Betrothed

Chapter Seven - Engagement Party

~~~~~~~~~~

Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter characters or the Harry Potter world. I do, however, own my plot, seeing as how in came from my brain. I anyone sees something that may belong to them, I'm sorry, I have no intention on stealing anything from anyone. (unless they're sugar cookies!) Oh, and I do not own the foyer from Beauty and the Beast.

~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you to lecada chan, Summa, Hasapi, Molly W, Shahanna, Hells, Lucius, Lianat87, Alex, Kasumi, SilverArrows, Vie, Aireon Granger, Lady~Nimoe, Willow Weasley, and Trweyn Potter.

~~~~~~~~~~

Three sharply dressed figures made their was down a snow-covered street.

"Why are we going to Malfoy's party?" Harry Potter asked as he spat the Malfoy name out with disgust.

Hermione Granger glanced sharply at Ron Weasley as her black boots crunched the snow beneath her. "You mean to tell me that you didn't tell *him*???

"Tell me what?" Harry asked suspiciously.

"I just figured that maybe he'd like to find out for himself." Ron shrugged as he pulled his cloak tighter around him.

"Find out WHAT?" Harry demanded his black messy hair sprinkled with snow.

"Don't worry, chap." Ron said, patting his friend on the back. "Malfoy'll tell ya."

Just then Hermione's new cell phone rang. She pulled it out of her clutch and flipped it open. "Hello?"

"What the hell is that?" Ron gasped. (A/N: sorry, just added that spur of the moment thing because I thought it was cute. :-D)

The three were on their way to the Weasley-Malfoy engagement party, although famous Harry Potter didn't know it.

~~~~~~~~~~

Virginia Weasley (soon to be Mrs. Draco Malfoy!) slowly descended the stairs. She was wearing an elegant princess cut black gown that brushed the floor. She complemented her outfit with silver and diamond jewelry and a silver clip held up a bit of her hair, while the rest framed her face in wavy tendrils.

Draco Malfoy gasped sharply as soon as he saw her. He was standing in the foyer of his father's mansion dressed in a crisp tuxedo. (A foyer not unlike that of Beauty and the Beast [the best Disney movie ever!]) A mansion that he was sure he would soon inherit.

"Virginia," he breathed, smoothing and invisible wrinkle in his impeccable tuxedo. "You look positively enchanting."

"Well, Mr. Malfoy," She said in a purr. "I figured that enchanting was exactly what I was going for."

"You look delightful, my sweet," Mrs. Narcissa Malfoy said, as she ambled into the room. "Come, you two, guest should be arriving any minute now."

She ushered them off to one of the many other rooms in the grand manor where a photographer was set up. Draco groaned.

"Now, now, son." Narcissa reprimanded. "It should only take a minute."

The photographer positioned Draco and Ginny in front of the camera.

"Oh!" Narcissa sighed. "Don't they look delightful together?" she asked to no one in particular.

~~~~~~~~~~

"Virginia Rose Malfoy, that name just rolls off the tongue, doesn't it?" said Hermione Granger. The famous Hogwart's trio had arrived not long after the pictures, and now, an hour later, the mansion was filled with guests.

"I'm glad you like it." Ginny said with a smile.

"And you don't?" Hermione asked incredulously, grabbing a two glasses of wine from a passing waiter's tray.

"Oh, I do!" Ginny said, accepting one of the flutes Hermione held out to her. "But my brother is another story."

"Oh, Gin," Hermione sighed. "Don't you let your pretty little head sit on that another minute! He'll come around, you know, he always does."

Ginny smiled and sipped her wine. Her red hair bobbed as she nodded her head in agreement. "I know it." She paused as it, thinking about something. "Hermione, can I talk to you for a minute? Somewhere private?"

"Sure, what is it, hon?"

"It's about Draco and me," she hesitated, "No one else knows, but, I really need someone to talk to, someone who knows the other side of the story."

"Ginny, is there something wrong in your relationship?" Hermione asked her eyes filled with worry and concern.

"Not wrong, exactly, just..well, not here." Ginny stumbled her way through the statement, trying to come up with the right words.

Hermione nodded, set her wine glass down next to Ginny's and followed the stunning red-hair girl out of the room.