7,709AUTHOR'S NOTES:
Since I am discovering the joy of opening up my stories to my readers in new ways, I decided to experiment with this fanfic. Therefore, I have three contests I want to pose to you, my fabulous readers, for that story. Here are the details:
CONTEST #1: Send me your digitally-manipulated images of real life people representing our favorite six couples (must be the couples as they are matched up together in this chapter - you can't mix and match, sorry!). I'll put them all up on my Photobucket site ( s905 . photobucket albums / ac260 / RZZMG) and list you as the fan-manip art maker & link to them in the story itself so others can see your work. I'll take submissions right up until the very last chapter. NOTE: if your image is too risque for Photobucket, I'll link it in my blog instead ( rzzmg . wordpress . com). At the end of the story, I'll vote on my favorites and make a special banner for winners.
CONTEST #2: Send me your fan art drawings (can be hand drawn or digitally drawn) of any of the following - our six couples, the group hanging in the main area of the Room of Requirement, or your favorite scene from the story. I'll post those images (with all accolades to you, of course) on my Photobucket site and link to them in the story so others can appreciate your work, too! I'll take submissions even long after the story is finished, so send them any time (obviously, only submissions made before the final chapter is posted will get a message in the story itself, but others will get noted here on my blog)! NOTE - like contest #1 above, if the image is too risque for Photobucket, I'll link it in my blog instead. At the end of the story, I'll vote on my favorites and make a special banner for winners.
CONTEST #3: I'm looking for MUSICAL SONG recommendations for each officially matched couple in the story. The music has to have lyrics - that's the only requirement. Any genre of music is acceptable (country, pop, R&B, modern rock, classic rock, rap, trance, metal, etc.). I'll take submissions right up until the final chapter is posted, so don't be shy - send me your lists! Every chapter, I'll pick the best song of the bunch that fits that particular couple during that particular action round. I'll add it to the AUTHOR'S NOTES section at the top and bottom of that chapter, with all kudos to you for picking the appropriate music to fit the chapter's mood.
Without further ado...
MUSICAL SELECTION THIS CHAPTER: I, your author, will start the ball rolling this first time. I recommend the song, "Voulez-Vous" by The Cast of 'Mamma Mia' (cover of ABBA song) for this go around. Lyrics for that song appear at the bottom of this chapter. Hope you'll find this song somehow and give it a listen.
CHAPTER TWO: PARTNERS & THE 1st QUESTION
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry, Scotland
Room of Requirement
Saturday, June 13, 1998 (evening)
In the Room of Requirement, the game's twelve participants sat in the designated common area on the cosy, circular couches provided in advance by both Harry and Malfoy's joint efforts. On the coffee table between them sat three stacks of cards, arranged by color, all face down. Each group pile had been shuffled by both team leaders several times to ensure blending and fairness. A fourth stack was separate from the others; it contained all of the cards with the female players' names.
It was rather fortunate, Hermione thought, that the spell on the cards would know not to pit Ginny with Ron, as they were siblings. She had asked Malfoy to double-check the rules that had came with the set, and he'd confirmed that direct relations couldn't be paired. Thank Godric! At least the game had some moral values.
Each player waited in silence for the castle bell to chime the seven o'clock hour. Most seemed lost in his or her own thoughts, a few looked about, and everyone fidgeted to some degree.
Hermione used the time to take a good, long gander at the others. Every single player had dressed chic and were done up smart, and there was an undercurrent of sexiness to each outfit – from dipping cleavage to snug trousers, from perfume to accessory choices - as if all of them were somehow eager to use this game as an excuse for some naughty experimentation. Even Hermione had to admit that she had dressed provocatively, not wanting to be outdone by Pansy or Lavender – the two women in the room she most envied for their lovely style.
The ladies, as agreed, had all worn dresses.
