Author's Note: Hi people! Thanks for the response to the last chapter! Oh, and I am unbelievably sorry for the wait. Incredibly so. It's actually December 21st! God, I'm such a neglector! I am SERIOUSLY sorry!
I posted the first part of my three part story thing, so please read it even slash is not your thing. It wasn't my type of thing until I read a story by someone and now I'm hooked.
Oh, and I made a poll for this story, check it out!
Inner Self- I had some problems with the martial arts thing. Not the idea itself, but writing it. So I couldn't make it this chapter, because it was already super late. I'll see if I can get it in!
Disclaimer- I don't own it.
Hermione awoke at 11:00 the next morning. Draco had taken the wheel and he and Blaise were talking at the front. She kept her eyes shut, listening intently and trying not to fall in and back to sleep.
"No," Draco was saying firmly, "definitely not."
"Pansy?" Blaise asked, a touch of amusement in his voice.
"No." Draco said quickly, "no no no."
"Lavender Brown?"
Draco snorted, "what's ideal about her? She's stupid."
She felt indignant and that she ought to say something on Lavender's behalf, but Blaise's next words shut her up. "Granger?" It hadn't taken her more then a few seconds to realize what they were talking about, and suddenly she was much more interested then she'd been before.
"What do you think?" Draco said indifferently. She could imagine him rolling his eyes right about now.
"Then why did you lie about talking to her last night? Or this morning, I suppose." Blaise pressed, his tone was slightly challenging. She supposed this was because that was the only way to address Draco without him labeling you as unworthy of his time.
"Huh?" Draco asked dumbly.
"Why did you lie about talking to Granger in the morning?" He repeated, exaggerating the pronunciation of each word.
"I didn't lie. I didn't talk to her this morning." He said.
Blaise simply laughed. "After all the time we've spent together, I've figured out your moods and when you're lying, even if they're subtle changes. You're lying."
"I am not." Draco snapped. She was quite sure there was a scowl on his face.
"Mmmhmm." Blaise said skeptically. Draco let out a sigh and turned.
"Does it matter if I did?"
"It does if you make a big deal out of it, which you have." Blaise said, "what did you say?"
"Nothing." Draco said irritably. "Why do you care, anyway?"
"I care because you're trying to hide it."
"I'm not telling you because you want to know." Draco shot back. As Hermione cracked open an eye, she saw them exchange amused grins. "Fine."
"Fine." Blaise said, grinning. A bit unnerved about their very friendly banter, she shifted a bit and sighed in a breathy way, giving the distinct effect of having a good dream. She could hear their seats squeak a bit as they both turned back to look at her.
"I never thought she'd make that noise in my presence. Sounds too content." Draco muttered to Blaise and he laughed.
"Yeah, well what do you expect?"
"What?" Draco asked, obviously picking up the sardonic undertone in Blaise's voice.
"You treat her like shit, what do you expect?" Blaise elaborated.
"Why shouldn't I? She's the equivalent of." Draco snapped, his annoyed mood clearly visible.
Blaise made no response and Draco continued. "If you care to differ, why don't you go join her and that poor mudblood lover Weasel?"
As she sat up and shouted, "shut up," Blaise turned and punched Draco straight in the nose with a sickening crunch. Draco slammed down on the break and in one swift motion pulled the key from the ignition. There was a moment in which they all somehow managed to stare at each other at once.
"What the hell is your problem?" Draco snarled, holding his bloody nose. Blaise glared at him and Hermione closed her mouth, wondering if she should lie back down and pretend to have been asleep. If they asked her later she could pretend she was having a very vivid dream. Then he looked at her and spat, "were you listening to us?"
"No," she scoffed and he raised an angry eyebrow. Not that his eyebrow was angry. It was in an angry fashion. "Yes, I was. So what?"
"If I wasn't driving…" He said, leaving the threat hanging.
"Then what?" She asked, glaring at him.
"Then I would-" He was silence as all three of their cell phones rang at once. Confused, Hermione dug hers out from her bag and flipped it open. "Hello?"
"Hermione, love how are you doing?" Sheila's voice floated through the speaker. "I'm just calling to let you know that we've added a bit of an, should we say extra activity to the trip."
"What?" She asked, confused. But the voice just kept going and assumed it must be a recording, since they all seemed to have the same call.
