A/N: So, this oneshot takes place after D3. It's kind of, but not exactly canon-divergent. I consider it an interpretation of canon. This chapter features Harry and Uma, and Ben and Mal (Audrey, Evie, and Carlos are mentioned). It came out way more dramatic than I'd originally planned, but I eventually decided to just lean into it. Let me know what you think!

Inspired by a request from: Baddass_Princess (I know this might not be exactly what you had in mind, but I hope you enjoy it anyway!)

"So... How did you two meet?"

Uma stifles a groan at Ben's question. Not even one minute in, and this was already torture.

Although, what else could she expect from a double date with her oldest sworn enemy and the king of Auradon. That's not to say that she hasn't been trying to rekindle her old friendship with Mal, and she and Ben had actually been getting on pretty well since she came to Auradon. But being with them when they're together...

She isn't sure how to explain it. It just feels strange.

But when Mal had presented the double date idea initially, Uma had unfortunately been unable to come up with an excuse to say no.

Of course, looking back on it, what she should have said was, "Me and Harry aren't dating."

And it wouldn't have even been a lie.

... Not completely, anyway.

But now she found herself on a picnic blanket across from Mal and Ben, a bunch of plates of sandwiches and cheese and grapes and other assorted picnic foods between them, overlooking the clear, blue, sparkling Enchanted Lake.

How romantic.

The silence is almost palpable as Uma shoves a sandwich into her mouth to stall for a little bit. However, Harry jumps in and says, "We met down at the docks on the Isle back when we were little kids. Been inseparable ever since."

Ben smiles, Mal gives a little nod, and Uma attempts to keep the conversation going, "What about you guys? I mean, obviously when Mal first came to Auradon-"

Mal laughs, "Oh, it's kind of a funny story, actually. When we drove in on the limo, you know Auradon, they had brought a whole welcome wagon to greet us, the band, Ben, Fairy Godmother, and of course Audrey was there hanging off of Ben's arm like usual."

Harry and Uma send each other a confused glance. Does Mal really still carry some resentment towards Audrey for her relationship with Ben?

When they both steal a look at him, however, he doesn't even seem to have noticed. He's just sitting there and smiling at his fiancé fondly.

Mal continues, not even noticing, "... And then Audrey told Evie that she didn't count as a real princess here. It broke her poor little heart at the time-"

"Hey, I don't mean to interrupt," Harry cuts in a little forcefully, "But I thought this story was supposed to be about you and Ben. Not Audrey."

Mal smiles bashfully and lets out a little laugh, "Right, of course. It's just that thinking back to those times reminds me of how things used to be. Audrey wasn't the nicest to me or my friends when we first got here."

Ben rubs Mal's back supportively, and she smiles at him while Harry and Uma resist the urge to roll their eyes.

"Sounds like you still kind of hold a grudge against her," Uma observes.

Mal holds up her hands in defense, "No, of course not! Audrey's changed, she's a much better person now. It's just that we have to hold people accountable for their actions from the past, even if we know that they've outgrown the way they used to be."

Harry and Uma's eyes practically bug out of their heads. Mal is preaching about accountability?

Uma and Harry share a quick glance before she turns back to Mal and smiles, "Of course. I completely agree. You do remember how we met, right Mal? Or better yet, when we stopped being friends?"

Uma takes pride in the way the other girl's eyes widen ever so slightly, "Oh, that was so long ago. I don't think you've heard this story yet, right Ben?"

The king shakes his head, "Mal doesn't really tell me much about her time on the Isle, but I'd love to hear about it."

Uma grins, "And I'm happy to tell. You see, me and Mal had been playing a prank on the infamous Cruella De Vil. It kind of went sideways, and your fiancé here ended up falling off the pier into the ocean."

"And you laughed at me!" Mal blurts loudly.

Uma presses a hand to her chest, speaking with mock pity, "Oh, I'm sorry, Mal. Is this still a sore subject for you? You're one hundred percent right, we all need to be accountable for our actions. I'm sorry that I rightfully assumed you had grabbed onto the ladder under the dock. I'm sorry that I acted the way we'd all been taught, to be callous and uncaring and evil. I'm sorry that I followed your example and was a little bit mean to you for all the times you'd been cruel to me. I am so sorry that the 'I was raised evil!' excuse apparently works for you but not for me."

