Risking True Feelings

Friday Morning

All of the members of the Midnight Madness Club arrived at breakfast bright and early to see Pansy's dare.

"Well, this should be the most interesting breakfast since Seamus' dare," Ron commented as him, Hermione, Harry, and Ginny walked into the Great Hall.

The Slytherin table was completely empty. The Gryffindor table was all filled, since everyone was in the Midnight Madness club and was waiting for Pansy.

The Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw tables were slightly filled, but only by members of the Midnight Madness Club.

They all sat down at the table with the other Gryffindors. "Where is she?" Seamus whispered impatiently.

The Slytherins came in a few minutes later. Pansy, however, was nowhere to be seen.

"Do you think she chickened out?" Ginny asked Ron.

"If she did, I'll hunt her down," Ron told Ginny.

Right when Ron said this, Pansy came walking into the Great Hall. She didn't bother sitting down at her table; she immediately walked up to the teachers' table.

She gently tapped Madame Pomfrey on the shoulder and whispered something in her ear.

Madame Pomfrey nodded, and handed her a condom.

Sadly, no one, but the Midnight Madness members were paying attention to notice it.

"Damn it," Ron muttered.

Hermione rose to her feet, courageously.

"Pansy!" she yelled across the Great Hall. "Why were you talking to Madame Pomfrey?"

Ron instinctively pulled her back down onto the bench.

Pansy glared at her, not saying a word.

Hermione knew that even if she didn't say it aloud, rumors would spread and she would be more embarrassed than ever.

"Hermione, that was," Ron said. "Brilliant."

"Why thank you, Ron," she said, grinning to herself.

All throughout the day, the members of the Midnight Madness were complimenting Hermione on her brilliance. Pansy, on the other hand, was dealing with questions from anyone who wasn't in the Midnight Madness.

"I feel sorry for Pansy," Ginny told Harry.

Harry raised his eyebrow at her, wondering why she felt sorry for Pansy (The Evil Slytherin) Parkinson.

"Never mind," Ginny said, taking back her comment.

Tuesday Evening

Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny met in the common room. This week was their last week of school. Harry and Ginny were dreading the thought of being apart for one second, let alone an entire year.

"I think for the last meeting, we should do something interesting," Ginny told them.

"Like what?" Ron asked.

"I don't know, but I'll know by Thursday night," Ginny decided.

Thursday Night

Not many students showed up for the final meeting. Many of them were celebrating with the rest of their house and packing to leave.

"Tonight, as you all know, is our last meeting," Ginny reminded the members. "So, I thought that we should make tonight really memorable.

"For each person, we will gather in a circle and decide on a final truth and final dare for them. We will decide as a group. And they will perform their dare and tell us the truth."

They all agreed on this game. "Would anyone like to go first?" Ginny asked.

Ron's hand immediately shot up in the air. "Okay, Ron."

The members, except for Ron, gathered in a circle, and discussed what to ask him, and what to make him do.

"Okay, Ron, if you could marry anyone in the world, who would it be?" Ginny asked.

Ron face froze. He looked more nervous than ever. "If I could marry anyone in the world, it would be," he said, his voice cracking. "Hermione Jane Granger."

Hermione's jaw dropped. She covered her mouth with her hand. She couldn't believe that Ron would choose her over anyone else in the world.

"Well, that was surprising," Harry said sarcastically. "We dare you to confess whom you love more than anyone else in the world."

Ron took a deep breath and said, "I love my parents, my sister, Ginny, and all of my brothers, except Percy. But I think the person I love, most, more than life, itself, is Hermione."

Tears streamed down Hermione's face at Ron's words.

"I think I'm going to hurl," Draco said, making gagging noises.

"Well, I'm sorry to ruin this sweet moment, but Ron, you need to decide who should go next," Ginny told him.

"Harry," Ron said, as he wrapped an arm around Hermione.

After discussion, Hermione said, "Name five reasons you love Ginny."