Directly across from her, Tracey had on a floor-length peacock-print that shimmered iridescent purple, lavender, and indigo blue. Silver embroidery outlined the feather and fan-shapes printed on the dress, and the cross-over 'vee' neck gave a nice hint of cleavage, but not too much to make the dress seem slaggy. Her silver shoes with the jewel strap, as Hermione could see from how she crossed her legs, accented her pretty arched foot. Her toenails and fingernails were painted purple to match, and her frills consisted of purple marquis-cut amethysts in silver. They tastefully adorned her neck and ears and her right index finger. She looked quite elegant with her long, blonde hair pinned into a French twist, too, and classily applied make-up that highlighted her natural beauty.
To Tracey's right sat Daphne. The woman was a fascinating dyadic of opposites: Fae beauty hidden beneath a pair of sensible reading glasses, which she needed for this game and was too practical, it seemed, to remove them and face discomfort for the sake of fashion – a move Hermione heartily applauded. The witch's blonde hair was left down and curled at the ends, her make-up a little darker around the eyes, but was still rather modest. Her dress was a satin scarf style, flowing to her knees. It was a flower-paisley print in tones of light greens and blues, with black outlines. Like Tracey, her neckline plunged, as the dress was a halter, and her smallish breasts were highlighted well as a result. On her feet was a pair of dainty, matching ballet slippers with flowery designs on the toes. Her jewellery was made up of some light blue stone wrapped in silver – rather Celtic in design – adorning her middle ring finger on her left hand, her neck and on her wrist. Overall, she was the picture of a fashionable wood sprite – which was in absolute contrast to her deeply intellectual personality. Hermione found the resulting dichotomy intriguing.
Pansy's Parisian gothic dress was stunning. Made of velvet, silk and lacy-sheer fabrics, it draped down to her knees, a lovely purple-magenta and black ensemble, pierced by bright silver buttons and draping chains. She wore a pair of matching silk heels with black velvet bows. It was her jewellery, however, that truly captured Hermione's attention: a silver burnished snake ear drape in her left side, a matching silver burnished snake bracelet on her left wrist, and a black velvet collar with silver detail and teardrop black glass beads brought the entire piece together. Her hair was the same as always, softly brushed and shining dark brown, almost black, but unlike her fellow Housemates, Pansy went dramatic on the make-up. Her eyes were smoky, exotic with heavy liner and mascara and sparkling charcoal shadow. Her mouth was lined a very dark colour – near black – and filled in with a matching lipstick. Her pale cheeks had been dusted with blushing powder. She looked almost as if she was dressed for Halloween, but Hermione knew that in the Muggle world, she would have fit right into the Goth scene. Ostensibly, Pansy looked rather stunning.
On her left side of the Gryffindor couch, to Hermione's left, sat Ginny. Like Pansy, she was dressed in a costume, rather than typical dress robes. Of course, Ginny had developed a flair for the thespian style, her leisure clothing reflecting an old-world, piratical theme in general, with flowing shirts and skirts. Tonight's dress and matching jacket was – in a phrase – impressive in its originality, vivid and striking in its execution, and held just a touch of romance for good measure. Made of heavy embroidered material that was iridescent orange and red, the outer jacket looked very much like a Regency Era great coat, with flaring, wide sleeves and ribbons. The piece was tied in the centre by a narrow corset that was synched together with another ribbon. Silver buttons – three on a side – adorned the corset's middle. Under the jacket was a simple, black satin dress with spaghetti straps. The whole thing terminated at mid-thigh. In a bold move, Ginny decided to accent her outfit not with tall boots, but with sexy, mid-thigh stockings that had a narrow strip in the back of each that was done up with ribbon. On her feet, she wore black patent leather five-inch heels. Her accoutrements were meant to pull the piece together – a black satin throat collar with a large iridescent rose, red amber rose-shaped earrings, and a red amber and silver ring. Her hair had been tightly tied up into a ponytail at the top of her head, and left to fall down her back. Like Pansy, her makeup was dramatic – bright orange and red shadow, heavy liner, dark, cherry-coloured lips. She was absolutely remarkable, exuding a fantasy sexiness that definitely enticed all of the men in the room, especially Blaise, it seemed. The man's eyes had lit up with interest as soon as he'd spied her tonight.
