Not wasting any more time, Antonin turned to Dumbledore. "I mentioned my intentions in this meeting in my letter. Sealing the proposal?" Antonin said, arching an eyebrow - as if daring the wizened Headmaster to deny a Wizarding marriage tradition. Hermione frowned, her delicately arched eyebrows scrunching up in confusion. She is even beautiful when confused, he thought. "Of course, Mr Dolohov. Sealing of the proposal is a custom that must be done," Dumbledore replied reluctantly. Smirking at his obvious victories, Antonin turned to his wife-to-be, before bending onto one knee. Hermione backed away a step, only he caught her hand and pulled her towards him. Pulling a velvet ring box from his robe pocket, Antonin looked at the figure of Snape. I win, he thought, knowing that Snape could hear him through Legimency. "Hermione," he purred, drawing her name out, "will you marry me?" Opening the lid of the velvet box, he revealed the engagement ring.
There, nestled in the cushion, was an extravagant platinum engagement ring - a large princess cut diamond caught the light, refracting the rays, giving the ring am ethereal glow. On either side of the diamond was a cluster of tiny emeralds, that formed infinity symbols. "I hardly have a choice. I can't run, and I highly doubt that the Ministry will give me another match...so put the ring on my damn finger and leave!" Hermione ranted. In the back of Antonin's mind, a niggling feeling arose. He was forcing this girl to marry him - most of his ancestors had married for love. A rarity among Purebloods. He was going to ruin his family's unusuality with this marriage.
Taking the ring from the box, Antonin lightly grasped Hermione's hand and slid the ring into place. It looked perfect on her. The tears in her eyes were not ones of happiness, as should be there when proposed too. Instead, they were tears of hate; of fear; of resignation. Antonin felt guilt ooze into the pit of his stomach. A loveless marriage for a little, who had barely spread her wings and taken flight. His prescence would clip her wings, and she would stay forever grounded. A lioness hiding the heart of a frail little bird. He understood the protective look in Snape's eyes; despite being smart and fierce, she was fragile and breakable. He didn't want to see her break, the Dark Lord did. He didn't want the fire in her eyes to go out, the Dark Lord did. Antonin wanted to have something akin to love, even if only fondness - not hate. He had never experienced it, not since the death of his beloved mother. I will make her love me, he thought determinedly.
His fianc turned to Dumbledore. "Can I please leave now?" Hermione begged him. Dumbledore didn't answer. Simply, looked at Snape. As if a silent request, Snape began to speak. "In the Wizarding world, engagements have to be sealed with a kiss. It officialises the proposal," he ground out through his teeth. Collecting his persona once again, Antonin smirked. "Severus...you had to ruin the surprise," he joked. Hermione looked like a doe ready to bolt. "Don't worry your pretty little head about it, Dorogaya. You're in very capable hands, I assure you," Antonin winked at her cockily. For a split second, Hermione looked murderous. "You're a Deatheater. You'll end up trying to get secrets out of me. Try and break me. You'll probably abuse me, as I'm just a 'reward' from Voldemort," she reiterated calmly. She seemed too calm. "Oh, Dorogaya...so na ve. I'm an innocent man, didn't you know!" Antonin retorted, the smirk never moving. Snape didn't move. Dumbledore didn't move. Neither moved as he pushed his lips to her own, sealing the engagement.
The moment he pressed his lips to hers, Hermione was in open water. Fighting the current, trying to stay above the water. Every sinful movement of his soft lips, set her nerves on fire. It should be illegal to kiss this well, she thought. One of his hands came to rest in the side of her face. She loved hands, they fascinated her. Antonin's were soft, yet covered in callouses. Man hands. His other hand came to rest on her slim waist, pulling her closer to his chest. Suddenly, Hermione planted her small hands on Dolohov's broad chest and pushed him away. As she pushed him, the serpent headed ring on his left hand caught her face. The snake's fang dug into her cheek and ripped the skin, drawing the first blood and tears of their future. Snape leapt into action, pinning Dolohov against the wall by his robe's collar. Out of fear that it had been done on purpose, Hermione fled the office and didn't look back, tears fogging her vision.
The bleeding had finally stopped. Dried streaks of blood ran down from the gash, having mingled with her tears. Hidden out in the Room of Requirement, Hermione cleaned the dry blood of her face to reveal an angry laceration on her cheek. She didn't care if it scarred, she wasn't superficial like Lavender or even Ginny. Raising her vine wand, Hermione touched the tip to the laceration and muttered "vulnera sanentur." Of all the branches of magic, healing spells were some of the most difficult - unfortunately, she struggled with certain healing spells. The skin knitted back together, yet left a faint scar. Glancing at the beautiful engagement ring on her left hand, Hermione couldn't help but acknowledge it's beauty. The emerald stood out against her pale skin. A beautiful jewel to distract her from his true nature no doubt. I going to need a grasp on healing spells if I'm going to be married to a deatheater, she thought, he did it on purpose, trying to show that he could do what he wanted.