Late that evening, a large group was gathered in the Slytherin dungeons.
The Weasleys, Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat talking and laughing with Davey,
who they had taken a liking to. Heather, Libby, and Angie were giggling
while pouring through A Hundred Hexes to Ward off Unwanted Suitors. Melissa
and Drew were sharing one of the rare moments where they were getting
along, playing with Kit at the moment, and the others decided not to
interrupt this quiet time.
After about an hour spent in this fashion, they all gathered around Hermione, who being a Muggle born had grown up with the Christmas story. They listened with avid delight to the story, because they had never heard it before. Hermione was a wonderful story teller, and they enjoyed themselves immensely.
Angie turned to Melissa. "Missy, doll?"
"Yea, Angie?" Asked Missy, while petting Kit, who had fallen asleep in her lap. "There's actually something we have to tell you."
"What?" Melissa asked with a little foreboding.
"Well.our holiday started long before yours and.school starts back up tomorrow. We have to leave in the morning."
Melissa's jaw hung open with disbelief. 'They just got here!' she thought, her mouth tugging into a small frown.
"I know, we should have told you, but we didn't want to spoil the time we had together, sweetie," Heather said with a sad smile. Melissa nodded slowly-she knew that they would be leaving soon anyways. 'Just I hadn't thought it would be so soon,' Melissa thought sadly.
"Well, I'm glad you all came, at least. It would have been hard if you hadn't been here, after all," Melissa said, and her friends nodded, knowing what she meant. They stayed up talking until they fell asleep in the common room, with Amy sleeping in Melissa's lap.
When Draco and Vivian arrived back at Hogwarts, they were disappointed to have missed Melissa's friends. Melissa would have been nearly completely depressed, if she hadn't been so distracted. The day after the Hogwarts students arrived back at school, Drew received a letter from his parents. It read as follows:
Drew,
I'm glad to hear that we would approve of the girl you proposed to, but all the same your father and I would like to meet her, darling. We shall meet you at your next Hogsmeade weekend, and Floo to Paris where we can have lunch. Do invite Severus as well. You may also tell Miss Lewis that I offer to take her shopping for her dress after we eat (I expect this will be an offer Severus will also gladly accept. The poor man detests shopping). We'll see you soon then, darling.
Love,
Mum.
PS- So you got the girl to say yes, son? Well, how did you bribe her? If I remember correctly, I had a nasty bit of blackmail that worked well on your mother. Can't wait to see the poor girl.
Dad
Drew had laughed and showed the letter to Melissa. Melissa was also amused, especially at the thought of Drew bribing anyone, and decided she would like Drew's parents. She was also relieved that she could find her dress with Mrs. Halothane: the image of Uncle Severus in a wedding boutique store was, frankly, ridiculous.
Drew wrote to his mother to accept the invitations, even though he knew full well that when his mum offered, it meant she also demanded to have her offer accepted. He thought he'd let Melissa figure that one out for herself. As they were walking to Potions, Drew felt someone tug his sleeve and looked down at Melissa.
"Yes?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Drew, what will your parents expect?" Melissa asked in a hushed tone.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, where do their, uhm, their loyalties lie?"
"Oh," Drew responded with a smile, "right where they need to be."
Melissa smiled in relief, glad to know that she wouldn't have to pretend to be a power-hungry Death Eater. Although a decent actress, she knew she was hopelessly transparent when it came to acting cold blooded and murderous. Melissa sat herself next to Vivian in Potions, and pulled out two sheets of parchment.
Vivian grinned at Melissa, who laughed slightly. Melissa and Vivian tended to talk to one another so much in class, one day Severus had snapped in annoyance that he would rather they would pass notes. The girls took him at his word, and pretended not to notice the dirty glares.
Melissa wrote:
So, Vivian, you never told me how it went at Malfoy Manner.
Gosh, Missy, I am so afraid of his parents! I honestly had to spend the entire time in his room.
...Where did you sleep, then?
Shut up. He made me-he wasn't sure if his father would hex me at night because I wasn't Pansy!
Are you serious? He made you sleep in his room?
He took the couch, before you get any thoughts.
That thought didn't enter my mind. So, what did he give you for Christmas?
A bracelet.
Oh, let me see!
With that, Melissa leaned over Vivian's extended left arm. On Vivian's wrist was a slender silver tennis bracelet, with tiny emeralds set into the shining metal. 'Slytherin colors,' Melissa thought while rolling her eyes, 'typical of Draco.' It was gorgeous, and obviously expensive. Melissa whispered that it was pretty and the girls smiled. Then they noticed the particularly venomous look they were receiving from Severus, and began to take actual notes.
Before Melissa knew it, it was the Saturday that they were to meet with Drew's parents. Vivian took the liberty of shaking Melissa awake. When the blonde girl realized the fiery redhead refused to wake up, she sighed. Then she was hit with an exceptionally Slytherin idea.
