Bound By Love

"Perfect. Now all I need is to find Draco," Pansy thought gleefully as she walked along the corridor in search of Draco. Those who passed by her wondered at the smug look on her face and some casted worried looks at the thing she was holding tightly in her hands.

Pansy did not notice them though, her mind focused on trying to locate Draco. Eversince they entered into their sixth year in Hogwarts, Draco seemed rather distant to her. It seemed to her that he had forgotten she even existed. Everytime she approached him and cajoled him into paying more attention to her, he just pushed her away.

"Not anymore," she thought happily. "This handcuff is going to keep him by my side for as long as I want him to until he finally cannot ignore me anymore." She held the two bracelets that were linked together by a single thick chain in front of her. She smiled with anticipation. She was pleased with her discovery.

Ginny was sitting alone under the tree, enjoying the breeze that was caressing her face as she read her book. She loved the tranquility here. Living under the roof with six elder brothers for years had made her appreciate every moment of peace she could enjoy. Her peace, however, was disrupted when she heard a couple quarrelling not far away from her.

"What do you think you are doing?" Ginny heard a boy demanded. Ginny frowned. The voice sounded rather familiar.

"You have been neglecting me for quite a while now. I won't stand for it. This will make sure you will not be able to escape from me again," a girl explained.

"What makes you think I want to be with you?" the boy said with a sneer. Ginny straightened. She recognised that sneer anywhere. After all, she had been one of the 'lucky' ones who was graced with such a sneer once in a while.

"Malfoy," Ginny thought as she turned to see the bickering couple. Ginny's eyes widened when she saw Pansy trying to put something on Draco's hand while Draco was struggling to free his arm from Pansy's grip.

"What is going on?" she wondered. She was contemplating on whether she should just leave them alone and resume her reading or approached them. "Why would you want to approach them, Ginny? It's their problem," Ginny muttered to herself. "Besides, they would probably ask me to sod off anyway."

"Damn," Ginny's thought was interrupted by a curse from Draco. Ginny turned back to the couple, who appeared to be oblivious to her presence.

Draco was glaring at Pansy. "What have you done now?" he growled. Pansy, however, was too busy trying to lock the handcuff to her hand to notice his glare.

"Why won't the clasp close?" she complained, trying again and again to close the clasp around her hand but to no avail. "Draco's clasp is already locked."

"Release the clasp, Pansy," Draco ordered.

Again, Pansy was too caught up with her own troubles to listen to Draco. "It must be faulty," she thought furiously. "Let's go and fix it," she said and stormed towards the castle.

"Pansy!" Draco, who was already bound by the cuff, shouted as he was forced to follow Pansy.

It was then Pansy noticed a girl watching her not so far away. She stopped and glowered at Ginny. "Are you really that bored, Weasley, that you have to watch us?" she said snidely.

Ginny grinned. "Are you really that desperate, Parkinson, that you have to use a pair of handcuffs to stop him from straying?" she shot back. She thought she heard a snort from Draco as though he was trying to contain his laughter. Ginny turned to him for a while but he just raised his eyebrow.

"Must be my imagination," Ginny thought.

Pansy fumed. "How dare you?" she bit out furiously. "Out of my way, you pathetic Gryffindor. I have something to get fixed here to waste my time to the likes of you."

Ginny knew she should move away but she thought it was rather more fun to see how far she could push the enraged girl. It was not everyday she could get under Pansy's skin and she was not about to let this rare opportunity passed.

"You sure have a lot to fix then," Ginny commented. Then she tapped her chin thoughtfully and added, "Perhaps you can start by fixing that nasty attitude of yours."

"Why you..." Pansy growled. Again, Ginny heard a snort from Draco. Pansy too must have heard for she also turned to him. This time, Draco did nothing to hide his amusement as he smiled appreciatively at Ginny.

Ginny was surprised. He had never smiled at her that way before. Smirked, yes but not genuine smile that was now sending flutters in her stomach.

Ginny's biting comments at Pansy did amaze Draco. "Since when did the little Weasley become a spirited vixen who dare to stand up to anyone?" he wondered. He turned to Pansy to see how she would react to the fact that this Gryffindor was not about to let herself be pushed around by her.

