Disclaimer: I own nothing except my characters (Tammie and Melinda).

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"I'm leaving," I told Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy as I peeked into the kitchen where they were whispering or mumbling. "Is Draco still upstairs?" I asked but only got a grumbled unanswered response in return. "Okay, thanks" I said anyway as I quickly headed up the stairs and made my way toward Draco's door, not really expecting it to be closed. "Oy, Draco, you got someone in there with you?" I asked and couldn't hold back my laughter as the door quickly opened.

"No, why would you think that?" he asked in a rushed tone as his cheeks turned pink. "I thought you were gone anyway" he added fully opening the door.

"I was, but I thought it would be rude if I didn't thank you" I told him as he softened his expression. "I promise I won't hug you" I told him but he still seemed to remain tense as he stood.

"I also wanted to know if I could borrow that book, Tales of Beetle and the Bard" I asked as he gave me a weird look.

"It's for kids" he said as if I didn't know that.

"I wanna read it, I get bored easily" I told him as he disappeared back into his room. I remained out in the hall, I never liked his room, he had too many unnecessary things and he never seemed to be able find anything.

"Is um, you know, Melinda out there?" he asked from the corner of his room, by the black tall and thin bookshelf.

"Uh-uh," I replied. I wasn't going to give in that easily, he ruined his relationship, he got to fix it.

"Here" he said pulling out a few books. "You might like these too" he said coming back to the door and handing them over.

"Thanks Draco," I said as I started to turn but he lightly grabbed my shoulder. "What?" I asked playing dumb.

"How is she?" he asked, slowly, quietly, as if her name wasn't even allowed to be uttered under the Malfoy roof.

"She's good, went home for the summer, she seems perky, happy even; guess summer did her some good" I told him as he grumbled something.

"We can hang around for a minute if you wanna come out and chat, you know, say hello and all that" I suggested but he snorted in reply.

"No thanks" he said as I rolled my eyes, he was stubborn when he wanted to be. I thought I would've seen enough of that last year.

"Well, go on" he said shoong me toward the stairs.

"Alright, see you" I replied as I continued downstairs and outside and back toward Melinda who was drawing circleson the ground.

"Took you long enough" she joked as I shrugged and grapped my broom that was leaning against the gate. "Ready?" she asked just glancing back slightly at the door. I nodded as Melinda continued to latch one of my suitcases onto her broom. "Uh oh" she said as I started latching the other suitcase onto my own broom but stopped to look at her.

"What's up?" I started but realized someone was coming out of the house. "If we hurry we can still escape" I said half-jokingly. "Who is it?" I asked squited, all I could see from where I was was the blonde—almost white—hair.

"Tammie" I froze at the voice coming from the walking body, it was Draco.

"Save yourself" I whispered to Melinda who only straightened herself up.

"Tam, you um, forget this" he said handed me over one of my many Gryiffindor scarves.

"Er, thanks?" I said making a face as I looked at it with confusion. "You do realize I have like five—"

"So, Melinda, I heard you went home for the summer" Draco interrupted.

"Yeah, I just wanted to update my family on things; tell my grandma about the Q.U.E.S.T, she's really happy I came in second" she said as I tried not to make a face. A Felton okay with second place? That still stunned me when she wrote me.

"Well, you had to know it was going to be tough with a Malfoy as your competition" Draco replied as I rolled my eyes. I was my own competition, I presented very little competition toward Melinda.

"Anyway, what are your plans once you go to the Weasleys?" he asked realizing the conversation of the Q.U.E.S.T was causing a bit of awkwardness; especially since he had been the most loyal—minus Lee Jordan—on my team.

"We should actually get going" I told him feeling the slightest twinge of guilt for leaving him by himself.

"Maybe I'll see you Diagon Alley" he said as a last ditch attempt to stall.

"I don't know why, you already—" I started but his glare stopped me from finishing my sentence. "See you Draco" I concluded going back over to my broom.

"Bye Draco" Melinda said giving him a small and wave as she hopped onto her broom and I hopped on mine.

"See you Melinda" he replied as he turned around and headed back into the house, giving us one final look once he got to the door.

"I swear he makes my date with Seamus look painless" she said as we flew through the air. I couldn't help but laugh a little. Last year, after Melinda and Draco broke up, she decided to give Seamus a shot and went on a date with him to Three Broomsticks. It ended up being pretty lame, Seamus talked about sports and made random comments about nothing of interest to Melinda. Eventually George and I interrupted the date for a "emergency" and Melinda never made plans for a second date. She did however go on a few date with one of her companions, Cedric, which we later found out was against the rules and nearly got her disqualified—until they stated to the Ministry they were strictly friends.

"I think it's just job to just make things difficult for everyone" I told her as we continued flying.

"Honestly, I doubt he even likes me anymore really" she said, her voice going a little low. I cleared my throat and shifted positions on the broom. "What, it's not like it's impossible for a Malfoy to misdirect someone" she said giving me a look. Besides third year when I completely misdirected Oliver I spent last year misdirecting Fred when my real intention was attempting to misdirect the media. My goal most of the year was trying to convince everyone I wasn't really a Malfoy, not in terms of personality, but everything I did seemed to convince them of everything. Helping MElidna with a problem involving Draco was the last strew for Fred and cuaed our breakup.

