Author's Note: Welcome to Chapter 3, "An Alluring Enchanter"! Original plot is from The Innocent Anonymous Blusher. I got title help from her too. This takes place during the 1700s. Please review! I live on reviews! (Well, not really, but it's great to get them.)

Disclaimer: I don't own anything you can recognize from Harry Potter.

As he led her down the steps and into the garden, Ginny couldn't help but let out a giggle at the absurd albino peacocks, strutting around like they ruled the world. "What?" Draco said, sounding a little confused. "What do you find so funny?"

Startled once again by the hint of sincerity in his voice, Ginny looked up at him, and found, yet again, that his eyes were full of some kindness she'd never seen before. Flustered before she could understand why, she explained hastily. "It's the peacocks – they're so absurd, the way they do everything. Always pompous, always asking for attention."

Draco laughed for the first time since Ginny had arrived. It was a quick little laugh, designed for charm and wit. Ginny had to admit that it did its job quite well, but she couldn't help wondering how many hours he'd spent practicing.

He led her to a stone bench and gestured for her to take a seat.

With a shuddering deep breath, he gripped her hand and began with a simple sentence. "Ginny, this is, like the peacocks, going to sound utterly absurd."

Ginny took a deep breath and waited for the worst.

"When my father… died," Draco said with difficulty, sitting down beside her on the cold stone of the bench, "he left us a few surprises in his will. One of them was that he'd contacted your father to propose a marriage between us."

She gaped at him. "And you plan to go through with this?" she asked, befuddled. She'd known that Draco had always taken after his father, but – this? An arranged marriage?

Draco got to his feet, pacing in front of her. "I'd like to go through with it, if you'll accept my proposal."

She gave him a look that had skepticism written all over it, complete with a raised eyebrow. "You mean your father's proposal."

He paused in his step and looked at her before going back to his pacing. That single look was filled with such hope and anxiety that Ginny had to turn her gaze to her lap.

It wasn't just his father's proposal. Draco believed in it too. But there was no way she could say yes. She was promised. The silver ring gleamed innocently on her right ring finger. She twisted it around, the tiny imprint of a seashell disappearing behind her finger. It was the only mark on the otherwise plain silver band. It was all he'd been able to afford.

Harry.

Just thinking his name sent a shiver down Ginny's spine, and she suddenly dreaded sitting any longer in Draco's garden. She stood, but even as she made to leave, his fingers closed around her wrist, stopping her. As soon as she did it, she knew it was a mistake to look at him.

His gray eyes were so cool and captivating, yet heated and distracting at the same time. Not only that, but they beseeched her to stay.

She couldn't help it. She sat back down. "I believe we were going to have tea?" Ginny said, stalling for time.

His eyes brightened. "You are right, of course," he replied, pulling a tiny bell from his pocket. With one clear ring, a house elf appeared, carrying a tea tray on his head. The bandaged fingers balancing the plate told Ginny immediately that Dobby was still serving the Malfoy family, and she wordlessly took the platter from Dobby, setting it on the stone beside her. Dobby disappeared with a loud crack.

Draco took a seat on the other side of the tray, looking at her. It took Ginny a moment to realize that she was being spoken to. "Ah, yes. Sugar, please," she confirmed. Embarrassed by her sudden lack of wit, she stared once more into her lap as Draco poured tea. She did, however, notice when he picked up a pink bottle that screamed femininity and tried to pour its contents into her cup. Her hand shot out at once, covering her teacup. She knew enough to keep an eye on her drink. "What," she said, inclining her head toward the curvy bottle, "is that?"

Shock was obvious on Draco's face. He lifted the bottle and pointed at it. "This?"

Ginny nodded, suppressing a grim smile. Got you now, Malfoy, she thought.

"It's my favorite sweetener," Draco said, shrugging. "It's rare and very hard to make, but it's splendid in tea. I thought you might like to try some. This is the first time we've had any while you've been around."

Ginny's face fell and she sighed, lifting her hand away from her cup. Maybe it was possible that Draco really had become a gentleman. She couldn't watch as he tipped the syrupy liquid into her tea. Instead, she gazed fixedly at her ring.

Harry.

He handed her the cup that he'd poured the sweetener into.

Harry.

She took a sip. She took another sip.

Another sip, and all thoughts of Harry disappeared.

Draco.

For a few heartbeats, she knew something had gone terribly wrong, but that feeling shattered when the boy in front of her became irresistibly beautiful.

Her teacup shattered, too.

Gasping, she pulled out her wand, aiming to repair the cracked pieces. Draco got to it first, flicking his wand at it. The broken porcelain reshaped itself and soared back onto the tray, though it was empty of any drink.

Distantly, Ginny's hands hurt. She couldn't focus on that, though – all she could see was the young man who'd come to kneel in front of her. The sun played sweetly over his platinum hair, and his rain-colored eyes were filled with concern as he studied her hands. With a gentle touch, his white fingers caressed her palms, trying to stop the bleeding. Frantic, he pulled the little bell out of his pocket again and rang it.

Dobby reappeared. Draco said something to him, but Ginny heard only the rolling timbre of his voice. The words didn't matter; only that wonderful tone did – it was almost like music.

Dobby disappeared again.

Draco turned his attention back to her. Ginny's heart pounded in her chest.

He's looking at me. Draco's looking at me.

He held up his hand and trailed his fingers down her cheek. "It's alright," he said, voice saturated with reassurance and consolation that Ginny wasn't completely sure she was in need of. "I'll take care of you."

Ginny smiled. She didn't trust herself to speak. His touch was comfort enough, but his words made her relax.

A house elf ran down the stairs from the house and into the garden. Draco beckoned it over and took a cloth bandage from the tray in its hands before sending it back up the stairs.

As he wrapped her hand in the bandage, the fog that clouded Ginny's thoughts dissipated. She watched Draco's fingers work with interest, fascinated by his obviously caring touch. How had it taken her this long to notice him?

He'd changed. He was no longer the offensive, sarcastic boy she'd known during her past visits. He'd turned into a suitable young man…

A jolt of pain shooting through her fingers made her wince. A pair of gray eyes flashed up to hers, and Draco swiftly tied a small knot in the fabric to hold it in place. Eyes back on the ground, he stood.

Ginny stood at the same time, taking a sharp breath when her head hit a tree branch above her head. Scowling, she rubbed the top of her skull. "I am so accident prone today…" she said, fiddling a bit with her skirts and refusing to meet Draco's gaze. She heard a sigh from above her head. Warm fingers touched the bottom of her chin, lightly forcing her to look up.

Draco searched her eyes, breath warm on her face. He studied her for a moment more, and then asked a question she knew she'd hear. "Will you consent to marry me?"

Even though some part of her was rebelling, she nodded. "I will marry you." And she did something that would have shocked even a kitchen maid.

She kissed Draco Malfoy, the one she'd sworn was her arch enemy in the past, and she kissed him with fervor. She could feel his smile – a real smile – against her lips, and it was wonderful. His fingers wrapped themselves in her hair, and his free hand traced her fingers.

She didn't notice when her promise ring slipped off and fell into the dirt.

She didn't notice when a silver, coiled snake ring replaced it.

And she didn't notice the tiny gold letters on the bottle of sweetener.

Bella Dolce – A Love Potion for Bewitching Witches.