The Silver Envelope

The Shocking Truth

Harry Potter's house was sickeningly cozy.
Draco felt supremely out of place as he stood in a drawing room which, if he had to guess, had been decorated to look exactly like the Gryffindor Common Room. Overstuffed furniture upholstered in garish red and gold faced a large fireplace, the mantle above which was decorated with sappy wedding photos and framed articles detailing various recent wins of the Holyhead Harpies. Ginny asked them if they would like some tea while they waited for Potter to arrive home, and Hermione accepted while Draco nodded absently, preoccupied with developing an
escape plan.
The last week, during which he had soaked up Hermione's company for every possible second, had probably been the best of his life. But now, as he sat in Potter's stuffy home, accepting a cup of tea from an overly attentive house-elf, it struck him once again that being Hermione Granger's Boyfriend came with a lot more responsibilities than just caring for Hermione herself.
"Do you know what this is all about, Draco?" Ginny asked him. "Harry's refused to tell me
anything."
"Not a thing," Draco said, patently annoyed. Hermione's secretive smile had been driving him mad ever since she had come back from some meeting at the Ministry a few days previously. He'd tried increasingly devilish methods of teasing the information out of her, but she'd always managed to find a creative way to distract him, blast her.
"Sugar, Master Malfoy?" Kreacher croaked with a disconcerting, toothy smile, holding the sugar tongs aloft.
"Er. No thanks," Draco said uncomfortably. "But two lumps for Hermione. And a splash of milk."
Hermione gave him a funny look as the elf shuttled slightly closer to her and placed two cubes of sugar into her cup without making eye contact. Before Draco could ask her what she was thinking, Potter made his entrance.
"Hi, Gin. Sorry I'm late." He strode into the room in his red Auror's robes, briefly smiling at
Hermione as he made his way across the room to reck Ginny on the cheek. "Hi. Hermione. Erm. Malfoy," he added, with a stiff nod.
"Well, don't you look spiffy, Potter?" Draco drawled over his teacup, leering at him exaggeratedly.
"Care to share why we're here. handsome?"
Draco sipped, enjoying Potter's discomfort and Ginny's glee. Hermione shot him a reproachful look, but the damage was done. Flirting with Potter had, just like that, become his new favorite way to antagonize the man. If he did it just right, maybe it would even make Hermione jealous.
Suddenly, hanging out with the Potters for the evening seemed a lot more fun.
"It's almost time," Hermione said, her eyes on a clock over his shoulder. "Ginny, do you have a
wireless in here?"
Puzzled, Ginny summoned a little wireless radio from another room, catching it deftly and setting it on the low table in the middle of the room.
"Set it to WM 103.4," Hermione instructed, adjusting herself on the sofa with nervous excitement.
It was a Wednesday. The clock read seven. Draco was more confused than ever.
"Hermione, I doubt Johanna will be able to broadcast her show from Azkaban," he pointed out.
"I'm pretty sure recording equipment would count as contraband."
Hermione only gave him a mischievous smile.
Ginny switched the wireless on, turning the volume up when she had reached the right channel. A little chorus of goblins sang the channel jingle, signaling the start of a new program.
"Hello all. and welcome back to The Shocking Truth!" came a familiar voice from the wireless.
A familiar voice which was definitely not Johanna's. Draco's head whipped around to look at Hermione, who was practically bursting with repressed laughter.
"There's been a change in circumstances in the past week, so please allow me to introduce myself.
My name is Hermione Granger, and I will be your host for this episode."
Ginny spilled her tea on the rug in shock. Potter only looked amused.
"I'm sure you're all wondering where your usual host, Johanna Wolcroft, is, and I'm pleased to announce that she's right here with me. However, things will be a bit different this week. Johanna,
would you like to explain why vou'll be the guest on your own show tonight?"
The radio crackled with a heavy pause, then Johanna's unmistakable voice growled, "No. I would
not." She sounded positively murderous
"That's alright!" Hermione responded brightly. "I'll just tell them. In exchange for a shorter sentence in Azkaban. Johanna has agreed to allow me to interview her on her own show-under the influence of Veritaserum! That's right, folks! For the first time ever, The Shocking Truth will actually report the truth!"
"When I get out, I'm going to rip-"
"Now, now, Johanna. Mind what you say on the radio, or we'll have to end the episode early,"
Hermione said
Draco could hardly believe his ears. He stared at Hermione with an open-mouthed grin, adoring the smug laughter in her eyes as they listened.
"Now, let's see, I think we'll start with your lies about me in the Prophet, if you don't mind. Go on, explain to everyone why you targeted me and attempted to ruin my reputation."