Pansy was not glaring at Ginny though. She was not even looking at Ginny. Instead, she was scowling at Draco.

"You find this amusing, don't you?" she asked venomously, her eyes narrowing at him. "Well, see if you want to be stuck to a Weasley," she said as she grabbed the unsuspecting Ginny and clamped the cuffs around her hand. Unlike what had happened to Pansy before, the clasp closed around Ginny's wrist with a resounding clank. Three pairs of eyes widened as they stared unbelievingly at the pair of handcuffs.

Both Draco and Ginny tore their gaze away from the handcuffs to shout at Pansy. "What have you done?" they both shouted at once.

Pansy winced. "That was not supposed to happen. It was supposed to be faulty," she wailed. Then she looked at Ginny angrily. "It must be your doing. You somehow charmed that thing to ensure that it will close around your wrist," she accused.

Ginny rolled her eyes, momentarily forgetting that she was stuck with a Malfoy. "Get a life, Pansy," she snorted. Clearly, that was not a suitable reply to Pansy as her face turned even redder with fury.

She was about to pounce on Ginny when Draco held her back. "Where's the key?" he demanded.

Pansy looked confused at first. "What key?" she asked, puzzled.

"The key to open the clasp!" he shouted as he raised his hand which was chained to Ginny's in front of Pansy impatiently.

Ginny gave a yelp. "Be careful, will you?" she cried. "My hand is chained to yours too, if you are too dense to notice." Draco ignored her. He was too busy trying to intimidate Pansy into giving him the key.

"Uh..." Pansy began, wringing her hands nervously.

"Uh...what, Parkinson," Ginny prompted, dread filling her. Somehow, she knew she would not like Pansy's answer.

"Idon'thavethekey," Pansy answered quickly. The moment she answered, she quickly turned to run away but Draco caught her arm.

"Can you repeat what you have just said?' he asked, his voice dangerously low. Pansy looked miserable. "Answer me, will you?" he demanded again, trying to fight the urge to shake her.

Pansy was about to answer but Ginny beat her to it. "What do you mean you don't have the key? This is yours, isn't it?" she shrieked, preparing to strangle the frightened girl.

"Stop jumping up at down, Weasley," Draco drawled. "I'll sue you if you pull my arm off."

Ginny paid him no heed though. She was too engrossed in trying to do bodily harm to Pansy. Pansy took a step back. She looked almost frightened of Ginny.

"It was ...it was a... mistake. Honest! I don't expect the clasp to close around your wrist," she stammered.

Ginny was about to say something when Draco interrupted, "You intend to chain me to you when you don't even have the key? I can't believe you."

"Well, you have been ignoring me. You don't even talk to me anymore. Everytime I tried to talk to you, you would just walk away. It's frustrating," Pansy ranted. She then spent the next five minutes accusing Draco of neglecting her, saying that it was his entire fault that she had to resort to this.

"I get your point, Pansy," Draco snapped, preventing her from continuing her tirade. "I'll deal with you later. For now, we have to find a way to unlock this thing," he said. Ginny nodded in agreement.

"I don't intend to get stuck with a Weasley for longer than necessary," he added with a sneer.

"If you must know, Malfoy, I feel the same way about you," Ginny bit out.

"Glad you feel that way. I don't want a weasel to fall for someone as incredible as me," he said sardonically.

"As egotistical, you mean," Ginny shot back.

Draco raised his eyebrow. "I can be considered quite a catch, Weasley," he announced in a superior tone.

"Only to shallow, money-hungry girls," Ginny countered.

Pansy who had been watching the exchange in silence took offense to that. "I heard that, Weasley, and I don't like it one bit," she glowered.

"Who ask for her opinion anyway?" Ginny muttered. Then she pulled out her wand and pointed towards the clasp. "Alohomora," she said. Unfortunately for them, the clasp remained close.

"Nice try, Weasley. Not good enough though," Draco drawled.

"Why don't you try then," Ginny challenged.

