We Need a Ring

Chapter 1: Cheers to a Loveless Marriage!

…

Draco POV

"I mean, we're going to be paired up with someone. Isn't it so unfair?" Pansy looked horrified. "Salazar Slytherin should just put me in Azkaban!"

I raised an eyebrow.

"You're just worried that Blaise won't be your partner," I clearly stated, taking a drink of my coffee.

I was with my friend, Pansy Parkinson, drinking coffee in a local café.

Pansy scrunched up her nose and frowned. "Of course I am," she says, looking me in the eyes. "After all, he's my boyfriend, and I do love him," she adds, looking down with a frown on her face. I can tell she was worried.

Heck, even I was.

Pansy's face showed complete sadness. It was a shame, because she turned out really pretty growing up. And she smiles a lot more now, too. Pansy's long black hair had been cut up to her shoulders just a week ago and her bright, blue eyes were shining even more. It's probably because the war has ended and she seemed to get along with everyone now.

Even the bloody Gryffindors.

She said something about 'burying the hatchet' and 'wanting to feel some sort of release.'

To tell the truth, I wasn't listening to her much. She just went on and on about how she felt when the youngest Weasel finally accepted her.

And don't get me wrong, I'm not the complete arse I used to be when I was a skinny teenager, but I wasn't that comfortable whenever I was around people I was against.

Take the Hufflepuffs for example. I swear those people tend to forget all grudges.

"… And wow, Draco, I forgot you're totally single!"

That got my attention.

I wasn't really 'single' you see. I liked to hang out with different women. You know, get on the cover of Witch Weekly as The Hottest Bachelor to Date, yeah, that kind of stuff.

"Fuck," I cursed, and I was getting ready for my mother to suddenly jump at me and shout, "Draco Malfoy, what did I say about cursing?"

Pansy just grinned at me.

"Oh dear, what will the ladies do now?" Pansy mocked, sighing, "Draco Malfoy, the hottest bachelor, getting married."

"Shut it, Pans," I scowled.

You see, there's this new thing called the Kingsley Marriage Law.

Basically, witches and wizards above twenty are paired off and married, and mostly those paired up witches and wizards are from your school.

That means I'll have to marry someone from Hogwarts.

I hope it isn't a Hufflepuff.

And this whole dumb idea is supposedly done to help with our wizarding population. I mean, many people died in the war and all, it's pretty understandable.

But it means you're going to have children too.

It's a huge thing for everyone and complaints came but Kingsley seemed to like the outrageous idea.

Pansy put her head in her hands. "I'm going to kill Kingsley if I'm not paired off with Blaise."

I laughed. That actually seemed like a good idea.

"Good luck on that one," I reply, and she looks up at me and raises an eyebrow.

"You're not going to help me plan his death?"

"No, you're on your own."

Pansy sighed and took her coffee mug. She took a sip and drew back from it, leaning comfortably on the back of her chair. She talked a little longer until she saw Blaise come in the café.

"Blaise!"

"Hey there, mate," said Blaise Zabini, giving me a nod. I nodded back. Blaise and I have been best friends ever since the war stopped.

"Blaise, what are you doing here?" asked Pansy, frantically smoothing out her hair. She was such a girl.

"Pans, you can stop trying to make yourself presentable, Blaise has been your boyfriend for three years, I bet he doesn't give a damn," I drawled, and took another gulp of coffee.

Pansy immediately blushed and shot me a look, and I just shrugged.

Girls will be girls.

"So anyways, why are you here?" Pansy asked, and Blaise took a seat next to me.

"Well, I had to tell you something…"

I raised an eyebrow and smirked. Well, maybe Blaise took my advice after all.

"So tell me, I've got lots of time. Drakie-Poo isn't too happy with the Marriage Law and all," Pansy replied, and smiled triumphantly at me, before staring at Blaise.

Blaise gave me a funny look, and after what seemed like minutes of looking at me, he burst out laughing.

"Too scared of commitment just yet, mate?" Blaise asked me, still laughing. I scowled at him. "Damn right you are."

Blaise laughed even harder.

"Shut up, everyone's looking our way," I hissed at him and he just grins at me.

I narrowed my eyebrows at him. "Besides, Blaise, I thought you wanted to tell Pansy something."

Blaise immediately shut up. "Yeah," he whispered, as he got up.

"Blaise?" said Pansy, worry coating her words, "Is something wrong?"

