Don't you hate getting songs stuck in your head?

***********

By the time the second week of October arrived, Ginny had given up on fighting Malfoy about the engagement ring.  She wore it on a chain around her neck, because, as she put it, she would not wear "that vile thing" on her finger where someone might see it.

Her mother stopped in one day to inform Ginny that they were taking a visit to Hogsmeade.  Ginny didn't mind the trip- she had been wanting an excuse to get away from her classmates.  She hated the whispers and stares that had been directed at her ever since Malfoy had decided that he would take it upon himself to inform the school of their upcoming wedding.  Ginny was really angry about it, but, unless she could get a hold of a time-turner and hex Malfoy into oblivion when he was young, there wasn't anything she could do about it.

When they reached the Three Broomsticks, Molly made her way to a table that was set for four.  Ginny looked at her mother quizzically, but said nothing.  Molly looked at the table, tapped it once with her wand, and said angrily,

"They're late."

"They?  They who?" Ginny asked, but she had a feeling she knew exactly who they were.
"Curiosity killed the cat, Ginny."  Molly said absently.
"But satisfaction brought it back, Mother." Ginny replied angrily. Ginny was still rather annoyed at Molly for not stopping the marriage as soon as she had found out about it. Mrs. Weasley pointedly ignored her daughter.

The door opened, and two dark figures walked in. As they made their way over to the table, Ginny tried to get a better look.
Fortunately for Ginny, it wasn't who she expected it to be.
"Harry! Ron! What are you guys doing here?" Ginny squealed, excited that they were there.
"Ginny? Mom? Why are you here?" Ron asked, sounding slightly confused. Ginny's smile faded when she realized that they weren't the people they had been waiting for.
"Well, we're just waiting for some other people if they would hurry up." Mrs. Weasley replied. "Ginny has to be back to school by supper." Of course, just then the door opened again, admitting two figures with light hair and pale skin. They were the two Ginny had been expecting, and she was only slightly disappointed to see them.
"Oh." Ron said, shooting Ginny a look that said quite plainly "I'm sorry you're stuck with him", and then he and Harry took off.
The two figures made their way over to the table. When they reached the table, Narcissa sat next to Mrs. Weasley, and Draco unwillingly sat next to Ginny.
"Hello, Molly, Virginia. I'm sorry that we took so long. Draco had to stop to get a few things." Narcissa said, just as any great Court figure from one of Ginny's romance novels would. Ginny resisted the urge to giggle…barely. She felt Malfoy stiffen with unease, and she turned to him to give him a hard time.
"What, Draco, wasn't your makeup absolutely perfect?" She whispered in his ear. This time it was his turn for his face to change colors. However, while Ginny's had turned pale, Draco's turned beet red.

Their mothers watched her whisper in his ear happily, thinking she was saying something nice.  It was cute, really, how oblivious they were to reality.
"Shut up, Virginia." Draco shot back. Ginny smiled, thinking, At least I'm not the only one who gets a hard time!
"What is so funny, Virginia?" Narcissa asked, not very politely.
"Just an inside joke, Mrs. Malfoy, between your son and me.  Right, Draco?" Ginny asked, very sweetly. Draco knew that if he agreed, his mother would ask him later, but if he didn't, his mother would find her own way to get at Ginny for lying to her. This was no dilemma for him.
"What inside joke, Virginia? Please tell me, too." Malfoy drawled. Ginny raised an eyebrow. She then threatened, masked as polite concern,
"Well, if you don't know, Draco, perhaps you'd best see a Healer? You know, memory loss is the first sign of insanity."
"And here I thought that was talking to yourself, or seeing things…." Malfoy cut in. The two mothers watched their children's interaction with some amusement, each remembering their own engagements. Theirs had been rocky at first, too, but they had both overcome most of the obstacles, and figured their children would, too.
The only difference between themselves and their children was that they didn't hate their future spouses. They hadn't had the hatred bred into them, and pressed into them for their entire lives. Draco and Ginny, however, had.
Would their parents pushing them to like each other be enough?

***************

"So, Virginia…" Draco began.  Ginny looked at her fiancé.  Yes, fiancé.  She was defeated, and she had to admit it.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" she spat out.

"Have you found a way to get out of the marriage?" he asked.  He actually sounded very interested, and Ginny made a face.

"No.  Of course not, Malfoy.  If I had, you would know by now, don't you think?"

"I'm just making sure, Virginia."

"Why?  Why does it matter?"

"Because.  It just does."

"That's not an answer, Malfoy.  That's called avoiding answering.  Tell me now, please."

"It is none of your business, Virginia."

"I think it is."

"Fine." He hissed.  "Do you have any idea what would have happened if this wedding didn't go through?"

Ginny looked at him with surprise.

"No.  What?"

"My oh-so-loving mother would have locked me in the dungeons.  My parents probably would have found a way to force you to marry me, too.  You know, my father (although he isn't a Death Eater) still has a nasty streak to him.  If you anger him, there's no telling what will happen."

"No!" Ginny said.

"Yes!" Draco mocked.  Ginny glared at him.

"You do realize that married life is going to be hell?" Ginny asked.

"Oh, I do believe it'll be worse, Weasley."

*****************

I just wanted to completely mess with your head at the beginning of the chapter.  I think I might start doing that more often.  So much fun.  Anyhow, no, the joke had no relevance to anything whatsoever.  Sorry if you thought it might…

Well, I think that I'll head on my merry way after reminding you that reviews are appreciated.

~Lili

Oh, and some trivia:  What was the first video shown on MTV?

Look for the answer in my next chapter, which, interestingly enough, is the wedding.