Chapter 15
“Moppy!” Zabini shouted as they entered his house. It was large and grand like Malfoy's manor but seemed warmer and homier in Hermione’s opinion.
“Yes, Master?” A meek little elf popped into existence, bowing its head.
“We’ll be in the west lounge, bring us some pizzas and Peroni Nastros.” The man commanded.
“Moppy get, Master. Right away, Mr Master and His Friends.” The young creature disappeared as Zabini gestured for everyone to follow him. They went up a large central staircase and down two long hallways until they made it into a nicely lit sitting room. It was a bit rustic with dark timber lining the ceilings, and dark leather furniture on the floor. The moon shone in through a trio of windows overlooking a billiards table and a fully stocked bar on one side of the room and a fireplace and card table on the other.
“Wow,” Dean breathed out as he took in the bar. “This is cool!”
“Make yourselves at home,” Parkinson said through her teeth as everyone was finding seats or picking up cues.
“It’s fine, Pans,” Astoria told her friend with a smile. Everyone was elated when the elves brought in the pizza and beer and before long everyone’s buzz was back in full swing. After about an hour, someone (Hermione wasn’t quite sure who) suggested they play Truth or Dare.
“Isn’t this a kids game?” Lisa asked the group as they gathered around the settee.
“Not the way we play,” Astoria told her with a mischievous grin. “Pans, would you like to tell everyone the rules?”
“Whatever,” the girl replied flippantly. “Ok, rules are as follows; we all sit in a circle, everyone will take a drink of Veritasdicite. Then-”
“What’s Veritasdicite?” Harry questioned.
“It’s like Veriteserum but easier to make. You’re still compelled to tell the truth but it only lasts a couple of hours. And it makes you actually talk. You can’t get out of a question by staying silent.” Ginny explained, obviously having played this before. Hermione was curious to see how this differed from the muggle version of the game.
“After everyone has taken a drink,” Parkinson continued harshly, “the youngest player goes first. They spin the bottle in the middle of the group to see who they ask ‘Truth or Dare’ to. If that person picks dare and they do it they get a point. If they don’t, then they have to take a shot. If they choose truth they have to answer the question. Anyone else who the question applies to, for instance, if they say have you ever gone to school or something and you have, has to take a drink. The cups are charmed to get hotter and hotter if you don’t drink when you’re supposed to and you won’t be able to set them down until you do. At-”
“So it’s like an extreme mix of I Never and Truth or Dare?” Hermione clarified.
“Yeah sure. As I was saying,” Parkinson continued, “at the end, whoever has the least amount of points has to chug an entire glass of Party Mix.”
“Party Mix is all the alcoholic beverages you can find mixed into one glass. It’s really disgusting.” Ginny whispered to Hermione.
“I’d like to implement a few rules before we begin,” Zabini said calmly. “No breaking anything. I do not need to replace another window or mend another chair.” He glared at Draco.
“That was all Theo, mate.” The blonde defended.
“And don't dare anyone to do anything too dangerous.”
“What do you count as dangerous?” Harry questioned.
“No maiming yourself or others, no conjuring dragons or other dangerous creatures, no apparating under the influence, and no drinking potions or anything that could cause any sort of really bad, adverse reaction. Well, aside from the aforementioned Party Mix or other such alcohols.” Astoria chimed in. Harry nodded with an awed yet terrified look on his face.
“Wait, you’ve actually had people do those things in the past?” Hermione asked the group, unsure whether to be impressed or scared.
“At one point or another, yeah,” Zabini replied. “And no daring anyone to take a drink. There will be enough of that anyway. So, who’s the youngest? Astoria?”
“Why do we even ask anymore, I’m always the youngest.” She said with a frown before reaching for the bottle. It spun around three times before landing on Dean. “Dean, truth or dare?” He thought for a second.
“Dare.”
“I dare you to let the person across from you shave part of your body,” Astoria said with a smirk.
“Please, don't do anything to his face!” Seamus pleaded as he hugged his fiance. Zabini (who was sitting across from Dean) just smiled slyly as he conjured a razor.
“It’ll grow back.” He said confidently as he moved in. Two minutes later, Dean was down to one eyebrow and everyone else was trying not to laugh. Parkinson held back a smile as she reached for the bottle to spin.
“Granger, truth or dare?” She asked. Hermione had no clue what the girl would say. Did she risk having to do something that made her look stupid as Dean had, or did she risk spilling her guts to a group of strangers?
“Dare...” Mione said slowly.
