Veritaserum or Dare

Noel Dube (Kato Everdeen)

The year was drawing to an end for the senior year at Hogwarts. Despite the fact that everyone had already lived through the horrors of the war, it felt so far gone in the past that it was almost dream like. The school was reopened after a summer of renovations to compromise the damages and losses from the death-eater fiasco, and school continued as usual, only with twice the usual number of first years, as everyone who returned was redoing their year.

To no one's surprise, not very many Slytherin's returned to continue their education at Hogwarts, opting to either immediately pursue occupations, or to transfer to other schools, earning Drumstang a relatively larger student body then they were used to. Of those who stayed was Astoria, Zambini, Malfoy, Nott, and a few various others that together formed a 'pitifully small handful of slithering gits' as Ron so eloquently put as he, Harry, Ginny and Hermione lounged around the Griffindore common room, pleasantly ignoring the low hum of the conversations swirling around them.

Ginny was sitting cross legged with her back propped against the backrest of a large maroon colored sofa, playing gently with Harry's hair as his head lay comfortably in her lap, the rest of him stretched out taking up the rest of the couch. Hermione had settled to the floor, harboring many rich red pillows as she poured over her latest and 'completely updated' copy of Hogwarts a History, tuning in and out of the group's conversation now and then.

"I'm surprised so many of them came back in the first place." said Ron in a disgruntled voice, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow from his position in an armchair across from Harry and Ginny's sofa.

"Get over it Ron," said Hermione from the floor, without so much as even looking up. "It's been a year, we're leaving next week, and you still haven't gotten over our childhood angsts? For Merlin's sake, you're an adult now."

A sigh of exasperation came from Harry's direction. "Despite everything, wouldn't it just be easier for everyone if we just forgot them? They haven't done anything all year."

"You can't bloody trust Slytherins, I mean, look what they did to use last year. Hell, we could have died many times thanks to Malfoy, and I don't seem to recall Zambini or Nott running to our rescue."

"Ron!" Hermione exclaimed, shutting her book forcefully, ignoring Ginny's snigger, and proceeded to send a glare in his direction.

"I'm just saying Mione." Ron said Sheepishly. "Since when did you love the Slytherins so much?"

"Since never, I just don't see why we can't treat them like the human beings that they are instead of like old gum you find on the soles of your shoes."

"They never had a problem treating us that way...I don't see why we can't return the favor."

Ginny's sniggers suddenly vanished and was replaced with a gentle throat clearing. "Did you learn nothing from the war, Ron? Really? You'd have thought that following Harry and Hermione around all year would have taught you how that kind of thinking started the war in the first place. Don't be thick!" she said neutrally, stopping the game she had made out of caressing Harry's locks briefly while she spoke.

Cringing under Ginny's input, Ron surprisingly remained silent, while Hermione returned to her book, and Harry began tracing patterns in Ginny's cheek with his fingertips, earning him a glowing smile and a chaste kiss on the lips from her.

Despite everyone's beliefs, Ron and Hermione went through an awkward spell where they contemplated dating, but found that it was a major risk as they fought over everything. Deciding finally that it was for the better nature of each other, they would preserve their friendships and stay away from each other romantically. Ron directed his attention back to Lavender Brown, while Hermione rediscovered her love for books, which didn't take much effort.

Nearing the end of the hour, which was now ten, Lavender and a very giggly Padma Patil made their ways through the common room portal, disturbing the silence, nix a few whispered conversation, then paused dramatically, before Lavender whispered something heatedly into Padma's ear and giggled as she watched the Patil twin squealed and toppled back out of the common room door.
"Won Won, have you been here all this time? There are more fun things to do at this time than sitting around and looking bored." Lavender cooed as she made her way over to Ron's armchair, and landed a dainty kiss on his cheek. While the annoying nicknames still remained, Lavender had done some growing up, and wasn't 'half bad' as Hermione had said at one point during the year.

"You knew I would be here, I told you at dinner." Ron said tiredly.
"Well, I hope you're done being bored, because Padma and I just thought up something fun to do. In fact a few other people are in on it too." Lavender said, raising her voice so Hermione, Harry and Ginny could hear as well.

"Not that again, Lav... I don't think I could deal with another erm... never mind." Ron said sheepishly, eyeing his friends uncomfortably, earning a snort of disgust from Hermione and an apreciative chuckle from Harry.

"Not that silly. Wizards truth or dare in the Room of Requirement. Please, Won Won, it'll be fun, but only if you're there." She said with a pout, and a sly wink in Ginny's direction, which made her shift uncomfortably as she tried to contain a giggle.

"I don't think so." Ron said, hesitantly.

"I do. It'll be good for you, Ron. Encourage some inter-house unity. It might do a world of change in your mindset." Hermione said, slowly putting her book back down.

"What are you suggesting exactly?" Ron said, a glint of fear played in his eyes.

