Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. . .never will.

A/N: Hello again. Special thanks to all those who reviewed/favorited/alerted. I am sorry if there will still be some errors and typos in this chapter. Thank you so much! I hope you'll enjoy reading. :)

Chapter 14: Truth or Dare

I strummed the guitar, trying to produce music that was soothing to the ears. The weather outside was cold and nice, a perfect opportunity to play. Kingsley gave me a two-day vacation and I was trying to make the most out of it after working at the Ministry for a good couple of weeks. I played my heart out, though the tune was incomplete and the chords weren't mastered, and closed my eyes. Little did I know, someone was already sitting beside me.

"That's a nice tune you're playing." Slowly, I opened my eyes and smirked as I continued playing for the familiar presence of Hermione Granger, eyes closed; sitting on the same spot we always went, near the lake. "Hey."

She opened her chocolate brown eyes and smiled. "How have you been? I haven't seen you for weeks."

I laughed as I put the guitar down and put my hands beneath my head. "Kingsley dragged me all over the Ministry so I wasn't able to come back soon."

"Did you have a good time?" I nodded at her and she began examining the guitar. "When did you start playing the guitar? I mean, it's remarkable to find someone here who is interested in learning how to play it without magic and all. Brilliant, actually."

When I was about to open my mouth and answer the question, she handed it back. "Can you play something for me?"

As much as I would like to, I couldn't. I haven't even mastered the chords yet, let alone complete it. "Can't, still trying to learn."

She smiled at me as I took the guitar back. "I just want to hear you play."

Seeing that I couldn't say no to those eyes, I smiled and began playing a tune that I learned a while ago. I closed my eyes and poured my feelings on playing. I knew the chords, but I haven't had the chance to complete it.

To my surprise, I was able to finish the song, albeit clumsily. Silently, I waited for her response.

"You played a very nice melody." I smiled as I put the guitar down and stood up, willing for her to do the same as I put my hand for her to hold on. She seemed a little worn and tired, there were dark circles under her eyes. With a sigh, I wondered why she always had to push herself to her limit.

"You know, you should take care of yourself more. Care for a walk? I promise to tell you the story about that guitar."

She smiled back and gracefully took my hand as we started walking towards the vicinity of the lake. It has been a while since I last did this. After our little talk, I promised Hermione that we would see each other for at least once a day, if the time would permit it. But well, a week after, my trip to the Ministry with Kingsley took a bit longer than expected that I was practically sweating my bollocks off with all the directions that I had to memorize. When we were both comfortable enough, I started recalling the reason why I bought that guitar.

"Well, you see, before I went to the trip with Kingsley, Ron and I went out for a glass of butterbeer in Hogsmeade. After a lengthy 'talk', he wanted me to accompany him to Diagon Alley but well, you know how it was. People kept staring at me whenever I am there so we ended up going to a muggle mall. There was this fascinating man playing the guitar that I suddenly had the urge to try it."

"Sounds like you two had loads of fun."

The soft breeze and the hymns produced by the creatures of the lake produced a very relaxing atmosphere as we walked. The silence we both shared was comfortable enough as I delved into the scene. As we walked, I noticed a white pebble who stood up from the rest and picked it up, only to throw it into the lake. "To tell you the truth, Ron was very amused when I bought a guitar and tried playing it. He said I could always charm it to play but well, I think there were things that I'd rather want to learn."

A chuckle escaped from her lips as she picked up another rock to throw. "It seems like the thing you would really do."

"Yeah."

Silence fell on the both of us as our eyes exchanged knowing glances, laughing when I told her if she could imagine Ron playing the guitar. He would've just smashed the thing in pieces if he became frustrated.

But even thinking about that day sent a shiver down my spine. It didn't really end as well as I'd expected it to. My lips curved into a thin line when I remembered what transpired that day because frankly, it was a disaster. Hermione seemed to notice the sudden change of atmosphere, for instantly, her face shifted into a frown. "What's wrong?"

Not wanting her to worry, I gave her a small smile. It was rather disheartening if I reminded her of the break-up, but I didn't really want to lie.

