I entered my common room to find Malfoy already there. The room was beautifully furnished but I wasn't really bothered about that. I just wanted to think. Malfoy was sitting on one of the two green leather couches. I walked over and sat on the other one. I was furious. I couldn't believe Lucius and Narcissa had requested an announcement in front of the school. I was mortified. Draco on the other hand didn't look bothered. He looked as though he thought it was laughable. This angered me even more.
"Why are you so hacked off Granger? They were all going to find out anyway!" he asked as if I was over-reacting. I was like a human timebomb due to go off any minute.
"WHY? WHY AM I HACKED OFF? I AM ENGAGED TO YOU FOR A START! NOW THE WHOLE SCHOOL KNOWS AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO!" I screamed.
"Well you could calm down for a start. I hate you aswell but do you see me going crazy. No. I'm dealing with it."
"MAYBE BECAUSE I DIDN'T TORMENT YOU FOR 6 YEARS."
I didn't even wait for his reply. I stormed out of the common room and into my dormitory. At least I didn't still have to share a bed with him. I collapsed onto my bed and fell into a dreamless sleep.
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I awoke extremely early the next morning having had a good nights sleep. It at least was dreamless for I would usually have had nightmares. I remembered how I had shouted at Malfoy the previous night and felt guilty. He had after all saved me from Parkinson on the train. I was going to apologise to him. I only decided that after some serious thinking. I got up and got dressed. I looked at my watch. Only 7am. I walked into the common room clutching my book i Charms Guide /i . It was empty as I expected so I sat down on the couch and started reading my book. I was so into it I didn't even hear Malfoy enter an hour later. It was when he coughed I looked up to see him sitting on the couch opposite. I decided this was my chance.
"Um...Malfoy?" I asked nervously.
"What?" he snapped.
"I just wanted to apologise for last night and thank you for saving my life." I said timidly.
"How'd you know I saved you?" he snapped again.
"Madam Pomfrey told me."
"Well whatever. I didn't do it for you, I did it cause I hate Pansy."
"Well thanks anyway."
"Just cause I saved you doesn't mean I like you any better. Like I said you're still the same filthy know-it-all!"
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Classes had started. I had showed Charmaine to her class and got to Herbology with Harry and Ron by 10am. Much to my disappointment me and Malfoy were still the talk of the school. Everywhere I went I heard my name being whispered and got stared at. Even the teachers were acting odd. I took my normal seat in the Herbology greenshed between Harry and Ron. Whilst Professor Sprout was talking about the full significance of Mandrake juice and its uses she kept giving quick glances towards the ring on my finger. Nearly every other student did so too. I just wished they would stop. Potions was worst of all. Professor Snape must have noticed how much the whole thing was wrecking me and how little it was Malfoy. He decided to use it to his advantage. Every so often he would bring up the word ring in a sentence. I was distraught. Eventually they got round to the classwork.
"Can anyone tell me the full ingredients of Veritaserum?" he asked. I of course raised my hand knowing he would probably ignore it.
"Yes, Miss Granger. Prove yourself an insufferable know-it-all once more for us please." he drawled. The Slytherin side roared with laughter. I ignored him and answered the question.
"Yes she proved it once again. I must say I personally feel sorry for Mr Malfoy being betrothed to such a girl. Really parents ought to be more careful these days. I suppose if they were careful Miss Granger would not be sitting in front of us!". I was trembling with anger. It was the first time he had ever said such things to a pupil other than Harry. All the Gryffindors were trembling with anger too where as the Slytherins were laughing once again. The only one not joining in was of course Malfoy. He had been told to act in love in the public and of course was not going to laugh though he probably wanted too. I could sense Harry and Ron about to do something stupid but I got there first.
"YOU BLOODY BIAST PRAT. YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO SAY SUCH THINGS. SO BLOODY WHAT IF I'M BETROTHED. MIND YOUR OWN BLOODY BUSINESS YOU CONCEITED BONEHEAD." I screamed. The whole room went silent. I could see Snape shaking with anger. I didn't care. I'd said what I'd wanted to and didn't care if I got a years worth of detention.
