"They're invisible. They float in through your ears and make your brain go fuzzy." Luna explained. Tracey gave Theo a knowing look, and he slumped in defeat as he reached for a drink. Luna never looked up from her quibbler.

"Theo. Truth or Dare?"

"Oh, Truth. I don't feel much like standing right now." Luna answered for him.

"Uh, truth I guess then." Theo repeated.

"Would ya rather sleep with McGonagall o' Dumbledore?" Seamus asked.

Theo paled. He was silent for a long moment. "I think… Dumbledore?" He looked disgusted with the fact that he had just admitted that. The entire group laughed.

That had spurred several rounds of very gross or embarrassing (or sometimes both) would you rathers with hilarious results. What made it worse was someone broke out the giggle water, and now random fits of giggles interrupted others, making the answers all the more hilarious. They discovered that Dean would rather fight you-know-who rather than an Acromantula, Blaise would rather sleep with a werewolf rather than Umbridge, and Draco would rather be a Hufflepuff rather than hug he who must not be named-which spurred Ginny to refer to him as 'the hufflepuff' for the rest of the night.

Finally, the game of would you rather was halted by Luna. "Dare."

Ginny was giggling so much that she could barely breathe. "I dare you to snog your favorite person in here."

Luna looked up from her quibbler, and glance around the room. She finally stood, and placed herself in between Malfoy and Hermione, practically sitting on Malfoy. But instead of leaning towards him… Hermione froze in shock as Luna's lips met her own.

"Whoa!" Theo breathed out. Malfoy seemed to enjoy the view as well.

"What was that?" Neville squeaked as Luna went back to her seat on Theo.

"She said favorite person. Hermione's my favorite friend. Ginny didn't say someone I may have a crush on or most attractive. Those would be different." Luna said. "Truth or Dare, Hermione."

"Truth."

"Why do you let the Slytherin's spoil you. You have every right to hate them. Especially Draco." Even though her voice was light and friendly, everyone in the room felt the weight of it. Hermione's jaw dropped at Luna, who shrugged in response, going back to her quibbler. "I only ask 'cause I'm not the one who needs to hear it but no one else is going to ask."

Her eyes locked with Theo's. "I guess it's because I agree with McGonagall. Everyone was different during the war. I understand why things were done the way they were, and even though I may not agree with those reasons, it's not my place to put down people who have changed for the better." She sighed. "As for Malfoy..." She turned to him. "There were several occasions where I believed you were very much on the wrong side, but didn't have a choice. You helped us." She sighed again. "There's no point in hating each other anymore. Plus, Pansy and Tracey a the girlfriends I never had."

"Hey!" Ginny yelled.

"They're the girly girlfriends I never had." Hermione rephrased.

"Acceptable." Ginny stated.

Hermione took another large drink out of her glass.

"Malfoy, truth or dare?"

Malfoy sighed. "Dare."

"Have any Faerie Quila? Your turn to drink some."

Pansy and Tracey both started laughing so much tears began streaming from their eyes. Dean paled. "Faerie Quila? There's no way they have access to that stuff. It's like 500 galleons a bottle."

Malfoy smirked, and suddenly Vipsy was there with a bottle of the pink alcohol. Dean's jaw dropped in awe. "I'm a Malfoy, we have a steady supply of it."

"Right."

Vipsy popped the top off for Malfoy, pouring him a rather large glass. Hermione raise (or attempted to) an eyebrow. Who knew a house elf was heavy handed. Malfoy downed it easily, and just for good measure, a second.

"Blaise, don't bother saying truth. Do what you talked to me about the other day." Malfoy said, sitting back. Hermione tried to remember how quickly Faerie Quila took hold on her. She wanted to see Malfoy drunk, and he'd drank significantly less than the rest of them. Even Luna was consistently downing glass after glass of champagne that Vipsy kept full.

"What? OH! You arse." Blaise mumbled, before turning to the redhead sitting next to him.

"Be my girlfriend?"

Ginny stared at him before turning to stare at Malfoy. She finally turned back to Blaise. "It takes a drunk friend to dare you for you to ask me out?"

Blaise shrugged. "Wasn't sure what the cool off time between you and Potter was, or if it was a nasty break up. Didn't want to be a rebound."

Ginny pouted. "For your information, as much as I love Harry, we both decided that being together was like being with your sibling. I felt like I was sleeping with Ron, so yes. I will be your girlfriend." She turned to Hermione. "But you better not tell Harry or Ron until I'm good and ready to admit that I'm dating someone that tried to kill them."