"The co-ordinates on your GPS have been redone, so unless you do what it says and go to your new location, you're stuck without any idea where you are and how to get to the end of this event. In other words, you'll lose." The Sheila recording laughed haughtily, "so if I were you, I would definitely hurry up. Oh, and pick a team name please."
"Damn," Draco swore and fought with his cell phone until it turned off. "I can't believe we have to do a stupid challenge in a challenge already and be expected to win both!"
He turned to the GPS, watching as before his eyes the blue line marking their route changed. "Turn left at the next concession…"
-
-
"Are we there yet?" Hermione sighed, glancing at her watch. It had been forty five minutes since they'd been driving and she was getting slightly anxious. The desire to win this had become increasingly strong until she'd actually started ranting about how she needed to win it in the confession (or honesty or truth, she didn't give a damn what its name was) box.
Then they'd tried to come up with a team name, with several suggestions of prejudiced names from Draco. Finally he just spat out, "why don't we call ourselves the bloody fuckers?"
Hermione had snorted. "I don't think so."
"You have arrived." The mechanical voice from their GPS said. Draco pulled into the parking lot and beside a car identical to theirs. So the other group was already there. She felt a sinking sensation in her stomach. Were they behind them?
They clambered out of the car, locked the doors and walked cautiously to the nearest door. The building in front of them was medium size, made of red bricks and one story. There were two windows in the front and a white door.
"Granger, go knock. If you die, it won't be any big loss." Draco said as they stood in front of the door.
"No," she said, "you're the biggest prat alive, if you died people would celebrate."
"I," Draco sniffed, "am heir to one of the biggest wizarding fortunes in the world. My parents would-"
"I don't care," Hermione snapped, "money doesn't mean anything when you're out there blasting people apart."
"Actually, Granger, it means a lot. And when did I say I was going to blast people apart?" He asked smoothly, as Blaise rolled his eyes and moved forward.
"Well you're father-"
"Granger tell me," Draco snapped, "are you like your parents? Are you going to be whatever they do in the stupid muggle world?"
"A dentist?" She asked, "no. I want to be…oh." She realized what he was getting at. "Why are you-"
"Must you argue about everything?" Blaise snapped, opening the door and raising an eyebrow when nothing happened. "Now hurry up. We're probably late."
Feeling quite dumb Hermione cut in front of Draco and followed Blaise down a brightly lit hallway and through the archway at the end. They turned in simultaneously. The archway was wide enough for them and some to fit.
As soon as they were through, James and Sheila pounced. "Welcome!" Harry, Ron and Pansy were all sitting around a circular table in the right corner, chatting amiably. As soon as they caught sight of her, all three perked up. "Hermione!"
"Hi," she said cheerfully. She'd forgotten how comforting the very presence of her two best friends was.
"Well, now you're here-" James began and Draco interrupted him.
"How late were we?"
Sheila smiled coyly, "about half an hour."
Draco frowned, "Granger this is all your fault."
"My fault?" She snapped, her anger and frustration with him exploding. "How is this my fault?"
"You turned the music so bloody loud none of us could actually drive properly." He said. Blaise was rolling his eyes and moving over beside Pansy.
"You just need to accept the fact that you can't drive properly even with loud music," she shot back, "stop making excuses."
"I can drive fine! You drive like a mad lunatic? Gotten into any car chases with please-men lately? Oh right, I forgot. That was two days ago, wasn't it?"
She blushed, "I was in an emotional state."
"You got in a car chase?" Harry gaped at her, intensifying her blush.
"Yeah well Malfoy pretended to be my boyfriend! He put his arm on my waist! Intimately! For all you know I'll never be able to touch another member of the opposite sex without being reminded of that little ferret!" She said, glaring at him.
"Its good to know I have that kind of effect on you." He said sardonically, "you remember our encounter so vividly. Oh, and weren't you the one who convinced those people at the motel we were a sex-crazed trio? What was it you said? Oh yeah, 'we've been going at it a day' and you 'felt dirty from the car'?"
Harry, Ron and Pansy were watching their exchange with confused, and slightly shocked (with the exception of Ron, who was rather red in the face) expressions while Blaise sighed and sat back to watch. Sheila and James were both beaming, obviously hoping this would escalate and gain publicity for the show.
"That was an accident! I didn't know she was that perverted. Honestly." She said, rolling her eyes. "Oh, and wasn't it you that had the longest shower of the three of us?"
"I am hygienic, unlike some people." He snapped, " and you hit me on the head with a book!"
