Heyyy what's up? haha sorry I made you guys wait so long, it's just that I was pretty disappointed with how many reviews my first chapter got :( Oh well, I hope this one will be better *hinthint* ;) Okay anyway I hope you like this chapter :D A HUGE thank you to my incredibly awesome beta katnissisthelove because my computer died on me and I lost all my stories and THANK GOODNESS she had it in her computer :D so this chapter is dedicated to her!

WARNING: Some Ron bashing ^^

Enjoy and please review :D

Chapter 2: Marry Me?

Hermione had just settled in her comfy four-poster bed with her Charms text, fully intending to draw out her lesson plan for the next few weeks or so when Ginny burst in, her curvy body clad in a sapphire asymmetrical dress. Hermione glanced up in surprise and her Charms text hit the wooded floor with a thud.

"'Mione, what are you doing in bed? Have you picked out a dress to wear yet?" Ginny asked as she fumbled around at her side of the room, gathering accessories and makeup. Ginny sighed when she saw Hermione's bewildered look. "McGonagall's welcome party for the new professors, remember? It starts in an hour!"

"Oh," Hermione stared ant Ginny's reflection as she expertly applied eyeshadow and mascara. She swiped on peach coloured gloss that complimented her skin tone perfectly. "Then I guess I'm not going."

Ginny looked aghast at her declaration. "But you have to! Ron is going to…" She caught herself just in time. "Anyway, you have to go." She finished lamely. Hermione narrowed her eyes but decided to give in. after all, this was Ginny and she had been proven to not only have one hell of a Bat Bogey curse, but also many new variations, just waiting to be tested on the next deserving subject. Hermione shuddered at the memory of the last seventh year Hufflepuff that had tried to cross Ginny.

With a colossal sigh, she threw her covers aside and proceeded to raid her meager closet for a dress to wear when Ginny pulled out an emerald green strapless dress from its garment bag with a flourish. Her eyes widened at the very strongly Slytherin reminiscent dress and she was about to open her mouth to protest when Ginny shook her finger, much like an adult reprimanding a small child.

"You're wearing this, and that's that," Ginny said mock sternly, tossing the frock at her. She caught it and reluctantly stripped and pulled it over her head. No need for modesty with Ginny.

Ginny waved her wand and a sheen of natural looking makeup enhanced Hermione's feminine features. Whilst it was not as perfect as it would have been, had it been applied by hand, Hermione reckoned that it had still improved her looks tremendously. She looked herself over. Her chest wasn't really that well endowed enough to fill the cups of the dress nicely and it sagged a little. Ginny observed this and held up a padded push up bra but she put her foot down. No way was she going to wear a push up bra and show off all her cleavage to the world. Or more specifically, the groping hands of Ron Weasley.

In the end, she used her wand to magically shrink the midriff section of her dress, so it fit her perfectly and stepped into ruby flats. She grabbed a simple black clutch, filling it with necessities for that night. Hermione glanced back and the mirror at her unruly brown hair but decided to leave it. After all, nobody could ever be perfect, could they?

They made their way to the Room Of Requirement, where Hermione muttered, "I need a private room" three times before a door with a gold ornate handle appeared, as had been promised by the gold gilded invitation that Mcgonagall had sent ahead. Hermione and Ginny made their way inside to the intimate setting. Hermione was happy to see Neville and a few other acquaintances that she hadn't seen on the train. She strode over eagerly, wanting to say hi and perhaps catch up a little about the good old times when Ron abruptly showed up behind her and wrapped his arms round her waist. He frowned at the colour of her dress, but didn't complain at the amount of skin it revealed. As he pressed his lips to her bare shoulder, she was glad she turned down Ginny's push up bra, for who knew what other unspeakable things Ron might attempt to do, at the slightest hint of added cleavage?

The movement of the Weasel's bright carrot red hair caught his eye and he turned to watch as he kissed Granger. The weasel seemed to have a little problem with the colour of her dress, but Draco didn't have any problem at all. Oh no. He licked his lips as the tempting sight of Granger, the untouchable Gryffindor princess dressed in such alluring Slytherin colours.