To Hermione's right sat Lavender dressed in, remarkably enough, a satin sheath similar to Greengrass' dress. Like her name, the dress was lavender in colour, accented with brown, light blue and light yellow, in an exotic lotus blossom pattern. A brown satin ribbon tied into a bow at the apex of a tasteful 'vee' neckline, adding a flirty feel to the dress. She wore lavender heels, and dark purple amethyst heart earrings. On her right wrist dangled a very dainty silver bracelet with silver heart dangles of varying sizes and styles. On her left hand, a dark amethyst ring set in a silver heart setting sat on her middle finger. Her make-up was as tasteful as Daphne's as well; lavender shadow, brown liner and mascara, light pink lipstick. Quixotic and dreamy were the qualities she exuded.
As for Hermione… she'd fallen in love with her dress the minute she'd seen it in the Muggle store in downtown London's more 'chic-chic' district, and it had cost her a pretty pence, but she'd been careful with her money for years; all those Christmas and birthdays she'd been gifted money had gone right into the bank. She'd splurged on the dress, seeing as how it was her last year in school.
It was a floor-length, silk dress that simply flowed like water when she moved. The top was a halter style – the saleslady had called it 'Rome's Egyptian style' – with very little fabric to it, honestly. It had a thick, bejewelled collar, and was backless to the sway of her spine, so she wouldn't be able to wear a bra with it. It was a multitude of jewel-tone colours, printed almost like tie-dye, with fractal round patterns blooming up here and there, adding a three-dimensional visual texture. Creams, oranges, red, yellows, purples, aquas, pinks… they blended seamlessly, beautifully to create a montage of colour. On her feet were a pair of gold strappy three inch heels, and the only jewellery she allowed, so as not to detract from the dress, were a pair of golden dangle hoops with diamond butterflies, and a thin, bangle bracelet that was made of a multitude of crisscrossing wires in an interlocking pattern.
As for her hair, she'd pinned her hair up on the sides, allowing the remainder to curl down her back, and she'd tamed it so it would lay flat, not fuzzy, in shiny, shimmering waves. She'd gone dramatic on the make-up, though, so as not to be drowned out by the dress: dusky pink, bronze, gold shadow, dark brown liner and mascara, shimmering pink blusher, pink-strawberry lips.
The effect, in her opinion, was that she appeared sophisticated, with a touch of dreamy romance.
The men were equally as diverse in their clothing options as the women had been.
Blaise was dressed in a long-sleeved, dark purple silk shirt, a pair of black woollen dress slacks, and black, shiny shoes. He wore no ostentatious ornamentation, but Hermione had scented a cologne on him that hinted of frankincense.
Theo was all casual summer: black polo, white trousers, black shoes, brown belt. He looked comfortable and stylish, as if he were going out on a summer cruise around the harbour with a date. His hair had been combed, and he had shaved his usual five o'clock shadow. He smelled of pears and citrus.
Harry, like Blaise, had gone for practical-attractive: a dark green, long-sleeved cotton dress shirt that made his eyes pop, dark black dress slacks, and black, low-backed leather boots that had been polished. Around his neck was his favourite necklace, a gift from Sirius – a black leather cord with a silver Celtic tri-fecta pendant, which had been bespelled to give him mental clarity at all times, even when drunk off his horse. Hermione would give her right foot for such a charmed item! His cologne was subtle, spicy, like cedar and mint.
Ron had gone as dramatic as his sister, wearing an ensemble that ironically matched Ginny's. Hermione was, in fact, betting that Ginny helped her brother pick out the outfit and convinced him to wear it tonight, just so she wouldn't feel alone in her flashy fashion sense. A smartly dramatic, iridescent orange-red jacket cut in a Regency Era officer's uniform style was adorned with velvet cuffs and edging, with silver buttons up both sides of the divide. Underneath, he wore a black satin dress shirt. His pants were extremely interesting – tight in the inseam and hugging his body down to the ankles, where a zipper was attached to both legs. On his feet, he wore a pair of shiny, black leather shoes that had no obvious laces. His hair was gelled to stand on end, and as usual, he'd worn his diamond earring stud in his left ear; he'd gotten it pierced this year on his birthday, in a fit of rebellion and because he wanted to mimic his big brother, Bill. He'd shaved, too. Overall, he looked quite dapper. And he smelled good, as well – like spring grass and the fresh dew of morning.