"Okay, besides the fact that I know I messed up, a few times, I did fix things, I am back with him" I reminded her. THe only reason we got to be together was because you could have a boyfriend or girlfriend who was also a companion going into the competiution but if you broke up with them you couldn't get back together until after. The day after the competition was over Fred and I got back together. Lee Jordan and I manged to get away with it because we never claimed to officially be dating—no signs of iminacy or obvious affection, no favoritism or extra encouragement and no snogging. In public. Once or twice he had kissed me, and then after Fred and I got back together he wished me the best of luck with a goodbye kiss on the cheek. "Besides, I'm sure things weren't awkward for Fred when I was with Lee or Oliver" I said but this time she laughed.

"No, not at all…" she replied quietly. The truth was, third year I barely saw Fred when I wasn't with him, regardless that we were in the same house. It seemed he was either avoiding me or having more fun without me. Last year the only thing that seemed to keep him next to me was his desire to not see me get killed and the simple fact that he was my first pick and as first pick he was my second in command, had to second approve of my actions and plans, and he had to make sure I was in the right emotional and mental state. "You don't think dating his best friend was awkward?" she asked.

"We didn't date…" I reminded her. "Offically…" I added quietly.

"Right, I forgot" she said sarcastically. Besides George and Ginny Melinda was the only person who didn't approve of the relationship—who knew about—but they since it couldn't be proven they couldn't cut it off. "But, like you said, you're back with Fred, you still want him…" I could hear her voice getting sad, I was never good at these conversations and I wasn't sure if telling her what Draco said would hurt or help.

"So, who's this Conner guy you mentioned?" I asked as she seemed to brighten up. At least whoever he was seemed to put her in a good mood.

"Oh, just a friend. Met him through my cousin, it's a long story" she said still smiling. "HE's cool, and I know you're not supposed to tell, but he knows" she said with another smile.

"About you being a witch and all?" I asked as she nodded.

"He ws a little weirded out at first, I expected him to be though, I mean, we freaked when we realized we were witches" she commented.

"You freaked a little less, I flipped lid upon finding out I was a Malfoy" I reminded her, still slightly disappointment I was realating to one of the worst families in the history of wizardy. "Anyway, Conner?" I said trying to switch my mind to a happier conversation.

"I dunno," she said with a shrug but her smile not fading. "He's not that tall, a smidge shorter than Draco, darker hair, he has a big nose though, but, it's cute. And he has such blue eyes" she commented, her own eyes lighting up. "But he's really accepting to all this; I told him a bit about you. He assumed since you were a Malfoy, you'd be more…" she hesitated and looked at me.

"Bitchy?" I finished for her. "Only when it counts" I told with a wink, most of the competition everyone was on edge, Melinda and I the most and we often—if not always—found ourselves snapping at each other. Most of both said things we didn't think through but it seemed like I was the most ridiculed for my outspoken comments, as expected it was mainly attritubuted to being a Malfoy.

"It's excusable" she teased. I had overlooked most of her stupid comments, but the parts that I couldn't forgive I just buried, I figured it wasn't something we needed to bring up every again. She got embarrassed enough during our screening for the seventh challenge.

"So do you and this Conner still talk?" I asked.

"Yeah, but we're just friends" she said, her words rushing. I nodded, though a part of me seemed unconvinced, at least in terms of what she thought of him. "He can't wait until I get back so I can tell him about this year" she said.

"It should be low key, we had a crash course third year and last year was just obnoxious, we deserve some down time" I told her.

"I couldn't agree more" she said as we took a turn.

"It's pretty obvious but I have to ask, Conner is a muggle, yes?" I asked laughing a bit at the word. Two years ago it would've sounded strane to call someone a muggle, even being a Harry Potter fan, but now it seemed only natural.

"Do you think it was okay that I told him, you know, that I was a witch and al that?" She asked, her voice slightly edging toward worrisome.

"The Ministry didn't bash through your doors afterwards did they?" I teased as I spotted a crooked house in the far distance.

"Still…" she said, but let it go, either because she seemed less worried or because she too noticed the Burrow. "It's not something you'll have to worry about though" she decided on saying as I looked at her in surprise. "I only mean that, well, you live with the Malfoys now, you practically never have to go back home, and well, you know you're going to end up with a wizard. You have to know that much" she said with a knowing smile as I felt myself warm. It was true, even if I didn't end up with Fred, I could end up with any number of guys, any kind, though, to be fair, wizards were probably more likely now.

"Well, I hope I'm with Fred for an entire semester this year" I commented as we both laughed and lowered ourselves as we neared the house, two redheads already outside playing with what looked like a firecracker. I glanced at Melinda and we both had to smirk. The twins never failed to entertain us, even if they didn't plan to in the first place.

"I don't think you have to worry about relationships issues this year" Melinda said as the boys caught sight of us as a red firecracker loudly went off behind them, causing a brilliant cascade of light in the shape of a lion.

"Hello love" Fred said with his famous grin as his mother opened the door, clearly annoyed by the twins.

"I told you to throw those all away!" she shouted at them. "Hello Melinda, Tammie," she said, her voice slightly lighter, her face still flushed.