Author's Note: sorry that it has been such a long time since I have updated this story. I actually tried to update it awhile ago but my computer cut out on me and I lost a solid chapter of writing. So here I am, trying again. As always, if you recognize it then it's not mine. Also, this is when the timeline will begin to change.
[story begins]
Melanie quietly walked next to her father towards the room that the Dark Lord waited in. She watched her father knock and then heard that cold voice answer with an "enter". Melanie gulped a little bit but then followed her father after he opened the door and entered.
"My lord." Severus greeted, giving a bow which Melanie imitated.
"Ah... Severus." The Dark Lord murmured, Melanie could feel his snake-like eyes on her and she suppressed a shiver as she kept her head bowed in a manner of servitude. "I have a task for Melanie..."
[some time later]
Melanie stumbled through her new common room, still in shock. The Dark Lord expected her to somehow kill Dumbledore, with the unstated addition of "or die trying". She took a deep breath; she knew that her father would update Dumbledore on her expected task and his mumbled reassurances should make her feel better, but they did not. If she succeeded then she would be a murderer, and if she failed then she would be brutally murdered by Voldemort himself or by the Order of the Phoenix.
"Everything okay Melanie?" A male voice asked, and Melanie jumped as she whirled around.
"What? Oh... hello Draco."
"Melanie... everything okay?" Draco asked again.
Melanie took a breath and then began to tell him.
Draco was obviously in shock. "Wow. That's... That's... I'm not going to lie to you, I wouldn't want that task." Melanie nodded at him from her perch on the couch at which Draco sighed and looked down at his bare toes. The two Slytherins had found themselves on the most comfortable couch in the Slytherin Common Room as Melanie had explained her terrible task to the blonde. Said blonde suddenly looked back at her. "I'll help you figure it out... if you want."
Melanie was touched and instantly said so. She then added, "It's just that I don't want to kill anyone. But I'm either supposed to be murderer or victim. And I don't want to be either. I'm only 15, I should be worried about what clothes I'm going to wear or what boy I should kiss. Not... to be murderer or victim." Melanie then glanced back at Draco, who looked thoughtful.
"I guess that's just what our lives have become. It's not like we have any actually true say in it. We just have to follow our parents and hope for the best."
Melanie stared at Draco, who had let an almost inhuman look cross his face while he had spoken. She sighed and reached out to touch his hand, as she did so he jumped, obviously lost in his own thoughts.
"We'll be okay Draco. Somehow." And Draco nodded at her, sighing.
After his sigh, Draco said, "Come on. We had better get to bed. We have classes tomorrow. Gotta show off Slytherin to the whole school and demonstrate who is the boss."
