Chapter 7

The dress was completely silver with thin straps over her shoulders. The gathered waist was dotted with a rose on the left hip, and the shirt flared out slightly. It fluttered around her legs and feet as she walked. She had on low strappy silver heels. Her hair hung down around her shoulders in curls. Ginny had placed a sprig of baby's breath in a barrette and pinned up one side of Ivy's hair with it.

"Oh, Ivy, you look so beautiful." Hermione said softly.

"Thank you. I wish I could tell what you both look like. I really appreciate the help getting ready." Ivy said and stood, a little unsteady in the heels. Knowing that the guys were downstairs waiting, they made their way down the stairs. Hermione going first to meet up with Viktor, the champion from Durmstrang. Ginny went down to meet up with Neville. Ivy followed slowly, still getting used to the heels to find Harry waiting at the bottom of the steps.

"Wow. You look beautiful, Ivy." Harry said in a low voice.

"Thank you, Harry. I feel beautiful." She said. They made their way down to the Great Hall to line up with the other champions waiting to enter the dance. The other students were entering before they were, so they had to wait a short time. Finally, Professor McGonagall ushered them in to the hall in front of the other students. Ivy whispered to Timber to find Ginny and have a seat while she danced with Harry. He stopped walking and turned to her slowly, putting his hand on her waist and taking her hand in his other one. They began the dance and were relieved when it was over. Ivy had lost count of the times that she stepped on Harry's toes. He led her to the seat near Timber and took the seat next to her.

Draco watched them enter. She was breathtaking in her silver gown. It complemented her ivory skin perfectly. Her hair was flowing around her shoulders, caressing her skin softly. He groaned inwardly. She was so beautiful, and she was here with Harry, not him. He made a face and turned to leave the hall. A hand reached out to grasp his arm and he turned, furious that someone had stopped him. Seeing Harry, he turned to leave again. "Let's talk." Harry said abruptly.

"About what?" Draco asked.

Harry led him to a secluded corner of the hall and spoke, "The only reason I asked her here is that she wouldn't expect anything from me after this. She wouldn't expect a relationship that I'm not prepared to give. Hell, Malfoy, she's my best friend, my sister, I could never think of her the way you do. Ask her to dance, for Merlin's sake. You're the one she wants, not me."

Draco looked at him intently, realizing that he was telling the truth. Harry didn't think of her in a romantic way. Running a hand over his face, he walked over to where Ivy was sitting, sipping a drink. Kneeling in front of her, he took both of her hands in his, knowing she knew it was him. She smiled at him. "Dance with me, please." He said.

Ivy nodded and they stood, making their way to the dance floor. A slow song had started up, and he placed her hands around his neck while he put his hands on her waist. They stood stiffly for a few moments, and then he growled and pulled her closer to him. Completely forgetting where they were and that he had come here with someone else, he lost himself in her scent and the feel of her against him. They clung to each other swaying to the music, not caring that other people were around. He loved the feel of her in his arms and the smell of her hair as he buried his face in it. He didn't even notice the death stares that Pansy was giving them. He had come to this dance with her and here he was dancing with someone else. He didn't care though, he was holding an angel in his arms and he didn't ever want to let go.

Ivy sighed as she melted into his embrace. He felt so good and his smell was so intoxicating. She knew that she loved him, even though she was only 14. They didn't break apart as the song ended and another began. She wanted him to hold her forever. The electric tingly feeling was coursing through her body and it scared her slightly. She knew that he would never hurt her, though, and that he would be there no matter what. Sighing, she wrapped her arms tighter around his middle and snuggled closer.

Draco looked down at her and smiled. He lifted one hand to the back of her head and the other to the side of her face to cup her cheek. Lifting her face to his, he leaned in and placed his lips against hers. He was in heaven, nothing else mattered at that moment, except his lips on hers and hers responding in kind. As they kissed, they felt an electricity building within them and heard the others around them gasping. Pulling away reluctantly, Draco looked up and saw everyone looking at them in surprise. He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Professor Snape standing behind him. "Come with me." The professor said. Draco looked at him oddly, not really understanding why they were being taken out of the dance, but followed, leading Ivy beside him. Timber fell into step on the other side of Ivy and she grasped his handle with her left hand. They were taken into the nearest empty classroom and she heard Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore enter the room behind them.