Blaise held up his hands in defense. "We just went to go get Drake's wand. It was all Crabbe who felt like he should be trying to kill them. Our plan was get Drake's wand and get out."

Hermione glanced at Malfoy. He wasn't paying attention. Instead his face was flushed red, and he had an innocent goofy grin on his face. That didn't take long. Hermione was so intrigued by the sight of such a vulnerable looking Malfoy that she wasn't paying attention until the others whooped in glee.

Both her and Malfoy snapped to attention just in time to witness Seamus and Dean… deep into a snog. Ginny was snickering. "I knew it!" She chirped. "I knew that was the reason Dean and I broke up!" She seemed way too happy.

Dean finally stopped snogging Seamus. "You only dated me to make Harry jealous. We both knew that."

The shade of Ginny's face matched her hair.

"Hermione." Dean said sloppily.

"Truth."

"Why did you and Ron never end up together?"

Everyone seemed to perk up at that question. She even had Malfoy's undivided attention.

"Pretty much the same reason why Ginny and Harry broke up." She admitted, she couldn't tell if she was blushing, or flushed from the alcohol. "We kissed when we both realized we weren't going to die, but nothing past that. There were no feelings there."

"I always thought ya two would end up together." Seamus stated.

Ginny snorted. "Not with Ron still heads over heels for Lavender.

"How are they doing anyway?" Malfoy asked.

Ginny stared at Malfoy for a long moment in shock. "They're doing great. Harry just qualified to be an auror." She explained.

"Good for him."

"Why are you interested?" Ginny queried.

"They testified in my favor." Malfoy explained. "I owe them a lot. And to borrow Granger's words; there's no point in hating each other anymore."

Ginny nodded.

"Whose turn is it?" Theo asked lazily. He glanced over to Tracey, who was already passed out, her head in the nook of the armchair with her mouth open. "I think Tracey's clocked out for the night."

"I'm about ready to head out too." Seamus muttered, leaning against Dean who looked just as tired.

Theo pouted. "I'm still good to drink for a while."

"Same." Malfoy spoke up, though he was obviously very hammered already.

"Vipsy, can you take those who are ready to leave to the common room?" Hermione asked the small elf.

"Anything for the young mistress!" Vipsy said happily.

A few moments later, the group had been cut down, leaving only Pansy, Neville, Theo, Luna, Hermione and Malfoy. Even Ginny and Blaise opted to go back to the dorms, which Hermione highly suspected wasn't due to them being tired.

"Who's turn was it?" Theo asked again.

Everyone glanced around, trying to remember. "I think it was Dean's." Hermione finally answered, trying to remember. Her brain seemed fuzzy.

"It was yours, Hermione." Luna cooed.

"Oh." Hermione's face scrunched in thought. "I don't know what to ask anyone."

Pansy laughed. "Then dare me."

"I don't know any good dares!" She exclaimed.

"I'll help." Theo stated. "Give Neville a lapdance while you dare someone else."

Neville's face would have deepened in color if he wasn't already so flushed. Pansy rolled her eyes in uninterest. "You could have done something so much more interesting." she stated.

"Then do it in your knickers." Luna added sweetly. She was still opting for sitting on Theo instead of any of the newly open seats.

Hermione looked at her seemingly innocent friend in shock. Pansy smiled. "That's more like it." A choked sound escaped Neville's throat.

Pansy posed herself in front of Neville. Hermione hadn't even noticed that the music was still playing until Pansy's hips started swaying in time with it. She reached behind her head and undid the knot to her halter top, the fabric dropping to the floor.

Theo let out a low whistle, they even got Luna to look up from her quibbler. "I like those." She said, before going back to her reading.

Whilst she began to grind her bum against Neville's lap (and while he looked both way to pleased and way too embarassed about it all) the turned to Malfoy. "Drake, be a dear, remove Hermione's dress too. I can't be the only one in her knickers."

Luna raised her head. "Should I undress as well?"

"If you want." Pansy shrugged.

Luna hopped up, and in one sweep pulled her bright yellow puffy dress over her head. Underneath she wore a set of brightly colored undergarments that… "How did you get these to change colors?!" Theo asked in awe watching as they went through several hues like the horse of a different color.

"Oh a simple charm." Luna said sweetly. To Theo's shock, she sat back where she had been, this time her Quibbler all but forgotten.

