Deviation's class had taken a dark turn when Harry, presumably, got the Grim, a death omen. Melanie found herself wishing that professor Trelawney was as insane as Hermione claimed her to be.

"Death omens. Honestly. If you ask me, Deviation's a very wooly discipline. Now Ancient Runes. That's a fascinating subject." Hermione comments as the four make their way down the bridge to Hagrid's shack, the Whomping Willow looming in the distance.
"Ancient Runes? Exactly how many classes are you taking this term?" Ron asked.
"A fair few." She replied.
"Isn't Ancient Runes the same time as Deviation, Hermione?" Melanie questioned, suspicious again.
"Yeah." Ron agreed. "You'd have to be in two classes at once." He commented.
"Don't be silly. How could anyone be in two classes at once, Ron? Broaden your minds." Hermione mimicked Trelawney, making the other three laugh along.
Reaching Hagrid's shack, the four entwine themselves with their fellow classmates. Hagrid then leads them to a small paddock in the Forbidden Forest. "Gather round." Ordered Hagrid. "Find yerselves a spot and open up yer books."
"Exactly how are we supposed to do that?" Draco asks impatiently. Melanie rolls her eyes at his usual attitude. Neville doesn't even wait for Hagrid to explain and opens it up, immediately getting attacked by the growling, biting Monster Book of Monsters. Melanie rushes over and helps him up, earning an unnecessary scoff from Draco.
"Yeh have ter stroke 'em on the spine." Hagrid explains a bit too late. Melanie hurries to do just that with Neville's book, struggling just the slight, her touch was naturally gentle. She hands him the book with a smile, him thanking her. She pats him on the back and beckons him to move forward as she made her way to her friends, standing at the first row of watching students.

Hagrid disappears and the students' attention was diverted to the Slytherin prince bully. "God, this place is going to the dogs. Wait till my father hears Dumbledore's got this oaf teaching classes."
"No need to call him names, Draco." Melanie states calmly. It bothered her that her friend and now professor, was being called names in front of her. Draco looks her in the eyes, slowly approaches her.
"What are you gonna do about it, puny?" He mocked, seeing as he was more than several inches taller than her.
"Hey!" Harry yells, approaching the contestants in the circle of preying students. "Leave her alone." He demands bravely. Melanie immediately steps in.
"Harry"- She starts, but Draco cuts her off.
"Look everyone! Potter's standing up for his girlfriend. Is that how you orphans go?" He continues, the word 'orphans' slapping them both across the face, hurting Harry more than it did Melanie.

Melanie was, indeed, an orphan, but her parents died in a supposed accident before she could even speak, leaving her to spend the rest of her life with her grandmother and remembering next to nothing of her parents, which made it easier for her to move on, more than it did for Harry. "You're going too far, Draco." Melanie warned like it would make a difference. He turned to her again, was she finally cracking? He inched even closer.
"Why don't you stop me, Redwing?" He dared. She looked him in the eye, resisting the urge to punch him. The crowd were as silent as bats, all awaiting Melanie's response.
"You're not worth our time." She last said before turning on her heel, grabbing Harry by the shoulder and pulling him, and herself, towards Ron and Hermione.
"Yeah, right. Walk right away. Cowards!" Malfoy yelled behind them, smiling in victory. Melanie ignored him, but could feel Harry resisting her grip, wanting to go back and give Malfoy something painful to complain about, and as much as Meanie wanted to as well, she knew it would only get them into trouble.
"C'mon Harry. You know he's trying to get to us, don't give him the time of the day." She pushes, he complies.
"Are you guys alright?" Hermione asked in concern.
"We're fine." Harry answered bitterly.
"Draco's a bloody twit he is." Ron commented. Just then, Hagrid reappears with something no one expected.

