Stuck in a Harry Potter Romance [1]

[11] I'm Showing You My World

I curled my toes, trying to give them full access to the blazing fire. The cup of hot cider warmed my fingers. I sighed before taking another sip.

"It's chilly," Ria commented.

"It's December," I replied dully, staring into the flames.

"Looking forward to Christmas?"

"Yeah." I readjusted my oversized sweatshirt.

"So how's Harry?"

"Wonderful."

"Aren't you just full of words this evening..." Ria sighed.

"Sorry," I said, setting down my mug. "It's just been a long week."

"Why don't you just go get some sleep?"

"Too bored," I admitted. "Got any clever ideas?" Ria grinned.

"I always have clever ideas," she said with a glint in her eye that sparked my interest.

"Do these clever ideas involve fire, forbidden substances, and, but not limited to, boy's underwear?" I asked with excitement.

"Better."

"Do tell, my dear companion," I exclaimed, leaning towards her in earnest. She pulled a clear bottle out of her large bag.

"Veritaserum, friend, Veritaserum."

My smile fell slightly.

Truth or Dare, Veritaserum version. This was Lydia, of course. How could I expect anything with originality? Or fire? Or forbidden substances? And God Forbid boys' underwear.

***

"Who wants to go first?" Ria asked eagerly, glancing around the circle. To her left sat Dean, who was fiddling with his sleeve, hoping no one would ask him about his feelings for Ria. Michael sat next to him, looking utterly bored. On Michael's other side was Ginny, looking forward to the upcoming drama. Hermione still had a disapproving look on her face, the one she'd gained when Ria told her that she's stolen the potion from class. Ron just looked happy to be at an event where he wasn't being force-fed. Harry was softly stroking my hand, and I nervously looked at Ria, hoping that she wouldn't do anything stupid or cliché. Ria sighed when no one volunteered.

"Fine, then! Let's start with the potion. Everyone, take a drink," Ria ordered. I winced when the bottle came to me and reluctantly look a small sip.

"I'll ask first," Ginny volunteered after the bottle had pased. "Ron, truth or dare?"

"Dare?" he said unhappily. Spiders, Ron, spiders! Doesn't that mean anything to you?

"Eat that spider," Ginny declared, pointing her wand to a spider in the far corner. The unfortunate victim floated over to the other unfortunate victim. Ron's face blanched.

"Th-that spider?" he squeaked.

"Yes, Ron, that spider," Ginny replied. I chose not to join in with the chorus of laughter that followed as Ron swallowed the small arachnid. Honestly, it's not like I didn't know it was going to happen.

"Michael," Ron growled. "Truth or dare?" Michael straightened up a bit, knowing he could get in a bit of trouble, being Ginny's sort-of... something not quite platonic.

"Truth," Michael said bravely. Good choice, Michael. He could have made you jump out the window or castrate yourself or something equally disturbing.

"How far have you gone with Ginny?" Ron asked. Standard Ron behavior, that is.

"Snogging on the couch where Demeter is sitting," Michael announced, trying to keep up his composure. Ron's face reddened with anger and Ginny's face with embarrassment.

"Why, you-"

"Hermione, truth or dare," Ginny spat out vengefully, cutting off Ron.

"Dare," Hermione said flippantly. Please, like Hermione would ever choose dare. Or do anything flippantly.

"Make out with Ron on the couch where Demeter is sitting," Ginny commanded. I paled.

"I can move, right?" I asked uneasily.

"Sure," Ginny replied.

"Ginny, you can't-"

"I can do whatever I want, Ron!" Ginny insisted. "Now go get on the couch with Hermione."

"Well, I guess I should get started," Hermione said awkwardly as she and Ron sat on the couch six inches apart.

"Probably," Ron replied. Hermione closed her eyes and leaned over. Just before she touched his lips, she hesitated and opened one eye. Ron saw her and gently smiled, closing the gap between their mouths. I smiled. That's so cute.

I hope you die in each others arms after living happily ever after for about three weeks.

Ok, so perhaps that's a bit cynical of me. But I couldn't help being slightly jealous of their evident pleasure when their lips touched. Yeah, Harry's tongue definitely has talent, but I never felt the bliss that Hermione was obviously feeling.

"Times up," Ginny said disgustedly. Her plan of embarrassing Ron hadn't seemed to work in her favor. Ron broke away with a goofy grin on his face. Hermione shyly smiled as she scooted away, giving me back my seat.

"Ron! What is wrong with you? You can't just go around snogging people like that! Don't you have any shame?" Ginny gasped at the pleased look on Ron's face.

"So much shame, Ginny, so much shame. Almost as much shame as you have," Ron replied, rubbing Hermione's hand. "Oh, and don't tell Mum."

"Dean, truth or dare?" Hermione said with a hint of a giggle in her voice.

"Dare," Dean said nervously. Choosing the dare... that's very manly of you, Dean Thomas. I once wrote a short blurb about you in one of those dreadful "Who's Your HP Guy?" quizzes. You were for the normal girl who would have liked Harry except didn't have a death-wish.

"Sing A Whole New World to Ria," Hermione commanded, smiling to herself. That's very muggle of you, Hermione. I like it. Dean turned bright red, as did Ria, but Ria's coloring cleared up quite a bit faster.

"I can show you the world, shining, shimmering, splendid. Tell me princess, now when did you last let your heart decide?" At that point, I couldn't help myself. I began to giggle at the completely cliché, yet completely romantic and hilarious scene that was laying itself at my feet. Even Ria was beginning to look a bit flustered.

"No one to tell us no, or where to go, or say we're only dreaming-"

"A whole new world!" Ria crooned, breaking in to sing Jasmine's part of the duet. "A dazzling place I never knew!" The two did a marvelous job, their voices joining together in harmony at all the right moments.

"A thrilling chase-" sang Dean.

"A wondrous place-" murmured Ria.

"For you and me," they finished. We all applauded their performance.

"Very nicely done," I praised.

"Well, we have been practicing," Ria sighed dramatically. Dean laughed, his cheeks still flushed.

"Ria," he said, grinning. "Truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"Did you like singing the song with me?"

"Yes, I did," she replied, smiling widely. He nodded, satisfied with her answer.

"Dee, truth or dare?"

"Truth," I blurted out, grinning at my autopilot response. I knew exactly what question Ria was going to ask, and I knew exactly how I was going to answer, and my time here just got shortened. Oh, Demeter DeMonte, do you love Harry Potter? I didn't see the glint in Ria's eye when she asked the question.

"Do you love Harry?" I smirked and opened my mouth to say "Yes!"

But before the words came out, I was overcome by an enormous headache, and I blacked out.

***

I rubbed my eyes and thought over what had happened. Ria's question... my almost answer... then the blackout. And the Veritaserum. And Lydia. I groaned. I couldn't lie (and say that I loved Harry) because of the Veritaserum, but I couldn't tell the truth (and say that I didn't love Harry) because of Lydia. The Veritaserum had been battling Lydia and the outcome was stalemate. My mind couldn't handle it, so I had blacked out. I sat up and waved my wand to conjure a glass of water. As I took a sip, a light appeared next to Ria's bed. I looked up and saw Ria sitting on the edge of her bed, staring at me with an unreadable expression on her face. I gently sat down the glass.