Mal is slack-jawed by the time Uma is finished, her face red as a tomato. She splutters out something like a laugh, "I guess deep down, I was against those villian morals even back then!"

Uma laughs back, "I guess so. That's why you dumped a bucket of rotten shrimp on my head when I got concerned after you hadn't come back up."

Mal visibly grimaces, and Ben turns to her with confusion, "What? You told me that Maleficent and Ursula had something to do with you and Uma-"

"It's an embarassing story, okay!" Mal stutters frantically, "I though we were past this, Uma. That wasn't me doing that stuff. It was-"

"Your mother talking, we know," Harry scoffs before switching to a higher pitched voice, "But we need to hold people accountable for their actions from the past, even if we know that they've outgrown the way they used to be."

Mal winces at having her own words used against her, "That was about Audrey, not me! Uma, Harry, you know what it was like on the Isle. You know what we had to do, how we had to act-"

"That's funny," Harry cuts in, "I thought that deep down, even back then, you were against thsoe villain morals."

"And if I remember correctly," Uma continues, "You dumped that shrimp on my head for acting exactly the way we were supposed to. The only thing that was different was the fact that it was you being the victim instead of the bully."

"Uma-" Mal whimpers softly.

"And then," Uma punctuates each word, "You kicked me out of your gang for being 'too soft.' What did you want, Mal? Did you want me to be evil, or did you want me to care about you? Because that seems like a double standard to me."

Mal looks away pointedly, obviously struggling to come up with a response. She takes a bite of a strawberry before saying, "I wasn't trying to hurt you."

Uma snorts, "Funny, I interpreted it the exact opposite."

Ben looks to his upset fiancé and pleads, "Listen guys, can we change the subject?"

"Of course!" Harry grins, "How did you two get together?"

Ben smiles and Mal perks up a bit at that question. They share a little non-verbal conversation before Mal begins, "So, me and Ben had a connection right when we first saw each other, even though he was dating Audrey at the time. Later on, I... Kind of got a crush on him. I had no idea what to do about it, and my mom had given me her spell book, so I decided to use a love spell."

"She gave it to me in a chocolate chip cookie," Ben laughs.

"Wait, wait, wait," Uma interjects, "Is that what you've been telling everyone?"

Mal frowns, "What do you mean?"

"Is this what you've been telling everyone?" Uma repeats, "Have you been lying and saying that you put a love spell on Ben because you had a crush on him? This entire time?"

"Uma, what are you talking about?" Ben laughs uncomfotably.

Harry openly gapes at Mal, "You didn't tell him."

"What is there to tell?" Mal replies, shifting uncomfortably under the scrutiny of everyone else.

"You're unbelievable," Uma shakes her head, "I can't believe you've kept it a secret this whole time. And lied right to his face."

"Hey, that's enough!" Ben exclaims, "I don't know why you two are being so antagonistic, but Mal is obviously uncomfortable right now."

While Mal smiles at him gratefully, Harry and Uma just look at him with pity.

"It's okay Ben, they're just curious. Love spells are kind of a taboo thing in the magic community," Mal explains bashfully.

"Are you kidding me?" Harry shouts, "This isn't right. How dare you say that you've changed-"

"Harry," Uma cuts him off, and he reluctantly shuts his mouth, glaring at Mal the whole time.

Uma turns to Mal again, "I don't know what game you're trying to play here, but he deserves the truth. Ben, Mal didn't spell you because she liked you. She spelled you to get the wand."

"That's not true!" Mal shrieks, hands flying out to her sides, "Why would I lie to you, Ben?"

"You are shameless," Harry hisses at Mal, "This is pathetic even for you."

"I'm not lying!" Mal exclaims, "How would you even know if I was?"

Uma narrows her eyes, "Your friends don't seem to be as keen on manipulating your fiancé as you are."

"They told you-" Mal cuts her outburst off with a cough, "I mean, what did they say?"

Uma shakes her head, "They thought he knew. Or, at least Evie and Carlos did. They thought you were just trying to keep it under wraps for the public. I should've known, though."

"Uma, what are you talking about?" Ben cuts in, "Mal, you'd never do that to me."

"Of course not," Mal replies, "Uma, I don't know what you thought they were telling you, but it's wrong. I love Ben, and I always have."