Hermione went to undo her own dress, but her hands were stopped by a pair of very warm, very large hands. "This was my dare." Malfoy muttered. Hermione's hands stilled, but Malfoy's hands found their way up her arms, and to her shoulders. He started to pull the lace snake sleeves off her arms, but they wouldn't go past her elbows. He snaked his arms around her back. His breath was heavy against her neck. She calmly breathed through her nose. He smelled so good. She wasn't sure if it was cologne, soap or his natural smell, but it was nice. Very nice.

"Pansy." He groaned, pulling away from Hermione with little success. "This has to be your dress cause I have no idea how to remove it." He said flatly.

There was a pang in Hermione's chest. Why would he think it was her dress? How would he know her dresses were complicated to get off? Of course he knew. They'd been an item at the Yule ball and in their fifth year. That thought seemed to upset her.

She had to be a lot more drunk than she thought she was. There was no way she was jealous over Malfoy of all people if she wasn't. Yeah. That was it.

Pansy snickered. "It just pulls down Drake. There's a sticking charm on it."

"Oh." Malfoy gave his attention back to Hermione, taking her by the sides. "Stand up." He ordered softly. She-kinda-liked that, and obeyed. His thumbs hooked over the top of the dress and pulled down gently, this time it gave away easily, but instead of letting it fall to her feet he slowly led it down her hips. "And here I was thinking there'd be white cotton knickers." He joked.

Pansy started laughing. "She was wearing cotton knickers!" She exclaimed. "We had to fight her into those."

"I like them." Malfoy said, letting his thumb caress her hip, before turning beat red and abruptly sitting himself back down in his seat. "You know, green. She looks like a Slytherin."

"Yeah right." Pansy joked.

"Careful Draco." Theo said seriously. "You'll have to go through me to get her."

"Why would he have to get through you?" Neville asked innocently.

"She's my sister." Theo said. Sudden realization appeared on his face and he paled.

The veritaserum hadn't worn off.

Malfoy groaned and dropped his face into his hands and Hermione just stood there in shock.

"What?" Pansy paused her attention of Neville and spun around.

Neville started laughing. "Funny joke."

Luna's eyebrow was raised. "Neville, who did you lose your virginity to?" She said without letting her eyes leave Theo's face.

"Seamus." Neville responded. It was his turn to pale. "That's not-what!"

"Veritaserum." Pansy breathed. "You drank some right Theo."

"Yes." He groaned, his head dropping in shame.

Pansy sat down. "So you mean she's like a sister to you?"

"No."

"Hermione, what is he talking about?" Neville asked.

"Can we point out that Neville slept with Seamus?" Malfoy tried to counter.

"I'll get to that later." Pansy said flatly, shooting a glare to Malfoy.

"We found out last week that I'm adopted." Hermione said quietly.

Pansy and Neville looked sick. Luna however hummed as if having an epiphany. "That would explain why you seem much more magical than any muggleborn I know."

Pansy held up a finger to Luna. "Wait, you just found out?" She asked in awe. "You're… you're a pureblood!" She said excitedly.

"Look, Pansy. They're trying to keep this close to the chest. Don't go spreading rumors." Malfoy warned.

"You knew!"

"Of course he did. I needed someone to talk to about it!" Theo exclaimed. "Don't get mad at him, I told him not to tell anyone."

"I can see why! This is huge news. If the Daily Prophet found out… with your dad…" Pansy trailed off.

"I didn't want anyone to find out. I haven't even come to terms with it." Hermione said sadly. "Can we talk about something else and have this conversation while sober? I'm not ready for this."

"Fine, when you're ready to talk, we can meet here and talk about it. All of us." Pansy stated, waving her hand in gesture to everyone.

"Thank salazar that your elf's not here." Malfoy said flatly. "She'd flip out." Theo nodded in agreement.

"Can we go back to Neville and Seamus." Theo asked sheepishly.

"How did you get past the Truth Serum last time?" Pansy asked, turning her attention away from Theo and Hermione. "You said you hadn't done it yet."

"Technically, he drank. He didn't answer." Malfoy corrected.

"Are you gay?" Pansy asked.

Neville shook his head vehemently. "Never doing that again." He laughed sheepishly.

"Well, I'm beat." Luna said lightly. "I don't think I could solve a puzzle to get back to the Ravenclaw tower. Do you mind if I crash with one of you?"

"Sure, we'll walk you to our common room." Pansy said, picking up her dress and sliding it back on.

Everyone stood up, except Hermione. The others made their way to the door, but she hung back for a moment. "Malfoy, can you help me get back into this?" She held her dress in her hands.