"Fine. I'll release us in no time at all," he said confidently. He pointed his wand at the bracelet and muttered something under his breath. Red light shot out of his wand and hit the chain, causing sparks to be released. However, the bracelet remained unscathed.

"This is ridiculous," he burst out.

"Hermione. Maybe Hermione can help us out," Ginny suggested.

"Ask the mudblood for help?" Draco asked incredulously. "No way."

"Stop calling her that. Hermione knows a lot. She might be able to help us," Ginny explained through gritted teeth. She then stormed towards Hogwarts to look for her friend with Draco struggling to keep up with her.

"Ginny! What are you doing with Malfoy and Parkinson?" Hermione asked, her eyes widened with shock. Ginny had a nervous look on her face while Malfoy was scowling at her. "And why are you standing so close to Malfoy?"

Ginny then held up her hand that was chained to Malfoy's hand. "We need your help," she said dryly.

Moments later, the four of them were in the library poring over countless of books in hope to find more information about the bracelets. Minutes turned to hours but their effort went to no avail. Four hours later, they have yet to find a solution.

"We are going to be stuck together forever," Ginny sighed.

"You sure sound excited at the prospect, weasel," Draco remarked dryly.

"For someone who hate the Weasleys so much, you sure are taking this more calmly than I expected," Ginny said.

Draco shrugged carelessly. "I'm a Malfoy. Malfoys don't overreact, unlike the Weasleys," he taunted.

Ginny fumed. She was about to retort when Hermione exclaimed triumphantly, "I've found it!"

Everyone crowded eagerly around Hermione. However, the eagerness faded when they realised what it was.

"The Soulmate Bands," Ginny breathed.

"It was invented by a very powerful wizard who lived in the lost town of Celadonia centuries ago. During that time, people treasured their independence too much that they refused to get married. Their stubbornness worried the wizard that their civilisation would perish eventually. Thus, he invented a pair of bracelets linked by a chain that would lock itself around the wrist of couples who were destined to be soulmates," Hermione read aloud, her face had paled slightly.

"And the only way to free the couple from the bracelets is a sincere confession of love by both parties," Pansy finished the paragraph. For a moment, everyone was silent as they tried to absorb whatever they had read.

"Confession of love!" Pansy screeched.

"Shhh," the other students in the library warned. The foursome was getting too noisy.

"To a Malfoy?" Ginny said incredulously. Then she shook her head and added," "Not bloody likely."

"That is the only way, Ginny," Hermione said as she scanned the pages, trying to find any other ways.

Draco glowered at the chain that bound him to Ginny. "A Weasley for a soulmate? What a bunch of crap," he snorted. Then he turned to Pansy and threatened in a low voice, "You are so dead, Pansy."

Pansy quivered slightly under his threatening glare and looked expectantly at Hermione who was still reading the book.

"Are you really sure that there's no other way, Hermione?" Ginny asked desperately. Hermione shook her head, giving Ginny a sympathetic look.

"How can he be my soulmate?" Ginny spat, pointing accusingly at Draco. "This bracelet must be a fake."

"It must be," Pansy agreed. "Or else, it would have chained me to Draco instead of you. After all, Draco and I are meant to be."

"Enough of this, Pansy. It is your stupid obsession with getting together with me that resulted in this disaster," Draco said, looking somewhat exasperated. Then he turned to Ginny and started, "So..."

Ginny looked bewildered, not knowing what he expected from her. "So what?" she asked.

"Aren't you going to confess your undying love to me?" Draco demanded in an impatient voice.

"I confess my undying love to you," Ginny repeated, stunned.

"What are you waiting for?" he asked. "You say you love me and I will say the same for you. Don't take it seriously, of course. I don't love you. Hell, I don't even like you," Draco continued with a scorn.

"As if I love you," Ginny mumbled, rolling her eyes.

"Can you just get on with this dumb confession? The sooner we get free of each other the better," Draco said.

"Malfoy," Hermione called but Draco ignored her.

"Well..." Draco prodded, trying to intimidate Ginny with his glare.

"Why don't you say first?" Ginny refused.

"Malfoy, you need..." Hermione started again.