Seamus had surprised her, appearing in a more formal, summer wool suit, complete with dress shirt and vest. Of course, he'd worn sneakers to "off-set the ponce look," as he'd referred to it. Personally, she thought that the dark grey outfit with the white collared shirt looked rather fetching on him, and gave him an air of maturity that he definitely could use, despite the sneakers. He smelled divine, however, like leather and whiskey.
Malfoy… Whoa. He'd gone with a look that left Hermione quite breathless, honestly, although she refused to admit it by even allowing her eyes to roam too long over him. Dressed in all white - a shocking first - he'd donned a pair of loose, summer-weight, cotton dress slacks, a thin white, cotton dress tank top (he'd left the top buttons open), and partnered the outfit up with a burnished silver and beige leather belt, and white, tie dress shoes. On his wrist, he wore a matching beige bracelet made of leather, and around his neck were strung three cords – one close to his throat, and the other two swinging down the open 'vee' of his shirt, showing off not only the silver dragon pendants he had hung from the ropes, but also an impressive physique that she hadn't known he'd sported. His hair was ruffled to look casually indifferent, much as Harry's had always been prior to him cutting it shorter this past spring. He was comfortably casual and steamily sexy as he sat across from her on the Slytherin couch, his full lips pouty, winter-grey eyes staring at the ceiling as he leaned his head back into the cushions, showing off a delicious expanse of bared neck.
As she stared at him now, Hermione grew decidedly uncomfortable… and in a way she hadn't expected. Between her thighs, she felt a bit sticky.
Determined not to think about Malfoy in that way, she turned her attention to fiddling with her bracelet instead, twirling it round and round on her wrist, fighting the urge to jiggle her leg.
As the first toll of the bell rang out throughout the castle and surrounding grounds, Draco looked up at Harry and nodded, and Harry turned to Seamus and tapped him on the leg. The men had drawn straws earlier to see who would go first to draw from the Partners deck, and in what order.
Seamus stepped up to the set of gold cards and flipped the first one. His gaze travelled to Lavender. "Seems I'll be gettin' me second chance after all, angel," he slowly smiled, his green eyes warming as he crossed over to her and handed her his Partners card – the one that had his magical signature on it. He kept hers in the trade.
Lavender looked positively astonished, blushing, and looked down at the floor, taking his card with shaky hands. "Oh," was all she said.
As Seamus returned to his seat, Blaise stood up next and took the top card off the pile next. His grin was positively feral as he silently read the name. Moving across to the Gryffindor side, seating himself beside Ginny on the couch, he passed her his Partners card without a word.
Livid splotches of red painted her girl friend's cheeks. "There is no God," she sighed with resentment. Accepting his card, she leaned back into the cushions of the sofa, frowning, and crossed her arms over her chest in a defensive posture.
Zabini remained silent at her side, smirking in triumph.
Theo went next. His grin was cheery as he read off his name. "Hey, check it, Daph!" He showed her the card he'd pulled. "It's you and me, babe!"
Daphne adjusted the reading glasses on her nose. "So it would seem." She held out a hand for his card. He passed it off to her and sat at her side, too.
Hermione looked at the dwindling supply of cards and felt her heart racing, knowing who was next and terrified of her odds. One in three. There was still a one in three chance that she might end up with either Harry or Ron. Oh, please. Oh, please. Oh, please, she prayed to whatever deity might be listening in the great wide cosmos. She may have started all of this with the intent of making Malfoy pay for being an unbelievable arsehole all these years, but now that the reality had come down - specifically, that she'd had an opportunity to read the Deeds and Forfeits of her Housemates in advance and knew what kind of depravity would go on during this game - she was regretting such foolhardy revenge planning. The idea of being the partner to Slytherin's Prince was decidedly dismaying.
Malfoy said nothing for several seconds as he flipped the name card. The tiniest twitch of his lips was all she needed to know her doom had been settled, however. She closed her eyes and swallowed the heavy heart-shaped lump in her throat. Ginny's hand on her knee to her left was the only anchor to her world of sanity in that moment.
