The Marriage of Ginny and Draco

It so happened that Ginny and Draco had just walked past the library door when Harry had rushed out. He stopped, turned and saw them together- hand in hand. Moments later Hermione and Ron appeared. One quick look from Hermione told Ginny that the two boys knew what had happened.

'Look Harry, Ron, lets go back to the common room and have a chat. I owe you an explanation.'

'You owe us a hell of a lot more than an explanation, why are you going to go through with this madness?'

'Careful Potter that is my fiancée you're talking to.' It was the way that Malfoy had said the word 'fiancée' that really got to Harry. He went to rush at Malfoy but two pairs of hands held him back. 'Oh temper, temper.'

'Be quite for a moment Draco' snapped Ginny. 'You aren't helping matters one bit.' She walked over to Harry 'I should have told you myself but it isn't the kind of thing you can just bring up in a conversation, and we haven't exactly had that many of them in recent times.'

'But why? Please Gin; just explain why you're doing this. I don't understand. You hate Malfoy, you always have, like the three of us do, and Bill and Charlie and Percy and Fred and George. You can't be serious.'

'I beg your pardon but I am standing right here Potter and I'm listening to every word you say. I don't like to be insulted, especially when I'm standing two feet away from the person doing it.' Malfoy was frowning. Ginny turned to him.

'You're right. You shouldn't have to listen to this. Harry, Ron, Hermione come on, we are going to the common room where you can say all you like and I will listen and give you an explanation.'

'There is no need to explain true love Ginny darling' cooed Malfoy.

'You know what I mean.' She stood on tiptoe to lightly kiss Malfoy. 'I'll see you at dinner.'

'I think I'm going to be sick' moaned Ron.

Thankfully the common room was empty. As they reached a cluster of chairs, Ron pushed Ginny into one. 'Well, what's this all about?'

'There's nothing to it. Draco and I have had such a wonderful time being together that we've decided; once this school year is over we will make our vows to each other for real.'

'Oh please you don't think we are going to fall for that one. You hate Malfoy as much as us. I bet you're just doing this to spite Harry. You're gutted that he's going out with Katie and have decided to get revenge by pretending that you will marry Malfoy.'

'Wrong, wrong, and wrong again Ron' replied Ginny. 'I have discovered the defining qualities of Draco and I know he is much more of a man than you three give him credit for.'

'Me?' enquired Hermione. Ginny looked over at her

'Well, not you really, you've been more understanding. But these two,' she glanced over at the sullen looking boys 'I don't think I'll be receiving many good wishes from them. The pair of them look pig sick.'

'Well we did just find out you are engaged to the lowest breed of toad ever, that's hardly the best news you've ever given us' replied Harry darkly.

'Will the pair of you please get over this idea that Draco is a rat. He isn't. He is a perfectly adequate human being, with feelings and emotions too. It wasn't very considerate of you to go insulting him to his face.'

'You used to, before you went all stupid and started wanting to marry him' recalled Ron. 'I remember a time when you were yelling at each other in the corridors and keeping score over who won which argument.'

'All in the past now' replied Ginny airily. 'We have overcome our differences and I suggest you do the same with Cho, you'll feel so much better afterwards.'

'But what I can't understand Ginny' began Harry pacing up and down the room 'is why now. It's so sudden. Only at Christmas when you told me Malfoy had asked you to marry him you said he was the lowest of the low and you'd got a first hand experience of it. Then we begin back at lessons and you are all over him, smiling and laughing and now.' He stopped. 'Now you say you will become his wife ''till death do us part'' and all that. All in the space of around four months.

'Sometimes people change' Ginny replied quietly. 'What we want may be altered by the slightest difference in our usual way of life.'

'And that's aimed at me isn't it. Rons right. You are jealous of the relationship I have with Katie and you are out to make me feel bad. Well I'm sorry but that just won't happen.' Harry stood up so abruptly that it startled Hermione

'Harry, what are you saying? Where are you going?'

'I'm saying that Ginny is entitled to do whatever she wants and I'm not going to stop her. As for me, I'm going to practise Quidditch. You three might have forgotten but on the first weekend of the summer term we are playing Slytherin and I don't fancy loosing due to lack of practise.' And with that he marched out of the common room.'

'So he didn't take it well.' Ginny sighed. Draco had effectively summed up the whole conversation she had just had, purely by the look upon her face. She joined him at the Slytherin dining table and stared into his eyes.

'Not at all liked I had hoped. He said it was madness and all ridiculous but that I can do what I like. He went from being fuming to indifferent.'