"Kit," Vivian called softly. The not-so-small cougar roused from its place at the foot of Melissa's bed, and ambled over to Vivian. Vivian began to play-fight with Kit, bringing him slowly closer to Melissa who miraculously slept on. Soon, Kit was in such a frenzy that he was jumping at Melissa, not Vivian. When Melissa woke with a start, Vivian slumped against the wall, laughing.
Melissa managed to make Kit settle down, and then turned to glare at her friend. "What was that for?" Melissa demanded crossly.
"Time to get up and ready," Vivian returned happily.
"Why?"
"Time to meet the in-laws, cheré," Vivian explained.
"What time is it?"
"Nine."
"Nine?! I only have an hour and a half!"
Melissa was off to the bathroom in a flurry, completely forgetting to pick out clothes. Vivian noticed this with a slight smile and moved to her friend's trunk. After a bit, Vivian chose the outfit Melissa had received from her friends for Christmas. When she got to the bathroom, she saw Melissa's pajama's thrown haphazardly on the floor.
"Forget something?" Vivian called as she got into one of the shower stalls and began washing her hair.
"Yea, clothes. Didja get some for me?"
"Yes," Vivian replied with a smile.
"Thanks!"
"Sure."
When they were clean and dressed, Vivian had Melissa sit at one of the vanities lining the wall. Melissa looked into the mirror and grimaced. 'So much for making a good impression' she thought. Out loud she cried, "Vivi, help!"
Vivian smiled. "You put yourself at my mercy, then?"
"I'm sure I'll regret this, but yes. I don't have the patience to do my hair right now."
Vivian grinned, a girlish delight showing on her face. She murmured a spell to dry Melissa's hair, and then picked up a magically warmed flat iron. Melissa closed her eyes in terror; she had never straightened her hair before. Vivian laughed.
"Good idea, don't look until I'm done!"
"Not a problem," Melissa answered dismally. "Just don't burn me."
"Your vote of confidence is overwhelming."
In about fifteen minutes, Vivian announced that she was done. Melissa took a deep breath and opened her eyes. She was pleasantly surprised to see her red hair falling in soft waves a bit past her shoulders instead of in tight ringlets. Melissa grinned at Vivian in the mirror.
"You're a genius!" Melissa gushed.
"If I'm a genius, will you let me do your make up too?" Vivian asked with a grin.
"I guess, but don't make me look like a hooker or anything," Melissa said nervously.
Vivian simply laughed and swung Melissa's chair around, setting to work. It took her much less time than Melissa would have thought. Vivian proudly turned Melissa around to look into the mirror. Melissa smiled with relief. It hardly looked as if she was even wearing makeup, for which she was glad. Vivian stepped back to survey her work critically.
"Hmm, just a minute," Vivian said, pulling out a brush and hair tie from one of the drawers. She expertly pulled half of Melissa's hair into a low pony tale and secured it.
"Satisfied?" Melissa asked dryly.
"Yup," Vivian replied.
"Wow, I have forty five minutes. This goes faster when you do my hair," Melissa remarked with surprise.
"Hmm, yes. So are you nervous?"
"A bit. Weren't you? What are you doing today?"
Vivian blushed a bit. "Draco and I are going to Hogsmeade."
"As a date?" Melissa asked with a grin.
"I guess," Vivian said, pulling a chair next to Melissa. Melissa immediately jumped up.
"I get to do your hair now," Melissa explained with a grin. Vivian shrugged and turned around as Melissa picked up a brush.
"It doesn't really matter," Vivian continued. "I mean, we are engaged."
"It's still a big deal, though, right?"
"Yes," Vivian said, blushing a deeper shade of red. Melissa laughed.
"Are you nervous?"
"A little," Vivian confessed. "That's stupid too, though."
"No, I'd be nervous if I had a crush on Drew."
"You mean you don't?" Vivian asked with mild surprise.
"No!" Melissa replied, smacking her friend's shoulder. Vivian turned around to smirk a very Draco-like smirk at Melissa, who promptly turned her friend's face away. "Look forward," Melissa demanded curtly. 'I can't believe she'd THINK that!' Melissa fumed silently.
When Melissa was done, Vivian leaned over to look in the mirror. Her blonde hair was pulled back in a loose French braid, with the shorter pieces hanging around her face. She smiled, liking the final result. The girls packed up their things, and prepared to return to the Slytherin common room.
As they left the bathroom, Vivian looked over at the redhead beside her with a knowing smirk. After a few minutes, Melissa stopped and glared.
"What?" The redhead snapped.
"You will, you know," was all Vivian said.
"Will what?"
"You'll like him, and then you'll love him," Vivian said with a smirk as she stalked away from her stunned friend. Melissa walked after the blonde Slytherin, thinking 'Draco's a bad influence on that girl.' With a final shake of her head, Melissa ran to catch up with the other girl. As Melissa sat at a fancy French restaurant, Melissa couldn't help but wonder if her own look mirrored Drew's bored one. Granted, they had a reason to be bored out of their minds. That reason came in the form of politics.