Uma looks over to Harry, and he side eyes Mal. She's definitely up to something.

Stay quiet for now, they both agree with a nod.

Sure enough, Mal reaches into the picnic basket and pulls out three sandwiches. She hands the first two to Harry and Uma, "Here. I made everyone sandwiches. And of course, peanut butter and jelly for Ben."

As soon as Uma touches the thing, she feels just the barest shock on her fingertips. She immediately tosses it to the side and knocks the others out of Ben and Harry's hands, exclaiming, "Don't eat those!"

"What the hell?" Mal shouts.

"What's going on?" Ben inquires, more mystified than anything else.

"Listen Uma, I don't know why you're determined to ruin this for all of us," Mal huffs, "I wanted this to be fun. I've been trying so hard to get past our rivalry-"

"You tried to drug us, you piece of shit!" Uma stands, finally losing her temper.

Mal gawks, "What are you accusing me of?"

"Oh, give it up," Uma snarls, "Stop acting like the victim. Your friends told us the truth about your original plan. You wrote about it in Audrey's diary. Just how long did you think you could fool everyone?"

Mal opens her mouth to respond, but Uma cuts her off, "Stop pretending that this stupid double date was a genuine and concious effort to try and be a better friend to me."

Mal persists, "But that's what this is-"

"Bullshit," Harry barks.

Uma shakes her head, "You made me and Harry sandwiches with potions in them in preparation for the possibility that we might call you out on..."

She trails off for a second, and Mal takes the opportunity to try and get a word in, "I'm not trying to spell you, Uma. You're acting really paranoid-"

"They don't have potions in them, my ass! This was the whole reason you wanted to do this double date, isn't it? To get us completely under your finger too."

Ben suddenly stands in a rage and shouts, "This is ridiculous! Uma, what the hell is wrong with you? I'm willing to put up with you acting a little rude, but I'm not going to stand by and watch you insult and accuse my girlfriend of-"

"Fiancé," Mal cuts in fondly, standing and gripping Ben's arm in support. Ben smiles at her.

Harry scoffs, "Who's hanging off whose arm now?"

Ben turns back to the pirates angrily, ready to continue his rant, "Mal has done nothing wrong! The fact that you-"

He trails off in confusion as Uma holds out her hand and lifts some of the Enchanted Lake water to hover over Ben's head. The sea witch practically glares into Mal's eyes.

"I think there's one more thing that you're lying about, princess," Uma sighs, "And I really hope that I'm wrong."

She releases the water and it falls on Ben's head, calling him to cry out in surprise.

"What was that for?" He coughs out.

But Uma doesn't respond, instead focusing on the intense pink-purple glow that flashed from the water once it touched Ben's skin. With an incredulous look, the sea witch turns back to a shell-shocked Mal, "You tell him or I will."

The girl stays silent for only a moment before breaking down in angry tears, "I only did it- I only wanted someone to love me!"

Ben takes her hand, "I love you."

"No, you don't," she cries, "That's the spell talking."

Ben goes quiet in shock, "What?"

"I cast a love spell on you."

He shakes his head, "Mal, that wore off a long time ago, remember? In the Enchanted Lake? I didn't fake any of my feelings for you."

"No," she cries, "No, it didn't wear off. Well, it did. But that brownie-"

"Yes, I remember the anti-love potion," he reassures, "You gave it to me because you realized that keeping me under a spell was wrong."

"No," Mal whispers, "That isn't what happened. That brownie wasn't actually an anti-love potion."

"But-" Ben stutters, "Wait, that means-"

"It was another love potion," Uma finishes, looking to Mal, "Am I right?"

The purple-haired girl nods, staring at the ground in shame, "I told Evie that I wanted to break the spell... But I decided that I couldn't live in a world where you didn't love me."

"Mal, that's-" Ben shakes his head, "I can't believe you never told me."

Mal's shoulders start to shake, and Ben places his hands on them, "Of course I still love you."

"You don't get it, do you?" Mal chokes out.

When Ben just looks confused, and Mal doesn't look like she's going to elaborate, Uma sighs, "Love spells, when they deteriorate, make someone go insane. Insane like going on killing sprees. In some cases, killing the one who they were cursed to fall in love with. If the love spell is not either broken or maintained..."

"But it was broken," Ben protests.

