Hermione could hardly believe she had allowed herself to fall into this trap. It was a terrible idea, one of those that could only end badly, and she knew it. The butterflies in her stomach grew colder with every passing second, and her hands were sweating, betraying the nervousness she tried to hide. Her heart, racing, beat in her chest as if it wanted to escape.
"Okay," Ginny said, placing her wand in the middle of the circle after muttering a spell. "Whoever the wand points to has to answer."
Hermione adjusted herself in a corner, trying to get more comfortable, but without success. She didn't want to participate in this, but it was too late to back out. She hated this stupid game and hated even more the fact that everyone was there. EVERYONE, including Draco Malfoy, Blaise Zabini, and Pansy Parkinson, Slytherin students who, until recently, were unacceptable in her social circle. Even after the war, even with the changes and the attempt to coexist, Hermione still felt uncomfortable around them. Some scars took a long time to heal.
The problem was that, after the war and returning to Hogwarts, Harry had taken pity on Malfoy, allowing him and his mother to escape judgment, although there was nothing they could do about his father. But Draco, despite all of Harry's efforts, still despised them.
They weren't together by choice, of course, but because, after a fight in the fourth-floor corridor between Ronald Weasley and Draco Malfoy, they had all been forced to serve detention together, cleaning the trophy room without magic at night. However, someone had broken the rules, and everything was clean in an instant. Hermione hoped McGonagall wouldn't find out about it. With the remaining time they had, since they couldn't leave until the time set by the headmistress, Ginny decided that everyone should play a ridiculous game they called "Truth or Dare."
Hermione refused at all costs, but eventually gave in to her friends' request, knowing it had been the biggest mistake of her life.
"What spell did you use?" Ron asked, raising an eyebrow with a slight touch of sarcasm in his voice.
"A spell I learned some time ago. It makes the wand glow red if someone lies," Ginny replied simply, shrugging.
Hermione's eyes widened. This was, without a doubt, the worst mistake she could have made.
"I don't want to play anymore," she said, already getting up.
Everyone stared at her. Ginny huffed, annoyed with her friend.
"I said that once you agreed, you couldn't back out, Hermione."
"Oh, I can leave whenever I want, when there's nothing to stop me. I have no reason to play something so..."
Out of the corner of her eye, Hermione saw Pansy Parkinson's figure smiling cynically at her. Her blood boiled, and a flash of anger crossed her mind.
"Afraid they'll find out something about you, Mudblood?"
Hermione turned slowly, every fiber of her being resisting the urge to cast a spell right there. She met Pansy's gaze, which bore that cynical smile, and for a moment her eyes locked with Draco Malfoy's. He kept an impassive expression, but there was something in his eyes that made her wonder what he was thinking and what he knew.
Despite the issue of blood purity and Muggle-borns starting to be discussed more vigorously after Voldemort's fall, the fight for eradication would still be long, considering that some wizards, like the Slytherins, maintained a segregationist view of them. However, Hermione had noticed that some students had stopped using the words around.
Ignoring Pansy's slur — something she was already used to — Hermione smiled and sat back down in the circle, just to prove she had nothing to hide. She wouldn't give Parkinson that satisfaction, but she knew it was a terrible idea. Terrible. Because, in reality, she had many things she preferred to keep to herself.
"All right then," Ginny said again, holding the wand with more theatrics this time, spinning it with a mischievous smile on her face.
As the wand spun, Hermione felt a new wave of nervousness. Harry leaned closer and whispered in her ear:
"I hate this game too."
She smiled at her friend, appreciating the attempt at comfort but knowing he only refrained from protesting because it was Ginny's idea. Contradicting his girlfriend was, without a doubt, worse than facing Voldemort himself.
Hermione followed the spin of the wand with her eyes, holding her breath, and let out a sigh when it stopped on Pansy Parkinson.
"Truth or dare?" Ginny asked, with a gleam in her eyes that revealed how much she was enjoying the situation.
"Truth," the Slytherin replied with a disdainful air, but there was a slight hesitation in her gaze.
"Why do you hate Hermione so much?" the redhead inquired, grinning, making everyone look at Parkinson, including Hermione herself, who was genuinely curious about the answer.
Pansy's expression hardened, casting a quick, frustrated glance at Ginny before answering:
"Because she's an insufferable Mudblood."
But her eyes widened when the wand lit up in a red hue.
"The truth, Parkinson," Ginny insisted, shaking her head as if disapproving of the other's gesture.
Pansy hesitated, clearly uncomfortable, and then huffed in annoyance.
"I am telling the truth," Pansy retorted, agitated.
"That's not what this says," Blaise Zabini interjected, laughing. He too was staring at his friend, looking curious.
Pansy finally relented, letting out a frustrated sigh.
"Because she's good at everything, and it's extremely irritating." And at that moment, the wand extinguished.
Hermione's mouth fell open for a moment, surprised by the answer, but she quickly closed it again. This was starting to get interesting. Ginny smiled, satisfied, and motioned for Parkinson to spin the wand.
"Didn't see that coming!" Ron spoke beside her, making Hermione laugh despite her discomfort.
Since the end of the war and after the kiss they shared, he and Hermione had been trying to maintain a serious relationship. However, there were still some obstacles ahead. In many things, the two did not agree with each other, which caused them to fight almost constantly. Nevertheless, Hermione, fearing for their future, made Ronald promise that if they ever didn't work out, everything would go back to the way it was, with no hard feelings or resentment on either side.
"Truth or dare?" Pansy asked, but Hermione realized too late that the question was directed at her.
Hermione's heart raced, and she felt her hands begin to sweat. Seeing the wand pointed in her direction, she knew she was completely doomed. A wave of panic started to form in her mind, but she knew she needed to keep her composure.