"Indeed, Severus, I quite agree. This whole mess could have been adequately dealt with if the Minister of Magic would step in where needed," Mr. Halothane stated. Melissa couldn't help but notice how much Drew looked like his father. Although Edward Halothane was about a foot taller, their facial features were almost identical. Melissa assumed Edward's hair, currently light silver, must have been brown as well.
"Ah, but with Cornelius Fudge as Minister of Magic," Mrs. Halothane added with a sigh. Melissa liked Caroline Halothane very much. Despite the pessimistic tone of the woman's letter, she had greeted Melissa with a warm hug and a motherly smile. The two got along quite easily and Melissa was grateful that she had accepted the woman's offer to take her shopping.
Melissa looked over at Drew, who was seated next to her, and tried not to laugh as she gazed at his expression. She wasn't sure if he would scream or fall asleep. He snapped out of his stupor when he noticed Melissa looking at him and smiled. Melissa smiled back, trying to suppress a few mischievous urges welling up inside her.
Drew seemed to sense this and decided to take matters in his own hands as he leaned over casually. Pulling out his wand, he grinned at Melissa evilly. Melissa bit her lip nervously and scooted farther from him on her chair. Drew shook his head and pointed his wand at a waiter.
"Colorus Azules," he whispered. Gradually, the man's hair turned from its black color to a light blue. Melissa tried to suppress her giggles as the young man came to the table to give them their change.
Mrs. Halothane started slightly as she looked at the waiter, but tactfully said nothing. Mr. Halothane looked as if he was about to say something, but Severus beat him to it. "Did you know your hair is blue?" Severus asked dryly, sending a glare at his niece.
"I beg your pardon, sir?" The man asked curiously.
"Your hair, dear," Catharine said kindly. "I'm sorry, I'm afraid our son," here she sent a dirty glance at Drew, "decided to have fun at your expense."
"Hmm, well my friends did say I should dye it," the man stated mildly as he walked away. Melissa and Drew broke out at laughter at the shocked looks on the adult's faces. Mrs. Halothane shook her head a bit, looking rather amused.
"We're going to have trouble with you two, won't we?" Edward asked with a grin.
Severus replied affirmatively as they rose to leave. Once outside, Mrs. Halothane gave her son and his fiancé, who were quite beside themselves with laughter, an affectionate look. Severus had noticed that the two had become more friendly ever sense Christmas, and decided that the days spent with no one but each other for company had done them good.
"Well," Caroline said with a chuckle, "perhaps we should separate those two for the time being. They seem to be bent on causing trouble." Her tone was light and eyes merry as she pulled Melissa from a protesting Drew.
"Hey, we're just having fun!"
"Yes, dear, but you really don't want to go dress shopping, do you?" His mother replied.
"Bye, mum! Bye Missy," Drew replied hastily, pulling his father and professor down the road quickly. His mother laughed and led Melissa down the road.
"So, dear, what color were you thinking for your bridesmaid dresses?" Caroline asked kindly.
"Actually, I'm not picking mine out," Melissa replied.
"What?" Asked the older lady.
"Vivian is. She's the maid of honor. I'm supposed to pick out her dresses, though," Melissa said.
"Hmm, how did you come to that arrangement?" Caroline inquired.
"It was Vivian's idea. We decided that because we were the ones who would have to wear the dresses, we should pick them out," Melissa explained. "That way we won't hate them."
"Ah, and who else is in the wedding?"
"Well, Draco's best man-"
"-Draco Malfoy?" Caroline interrupted with a frown.
"Yes, don't worry, he has the right loyalties," Melissa informed her, and the older woman's face relaxed. "Angie, Libby, and Heather are in it, as well as Davey (they're friends of mine, but Drew met them over Christmas) and he's also having two other people I don't know."
"Hmm, who are the two others?"
"Uhm, Patrick and Luke," Melissa said.
"Ah. Patrick is my oldest son, and Luke is Edward's sister's son."
"Drew never told me he had a brother," Melissa said in surprise.
"Really? You have seen him before, though. Or, at least you've seen him. He was with Drew when they went to America," said the older woman sadly.
Melissa frowned, knowing what the older woman was insinuating. Unbidden, the memories that she had desperately tried to block rushed back to her. Melissa could see herself sitting at the kitchen table impatiently, waiting for Davey and Angie to arrive. When the doorbell rang, she had rushed forward quickly and flung it open, exclaiming, "About time, you-" But cut off her own sentence upon seeing the masked specters before her.
Melissa looked at them in confusion for a moment before she was pushed roughly aside. About fifteen of them flooded into the house and Melissa cried out to her parents in alarm. Before she could rush away to her parents, someone caught her by the shoulders, holding her back. She looked up to see one of the hooded men looking down at her. She struggled a bit and was pushed hastily into another of the hooded people.