“I dare you to let me cast an embarrassing word to show on your forehead till the end of the game.” Hermione blanched at the thought but nodded in acceptance.
“What’s it say?” She asked after Parkinson had done her wand work.
“Penis.” Ron snickered. Well at least it’s not too obscene, She thought.
“Lisa, truth or dare?” Zabini asked.
“Truth,” the Ravenclaw girl answered.
“Do you have a kink you’ve never indulged in, and if so what is it?” He questioned. Hermione’s cup glowed red and she noticed Lisa’s, Dean’s, Harry’s, and Neville’s cups doing the same. She quickly took a gulp of her beer and averted her eyes as both Ron and Malfoy eyed her with curiosity.
“I’ve always...wanted to... Have sex while my partner was wearing high heels and nothing else!” She shouted finally after trying to avoid speaking. Her face blushed a deep orange colour that deepened after Katie leaned over and whispered in her ear. Blaise looked both bored and mildly impressed.
“I thought it’d be more interesting than that.” He grumbled.
“Ok, moving on. Draco, you’re up.” Astoria interrupted.
“Longbottom, truth or dare,” Malfoy asked boredly.
“Dare,” Neville replied rather quickly.
“I dare you to close your eyes, spin in a circle and point. Whichever girl you land on has to give you her underwear to wear on your head for the rest of the game.” Neville flushed and sputtered, looking at Luna for what Hermione assumed was permission though the dreamy blonde seemed like she couldn’t care less. He spun around a few times before clumsily coming to a stop with his finger outstretched. He had landed pointing between Parkinson and Astoria, but closer to the latter. She disappeared to the bathroom and when she came back she handed the pink cotton to Neville. He pulled the pants over his hair and plopped back down, red as a tomato, before reaching for the bottle to spin.
“I’d say that’s closer to Katie than to Seamus,” Harry told his friend as the bottle stopped between the two.
“Katie, truth or dare,” Neville mumbled.
“Truth.” The brunette said confidently.
“Um... Have you ever faked it?” Neville asked, unsure of himself. Once again Hermione’s cup glowed red, and she noticed Pansy’s and Astoria’s do the same as all three girls took a swig. Ron looked hurt as she did so, and she blushed a bit at having to inadvertently answer Neville’s question.
“Not once,” Katie said with a wide smile as she batted her eyelashes at her girlfriend. Lisa smiled back and the girls kissed briefly as Ginny took her turn.
“Hermione, truth or dare?” She asked her friend.
“Dare,” Mione said for the second time that night.
“I dare you to kiss, on the lips, the person in the room you find the hottest.” She said. Hermione examined her options slowly. Obviously, Harry was out of the running. She ruled out the girls as well because, although she thought they were pretty, she wasn’t really attracted to them and she was pretty sure what Ginny had meant. Neville was sweet but even with his new physique, he didn’t do anything for her. It was down to Dean, Ron, and surprisingly... Malfoy. “Tik tok, Mione.” Ginny prompted. Hermione bit her lip and went for the safest option of the three, and planted one on Dean. A few seconds later she could hear a few of the girls whooping as she and Dean both blushed a little bit, pulling apart as Hermione went back to her seat.
“Harry, truth or dare?” She asked quickly.
“Dare.” He said with determination.
“I dare you... to...” She leaned over and asked Zabini a quick question. He gave her a strange look before nodding as she sat back down. “Harry, I dare you to eat an entire sauce packet of Red Savina pepper extract and not drink any milk or water for one minute after it’s gone.” She had a devilish smile on her face. Harry swallowed thickly as Zabini called for and handed over the sauce packet and a glass of milk.
“What’s so great about this dare?” Parkinson asked as Harry started opening the packet.
“Yeah, boring. You couldn’t think of a better one?” Ginny questioned. Mione just smirked back. Harry, having finally gotten to the pepper extract, did his best to down it in one go. Everyone watched fascinated as his eyes started watering. Sweat beaded at his hairline and his neck and cheeks started turning red. He stuck out his tongue and started fanning it as Hermione, Seamus, and Katie laughed.
“Fun fact,” Hermione said cheerily, “the Guinness World Record for hottest pepper is currently the Red Savina. Muggles have selectively bred it to produce spicier flavours that last longer on the tongue.” The purebloods looked impressed.
“That was very Slytherin of you,” Zabini told her. “I like it.” Finally, a minute had passed and Harry downed his glass of milk. After another refill and some ice cream, he was ready to continue the game with his turn.
“Malfoy,” He panted somewhat as he spoke still. “Truth or dare?”
