"God! Where is she?!" Yelled Hermione in the Gryffindor Common Room as all around her, Gryffindors were, less aggressively, awaiting the birthday girl's arrival, just like her.
"Calm down, Hermione." Harry told, but she didn't listen. Ron was stood beside her, also attempting to keep her cool.

The Weasley twins were still outside, stationed on either sides of Sir Cadogan, who was in on everything. The sun was only starting to set, so in Ron and Harry's, and everyone else's opinions, Hermione was overreacting.

Neville appeared later, Hermione didn't notice him just yet to ask him whether or not he had the drinks ready, but drinks were the last thing on his mind. The one thing he was thinking of was the one thing he wished he'd stop thinking of. "It's almost night! Where on earth could she be?" Neville heard Hermione shout as he passed by her. He stopped, thinking maybe Melanie's best friend should know.

Hesitantly, Neville approached the three friends. "Um, she…" He paused. Maybe telling her wasn't such a good idea, but it was too late to turn back, he'd already earned their attention. Immediately regretting his choice, he hoped he could get out of this quickly. "She's by the Black Lake." He told, wishing that would satisfy them. Hermione's eyes flashed with anger.
"What is she doing all the way over there?!" She questioned, hoping the question could have been directed at the girl spoken of.
"Um, I dunno." Neville replied quickly, earning looks of suspicion.
"Neville, how'd you know she was in the forest?" Asked Harry in an attempt to get the truth.
"I saw her." Neville thoughtlessly said, then winced at his stupid reply as he realized he'd lied about not knowing what the Redwing was doing, and now they knew. Great job, Neville.

Ron scoffed. "Well, what was she doing?" He asked. Neville's face painted red. He never felt comfortable speaking about such things. What would he say then?
"She's…with Draco." Was the best he could come up with. Thankfully, it was part of the truth, but unfortunately, and unknowingly, he'd just provoked a beast.

The two boys' eyes went wide, suddenly understanding why Longbottom was too embarrassed to speak, but Hermione, she was wrathful. She was the reason Malfoy knew about Melanie's birthday, and now, her kindness had backfired. "I knew it! That idiot's going to ruin everything!" She roared, and in that instant, Fred and George appeared in the room.
"She's coming!" They yelled in sync. Everyone hurriedly rushed over to hide and the lights were put out.

"Hey, Sir Cadogan." Melanie greeted the talking portrait, who had a hard time keeping everything quiet.
"Oh, hello, Melanie. The happiest of birthdays to you!" He told excitedly, hoping he wasn't giving anything else off, that is, until she asked the next question.
"Ow, thank you so much! Have you seen the guys?" She asked, smiling brightly at the thoughtful portrait. Even the picture knew about her birthday, and she'd just found out a few minutes ago!

Naturally, she knew her friends probably knew as well, so where in the world were they? She also blames herself for laying in the forest, they've probably been looking for her all day.

Cadogan hesitated. Yes, they were inside, obviously, but he worried confirming that would ruin the surprise. Silly Cadogan. "Um, yes?" He told, more, asked. Melanie raised a brow.
"'Yes?'" She asked suspiciously. The knight sighed, mentally slapping himself.
"Just come in." He said, opening up.

Melanie, still confused, was somewhat getting an idea of what was going on. The door to the Common Room creaked as she cautiously pushed it to pitch black darkness, and in a blink, the lights were turned on and people were jumping up from different places in the room. "SURPRISE!"

….

The party was much needed and a massive success. Everyone had fun they hadn't had in a long time, and Melanie, along with the surprise from her now 'boyfriend' and now this, she'd never felt more loved or cared about, she'd never felt happier.

During the celebration, her three friends asked what she was doing with the troublesome Malfoy, even though they had a pretty good idea about what they were doing, but they never expected her fairly blunt reply. She told them the same thing Draco said she should: 'I was making out with my boyfriend.'

With everyone joyful, even Hermione found it hard to get mad, in fact, that very night, she finally accepted the fact that Malfoy might one day be, as Ron put it, their friend-in-law. It was even easier to accept it when Melanie told them what he brought her. Of course, they too knew about the book she'd always wanted, they've been searching for it for three years! So maybe Draco getting it was a sign. Granted, they were jealous they didn't get it first, but at least Melanie was happy, and that was what mattered.

