"Melanie!" Madeline yelled from the living room down stairs.
"I'm coming!" Melanie shouted back, appearing two seconds later with a large back bag on her shoulder. Her grandma, a petite woman with short, whitening, blonde hair, dressed in a large, beige coat and her own back bag. She was a kind, confident woman who was loved by all who met her, just like her granddaughter.

After Melanie's parents had passed away, she'd taken her in. they lived in a small town near London. They have a quaint, two story home, with half the lower floor as an herbs shop. Madeline secretly sold potion ingredients to wizards as well, but the shop was closed for the time being.

"Ready?" She asked.
"Yes." Melanie replied.
"Are you sure? You can be quite forgetful, darling." Melanie rolls her eyes.
"Yes. I'm sure." She repeated, knowing full and well her grandmother was right.
"Good. Let us be off, then. Molly doesn't tolerate tardiness very well." Madeline commented, making Melanie chuckle. Mrs. Weasley did have quite the temper.

The two females stand before the fireplace, and, soon enough, using the Floo Network, they appear at the Weasley's. "Melanie!" A voice called, Ginny's. She rushes over and engulfs Melanie in a tight hug.
"Ginny! How are you?" Melanie asked excitedly as they pulled away.
"Brilliant! How've you been?"
"Same."
"Hello, Mrs. Grey." Ginny greets Madeline.
"Hello, darling." They hug as well. Soon enough, Molly walks in.
"Madeline! Melanie! About time!" She greets just as passionately. "Arthur! Come say hello." She yells at Mr. Weasley, him appearing soon after, along with Fred, George, and Hermione.
"Melanie!" Both twins yell, engulfing her in double hugs.
"You've gotten taller." Fred comments.
"Don't be silly, Fred. It's you that's gotten shorter." George jokes, making Melanie giggle.
"Makes you just as short, George. You're twins, after all." She states.
"Hey!" He yells, feigning anger.
"Mel! At last!" Hermione interrupts.
"Mione! When did you get here?" They embrace.
"Few minutes ago." She replies. "How've you been doing?"
"Quite well. You?"
"Good, on one side. About to murder Harry and Ron if they don't get down here in the next few seconds on the other." Melanie laughs.

The two boys soon appear, greeting Melanie and her grandmother as well. Once done and ready to go, the group heads out to attend the Quidditch World Cup, Molly and Madeline staying behind, being not really into such things.

Meeting Amos Diggory, a friend of Arthur from the Ministry, and his handsome son, Cedric, which Melanie found quite friendly, but wasn't attracted to him the way Hermione and Ginny were, they use a peculiar boot as a Portkey. The group land in the tent area, where Quidditch fans would await the match and stay to celebrate its end.

On their way up the stadium, Harry and Ron had said that they had a rough encounter with Draco and his dad. Melanie was more than upset for having missed it. She wanted to see him. She didn't really know why, but every time she'd think about meeting him after all those months, her heart would jump and she'd get butterflies in her stomach. She was hoping to spot him during the match, but when up, she realized it would be impossible.

So many people, so many colors. The match itself was magnificent, absolutely wonderful. Melanie wasn't the sporty type, but after that night, she'd been convinced. Granted, climbing fifty flights of stairs was tiring, but when at the top, looking down on all those talented players, true talent, with the crowd cheering and excitement in the air, it was contagious.

"There's no one like Krum. He's like a bird the way he rides the wind. He's more than an athlete, he's an artist." Ron comments, stationed in the tent. The match had ended and the people were getting ready to celebrate.

"Krummmm!" The twins chant.
"Think you're in love, Ron?" Ginny grins.
"Victor I love you!" The twins sing. "Victor I do!" Melanie and Harry join in. "When we're apart, my heart beats only for Youuuuu!"

They hear yelling outside. "Sounds like the Irish have got their pride on." Fred states, but Melanie furrows her eyebrows. Something else is going on.
"Stop! Stop it. It's not the Irish." Arthur says, face going grim. "We've gotta get out of here. Now."

….

"Get back to the Portkey, everybody, and stick together. Fred, George…Ginny's your responsibility." Mr. Weasley informs, and at that, they were off.

Sticking together was easier said than done. Melanie seemed to be getting further and further from her friends. So many people indeed. She could hear screams, she was scared, breathing heavily, panicking, but trying to stay calm. She stops in the middle of the crowd, hand on her head, she was lost, alone. What would she do? Where would she go?...Would she make it?

He can see her, he can see her friends, looking for her, but she couldn't. Stood by Zabini, he waited. She still couldn't see them. "Malfoy, we have to go!" Zabini yells, wondering why they stopped. But no, he can't just leave her there, what if she topples and faints, then the Death Eaters find her and…No, he wouldn't leave her.
"You go! I'll catch up with you." He told Blaise, running off.
"Malfoy!" Blaise yells after him, but he's gone. He sighs and heads off in the opposite direction, hoping Draco knew what he was doing.

Melanie felt a hand grasp her arm tightly, she turns frantically. Draco. It was Draco. "Move, Redwing." He yells at her, pulling her as he ran back to where he saw her friends. He takes her hand to ease their hurry, she struggles to haste, but he tightens his hand on hers securely, keeping her up and moving, making sure he wouldn't dare let her slip away.

He stops where he recalls, starts searching, he sees them, he pulls on her hand. "There!" He yells over the crowd, pointing. She looks, and surely, sees her friends, who are in a drastic state. "Go!" He says, releasing her hand, a pushing her forward. She turns to him.
"Draco." She utters fearfully. He sees her concern, suddenly not wanting to let her go, but he has to.
"I'll be fine. Go!" He yells again, and she hesitantly complies.

Looking back, she sees that he's gone. She prayed with all her heart, he'd truly be safe.

….