"Er – you see – I hope you won't get mad but, er – how should I say this? Well, er – I talked to Ron about er – you know, about the. . .break-up."

A crease appeared on Hermione's forehead but she stayed silent, as I she wanted me to tell her about what transpired. With a sigh, I began my tale. Her expression changed as I recalled what happened, and I could still imagine how her eyes dulled as I mentioned our little squabble, so I ended it in a friendlier note.

"He said that he was very sorry. After your break-up, he did a lot of thinking and he was always haunted by the things he said to you. Still, for him, what he told you would be for the best."

She closed her eyes and I wondered. I wondered why I had to say it; I wondered why I had to choose to hurt her again. But as she opened them, there was a little smile etched in her face that reached her eyes, so I had to blab some more just to remove the sadness in her features. "I think he won't be able to stand if he hurt you again."

When I was finally finished, I let her be as we resumed our walk. She deserved her space and I knew that she would tell me about it if she was ready. I was willing to wait until that day, and decided to think of another topic that I wanted to share, one that would somehow lift the mood. But to my surprise, she spoke, "I did a lot of thinking too, you know."

Her eyes were solemn, almost sad. But of course, it was Ron and it was enough for my heart to sink. Without really thinking, I looked down on my dirt-filled shoes."Do you. . .still want to be with him?"

"I wouldn't lie to you and say that I didn't wish for that."

Her words hurt. I was almost hopeful after I saw that look in her eyes. I thought that somehow, she would see that it wasn't healthy anymore and had myself believing that maybe, she would say no. I wished for her to tell me that it was really over. But I guess her answer was expected, she loved the man.

I nodded at her and somehow, I hoped that she couldn't see what I was really feeling at the moment. And silently, I urged for her to continue. "But he was right Harry. If we had tried to work that relationship out, maybe we could have made it much better. After all, that was a risk that we were willing to take. But then. . .it would tire us out eventually. There would come a time when both of us would grow tired of it all. We tried, but maybe, it wasn't meant for us to be. If he was able to tell you that we were better off as friends, he meant it and to tell you the truth, I am very happy with the decision we both have made."

She looked at me with thoughtful eyes, even if it hurt for her to say those words. "At least I was able to see that the love I hold for him is that of someone I am not willing to lose. I love him that much enough to understand that I will have to let go.

Deep down, I was relieved that she was able to tell me her feelings. At least, I was able to help her reduce the load. As I looked in her eyes, all I was able to do was nod as I told Hermione parts of the story that I didn't want to tell. . .my feelings. "I told Ron that he should have at least tried to, you know, he should have tried to make things work for the both of you. To be honest, I was very disappointed that he broke his promise."

Hermione eyed me curiously and all I chuckled, trying to hide my nervousness. This, at the least, is a story that I owe her.

"I didn't tell you this but there was a time that I let him promise me that he would take care of you, make you happy because you deserved it. If it wasn't for you, maybe I wouldn't be here. I wanted to make sure that you will be happy, both you and Ron."

I felt the warmth spread in my cheeks and slowly, I looked at her and gave her a warm smile. She clenched her hands into fists as her face turned red."Honestly!"

To my surprise, she flung into me that we nearly fell. I could feel as the cold tears stained my shirt as she sobbed softly in my chest. I reluctantly held her in my arms and put my chin on top of her head as I rubbed her back. "When did my favorite bookworm became a cry-baby?"

"When you finally decided that you could let me in," she said in a muffled voice.

"What?" I chuckled as she gave me a warm smile. I wiped away her tears as I held her form, I could never stand seeing her cry.

"Nothing. I didn't tell you but Neville, Luna, Seamus, Ginny and Parvati wanted us to go to the Three Broomsticks this evening, around 6. I don't know if Ron accepted the invitation, but I still sent him a letter. Headmistress McGonagall already gave us permission to leave the castle."

"Why didn't you say so? It's been a long time since I saw them." Her eyes shined with silent approval as we went back to our favorite place near the lake.

We resumed our usual position and this time, she put her head on my shoulder as I tried to sit comfortably. There was once again, silence, as we marveled at the beauty of the lake and I held her closer. "We still have some time left, let's just rest. I think you've been pushing yourself to your limit these past few days."

