The truth

The plan

Harry woke up early that morning, buzzing with anticipation and excitement. For better chance of succeeding, he needed to be up earlier than usual. Cautious to not wake up everyone else, he crept out from underneath his blankets, bent underneath his bed and lightly pushed the cauldron of serum out from underneath his bed. He then knelt on one knee as he turned to his drawer and started feeling around for the small empty vial he had saved for this moment. He felt its' familiar shape on his fingers and drew it out of the drawer. He gently nudged the drawer back into place and opened the vial. After he filled it up, he stored it under his pillow. He didn't want anyone seeing it, not even Ron. He'd inform him and Hermione later.

He dressed in his normal robes, then went back for the vial of serum and tucked it away in one of his robe pockets. He had nearly been at the door when he remembered the invisibility cloak hung over the end of his bed. He crept back, took it and quietly rushed out of the dormitories, eager to get to the Great hall.

Harry hadn't expected there to be so many bustling and busy students in the Great hall that morning, yet there was buzzing activity everywhere around him. Students left, right and centre were chatting, arguing, giggling, shouting, and the noise it produced was astronomical. But Harry knew he couldn't let it distract him. He needed to find Malfoy first. Harry cautiously waited behind a pillar near the Great hall, his eyes searching the crowd for the white bob of his head. It didn't take Harry very long to find him.

Malfoy was sitting down and leaning with his elbows perched on the slytheryn's eating table, looking sullen and cast down. He was cradling his head in his hands, as if he was trying to shake answers out of himself. You're getting all of your answers soon enough, Harry thought with amusement. Draco was usually loud and rambling on at his table, telling his friends about whatever he talked about (Probably about how great he is, Harry thought sourly), making a point to be the centre of attention. But today he looked like he would have wanted nothing more than to evaporate and float away with the wind. His lips were sealed as his friends kept up casual conversation between themselves next to him.

Perfect, Harry thought. Nobody to notice me walk up to him. With a swift movement, he draped his invisibility cloak on and sneakily crawled across the Great hall's cold floors. He was careful to avoid the feet of other students walking around, otherwise they could have stepped on his cloak and blown his disguise. He twisted and wound around students in his cloak until he was peeking up at the slytheryn's table.

With the sunlight dancing on his hair strands, Draco looked even more gorgeous than the last time Harry remembered seeing him. His hair was light and messy on his head, fluffed from his delicate hands cupping his head. Harry was unable to concentrate as he got caught up in studying him in his seat, looking like an impressive marble statue. His eyes travelled up from studying his torso to his sunlit face. His facial expression was mixed somewhere between doubt and shame, his opal, moon like grey eyes downcast on his plate of food.

Oh my fucking god Harry, you need to stop staring like that! He reprimanded himself. Harry tried not to look his way again, knowing it would distract him, as he tip-toed under his cloak over to the other side of the table. He felt his heart race in his chest as he fumbled for the vial in his pockets. He clutched it tightly in his grip as his heart raced even faster. It's now or never, Harry told himself. Checking left and right, he crept a tiny bit closer to Draco. Oh my god. Harry panicked. I'm right next to Draco fucking Malfoy. He knew he shouldn't be fazed over being so close to Draco Malfoy, yet he felt his chest tense with an unfamiliar, fiery feeling as he crept closer. He could touch his face if he wanted to, Harry considered. Maybe he could even-

Draco shuffled a bit in his seat, forcing him to concentrate on the task at hand again. How many times is that face going to distract me? Harry sighed to himself. He quietly popped the vial open, careful not to spill the dewey liquid anywhere. When Draco turned his head over to a grand elder clock, he seized his chance and tapped a few droplets of the serum into his butterbeer. Done, Harry sighed to himself, relieved. Now, we wait. Before Harry could gather himself and creep away, he saw Draco pick up the butterbeer and take a large gulp of it.

Oh. My god. he drank it. Harry had to suppress the hysteria of fear and excitement he felt to remain secret. He knew this was when he was meant to leave, but his curiosity wouldn't have it. He crouched a safe distance away from Draco, but close enough so that he could hear what he was saying.

"I feel kind of sick..." Harry would have chuckled with glee if he wasn't meant to be hidden.
"Draco...? What's wrong?" Pansy distressed. "I just drank truth serum." Draco seemed slightly stunned at his own words as he spoke them. Pansy sat still like a stone. His other friends turned their heads, their faces mixed between confusion and concern. "...what?" "Those words weren't mine I swear..." Draco muttered, bewildered. "Do you know what truth serum is?" Pansy asked anxiously. "It forces you to speak only the truth for one week, then it wears off." Draco explained with a voice that seemed far from his own. "I swear I didn't know that either..." "We have to get you to the hospital wing immediately!"

Pansy ushered his other friends over to her as Draco stood up, slightly trembling. "I bet Scarhead did this..." Draco blamed as his mob of friends escorted him out of the Great hall. Harry nearly tripped over trying to dodge them. He felt his heart beat and a barely repressed grin form on his face. He had done it. He had made Draco Malfoy drink his truth serum. Now his answers were only a heartbeat away.