Courting Miss Granger-Chapter 10- When Ron's Right, He's Right
By Marmalade Fever
Hermione made her way to work, feeling every eye on Diagon Alley staring at her. It didn't help that there also seemed to be an overabundance of magazine stands. Everywhere she went, the pale face of Draco Malfoy kept looking at her and smiling toothily. It was going to be a very, very long day. As she unlocked the door of Flourish and Blotts at eight o'clock, she immediately decided that it would be best to work in the back room that day.
"Miss Granger! May I have a word?" asked a very tall witch with tight curls. "I represent Teen Warlock magazine. How well would you say that Draco Malfoy kisses?"
"If you were an animal, what would you be?"
"Is it true that you and Mr. Malfoy secretly dated at Hogwarts?"
"How did you feel when you were proposed to?"
"May I use the restroom?"
"It's to your right!" Hermione said, backing up into a card catalogue. "Now please, the rest of you, just leave! This is a business!" She started to slip towards the back of the store but was stopped by a voice from behind her.
"Hermione?" Oh no! She'd been dreading this moment.
"Hi Ron," she said, turning around to face her very tall, very read-headed friend.
"You didn't return my letter," he said, elbowing his way through the crowd of reporters.
"Sorry about that, I was a little busy yesterday," Hermione said truthfully.
"So, what's this all about?" he asked, eyes wide as a camera flashed right in his face.
"Better not talk here," Hermione said, grabbing his hand and pulling him into a storage room. "You want the long version or the short version?"
"Short, I suppose," Ron said, still gaping at her.
"To make it simple, I've got to marry Malfoy or else his Dad's going to kill me," Hermione said bluntly, crossing her arms as she did so.
"Okay... what's the long version?" Ron asked, ogling at her.
Hermione sighed. The explanation was starting to wear her out. "A couple weeks ago, Malfoy sent me a letter and asked me to a restaurant for dinner. It seems everyone in his family has to get married to someone who fits the exact specifications or else they end up poor and cursed. It also seems that I'm the only one left who fits the specifications. So... Malfoy's got until his next birthday to marry me or else. His Dad decided that it would be best to threaten me, as well."
Ron rubbed his temples. "This is illegal! The law's got to be able to protect you!"
"Oh come on, Ron! We both know that Lucius Malfoy doesn't exactly uphold the law! And besides..."
"Besides what?" Ron asked, looking at her seriously. Good question...
"I sort of... feel bad for him," Hermione said wistfully.
"Who? Lucius?" Ron asked, looking at her critically.
"No! Of course not! I meant Draco!"
"You call him Draco?" Ron asked.
"You just called his father by his first name, Ronald!" Hermione said, feeling a head-ache coming on.
"What's there to feel sorry for? He's a slimy git!" Ron said, crossing his arms, darkly.
"We're both in the same boat, really. It's either both of us or neither of us," Hermione said, trying to sound persuasive.
"So what if he dies!" Ron said. "Wait a moment... you're not developing feelings for him, are you?"
Hermione hesitated. "Of course not!"
"I heard that! You aren't sure! Gracious, Hermione! This is Malfoy we're talking about!"
"I know... But you haven't seen him lately--"
"So now you think he's handsome?" Ron broke in.
"I meant he's been acting differently! Sure, he's made a few bad mistakes, but overall he's actually been trying to make this work out... for the long run." Hermione shifted on her feet. Ron didn't say anything more for awhile.
"Sounds to me like you told me a lie a minute ago, Hermione. I think you do have feelings for him. If you didn't, you'd have put in more of an effort to get away from him. You know you could escape, if you wanted to. Dumbledore'd probably take you in, no problem. But seeing your lack of an effort tells me that you don't want to get away. You want to marry him, don't you!"
"I..." she really didn't know what to say. Part of her wanted to deny the whole thing and say that Lucius Malfoy wouldn't rest before she married his son... the other half had to agree though. She was acting rather suspiciously. Maybe Ron was right for once; maybe she did have feelings for Draco. She hated it when Ron was right... and he was right.
"I'll talk to you soon, okay Hermione?" Ron asked, stooping over and squeezing her hand.
"See you around, Ron..." she mumbled, sitting down, having just lost the will to stand. She wondered if it was too late to call in sick...
"Hey there." Hermione looked up. Apparently, Malfoy had just walked in from the front of the store. "Quite a mob of reporters out there, eh?"
Hermione frowned. "I'll take that hug now," she said, feeling her voice cracking for the second time in two days. Malfoy obliged and held her in his arms for a full minute as she started to sob again. She really did hate it when Ron was right.