"Take care of the girl," said the one who grabbed her before he turned hurriedly to follow the others. The one left took her shoulders gently and led her down the dark street quickly. It was a good fifteen minutes before she noticed that she was away from the house. As she was turned to a dark alley, Melissa panicked. She spun around and tried to kick her kidnapper in the shin, but he easily overpowered her desperate attempts.
Soon Melissa was forced to sit, her back against the wall. She was screaming, so he knelt down before her. He hastily covered her mouth to stifle the sound, making sure she could breathe.
"Girl, would you be quiet? I'm trying to help you, can't you see that?" He hissed in exasperation. Then she was quiet, and stared at him as if he were crazy for a minute. After he removed his hand, she spoke.
"Where are my parents?"
The young man before her gripped her shoulders and she could tell that he was searching her face through his mask. Then he let go of her and turned away.
"Either they're being branded with the Dark Mark or.."
"Or what?" Melissa asked breathlessly.
"Or they've been killed," he said gently. Melissa had expected this.
"They're gone, then," Melissa said to herself, her lip trembling and eyes filling with tears. Before she could get too upset, he pulled her to her feet.
"You have to get going, they'll be looking for you. Can you fly a broom?"
"What?" Melissa asked. The boy pointed towards the wall, where several brooms were lined up.
"Can you fly?"
"Not well," Melissa replied.
"Okay then. Where's your nearest relative?"
"I have an aunt about half an hour away."
"Do you know the way?"
"Yes."
Without another word, the stranger pulled a broom from the wall and mounted it. He pulled Melissa up behind him, and as soon as she was holding on to him kicked off into the dark night. Melissa looked over her shoulder at her house, over which the Dark Mark was floating eerily. After one last attempt at control, she buried her face in his robes and cried gently.
"Well, here we are, dear," A cheerful voice interrupted Melissa's thoughts. Melissa blinked and looked around. Before her was a small wedding robe shop. In the window were several fancy bridal robes, and a few dress robes as well. Melissa followed her soon-to-be mother-in-law into the shop, banishing her previous thoughts.
The girls in the shop were thrilled to see such a young girl in-it had been a slow day and they felt like dressing someone up, even if they were most likely here with their aunt for kicks. They quickly swooped down on Melissa, who was quite surprised. She was expecting to face speculation. Soon she was in a dressing room with more bridal robes than she knew what to do with.
She tried on robe after robe, some getting an instant no. Others were thought to be "pretty" but not quite satisfactory. The ladies in the shop were undecided on others, and put those in a "maybe" pile. Finally, after two hours, Melissa had just one left.
"Do I really have to try the last on?" Melissa asked. She didn't even want to think of going through dress robes next. She never knew that a wedding could be such torture!
"Yes!" Came a chorus from the workers.
"I thought the customer was always right," Melissa grumbled.
"Of course, dear. You're wrong, of course," Said the shop owner. When Melissa had the bridal robe on and stood on the stool outside the dressing room, she glared at her reflection.
Of course the last robe she tried on would be the perfect one. The soft, light material was perfect for summer. It fastened with little clasps from her waist to her back (which she left for the girls, who immediately attacked the problem) and flowed softly to her feet. There were no sleeves, and the front was modest while the back made a small v down to her shoulder blades. The girls were quite beside themselves.
"Oh, dear, you look so beautiful!" One girl cried in French. Melissa thanked her lucky stars that her neighbors had been French, and it was like a second language to her.
"I do like that one on you, though!" Another added.
"I think Drew will quite agree," Caroline said with a smile. The girls had fetched gloves that went up to Melissa's elbows and a delicate tiara with small diamonds that glistened as it sat in Melissa's hair. Another threw a veil over Melissa's hair, and as a last touch, a bouquet of flowers (that had been removed from a vase) were placed in Melissa's arms.
"Yes, we'll take it all," Mrs. Halothane informed the employees, who looked at the woman in surprise.
"But, she cannot be engaged! She is too young!" Cried one of the girls.
"That's what I said," Melissa said with a smile. "It's complicated," she said when they sent her curious glances. "I'm actually the maid of honor in my friend Vivian's wedding. I'm supposed to pick out the dress robes."
No sooner had the words come out of Melissa's mouth than the girls were rushing around, pulling dress robes off the racks. Most of them were various shades of green, with a few black, lavender, and blue ones thrown in.
This time Melissa was lucky enough to find the perfect dress robe on the third try. Although the girls seemed to favor green at first, it was decided that a periwinkle blue robe suited Melissa quite nicely. The robe was elegant, fitted yet modest, and swept the floor gracefully as she moved. Melissa sighed happy, to have had such luck as to finish all of this in one day. 'Finally, something about this marriage is going right' Melissa thought.
The girls packed up the bridal robe and accessories as well as the dress robe. Melissa handed them a wizard's check with her parent's account number on it. It was the first time she had dented into their wealth, and while the cost was large, the dent wasn't. Melissa and Mrs. Halothane left the shop after promising the girls to send pictures of both weddings, and to send "dear little Red's friend" to find her robes. They flooed back to Hogsmeade and then parted ways with a hug and a smile.
