Enchanted ~ A Hermione x Draco fanfic

Truths and lies

The plan was set. Astoria would slip the tiny vial of the veritaserum into Draco's tea, and he would slip to the bathroom to take his antidote; before swiftly returning to consume the truth serum.

Pansy would be situated on the couch opposite him, and Astoria beside her. Pansy would hex the entrance to the common room so no-one could intrude, and it would be done so easily Pansy wouldn't suspect a thing.

But planning was quite different to performing. Even the best of planners suffer an unexpected and often unwelcome occurrence, and Astoria and Draco's plan seemed to be doomed from the second they arrived in the common room.

Pansy stayed behind the two to bewitch the entrance after slipping inside, and soon welcomed the tiny vial in her fingers as Draco silently skipped to the loo.

'Do it now!' Pansy hissed, spit flickering into the flame of the candle between them. Astoria's fingers shook anxiously, one slip and the plan was as good as dead- Pansy would only try again. And this time Snape would have to notice his missing supplies.

With little hesitation, Astoria fumbled with the cork until it escaped with a satisfactory pop. The liquid stank. Pansy could only hope Draco wouldn't notice his foul-smelling tea. It trickled into the drink with a slop.

Meanwhile, Draco's fingers acted simultaneously anxious, shaking with such ferocity he was afraid he'd drop the little bottle with a month's worth of antidote inside it. That's when the first mess-up happened. The bewitched entrance to the common room was gladly fixed by a passing professor Snape, who commented in his monotone voice, 'Fools.'

So Blaise Zabini gladly entered at his own free will. Astoria quickly, and quite messily pulled back her outstretched hand empty of veritaserum. In doing so, she poured out the remaining few drops into the tea, a remaining few drops too many.

Pansy acted quickly.

'Blaise, ugh! Can't you see we're getting dressed!' Pansy lied, throwing the couch cover over her and Pansy. 'Come back later!'

Blaise, who had never been so close to a naked pair of girls, stuttered sillily, and stumbled back out the room, slamming the huge oak door.

That was the second mess-up. Draco, who was in immense concentration, failed in popping the lid off the vial. It tottered in his fingers until 'pop'! It came loose, but at a cost. The bottle slipped from his trembling lips and spilled a large portion onto the cold stone floor. Draco cursed loudly.

Pansy frowned. 'What was that?!' She snapped, 'How long does it take to pee?'

'That is if he's peeing.' Astoria joked nervously.

Draco had fortunately swallowed a decent amount of the antidote, and felt somewhat pleased enough to go back to the two girls waiting scaredly for his return. For two very different reasons.

'There you are!' Pansy smirked. 'I thought you had been eaten by a mountain troll.'

'No,' Draco snapped back, and had to regain his composure, 'I'm safe and sound.'

Pansy seemed suspicious, but accepted this reply and encouraged him to take a drink of tea before they had their chat.

'I know how things have been with us, Draco,' Pansy trailed off as Draco took his first sip of tea. 'But this meeting just shows how ready we are to apologise and move on.'

His second sip. God, he thought, this tastes awful! Pansy watched apprehensively.
A third sip. No change in wanting to spill his secrets. But the fourth sip, no, that was about as much the antidote could prevent. The veritaserum sunk in slowly. At first there was no change, but seconds later Pansy prompted and it all fell apart.

'So, Draco, what colour underpants are you wearing?' She teased, testing the strength of the potion.

Draco held back momentarily. He urged himself, say nothing. Why would you answer? he thought. Why.. Why not? His thoughts took a mind of their own as he spoke truthfully.

'Black,' he whimpered.

Astoria sighed silently. She believed he was acting, just as they'd arranged it. Lie about the truth, that was it. She played along. 'Who was your first kiss?'

Pansy quickly added, 'describe it.'

Draco spoke truthfully once more. 'My first kiss was Pansy Parkinson when we were in our second year of Hogwarts.'

Pansy reddened. She knew he was telling the truth for certain now, and proceeded with her questions.

But Draco wasn't finished. 'I'd hurt myself playing quidditch, and Pansy came to the dressing rooms when everyone was gone, and-'

'Thats enough.' Pansy said firmly.

He continued, 'And she kissed me quickly, on the lips, and said-' 

'That's enough!' Pansy yelled, and Draco finally stopped. She cleared her throat and resumed her questions. 'Now,' Astoria suddenly felt less confident. Pansy grinned, 'who are you sneaking off with?'

Astoria stiffened. Draco could feel it was wrong, his mind screaming out-

'Astoria. I'm sneaking off with Astoria.' He answered.

There was deadly silence. Astoria stayed still, as if trying to hide from a sightless predator. Draco said nothing until spoken to.

'Are you... Together?' Pansy said in a mere whisper, then corrected herself, 'are you dating?'

Draco reluctantly writhed inside, but instead calmly confirmed Pansy with a single 'Yes.'

Astoria only then reacted, bumbling and blubbering out shapeless words, ignored by Pansy. Instead she continued her questions.

'How long have you been together?'

'I don't know. A couple of weeks, months, maybe?' Draco replied honestly. Astoria couldn't help but feel hurt. She knew exactly how many days it'd been, whereas he wasn't even aware.

Pansy continued as if nothing was wrong. 'W-what about me?'

'What about you?' Draco said. 'I don't love you! I tolerate you.'

Pansy felt a strong hatred, and snapped towards Astoria. 'And what about her?! How can you love her and not me?! She-I-'

Draco Malfoy dropped himself into his own coffin as he spoke, 'I don't. I don't love her either.'

That time Astoria spoke, offended and oblivious of Pansy's presence now. 'What do you mean?! We're going out, you kissed me-'

'I kissed you because I thought it would help.' He sniffed the air and continued in a tired voice, 'Help me get over Hermione. I felt bad at first, of course. I'm sorry, but I love Hermione.' Draco sighed, unbothered. 'You were just my rebound, my experiment. I know this is hurting you to hear, but I can't exactly lie.'

Astoria let out a muffled whimper.

'I am truly sorry I let it go on so long. But you don't deserve an idiot like me, I belong to someone else.' He sniffed.

Pansy looked sadly at her partner in crime. She was younger, more naive. Pity had never been one of Pansy's favourite emotions, but it made a sudden appearance when she looked at Astoria.

She held out a hand. An honest, sorry hand to Astoria. Astoria sniffled, looking at the gesture of peace, and took it, a little aprehensively, but friendly all the same.

Then they both took a turn to slap Draco with such force that by the time the veritaserum had worn off, his left cheek was red raw and slightly peeling.

*~*~*