A presence stood over her, and in graceful surrender, she held her hand out knowing what was expected of her. To her astonishment, Malfoy did not simply pass his Partners card to her. Instead, he bent one knee before her, and caught her hand up in his own. With a chivalrous flourish that shocked her into meeting his gaze head-on, he pressed a kiss to the back of her knuckles. Pools of lively, heated mercury stared directly into her soul.
"It's been our raison d'être from the beginning to cross swords again and again, Granger," he said. "What made you think tonight would be any different?"
Something in the way he'd phrased that… "Did you cheat?" she challenged, yanking her hand away and rubbing the imprint of his lips against her skin away with disgust, feeling real ire grow in her belly. If he had defrauded the game it would automatically disqualify the both of them – something she was praying for just then, as that meant her team would get a win from it, and she wouldn't have to touch him. The cards would make him answer honestly, too, as the spell upon them would insure his truthfulness now that he'd signed the magical contract and bound his will to the rules.
"No," he told it to her straight, and she felt her heart sink again, "but I tried to. The game wouldn't let me. It prevented my spell. This time" - he held up her name card and passed her his - "it was definitely all Fate, princess." He stood to his full height, which stood only an inch or so shy of Ron and Theo. "Personally, I can't wait to find out all of your secrets, beautiful."
Staring at the card in her hand as he made his way back across the room, Hermione felt hot tears waver before her eyes. She blinked them away, refusing to appear weak. The others had accepted their destinies with some small measure of grace - even Ginny, who had seemed to want to rail about the unfairness of it all at the top of her lungs, but had simply sat back and quietly sulked – so she could do the same. She was a Gryffindor, after all, and that meant she'd take this hit on the chin and get back up.
Harry was next. He blushed when he read the name he chose, a shy expression lighting his features as he glanced over at Tracey Davis. "It seems we're partners tonight," he told her, heat blooming across his face and neck.
Tracey's smile was equally self-conscious. "Oh, well, that's… good," she replied, accepting his name card, her own face as crimson as Harry's.
"At least someone's happy around here," Ron stated, his disappointment obvious. He flashed Pansy her name card – the last in the stack. "I have a feeling this isn't going to be a good night," he told the woman who was staring at him with irate fury.
"No," Pansy replied, her tone ice cold, "it definitely will not be."
X~~~~~~~~~X
Now that the partners were fixed, the two teams resumed their proper seating across from each other, and Malfoy and Harry tossed a Galleon into the air to see which side would draw the first Interrogations question. The Slytherins won the toss.
As Theo was on the furthest edge of the couch on one side, he reached for a green card to start them off.
Malfoy stopped him by holding up his hand. "Last chance," he offered them all. "Anyone want to chicken out, now's the time."
Eyes moved around the room at record pace, gauging who would might decide to forfeit. A few faces, including her own, Hermione knew, looked fondly towards the room's exit, but no one moved. Hell, no one breathed.
After a wait of a minute, Malfoy nodded.
"Ladies, time to cast the Contraceptive and Disease Charm," he instructed the witches in the room. "No unintended pregnancies tonight. And don't forget to recast the C&DC at the beginning of every action round, too, after the questions are answered. It's not my job to remind you."
Each of the women picked up their wand from the centre table and did as instructed. Madam Pomfrey had been particularly vigilant in assuring that all of the girls in school – from fourth year on up - knew this particular charm by heart.
When that was done, and the pink glows had faded out, and everyone's wands were returned to the table, Theo turned over the first card. "It's one of my own!" he informed them, leering. "Right, so, here we go: If you had to go down on your partner right now in front of the group because of a card, would you secretly like it, feel indifferently or hate it?"
He turned to his left to Pansy, as the rules required, and the game commenced.
She snorted, tapping her foot on the floor twice in a gesture of sheer irritation. "Stupid question. Hate it, obviously."
"Feeling's mutual, beeotch," Ron snarled, crossing his arms and striking a pose similar to his sister.
Malfoy buzzed him. "No answering out of turn, Weasley." He pointed to Parkinson. "Pans, take a Deeds. No, not the blue deck. The red one." With an imperious motion with his hand, he commanded the group back on task. "Daphne, you're next."