"You insulted Jasper! I had a right, and plus you were being a prick." She started slightly when she heard Harry snicker, "you let her hit you on the head with a book?"
"He insulted Jasper!" She exclaimed when Draco said, "she's an abusive bitch!"
"Oh shut up, Malfoy," she snapped as he said, "piss of, Granger."
"Blaise always stopped to take pictures!" They both cried in unison. "It's your fault."
Blaise looked unfazed. "Are you done?"
Hermione loosened her tense muscles and rolled her shoulders, stepping back from Draco. "Prat."
"Bitch."
"Annoying ferret."
"Ugly beaver."
"Prejudiced prick."
"Wanker."
"Ouch, that one hurt." She said sarcastically. "You're so immature." On that note she stepped over to the table and sat down beside Ron.
"Actually, Bloody Fuckers you have your own table." James said, his lips twitching. All three teens turned to look at him, frowning.
"What?"
"I said," James repeated, "that the Bloody Fuckers have their own table."
Harry caught on first and starting roaring with laughter, followed by Ron and then Pansy. "Your name is the Bloody Fuckers?"
"No! That's not the name we want!" Hermione protested. "Malfoy you idiot!"
Draco was scowling. "This isn't funny."
"Yes it is." Pansy laughed, caught sight of his face and tried stifling her laughter.
"What's your name?" Blaise asked Ron.
"It's Ron, dumbass." He said, chuckling. Blaise smiled slightly and he went on. "We are the," he wrinkled his nose, "the-"
"The Pansy Pickers." James said, grinning.
"What? No, we specifically said we weren't using that name," Harry protested as Blaise burst into a silent fit of laughter.
Sheila shrugged, "too late now." She held up two wooden rectangles, each light in color and completely blank. "You're going to paint these with the paint that is," she flicked her wand, "on your tables and you must include your team name. If you don't use the one we decided on for you, from your suggestions of course, you won't win the advantage for the next activity we're doing today. For the Bloody Fuckers, Blaise must have one hand on Hermione's and Draco the same with her other hand. You can't use paintbrushes, and must contribute to win. Only Hermione can actually paint it. Oh, and the best group will have decorated their background. You have two minutes. Have fun."
James set the two rectangles on the table and their group, now named the Bloody Fuckers, crowded around their table. "You may begin."
"Put your hand on mine," Hermione said quickly, holding out her two hands.
"No," Draco said stubbornly while Blaise complied.
"Malfoy-"
"We need the advantage, Draco." Blaise drawled, "so grow up, please."
Hermione practically glowed. Draco grudgingly placed his hand overtop of hers and she immediately went into work mode. "What color for the background? Red? Yellow? Blue? Green?"
"Green." Draco said.
"How about black, it's neutral." Hermione said, dipping her fingers into the black paint and smearing it over the smooth wood. She had half of it coated and then used her other hand in the white and smeared that over it. "It won't dry fast enough."
"The paint is quick-drying." James said in a sing song voice as he floated by. "No need to worry Ms. Granger."
"Know-it-all," Draco muttered under his breath.
"Okay, so what color for our name?" She looked at the two of them, swiveling her head between them.
"Red." Blaise finally suggested and she plunged the hand with the white paint into red bucket. She, with much disdain, wrote 'Bloody Fuckers' across the wood as best she could with her finger.
"Decorations?"
"How about a skull?" Draco said sourly. "To represent what our state will be in by the end of this."
"Honestly," she said, rolling her eyes. Using her own initiative, she put a loopy 'H', 'D', and 'B' below this writing. Then she joined them together so they were hooked around each other. Her name was in green, Draco's was in black and Blaise was in silver. She'd chosen these specifically because they were the colors they'd been given when they arr-wait a second. Draco was black. Black was a neutral color if you left out the good vs. evil thing, which wasn't actually as accurate as most people seemed to think. They all had their colors for a reason. Was Draco neutral? In the whole Voldemort thing? Something else?
She glanced at him as he stared down at their wood, more specifically at the attached letters from each of their first names. With a sigh she ignored what he was obviously thinking. "What else?"
"How about a picture of a house in flames with lightning hitting it." Blaise said boredly.
"Sure," she seized the idea and did her best at drawing something to this effect.
"Stop." Sheila said. "you can release your hands now," they did, "and wash your hands in the sink over here."
They filed over to the sink and removed the paint covering them.
"Girls, please bring your groups sign to the front." Sign? For what?