"Better get Lucius and Narcissa here." Dumbledore told Snape. Severus stepped to the fireplace and tossed in some powder. He called out something and stuck his face in the green flames. They could hear him talking, but couldn't tell what he was saying.

He stood back up and turned to them, "On their way." He said as the green flames roared to life again, this time depositing Narcissa Malfoy and Lucius Malfoy into the room. Draco was surprised to see his parents there. They all turned to Dumbledore for an explanation.

"What do you all know about magical bonds?" he asked.

"Well, they are permanent from the beginning, and they are deadly if ignored." Ivy said.

"That's right. I'm assuming this is the first contact of that sort that you two have had?" Dumbledore spoke again.

"You mean, kissing? Yes, that was our first kiss." Draco said, not embarrassed at all of the fact that his parents were in the room.

"What's this all about, Dumbledore?" Lucius hissed.

"When these two kissed at the dance, a golden light glowed over them, stretching from the sky to the ground. You all know what that light signifies. A magical bond, meaning that these two are destined to be together and that they have to seal the bond within a year to prevent their deaths. They also have to conceive a child within two years to prevent their death. That's how the magical bond works. It will become increasingly difficult for them to be apart as the days pass. That's why we called you here Lucius, to tell you that your son is now a married man, legal and binding." Snape spoke up.

Ivy gasped as the realization hit her. They were talking about her and Draco being married. It didn't make any sense. How could they be married, they were only 14? Draco gaped at the professor and turned to look at his parents. His father's face was furious. "How could you? You know that we have this arrangement with the Greengrasses. You know that we had plans for you." Lucius spit out at his son.

"Well, sorry, father, it's not like I summoned a magical bond on purpose." Draco said, looking at his mother for support.

"Lucius, you know that these things are not planned and that they are very, very rare. This is only the third one that has ever been witnessed. The first two ending in the deaths of the two involved because they denied the bond. You don't want your son dead, now do you?" Professor McGonagall spoke for the first time since entering the room.

"Better than being saddled with a disabled person who has to depend on everyone around her." Lucius said hatred in his voice.

"How dare you? You don't even know her. She rarely asks for help. She can do more than anyone I've ever known." Draco cried.

"Draco, calm down. It's okay. I've heard it all before, and worse. Words don't bother me." Ivy said, placing a hand on Draco's arm. He looked down at her and his expression softened with love evident in his eyes. His mother saw the look and knew that this love was indeed a true love.

"Draco, do you understand about this bond? Do you realize what it means?" Narcissa asked her son.

"Yes, mother, I do. It means that if we aren't together, then we will hurt and if we don't ummm… consummate our relationship within a year, we die." Draco told his mother, turning slightly red at talking about sex with his parents in the room.

Ivy turned red as well, knowing that these adults were talking about her and Draco sharing a bed together.

"It doesn't have to be tonight, just sometime within a year." Dumbledore said, knowing that the teens were uncomfortable. "I just wanted you two here to witness this, Lucius, Narcissa. I hope we didn't inconvenience you too much," he added.

Lucius turned and with a swish of his cloak, stepped into the fire and vanished. Narcissa smiled at the room and followed her husband. "Yeah, that went well." Draco said quietly.

"Well, you two may go. The dance is over now, so off to bed." Snape snapped at them. He wasn't too thrilled with seeing the young girl he had come to care for as if she was his own married. Although, he knew there was nothing that could be done. A magical bond was permanent. He watched them leave, knowing that they would probably talk before heading to bed.

Draco and Ivy walked slowly up the stairs to Gryffindor tower. "Well, this is interesting. I never expected this when I finally got up the nerve to kiss you." Draco said softly to her.

"It's not something either of us expected. We just have to accept it and move on. I honestly don't think we are ready to seal the bond just yet. I'm glad that it's a year and not a day." She said.

"Yeah, kind of takes the pressure off. It's a little unnerving knowing that all these people know that we have to… well… you know." He said, turning away slightly.

