This one was fun! The story is coming to close soon as you could probably tell I'm trying to stick to the book story line. Enjoy!
Chapter 17- Scars
Fred looked on in terror as Bellatrix had a strong hold on Melody's throat. "Now dearie, struggling will only prolong this; be a good half-blood traitor and sit still." Melody spat in the dark witches' face at the insult, earning her a slap in reply. Melody fell to the floor in pain as Bellatrix got into her face. "You will tell me where Potter is or so help me; I will make you suffer until the light in your eyes dies like your mothers' did." Melody froze at her mothers' mention. Bellatrix smirked, knowing she hit the right nerve.
"You weren't there." Melody whispered; flashes of the memory burned into her brain. Bellatrix laughed loudly and pointed her wand at Mel's throat. Fred fought against his restraints, desperate to help Mel.
"No, I didn't have the pleasure of killing that muggle; however, I did hear the wonderful story of your brother crying his eyes out until his last breath. Also, I know how your mother begged for her life like a coward."
"She wasn't a coward!" Mel shouted. Bellatrix cursed at her as Melody's scream rang through the hall. Fred winced at his girlfriend's cries, desperate to run to her. Another death eater had him in a tight bind spell so he could not move. "She was the bravest woman I ever knew; standing up to certain death." Melody managed to cry through the pain, blood trickling from her mouth. Bellatrix cursed her again, eager to get Harry's location.
"Tell me where he is, girl! He isn't worth dying for." Bellatrix screamed, losing her patience.
"I will never tell you; you'll have to kill me." Melody whispered when the pain subsided. Fred's eyes were pleading into her, begging her to reconsider. She met his eyes with pain and sadness; he knew she would never give Harry up; but Fred didn't want her to die because of it. Bellatrix saw the gaze between Fred and Melody and started cackling. "What's so funny?"
"You say that, and I believe you. It's no fun when the victim doesn't care to live; no begging, no resolves; you just give up. You have no one to live for; what's the point?" Melody furrowed her brows at the witch in confusion. Fred was trying to break free of his spell; but to no avail; realizing what Bellatrix was getting at. She was going to use him against Melody.
"However, I found your Achilles heel." She cackled, pointing her wand at Fred. "Love." She pulled Fred over to Melody and threw him down next to her. The two looked at each other in fear and waited for Bellatrix to do her worst. "You love him. A Weasley. Tell me, Ms. Young, is he worth dying for? Oh wait, I'm sorry, let me rephrase. Is he worth Harry's life?" Melody froze at Bellatrix's words. She was using Fred against her; she had no choice and Bellatrix knew it.
"You are a piece of work, you know that Lestrange?" Fred spat, trying to get to his feet. A curse rang through Melody again and at her screams, Fred fell back to her. "Please stop, you're going to kill her."
"That's the point you twit. Now, where is Mr. Potter?" She asked Fred this time. "Tell me, and you save her. Simple really." The evil smirk on the witches' face angered Fred. She had them both in the palm of her hands and she knew it. Melody's screams ceased as Fred contemplated his options. Melody lay still, breaths shallow and almost non-existent and blood pooled at the corner of her mouth.
"Fred?" She managed to whisper. Fred turned to her, fear evident in every point on his face. "Don't tell her; I'll be okay." Mel tried.
"No love, you're dying. I have to save you; remember I can't lose you." Fred cried, wanting desperately to hold his girlfriend in her seemingly final moments. Melody smiled and she knew he was right. Bellatrix was losing her patience at the two but then Melody stopped breathing completely and let her eyes close finally. "No. No! Melody! Please wake up; come back to me. Please! I need you here!" Fred's cries didn't stir Melody as Bellatrix started cackling again. "You demon! How dare you!" Fred screamed but Bellatrix cursed at him to fall back to the cobblestone a few yards back.
"I was very clear, Weasley. Give me Potter and you both go free. Now she's dead and it is up to you. Think of your family dear boy; could they lose another son?" She rounded on Fred and before she could curse him again, a voice sounded from behind her.
"I am really tired of hearing your voice." Melody stood with her wand in hand and cursed Bellatrix into a bind spell. She petrified the other death eater standing by the door and fell to the ground weakly. She managed to free Fred from his spell and he came running over to her. "Miss me?" She managed, gripping onto Fred's arms for support.
"You have no idea." Fred cried, gathering Melody in his arms. "We have to go; I'll carry you; and no arguing." Melody held her hands up in defeat. Fred scooped her up and ran out the hall; desperate to put a lot of distance between them and this dreadful place.
Melody had never been so happy to be at The Burrow. After the death eaters attacked the wedding, the rest of the family gathered at the house. She lay on the couch and allowed Ginny to patch her cuts on her arm while Molly buzzed around the room unsure of what to do. Fred and George were sipping on whiskey in the corner. "Uh Mel? Did you see this?" Ginny asked quietly, turning Mel's forearm over. The word traitor was sketched unto her arm, blood still trickling from it. Melody shook her head as Fred came over to investigate.