Hermione brought it up and handed it to Sheila, who nodded. Pansy handed hers over and James beamed. "I think the clear winners are the Pansy Pickers!"
He showed them all the rectangle. It was an array of colors, like they picked up a handful of paint and dropped it on, creating the effect of swirls where it mixed before the paint could dry immediately. 'Pansy Pickers' was written in fancy handwriting across it. There were small blobs of peach color, which Hermione realized were faces.
The first one had a mop of black paint on it, spiking upward. There were two emerald green dots in the middle. It was mini Harry. The second one had long blonde hair and two splotches of a mixture of blue and grey. The third had a red splash of paint and two light blue eyes.
On top of that, there was a realistic picture of a Pansy on each corner.
"Wow," she said lamely, looking back at theirs.
Sheila nodded. "Yes, the Pansy Pickers win. Here," she thrust both paintings back at the girls. "These are to go behind the chair in your honesty boxes."
"Wonderful," Hermione said dryly. Now the whole world could call her a Bloody Fucker and not be lying. She sat down back at their table, looking displeased. "You do this on purpose."
"We do." James said, his smiled firmly in place. "Now, our next little challenge is a muggle originating game. Truth or Dare."
Hermione groaned out loud and dropped her head to her hands. How many times this summer was she going to have to play this stupid game?
"The Pansy Pickers have three passes without losing, while the Bloody Fuckers must either answer, do the dare or the person who was asked is out. For each dare or truth you don't follow through, the other team gets a one minute head start. There's a lie detector spell up, so if you lie you're also out. Got it?"
"Yes." Blaise said, frowning.
"Good. Pansy Pickers, it's your turn first."
"Okay," Pansy said brightly, her eyes sweeping the group. "Draco, truth or dare?"
"Dare." He said, meeting her eyes.
"Kiss Weasley."
"What?" Both males turned to stare at her, eyes wide.
"Malfoy we need to win! Just do it!" Hermione said loudly, to be heard over his protesting. "Do you want to lose?"
"No." He sat there, staring at Ron, an incredulous look on his face.
"Draco," Blaise said slowly, "just do it really quick. It will be over before you know it."
There was a tense pause and then he stood, slowly walking over to Ron. The red-head's mouth opened as his chair was turned around to face Draco. "Just what do you think you're doi-" Draco's lips crushed his and then, as quickly as they had touched he pulled back, wiping his mouth roughly on his sleeve.
"Wha?" Ron was gaping at him, obviously not believing what had just happened.
"Savor it Weasley, those are the purest lips that will ever touch you." He said stiffly, walking slowly back to his table.
"Harry," Hermione said as Sheila nodded at their table. "Are you attracted to Ginny Weasley?"
He scowled. He knew that she knew he would never admit the answer was yes, but if he lied then he would lose for their team. He could back out, but their team would still lose a point. If he said yes…well he had a lot of time with Ron in the car. And then he smirked. "Pass."
Hermione looked unfazed, good. "You two." She leaned into the center of the table. "Ask them questions you know they won't answer or do really outrageous dares so they lose all their chances to pass." The other two smirked.
"Hermione," Ron said, "truth or dare?"
She didn't hesitate, "dare."
"Sit on Malfoy's lap for the whole game." He smiled at her, under the impression she wouldn't do it.
"Fine." She stood up and moved over to Draco, daring him to protest. He glared back but said nothing. With a reluctant sigh she sat down on his lap, positioning herself so one of her arms was around his neck and she wasn't likely to fall off. He instinctively moved an arm to her waist and held her gingerly, very uncomfortable with their position.
"Potter," Blaise said, "truth or dare?"
"Truth." Harry said, raising an eyebrow in challenge.
"What is the deal with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?"
Harry tensed, "pass."
Blaise smirked as Ron turned to him, "truth or dare?"
"Truth." He answered.
"Do you fancy someone in this room?"
"No." He answered, shooting back the same question. "Do you fancy someone in this room?"
"Pass," Ron shot back, nudging Harry.
"Malfoy, truth or dare?" The raven haired boy asked.
"Dare."
"Kiss Hermione." Harry said, smirking, "for eleven seconds."
"What is with your group and me kissing people?" Draco snarled, "are you too stupid to think up anything else?"
"Are you going to do it?" Ron asked, looking torn between being smug and horrified.
Draco growled and turned to Hermione, leaning forward. With yet another resigned sigh she set about kissing Draco Malfoy for eleven seconds.