Confused why she didn't reply, I found her, asleep as she rested on the crook of my neck. I watched her for a while, she looked contented, almost happy and her face wasn't contorted with a frown. She looked so peaceful. Smiling, I kissed her on the forehead and resumed watching how the sun set as the water sparkled.

The village was cloaked in darkness except for lights in the little cottages and shops. There were no candles in the trees, for today was just an ordinary day. The town was quiet, and the only noise that could be heard was that of a few friends who were having fun inside a small pub.

Everyone was having a good time as they caught up with each other's lives. It was a shock for me when Neville, Dean and Seamus decided to join Ron o train as Aurors. They told me that it would be loads better to know that they would be able to help the Ministry. At the very least, I was glad that I didn't have to worry about Ron being alone, now that our comrades were there. Parvati and Padma were both working for the Ministry now; even they decided to skip school to help, which horrified Hermione.

It was because of Voldemort's madness that much of our world has been exposed to the muggles. The Ministry was very dismayed and Kingsley tiredly told me that they had a lot of 'patching up' to do.

Meanwhile, as Hermione predicted, Ron didn't show up. Right before going to Hogsmeade, he sent Hermione a letter telling her that he was sorry that he wouldn't be able to go. Apparently, they were having some customer avalanche in the shop and George wanted him to help.

After an endless stream of stories and news, everyone was already running out of things to do so they decided to have a game of truth or dare, courtesy of Luna and Ginny. I bet those two were best of friends now, with them being this close and all. I always see them together in the Great Hall and in between classes. Judging from the looks on their faces, I couldn't help but feel that something bad was going to happen.

"Alright everyone, let's play a game of truth or dare. The Veributtis will help you if you will have problems answering the questions. Veributtis are creatures that help during Spin the Bottle games, my dad found one while we are playing. Beware though; they will bite if you tell a lie," Luna started.

Everyone cheered as she transfigured a glass into a bottle. We gave her the liberty of being the first one to spin it. As it finally stopped, everyone laughed when they saw the look on Neville's face. His eyes were wide in surprise and his body was shaking uncontrollably. Even after his heroic feat, it was still a wonder how he would turn back into the old Neville in events like this. When I looked at Luna, there was a smug look in her features as she picked up the bottle. "Alright Neville, will it be a truth or a dare?"

"T-t-t-t-t-t-truth."

"Let me ask the question!" came shout from Seamus as he enthusiastically patted Neville on the back. Everyone murmured in agreement and cheered as both he and Dean looked at each other.

With a grin, he asked, "Who was your first love?"

The look on Neville's face was priceless and I seriously regretted that I didn't bring a camera for this one. People kept nudging him and the only thing he did was whine. "Come on, can't I answer another question? This is embarrassing!"

"Neville, you have no choice. Do you want the Veributtis to bite your nose?"

"Oho! Our dear Neville, a hero of the battle is afraid to answer a teeny tiny question!"

"Come one Nev, don't be shy. Is it a Hogwarts student?"

Pressured by everyone's words and urging, Neville tried to whisper the name so that we wouldn't hear it. Unluckily for him, it was during times like these that our hearing drastically improved. "S-s-s-s-susan."

Everyone fell silent at the spot, speechless. Susan was a nice girl and all but it never occurred to me that she was close to Neville. Finally, laughing Dean and a very shocked Seamus interrupted the silence.

"Susan? Susan Bones? Wow mate, why didn't you tell me?"

We had a lot of fun teasing Neville after his confession. Well, almost all of us, Hermione kept telling us to leave the poor bloke alone but sadly, everyone was having fun. Finally, Ginny was able to settle the crowd when she threatened to hex us if didn't proceed to the next person. Honestly, that girl could easily make boys cower in fear.

The next one that the bottle picked was Seamus and the funny thing was when Neville volunteered to give him the dare. He extracted his revenge by making him sing a song to a lady who was drinking in the table next to us. I was amused, but disappointed that he didn't ask Seamus to dance, everyone knows how dreadful he was. The girl, like Neville, had become very embarrassed at the experience and slapped him before she moved at the farthest end of the pub. Perplexed, Seamus asked us if he had a horrible voice and everyone died in laughter.