"That evil witch. I should have done something." Fred seethed, not looking Melody in the eye.
"Don't. We did what we could with the situation handed to us. We're lucky we even got out." Melody pointed out, wincing as Ginny wrapped her forearm. "Thank you Gin." Melody reached for Fred but he walked back to his brother.
"It's strange they even grabbed you both at all." Molly pondered.
"She knew about my mothers' death; I knew one day that it would come back to haunt me. Fred just grabbed me during the apparition. Then used him against me." Melody mumbled, stretching herself out on the couch.
"What do we do now?" George asked from the corner.
"I have an idea." Fred replied.
Weeks passed and George and Fred enlisted the help of Lee Jordan to start a radio show to announce the survivors and the missing in the muggle and magical world. It was a bittersweet project, but it kept the boys busy. Melody couldn't help but notice how many children had been orphaned already during this war. Her heart broke for the kids as she knew how it felt to be alone; thankfully she had the Weasley's but not everyone was as lucky as her.
"What will happen to the children that have lost their parents?" Melody asked Arthur one afternoon over a cup of coffee.
"The Ministry of Childcare will take as many in as they can and try to find their families and if they can't then they'll go into a foster system. It's a long, gruelling process. And unfortunately, not a top priority right now." Arthur answered her. Melody dropped her head sadly and sipped on her coffee.
"It's sad, those kids being alone and scared." She mumbled, petting Echo on her lap. Arthur realized what the girl was feeling and cleared his throat.
"They will take care of them. Maybe something you can look into after this war?" Melody picked her head up at the thought of her joining the Ministry of Childcare. "Someone with a heart like yours will be welcome in their ranks; especially after your marks." Arthur smiled.
"Thank you Arthur." Melody had taken to rubbing her 'traitor' scar absentmindedly and Arthur noticed.
"Those scars will heal in time." He whispered, eyeing her forearm. "All of them." Melody realized he wasn't just talking about the physical ones.
"Fred won't look at me since the attack. I don't know why." Melody admitted.
"He has scars of his own to heal. He almost lost you...twice my dear. He loves you." Arthur answered.
"He has a funny way of showing it." Melody mumbled.
"He gets it from his mum. Fear often clouds the judgement and he is only seeing fear right now; but he feels love. So he keeps his distance until he sees love again. It will take time." Arthur explained. "Talk to him; force him to face his fears. He's stubborn."
"Like his mum?" Melody smirked.
"Well, I'll take some of that blame too." Arthur smiled.
That night, Melody asked to speak to Fred alone after the broadcast. Lee and George vacated the space quickly when she glared at the two. Fred sighed heavily and knew Melody meant business. She sat in front of him and crossed her arms. "If you look at me, I won't break. If you touch me, I won't break. If you acknowledged me, I won't bloody break." Melody stated, slapping Fred's knee to get his attention. He turned his burning glare at her and she retracted slightly at the fire in his eyes.
"You almost died. Like you stopped breathing Mel. I felt you stop bloody breathing in my arms!" He snapped, getting to his feet. He ran his hands through his hair roughly and took a deep breath. "I will never forget that feeling or utter heartbreak at the sight of your limp body; fake or not; it scared me." He explained.
"It was the only way to distract her long enough to get the upper hand." Melody defended herself, standing up. "I will not apologize for saving us!"
"I'm not asking you to!" Fred snapped back.
"Then what is the problem? Why won't you touch me? You haven't slept next to me in weeks saying you're 'working' which is bullshit because I come down in the morning and you're on the damn couch!" Fred winced at her words and knew he was caught. "You won't look at me, you won't talk to me. I am here! For someone so worried about me dying, you're sure acting like I'm a ghost!" Anger was evident in both their eyes and faces as they remained silent for a beat.
"Fuck it." Fred whispered and grasped Melody's face in his hands and crushed her lips to his. She almost fought back until she melted into him; eager for his touch even if filled with anger. "I'm sorry." He managed to say between feverfull kisses. "I'm an idiot, I know. I fucked up but for right now...just be with me." He pleaded.
Melody replied by biting his lip. He growled and pulled her up in his arms and sat her on the bed. Clothes were torn off hungrily and they tasted and felt each other for the first time in a month.
"I would say I could get used to this, but I don't want you to ignore me for a month again just to have mind blowing sex again." Melody laughed, laying on Fred's chest. "Care to explain your behavior?"
"Fear got the better of me. I can't explain it much more than that. It doesn't explain much but please know that I am sorry." Fred tried, rubbing her back soothingly. Her skin was scarred still from Bellatrix's torture but they were fading; he himself had some on his back. Arthurs words echoed in her mind and knew this was temporary.
"I love you Fred. Nothing will change that." Melody replied to him quietly.
"I love you too. Now may be a good time to tell you that we didn't put a silence charm on the door." Fred whispered.
"Fuck." Melody cursed, knowing Molly probably heard them.