"You will never speak to me like that again you silly little girl. Never speak to a superior in that way. 20 points from Gryffindor." his voice shook with anger. Before I could stop myself or let anyone else stop me I walked right up to Professor Snape and SMACK. I hit him right around the face.
"Don't expect to see me here again." I said and walked out of class leaving a red-faced Professor and a shocked bunch of students. I headed straight for my dormitory and flew myself onto the couch when I got there.
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Days passed and no other teachers knew of my Potions incident. Harry and Ron informed me that Snape had told them not to breath a word to any other teachers or he would kill them. I guessed he was too embarrassed to tell anyone. The students had kept their word but told every other student in the school. I was like a hero to all the houses except of course Slytherin.
Eventually the 9th of September arrived. The wedding was to take place the next day in the back garden of the Malfoy Manor and the after party was to be this big fancy do which I didn't quite know about yet. When I awoke I looked at my watch. 7am. I turned over and touched a piece of gum wrapper which was sitting on my unit. I felt a familiar tug behing my navel and started to spin fast. I was beginning to feel really ill when I landed with a thump. I looked around. I was in the front room of the Malfoy Manor. I had touched the Portkey I had been given by Dumbledore the previous night. Me, Draco, Ginny, Lavender, Parvati and Blaise had been given one. Everyone else would be given one for the 10th. We had been instructed to use it as soon as we woke up. I saw that only Blaise and Draco had arrived and were in deep discussion with Lucius. I sat on one of the couches next to Narcissa who was telling me plans for the day. We were going to be trying on our dresses, going for lunch, deciding on some final decorations and were having an early night. I had to admit I was a little bit excited about the wedding even if it was with Draco. I mean it was still my big day. It was 10 minutes before Parvati, Ginny and Lavender arrived. They had come together. They walked over to me looking rather tired and before I could breath a word Narcissa was introducing herself to them. They all politely shook her hand. Lucius however did not greet them. I suspected it was because of Ginny. I realized me and the girls were wearing pajamas and took them up to a spare room where we would all be sleeping that night to get dressed. I wasn't sharing a room with Malfoy because of some Malfoy tradition. I swear I had lost count of that families traditions already. When we were dressed Narcissa took us to Diagon Alley with our wedding dresses to go to the fitting shop. I tried mine on in the changing room along with the heels and viel. When I looked in the mirror I gasped. I couldn't believe how perfect it all looked. I stepped out of the changing room to show Narcissa and my friends. They all looked lost for words.
"You look so beautiful." Lavender said after overcoming her initial shock.
"Yes dear you do!" Narcissa said and Ginny and Parvati nodded in agreement. I flashed a grin and changed back into my casual clothes. Ginny, Parvati and Lavender all changed at the same time. When they stepped out I couldn't help but say they were beautiful also. Their top half of the dress was like a corset and the bottom was more flared out. Lavender's and Parvati's were pure lilac and Ginny's had gold embroidery as she was Maid of Honor. When we are all finished up at the fitting store we went to the fancy tea shop Narcissa and I had went to before. We all ordered French tea which once again Narcissa paid for no matter how hard we protested. We discussed everything. Narcissa then told us we would be shopping for our after party outfits.
The shop was filled with many fancy clothes but I could not find any I really liked. Ginny had picked a red dress which was down to her knees, Lavender chose a pink top with a black skirt and Parvati chose a midnight blue dress down to her ankles.I however was struggling. I was just about to leave that aisle when something caught my eye. It was a periwinkle blue dress. The bottom of it slanted so it covered one knee but not the other. I grabbed it and ran to the counter. I paid and then we all headed back for the Manor. I went to bed despite it only being 5pm. I wanted a good sleep for the wedding next day. The girls were going to decide on some final decorations. It was crazy but I was actually looking forward to my wedding.
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