Harry speaks up, "When? When after the brownie were you in a situation where the spell would have broken?"

"True Love's Kiss," Ben answers confidently, "Mal gave me..."

"That was not True Love's Kiss," Uma's eyes soften, "Her love spell simply overpowered mine."

"Because Mal still had a love spell on me. She always has, this entire time," Ben's face dawns with realization. He turns to face Mal, "Haven't you?"

She nods meekly, still crying, "Ben, please don't hate me. I just- I've been through so much-"

"How could you do this?" Ben's voice breaks, "How could you do this, how could you lie to me all this time?"

Mal looks up, "I didn't understand love. I still don't understand it. I just know that- that if I lose you, I don't-"

She takes a deep breath and reaches out her hands, "I'm sorry if you feel like I hurt you. But I only did it because I love you."

Ben turns away, tears openly running down his face. He laughs humorlessly, "And I thought it was bad when I found out you'd been wiping my memories."

Mal reaches for his shoulder, "Ben, please-"

He shrugs her hand off and turns back, "All those times you made me peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, huh? You were just giving me another dose. To stop me from going insane and killing everyone I love!"

"Ben, it's not like that!" Mal blubbers, "I feel so alone right now with the wedding and becoming queen, and I just need you to be here for me-"

"You need," Ben repeats, "It's always what you need, Mal. It's always been what you need."

He looks over to Harry and Uma, who both send him nods of affirmation. Whatever he does, at least he'll have friends behind him.

So he turns back to Mal and says, "If you're so unsure about it, we can call the wedding off."

"Wait-" she stammers, "Ben, wait no! Your- your parents will be so upset, I- I've just been getting along well with them-"

"I don't think that'll matter anymore," he states, "I'm calling off the wedding."

Mal goes silent, "Ben, are you- Are you breaking up with me?"

He stares at her for a few seconds before answering, "Yeah. Yeah, I guess I am."

She gasps, more tears spilling from her eyes, "No. No, you can't do that!"

He shakes his head at her, "Mal, I should report you to the police. You've committed treason on multiple counts."

Her jaw slackens in shock, "Ben, you would- You would do that to me? After all we've been through together?"

"I don't know," he replies, "Would you keep me under a love spell for years and lie to me not only about that, but how our entire relationship even started?"

"That's different!" Mal exclaims, "You can't just let me rot in prison!"

"And I'm not going to," he replies, "But I'm not going to let you treat me like garbage anymore, either."

Mal takes another step back, still silent in her shock. After a few seconds of silence, she looks back up. Her eyes begin to glow green, and she opens her mouth to start an incantation, "Take back this moment that has passed-"

However, she quickly backs away when Harry and Uma step up behind Ben. The king just looks at her with disappointment, "Are you fucking kidding me? Trying to erase my memories again? Unless you never stopped doing that, either."

"But I love you!" Mal cries.

Ben shakes his head, "And I loved you. Love isn't always a good thing."

"Ben, what are you saying?"

"Love is a feeling. It's up to us whether it's good or bad. And with you and me... it's been bad for a long time."

"Please don't leave me," she begs quietly, "I don't know how to-"

Ben softens, "Then come back with us."

Mal shakes her head, "How am I supposed to face everyone now?"

Ben sighs, "Mal, you've done bad things. That doesn't mean you're irredeemable. At least now you can start making up for your actions. And if it makes you feel any better, I'll be getting most of the heat for calling off the wedding."

She almost laughs, "What's going to happen to me?"

Ben takes a deep breath, "You will be put on trial. I don't know what will happen after that."

Mal's face contorts as she tries to keep in even more tears. Ben smiles at her reassuringly, "But I promise that everything's going to be okay."

As Ben talks to Mal, Harry and Uma attempt to comprehend the magnitude of what just occurred.

"Well," Harry comments, "That was one heck of a double date, huh?"

"That is an extreme understatement," Uma replies.

Harry grins, "Let's not let any of these Auradon weirdos ruin any more of our dates with their drama."

Uma chuckles, "Deal."

"I hope everything works out for Ben, though," he says before begrudgingly adding, "And Mal too, I guess."

Uma smirks, "Look at you, being all nice and caring."

Harry smiles back, and Uma turns back to Mal and Ben. She tilts her head, "But I think that everything is going to work out just fine."