Greengrass pursed her lips together and let her eyes roam over Theo in contemplation. "I would most likely enjoy it," she decreed after only a slight pause.
Theo nearly dropped the green card in his hand. "S-seriously?" he asked, his jaw practically hitting the floor.
Daphne re-adjusted her glasses on the bridge of her nose and nodded. "Yes, I enjoy dominating a man," she admitted, reaching for a Deeds card now that she'd answered the question. "It arouses me to bring him to the heights of erotic pleasure, only to watch him unravel under my touch."
Almost every person in the room performed a face-vault at her proclamation.
"Holy gobstones," Ron breathed out hard. "Why couldn't I have gotten you?"
"Next!" Malfoy required.
Blaise stared across the room at his partner and narrowed his eyes. "Oh, I'd loveto make her squirm under my tongue. Then she'd have to live with the fact that a Slytherin made her come harder than she ever had before."
Ginny stared hard at him through narrowed eyes, and turned her nose up at him with disdain, refusing to be cowed by Zabini's venomous glare. "Dream on," she grit. "You'd be lucky to get me wet."
Blaise reached for a red card. "I hope this reward lets me prove you wrong, little lioness," he snarled, putting it face-down on his knee. No one was allowed to read their Deeds or Forfeits until everyone had answered, per the rules.
Ron growled, and Harry had to nudge him to remind the man to tamp down on his natural urges to play the overprotective brother tonight.
Tracey, who was next in line, looked over at Harry, flushed and lowered her eyelashes. "Um… well, I'd… Do I have to answer?"
Malfoy shrugged. "If you want. If not, you'll have to take a Forfeits card, though."
The witch considered that for a moment, turning bright pink as she mulled over the risks. Finally, she seemed to come to a decision, her back straightening, her eyes lifting to her partner's with uncertainty, but a sincere resolve. "I'd... I'd..." She seemed to lose her bravado quite suddenly, her voice ending in a soft whisper, "really like it, I think."
From the corner of her eye, Hermione spied Harry turn an interesting shade of red and adjust the collar of his shirt, as if needing to loosen it. For a second, she wondered if her best male friend had ever had a woman do that to him, as she knew Ginny hadn't.
And now it was Malfoy's turn.
Hermione tried - really, honestly tried - not to look at him when he answered this one, knowing he was going to scoff and laugh at the ludicrousness of this question in regards to touching her 'dirty' self. The answer was so painfully obvious, in fact, that her ego took the pounding with only a small pang. She wasn't vain, per se, but she was a woman who liked to be told she was desirable on occasion. That Malfoy thought her beneath him…
"Like it," he said, staring her in the eye when she glanced up in surprise again. "Very, very much," he finished, his patented naughty smirk sliding up the side of his cheek.
She blinked twice. "But-"
"Next," he cut her off, turning to Seamus, who sat directly across from him on the Gryffindor side. "Your turn."
Her partner reached for a Deeds card with casual indifference, not looking at her again.
Hermione's heart was thudding in her chest so hard she almost passed out. Had Malfoy just said he'd like to eat her out? Really?
"It's one of me favourite things ta do," her Irish-lilting friend admitted to his partner with a lopsided grin. "So, of course, I'd love it!"
Lavender, who sat directly next to Finnigan, gaped at him as he reached forward and grabbed for a red card. "And that's why? Not because it's me, but because you like doing it?" she scathingly asked.
"No debate," Draco reminded her. "The card doesn't say we discuss the answers, merely that we answer them."
Lavender turned a cross look on him. "How he answers will determine my answer," she stated, quite put out. She turned back to Sea. "Well?"
Reaching out a hand, he gently chucked her under the jaw. "For both reasons, sweet angel," he explained with a foolhardy grin. "I've been wantin' ta do it ta ya fer years, but ya kept turnin' me down."
Cutting her eyes to the floor again, Lavender's blush returned. "Oh, well… My turn to answer, right? Well-" She swallowed, paused, seemed to struggle with herself. "I-I'd… bloody hell, I can't lie! It won't let me!"