A few days past, the entire school noticing the switch in the Gryffindors' mood thanks to the party. Things between Melanie and Draco were better than ever, and even better now that her friends have finally accepted him.

In the Great Hall, the students are at their house tables, having lunch. The four friends were laughing and chattering happily. "…and, I mean, how can you do that? Fit an entire muffin in your mouth?!" Ron asked, truly bewildered. Melanie and Harry laughed as Hermione's face reddened.
"I was hungry! I hadn't eaten all day. And for god's sake! You're one to talk." She told, laughing herself to limit from her embarrassment.
"I've never been that hungry." He chuckled, making them laugh again. "Seriously, I was shocked." And they laugh harder.

"Oh, hahahaha. So funny." Says an awfully squeaky voice. The friends turn, and behind them is the infamous Pansy Parkinson. Melanie subconsciously eyed for Draco in the crowd. He wasn't even in the room and she wondered where he was.
Before any of the seated could ask the twit what she wanted, she spoke up. Bringing out a parchment that looked like an ancient version of the Daily Prophet and putting it up to her face. "Almost as funny as the Redwing family's past." She started.

The four friends' faces went blank. Melanie suddenly felt her heart ache. Was it the news about the accident she'd never looked up? The one she was too afraid to read for herself, but no, it was so much worse. "'Mother dies giving birth and father drinks his life away before the infant was able to speak.'" She read out.

As if she was hit by a truck, Melanie jolted from her seat and snatched the parchment from the Slytherin. Melanie felt her heart sink with every word. No, it couldn't be. Madeline said it was an accident, but this…

Melanie froze, unable to think, unable to speak. She felt as if the world around her was suddenly crumbling, as if her heart was burning to ashes with the scorching she was feeling inside. A pain so strong, she was breaking.

The others stood as well, all those in ear-shot were eyeing the group after hearing what Pansy had said, they too stood and rounded them. Many of them knew the Redwing, and what was just said, shook everyone to the core.

Hermione took the paper from Melanie, searching for the date, making sure it was real. It was. Oh, god.

In that very instant, Draco enters the room. He sees the crowd and makes his way through in curiosity, but what he saw made it feel like he took a punch to the gut.

Melanie was rooted in spot, her eyes and nose shot red, tears sliding down her face, her mouth agape. He stormed towards her. The friends acknowledge his presence. He stands in front of her, but she can't see him, she can't see anything. "Melanie." He whispers, but she can't hear him either. He takes hold of her arms, then cups her face and wipes away a tear. He could hear the others talking, but couldn't process what they were saying, all he could see was her.

"Melanie." He called again, and this time, her eyes turned to his, and all he could see in them was pain and hurt, like nothing he'd ever seen before. It sets a fire in his chest that was, to say the least, lethal.

"…hell is wrong with you, Pansy?!" Ron yells, his voice tuning in. Upon hearing this, Draco turns sharply to the crowd. He spots the odd looking parchment Hermione was furiously waving in Parkinson's face, who had a smug, carless expression set upon it.

He takes it from her and the first thing he sees was the name 'Redwing' in the unexpected deaths section, his eyes going wide. Suddenly realizing what exactly was going on, he looks for an explanation.

One thing stood out, the smirking Pansy. She eyes him lovingly, as if she'd won something. His heart ignited in rage as he found the culprit of his girl's misery. "See, Draco. She isn't so perfect now, is she? Responsible for both her parents' deaths." She tells mockingly, eyeing Melanie, who looked to be in great conflict as Pansy's words slapped her across the face.

The other three eyed Draco's reaction, and there was only one thing they could see, something that made them subconsciously take a few steps back.

Without warning, Draco took his wand out. "STUPIFY!" He yelled, and with that, the Slytherin girl was sent flying to the other end of the room. Everyone gasped in shock as pain shot all over Pansy's body.

Draco wasn't finished yet, but when Hermione called his name, and he turned to see his Melanie on the floor, in her shocked friends' arms, unconscious, he immediately hurried over, forgetting all about Parkinson, which, aside from emotionally broken and publically embarrassed, was fine.

Without a second's thought, Draco took the girl from her friends and cradled her in his arms as he hustled towards madam Pomfrey's, many worried students from different houses following, including the Parvati twins, Luna Lovegood, Cho, and most of the Gryffindors.