Pansy snickered and pulled the others out of the room, and it was just Hermione and Malfoy standing on opposite sides of the room. Malfoy sighed as he made his way back to Hermione. "How can I help."

Hermione dropped her dress on the chair, and Malfoy's eyes widened before narrowing in suspicion… or as much suspicion as he could muster in his state.

"Who gave you those scars?" She asked flatly.

Malfoy's eyes widened in shock. "My-my father." The veritaserum answered for him. "You bitch."

Hermione would have felt quite proud of herself if it weren't for the horror building up in her system. "Why would he…" she trailed off.

"How do you think I became a death eater?" He snapped. "Father dearest beat me whenever I spoke out against him. The great and powerful dark lord."

"He was so loyal, the right hand man to the dark lord… besides Aunt Bella." He continued. "He got smart after a while and started threatening Theo and Blaise instead of me, otherwise I wouldn't have gotten this." He ripped his sleeve up, revealing the dark mark.

Hermione was frozen. She didn't know what to say. The alcohol had something to say about it though-or do. Tears began to well up in her eyes. "That's why you don't want Theo to know." She said quietly.

"Sweet Salazar why are you crying?" Malfoy asked pained.

"I-I'm so sorry. I'm upset okay? I'm upset that you had to go through that." The tears were really coming down now.

She was drunk. That was the only reason why she let herself grab him, and pull him against her. He stood there staring at the tamed fluffy hair that was now in his face as she hugged him. "I'm sorry I pressed. You were right. I didn't want to know."

He snorted. "I don't think those words ever came out of my mouth." He said, finally relaxing.

"Yeah but you acted like it." She said into his shirt.

He cleared his throat. "Hermione."

"Hmm?"

"Did you actually need help with your dress?" He asked straightly. "You're still half naked… and I'm… well I am a guy." Hermione laughed, letting him go. She looked up to she his face red and flustered. He helped her get the dress back on the correct way, though it took several tries for the two of them in their inebriated state to actually get it on. "You… you do look really good in green." He said, looking her over.

"Thanks."

She followed him out of the Room of Requirement, however, she didn't make it past a couple of steps before her legs gave out.

"You're drunk." Malfoy stated.

"So are you!"

Malfoy crouched in front of her, with his back to her. "What are you doing?" She asked.

"Hop on, I'll carry you."

"I can walk just fine." She exclaimed.

"In those heels? I don't care how many charms are on them, there's no way you can walk in your state."

Hermione huffed before allowing him to carry her on his back. "Don't drop me."

"I won't. I promise. My tolerance level is much higher than yours."

"But you drank the Faerie Quila."

"Which I drink on a regular basis. Helps with dealing with my past." He said honestly.

They slowly made their way through the halls. Hermione noticed his shoulders were very broad for such a skinny guy. She laid her head on his shoulder and relaxed. They were almost to the common room when a voice startled them.

"Am I being carried by Malfoy?" Hermione's own voice queried.

They looked up to see portait Hermione sitting with a book propped in her lap. The others were either missing or already asleep. She was the only one who saw them.

"I'm drunk. He didn't want me to fall over." Hermione told herself.

"Such a gentleman. You're luck Harry's gone off to another portrait in the Ministry of Magic, and Ron's well…" She motioned to the redhead that was snoring loudly with his mouth wide open, drool running down his face. "Well, Ron. Hurry up and go."

Malfoy didn't stick around any longer as he trudged along.

Snape was already awake. Probably due to the others passing through not too long ago.

"Draco. Miss Granger. More drunks?" He said in his infamous drawl.

"Albus." Hermione moaned, she was too tired to deal with this right now. Thankfully, Snape didn't press, and moved out of the way.

Hermione dozed for a second, and faintly felt a pressure. She vaguely heard Malfoy say something, but she was too tired to respond. Next thing she could process was she was back on her feet.

"You need to change." A voice said. She was detached but still recognized Malfoy's voice. Draco's voice.

"I'm tired."

"At least don't fall asleep yet. Sit here." She sat down, on what she recognized as a bed. She didn't listen to him as she fell over onto the bed. She wouldn't have to take her draught tonight to have a dreamless sleep.

The struggle was real. I have the attention span of a squirrell. I started this at like 3am yesterday morning and didn't finish it until like 2am this morning cause I kept getting side tracked by AR URF on LOL and buzzfeed videos about cats. And so much Kpop. Stupid YouTube.

So the cat's out of the bag!