"Shut up, Granger," Draco interrupted. "It's bad enough that you are watching this. Now Weasley, you confess first," he ordered.

"No," Ginny said simply.

"You are being stubborn!" Draco bit out furiously.

"You are too," Ginny retorted.

"Ladies first," Draco pointed out, refused to give in to the annoying female Weasley. "No way am I going to confess to her first. Even if the confession is a fake," he thought.

"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls," Ginny countered, emphasising on the word 'boys'. "So boys go first," she reasoned smugly.

"Weasley..." he warned, his voice dangerously low. However, his effort to intimidate Ginny went to a waste for Ginny remained unperturbed.

Both Pansy and Hermione just watched the exchange between Draco and Ginny, knowing it was useless to intervene.

Draco then decided to try a different tactic. "If I don't know better, Weasley, I think you want to be stuck with me," he drawled.

"If I don't know better, Malfoy, I think you want to be stuck with me," she used his words against him. "Imagine a Malfoy wanting to be stuck with someone who he thinks is supposedly below him," she added with a laugh.

"I want to be stuck with you? You must be dreaming, Weasley," Draco scoffed.

"Then why don't you say it first," Ginny challenged.

"Ugh! Fine, I love you. Are you happy now?" Draco said angrily.

"Absolutely," Ginny replied with a grin.

It was then, to Draco's annoyance that he realised that Ginny had somehow manipulated him into confessing to her first. "So what are you waiting for?" he demanded. "I've already done my part."

"Fine. I love you too," Ginny said venomously. If one did not hear properly, one would have thought she said 'I hate you' instead.

"Love is in the air," Pansy announced sarcastically. Everyone looked expectantly at the Soulmate Bands but nothing happened.

"Why the hell are we not freed yet?" Draco burst out.

"You are getting too noisy," Madam Pince demanded as she reached them. "I'm afraid you have to leave now," she added, ushering the four chastened students out of the library.

Once they were out of the library, Draco rounded on Hermione. "Why does it not work, mudblood? If I find out its some kind of trick..." he warned

.

"Cut it out, Malfoy. I've been trying to tell you just now but you refused to let me talk. Anyway, the book said it must be a sincere confession," Hermione explained, stressing on the word 'sincere'.

"I'll doubt he knows what sincere means, Hermione. It is highly unlikely that a Malfoy has any sincere moments at all," Ginny quipped.

"Weasley, you are lucky that you are chained to me now or I would have strangled you to death," Draco said.

"Won't it be easier if you strangle me now? After all, I can't run away even if I want to?" Ginny asked, looking confused.

Draco looked at her in surprise. He expected her to cower when he used that kind of tone. Most people did that but instead she just looked at him and practically asked 'Why not?' It was puzzling. "The Weasleys are a weird lot," he concluded mentally.

"So what are we going to do now?" Pansy asked Hermione.

"I don't know," Hermione admitted.

"You don't know?" Draco asked in mock disbelief. "That's rich coming from a Know-It-All mudblood."

"Stop calling her that, Mal-ferret!" Ginny shouted.

"I can call her what I like, Weasel," Draco stated arrogantly. Ginny clenched her fists angrily.

"Will you stop this?" Hermione said. "Since its obvious you have no love at all for each other, we have to find other ways to free both of you from the chain. For now, let's go to the Great Hall. Dinner is in a few minutes," she reasoned.

" It's that late already!" Pansy exclaimed. "Come on," she urged, her stomach rumbling with hunger.

"We'll figure something out after dinner," Ginny said determinedly and then followed Hermione and Pansy who were already ahead of them.

"Walk slower, Weasley. My hand is hurting," Draco complained as her hurried after her.

They stopped in front of the Great Hall. It was then a thought came to them. Ginny and Draco looked at each in horror.

"There's no way I'm going to sit with the Slytherins," Ginny stated.

At the same time, Draco also said, "Don't expect me to sit with your pathetic Gryffindor friends."

Hermione meanwhile sank to the floor with her hands covering her face. "What will Harry and Ron think when they see Ginny and Draco chained together?" she groaned.

To be continued...