"I'm suggesting we all go and play. If there are students from other houses, you might get a chance to see that even if you don't like them, they're still good people."

Ron snorted. "I don't have a problem with the other students, just Slytherins, and its not like they'd be caught dead playing truth or dare with people below them. They probably think it will degrade their positions as superior pure bloods. You never know, Hermione. Even if you forgot what they did during the war, I haven't."

"You're just being stu-"

"They tried to sell Harry out to Voldemort, Hermione! How can you forgive that?" Ron said, cutting her off, going red in the face with the effort he was putting into not raising his voice.

"Ron," this time Harry spoke up, "we don't even know if any Slytherins will be there in the first place, and if I can move on from the war, then you should be able to as well. Forgiving is important."

"I hope its not bad that I invited Astoria to come, shes so friendly and has the most amazing fingers when it comes to styling hair."
Ron's jaw dropped open. "Close your mouth, Ron, before you swallow a fly." Ginny said stoutly, ignoring the scowl he sent in retaliation.

"While I'd rather be reading, I think this is a good opportunity for Ron to open up his narrow minded head a little more." Hermione said, getting up and smoothing the wrinkles out of her tank top, and retying the drawstrings to her sweatpants.

Lavender beamed at Hermione, which Hermione returned with a meek smile and a almost unnoticeable wink as she straightened out and stretched.

"Is it going on now? I need to put my book away and make myself presentable." Hermione said quietly, blushing slightly when she said 'presentable'.

"Don't worry, it doesn't start until eleven. And before you say anything about being out after hours, its only just this once, so don't worry! Besides, I think McGronagall wants us to spend more time together as a grade, so she probably won't care too much. Watch out for Filtch though." Lavender said hurriedly. "Anyways, I really need to get going, Pavarti and Padma need some help getting something." and without even waiting for a response, she hobbled out of the common room in a hurry, blowing a kiss to Ron on her way out.

"What just happened?" Ron said slowly, his hands raising to his head while Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Honestly, Ron, do you listen to anything your girlfriend says ever? We just got invited to a party of sorts." Ginny snorted from her spot on the couch. Harry pulled himself into sitting position, and groggily whipped his eyes under his glasses.

"So we have to be there at eleven? Can I call in tired?" Harry said quietly, shooting Ginny a sideways look.

"No silly, I want to go, and I want you to be with me. It'll be fun, I promise." Ginny said, coddling Harry, making Ron snort. "Whats your problem, Ron, seriously. Are you really against fun that bad?"

"I just don't think this is a good idea, thats all. I mean, we could get caught for one thing." Said Ron weekly.

It was Hermione's turn to snort. "You have got to be kidding. You've been sneaking out with Lavender all year long after hours and suddenly rule abiding is a big deal? Who are you and what have you done with him?" Hermione exclaimed with a laugh.

Ron's mouth hung open and he seemed to struggle formulating a retort, causing his mouth to open nad close several times making him look somewhat like a fish.

"Come on, mate, grow a pair, and let go." Harry finished.

"Whatever. Are we going or not." Said Ron, standing up and making his way for the common room door just had Lavender had only moments before.

"Wait, I have to put my book away, I'll be right back." Hermione finished, timidly, then scampered off to put her book away as quick as possible, and then came back with her arms in the air as she rapidly tried to tie a high ponytail, shooing Harry and Ginny out the common room portal in the process.

Moving silently but without the aid of the invisibility cloak or marauders map, the four made their way to the seventh floor and allowed Ron to grudgingly walk back and forth muttering "I need to be in the place where truth or dare is being place" three times until a silver round door appeared in the brick wall with a single brass doorknob placed in the middle. Opening it slowly, turning back to raise his eyebrow in the general direction of the others, and then stepped through the door, with the others following him.

"Won Won!" Called a voice from inside the room, and a force pummeled into Ron, sending him toppling into a bean-bag chair that broke his fall as an over enthusiastic Lavender nuzzled her face into his neck.

"I can only assume this is the right place." Harry muttered, glancing around the room giving it a one over.

"Don't be sarcastic, Harry." Hushed Ginny, as she took him by the hand and led him to a space on the floor where other students hadn't yet filled in, making what seemed to be a triangle.

Not wanting to be without a spot and having the face the awkwardness of asking someone to move over a little and make space for her, Hermione tiptoed through the masses of students and found herself a place next to a dozy looking Luna, who other than smiling, barely noted Hermione's presence.

"What a turn out." Hermione said to Luna under her breath.

"Oh yes, well, I guess since we're all leaving soon, its the last chance to really be together without the excuse of classes." Luna said without blinking or moving at all for that matter.

"I think its starting." Hermione whispered, dully noting that she had stated the obvious, before adverting her eyes to Padma who had placed her wand in the middle of the triangle and watched it spin, similar to the 'point me' spell, sparking curiosity within the depths of Hermione's churning brain.

The wand kept spinning and landed on...