Thanks to everyone who reviewed. Here's the next chapter.

Ch. 3 - Malfoy, a Broom, and a Nice Chat With Snape

The week went by quickly with Hagrid's 'care of magical creatures' class the only excitement. Hagrid was so happy to finally meet Melina he let the class out a whole half hour early. Harry told her about Buckbeak and what Draco had done.

"You should have heard him whining and groaning." Ron said. "It was hilarious!"

"I'll bet. But it probably wouldn't have happened if he hadn't insulted poor Buckbeak. What an idiot." Melina commented.

"Well, I think you four should be headin' back up to the castle. I'll see yeh at the feast." Hagrid said, shooing them out of his cabin. They slowly walked up to the castle, wrapping their robes tighter around themselves as it was getting colder by the second. They met up with Neville, Seamus and Dean in they entrance hall and they all headed toward Gryffindor tower. Well, they tried, but a tall, dark haired figure blocked their path.

"What are you Gryffindors up to?" They all stopped in their track at the sight of professor Snape. Melina pushed Neville out of the way and stood in front of her friends.

"We're on our way back to our common room. Now please move." She said irritably.

"Yes, of course. On your way." Snape stepped to the side and they all passed him, Harry with a grin and raised eyebrows, the others with wide eyes.

"How did you do that?" Hermione asked as they headed up the changing staircases.

"Do what?" Melina asked innocently as they reached the portrait of the fat lady.

"Password?"

"Toad Stool." Harry answered.

"I most certainly is not." The fat lady answered. They all gapped at her in shock.

"What do you mean it's not?" Hermione asked angrily.

"They changed the password? Oh no." Neville moaned.

"Will you please let us in?" Melina asked.

"Of course. Come right in." The portrait swung open and she marched through and was slowly followed by the others.

"That! How did you do that? No one can get through portals without a password! And that thing with Snape!" Hermione continued her earlier question when they were all inside.

"Relax Hermione. I've always been able to do that sort of thing." Melina told them as they all sat down.

"We get to go to Hogsmeade tomorrow." Ron said after a moment of silence.

"Is that the wizarding town near here?" Melina asked.

"Yeah. It's great. It's got Honeydukes sweets, and the Three Broom Sticks, they serve the best butter beer." Ron said and he kept rattling things off until Hermione covered his mouth with her hand.

"It's nearly time for the feast." She reminded him. He quieted almost immediately. They Gryffindors poured back out of the tower and headed down to the feast.

Melina and Hermione came out of the dorm the next morning to find Harry and Ron waiting for them in the common room.

"Everyone else has already gone ahead. We thought we should wait for you." Ron said as he and Harry stood up from their chairs. "I wanted to go ahead and go but Harry thought we should wait."

"Isn't he sweet?" Hermione asked Melina who merely smiled.

"Shall we go?" Harry said. They headed out of the portal and out of the castle. Hogsmeade was swarming with Hogwarts students as it was the first Hogsmeade visit of the school year. The four sat down at Madam Puddifoot's café and got some hot coco.

"Are you now the forth musketeer?" They turned to see Draco and some other Slytherins standing next to them.

"What do you want Mr. Malfoy?" Melina asked before Harry could say anything.

"Oh nothing. I just get pleasure out of buggin' people like you." Draco answered.

"Just remember, you get what you give." Melina said and the four of them, having finished their drinks, got up and left.

"I think Draco Malfoy's met his match." Ron said smiling at Melina as they walked into Honeydukes.

"I think he has." Harry agreed. The bought their sweets and went over to the Three Broom Sticks and almost walked back out again.

"No no no no." Melina said pushing them back in. "We can't let Draco Malfoy think he can run us out of Hogsmeade just by being here. He'll think he's won." She walked ahead of them and sat down and they followed her. They ordered four butter beers and drank in silence and watched the Slytherins carefully.

"I think they're waiting for us to leave first." Hermione said after discreetly looking over to the other table at the other end of the room.

"You're probably right. Let's get something to eat shall we?" Melina said. They ordered some lunch and finally the Slytherins left. The four Gryffindors finished eating and decided to head back to the school. On the way back, Ron took it upon himself to tell Melina about all the times Harry faced Voldemort.

"It's only been three times Ron. Not a thousand. And one I can't even remember." Harry reminded his best friend.

"Well, not everyone faces You-Know-Who more than once and lives." Ron said.

