The Truth

Harry was never actually one to think things through before doing them. In the past few years this self-destructive impulse had been tempered by his friends, but for some reason Hermione and Ron had been distancing themselves from him ever since the beginning of the year. So it was a lone sixth-year Gryffindor who was stalking through the Potions classroom late at night, heading for the door that lead to the school's Potions storage cabinets. He had his invisibility cloak wrapped tightly around him as he whispered "Alohamora" to open the door, then quickly slipped inside.

"Let's see, where could it be?" he murmured to himself as he reached for the nearest shelf. It was too dark to clearly make things out so he took his wand out and prepared to cast a Lumos. That's when disaster struck: a moment of inattentiveness caused his arm to hit against the nearest shelf, causing the entire cabinet to shake. He reached for it to steady it, but a clear potion phial fell off the top shelf, hitting him on his head and breaking in the process. Harry cried out in surprise and shock and only then realised to his horror that he had swallowed some of the Potion, whatever it was.

The phial shards continued their way down, falling on the floor with a loud noise. Realising he was about to get caught Harry made sure the cloak was wrapped around him and backed into the far corner. He was just in time as Professor Slughorn came running up, clad in his dressing gown but with his wand at the ready.
"Who is there? Show yourself!" he demanded.

Even though he knew he was hidden from Slughorn's sight, something in Harry forced him to respond: "It's Harry sir, Harry Potter." As he spoke, he shifted the cloak off his head so it became visible.

"Harry Potter, my oh my. Whatever are you doing here of all places at this hour?"

Again, Harry felt the need to answer. "I was looking for a Dreamless Sleep Potion, you see, I have trouble sleeping and –"

"My boy, why did you not simply go to the Infirmary? Madam Pomfrey would've gladly given you one," Professor Slughorn cut him off.

"I was ashamed, sir," Harry admitted, mentally wondering why he was being so forward. "I don't want the Headmaster to learn that I am... weak."

"Dear boy, I understand," Professor Slughorn said, his eyes twinkling. "Tell you what... why don't we forget about all of this? I see no need to trouble your Head of House or Mr. Filch at this late hour."

"Really, sir?" Harry's eyes lit up. "That's... that's great!"

"Oh ho! The least I could do for such a promising student, young Harry.. even if you have missed most of the Slug Club meetings."

Harry wanted to claim he had been busy, but what he actually said was: "I didn't feel like coming. I hate being put on display like a celebrity."

Professor Slughorn was quiet for a moment, and Harry worried he had insulted the genial teacher. "I... I don't want to –"

"Don't worry, my boy, I quite understand. I didn't realize you... tell you what. Next time, it'll just be Hogwarts students, no unexpected guests. Perhaps you could come then?" Professor Slughorn was smiling.

"I will, sir. Thank you again."

"Well then, off to bed you go... be careful of patrols." Harry made to get up and leave but just as he stepped into the classroom Professor Slughorn called him back: "And Harry? Don't forget your potion."

Professor Slughorn grinned as he went back to the storage room. A quick wave of his wand reassembled the broken phial and caused it to hover up into his hand.
"Veritaserum?" he read off the label. "Oh my... perhaps I should warn him?"

Harry was long gone however, so the Potions teacher put that thought out of his mind. It would wear off within an hour anyway, and his bed was waiting for him.

–-

Miraculously (and with a little help from a certain map) Harry avoided all patrols and made it safely back to the portrait of the Fat Lady, where he took off his cloak and called out that week's password, Bludger.

"Young man, do you have any idea what time it is?" the portrait chided him, even as she swung open.

"Some time after 2 am," Harry answered as he stepped inside. The Fat Lady huffed but couldn't stop him from stepping through... only for Harry to stop in his tracks as he found someone glaring at him from her position on the Common Room couch.

"Out causing trouble again, Harry? You don't even care about the rules, do you?" Hermione glared at him as if he had just personally insulted her.

"I never cared about them at all," he blurted out. "And I am not in trouble!"

Hermione rose to her feet and placed her hands on her hips as she continued glaring at him. "Harry James Potter! You go out at night doing Merlin-knows-what and then openly declare your love of rule breaking? What's stopping me from docking you points and assigning you a detention?"

"Certainly not our friendship since you seem dead set on ruining it! For the record, I was trying to get a Dreamless Sleep potion to stop the nightmares, not that you'd care!"

"How dare you accuse me of ruining our friendship? I am not the one going about with ridiculous theories that Malfoy has the Dark Mark! And I am certainly not the one cheating in class!"

"Cheating? Screw you, Hermione! The only reason I tried to do well in class in the first place was to impress you!"

"Well you picked a rotten way of – wait." Hermione's glare softened a little. "What do you mean, impress me?"

"Well, I'm a lazy sod, and you've been trying to get me to do better for years... I thought with the Prince's Book I finally had a chance to prove myself to you," Harry answered. Immediately he grimaced, why exactly was he telling her this?

Her expression had softened further and she sat back down, patting the couch besides her in an invitation which Harry quickly complied with.
"Harry, tell me the truth. Why do you want to prove yourself to me?"

"Because I love you, but I am not worthy of you," Harry said. "Oh shit."

"You... you love me?" Hermione's eyes widened before she leaned in closer to him. "Harry, do you really love me?"

The word forced itself out. "Nngh... yes."

Hermione nibbled her lower lip, thinking. "Oh... oh. But... what about Cho? Aren't you interested in her?"

"She's pretty, but not as pretty as you. I can't talk with her like we can. Could."

"Oh, Harry..." Hermione moved closer and hugged him.

"I like it when you hug me," Harry said after a few moments.

"And I like hugging you, Harry," she replied. "Why didn't you ever tell me these things before?"

"I never thought you liked me back. You seemed to be more interested in Ron."

She broke off the hug, looking at him with slight disgust. "Ron? Are you mad? Can you imagine what would happen if we got together?"

"You'd be fighting all the time, and he would constantly belittle you out of jealousy," Harry answered.

"Exactly," she scoffed. "Well then Harry, glad we had this... interesting talk. We should talk some more tomorrow. For now, let's go to bed."

"Ah..." Harry blushed.

"Ohmygod... did you think I meant... ?"

"Yes. I want you, Hermione... you are everything I want in a girl," he blurted out.

"Oh... oh." Now she was blushing, too. "Tomorrow, Harry. You're going to have a long chat with your girlfriend about all of this after we've both gotten some sleep... in our own beds."

"Night... I love you."

"Good night, Harry... dream of me," Hermione said in reply, kissing him on the cheek before she headed up the stair to the girls' dorm.

"I will," Harry whispered after her.

It took a long time before he fell asleep that night.

A/N: Written for the QLFC Round 7. Prompt: write about the Veritaserum Potion.