Ch. 7 - A Costume Ball, a Death Eater Father and a Familiar Name
The Great hall was set up almost the same as it usually was. The only difference was that the four long tables were gone and replaced with a bunch of round ones that were placed on the outer edges of the room so people could dance in the center (and the fact that there were pumpkins floating over everyone's heads added to the difference).
The doors opened and everyone turned to see who had come in late. All the boys in the room stared wide-eyed and jaw dropped at the person, obviously a girl, standing in the doorway. She wore a strapless white gown that puffed out at the waist and down to just above the floor and white gloves that went just passed her elbows. The dress sparkled here and there from tiny diamonds fitted all over it. A small mask fit over her eyes stuck there only by magic and her hair was clipped back on both sides by simple silver clips. Thin, almost invisible fairy-like wings sat on her back stuck on by the same charm that held her mask in place. Her shoes were tall and sandal-like and the straps were ribbons that tied half way up her calves and the ends hung down to just above her ankles.
No one was quite sure as to who she was, that is until they notice part of a scar that wasn't concealed by the mask. One person knew who she was as soon as she stepped into the room. Draco let everyone take her in before he walked up to her and held out his hand.
"You look beautiful." He whispered as he led her to a table were Ginny and Ron were sitting.
"You don't look half bad yourself." Melina whispered back. He was dressed as the phantom of the opera, half mask and all.
"Melina, you look gorgeous!" Ginny said as Melina and Draco sat down.
"Absolutely stunning." Ron agreed.
"Thanks. You guys look great too." Melina said. Ron had dressed as a knight, only he had magiced his armor so that it wasn't heavy. Or rather, Melina suspected, he had gotten Hermione to charm it. His helmet sat next to him on the table. Ginny had decided to be a gypsy. She had a long frilly skirt and a top that came down a few inches above her belly button. She had a bandana on her head, long bangled necklaces and giant hoop earrings.
"Where are Harry and Hermione?" Melina asked .
"Dancing." Ron said pointing to the dance floor to a girl dressed as a pirate and a boy dressed as a 16th century price that looked curiously like Gilderoy Lockheart.
"May I have your attention please?" Dumbledore said standing to his feet. The room fell quiet as the music stopped and everyone gave him their attention. "I have divided all the points for each costume into their separate houses. And the house winner for tonight. . .Gryffindor." All the Gryffindors cheered loudly. "And that's all because of the stunning entrance of Ms. Potter. You may resume your partying."
Harry and Hermione went to get drinks from the drink table before they continued dancing. Crabbe and Goyle, who were rarely seen around Draco anymore, walked up and pushed the two out of the way to get their own drinks. Harry and Hermione landed on the floor and before the professors could do anything, Draco had stocked over and glared at the two Slytherins with a look that said "Try anything else and you'll be sorry." Crabbe and Goyle backed away quickly and retreated to a Slytherin table. Draco shook his head and turned and held out his hands to help the Gryffindors up. Hermione and, surprisingly, Harry accepted his offer and he helped them up.
"Thanks Malfoy." Hermione said without realizing she had thanked him.
"You're welcome Hermione." Draco said. Harry's eyebrows went up and Hermione stared, wide-eyed at him.
"You just called my by my first name." She stated.
"I did. Get use to it." Draco led the way back to the table.
"Why did you do that?" Harry spoke up before they sat down.
"Do what?" Draco asked, turning to face him. The Hall was almost as quiet as it had gotten when Melina arrived.
"Help us just now." Harry said.
"Because I'm no longer stooping to their level. I think I'm starting to go soft, and it's all her fault." Draco said the last past sarcastically, pointing his thumb over his shoulder at Melina.
"Glad to be of service." The girl said.
"Well, thanks Draco. If she trusts you then I guess it's safe for me to try. Truce?" Harry said holding out his hand to the Slytherin. The Hall was now completely silent, everyone waiting to see what would happen. Even the professors were explosion. Draco looked down at Harry's hand and then back up. He smirked and put out his own hand.
"Truce." He said as the two shook hanks.