She took a deep breath and tried to quickly think of the best answer. She knew Pansy well enough to know that, regardless of the choice, the girl would find a way to humiliate her. The choice between "truth" and "dare" seemed like a game of chance where any outcome was dangerous.
"Truth." Her voice came out firmer than she expected, but the panic grew in her chest. Her eyes quickly met Draco's, who was sitting to Pansy's right. He hadn't said a word so far, and that only added to Hermione's discomfort.
"Who was the first boy you liked?"
Hermione felt Ron shift beside her, clearly confident she would say his name. Heat rose to her face, and she was transported back to her first year at Hogwarts. The memory that came to mind surprised her, and when the answer left her mouth, it was without hesitation, as firm as a rock.
"Malfoy, in the first year."
Hermione's face burned with embarrassment, but she refused to let the Slytherins' anger affect her. She knew the wand would reveal any lie, so the truth was her only option. She noticed Ginny and Harry looking at her, clearly shocked, and Ron staring at her with a look of disappointment that hit her like a punch.
"No way!" Zabini's voice rang out between laughs, increasing Hermione's discomfort. "Who would have guessed!"
Hermione rolled her eyes and looked at Draco again. He was laughing, but there was something in the way he was watching her that made her question what was really going on. Draco's laughter didn't seem to be out of surprise; it was as if he already knew what she was going to say.
"It was to be expected, no one can resist the Malfoy charm," Draco teased, eliciting more laughter from his housemates.
Ignoring the comments, Hermione spun the wand, which surprisingly stopped on Draco Malfoy. She smiled, a look full of challenge.
"Truth or dare?"
"Truth," he answered with that mischievous grin that never left his face.
"Who was the first girl you liked?"
Draco's smile faded, and he stared at her for a long moment. The silence that followed was heavy, and everyone in the room held their breath, watching the exchange of looks between them. Hermione felt a chill run down her spine, while her heart beat erratically. Draco was taking too long to answer, and that only increased the tension.
"Let's get on with it!" Blaise hurried them, breaking the silence.
Draco shot a disgusted look at Blaise before turning his attention back to Hermione.
"You."
His response was short and direct, but it carried a weight of meaning. Hermione felt her heart skip a beat, her eyes widening for a brief moment. Surprise overwhelmed her, but she didn't let it show. Instead, she offered a cynical smile, satisfied with the answer she had received.
The silence in the room was absolute. There were no laughs or stupid comments this time. Everyone exchanged glances, trying to understand what had just happened. Hermione felt a whirlwind of emotions, but there was no time to process them. She quickly averted her gaze from Draco, struggling to maintain her composure.
She cast a quick glance at Ron, who looked like he was about to explode with fury. Hermione sighed internally, already anticipating the long argument she would have with him after this infernal game. She knew that confrontation was inevitable.
Draco spun the wand, and it stopped on Ron, who was glaring at him with evident hatred. Draco didn't even need to ask before Ron responded, his voice filled with anger.
"Dare!"
All eyes turned to Draco and Ron, and the tension in the room increased. Hermione observed Ron's aggressive stance, finding it completely unnecessary. After all, it was just a game, nothing more... or perhaps there was more to it than she wanted to admit.
"I dare you to tell us who you were with in the broom closet on Monday," Draco demanded, his voice dripping with sarcasm, pulling Hermione back to reality.
The ensuing silence was devastating. Ron's ears turned red, and Hermione felt a chill in her stomach. Shock and anger began to rise within her as she waited for Ron's answer, which seemed to never come.
"Hermione..." He began, trying to explain, but Draco interrupted him.
"Wrong answer, Weasley. Tsk. Tsk."
Ron attempted to touch Hermione's arm, but she pushed him away brusquely, her anger growing with each passing second. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. She felt betrayed, and fury consumed every cell in her body.
"Spin that damn wand, Ronald."
Obediently, Ron spun the wand, his gaze flickering between the object and Hermione. When the wand stopped, it pointed at Hermione again. He looked at her, his voice low and full of regret.
"Truth or dare?"
"Truth," Hermione replied without hesitation.
"Who was the first boy you kissed?"
Hermione stared at him, exasperated and incredulous. She knew exactly what he was trying to do. Ron wanted some kind of revenge, something to alleviate the guilt he was feeling. But his question only added to her frustration.
"That's your question?" She raised her voice, the anger evident in every word. She knew he was trying to justify himself in some way, but it only made her angrier.
Ron turned even redder, embarrassed, but he nodded to confirm the question. Hermione turned her eyes to Draco, wishing he would disappear. It was somehow his fault. If he hadn't interfered, perhaps things would be fine. But, of course, he loved causing discord. Even so, hearing about Ron's infidelity from Draco's mouth made everything worse, as if he was deliberately trying to hurt her.
"It was Malfoy," Hermione answered, not caring about the reactions around her. Draco appeared surprised for a brief moment but quickly regained his usual posture.
The silence in the room grew even denser, everyone seemed to hold their breath as they watched the situation unfold. Ron let out a squeal of rage, his voice filled with disbelief.
"I can't believe it! With Malfoy, Hermione? Malfoy?"
She glared at him, irritated and exhausted.
"What? Wasn't that enough to make you feel better about what you did, Ronald?"
Ron's anger seemed to reach a new level, but he couldn't find the words to respond. He opened and closed his mouth several times, but no sound came out.
Hermione couldn't stand the suffocating atmosphere anymore. With her heart racing and her hands trembling, she abruptly stood up, leaving the room without looking back. She no longer cared if the time to leave had come or not. She just wanted to escape from that nightmare as quickly as possible.
