Summer Writing Series Challenge (July 20)
Challenge: Musical Week: Theme- Love/Romance
Challenge Conditions: Using the daily theme, choose a scene or song from any musical you like (stage
or screen) and rework it using our favorite characters.
Title: Marry the Man Today
Word Count: 1,000
It was a bright Sunday afternoon. Two friends sat under the brightly colored umbrellas outside Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor chatting lightly. The brown haired woman was eating a chocolate ice cream, while the other, with the shockingly bright red hair, ate an ice cream that seemed to change flavor with every scoop.
"Draco asked me to marry him today."
Nineteen-year-old Hermione Granger clapped her hands together and nodded eagerly for the other to continue. "And?"
"And what?" Ginny Weasley retorted, obviously trying to stall.
Hermione huffed. "He asked you to marry him. What did you say?"
"I told him that I'll get back to him," the younger woman said, deadpanned.
"You told him WHAT?!"
Ginny quickly made a shushing motion with her hands, smiling sheepishly at the people who turned around to look at them at Hermione's loud outburst. "Shh. The whole world doesn't need to know, alright?"
"Draco asked you to marry him, and you rejected him?" Hermione asked in disbelief, softer this time.
"Not rejected, I just told him that I needed to think about it."
"It's the same thing to guys. How did he take it?"
"Pretty well. Well, he, sort of, had that really hurt look in his eyes," Ginny said guiltily. "But he told me to take all the time I need to think over it, and that he'd wait until I'm ready."
"Be grateful that Draco loves you so much. Any other guy probably would have dumped you, right then and there."
Ginny's face dropped even more. "I know, I know. Spare me the lecture, I've already heard it from mum. I didn't think she could get any louder. Anyways, enough about me. What about you and Harry? Have you decided on a wedding date yet?"
Now, it was Hermione's turn to look guilty. "I don't know, Ginny. I love Harry so much, but I don't know if I'm ready for such a big commitment. I want a long an engagement. We're both still so young and we both have our careers. I mean, after one year, he's already the Department's Head Auror. And my job at the Daily Prophet is going so well. I need to get to know him better."
"You must be kidding me. Hermione, you probably already know Harry better than he knows himself! Besides, have you talked to Harry? What does he want?"
"Well, Harry wants to get married next month. Before he leaves for Ireland in August. You know, with that Top Secret mission that we're not supposed to know about." Hermione said, smiling slightly. Ever since Harry had let slip about the mission, Hermione and Ginny had been relentlessly teasing him about it, just because it wasn't like Harry to slip up on something that big. After two days of constant teasing, it was clear that Harry wished that he'd erased their memory like he was supposed to do, according to procedure.
Ginny smiled too, before turning serious again,"Then, my advice is, don't let him get away. Marry him now."
"But, what if after we get married and I realize I can't stand his snoring, or something?"
"Harry snores?"
"Everyone snores when they sleep, Ginny. It's just a matter of how loud," Hermione said carefully.
"Harry snores, Draco is going to get a kick out of that one," Ginny said triumphantly, before she burst out laughing.
"Stop it, Ginny," Hermione said, trying not to join the eighteen-year-old in laughing at the ridiculous image of Harry snoring. "What if I don't want him to be an Auror? He's always away at random hours and his life could be in danger at any moment."
Ginny sobered up. "Hey, you know what I learned from Madam Malkin's? You can't get alterations on a robe you haven't bought."
Hermione stared oddly at Ginny.
"And when you're buying groceries, you mustn't squeeze a melon 'till you get the melon home."
Hermione nodded in understanding, "And you can't change a man without marrying him first."
"Right!"
Hermione frowned at Ginny, "Here you are, scolding me about wanting a long engagement when you didn't even accept Draco's proposal."
Ginny's eyes slowly lit up. "Why not?"
"Why not what?" Hermione asked in confusion.
"Why not marry Draco? I've been thinking. Sure, marriage is a gamble, but then so is life. And nothing is guaranteed. But I love Draco, as you do Harry. Wouldn't you rather marry him today rather than sighing in sorrow tomorrow?"
"You've got a point," Hermione said thoughtfully.
"So, what if I don't like Draco's attitude toward my brothers? We've got lifetime ahead of us to change that."
"And what if I can't stand Harry's snore? I'm a witch, there's bound to be a way to fix that."
"But you got to marry the man today," Ginny cried, unaware of the stares she got from the other people sitting near them.
"Then, you can change his ways tomorrow!"
Ginny laughed loudly before sticking a spoonful of the now orange ice cream into her mouth.
"Mmm, mango, I like it."
"Oh, Ginny. You're driving me crazy with that silly ice cream of yours," Hermione groaned.
"Hey, Mr. Fortescue offered to give me a sample of every flavor he had. Can't refuse the owner, can I?" Ginny replied innocently.
Hermione rolled her eyes. "He only offered it to you because you spent the last twenty minutes standing there trying to decide on a flavor. There were other costumers."
"Hey, it's not my fault I couldn't decide." Hermione only shook her head at the youngest Weasley, trying her best not to burst out laughing.
"Well, I've got to go find Harry. There's a wedding that needs planning! And you," Hermione said pointing her index finger at Ginny, "are going to find Mr. Draco Malfoy, and accept his marriage proposal and apologize to him for being stupid enough not to accept it when he asked you."
"Of course. Give him your hand today and save the fist for after, right?" Ginny laughed before apparating away.
A/N: Well, that was Marry the Man Today from Guys and Dolls.