Truth or Dare

Ginny

She's leaning sleepily against Hermione not really paying attention to what's going on. She's tired - she was up late last night as well, just the two of them gossiping about boys, as they so often do. They giggle about Harry a lot, because he is terribly attractive, after all, and Draco for the same reason, and occasionally Dean or Seamus or Justin. Sometimes Hermione will mention Ron and Ginny will squeeze her eyes shut. "I don't want to know, Hermione!"

When she hears her name being mentioned, it takes her a moment to wake up fully. "Ginny, truth or dare?" It's Lavender asking.

"Truth," she says, and everyone groans, because everyone has picked truth so far. "Okay, okay. Dare." Dean whispers in Lavender's ear before she issues the dare. "I dare you to kiss Hermione."

"On the lips?" Ginny asks.

---

Hermione

She's wondering how Ginny can remain so calm when she's just been asked to kiss her friend. And honestly, you'd think someone would ask her whether she's okay with this situation or not. Maybe she doesn't want to be kissed by Ginny.

Well, she does, of course, but that's beside the point. No one is even bothering to check.

It's not that she's obsessively passionately devoted to Ginny or anything like that, it's just that - well, she's fond of her. Fond enough for Harry to have asked her exactly what was going on between the two of them. He was just curious, he said, and when she'd said, "Nothing's going on, but…" he'd nodded and listened as she tried to elaborate on these feelings.

"Yes, on the lips," Dean clarifies, and Ginny shrugs, and leans over, and kisses her lightly.

---

Harry

He's watching the way Hermione reacts to Ginny's kiss, the way she looks embarrassed to have everyone looking at them, but still slightly pleased about the whole thing.

"Harry, truth or dare?" Ginny asks him.

"Truth," he chooses.

"Oh, go on, pick a dare. Call yourself a Gryffindor?" she teases.

"It takes a lot more courage to tell the truth," he says. It sounds like something Dumbledore might say. His friends roll their eyes.

"So, tell us, Harry," Ginny says conversationally, and he suddenly realises that he knows what she's going to ask him, "who's the girl?"

"What girl?" He feigns innocence.

"The girl you're crazy about, whose name you refuse to reveal," she grins.

"I'll take a dare," he says.

"Too late now," she says.

He would rather not reveal this. He stares at the floor. "Hermione," he whispers.

---

Ron

He's wondering whether his best friend ever intended on telling him that this girl, this mysterious girl who he only found out about after asking Harry why he was walking around with his head in the clouds the whole time, is the same girl that he likes.

It seems everyone likes her in some way. He's just seen his baby sister kissing her, after all, and he'd have preferred not to - he wants to believe that she's still innocent about these things.

It's his turn. He picks a truth and wonders why he goes along with these games. But everyone was going down to the common room to play, and he didn't want to be left out.

"Your most embarrassing crush," Hermione asks him. He considers saying "you", but that's not embarrassing.

The truth, then. "Draco Malfoy," he admits sheepishly.

---

Neville

He's staring into space trying not to look at Ron, trying not to look as if he expected a different answer. He is painfully aware of how pathetic it is to be disappointed that you weren't somebody's most embarrassing crush, but this is Ron.

This is Ron, who has always been kind and friendly and who understands him better than anyone, and he's always hoped that maybe Ron is even the slightest bit attracted to him, that this isn't an entirely unrequited crush.

There are footsteps coming towards them. A teacher, most likely. Harry raises a finger to his lips to tell them to be quiet and they begin to tiptoe upstairs, girls one way, boys another.

Hermione is avoiding Ginny's eyes and he can sense the tension between Harry and Ron. (His Ron.)

He decides it's a stupid game.