When Drew asked how shopping was, all Melissa said was, "How many bloody robes can the force on a girl?"
A/N: Well, go on and review. You know you want to...
After about an hour spent in this fashion, they all gathered around Hermione, who being a Muggle born had grown up with the Christmas story. They listened with avid delight to the story, because they had never heard it before. Hermione was a wonderful story teller, and they enjoyed themselves immensely.
Angie turned to Melissa. "Missy, doll?"
"Yea, Angie?" Asked Missy, while petting Kit, who had fallen asleep in her lap. "There's actually something we have to tell you."
"What?" Melissa asked with a little foreboding.
"Well.our holiday started long before yours and.school starts back up tomorrow. We have to leave in the morning."
Melissa's jaw hung open with disbelief. 'They just got here!' she thought, her mouth tugging into a small frown.
"I know, we should have told you, but we didn't want to spoil the time we had together, sweetie," Heather said with a sad smile. Melissa nodded slowly-she knew that they would be leaving soon anyways. 'Just I hadn't thought it would be so soon,' Melissa thought sadly.
"Well, I'm glad you all came, at least. It would have been hard if you hadn't been here, after all," Melissa said, and her friends nodded, knowing what she meant. They stayed up talking until they fell asleep in the common room, with Amy sleeping in Melissa's lap.
When Draco and Vivian arrived back at Hogwarts, they were disappointed to have missed Melissa's friends. Melissa would have been nearly completely depressed, if she hadn't been so distracted. The day after the Hogwarts students arrived back at school, Drew received a letter from his parents. It read as follows:
Drew,
I'm glad to hear that we would approve of the girl you proposed to, but all the same your father and I would like to meet her, darling. We shall meet you at your next Hogsmeade weekend, and Floo to Paris where we can have lunch. Do invite Severus as well. You may also tell Miss Lewis that I offer to take her shopping for her dress after we eat (I expect this will be an offer Severus will also gladly accept. The poor man detests shopping). We'll see you soon then, darling.
Love,
Mum.
PS- So you got the girl to say yes, son? Well, how did you bribe her? If I remember correctly, I had a nasty bit of blackmail that worked well on your mother. Can't wait to see the poor girl.
Dad
Drew had laughed and showed the letter to Melissa. Melissa was also amused, especially at the thought of Drew bribing anyone, and decided she would like Drew's parents. She was also relieved that she could find her dress with Mrs. Halothane: the image of Uncle Severus in a wedding boutique store was, frankly, ridiculous.
Drew wrote to his mother to accept the invitations, even though he knew full well that when his mum offered, it meant she also demanded to have her offer accepted. He thought he'd let Melissa figure that one out for herself. As they were walking to Potions, Drew felt someone tug his sleeve and looked down at Melissa.
"Yes?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Drew, what will your parents expect?" Melissa asked in a hushed tone.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, where do their, uhm, their loyalties lie?"
"Oh," Drew responded with a smile, "right where they need to be."
Melissa smiled in relief, glad to know that she wouldn't have to pretend to be a power-hungry Death Eater. Although a decent actress, she knew she was hopelessly transparent when it came to acting cold blooded and murderous. Melissa sat herself next to Vivian in Potions, and pulled out two sheets of parchment.
Vivian grinned at Melissa, who laughed slightly. Melissa and Vivian tended to talk to one another so much in class, one day Severus had snapped in annoyance that he would rather they would pass notes. The girls took him at his word, and pretended not to notice the dirty glares.
Melissa wrote:
So, Vivian, you never told me how it went at Malfoy Manner.
Gosh, Missy, I am so afraid of his parents! I honestly had to spend the entire time in his room.
...Where did you sleep, then?
Shut up. He made me-he wasn't sure if his father would hex me at night because I wasn't Pansy!
Are you serious? He made you sleep in his room?
He took the couch, before you get any thoughts.
That thought didn't enter my mind. So, what did he give you for Christmas?
A bracelet.
Oh, let me see!
With that, Melissa leaned over Vivian's extended left arm. On Vivian's wrist was a slender silver tennis bracelet, with tiny emeralds set into the shining metal. 'Slytherin colors,' Melissa thought while rolling her eyes, 'typical of Draco.' It was gorgeous, and obviously expensive. Melissa whispered that it was pretty and the girls smiled. Then they noticed the particularly venomous look they were receiving from Severus, and began to take actual notes.
Before Melissa knew it, it was the Saturday that they were to meet with Drew's parents. Vivian took the liberty of shaking Melissa awake. When the blonde girl realized the fiery redhead refused to wake up, she sighed. Then she was hit with an exceptionally Slytherin idea.
"Kit," Vivian called softly. The not-so-small cougar roused from its place at the foot of Melissa's bed, and ambled over to Vivian. Vivian began to play-fight with Kit, bringing him slowly closer to Melissa who miraculously slept on. Soon, Kit was in such a frenzy that he was jumping at Melissa, not Vivian. When Melissa woke with a start, Vivian slumped against the wall, laughing.