"Wonderful." Melina said, standing to her feet. "Now that that's settled, shall we dance?" She asked holding her hand out to Draco. Everyone was staring, trying to figure out what had just happened as the music started back up and Melina and Draco started dancing. The professors were equally shocked at Draco's change of heart, but no one was more shocked than a man standing in the doorway of the Hall watching whole scene taking place.
"Draco." Melina said stopping their dance and looking at the man. Draco turned and nearly fell over.
"Father." He said.
"What. Are. You. DOING!" Lucius Malfoy nearly screamed causing all the students, minus the Slytherins, to jump. Draco stepped in front of Melina in case his father decided to draw his wand. "Answer me!" Draco kept his mouth tightly shut; he knew when and when not to talk.
"Lucius." Dumbledore said raising to his feet. "Calm yourself."
"Calm myself! CALM MYSELF!" Lucius screamed.
"If you do not you will be removed from this castle." Dumbledore said forcefully. The other professors were standing now as well. Lucius took a deep seething breath before he spoke again.
"Outside Draco." He hissed through his teeth.
"No." Draco said taking off his mask and handing it behind him to Melina for her to hold.
"Excuse me?" Lucius asked.
"If you have something to say, go ahead and say it. I don't care who hears." Draco said crossing his arms in front of him. Lucius took several calm steps toward his son. Draco held his ground.
"Draco," Lucius said as softly as he could. "I love you, I really do. But if you're going hang around and dance with halfbloods I cannot allow you to return home. You know what would happen if you came back. I'm doing this for your own good."
"It's alright father. I'll make it easy for you. I renounce the name of Malfoy." Draco said, his head held high.
"Very well." With that Lucius turned and walked swiftly out of the Hall. Draco let out a relieved sounding sigh and turned back around to Melina.
"You renounce the name of Malfoy?" The girl asked, just as surprised as everyone else in the room. Her voice sounded loud in the dead silent Hall. Draco just nodded as he took his mask back from Melina. Nobody could believe what had just transpired.
"If you renounce it, what are you going to use for your last name?" Harry asked later when they (he, Draco, Melina, Hermione, Ron and Ginny) were out in the courtyard after the ball.
"My mother's maiden name." Draco answered, wrapping his cape over Melina's bare, shivering shoulders.
"Which is. . .?" Melina asked, accepting the cape gratefully.
"Black." The five Gryffindors stared at him in shock.
"Black?" Ron asked. "As in Sirius Black?"
"Yeah. He's like. . .some kind of cousin of mine or something like that." Draco tried to remember. "It's no big deal really. It's not like I'm not use to having murders in my family."
"Right." Harry said slowly, looking Melina in the eye. Silence fell between them all as they watched Harry and Melina silently communicate with their eyes.
"Are they ok?" Draco whispered to Ron.
"I don't know. I've never seen them do this before." Ron whispered back.
"Harry." Melina finally spoke. Harry sighed heavily and waved his hand in a 'go ahead' gesture. "Thank you. Draco," She turned to him. "Sirius Black is not a murderer. He's innocent." She watched his eyebrows go up and he laughed slightly but stopped when he saw her serious face.
"You can't be serious." He said finally.
"Of course I'm not. He's mine and Harry's godfather." Melina told him. Ginny giggled and the others just shook their heads.
"He's what?" Draco asked.
"Our godfather. And I know what you're thinking. We are not mental." Melina said, crossing her arms in front of her. Draco sat there for a moment staring off into space before he looked back at her, but before he could say anything they were interrupted.
"You all should be inside at that this time of night." They turned at Snapes voice to see him standing behind them in the entrance to the school.
"How long do you think he's been standing there?" Melina heard Hermione whisper to Ginny.
"How long have you been standing there?" She asked the potions master.
"Long enough." He stated. Melina raised her eyebrows and looked over at Harry who mouthed 'say please' to her. She smiled slightly and turned back to Snape.
"Tell me what you heard us talking about." She said.
"Why should I?" Snape asked.
"Please."
"You told Draco about Sirius Black." Snape said without thinking.
"Thank you. Come on. He's right. We should get inside before it gets to cold." Melina led the way past Snape and back into the castle.