“Dare,” Malfoy answered.
“I dare you to let... Luna give you a new hairstyle.” Malfoy’s already pale skin went almost translucent as he looked over at the girl.
“No cutting.” He warned as the two of them walked off to the bathroom.
“Dean, truth or dare,” Ron asked.
“Dare.”
“I dare you to lick Neville’s armpit.”
“Ew,” Astoria giggled.
“That’s revolting,” Hermione muttered.
“You’re sick,” Ginny told her brother. Dean walked over as Neville lifted his shirt, and (while holding his breath) licked a large stripe from the bottom to the top of Neville’s armpit. When it was over Dean (and a few of the girls) were gagging and Neville quickly pulled his shirt back on.
“What did we miss?” Luna asked as she skipped back into the room. Malfoy trailed behind her with a murderous look on his face and his blonde hair up in two short, braided pigtails. Hermione and Zabini burst out in laughter at his plight.
“I think I’m gonna be sick,” Dean said as he pulled a hair out of his mouth.
“Dean had to lick Neville’s armpit,” Zabini told the returning players.
“Gross,” Malfoy shuddered.
“I hope I get Ron,” Dean grumbled as he spun the bottle around, itching for revenge. Unfortunately, the bottle had other ideas. “Astoria, truth or dare?”
“Dare.” She told him quietly, probably hoping not to get something nearly as gross.
“I dare you and Ron to switch clothes for the rest of the game.” He said with his arms crossed in front of himself and a smile on his face. Ron grumbled as he and Astoria left the room.
“Katie, truth or dare?” Seamus asked.
“Truth.” She answered, not wanting to deal with the dares that had been going around.
“Have you ever been attracted to someone playing this game, that is not now and has never been your partner? And if yes, who?” He questioned her. Hermione, Harry, Malfoy, Parkinson, Zabini, Neville, and Seamus all took a drink.
“Yes, I’ve always thought Ginny was kind of hot,” Katie told the group with a shrug. Ginny looked mildly intrigued as Katie leaned over for her own turn. “Ah Ron, just in time.” She said as the redhead returned wearing a white and floral dress and tan flats. Both were too small and bulged awkwardly around his muscles. Astoria sat down wearing his trousers and shirt, each equally baggy on her as she kept hoisting the slacks up as she walked.
“Just in time for what?” The redhead asked suspiciously as he plopped into his seat.
“Truth or dare, Ron? And please close your legs.” She asked him. He snapped his legs together as a blush formed from his ears to the exposed portion of his chest.
“Uh, truth?” He asked, eyeing Dean suspiciously.
“Have you ever kissed, or thought about kissing, another person of your sex?” She asked him.
“What, no!” He exclaimed even as his cup heated up. “Yes!” He shouted uncontrollably seconds later. Hermione watched as Ginny, Zabini, Katie, Lisa, Seamus, Dean, and Luna all took a drink. Ron looked humiliated.
“Oh-kay. My turn. Seamus, truth or dare?” Lisa asked him.
“Dare,” Seamus replied.
“I dare you to tie your hands to your ankles, walk around the room, and when you sit back down, stay tied like that for the rest of the game.” She told the Irishman. He smirked.
“Is that all, lassy? Thought it'd be more interesting.” He replied before conjuring some rope to have Dean tie him together.
“Luna, it’s your turn,” Astoria told the girl politely after a few minutes while Seamus grunted and hopped trying to walk around the room.
“Oh, yes. Lisa, truth or dare?” Luna asked.
“Dare.”
“I dare you to put your foot, sock on, into the toilet for ten seconds. Don’t dry it off for ten minutes.” She replied. Hermione shuddered as Lisa and Luna left the room to make sure the dare was completed.
“Ok, we need a new game,” Zabini grumbled. “Bloody Gryffindors are too brave. I’m not nearly drunk enough for how long we’ve been playing.”
“Yeah, why do all of you keep choosing dare?” Parkinson whined. “We never get this many dares when we play!”
“We’re Gryffindors.” Hermione shrugged.
“It’s hardwired into us to never turn down a dare,” Ginny explained. “Besides, nothing you come up with could be as bad as something Fred or George would have made us do.” She continued with a sad smile.
“Ew, ew, ew, ew!” Lisa grumbled as she hopped back into the room, trying not to get toilet water on the floor. Katie helped her sit down as the group discussed what to play next.
“Wait, who has to drink the Party Mix?” Neville asked.
“Since so many of you chose dare and no one chickened out, I guess no one has to,” Zabini grumbled.