Ginny woke up, rejuvenated and a bit sullen as thoughts from the night before came rushing back. She threw on her clothes and gently ran her comb through her hair after taking a quick shower. It was only about seven in the morning so no one was up yet. She silently crept out of her dorm room and into the common room and plopped down onto the couch, picking up her books along the way. This was going to be a long day…
Meanwhile, the faintest stirring came from Draco. A light tapping sound came from the window. He slowly cracked one eye open and glared at the raven perched upon the windowsill. He yawned and sat in an erect position, smoothing back his hair carefully. He walked over to the window and let the exquisite bird fly in. It held out his leg, motioning with its beak for him to take the envelope attached. He picked it up and turned it over. The Malfoy crest was on the green wax that sealed the contents. The bird flew away without receiving payment. Draco walked back to his bed and shut the curtains for precaution. He peeled back the wax and unfolded the paper.
To Draco:
I must see you in Malfoy Manor in no less than five minutes after you have read this. I expect you to bring Virginia along. We have to discuss the wedding. Her mother and father will also be here. There will be a carriage waiting for you outside of Hogwarts. We will be waiting in the study.
Lucius
He threw the paper into the trashcan and immediately began to get dressed. In a matter of seconds, he was dressed and his hair was immaculately done. He raced out of the dungeons and headed up to the Gryffindor tower. As luck would have it, Ginny was just sneaking out from the portrait as the Fat Lady chastised her for leaving so early.
"Ginny!" he called out.
Her head shot up and her lips broke into a small grin. Despite his anxiousness, his lips curled up involuntarily.
"We have to go. Our parents are waiting for us in Malfoy Manor," he rushed.
"Why?" she questioned.
"Marriage," he simply stated.
Ginny nodded and she followed him to the gates of the entrance. A large brown stagecoach with a dashing white stallion was situated a few yards away. Draco pushed open the gate and headed toward the coach. The windows were covered with thick wine colored velvet that draped down elegantly. He pulled open the golden handle and held out an arm to help her in. She grasped his forearm and heaved herself into the small space. She sat on one side and he sat adjacent to her. Their knees brushed up against each other due to the lack of space. The horse sped off into the direction of Malfoy Manor. Even though the manor was a few hundred miles away, they were there in seconds. They clambered out in an orderly fashion and headed to the entrance. A stone snake protruded from where the doorknob was supposed to be. Draco grabbed the snake's large fangs and pulled them down. The rickety doors creaked open and they cautiously treaded through the maze of rooms. He proceeded straight to his father's study. He lightly knocked on the mahogany wood. The door automatically opened for their entry. They both went in.
The room was painted in a dark crème color. Shelves stacked upon shelves were filled with books. Hermione would have a heyday here, Ginny thought wryly. As said, her parents were there, along with Lucius and Narcissa. None of them looked very pleased about the predicament. As soon as Molly saw her only daughter, she embraced her into a tight bear hug.
"I've missed you," she cooed.
"I missed you, too," Ginny replied, her face tinged with red.
Draco studied the scene with detached amusement. He never had open affection with his parents and subconsciously wondered what it was like to be free of all limitations. Lucius quickly rendered them out of it.
"As we all know, Draco is to be married to Miss Virginia Weasley. I would suspect that you are curious about why," he stated coldly.
They both nodded simultaneously.
"Very well. Due to… financial problems, the Weasley's have come to us in need of guidance. All I asked was for this marriage. Despite their differences, they are pureblood. As soon as Virginia has graduated, you will be wed and be expected to reproduce. Any questions?" Lucius asked.
Ginny squeaked when he said reproduction, but made no other noise.
"Good. Now that everything is settled, we will retire to the banqueting hall to have some tea and a spot of breakfast. Come now," he demanded with a tone of finality in his voice.
They all obeyed and followed him like lost puppies. All Ginny wanted to do was to go back to Hogwarts and be too busy to dwell in this revelation. The dining room was grand and ostentatious. Murals of Celtic Gods and Goddesses were caressing the walls. A diamond chandelier draped down in the middle of the room. Candles burnt brightly around the table. Jasmines, baby breaths, rosemary and roses were deliberately placed in the center of it all. Lucius helped his wife into a seat that was right of him as Draco slipped into the one that was left of him. He resumed his seat as head of the household. Ginny sat down next to Draco, while her mother and father were seated next to Narcissa respectively. A small pop sounded as the last chair was scraped back in. Plates of food were magicked right in front of them. Ginny watched as they all served themselves and felt as if someone were watching her. It was Lucius. His silver gaze never wavered from her face as he studied each contour. Her cheeks blushed crimson red in embarrassment. She didn't know who gave her Tom Riddle's diary. She didn't know it was he.
Draco casted a quick glance at Ginny, who immediately turned red without even looking. He wondered if it was just an instantaneous quirk of hers that came periodically. After a few seconds of staring past him, she picked up a fork and placed small bits of food onto her plate without eating. She just prodded her egg uninterestedly. She wasn't overtly hungry and couldn't wait to get back to Hogwarts for Transfiguration, which started in a few minutes, she supposed. She cleared her throat.
"I appreciate everything. I apologize, but I must get back to school. Class will be starting soon," she told them, standing up from her seat.
"As do I," Draco said, repeating her actions.
"Very well. Be back here at eight o' clock sharp. I believe that is when you dine. We will all have dinner and discuss the wedding plans," Lucius drawled.
It was all Ginny could do to not race away as she smiled and followed Draco back to the carriage. A few moments later, they arrived at the entrance to Hogwarts. Slowly, they staggered in and headed to their respective common rooms to get their supplies.