Hagrid coaxes what could only be explained as a 'beast' to the center of the paddock, everyone taking a few steps back as he did so.
"Hagrid. Exactly what is that?" Hermione asked in wary.
"Well, a Hippogriff, of course." He answers like they should know. The Hippogriff had the torso, hind legs and tail of a horse, but the front legs, wings and head of a giant eagle. "Right." He says to himself, realizing they were clueless. Suddenly, he too was non-the-wiser about his next step, being a professor for the first time. "First thing yeh gotta know bout em, they're proud. Easily offended, Hippogriffs are. Don't ever insult one, cause it might be the last thing yeh do." That doesn't help the students' nervous states. "Right then, who wants ter come an' say 'hello'?"

The entire class steps back, leaving an oblivious Harry alone at the front. Melanie steps to pull him back, but it's too late. "Good man, Harry!" Hagrid yells excitedly, yet, unknowingly. Harry looks around him. Nothing. He hesitates, Ron pushing him forward, Melanie elbowing Ron in the gut.
"Ow!" He yelps, but was quickly cut off by the sight of Harry nearing the Hippogriff.

Hagrid explains how to approach Buckbeak and Harry reluctantly complies. It seemed that the Hippogriff was willing to befriend Harry. Melanie released a breath she didn't know was holding, but her heart beats faster when Hagrid lifts Harry up and on the horse-bird. Before Harry could protest, Hagrid slaps Buckbeak on the back and, in an instant, the Hippogriff flies off.
"Hagrid!" Melanie yells. He notices her worried, and furious expression, suddenly realizing what he had just done.
"He'll be fine." He tried, smiling half-heartedly, now worried as well.
"Yeah, Hagrid. We don't want Melanie's boyfriend getting hurt, now do we?" Draco asks mockingly, few of the Slytherins laughing along. Melanie could feel a fire burning within her. She wanted Draco to shut up by any means.

Melanie does something she wouldn't usually do, ever, but her concern for her friend and her anger towards Draco were a bad combination. She pulls out her wand, pointing it at him threateningly, his expression falling as he himself realizes he might have gone far enough to get jinxed. "Melanie! Put that thing away! Now." Ordered Hagrid, feeling that he was seriously losing control of his class.

After a dense moment of silence, her sane mind eases her to put it away and she turns back to the skies, awaiting her friends hopefully safe return. She could hear the rest of the class's quiet mumbles. "That was brilliant!" Ron exclaimed from beside her.
"let's just hope he really shuts up this time." Hermione said.

Moments later, Harry reappears, the crowd cheers, Melanie is once again relieved, Hagrid too, but deep in the crowd, Malfoy glares maliciously at the boy who seemed to be good at everything. He shoves his gang aside and hustles towards the beast. "Not dangerous at all, are you? You great ugly brute"- He starts, and that's where he went wrong.
"Draco! NO!" Melanie yells, but, yet again, it's too late. Buckbeak's steely talons slash down, Malfoy topples to the floor, Melanie, without thinking, rushes forward, kneeling down beside him, Draco looks down, sees blood, and starts freaking out. Harry hurries in as well just before Buckbeak could attempt another attack at his strangers, Hagrid too, they scurry the beast away. "Hagrid! He's bleeding!" Melanie exclaims, feeling her heart nearly beat out of her chest.

Hagrid bends beside them. "It's killed me! Its killed me!" Draco whines, Melanie more focused on where the blood was coming from, and when she realized it was just a scratch on his arm, she felt an incredible weight lift off her chest.

Draco's on the floor, thrashing like it's the end of the world, Melanie tries earning his attention more than once, but the twit just won't listen. She subconsciously cups his face between her warm palms to force his eyes to hers, he grows still in her hold, his breathing steadies, then realizes it's Melanie and his expression changes to one of utter confusion. "Draco! It's just a scratch." She explains as calmly as possible, her voice soothing, even though the wound was dangerously deep. Still, at least it was just his arm, nowhere fatal.
"Hagrid! He needs to get to madam Pomfrey." Hermione urges. Melanie agrees, but doesn't say it so as not to scare the blonde.
"I'll go with you." Melanie stats, leaving Hagrid some space to pick Malfoy up, who feels an instant cold when her hands leave his face.
"No. I'm the teacher. You all…you all just…Class dismissed!" He last yells before heading off with Draco, Melanie left behind, still worried, but knew he was in good hands.

….