It was done, the second test was a grand success! Harry was even privately congratulated by Barty Crouch himself. His friends and him soon celebrated by a camp out in the forest with Hagrid, but after discovering Barty's dead body in the woods, the celebration ends. Only Harry had seen the body, Hagrid too, but he'd told the other three to stay away, so they didn't see, and Melanie was grateful for that.

Harry heads to Dumbledore's office to discuss what had happened, and comes back to his friends with quite the story. It seemed that Igor, headmaster of Durmstrang, was once a death-eater, along with Snape too, and, to everyone's surprise, Barty's own son, Jr. He then complains about his strange encounter with Snape, who accused him of being a thief.

Everything was in shambles, but things only got worst. The final test was upon them. An endless maze of mystery, the worst yet. The contestants spend nearly an hour inside. Victor and Fleur eventually come out, having failed the test, and only Harry and Cedric are left.

The crowd wait, and wait, but they don't come out. People start getting worried, Melanie especially. Dumbledore was about to intervene just when both boys reappeared with the Portkey. The crowd cheers once more, ecstatic, but when the truth of the situation was revealed, most people couldn't handle it.

Harry was on the ground, crying his eyes out, slouched over Cedric Diggory's dead body. Melanie's heart sinks in her chest, her eyes well up in tears, she's breathing heavily. Cedric was dead…gone, their classmate, the boy that everyone liked. He was so brave and ambitious; he would have had a thriving future. It was far from fair for his life to be snatched away from him so cruelly…so suddenly.

Melanie could see her friend suffering. Her, Ron and Hermione make their way through the crowd to him, but he's suddenly out of sight, taken by Mad-Eye.

In a split second, Snape realizes what was happening. He warns Dumbledore and they both set off to find Moody. It was never really Mad-Eye, it was, to everyone's great astonishment, Barty Crouch Jr. Fortunately, they managed to get to Harry in time and he was unharmed. The real Moody was found, and Jr was arrested.

….

The next day, the students were requested to pack their things and make ready to leave. Everyone was quiet, heartbroken, Melanie most of all. She just didn't know how to handle such things.

She was in the forest, by the lake in one of her favorite spots. Her face was buried in her held up knees as she cried silently to herself, trying to let it out, ease the pain, but it wasn't working.

Draco was, surprisingly, almost just as devastated. He too had no idea how to deal with this, but he too knew the answer wasn't around his group. He needed a place to think, something he didn't often need to do, and that was how he ended up in the forest.

Melanie heard footsteps beside her, then the grass to her side began to shuffle as Draco seated himself. She didn't need to look to know it was him. She sniffed and wiped her wet cheeks, staring out at the lake. They didn't speak for several minutes, each drowning in their own sorrow. He could see she was hurting much worse than he was, but he just didn't know how to comfort her, especially when he needed comfort too.

She broke the silence. "Have you ever wanted to do something, and decided it would be best to achieve it in a later time?" She asked out of the blue. He turned to her, not really sure what to say, but he understood nevertheless. "Time." She chuckled dryly. "We think we can control it, but we're all powerless against it." She turned to him, eyes red and glossy. "He didn't know how quick his would end." He hated seeing her this way, it broke his heart. "The first time I met Cedric," She smiled, her eyes reminiscing. "was back at the world cup. He had this air about him that just told you he was something, like, the kind of people you wish society had more of. And now…he's gone."

Draco takes a shot at trying, he had to say something. "I may not have known Cedric as well as you did, but I know one thing. He wouldn't have wanted us remembering him by the person he could've been, just the person he was." That came out better than he thought it would. She thought about it, a bit surprised by his words, and broke into a genuine smile. She nodded slightly.
"You're right." He smiled back, then got up.
"Come on." He told, lending her a hand, which she took gratefully. Hand still in hers, he started to walk, but she tugged on him from behind.
"Draco." He turned. "Thank you."

….

They were stood before the Great Hall, about to enter for Dumbledore's final speech before everyone was sent home. Melanie stops mid-way. Draco turns to her worriedly. "What's wrong?" He asked. She shook her head reassuringly.
"It's just, we might not get the chance later so, goodbye Draco…I'm really going to miss you." He smirked at how red she'd become after saying that last sentence, which he was more than thrilled to hear. He walked until he was only a few inches away from her. She was still looking at the ground shyly.
"Well, Melanie." He started, she turned to him and smiled at the name enthusiastically. "I wouldn't worry about it. We'll be back in this blasted school before you know." She chuckled at that, making him smile, he would miss her too.

He then started to back away. "I'll see you next year, Redwing." He winked, making butterflies swarm her stomach, before disappearing through the doors of the Great Hall.

The day ended with Dumbledore's moving speech about Cedric, something everyone needed to hear. Soon after, everyone exited the Great Hall and were giving out their last goodbyes. The schools of Durmstrang and Beauxbatons were leaving for good. And at that, the fourth year of Hogwarts ends for Melanie and her friends, while a new one awaits its time.

….