"He's got a point Harry. Probably the only other person who can face Voldemort and live is Dumbledore. Isn't he the only one Voldemort is scared of?" Melina asked ignoring Ron's whimpering at the name being mentioned.

"The one and only. That's why Harry's safe here." Hermione said as they entered the castle.

"Has anyone seen Crookshanks?" Hermione asked later when they were settled in the common room.

"Who's Crookshanks?" Melina asked looking up from her potions essay.

"My cat." Hermione said as she looked behind a corner chair.

"You lost your cat?" Melina asked, teasing slightly.

"I didn't lose him, he's just---" Hermione stopped when she realized Melina was teasing her. "Well, where's your animal?" She teased back.

"In the 'defense against the dark arts' room." Melina said innocently. Hermione, being the smart one she is, knew exactly what she was talking about and started laughing. Harry and Ron were a bit slower but got it just the same.

"Best not let your uncle hear you say that." Ron said.

"Why not? He'd think it was funny." Melina said grinning.

"Do you have a pet?" Hermione asked after they had gotten their laughs out.

"No. I had an owl but it was old so it died soon after I got it. I use Remus's." Melina told her.

"I've haven't seen you use it." Harry said as he joined the search for Crookshanks.

"Well, you wouldn't, would you? The only person I send letters to when I'm away is working here at the school." She explained. Harry and Hermione search a bit longer while Melina finished her potions essay and Ron worked on his charms essay.

"I'm sure he'll turn up Hermione." Harry said as they left Gryffindor tower and headed to the feast.

"I know. He's just starting to act like he did in third year; you know, when he kept disappearing and then showing back up at least two days later? I'm not worried." Hermione said as they entered the Great hall and sat down at they're table. The sound of dozens of flapping wings sounded above the student's heads as owls arrived with the mail.

"In coming. Remus's owl has a tendency to crash." Melina said pointing to a very large grey owl heading toward them with an oddly shaped package. Sure enough, the owl swooped to low to soon and crashed into the table, knocking over several, thankfully, empty goblets as it slid to a stop in front of the four of them. "That's mine." She told Seamus as he picked up the package that had landed in front to him. "Sorry."

"Reminds me of my mum and dads owl Errol." Ron said as the owl stood up and shook her head. The Slytherins were laughing wildly at the clumsy bird.

"He needs to teach you how to land, doesn't he Malon?" Melina asked the bird who merely cocked her head before taking off to head back to the owlry. But not before nearly knocking herself out by running into a wall. By this time all the students were laughing, even Melina.

"Let's see what you got." Harry said. He and Ron helped rip the brown paper off as Hermione picked up the letter that had come with it.

"Whoa! She got one too Harry!" Ron said when they had finished opening it and found a broom. A Firebolt that is.

"You've got one?" Melina asked as the Slytherins stopped laughing when they saw the broom. Harry nodded.

"Who's it from Hermione?" He asked seeing her and Ron grinning across from them.

"Look for yourselves." She said handing them the letter. Harry read the letter and grinned as well.

"It's from our godfather." Melina said as she picked Firebolt up off the table and set it on her and Harry's laps.

"You know who Snuffles is?" Harry asked quietly as they food appeared on the table.

"He told me that's what he had you guys calling him." Melina replied and the four of them tried not to laugh as they started eating. The Great hall was becoming increasingly noisy and was louder than usual. "I'll see you guys back in the common room. Would you mind taking this back there for me, Harry?" She asked standing to her feet standing the Firebolt up as well. Harry nodded and she left the hall. Her head was pounding from the noise level so she tried to think of somewhere quiet to go. Gryffindor tower wouldn't stay quiet for long 'cause the students would go there from the feast talking loudly. The only place she could think of that was remotely quiet enough to ease her pounding head was the potions classroom, so she headed down to the dungeons and into the room. She knew Snape wouldn't be there because he was at the feast so she sat down in her usual seat. Crossing her arms on the desk, she lay her head down to see if it would stop the pounding. A scratching sound made her jerk her head back up and look around.

"Is there a reason why you are in my class room, Ms. Potter?" Melina jumped and whipped her had around at the sound of Snape's voice.

"Professor. You startled me." Snape smirked. "A little." She amended.

"Why are you here, Ms. Potter?" Snape asked, walking up to the front of the room and standing in front of her.

"The Hall was to loud, it was giving me a headache." She told him rubbing her temple. "I knew Gryffindor tower wouldn't stay quiet for long and this has to be the quietest room in the castle." Snape looked at her before pulling a chair over and sitting in front of her.