After a few rounds of spins, the bottle had finally pointed its nuzzle on me. And even worse, Luna volunteered to ask the question! Ginny moved closer to me and even everyone gathered more closely. It was only Hermione who gave me a sympathetic look. "Well Harry, if ever you will be given the chance, will ask Hermione Granger for a date?"

That Luna! My hands sweat a thousand beads as I tried to figure out how to answer that question and I felt my throat slacken. They were very eager for some juicy gossip that I couldn't even comprehend how I would answer without feeling embarrassed. I looked at Hermione helplessly and found that she was looking at her hands like they were the most interesting things in the world.

Oh well, guess I had to man up and face this like a true Gryffindor, if I want to get out of this place alive. "Well, why not?"

Everyone seemed pretty satisfied by my answer, shouting things that I couldn't really comprehend. They murmured excitedly and even nudged me, telling me that I was a lucky bloke. Some of them even whispered ways and tips on what I should do, and even Ginny looked amused.

"Oho! That's a hero for you!"

"Wow, do you like her Harry?"

"Good job mate."

"Where would you take her on your first date?"

Questions paraded my every side that I decided to stay silent until someone would vouch me out of it. I looked like a hunted animal in their eyes. When Luna finally took pity on me, she clapped her hands to catch everybody's attention.

"Everyone, that's enough. The Veris would go berserk if you keep on asking questions." Luna winked at me and somehow, I gave her a grateful smile. "Let's proceed to the next victim then."

The game continued as the bottle picked Ginny as its next target. Luckily, Hermione just dared her to sing Neville a love song.

Everyone resumed their fun game, but I was stuck, for I could still hear Luna's voice as her question lingered. I was something I wanted to do, but was afraid to admit. My interest in the game vanished as I pondered upon my answer, if only I saw Hermione's face, I would've at least achieved some peace. But when it was finally Hermione's turn, I got curious. Would she be happy with my answer?

Someone nudged me and gave me a slight smirk and after a while, I suddenly found myself in the middle of the game.

When I finally caught up, I gave Luna a glare when I realized it was finally Hermione's turn and it would be. . .Ginny who would ask the question.

Everyone waited patiently while Ginny thought of something interesting to ask. Her smug look appeared again when she finally set her eyes on me. "If given the chance, would you want to date Harry Potter?"

Two of them planned this then and I finally found myself sinking into my chair. I wanted to disappear and I felt very embarrassed but I found myself looking at Hermione expectantly.

She seemed pretty baffled and also sunk lower into her chair as everyone forced the answer out of her. When she finally breathed her answer, an even baffled me was so shocked that I almost spilled the contents of my butterbeer on Neville's face. Thankfully, everyone didn't notice.

"Look at Harry's face mate, he's blushing!"

"You'd better look at Hermione, she looks like she just swallowed a bug."

"Ah love. The Veris are rejoicing."

Ginny went to Hermione's side with a sly smile for she too, didn't get the chance o hear the answer. She briefly shifted her eyes on me but returned her gaze on Hermione as amusement played on the corner of her expectant eyes. "So, what is it Hermione? Would you rather face the consequence or answer this question?"

A faint squeak of the word yes rang down the Hall as everyone fell silent and all I could do was rejoice when I realized that I wasn't dreaming. I didn't care if it was just a bloody game and I felt that I could even take another Hungarian Horntail right now just to hear her say it once more.

Ginny rose from her seat with a smile in her face. "I see, clearly I am satisfied with her answer. So, what do you think everyone? Would you like a few more drinks before we end the night?"

Everyone cheered and roared as Ginny told Madame Rosmerta to deliver another set of butterbeer on our table. When I realized that this would continue for a while, I gave in and celebrated. Little did they know, my attention always fell on Hermione and how she tried to hide her blush, or how she began a conversation just to compose herself.

And finally, my intuition told me that this was clearly not the end of this game.

A/N: Were you all able to enjoy the chapter? Please hit the review button and tell me all about it. ;)