-
-
"Truth or dare?" Hermione asked Harry.
"Truth." He said, glancing over at his two teammates. They nodded encouragement, Ron with his thumbs up. Hermione and Harry were the only ones left in the game, but Hermione was still sitting on Draco because the game wasn't over yet.
"Have you ever questioned your sexuality?" She smiled at him innocently.
"Yes, but everyone has wondered if there's a chance they might be gay." He said, justifying this. God knew the world didn't need another thing to gossip with about him. "It doesn't mean you are. I can honestly say, I am every bit heterosexual. Truth or dare?"
"Truth," she said as he felt Draco shift beneath her.
"Who is the most embarrassing person you've ever fancied?"
She frowned, she'd told him that in confidence! "Malfoy, but it was in our third year anyway. Every female student alive in Hogwarts has liked him," she directed her next comment to him, "and mention this again and you'll be in serious pain. Now truth or dare?"
"Truth." Harry said, the gleam in her eye stated that whichever he chose he was pretty much doomed.
"Hmm." Deciding she wanted to end this quick, she blurted out a question she knew he would never answer. "What happened between you and Voldemort last year?"
She instantly regretted this as he stiffened and every line in his face went hard. His eyes showed the betrayal he felt as he stared at her. "Are you serious?"
"I-erm…No…Yes?" She said, feeling guilt swell inside her. It wasn't fair at all to take advantage of him like that.
"Then I forfeit." He said frostily, "congratulations."
"Harry, I'm sorry," she slid off Draco, feeling strange after having been in contact with him for about an hour. "I didn't mean to ask you that."
He looked at her coldly, very offended, and didn't say anything.
"Well then, that was an enrapturing game." Sheila said, a smile on her face again. "Bloody Fuckers, you win so you get a ten minute head start. We ordered in dinner for you and it should arrive soon. Once you've got it, Bloody Fuckers you can leave. Eat in the car. Pansy Pickers please stay behind so we can talk to your group quickly."
"Okay," she said softly, and they strode to the front door. Before she left the Pansy Pickers she turned around to say goodbye, only to find all three turned away from the door.
-
-
They waited outside until a truck pulled into the parking lot and a man jumped out. He carried over a white bag, which she noted both males looked at warily, and stopped when he saw her.
"This for you?"
"Yeah." She said, accepting the offering and handing over money Sheila had given her.
"Hey, you're fine, bitch." The man said, looking her up and down.
"Excuse me?"
"How much does a Polar Bear weigh?" He tried something else, since his first 'compliment' didn't do much.
"Oh please," she said, waving him off.
"Wait!" He called after her as they walked towards the car. "You know, beautiful, that shirt is very becoming on you. Of course, if I was on you I'm sure I'd be cumming too."
She thrust the bag at Blaise and turned around. "If you ever speak to me again in that way, I will-"
He began talking again, "maybe we should go back to my place."
"She said get lost," Draco had turned around and sent a chilling glare at the man. "If you don't, we might have to do something about it."
He stopped in his tracks, "right. Sorry I didn't mean no harm."
"I will if you don't back off." Draco threatened, looking him up and down and gave the impression he was sizing him up. Within the minute the man was gone and driving away.
"Thanks." She said, trying to stop shaking.
"Mhmm." Draco opened the door and she climbed into the front, glad to find she had some support to keep from falling down. Blaise got in the back and Draco took the wheel. "That was a pretty Slytherin thing you did to Potter."
"I really didn't mean to." She said, "it sort of slipped out."
Blaise shrugged, "I'm not complaining. What did they order?"
Her guilt over Harry slipped from her mind as they drove away, talking amiably (yet in a cautious and not very familiar way, over neutral things) and eating Chinese food.
She laughed as Blaise mentioned the look on Ron's face when Draco had kissed him. She caught Draco looking at her as she swiveled to the front and flushed, looking out the window. "Thanks again. For back there."
"Your welcome." He replied, accepting a drink from Blaise. "Oh, and I really do like Doritos. I ate them all."
She laughed.
Author's Note: Let's make this quick, I've got to get ready for a family thing. There are three things I would be forever grateful if you did.
Firstly, if you reviewed.
Secondly, you go to my profile and vote in the poll at the top.
Thirdly, you scroll down to my listed stories, click on The Three Stages of Love and read the first part. Then review, which kind of makes four.
So review review review!