"She's beautiful. She makes me laugh. She is always smiling. She never yells at me for calling house elves stupid, or doing something stupid," Harry said. "And the most important reason that I love her is because I feel like I've known her my entire life, and she fills the empty space inside of me."

Ginny smiled. She wasn't going to be stupid like Hermione and blubber over the nice things Harry said.

"Your dare," Draco said. "Is to snog Ginny at graduation."

"Don't you dare, Potter!" Ron bellowed.

"Ron! Shut up, you git!" Ginny yelled.

"Ginny, you're off my list of loved ones. You're now in the 'once loved group' with Percy," Ron pouted.

"Draco," Harry said. "You're next."

They all decided on a very humorous dare. "Our dare, for you," Harry said, grinning. "Is to admit your deepest darkest secret during your speech at the graduation."

Hermione gasped. Draco and her were Head Boy and Girl, which meant they had to give a speech at the end of the graduation, and now, Draco was going to ruin it.

"Okay..." Draco agreed.

"What is the one thing you miss about not being at home?" Pansy asked.

Draco stayed quiet for a moment or two before saying, "My pet cat, Mr. Whiskers."

Hermione couldn't help but giggle. Draco was a cat worshipper, just like her.

"Just for that, you can go next, Granger," Draco sneered.

Hermione didn't care. She didn't mind telling the truth or doing some pointless dare. All that mattered was that Ron loved her, and even though she still wasn't sure if she loved him, it felt wonderful to know that she was loved.

"Okay, you also have to admit your deepest darkest secret during the speech," Draco told her.

"Also, tell us your favorite quality of Ron," Ginny ordered.

"Probably the fact that we can argue without really meaning it, and the way that he makes me laugh, even when I'm really mad at him."

Ron smiled proudly. "Hey, Ginny, your turn," Hermione informed her.

"What is the best thing a boy ever gave you, and who was it from?" Ron asked.

"Harry gave me a promise ring," Ginny announced.

Ron's face turned an interesting shade of red as he stared at Harry angrily.

"We dare you to send Percy a Howler anonymously." Harry said.

"Last, but, well, yes, you are least, Pansy," Ginny said, grinning.

"Hmph..." Pansy groaned.

"We dare you to cheer for Draco when he walks up to make his speech at graduation and call him your sex kitten," Ron said.

"Wow, Ron, you're harsh," Ginny commented.

"Why do you love Draco?" Hermione asked.

Pansy stayed silent.

"Did you hear the question?" Harry asked.

She nodded. "I don't."

"What?" Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny all said at the same time.

"I don't love him. We have an arranged marriage. I don't want to marry him," Pansy admitted. Draco frowned. He was looking a bit hurt, but no one bothered to comfort him.

An eerie silence filled the room after Pansy told everyone that.

"Well, I guess we should get to bed. Tomorrow is graduation for you guys," Ginny said, looking a bit disappointed that all of her friends, except Luna, would be leaving.

On the way to the dormitories, Harry and Ginny told Ron and Hermione that they were going to the kitchens, but instead walked along the halls, holding hands. "Harry, I'm going to miss you," Ginny whispered, her voice cracking at the thought of him leaving.

"Ginny, we have all summer together. And I'm staying at your house, even after school starts back up. We can see each other on holidays and such," Harry reminded her.

"Yes, but Harry, I'm going to be here, and you'll be at home, all alone," Ginny said.

"I'll have Ron, Hermione, Fred, George, and sometimes Bill and Charlie," Harry said. "I'll never be alone. Maybe if we're lucky I can convince Dumbledore to let me start up the D.A. again!"

"Yea..." Ginny sighed, not sounding enthusiastic at all.

"Ginny, there's nothing else we can do. We both knew this day would come sooner or later; we'll just have to get through it together."

Harry bent down and gently kissed her on the lips. Their lives would change. They both knew it, but they also knew they could make it through. They were meant for each other.

"Things do not change; we change."

-Thoreau (Walden)