Melissa managed to make Kit settle down, and then turned to glare at her friend. "What was that for?" Melissa demanded crossly.
"Time to get up and ready," Vivian returned happily.
"Why?"
"Time to meet the in-laws, cheré," Vivian explained.
"What time is it?"
"Nine."
"Nine?! I only have an hour and a half!"
Melissa was off to the bathroom in a flurry, completely forgetting to pick out clothes. Vivian noticed this with a slight smile and moved to her friend's trunk. After a bit, Vivian chose the outfit Melissa had received from her friends for Christmas. When she got to the bathroom, she saw Melissa's pajama's thrown haphazardly on the floor.
"Forget something?" Vivian called as she got into one of the shower stalls and began washing her hair.
"Yea, clothes. Didja get some for me?"
"Yes," Vivian replied with a smile.
"Thanks!"
"Sure."
When they were clean and dressed, Vivian had Melissa sit at one of the vanities lining the wall. Melissa looked into the mirror and grimaced. 'So much for making a good impression' she thought. Out loud she cried, "Vivi, help!"
Vivian smiled. "You put yourself at my mercy, then?"
"I'm sure I'll regret this, but yes. I don't have the patience to do my hair right now."
Vivian grinned, a girlish delight showing on her face. She murmured a spell to dry Melissa's hair, and then picked up a magically warmed flat iron. Melissa closed her eyes in terror; she had never straightened her hair before. Vivian laughed.
"Good idea, don't look until I'm done!"
"Not a problem," Melissa answered dismally. "Just don't burn me."
"Your vote of confidence is overwhelming."
In about fifteen minutes, Vivian announced that she was done. Melissa took a deep breath and opened her eyes. She was pleasantly surprised to see her red hair falling in soft waves a bit past her shoulders instead of in tight ringlets. Melissa grinned at Vivian in the mirror.
"You're a genius!" Melissa gushed.
"If I'm a genius, will you let me do your make up too?" Vivian asked with a grin.
"I guess, but don't make me look like a hooker or anything," Melissa said nervously.
Vivian simply laughed and swung Melissa's chair around, setting to work. It took her much less time than Melissa would have thought. Vivian proudly turned Melissa around to look into the mirror. Melissa smiled with relief. It hardly looked as if she was even wearing makeup, for which she was glad. Vivian stepped back to survey her work critically.
"Hmm, just a minute," Vivian said, pulling out a brush and hair tie from one of the drawers. She expertly pulled half of Melissa's hair into a low pony tale and secured it.
"Satisfied?" Melissa asked dryly.
"Yup," Vivian replied.
"Wow, I have forty five minutes. This goes faster when you do my hair," Melissa remarked with surprise.
"Hmm, yes. So are you nervous?"
"A bit. Weren't you? What are you doing today?"
Vivian blushed a bit. "Draco and I are going to Hogsmeade."
"As a date?" Melissa asked with a grin.
"I guess," Vivian said, pulling a chair next to Melissa. Melissa immediately jumped up.
"I get to do your hair now," Melissa explained with a grin. Vivian shrugged and turned around as Melissa picked up a brush.
"It doesn't really matter," Vivian continued. "I mean, we are engaged."
"It's still a big deal, though, right?"
"Yes," Vivian said, blushing a deeper shade of red. Melissa laughed.
"Are you nervous?"
"A little," Vivian confessed. "That's stupid too, though."
"No, I'd be nervous if I had a crush on Drew."
"You mean you don't?" Vivian asked with mild surprise.
"No!" Melissa replied, smacking her friend's shoulder. Vivian turned around to smirk a very Draco-like smirk at Melissa, who promptly turned her friend's face away. "Look forward," Melissa demanded curtly. 'I can't believe she'd THINK that!' Melissa fumed silently.
When Melissa was done, Vivian leaned over to look in the mirror. Her blonde hair was pulled back in a loose French braid, with the shorter pieces hanging around her face. She smiled, liking the final result. The girls packed up their things, and prepared to return to the Slytherin common room.
As they left the bathroom, Vivian looked over at the redhead beside her with a knowing smirk. After a few minutes, Melissa stopped and glared.
"What?" The redhead snapped.
"You will, you know," was all Vivian said.
"Will what?"
"You'll like him, and then you'll love him," Vivian said with a smirk as she stalked away from her stunned friend. Melissa walked after the blonde Slytherin, thinking 'Draco's a bad influence on that girl.' With a final shake of her head, Melissa ran to catch up with the other girl. As Melissa sat at a fancy French restaurant, Melissa couldn't help but wonder if her own look mirrored Drew's bored one. Granted, they had a reason to be bored out of their minds. That reason came in the form of politics.
"Indeed, Severus, I quite agree. This whole mess could have been adequately dealt with if the Minister of Magic would step in where needed," Mr. Halothane stated. Melissa couldn't help but notice how much Drew looked like his father. Although Edward Halothane was about a foot taller, their facial features were almost identical. Melissa assumed Edward's hair, currently light silver, must have been brown as well.