'Well that's ok then. As long as he isn't going to hex me in the corridors. I don't mind him being indifferent- that's fine, it just means he won't be on the guest list to the reception, and I can't say I'm disappointed at that!'

'But Draco, he's been my best friend for five years, he's Ron and Hermione's best friend too. It affects a lot of people when he doesn't approve of something. Harry has always been there for me, from when I was to nervous to talk to him to rescuing me from Riddle to-'

'I thought we had agreed never to mention our past differences.'

'Draco I wasn't referring to the time as a difference between us. I was merely stating-'

'No. I will maintain my position. We are in trouble if you cannot continue without mentioning events such as that, ones that have happened in the past that have caused dispute between our families. It won't do. If you can't keep one simple rule I have requested then what will you be like when I ask you for other more complicated ones.'

'But Draco I wasn't pressing the point as part of an argument.' Ginny was becoming frustrated. 'I was using it as an example of how much Harry means to me. It is difficult to just forget things he says to me just like that' she snapped her fingers.

'Well you are just going to have to' responded Draco rising from the table.

'Where are you going? Why are you being so harsh towards me all of a sudden?'

'In-case you had forgotten, so absorbed are you about Potter, that he and weasel-bee insulted me to my face. I didn't retaliate one bit. You leave me and go off with them. And then, when you do condescend to return to me, you don't mention the incident or apologise for their behaviour or even inquire as to how I am. You then start going on about how unreasonable Potter has been to you! And you expect me to stay and listen to it, well I've got news for you Ginny, I don't appreciate whiners.' And without a backward glance Draco exited the Great Hall.

Ginny stared at the door through which Draco had left. She replayed the conversation/argument back in her mind. She could see that mentioning the Chamber of Secrets had been her mistake but she couldn't explain why Draco had over-reacted so badly. The other thing she couldn't understand was why she hadn't retaliated. Not half a year ago she would have insulted Draco back, put him in his place and told him where to get off. Now she let him walk all over her, while trying to placate him with her reasoning for mentioning the very thing he detested. She shouldn't have done that. No. she should have held her ground and at the very least got Draco to admit he was overreacting. Her train of though was broken by the presence of a hand upon her shoulder. Turning round, Ginny saw Hermione looking down at her.

'Fancying joining me at your true house table.' Nodding silently, Ginny followed Hermione over to two vacant seats, several places away from any wiggling ears.

'Pity really, it won't be my ''true'' house for much longer' began Ginny, while seizing a hunk of bread from a plate and dipping it into a bowl of soup that had appeared.

'Why's that then?' enquired Hermione, completing the same action.

'I've got to transfer to Slytherin House at the end of this school year, otherwise he won't have me.'

'Who, Draco, oh please! Like you're going to change houses just to please him, and his family no doubt.' Hermione was laughing but hastily stopped at the look on Ginny's face. 'You are going to change house! But why?'

'Like I said, he won't have me otherwise.'

'Why has he got to have you? Ginny I think you are being a bit naive and possibly stupid. I've gone along with the idea that you and Draco are engaged because I thought it was what you wanted, at least, you gave me that impression. Now I'm not so sure. Do you love Draco?'

'A bit.'

'But not completely.'

'No.'

'Which bit of you doesn't?'

'The part that loves Harry.' Ginny looked sadly into her now empty bowl. Hermione just gazed at Ginny, working out what to say next.

'And is that why you've attached yourself to Draco? Harry was already with someone and happy so leapt into the arms of the next man who will have you. That man coincidently was Draco. Am I right so far?' Hermione looked over at Ginny who nodded dismally. 'And you can't be seen to be unhappy with your situation because then that would show how much you cared for Harry and what a farce it is between you and Draco.' Again Ginny nodded. 'So you are obeying Draco's every wish and command because that way it looks like the two of you are happy. And he isn't going to complain because he has total power over you and it annoys Harry and Ron at the same time.'

'Yes' wailed Ginny her head in her hands. 'It's all as awful as you described. I can't get rid of Malfoy because then everyone will know I only did it to spite Harry. That was the point you see, I thought that if Harry saw Draco and me together he would be really jealous and come and rescue me so to speak. But it's been counter-productive. I've driven Harry further away than ever and Draco is behaving worse and worse every day. Oh Hermione what am I to do?' Hermione leant across and put her arms around Ginny.

'It will be fine Gin. Together, you and I will think of something, don't you worry.' And all the while she was comforting Ginny, Hermione cursed the day that Dumbledore ever decided to marry off students with raging hormones and emotions.