Veritaserum || Drarry

one

After the Battle of Hogwarts, even with all of their losses, it felt like a large weight had been lifted from the shoulders of so many. When term started back again in the following September, nobody was quite right (especially the returning eighth-years), but if you looked closely enough, you were always likely to see a smile in the courtyard, or laughter echoing in the halls.

There was also an abundance of practical jokes being played, especially by the older years. They had been forced to mature so fast, yet now there was a chance to become children yet again.

It started off with Seamus Finnigan enchanting the tables in the Great Hall to float upside-down, a classic prank executed with a powerful bit of magic. It was quickly followed by many others, each more outrageous than the previous.

It wasn't until the beginning of December when some fifth-year Ravenclaws came up with the ingenious idea to spike the soup with Veritaserum. They thought it would be absolutely hilarious (and spoiler alert: it was.)

✵

It was lunchtime on a Thursday and due to the cold outside, the idea of a bowl of soup was more than appealing to the majority of the student population. As they had a free period beforehand, it was then that the Ravenclaws decided to strike.

They sneaked into the kitchen, and managed to distract the elves for long enough that one of them could pour an entire flask of Veritaserum (yes, an entire flask) into one (just one) of the large vats of soup getting ready to be served.

After thanking the elves, they hurried straight to the Hall as to not miss any of the fun. Lunch was just starting, and the hall was packed.

✵

Harry, Ron and Hermione came into the hall slightly late, covered in snow after walking from the Herbology greenhouses. They took their places, still faintly shivering.

"Oh my fucking god Seamus, I am extremely in love with you," blurted Dean Thomas from just down the table. Harry and Ron shared confused looks, whilst Hermione just rolled her eyes.

"That was a bit weird, don't you think? I mean, everyone already knew it apart from them, but, you know, uhh..." Ron glanced at the two and instantly regretted it, as they were passionately making out.

Several other people along the table were blurting out confessions of love or long-kept secrets, and it didn't take Hermione long to figure out what was happening.

"There's Veritaserum in the soup!" she exclaimed, with the air of someone yelling "Eureka!" You could hear so many spoons clattering down at that exact moment, it was almost comical.

Utter chaos erupted. Many people were talking loudly with a look of extreme fear in their eyes, such as Hannah Abbott, several were following Dean and Seamus' lead and kissing rather extravagantly (including one Luna Lovegood and Ginny Weasley), and several people had stormed out of the hall in anger, Justin Finch-Fletchley.

Most were just laughing, so hard that they were either rolling on the ground or spitting out their pumpkin juice.

There was a particular degree of hysterics coming from the Slytherin table, so naturally, many students were listening in.

"And his eyes, don't even get me started on his eyes, such an intense shade of green you feel as though you're about to fall in, and the way his hair is so messy but he pulls it off so effortlessly, and oh Merlin, have you seen him in his Quidditch robes?" gushed the once haughty and dignified Draco Malfoy.

Harry just sort of blinked. What the fuck? It was obviously about him. Several people were looking at him and giggling, and the more courageous of the few started making heart shapes with their fingers and directing them at him and Malfoy.

Draco couldn't believe it. What the hell was he saying? Why couldn't he stop? Potter was staring at him, unblinking.

Yep, he was going to die. Either he'd die from embarrassment or he'd get Pansy to kill him. She was just sitting there, laughing at him! He tried to tell her to stop, but there was just so much pent-up ranting about Potter, it just would not stop. He took another glance at Potter, still staring in disbelief, which only seemed to make it come out faster.

"Silence!" yelled Headmistress McGonagall, in a truly terrifying manner that shut everyone up out of pure fear. "If those affected could please stand up and make their way to the hospital wing that would be much appreciated."

Everything else passed in a blur. Before he knew it, Draco was in the hospital wing with Madam Pomfrey shoving some sickly-sweet liquid down his throat, which he supposed was the antidote. As soon as he swallowed it, everything went black.

✵

He could remember what had happened before he even opened his eyes. Fuck, he was so humiliated. He would be laughed at and disowned by all of his friends. Maybe not all, as Pansy had told him that she was a lesbian in their sixth year, but still. What would his mother say? And Potter would hate him even more now!

It was then that he noticed the warm hand holding his own. He opened his eyes slowly, to see none other than Harry James Potter sitting next to him, holding his hand, asleep no less.

Draco sat up quickly, swiping his hand away from Potter's. He woke up with a soft grunt, which Draco found adorable, goddammit.

"What are you doing here?" he asked immediately.

The truth was, Harry actually had no idea. He had rushed straight to the hospital wing as soon as classes had finished. He had then waited there for several hours (it was now past dinner) and had evidently fallen asleep. He could have used those hours to think up something to say when the sleeping beauty finally arose, but instead he was stuck spluttering here like an idiot. This was why he wasn't in Ravenclaw.

"I, uh, don't really know," was the best he could come up with.

"Why were you holding my hand?" This was starting to feel like an interrogation.

"Um, well, I kind of overheard what you were saying after the Veritaserum-"
"Of course you heard, everyone in the bloody school heard," Malfoy interrupted.

"Uh, yeah," Harry continued feebly. "And I guess that I... um, kind of feel the same way about you."

Malfoy had no snarky response to this. He just sort of stared at Harry for a bit, into those same eyes he was blabbering about earlier. And Harry started back, and then they were leaning in, and then they were kissing.

And it was truly the best thing either boy had either experienced. That was, until they were interrupted by a polite cough.

Madam Pomfrey was using the look usually only reserved for the worst of troublemakers, mixed with something that could almost be perceived as... pride?

"I see you're feeling better then, Mr Malfoy. I see no need for you to remain here any longer. Off you go, the both of you!"

And so they went.