Author's Note: This story is M rated and there are naughty bits in this chapter.

'Melatiah, dear, will you help me wash the dishes, please? The rest of you can go if you want.'

'Of course I will help. I like helping.'

Dinner was over for another night and Molly thought it was about time she had another "little chat" with Melatiah. It was obviously far too late to bolt the stable door, so Molly was now more concerned with reigning in the horse before anybody got hurt. They cleared the table and started the dishes swirling in the sink before Molly spoke.

'So, are you going to sleep in your own room tonight? I think it would be best.'

'I do not think so, Mrs Weasley. I like it when I sleep in Harry's bed. It makes me feel happy, and I do not have my nasty dreams.'

'Hmm. Well, I still think you should try. What are you going to do when he goes back to school.'

Melatiah thought about that for a while, she didn't want Harry to ever go away. 'I do not know. I think I will be a very sad girl. Is he away for a long time?'

'Until Christmas.' She saw Melatiah's mouth turn down. 'But it will soon go.' Molly knew that Melatiah had an enormous crush on Harry, maybe more. She felt so sorry for the girl, having to part from him so soon after moving out of the only home she had ever known.

'It will be a long time.' Then Melatiah gave a huge grin. 'But it will be the best Christmas ever when I see him again!'

Molly laughed. 'I'm sure it will be. Tell me, has Professor Dumbledore told you where you will stay when Harry does go back to school?'

'No, he did not say. Will I stay here?'

'I don't think that will be possible. I've got to go home, you see, so there'll be nobody to look after you.'

Melatiah's face crumpled. 'Then I do not know where I can go.' It was enough to break Molly's heart.

'Do you want to come and stay with me? None of my children will be there, and Mr Weasley is at work all day, so sometimes it can get a bit lonely.'

It would only be one more body at Christmas and they could cope. Melatiah would just have to accept she would be sharing with Ginny, though. That was absolutely certain and not open to negotiation. Although, what Ginny would have to say about it…

Melatiah gave another grin, and clapped her hands. 'Can I? And will you teach me how to be a big girl so that I can go home to look after mother?' Molly nodded and Melatiah started jumping up and down. 'That is what I want and then one day Harry will come to live with me as well.'

'Harry is going to live with you?' That was news to Molly and suddenly everything seemed to be going very fast again.

'Of course!' said Melatiah, in a surprised tone. 'The Princess meets a Prince and they get married and all live happily ever after. That is what always happens!'

Molly didn't quite know what to say to that. She couldn't just tell Melatiah to stop being silly, or have the conversation you would normally have with a grown girl who was acting like an eight year old. Maybe it was something she could work on over the next few months.. 'Of course it does. How silly of me to forget.'

-o0o-

Harry and Melatiah stood on the landing, outside his room.

'Mrs Weasley says I must sleep in my room tonight, Harry, but I do not want to. What if I have a nasty dream?'

Harry hugged her. That felt nice. 'Well, if you are going to have a nasty dream, perhaps it would be better if you stay with me.'

'So you can look after me?' Melatiah saw him nod and laid her head against his chest, giving a big sigh. 'I like it when you look after me. It makes me feel all…I do not know. It is like I am eating ice-cream and soup all at the same time.'

He lifted her chin to give her a kiss. 'I know exactly what you mean. Come on.'

They went into his room, turning their backs on each other so that they could get undressed and put on their night things. Harry wasn't even tempted to peek, because he knew it wouldn't be right. That could come later, when they were more used to each other. He got into bed first, holding the blankets up so that she could slide in beside him. They snuggled down, facing each other and with a smile on their lips .

'This is nice' said Melatiah. 'I feel all warm and comfortable and I do not think I will have a dream.'

Harry wasn't that pure of spirit. 'Perhaps I should hug you, just to make certain' he suggested, reaching his arms towards her.

She slid readily towards him and their lips met. Harry was quite happy with that for a while, but then his hands started to move over her. He ran his fingers slowly down her spine, feeling the dips and peaks of her backbone under his fingertips. He'd never realised they were so sensitive, but remembered a lesson at his first school when they were told that blind people could "read" with their fingers using something called Braille. He asked himself why he remembered that now, of all times, but couldn't some up with an answer. He almost giggled when he wondered what her back said.

The giggle soon stopped when his hand reached her behind. It was smooth and rounded and fitted his hand. It felt good when he squeezed it, so he did it a few times. Melatiah seemed to like it as well, and pressed against him, her breath coming slightly faster into his mouth.

Harry's hand moved lower, to the bottom of her nightdress, and he slid underneath it. Her hands were moving over him, too, and they were starting to get a bit tangled up.

'Shall we take these ridiculous things off?' he asked her, desperately hoping she would say yes. She did, pulling her nightie over her head and dropping it on the floor behind her. His pyjamas soon joined them and her reached for her once more. Their bodies touching sent a jolt through both of them. Skin against skin was far more sensitive than material against material.