"It is. Why do you think I selected this one over the one the headmaster offered me?" He asked.

"I thought you just liked dark, dank places." She told him in an innocent sounding voice. He raised his eyebrows at her and she just shrugged, smiling sweetly. They sat there for a moment with him just looking at her before he spoke again.

"You looked spooked when I came in here and it wasn't because of me. What's wrong?" He asked. Melina frowned at his almost concerned tone.

"I wasn't spooked." She defended herself. "I was only startled. I heard a noise."

"What kind of noise?" Snape asked, surprising himself that he even remotely cared.

"It was. . .scratching, I think."

"Like an animal?" Snape suggested.

"Perhaps." Melina said slowly. "It could have been an animal, yes."

"I have heard it as well. It's very annoying when one is trying to grade homework at night---"

"How did I do?" Melina interrupted, her eyes lighting up.

"You'll find out." Snape answered, annoyed at being interrupted. Melina's face fell into a pout. "I suppose," He didn't know why he was talking to her at all, let alone telling her how she did in his class. "I could tell you that you are one of the only two receiving top marks in the class."

"Really?" Her eyes lit back up. "Who's the other one?" Snape sighed.

"Ms. Granger." He said. Why am I telling her this? he asked himself. "I would prefer if you didn't tell her.

"I won't." She said excitedly.

"Speaking of you being one of the smartest in the class, I'm going to need you to tutor someone for me." The glint in his eyes and the smirk that he was now wearing told her everything.

"No. No. Absolutely not. I will not. I can't. He won't listen to me. He's insufferable." She nearly shrieked. Snape gave her a 'your-doing-it-whether-you-like-it-or-out' look. Though it looked slightly softer than usual. "Alright, fine. But you're going to have to convince him to do it. He won't listen to me."

"Don't worry. Mr. Malfoy will not refuse an order from the head of his house. He probably won't want you to tell anyone, so if anyone asks, I'm assigning partners and you get the pleasure of being his. Now, how is your headache?" He asked, trying not to sound concerned.

"Surprisingly, it's a little better. By the way, what are you doing out of the Hall during a feast?" She asked not really expecting him to answer.

"It seems you and I both share a common interest in quiet." He said, surprising both her and himself at the fact that he answered. "You may stay a little while longer until your headache leaves completely. Until then, I would appreciate it if you would stay as quiet as possible."

"I will. Thank you professor." Snape nodded slightly before getting up and moving to his desk. Melina laid her head back down on her arms and was soon slipping from consciousness into her dreams.

Snape looked up after a long while of silence and realized the green-eyed girl was asleep. He sat there for a moment, not knowing if he should wake her right then and send her to her house or finish grading and wake her later. He chose the latter and continued his work.

"Severus have you-ah, I guess you have." Snape looked up to see Remus in the doorway of his classroom. "Harry came to me saying that she wasn't in Gryffindor tower and they hadn't seen her since she left the feast early. I just wanted to know if you'd seen her at all."

"Obviously I have. It seems Ms. Potter and I have something in common." Snape said setting his quill down.

"Besides being good at potions?" Remus asked as he walked up to the front of the room.

"We both enjoy peace and quiet." Snape answered.

"Ah, yes. She's always tried to find the quietest places she could. It's probably because I'm not the quietest person to live with." Remus said moving over to Melina. "Would you like me to wake her up and send her to her house?"

"Could you? I'm a little busy. I need to get these done by Monday." Snape said trying his best to sound annoyed. Remus smirked and raised his eyebrows at the less than annoyed tone as he leaned over Melina.

"Lina." He shook her gently trying to rouse her. Melina's head lifted off her arms and she glared up at Remus.

"Huh?" She asked.

"You need to go to your house." He told her. She nodded and got to her feet and stretched.

"See ya professor." She said to Snape with a yawn as she exited the room.

"Thanks for keeping her company Severus." Remus said before he followed Melina out. He heard Snape mumble something that sounded very much like "She kept me company" but he couldn't be sure.

Melina yawned as she headed up the stairs, carefully avoiding the disappearing one on her way. She wasn't sure what the password was yet so she just asked the fat lady to please let her in and she walked into the now empty common room. She didn't think she could make it to the dorm and into her bed, so she just collapsed into the closest chair and fell back to sleep.

There you have it. I think I'm going to edit the first two chapters so if you've already read them(which you obviously have) you might want to read them again.