"Ah, but with Cornelius Fudge as Minister of Magic," Mrs. Halothane added with a sigh. Melissa liked Caroline Halothane very much. Despite the pessimistic tone of the woman's letter, she had greeted Melissa with a warm hug and a motherly smile. The two got along quite easily and Melissa was grateful that she had accepted the woman's offer to take her shopping.
Melissa looked over at Drew, who was seated next to her, and tried not to laugh as she gazed at his expression. She wasn't sure if he would scream or fall asleep. He snapped out of his stupor when he noticed Melissa looking at him and smiled. Melissa smiled back, trying to suppress a few mischievous urges welling up inside her.
Drew seemed to sense this and decided to take matters in his own hands as he leaned over casually. Pulling out his wand, he grinned at Melissa evilly. Melissa bit her lip nervously and scooted farther from him on her chair. Drew shook his head and pointed his wand at a waiter.
"Colorus Azules," he whispered. Gradually, the man's hair turned from its black color to a light blue. Melissa tried to suppress her giggles as the young man came to the table to give them their change.
Mrs. Halothane started slightly as she looked at the waiter, but tactfully said nothing. Mr. Halothane looked as if he was about to say something, but Severus beat him to it. "Did you know your hair is blue?" Severus asked dryly, sending a glare at his niece.
"I beg your pardon, sir?" The man asked curiously.
"Your hair, dear," Catharine said kindly. "I'm sorry, I'm afraid our son," here she sent a dirty glance at Drew, "decided to have fun at your expense."
"Hmm, well my friends did say I should dye it," the man stated mildly as he walked away. Melissa and Drew broke out at laughter at the shocked looks on the adult's faces. Mrs. Halothane shook her head a bit, looking rather amused.
"We're going to have trouble with you two, won't we?" Edward asked with a grin.
Severus replied affirmatively as they rose to leave. Once outside, Mrs. Halothane gave her son and his fiancé, who were quite beside themselves with laughter, an affectionate look. Severus had noticed that the two had become more friendly ever sense Christmas, and decided that the days spent with no one but each other for company had done them good.
"Well," Caroline said with a chuckle, "perhaps we should separate those two for the time being. They seem to be bent on causing trouble." Her tone was light and eyes merry as she pulled Melissa from a protesting Drew.
"Hey, we're just having fun!"
"Yes, dear, but you really don't want to go dress shopping, do you?" His mother replied.
"Bye, mum! Bye Missy," Drew replied hastily, pulling his father and professor down the road quickly. His mother laughed and led Melissa down the road.
"So, dear, what color were you thinking for your bridesmaid dresses?" Caroline asked kindly.
"Actually, I'm not picking mine out," Melissa replied.
"What?" Asked the older lady.
"Vivian is. She's the maid of honor. I'm supposed to pick out her dresses, though," Melissa said.
"Hmm, how did you come to that arrangement?" Caroline inquired.
"It was Vivian's idea. We decided that because we were the ones who would have to wear the dresses, we should pick them out," Melissa explained. "That way we won't hate them."
"Ah, and who else is in the wedding?"
"Well, Draco's best man-"
"-Draco Malfoy?" Caroline interrupted with a frown.
"Yes, don't worry, he has the right loyalties," Melissa informed her, and the older woman's face relaxed. "Angie, Libby, and Heather are in it, as well as Davey (they're friends of mine, but Drew met them over Christmas) and he's also having two other people I don't know."
"Hmm, who are the two others?"
"Uhm, Patrick and Luke," Melissa said.
"Ah. Patrick is my oldest son, and Luke is Edward's sister's son."
"Drew never told me he had a brother," Melissa said in surprise.
"Really? You have seen him before, though. Or, at least you've seen him. He was with Drew when they went to America," said the older woman sadly.
Melissa frowned, knowing what the older woman was insinuating. Unbidden, the memories that she had desperately tried to block rushed back to her. Melissa could see herself sitting at the kitchen table impatiently, waiting for Davey and Angie to arrive. When the doorbell rang, she had rushed forward quickly and flung it open, exclaiming, "About time, you-" But cut off her own sentence upon seeing the masked specters before her.
Melissa looked at them in confusion for a moment before she was pushed roughly aside. About fifteen of them flooded into the house and Melissa cried out to her parents in alarm. Before she could rush away to her parents, someone caught her by the shoulders, holding her back. She looked up to see one of the hooded men looking down at her. She struggled a bit and was pushed hastily into another of the hooded people.
"Take care of the girl," said the one who grabbed her before he turned hurriedly to follow the others. The one left took her shoulders gently and led her down the dark street quickly. It was a good fifteen minutes before she noticed that she was away from the house. As she was turned to a dark alley, Melissa panicked. She spun around and tried to kick her kidnapper in the shin, but he easily overpowered her desperate attempts.
