Veritaserum in the pumpkin juice

Chapter 12

It was finally lunchtime and Ron was one of the first in the Great Hall. He saw Hermione and Draco enter while laughing together. It was obvious that they were very happy together, something that made Ron's blood boil like a cauldron on the fire. Hermione sat next to Draco at the Slytherin table and a few minutes later Blaise Zabini entered who looked at Draco with a somewhat mocking smile. He sat in front of them both.

"Hey Draco! What are you doing?" Blaise turned to look at Hermione- "Good afternoon Granger."
"Hey Zabini, nothing just talking to Mione" Zabini started looking at Malfoy and gave him a little but noticiable smirk.

"Good afternoon Zabini. Sorry if I'm nosy but I thought you two weren't friends anymore." Hermione suddenly became interested in Draco's friendships.
"What? I would not say that. We weren't sure if it was a good idea for us to keep hanging out after... you know." Zabini's voice faded a bit at the end of the sentence and so did his face.

"Well I'm glad Drake has more friends." Hermione said with a smile directed at Blaise. He smiled shyly back.

Hermione finally noticed Ron standing in front of her at the Griffindor table and greeted him. She had gotten very upset with him over the past few months and didn't like fighting with her friends. Hermione really wanted their friendship to work and for the relationship they once had to not affect them. She had faith that Ron would change and that their friendship would be stronger than ever.

"Hey guys, I have to go now. See you later?" she asked as she stood up from the table-"By the way, Zabini, can I call you Blaise?"

"Sure, I don't see why not. Then I can call you Hermione, right?"

 He said eagerly at finally turning over a new leaf with her.

"Of course you can."

She smiled at them both and headed over to her friend Ron not knowing what was in store for her. She really did have hope that she and Ron could go back to being the close friends they once were.

"Hey Ron. How did Transfiguration go?" Hermione sat down next to him.

"Transfi...? Oh, yeah I did really... well. Nothing to worry about."

"And how do you think you did on the pop quiz? If you don't pass it you'll have to get the best grades in your class to finish the year." 

Ron's eyes widened and his voice didn't want to come out. Pop quiz? He wasn't going to pass the year? Well, he better stick to the plan and then study as hard as he could.

"Hey by the way, I brought you some pumpkin juice. Drink it like... now maybe?" He had put about three drops of Veritaserum in the juice and was ready to proceed with his plan.

Hermione thought it was strange that Ron wanted her to drink the juice right then and there but she wanted things to work out between them so with a strangeness but a smile on her face she took the glass of pumpkin juice and before drinking it she said happily,

"I'm glad we're better now. I don't like fighting with you and I'm glad you're taking our breakup better now." She drank the juice and immediately the drops of the truth potion spread throughout her body. There was no turning back and Ron didn't feel a shred of guilt.

Hermione after drinking the juice with Veritaserum looked towards the Slytherin table and saw Draco staring at her. When he saw her turn in his direction he suddenly lowered his head.

Draco's P.O.V.:

Once Hermione left, he stayed talking to Blaise while the rest of the school (also Dumstrang and Beauxbatons) went in for lunch.

"I think I'll pass with an excellent grade in Transfiguration. Where were you, Malfoy? You never came to class."

As Blaise spoke to Draco he was only focused on something, or should I say someone? Hermione Granger, that was what he was so focused on. He watched her as she talked to Weasley and then drank a glass of something that looked like pumpkin juice. He had a strange feeling that told him that maybe he should have entered Griffindor. When Draco realized that Hermione was watching him, he lowered his head to avoid anyone seeing that he was turning a shade of crimson. Of course Blaise noticed it instantly and wasn't going to leave it like that.

"You didn't hear a thing of what I said, but you're staring at Gran... Hermione. What's happening to you? It's like..." - he looked at Draco with a mixture of surprise and mockery as his smile grew more and more - "wait a minute. In the name of Salazar! You like her!" Draco blushed even more upon hearing such words.

"Shhh! Would you like to shut up Zabini?" Malfoy's face was buried in his arms.

"And tell me, are you going to ask her out or are you going to wait for her to figure it out on her own? Because you know very well that she's too clever to ever find out."

"No, of course I won't..." At that moment a scream was heard and three seconds later Ron Weasley, yes Ron himself, flew over the place like a bird. Hermione was covered in tears and screaming things that no one understood as she grabbed her things and then ran out while telling Ronald,

"I thought you would change and support me!" and then nothing else. Granger left and no one followed her. Only Malfoy got up and ran after her.

As he stood up Zabini didn't understand what he was going to do. If we're being honest, not even Draco knew what he would do once he was with Hermione, but he wanted to be there for her at any moment.

Hermione's P.O.V.:

After drinking the juice, Ron seemed to be very interested in her life. He started asking her everything, without pausing at all, and for some strange reason she felt she had to answer each question honestly,

"Tell me Mione, what's your favorite color? Do you feel comfortable in your new common room? Have you ever missed a class in your life? Has Malfoy ever bothered you?" between questions one came up which she answered and immediately regretted doing so. It was the moment she realized what was happening.-"Hey, do you like that evil fool Malfoy?"

"The truth is, yes, I do, but I don't dare to tell him..." with each word her voice was fading more and more-"...Ve- veritaserum..."- she said in almost a whisper and then she looked at Ron with fire in his eyes-"You gave me Veritaserum to drink?! And what's wrong with you! I thought your jealousy had gone away but it's obvious it has NOT!"

 She let out a scream of anger and frustration and the pain could be heard in it. She grabbed her wand and screamed Stupefy.

"I thought you would change and support me!" and with that she ran out of that place, sunk in her tears and her pain and wishing she had never met Ron. She screamed nonsensical things on the way outside and opened the door to run away. She did not hear the voice that screamed her name incessantly, Malfoy's voice.