AN: This is written for The Joys of Arranged Marriages. Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Note: I've written this my way, with certain people being friends. It's my story so if you have a problem with it, too bad. Read and review!

…

"What's this?" The teenaged boy held a small box in his hand, offering it out to the girl in front of him. She slowly took it from his palm with a quizzical look on her face.

"Did I miss something?" she asked, "I'm pretty sure it's not my birthday." She took the top off and stared at its content. "What is this?"

"It's a promise ring," the boy said.

The girl looked up at him, noticing that he wore an identical necklace. "And what promise were you going to propose?"

He stepped closer to her. "Promise me that we'll always be together, even when we're not; that our friendship will always last; and we'll help each other no matter what." He took the small, gold ring by the chain he had put it on, and held it in front of her.

"So, promise?"

"I promise."

The boy put the necklace around his friend's neck. "So what with the promise ring and everything? You're not normally like this," she asked him.

He ran a hand through his hair. "I…I've heard that there's going to be changes coming soon. And I don't want whatever that change is, to get in the way of our friendship."

The small smile on her face fell. "Well, it won't," she said. "I can most definitely promise that."

…

In the rainy, early fall afternoon, Draco Malfoy made his way to the old oak tree on the farthest corner of the Malfoy property with a spring in his step. He had a confession; a confession that he was both excited and nervous to execute within the closing yards to his destination.

Once under the concealment of the tree, Draco was greeted with his best friend's sobs. She leaned against the tree, trying to stifle her sobs and wipe her continuous tears upon his arrival.

"What's wrong? What happened?" he asked, deeply concerned as crying was unusual for her. A letter extended from her shaky grasp towards him. He slowly took it and stealing a glance at the seal on the top of the page, sped read it.

The words in the middle of the page made his heart drop.

"You what?"

"I-I have to m-marry Cormac McLaggen!"

"Why?" He read the letter, he knew why. He just couldn't comprehend it.

"S-some new marriage l-law. It's awful!" she cried.

Everything seemed to crash down on him. This was the change he had heard about.

He stared at her, finding the promise ring necklace still around her neck after he had given it to her almost a year ago.

"Run away with me," he said. It just came out; his mind was in such a blur; he didn't want to lose his best friend.

"W-what?"

"Run away with me."

"I can't! I'd be in violation of the law!"

"Screw the law! I'll get my parents to pull a few strings. I know you don't want to marry him," Draco said.

Her lip quivered. "I don't! But there may n-not be enough t-time…"

"What? What do you mean?"

"H-his parents are supposed to set the d-date today."

Draco let out a frustrated sigh. Why did this have to happen now?

She began to cry again and Draco stepped closer and hugged her. "We'll figure something out, Hermione."

His confession, for now, was put on hold.

…

Draco's week was stressed, spent half the time pacing and the other time thinking. He had asked his parents for any information on the new marriage law, how one could terminate it, but their answers came up short. Hermione was stuck and Draco would never be able to tell her.

An owl scratched on his window with a letter in tow. He sat up from lying on his bed and raced to it. He almost tore the letter open, recognizing the neatly scrawled writing.

It read:

Draco, the date's been set-one week from today-Saturday. I can't meet with you today; I'm stuck with wedding plans. Meet me in Diagon Alley tomorrow, outside of that new wedding boutique-12pm. Yours truly, Hermione.

Draco dropped the letter; let it float down to the floor, as he sat back down on his bed. He had a week to get her out of this; or to tell her.

This was going to be one hell of a week.

…

"No, I don't like that one. It's too puffy."

Hermione frowned, her patience running thin. "You've been shooting down dresses all morning, Cormac! I don't even understand why you need to be here!" Stress was getting to her.

"Alright, let's take a break," Cormac's mother suggested. Hermione returned to the dressing room and changed before heading outside into the cold.

She spotted Draco leaning against a stoned wall and walked over. The moment he saw her, Draco took off his blazer. "Tough morning? You forgot to grab a coat." Draco said.

Hermione looked down at herself, with just the jeans and short sleeved top she had on. "I guess I forgot to grab it from the dressing room."

"Take mine," Draco said giving his to her, watching her put his black, oversized coat. "So how'd it go?"

"Cormac's not liked one dress I've put on, and it's so frustrating!" Hermione exclaimed, twirling the ring at her throat.

"My offer still stands," Draco said. Hermione shook her head. "I don't…can we change the subject?"

"Of course," Draco said. He cleared his throat. "Um…I have to tell you something." This was going to be his only chance.

"Yes?"

"I've been thinking about it lately, and I have to tell you that…" Draco looked up from his feet and saw it. "McLaggen is walking over."

Hermione became confused. "Pardon?"

"He's walking over."

Sure enough, Cormac strode up, with his hands in his pockets. "Hermione, come back inside-who is this?"

Hermione glanced between the two men as Draco reached his hand out first. "Draco Malfoy," he introduced. Draco looked into Cormac's eyes and didn't like the emotions there-jealous, arrogant, dangerous. When Cormac withdrew his hand from the shake, he looked at the oversized men's coat on Hermione and began to raise a suspicious eyebrow.

"He's my friend, Cormac. I asked him to meet me down here," she said, adding, "I forgot my coat inside."

"Oh, then you've heard about the wedding I presume," Cormac addressed toward Draco.

"Yeah, I have," Draco answered, slightly unenthusiastically. He debated about telling him he didn't like it.

There was a small silence between the three before Cormac said, "Well, nice meeting you, we've got to get back to dresses. Darling, give the man back his coat."

Hermione handed Draco back his coat and said, "I'll see you later then, Draco," smiling at him, before she began to walk away with Cormac. When Draco was out of ear-shot, Cormac leaned into Hermione's ear and asked, "He's the one that gave you that necklace?"

"Yes, why?"

"I want it off before you walk down the aisle."

"Absolutely not!" Hermione exclaimed, paused her walking and turned to face him. "We made a promise to each other that I'm going-"

"That's going to expire when we marry!"

Hermione pushed Cormac away from her. "You're so full of it!" she yelled, before she instantly Disapparated.

Draco watched their argument; saw Hermione disappear. As Cormac's mother ran outside after witnessing the commotion, Draco himself, Disapparated, knowing exactly where she'd be. Maybe he'd be able to tell her now.

…

AN: So first chapter done! I was planning on this being only a few chapter's long. Please R&R!