Chapter 2- The Letter

Ginny looked at her mother and walked back to the table to sit down and read the letter.

Miss Ginevra Molly Weasley and Parents:

It is our great pleasure to hear that a young witch of respectable standing will be turning seventeen in the next six weeks. As a pure blood family it is your choice and our recommendation that you have a traditional debutant party for your seventeenth birthday. Once you and your family have made their decision concerning the event the Ministry will send notification to all eligible pure-blood males in Great Britain.

As accustomed, the pure-blood witch will accept the proposal of the bachelor who offers the young witch and her family the most agreeable dowry. The young witch will have six weeks from the time the proposal is accepted as to when her wedding should take place. The ceremony will consist of the traditional wizarding vows and the old magic of our forbearers will be evoked to ensure a beneficial marriage for both the couple and the wizarding community.

We require your decision in the next forty-eight hours. Again, congratulations and best of luck during this exciting time of your life.

Best Regards,

Mr. Billy Hatmaker

Ministry of Magic Justice of Peace

Attached are the Traditional Wizarding Wedding Vow Information.

Ginny looked back and forth between Hermione and her mother and decided to go ahead and take a look at the attachment.

The Traditional Wizard Wedding Vows are done evoking the ancient magical powers of our forbearers and can only be administered when both the witch and wizard have pure-magical blood. The goal is to ensure the best possible match between pure-blood families while protecting the existence to the pure-blood race in the magical society.

When a pure-blood male makes a proposal to a pure-blood witch using this magical vow, "I (name of male) propose marriage between (state the two magical families) with the offer of (state to proposed dowry)." The couple will feel a magical current run through them. The stronger the magical current the higher chance the marriage has to be considered successful.

The Vows exchanged on the wedding day will contain vows of fidelity, consummation commitments, and protection against abuse. If these vows are broken the violating party's magical strength will weaken and will remain weakened till the grievance has been righted. Vows also contain the agreement that the witch will provide the wizard with an heir.

If there are any further questions regarding Traditional Wizard Wedding Vows please feel free to contact the Justice of Peace office located on the fifth floor at the Ministry of Magic.

Of course Ginny and her parents had discussed in detail the requirements and effects of Traditional Wedding Vows and had accepted the conditions. Hermione had read about traditional vows and thought they were barbaric, but knew that expressing that opinion now would only hurt Ginny feelings.

The occupants of the room looked at each other as if searching for the words to continue, but all were lost in their own thoughts. Molly was the first to recover, "Well Ginny, I think you should respond back to the Ministry, and we need to finish today's chores if we are to have dinner on the table in time." Ginny stared into space for a moment longer then nodded her head in agreement and walked up the stairs to her room to write the reply. Hermione set back down and continued peeling potatoes for tonight's dinner.

After the night's dinner Ginny took a walk around the pond behind the Burrow with her twin brothers to explain her decision of having a pure-blood traditional seventeenth birthday party. They had taken the news surprisingly well and agreed to support her and help calm Ron down when he was giving the news Friday night at the weekly family dinner. Ginny could see sadness in their eyes as the kissed her bye and again expressed their understanding. She knew her brothers had always been protective of their baby sister, but they knew that by Ginny not participating in pure-blood society she would always be looked down upon by society.

Ginny was now laying in her childhood bed listening to the rhythmic breathing of Hermione as she slept peacefully on the cot, which had become almost a permanent fixture due to Hermione's regular visits to the Burrow. Ginny was thinking of the possible suitors that would come to her birthday party. She knew few pure-bloods that were older and financially secure enough to take a wife. As she was thinking of possibilities a small smile crept onto her face as she imagined the one person she hoped would come to her party. They had shared a passionate moment two months after the final battle, both were grieving, he for his mother who had been killed and her for Harry. They had seen each other across the bar one night and had stared deep into the others eyes and knew they had a connection. Many drinks later they were talking and sharing war stories one thing led to another and they were in an alleyway lost in a heavy snogging session. Ginny was first to break apart, she was still grieving for Harry and knew her family would not accept the platinum blond she was snogging. As she was walking away she looked back and made eye contact with him, she could feel the connection that they held and looking into his eyes she knew he felt it too.

They had seen each other since at Ministry parties and Order of the Phoenix dinners, but they never spoke, they would stare at each other nod before one turned away. Ginny finally drifted to sleep dreaming of her blonde prince charming coming to her birthday party and confessing his undying love to her. She knew this was only a dream and that a Malfoy would never marry a Weasley, but here in her dreams she could pretend.