Even if they had wanted too, they could not have stopped now. Their bodies took on a life of their own and their hands moved over each other faster and faster; touching, probing, squeezing.. Their mouths moved, too, and they were not just kissing each other's lips, but faces and necks and hair. Harry ducked his head down to her breast and taking her nipple into his mouth began to gently suck. Their breathing became wild and erratic and all conscious thought was lost.

Harry rolled Melatiah onto her back and moved himself over her. They stayed like that for the briefest of moments, Harry fighting to remain in control. He almost didn't make it and had to take a few deep breaths. Then Melatiah's legs moved apart and he found himself exploring. He found what we wanted almost by accident and she gave a squeak as he entered her.

Then, before they knew what they were doing, they were moving against each other faster and faster, a whirlwind of arms and legs and mouths and hands. Nothing was planned, this was pure animal instinct.

Harry lost all sense of everything apart from the overpowering feeling spreading out from his groin to every part of his body - except one. Now it was too late to do anything he heard a tiny little voice in his head, which sounded very like Hermione, saying "Charm?". It made no difference now; it could have been Voldemort talking to him and it wouldn't have distracted him. He felt every muscle in his body tense at the same time and he called out Melatiah's name.

Then it was over and he collapsed on top of her. He was hot and his skin felt damp, yet his mouth was very dry. Everything seemed to relax at once and he could do no more than lay there, trying to get his breath back. He felt…drained, yet wonderful, the best he had ever felt in his life. If he were to produce a patronus now it could probably take on the whole world.

'You are heavy, Harry.'

He rolled to one side, keeping his arms around Melatiah. He never wanted to let her go again. 'Is that better?'

She gave a little sigh and snuggled against him. 'Yes. That was very nice, wasn't it? I have never feeled like that before.'

He laughed, rather exhaustedly. 'Nor have I. Ever.'

'I think we should do it again.'

'Maybe tomorrow, yes? I feel really tired all of a sudden.'

'Me, too. Alright; tomorrow, then. Good night, my Harry.'

He gave her a very gentle kiss on the end of her nose. 'Goodnight, my Melatiah.' Just before he fell asleep he had the feeling there was something he should have done earlier, but it probably didn't matter.

-o0o-

He was in the same room as before, with the torches burning yellow against the wall. Two people cowered before him, their heads bowed. The light reflected of their hair; one yellow, the other so light it was almost white.

'He failed me once again and is now incarcerated in Azkaban. When I need all my most able, he is not here.' There was a pause, and then a question asked in such a calm way the menace was obvious. 'How can I replace him?'

The one with the white hair looked up. His face was scared, but determined. 'I can replace him, my Lord.'

'No! Draco…' The other person had spoken. She, for it was a she, was possibly pretty once but now her face was wracked by fear.

'Quiet, Mother. I shall replace my father at your side, my Lord.'

The laugh was high and cruel. 'But you are no more than a boy! You cannot be of use to me.'

'Test me, and let me prove my worth. I will be there, inside. I can help you.'

'Very well, I shall test you. But if I find you wanting there will be no mercy. Pull up your sleeve.'

The woman threw herself in front of the boy. 'No, Lord, I beg you! How can you do this? He is just a child!'

A flash of light threw the woman backwards onto the floor. 'Never question me again. Next time I shall not be so lenient. Boy, hold out your arm; I shall mark you now.'

As the wand touched bare flesh the pain was palpable, even to the observer.

'NO!!!!!!!'

-o0o-

Harry didn't quite like the way Hermione plonked herself down next to him the next morning. He was on his own and she had that look in her eye.

'So, what was all the noise about last night?' Harry looked away guiltily, and she sighed. 'I meant the second one. But whilst we're on the subject, you were sensible. Weren't you?'

'Of course I was.'

'Oh Harry!' Hermione threw her hands in the air. 'I told you what you had to do! I told you! You can't just hope for this best, this is your resp…'

'Hang on! What makes you think…'

'That you're lying to me? Your lips are moving.'

Harry held his hands up. 'OK, OK. I got a bit carried away. It won't happen again. I'll be sensible.'

'Well let's just hope you got away with it.' That stopped him in his tracks. 'Yes, you might be lucky. I'll talk to her. We'll have to keep an eye on what happens.' She shook her head and glared at him. 'Anyway…'

At that point Melatiah came into the room. She smiled at Hermione and sat herself on Harry's lap, giving him a big kiss. There was a muttered 'Oh, get a room'.

'Anyway, what happened - afterwards?'

Harry shook his head. 'It was just a stupid dream. Honestly Hermione, trust me on this one, it wasn't a vision. Voldemort made Draco Malfoy a Death Eater! I mean!' He shook his head in an exasperated way and gave her a wry smile.

'Is that the boy?' asked Melatiah. 'His Mummy looked very scared, didn't she? But I do not like the man who was talking. He was nasty to the Mummy and boys should not hit girls, should they?'

Hermione stared at Harry and he stared right back at her. Both their mouths were hanging open. It felt like years passed before Hermione spoke. 'So not a vision, then? We have to talk to Professor Dumbledore.'