Then Blaise walked up to where Pansy was sitting, took her hand, and then stood in front of her.

Pansy shot him the alarm signals. "Blaise…? Are you alright?"

Slowly, Blaise got down on one knee, and I smirked.

Yes.

Pansy just looked at Blaise; with the most shocked expression I ever saw her wear.

"I was thinking that maybe you'll accept this heart of mine," Blaise started. "I love you, Pansy, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I don't want this Marriage Law to mess us up. I need you in my life, and I hope you need me too."

Blaise fumbled with his coat pocket, took out a small black box and presented her engagement ring, the one I helped him choose.

Pansy's eyes shimmered with unshed tears.

I tried my best not to look away.

Blaise cleared his throat. "Pansy Arianne Parkinson, will you marry me?"

Pansy just looked at Blaise, the tears starting to fall. The rest of the café looked at us too, expecting her answer. I suppose this doesn't usually happen in the café.

"I love you," Pansy breathed, "So of course I will."

And Blaise stood up, and took her in his arms. Pansy was sobbing and smiling at the same time and the audience seemed to like them so much, they clapped their hands at the happy couple. Blaise slid the ring on her finger.

Good for them.

"You saw this coming, didn't you, Drakie," said Pansy, shaking her head at me. I smirked. "Well, you can say that."

Pansy just grinned and I can tell that she was just so ecstatic that she might skip her way back to town.

"I have to tell everyone," she gushed, glancing at her ring, then looking at her fiancé.

Blaise grinned. "Well, we do have to plan a wedding, love."

She hugged him again. "Thank you so much, Blaise. I was so worried about the Marriage Law," she whispered, and her tears started to fall again.

I casually sip my coffee.

"I have to tell the girls!" she suddenly beamed.

"Girls being who?" I asked, curiously.

She raised an eyebrow. "You know, Ginny Weasley, Luna Lovegood, Astoria Greengrass, Lavender Brown, the Patil twins, Hermione Granger…"

I almost choked on my coffee.

"You hang out with all of them for girl shopping and stuff?" I asked incredulously. I mean seriously, Astoria I can understand, but I didn't know she was so comfortable with all of them.

Pansy narrowed her eyes at me. "Yes, I do. Draco, it's been years since the war and you haven't even spoke to Hermione."

I scoffed. "Granger just kept being a pain in my ass."

"You know, she's pretty hot," she said, glancing at Blaise. She smiled at me.

"Yeah, she is," Blaise supplied, and that earned him a grin from Pansy.

They were trying to make me feel guilty or something.

"Whatever, I'm not interested. And I can act civil, alright? But I just can't go buddy-buddy on the Weasel and the Scarhead."

Blaise laughed at me. "Draco, seriously, maybe you should try to hang out with them. They're not that bad."

"Oh yeah?" I said, snorting. "Gee, Blaise, I didn't know."

Pansy rolled her eyes at me.

"I feel sorry for whoever ends up with you," she teased. I faked hurt.

But to be honest, I felt sorry for the girl who ends up with me too.

…

Hermione POV

"Have you heard, have you heard?"

I tried to cover my ears since Ginny's squealing was driving me insane.

Ginny's eyes turned to me and she grinned so widely.

"This better be good," I groaned.

"Of course it is!" she chided, "One of the girls is getting married!"

That got my attention pretty well. I looked at Ginny and dropped my papers.

"Oh Merlin!" I exclaim, "Really? Who?"

Ginny gave me one of her smug looks. "Pansy's getting married to Blaise. He popped the question today."

I jumped up. "It's about time! They've been dating for three years."

Then I took my seat and sat down on it. "I'm so happy for them."

Slowly, Ginny placed a hand on my shoulder. "Hermione, you'll have your own wedding, you'll see…"

I laughed. "I'm not so worried about that, since there's that Marriage Law thing that Kingsley set up."

"Oh of course," said Ginny, she gave me a soft smile.

Ginny Weasley was now Ginny Potter. Me and the others had been invited to the wedding. And it was Pansy's turn. Pansy deserved the happiness.

"Kingsley told me that we'll find out who are partners are tomorrow," I said, trying to change the subject. "I sure hope I get a decent man."

Ginny stood up and laughed. "Aren't we all, Hermione. Aren't we all."

…

This is the first chapter of my Marriage Law fic and I hope that you like it! And if it's short, I'm so sorry, I'll get to writing longer chapters as soon as I'm comfortable.

ErisedMirrors.