In the Hospital wing, most of the students were sent away as the Slytherin and Gryffindor heads of houses took control of the situation a bit too late, the damage was done.

Harry, Hermione, and Ron were forced away, but, thanks to Draco's family's reputation, and his father's occupation, he threatened both heads, and the only reason they let him stay, was because they saw something precious in the way he looked at the sleeping girl, even Snape didn't want to pull them apart.

He stayed by her bedside as madam Pomfrey made sure she was alright. She eyed the boy whose eyes held concern…and love, so much love, for the girl on the bed. She smiled. "She's quite something, isn't she?" Pomfrey asked.
"Yeah, she is." Was all Draco said as he caressed the pale Redwing's hand in his, wishing her awake.

In that very moment, it hit him. He loved her, more than anything in the world it seemed. A few years ago, he never would have seen himself worrying over a Gryffindor, much less, someone who wasn't as famous or wealthy as his family was, he never imagined he'd fall for someone so different, so…out of this world, but she changed him, she showed him another way.

There were moments when she was kind to all those around her, it made him think of how impossible it was for such a person to exist, but she did, this strong-willed girl that was willing to stand by her principles no matter what, and there were moments when her strength would show, how, at the end of the day, even with all her kindness, she could strike fear in the hearts of her worst of enemies, and that drove him insane.

There were moments, much like this one, when it was just the two of them, when she'd show him a side of her he never thought he'd see, a side that loved to wander, that loved to play, that saw the world in a different, more pleasant way until, slowly, he started seeing it too.

Then, there were the moments when he'd see her smile, and she'd take his breath away, and the moments when she'd laugh, making him fall in love with her all over again. So, yes…she is quite something.

A few moments later, Melanie's confused eyes fluttered open. "Draco…" She whispered, being the last person she could remember seeing. He jerked from his seat and stood before her.
"I'm here, love." He assured.
"I'll let you two be." Pomfrey told, turning away. She wasn't about to stand in the way of something so special.

It all came back to Melanie too quickly as she remembered exactly what happened, and she felt her head spin again as her heart crushed itself in her chest, threatening to pull her back to the darkness, but she quickly sat up, feeling tears sting her eyes once more.

He helped her up, her hand still in his. She stared at the emptiness of the minty blanket she was covered with. For a full minute, the two said nothing, her lost in thoughts that threatened to end her, and him not knowing what to say as he had full knowledge of everything that was going on in her precious mind.

Melanie finally spoke up, and her first words stabbed the Malfoy in the chest. "I killed them, Draco." She whispered, voice hoarse. He didn't know what to say to that, he wasn't good at this, at all, but he'd try, for her.

Draco shook his head firmly. He sat across her on the bed and tipped her chin up so her eyes could meet his. He leaned in closely, making sure she could hear every word. "Melanie," He started and, just by saying her first name in the way he usually did, made her feel…safe. "I need you to listen to me very carefully. Your mother's death, was inevitable." More tears fell from her eyes as she gave him a pained look at the mention of her dead mother again, but he had to, she had to hear this, no matter how much she didn't want to, no matter how much she wanted it to fall to the lie her grandmother had fabricated all those years ago. "There was nothing you could've done to stop it. It was just her time." He tried, appealing to her since of logic, and it worked just a bit.

Then came the hard part. "And your father…He made his own decisions."
"No! It was my fault! It was my fault!" Melanie let out a gasp as she cried harder, knowing he couldn't change this one. Her father drowned himself in rum because he lost his beloved wife, and he blamed Melanie for it, and she knew he did.

Draco cupped Melanie's face between his palms, feeling his own heart ache. He hated seeing her like this. He wished he could have gone back in time and saved her from all the pain that was to come, but he couldn't. "No, Melanie, it wasn't." He stressed as she shook her head in denial. "He was reckless, and selfish. He never gave himself the chance to become the father you deserve, the father you needed, because, not only did he lose a wife, you lost a mother. If he truly cared, he would have stayed for you, but he didn't. He made his own bed, Mel, not you." He looked her deeply in her pained eyes, and she looked into his, trying so hard to believe him, but all she could do was cry.

He knew it would take time. She was wounded badly, and it would take time to heal. There wasn't anything he could say that could help her, but he vowed to be there for her, no matter what.

Draco pulled Melanie close to his chest as she continued to weep. He shushed her softly, promising it was going to be okay.

….