An Addictive Solution

Chapter Ten

"Well, if everything's already settled, we must call your parents and arrange the marriage," Dumbledore said, a big smile on his face.

"But, Professor, you see..." McGonagall still tried to make her point, looking severely at Ginny and Draco.

"Oh, yes, of course..." Dumbledore interrupted, knowing exactly what she wanted. "Fifteen points will be taken from each house for a very inappropriate public demonstration."

"Only fifteen points?" She gazed severely, now at Dumbledore.

"Well, Minerva, we must consider the unusual circumstances..." he explained, looking sheepishly and then changing abruptly the subject. "Will you write to your parents now?"

"I already did," said Draco, smiling at Dumbledore. "I wrote my mother early this morning before anything else."

Ginny looked, amazed, at Draco, but Dumbledore didn't seem to notice. "Good, so only the Weasleys need to be notified... And do you have any date in mind for the ceremony?"

"I'm thinking we could get married on Christmas Day," Draco promptly answered, smiling at Ginny and focusing again on Dumbledore.

"That's only a week from today! Are you sure you won't be needing more time?" Draco declined vehemently, reassuring a worried Dumbledore that was absolutely content with his answer. "Very good! So, Miss Weasley, will you write your parents and tell them the good news or you do want me to?"

Ginny swallowed, though her mouth was completely dry, feeling an absolute lack of words. She didn't know what to do or what to say. Everything had happened so suddenly that she hadn't had time to think about it. She simply looked blankly at Dumbledore and said, "Please, do so."

She saw him agree effusively, and he said something else, but she couldn't register it. She was almost in a panic.

She was getting married a week from now. She knew they didn't have time to lose, but even so, she felt she should wait a little longer. But she couldn't say no to Draco or Dumbledore. Actually, she couldn't say anything, because they weren't even listening. They had everything planned already and she just needed to be there when everything happened.

But that was not the way she wanted it to be. Well, she didn't know how she wanted it to be, but certainly not like that!

There was something wrong. Draco had never said he loved her. As a matter of fact, she had never said it either, but she showed it. She knew she wasn't good at hiding what she was feeling, so she knew he already knew how she felt. But he didn't seem a person capable of any demonstration of love - and soon she would be attached to him for the rest of her life.

She sensed that they were both looking at her and tried to focus on what they were saying. "What?"

"I asked if there's anything else you would like to do before starting the arrangements," Dumbledore repeated.

Was there anything else? She didn't even know what she was doing! What arrangements? She was fifteen and they were asking her to arrange a marriage - her marriage! How could they expect something like that from her?

But then something struck her: what was the point of all that? There was something that didn't fit; something that wasn't right. Why was everything happening, and what was the hidden objective? And then she knew there was something that needed to be done.

"I want to talk to Gerald Wakler," she said and saw their mouths drop open. She then said before they could say anything, "Yes, that's right. I want to talk to the man who cursed my father."