Truths and Dares

Chapter I

Note: this story is also on archiveofourown.org and fanfiction.net

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Harry stared at the owl. "Isn't that one of the Malfoy's owls?" he asked himself aloud.

Suddenly Ron stirred in the bed beside him. "What? I'm still sleeping, though..."  Ron mumbled, and then went back to snoring.

Harry tore open the letter, but quietly, so as not to wake the others. He then went out of the dorm, and into the common room, where he found Hermione reading quietly in a chair.

     "Could you at least try to come down a bit quieter?" she scolded him, and then she glared at him. "I was studying for- Oh! What's that?" she inquired, noticing the letter in his hand.

     "I think it might be a letter from Draco..." Harry mumbled, embarrassed. He knew what Hermione would tell him, that Draco had been his enemy since their first year, that his parents were Death Eaters, that Draco was a Slytherin, for god's sake.

     "You should open it, Harry." was Hermione's response. What the-, Harry thought, and then said to her, "Wow. I was definitely expecting a different response. Where did that come from?"

     "If you haven't noticed, Harry, I haven't been the one saying that Draco's a no-good Voldemort-loving Death Eater. I respect his skill in our classes; he's actually a pretty good wizard. And did you notice that he hasn't been calling me Mudblood recently? Or that he sometimes even smiles at you as he walks past? He likes you, Harry. And that's the truth."

     Wow. Harry marveled at the thought that Draco, a Malfoy, could actually have a crush on him, a Potter, and the Boy who Lived, for that matter.

     "Well? Are you going to read the letter, or will I have to do that for you?" came Hermione's voice. He had been so lost in thought that he had forgotten that she was there.

     He quickly took out the letter and began to read aloud.

     "Dear Harry,

      I know that you don't like me. You never have. But I'm struggling, and you're the only one who can help me.

     You've always been a light in people's lives. I've only ever extinguished them. But now, I feel like, for the first time since we arrived in each other's lives, I want to help you keep that flame going. Because that's how I like you. Like a moth drawn to a flame; if the flame goes out, I won't have any reason to pursue you.

      I want to be close to you. I want to know you, to laugh with you every Christmas when we see what Fred and George got you for your present; to study with you in the library when we're too distracted by Ron and Hermione's bickering to learn anything; to be angry with you when Snape takes five points from your House because Neville was talking to Hermione.

     If you don't write back, I'll understand. We've been enemies from the start. Why should that change because of a one-sided relationship? But if you do decide to write back, then I'll need you to meet me in the library tomorrow after the last class of the day. Bring Ron, Ginny, Luna, and Hermione too; we're going to be playing a game of truth or dare. I'll bring some of my friends, too, so that they can get to know each other.

     From a dumb, gay, depressed Slytherin,

          Draco."

     Harry tried to sit down in the nearest chair. However, he was too distracted by the fact that Draco was actually being nice crushing on him to aim well, so he hit the floor instead.

     Hermione was the first to speak. "Damn. Draco Malfoy; gay, depressed, and crushing on Harry Potter, the Boy who Lived." She grinned, obviously remembering something, and said, "Hey, if you and Draco get together, I'll have one more person to get a screaming homework planner for. Also, we're finally going to have a chance to get Ginny and Luna together."

     Harry blinked, startled at that last statement. Ginny and Luna? He had never thought of that, but now that Hermione brought it up, it made sense.

     "I'm going. If Draco will admit it, I will too. It seems I can't figure out who the right type for me is on my own."

     Hermione handed him a quill, and he began to write back.

     "Dear Draco,

     I'm writing back. Of course I am. Even though you're Draco Malfoy, and I'm Harry freaking Potter, I'm still writing back.

     Confession time: I like you too. Also, if we can get Ginny and Luna together, I'm definitely coming to that truth-or-dare game, and if they don't want to come, I'm going to be dragging them along whether they like it or not.

     From a dumb, gay, headstrong Gryffindor,

          Harry."

     He reread this, and then hastily added a couple of postscripts at the bottom.

     "P.S.  I hear we're brewing Amortentia in Potions class tomorrow. Want to be partners?

     P.P.S. It seems I can't figure out the right type for myself."

     Before he could overthink his decision, he went up to his dorm, let Hedwig out of her cage, and gave her the letter. "Take this to Draco Malfoy," he whispered to her, and then he sent her on her way.

     As he got into bed, he began to think, What if tomorrow goes wrong? What will happen then? What will everyone else say? He shook off these thoughts and allowed himself only to think about Quidditch, a tactic that he found useful when getting to sleep.