Malfoy chuckled. "No, you can't lie. But again, you can choose a Forfeit card if you want in lieu of answering."
With a resigned sigh, she reached for the card stack. "He answered it so I will. I'd like it," she grumbled and grabbed a Deeds card. "Happy?"
"Very," Seamus purred, moving closer to her.
Lavender slapped his hand away as it landed on her knee. "That doesn't mean you can grope me."
"Not yet, anyway," Ron commented at her side, and shrugged those massive shoulders of his. "Well, my answer's obvious: like it."
As soon as the words were out of his mouth, everyone froze in utter surprise – including Ron. He looked like he was about to suffer from apoplexy right there, his face ghosting white and his mouth gaping open.
"I meant… I'd loveit."
He blinked again, anger fast replacing his confusion, and began swearing.
Across the aisle, Pansy barked a vitriolic laugh. "I'll just bet you would, you pervert," she sniffed in dry amusement, smoothing the front of her dress.
"No commentary," Harry chastised in the manner of Malfoy, throwing the Slytherin team leader a "right back at you" look.
"FUCK!" Ron shouted, reaching for a Deeds card. "This game so totally sucks!"
And then it was Hermione's turn, and her heart started pounding again. How did she feel about the idea of touching Malfoy? Well, naturally, she loathed him, so… "Hate it, because I know he'd use it against me afterwards to hurt me in some cruel way," she spoke before she even had time to think up a proper response, blinking in surprise that it just popped out of her mouth.
Appalled, she put a hand up over her mouth, her eyes jerking to her partner's face. Slytherin's Prince stared back at her with a cool blankness that didn't seem natural to any form of mammalian species. He was so like a snake in that moment – so blank that she couldn't read him – that Hermione felt very much like the mouse before a hypnotizing cobra.
Everyone in the room had stilled again, glancing between her and Draco, as if they suspected violence to erupt at any moment. Thirty seconds ticked by, then a minute, and still no one moved. Finally, Hermione's hand fell to her lap and she reached for a red card, taking her eyes from her greatest rival's with severe anxiety fluttering through her chest.
It was Ginny's turn. She stared across the aisle at Blaise with an animosity that was unrivalled between any of the partners. "Hate it," she confessed, "because just like 'Mione, I could never like touching someone who wanted to hurt me."
Blaise's eyebrows twitched, but aside from that, he didn't say a word. Ginny grabbed a Deeds card from the stack, her wary gaze never leaving her partner's own black stare. Hermione reached out a hand and entwined her fingers with her best friend's in a show of supportive strength.
They finally came to Harry. He cleared his throat and looked over at Tracey. "Well, I don't really know you, do I? And I'm not sure I could like doing something that intimate with you if there was no emotional connection. I wouldn't hate the idea either, though, as you arequite attractive. I suppose, until things change – if they change – I'd have to say indifferent for now. But please understand that my answer has to do with my comfort levels, not because I don't find you physically desirable, because I do. Quite a lot, in fact. That dress only adds to the appeal - especially the cleavage."
"Whoa, maybe a bit too honest there," Teddy laughed, reaching across the narrow gap between couches to slap the Gryffindor on the shoulder, all chummy.
As Harry reached for a red card, Nott stared over at his partner, Daphne. "Oh, I'd love eating you out, baby, no question! Especially if you reached into that superior vocabulary of yours and started spouting off rare expletives every time you came for me." He leaned in a little close, smiling like a shark. "How many different ways can you say, 'oh, god, yes!' do you think?"
Daphne turned her head and stared him dead on, unperturbed by his nastiness. "You may have the opportunity to find out during this challenge, Mister Nott - but only if you're a very good boy."
Theo's eyes brightened, widened, and his grin leapt to match. He grabbed a Deeds card from the pile, excited to see what he would get.
Probably hoping for an oral sex requirement now, Hermione thought. She knew just how eager Theo was for pushing the physical with a girl.