After the attack had ended, and Harry was found, the four friends returned home, readying themselves for Hogwarts. Melanie was going out of her mind worrying about Draco. Did he make it out? Was he safe? She was pacing her room, attempting to, half-heartedly, pack for Hogwarts. Hermione was seated on her bed, waiting, her suit cases neatly stacked at the side of Melanie's room.

They had decided on going together and met up at Melanie's house. She had told Hermione of what had happened and, though Hermione more than dis-liked Draco, she too had to admit that what he did was, to a point, appreciable. "Melanie, calm down. I'm sure he's alright. He's Malfoy, for god's sake." She tries. Melanie stops and turns to her friend.
"I didn't know being a Malfoy made you invincible." She commented with dry sarcasm. She sighs. "But, you're right. I'm over-reacting." Hermione nods. "He's probably at home, doing the same thing I am, minus the panic." They laugh.

Melanie is soon relieved when she spots him in the midst of the crowded train station, on their way to Hogwarts. In their compartment, the four friends speak of the Ministry and their lack of knowledge about the person behind the Mark, stating how worrying it was that it had happened right under their noses.

They discuss Harry's dream and who he thought he saw at the World Cup and Hermione suggests telling Sirius. He sets off to do just that, leaving his three other friends in compartment alone. "Did you find him?" Hermione asked Melanie.
"Yeah. He's alright."
"See. I told you so."
"Find who?" Ron questioned, taking another bite out of his sweets.
"Draco." Hermione replied. He furrows his eyebrows.
"Why would you want to find that twit?"
"He saved my life, Ron." Melanie states firmly.
"When the hell did he do that?!"
"At the World Cup, Ron. When we lost her." Hermione answers.
"Seriously?!" He exclaims, astonished. Melanie nods with a smile. "I think he's bloody in love with you." Ron blathers out. Melanie's taken aback by his bluntness, but Hermione isn't, if anything, she agreed with him.
"What?! No! He was just being nice." She tries.
"That's just it, Mel. Draco doesn't just be nice. Clearly, there's a reason." Hermione explains. Melanie is upset, upset that her friends were so ignorant of the fact that Draco wasn't all bad and cold.
"If you guys were as nice to him as I was, you wouldn't be as surprised by his actions." She tells strictly, her friends think it over. She had a point.
"Whose actions?" Harry preaches in, entering the compartment and closing the door behind him, sitting by Ron.
"Draco Malfoy's." Ron replies.
"What?" Harry questions, perplexed. Melanie sighs tiredly.
"He saved Melanie's life at the World Cup." Hermione explained.
"He did?"
"Yeah, mate. Can you believe it?!" Ron questions. Harry looks over at Melanie, she's gazing at him hopefully.

Harry really despised Draco, he did, but he could see Melanie didn't, and he wasn't as upset about it as he thought he'd be. There had been plenty of signs showing Malfoy was having a hard time keeping up his usual attitude with someone as sweet as Melanie, and, in his opinion, that was a good thing. Maybe one day, she'd be able to change Malfoy altogether and he'd quit being such a pain.

"Well, yeah. I mean, it's Melanie." He replies as a matter of fact.
"Thank you." She sighs.
"What?!" Ron exclaims. "So you don't think it's weird?"
"No."
"I think you're both bloody mental."

….

The train ride went on peacefully. No Dementor attacks this time. The friends reach Hogwarts in record's time, and as they enter the gates, they witness the arrival of two other groups. The students may not have known who they were or why they were here, but were quite mesmerized with their entrance.

The first group entered on a large, ridden carriage in the sky, and the other group appeared form within the lake, on an enormous sea ship.

As the students station themselves in the Grand Hall, Melanie sits by Hermione at the Gryffindor table, Harry and Ron across them. Draco's seating at his own table with his own group, but is suddenly oblivious to his surroundings when he sees her walk in.

Having not had the chance before, he observes her. She'd changed. Her soft brown waves were longer than they were last year, she'd gotten taller as well, and, was it possible she was more beautiful than last he'd seen her? He slaps himself mentally, refocusing on his surroundings, really needing to get a grip on his thoughts.

She sees him too, and isn't afraid to admit to herself that he did looked better than she'd ever seen him, very attractive. She feels her heart beat faster and butterflies in her stomach. She's surprised with her thoughts and feelings, not really knowing what to make of them, but they were soon interrupted with Dumbledore's boasting voice.

"Hogwarts has been chosen to host a legendary event. The Tri-Wizard Tournament. Now for those of you who do not know, the Tri-Wizard Tournament brings together three schools for a series of magical contests. From each school a single contestant is selected to compete. Now let me be clear, if chosen, you stand alone. And trust me when I say, these contests are not for the faint hearted, but more of that later. For now, please join me in welcoming the lovely ladies of the Beauxbatons Academy of magic and their headmistress Madam Maxime!"

A small group of girls enter the Grand Hall, dressed in sky blue uniforms. They walk with grace, bowing and releasing butterflies. Almost all the boys, including Ron and Harry, were in a trance, goggling over the dramatic females. Melanie found herself subconsciously looking over at Draco, wondering what he thought. She could see he wasn't that impressed and smiled to herself, strangely relieved.

Draco was indeed, unimpressed. Yes, they were pretty, yes they were graceful, yes, they were supposed to be the definition of beauty, but, in his opinion, they were all lacking something he couldn't understand.

Once the girls, and their overly large mistress, who Hagrid seemed to admire from first sight, were stationed by Dumbledore, he introduces the sons of Durmstrang and their own master, Igor.

The boys barge into the doors, army style, twirling heavy staffs about and occasionally slamming them into the ground with a spark effect. The crowd cheers once more, girls more than boys this time, and Melanie finds herself as unimpressed as Draco was. She did enjoy the show though.

….