Soon Melissa was forced to sit, her back against the wall. She was screaming, so he knelt down before her. He hastily covered her mouth to stifle the sound, making sure she could breathe.
"Girl, would you be quiet? I'm trying to help you, can't you see that?" He hissed in exasperation. Then she was quiet, and stared at him as if he were crazy for a minute. After he removed his hand, she spoke.
"Where are my parents?"
The young man before her gripped her shoulders and she could tell that he was searching her face through his mask. Then he let go of her and turned away.
"Either they're being branded with the Dark Mark or.."
"Or what?" Melissa asked breathlessly.
"Or they've been killed," he said gently. Melissa had expected this.
"They're gone, then," Melissa said to herself, her lip trembling and eyes filling with tears. Before she could get too upset, he pulled her to her feet.
"You have to get going, they'll be looking for you. Can you fly a broom?"
"What?" Melissa asked. The boy pointed towards the wall, where several brooms were lined up.
"Can you fly?"
"Not well," Melissa replied.
"Okay then. Where's your nearest relative?"
"I have an aunt about half an hour away."
"Do you know the way?"
"Yes."
Without another word, the stranger pulled a broom from the wall and mounted it. He pulled Melissa up behind him, and as soon as she was holding on to him kicked off into the dark night. Melissa looked over her shoulder at her house, over which the Dark Mark was floating eerily. After one last attempt at control, she buried her face in his robes and cried gently.
"Well, here we are, dear," A cheerful voice interrupted Melissa's thoughts. Melissa blinked and looked around. Before her was a small wedding robe shop. In the window were several fancy bridal robes, and a few dress robes as well. Melissa followed her soon-to-be mother-in-law into the shop, banishing her previous thoughts.
The girls in the shop were thrilled to see such a young girl in-it had been a slow day and they felt like dressing someone up, even if they were most likely here with their aunt for kicks. They quickly swooped down on Melissa, who was quite surprised. She was expecting to face speculation. Soon she was in a dressing room with more bridal robes than she knew what to do with.
She tried on robe after robe, some getting an instant no. Others were thought to be "pretty" but not quite satisfactory. The ladies in the shop were undecided on others, and put those in a "maybe" pile. Finally, after two hours, Melissa had just one left.
"Do I really have to try the last on?" Melissa asked. She didn't even want to think of going through dress robes next. She never knew that a wedding could be such torture!
"Yes!" Came a chorus from the workers.
"I thought the customer was always right," Melissa grumbled.
"Of course, dear. You're wrong, of course," Said the shop owner. When Melissa had the bridal robe on and stood on the stool outside the dressing room, she glared at her reflection.
Of course the last robe she tried on would be the perfect one. The soft, light material was perfect for summer. It fastened with little clasps from her waist to her back (which she left for the girls, who immediately attacked the problem) and flowed softly to her feet. There were no sleeves, and the front was modest while the back made a small v down to her shoulder blades. The girls were quite beside themselves.
"Oh, dear, you look so beautiful!" One girl cried in French. Melissa thanked her lucky stars that her neighbors had been French, and it was like a second language to her.
"I do like that one on you, though!" Another added.
"I think Drew will quite agree," Caroline said with a smile. The girls had fetched gloves that went up to Melissa's elbows and a delicate tiara with small diamonds that glistened as it sat in Melissa's hair. Another threw a veil over Melissa's hair, and as a last touch, a bouquet of flowers (that had been removed from a vase) were placed in Melissa's arms.
"Yes, we'll take it all," Mrs. Halothane informed the employees, who looked at the woman in surprise.
"But, she cannot be engaged! She is too young!" Cried one of the girls.
"That's what I said," Melissa said with a smile. "It's complicated," she said when they sent her curious glances. "I'm actually the maid of honor in my friend Vivian's wedding. I'm supposed to pick out the dress robes."
No sooner had the words come out of Melissa's mouth than the girls were rushing around, pulling dress robes off the racks. Most of them were various shades of green, with a few black, lavender, and blue ones thrown in.
This time Melissa was lucky enough to find the perfect dress robe on the third try. Although the girls seemed to favor green at first, it was decided that a periwinkle blue robe suited Melissa quite nicely. The robe was elegant, fitted yet modest, and swept the floor gracefully as she moved. Melissa sighed happy, to have had such luck as to finish all of this in one day. 'Finally, something about this marriage is going right' Melissa thought.
The girls packed up the bridal robe and accessories as well as the dress robe. Melissa handed them a wizard's check with her parent's account number on it. It was the first time she had dented into their wealth, and while the cost was large, the dent wasn't. Melissa and Mrs. Halothane left the shop after promising the girls to send pictures of both weddings, and to send "dear little Red's friend" to find her robes. They flooed back to Hogsmeade and then parted ways with a hug and a smile.
When Drew asked how shopping was, all Melissa said was, "How many bloody robes can the force on a girl?"
A/N: Well, go on and review. You know you want to...