"Everyone's answered, so you may all turn over your cards over and read them. You'll then be required to perform or receive a performance from your partner as the text on the card allows," Malfoy instructed. "If you need privacy, there are six rooms along the far wall – one for each couple," he threw a thumb over his shoulder, where a row of half a dozen closed, identical doors lined the wall. "They're all exactly the same – white on white furniture, walls, and flooring. If you want to change the room's décor in any manner, or add or remove any items from the room, simply think of the changes, and they'll happen in seconds. This is the Room of Requirement." He smirked and a wicked look entered his shark-skin coloured eyes. "Or, if you're into voyeuristic theatrics, you could also perform out here for the rest of us to watch - but you both have to agree to that plan, otherwise it's a private room for you."
He turned his card over and read it. His eyebrows hit the roof.
Uh-oh. That didn't bode well, Hermione thought.
Blushing, she turned her card over, too, and read the text across the cream-coloured backdrop:
DEED: Your partner must give you a sensual back and neck massage. Lips and tongue can be used.
Bloody hell! It was one of Harry's rewards. Team Gryffindor shared their cards today at lunch, reading them over, so she recognized the handwriting.
"You have got to be kidding me!" Pansy shouted, getting to her feet. "This sounds more like a Forfeit to me, not a Deeds!"
"Tough cookies, sugar," Ron sarcastically replied. "Whatever it is, let me tell you that we're both screwed. My card's equally as repulsive. As if I'd want to touch you!"
"Are either of you forfeiting the game then?" Malfoy asked. His tone was casual, but the undercurrent accusation of 'pussy' was clear.
"No!" the partners-at-war simultaneously chimed, staring at each other with suspicion.
"Then, I suggest you stop bitching and get going," Slytherin's Captain commanded. "The sooner we get this over with, the sooner we can move on." He nodded to Harry. "Time?"
Harry looked at his charmed pocket watch. "Thirty-seven past seven, exactly."
"The rooms will chime at you to tell you to come back out at around twenty-seven past eight. Everyone finish and be in this room no later than ten minutes past the chime or you're automatically out," he ordered. "Oh, and if you both agree that you're done before then, you can come back here and just wait around. I wouldn't touch the cards, though, as they're charmed for some nasty consequences if you try to cheat in any fashion." He stood and made his way towards a private room. "Good luck, people!" he waved over his shoulder.
Hermione stood on shaky legs. "Yes, good luck everyone," she murmured, then followed after her partner into his room of choice.
TO BE CONTINUED…
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
PLEASE REVIEW, FOLKS! What did you think of this chapter?
.
Musical Selection for this Chapter: "Voulez-Vous" by The Cast of "Mamma Mia!" movie (adapted cover of ABBA song). Lyrics are as follows…
(Women singing)
People everywhere.
A sense of expectation hanging in the air.
Givin' out a spark…
Across the room your eyes are glowing in the dark.
(Men singing)
And here we go again!
We know the start, we know the end.
Masters of the scene.
We've done it long before,
And now we're back to get some more.
You know what I mean!
(ALL TOGETHER)
Voulez-vous?
Take it now or leave it.
Now is all we get.
Nothing promised.
No regrets.
Voulez-vous?
Ain't no big decision.
You know what to do.
La question:
"C'est voulez-vous?"
Voulez-vous?
(Women singing)
I know what you think:
"The girl means business, so I'll offer her a drink."
Looking mighty proud,
I see you leave your table, pushing through the crowd.
And he'll be back again…
You know the rules.
You know the game.
(Men singing)
Master of the scene.
(Women singing)
We've done it long before,
And now we're back
To get some more.
(Men singing)
You know what I mean!
(ALL TOGETHER)
Voulez-vous?
Take it now or leave it.
Now is all we get.
Nothing promised.
No regrets.
Voulez-vous?
Ain't no big decision.
You know what to do.
La question:
"C'est voulez-vous?"
And here we go again…
We know the start…
We know the end…
Masters of the scene.
We've done it long before…
And now we're back
To get some more…
You know what I mean.
Voulez-vous?
Take it now or leave it.
Now is all we get.
Nothing promised.
No regrets.
Voulez-vous?
Ain't no big decision.
You know what to do.
La question:
"C'est voulez-vous?"
Voulez-vous?
Voulez-vous…?
Voulez-vous…?