Prince of snakes | Dramione

Chapter 10

"Love is a secret between two hearts, a mystery between two souls." Henri-Frédéric Amiel

It was almost one o'clock when Theodore explained the rules of their game. According to him, their small group was experts in this style of party. If you refused to play, you drank, it was simple. Yet, judging by their amused glances, Hermione understood that there was something fishy going on. With her muscles tense to the maximum from stress, the young Gryffindor took the time to swirl the contents of her glass, an anxious expression crossing her face. She had the feeling of being trapped among wolves and that they would soon devour her. Nott, sitting to her left, had just stretched his arm over the sofa, brushing against her in the process. She shivered with apprehension. She wasn't a coward. However, Hermione was known to have a brilliant mind and good intuition. And her mind was screaming at her to run away and not look back.

Malfoy, positioned to her right, was taking long swigs of his mead. If Hermione thought she was tense, it seemed like Draco had a broomstick stuck up his backside. He didn't dare to make any movements. Several times, he had tried to shift to reduce the contact between their bodies, but in vain. He always ended up falling back against her, their shoulders colliding. Swearing under his breath, he took another gulp, a clenched fist on his thigh. Hermione should have found it amusing, but the blond's reaction only accelerated her heartbeat. What was the secret behind the famous Slytherin parties?

"Well," began Pansy Parkinson, capturing the gaze of the whole assembly. "Since we have a newcomer with us, I think it would be interesting to give a demonstration. Theo?"

Nodding at her command, he straightened up, brushing his arm against Hermione's hip in the process.

"I'm ready," he affirmed, a smug smile on his face.

That didn't bode well.

"Truth or Dare?" retorted Pansy, in a sultry voice dripping with challenge.

He seemed to ponder, weighing the pros and cons of the situation.

"Dare."

"What heroism, Theo! I was so ready to ask you a question. Too bad."

He offered her a predatory smile, as if he sensed that the black-haired woman was going to put him in a tough spot.

"Cut to the chase, Pans. We all know how much you love giving crappy dares."

"I thought you wanted to play?" the Slytherin attacked mischievously.

"Well," she continued. "Kiss Granger."

There was silence, then a few laughs erupted in the assembly. Hermione couldn't move a muscle, she was so horrified. Not that she had never played this type of game before, but she should have known that Pansy would target her more than anyone else. What a nightmare, she thought as she fidgeted with her fingers. She didn't want to make a spectacle of herself, especially not after her conversation with Malfoy. The blond had just taken another gulp and deliberately avoided her gaze, his lips twisted in irritation. Theo made no comment, and after a good minute of silence, blushing cheeks, he turned back to Hermione and clinked his cup against hers. He swallowed it in one gulp, and Pansy expressed her disappointment out loud. Hermione followed suit and furrowed her brows as the taste of alcohol hit her nose. What had the young woman given her again?

"Now that the game seems clear, it's your turn, Golden Girl," the man to her left whispered, suddenly as straight as a rod.

Hermione suspected that she wasn't the only one stressed by the oppressive atmosphere of the evening, and summoning her courage, she observed the individuals standing in the living room. Blaise was whispering in Daphne's ear, and she seemed to radiate happiness under their conversation. She could hear thin laughter under their words. One of the two Ravenclaw girls was eyeing her with envy and disdain, for reasons unknown to her.