"Sure. I just hope we don't have to do it in front of other people to prove that we sealed the bond." Ivy laughed. They had reached the portrait door. Sighing, she started to say the password. He growled softly and took her by the shoulders, pushing her gently against the wall. Bending his head slightly, he brought his lips to hers and kissed her again. The electricity was there again, not as strong this time, but still present. Releasing her lips, he placed his forehead against hers.

"I love you, Ivy. I have for a long time." He said, slightly breathless.

"I love you, Draco. It's taken me a while to understand that. I've never had someone to show me how to love." She replied.

Letting her go, he watched as she stepped into the portrait door and vanished inside. He turned to go to his own room, feeling his heart hurting to be away from her. 'This must be what Snape meant when he said it would be about being apart from her.' He walked on, not really wanting to go to his own room, but knowing that he had to. The night was a restless one for them both. They wanted to be in the other's arms, but knew that they couldn't be.

The next morning was Christmas, and Draco woke from his uneasy slumber nervous about Ivy's present. 'Will she like it?' He had written a poem and had taken a few lessons from McGonagall on writing Braille. Wrapping it into a leather binder, he sent it to her as a gift. He was nervous that she wouldn't like it. Looking at the pile of gifts at the foot of his bed, he began opening them, wishing he could be with Ivy. He purposely left her gift until last, opening it slowly and with care. Inside was a ring with two serpents intertwined and a green emerald in the middle. It was amazing and the perfect size for his finger. He slipped it on and dressed in something other than his uniform. He ventured down to the Great Hall for breakfast. Seeing everyone already there, he realized that he had slept later than usual. Grabbing an apple from the bowl on the Ravenclaw table, he strode up the aisle to the end of the Gryffindor table where she was. His eyes trained on her and her alone, he didn't notice the stares he received as he made his way to her side.

"Shove over, Potter," he snapped, seeing Harry sitting rather close to Ivy. Harry jumped at bit and moved over to allow Draco to sit between him and Ivy. Draco sat down with his back to the table and rested his elbows on the table, grinning and taking a bite of his apple. "Morning beautiful," he leaned over to Ivy and placed a kiss on her cheek. "Did you tell the crew?"

"Didn't have to. You're talking about Hermione here; she researched last night and found out." Ivy smiled at him. Leaning forward, she placed her hand on his and whispered, "Thank you for the lovely poem. I won't ask how you got it written in Braille like that."

Grinning, he sighed at the feel of her breath against his ear. "Thank you for the ring. It's perfect," he whispered back. She smiled and leaned back to her original position.

"So, you know about the bond, huh? What do you think?" he asked the others, turning his head over his shoulder to look at them.

"Well, we don't know much about them, only the major stuff like death." Harry began. "Somehow, I always knew you two would be together."

"So, how does this work?" Hermione asked quietly.

"Well, basically, we are now married. When a bond takes place, it's unbreakable. If we deny it, then we die. We have to seal the bond within a year and conceive a child within two years." Draco said with a shrug, as if it wasn't the most important thing in his life at the moment. He could barely take his eyes off of Ivy's face. Harry chuckled, taking another bite of his food.

Just then, the owls came swooping in finding their recipient. One landing in front of Draco, he found a package attached and removed it. Curiously, he opened the box and found a ring inside with a note attached to it.

'My dearest son,

This belonged to your great-great-great grandmother and has been passed down through the family. I thought you might like to give it to your new bride.

Mother'

Draco smiled and pulled the ring out. Leaning over, he pulled Ivy's left hand over to him and placed the ring on her finger. It wrapped itself around her finger and glowed, shrinking to fit. From the glow, he knew it was the right thing to do. The ring itself was a simple golden band that was ringed with red rubies. Ivy ran her fingers over the ring and smiled. "It's lovely," she said.

Draco kissed her fingers and let go of her hand. "How about some fun in the snow? What say you all?" he asked.

