Harry was too stunned to speak. As Malfoy walked away laughing, Harry stared at Ron and Hermione in shock. They stared back, helpless and frightened. He flung himself away from the table and sprinted from the Hall with Draco's mocking laughter dogging his heels.
They found him on the Quidditch pitch, beating Bludgers into the night sky and growling deep in his chest.
"Harry." Hermione was afraid to get too close to the flying balls, much less to him. "Harry. Stop. We need to figure out what to do. She can't marry him. She doesn't want to get married, she told me herself. We have to figure out how to help her."
Crack. Harry launched another Bludger with a terrific swing. "Why, Hermione? It's not like I have any hold over her. We're not even dating. I'm just her friend Harry." Crack.
Ron spoke then. "Harry, you have to tell her how you feel about her. You have to give her a reason to get out of this. A good reason, I mean, one that her parents might understand."
"I can't do that now. Her future's all planned out for her. I can't offer her anything anyway. Don't forget I'm not good enough for her." Crack.
Ron and Hermione looked at each other in disgust. "Come on, Ron. Let's try to find Ann. Maybe we can talk sense to her."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
They trudged into the Gryffindor common room. Ann was sitting, bolt upright, on the chair before the hearth. As they approached her, they saw that she was again deathly white, shaking and sweating. Her hands were clenched so tightly that blood seeped onto her beige skirt. Her eyes were wild and haunted as she turned to face them.
"Ann! Ann, what happened? Is it true, they want you to marry Draco Malfoy?"
Tears gathered in her green eyes and spilled over her cheeks. "It's true. He did it on purpose. They set the whole thing up, and they threw it all in my parents' faces. My father doesn't see any choice."
"Threw what in their faces? Ann, I don't understand? What did the Malfoys say to make your parents promise you to Draco?" Hermione was beginning to panic- Ann was rapidly returning to the state that they first saw of her. She looked at Ron pleadingly, but he shrugged. He didn't know either.
"I'm damaged, didn't Harry tell you?! I thought he told you two everything!" She was shaking so hard Ron was afraid she would collapse. He reached for her, but she jerked out of his reach.
"Ann, Harry wouldn't tell us anything he didn't have permission to tell," Ron tried to soothe her. "What's going on?" She just shook her head, and pushed past him.
"Why don't you go find Harry, and tell him to tell you. Tell him the Malfoys planned it all. Tell him they figured out how to buy their way into a Great Family!!" She bolted from the room.
Ron grabbed Hermione's wrist. "Come on. We've got to get to Harry before that something really bad he was expecting actually happens."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Harry was still on the Quidditch pitch, slamming Bludgers into the dark, picturing Draco's face on every one. Why didn't I tell her? Why was I so stupid? Dammit. I love her, and now she's gone.
"Harry!! We have to talk." Ron skidded to a halt beside him.
"Go away, Ron. I don't want to talk." He turned away so Ron wouldn't see the fresh tears.
"Harry, you have to listen to us. Ann told us to find out what she told you. It has something to do with this engagement." Ron snatched the beater out of Harry's hand and shoved him down onto the ground. "Start talking."
He told them. The whole story, just as she told it to him, with all the emotions that raged inside him plain on his face. Hermione wept and clutched his hand, while Ron sat, stunned, through the telling. There was a long silence, before Hermione choked out, "That's what she meant then. It all makes sense."
Harry stared at her, uncomprehending. "What all makes sense?"
"She said the Malfoys found a way to buy their way into her family. That they planned it all along. Harry, who is Titus Malfoy?" Hermione shook him, hard.
"He's Lucius' brother." He still didn't understand.
"Harry, are you thick? He's also Draco's uncle! Why would Titus Malfoy go out of his way to possibly damage his own reputation, risk discipline by the Ministry even, for a fourteen year-old girl? Not because he wanted her. Why? Think, Harry!! What did she say?!"
The answer dawned on him rapidly, along with a white-hot rage. "Because if he spoiled her, and everyone knew she was pregnant, no one else would want her. He could get her for his nephew without much trouble. Her father would be so relieved to marry her off he wouldn't think that it was all a setup."
He shot to his feet. "I am going to kill a Malfoy today."