Astoria slipped her arms round his slim waist. "What's so delicious, love?"

Draco ground his teeth to keep from pulling away and forced himself to remain civil with her. "Nothing… just the chocolate frogs, m'dear," he improvised, even though there were no chocolate frogs to be seen. He immediately became turned off when he feltAstoriapress her whole body against his own lean and lithe one. Merlin, he thought, couldn't she have some public decency at least? He was just about to pull away and tell her off when McGonagall addressed the small pulled away and Draco felt Granger's eyes burning into his shoulder from across the room.

"Good evening, professors. As you may know, we are to be working very closely together in the term to come, so I hope that you may all come to address me as Minerva. It gives me great pleasure to be able to call back this very talented group of recent graduates to enter the hallowed halls of Hogwarts once more, embarking on a journey to impart your great knowledge and wisdom to those in need of it." Mcgonagall's words echoed within the room, which had become deathly silent, as every young professor, regardless of their previous houses, hung on to her every word.

"But I am an old woman, and I do tend to go on, as I'm sure many of you will have the chance to experience for yourself, soon enough. But before we begin the festivities, I believe we have a special event planned. Mr. Weasley?" With this, the lights in the room dimmed and there was a spotlight thrown over where Hermione and Ron were standing.

Hermione fidgeted uncomfortably as all attention was immediately cast on her and Ron. If the room had been deathly silent before, then it was so silent then that even the ghosts of Hogwart's past had turned their focus onto the fairytale couple in the middle of the dance floor. Hermione glanced at Ron helplessly. Ron, whose attention had seemed to be captured by a lady somewhere off to his right, wrenched his gaze away to rest on Hermione. He pulled a box out of his pocket and got down on one knee. A gasp ripped from her throat.

"Hermione Jean Granger, will you marry me?" Ron said nervously and pried open the box. It contained a magical ring, one that would bind them together forever. Hermione was far from stupid. If she ever decided to break their engagement, she would suffer from withdrawal symptoms… or worse. She didn't think these rings were even used anymore. While Ron was adjusting his position, a round object clattered out of his pocket and the graphics of her and Ron's parents hovered above it.

"Well er, you see, I promised them a live telecast of this…" Ron stuttered, not aware that he was putting more pressure on Hermione. Or perhaps very much aware, Hermione pondered thoughtfully, which was the very reason why he did it in the first place. Immediately, she pushed the traitorous thoughts away from the front of her mind, and glanced cautiously at the crowd of people around her. Her gaze finally landed on the jubilant, excited faces of her parents. This could not end well.

She slowly turned her head and met a pair of steel gray eyes.

Draco scoffed. Weasley, the ever present fool. Didn't he know that Hermione absolutely didn't want to marry him, ever? The blithering idiot still had the audacity to propose in public, where everyone was expecting her to say yes. Girls couldn't –shouldn't!- be forced into decisions like this, not when it concerned their entire future. Granger turned to meet his eyes and he could see the inaudible plea in them. He sympathized with her, knowing how it felt like to be forced into a marriage. He wanted to do something, anything. But Lucius was watching. But- bloody hell, did he just admit he felt sorry for Granger? He was a Malfoy! Malfoys didn't show sympathy for anyone, much less a mudblood muggleborn know-it-all like Granger. But then again, Malfoys weren't complete cowards either, as contrary as that is to popular belief.

"Go on, love." Hermione's parents chorused, tears filling their eyes. This made Hermione break eye contact with him. Draco caught sight of the ring; it had similar binding properties that his own had. He had no idea the Weasel was this barbaric, but then again, what could one expect from such a disgraceful blood traitor of that kind of standing? Hopefully Granger knew what she was getting herself into.

Draco watch as her mouth parted slightly. She took a deep breath to steel her nerves and surveyed the people around her once more, as if reminding herself that there was no escape from this.

He watched as she extended her left hand toward the Weasel.

He watched as she closed her eyes and heard her beautiful rose-bud lips uttered her whispered agreement.

"I will."

How was it? Let me know please! Even if it's just a simple ':)' I'll appreciate it! REVIEW :D