The group nodded and got up to get changed into their heavy winter cloaks and gloves. Ivy hunted for her gloves and couldn't find them. She told Hermione and Ginny to go on without her that she would catch up. Searching, she finally found the gloves inside her trunk. Pulling them on, she latched on to Timber's harness handle. Making her way to the top of the stairs, she heard a noise behind her. Turning slightly, she caught a scent of cold and raspberries. She only knew one person who had that scent, Pansy. Turning back forward, she started to take the first step when a hand grabbed her arm and pulled her around.

"You can't have him, you know. He's mine and always will be." Pansy hissed at her.

"I don't believe that you have any choice in the matter." Ivy said, trying to turn back around to leave.

"You made that bond happen, I know you did. You couldn't stand the fact that he asked me to the dance and not you." Pansy laughed.

"No one can make bonds happen. They are magical bonds, they are man-made. And for your information, he asked me to the dance first, but I was already going with someone, so he settled for you." Ivy said, jerking her arm away from Pansy's grasp. She smelled some familiar scents and knew that some friend were nearby. The jerking motion caused her to lose her balance. She began toppling backwards towards the stairs.

"Arresto Momentum." She heard McGonagall call out and felt herself stop falling. A hand wrapped around her wrist and pulled her back forward and helped her steady herself. The familiar touch was Professor Snape.

"I assume you have a good reason for almost causing Miss Mitchell to fall down the stairs, Miss Parkinson." He sneered at her.

"I – I – well, I…" Pansy stammered.

"Save it. I don't want to hear lies. Just go, I will deal out your punishment later." He told her. "Are you okay, Ivy?" he asked, turning to the girl who had stolen many hearts, including his own.

"Yes, sir, I'm fine." She answered.

"How about you let us help you down the stairs?" Professor McGonagall offered.

"No, really, it's fine. I can make it on my own. Thanks." Ivy said and turned to find the stairs once again. She made it down the stairs and through the Great Hall. On the steps outside the entrance, she was engulfed in his arms.

"I was so worried. I was just coming to get you. Pansy came running out here saying that you had fallen down the stairs and was blaming it on her." Draco said, hugging her.

"That's not entirely true. Pansy accosted me at the top of the stairs, claiming that I set up this bond somehow. I jerked my arm away from her and lost my balance. I would have fallen if Professor McGonagall hadn't been there to stop me. I'm fine, though. Pansy a bit jealous, I think." Ivy explained to him.

"I suppose I did just leave her hanging last night. It couldn't be helped, though." He replied and led her towards the group waiting for them. They all began to walk through the newly fallen snow and enjoy being together. Ivy's hand was firmly secured inside Draco's, who wouldn't let go if his life depended on it. This bond was making itself known rather quickly. He already found it difficult to be away from her. Not realizing that she had grabbed a handful of snow, he suddenly found himself with a face full of the stuff. She laughed and took off running with Timber keeping pace beside her, making sure she didn't fall. Draco ran after her, "Oh, you'll pay for that." He laughed. He caught her easily and they tumbled to the ground in a tangle of legs and robes. Timber whined nearby as they laughed. Draco picked up some snow and threw it into her face gently, not wanting to hurt her. Laughing more, he helped her wipe the snow off her eyes and nose. When it came to her lips, he decided that kissing them would be more enjoyable than wiping them off, so he did just that. Leaning down he framed her face and kissed her slowly, gently, savoring the taste and feel of them.

"Oi! Get a room you two!" Ron yelled.

Laughing, Draco pulled away from her sweet lips, "Jealous, Weasley?" he asked. Standing, he pulled Ivy up to stand beside him, helping her brush off the snow. The friends then engaged in a snowball fight, causing shrieks and laughter to ring out over the castle grounds. After several hours of playing outside, they tromped back inside to change for dinner. They had all skipped lunch and were now properly starving. Draco rushed through changing and then took the stairs two and three at a time to Gryffindor tower to meet up with Ivy. He didn't want any more incidents of her almost falling down the stairs. Ivy was pleasantly surprised to find him waiting at the top of the stairs for her. It was beginning to hurt to be away from him for any length of time, she wondered if it was the same for him. Just the small contact of their hands made them both sigh. They made their way to the Great Hall for the Christmas feast, all sitting at the Gryffindor table.