Disclaimer: This is the sequel and I still don't own Harry Potter.

I was grabbed and pulled into an empty classroom, my vision blocked by a cloud of red hair.

"Ginny!" I hissed, startled. "Ginny, you'll get us both caught!"

"I've missed you so much, Mel!" Ginny cried, ignoring me. "You can't possibly believe how horrible it's been for all of us! We've been so worried about you! Oh, and Harry, Merlin I don't think I've ever seen him so upset and –"

"Ginny, you're not making me feel any better," I said, trying to breathe through the strangle hold she had on me.

"Sorry." Ginny let go, wiping the tears from her eyes. "It's just when I saw you here, I was so relieved. You can help us!"

"Help who?"

"The D.A. of course! We can start it up again and then we could really take the Death Eaters out from right in here, at Hogwarts!"

"Gin, you know I can't –"

"Of course you can! You've been doing it from inside Malfoy Manor. What's so hard about doing it here?"

"It's too risky! There's so many different ways we could get caught trying to do this."

Ginny sighed, giving me her best puppy dog face. I groaned, shaking my head. "It's not going to work, Ginerva. There's nothing I can do."

"But you're the greatest," Ginny said. "And you're the only one left. . . . Remember, it had been you, Harry, Hermione, and Ron? But now, it's you, Mel, it's your turn and we need you. I can't do this by myself and as soon as they find out Ron's off with Harry, I'll have to disappear. Please, Mel?"

I stared at her for a moment, frowning. "You just love to drag people into trouble don't you?"

"So you'll do it?"

I sighed, frustrated. "Yeah, I'll help, but you're going to have to help me help."

"Just tell me what to do and I'll do it."

"Right. I'll need you to get in contact with the D.A. members as best as you can; get Neville to help if you have to. Try using your coins because people still may have them. We'll meet in the same place as always."

"Gotcha. Anything else?"

"Yeah, don't get caught."

Ginny and I both looked towards the door as we heard footsteps and voices coming closer to our hideaway, the Alohomora charm being used as the continued up the corridor.

"What do we do?" Ginny said.

"You follow my lead. Get on the ground."

Looking confused, Ginny lowered herself onto her knees as I hopped up onto a desk, leaning back and crossing my legs to give myself a look of casual indifference.

When the door was flung open, I said, "Your incessant whining has done nothing to touch my heart, Blood-traitor."

It took Ginny a few seconds to catch on but then she cried out, "How could you do this to us, Melody? You're supposed to be our friend! You're supposed to fight with us!"

"I could never be friends with a filthy, blood-traitor like you, Weasel-bee."

"But what about Harry? What about Hermione and Ron? What about George?"

The mention of George made my heart clench, but instead of letting it show, I gave a very cruel, very convincing (if I do say so myself). "Potty, the Mudblood, and two stupid Weasels are nothing compared to my new friends. Isn't that right, Draco?"

I looked to Malfoy who was standing in the doorway along with a couple of other Death Eaters who were stuck doing patrol. He looked completely amused for a moment, his mouth slipping up into a smirk as he said, "Of course."

The last month or so of being stuck together had given Malfoy and me a chance to get to know each other better. If anything, I'd have to say we were at least friends now, which was strange enough, but good for me since I needed someone to talk to when George was not around or I'd go crazy.

I slid off the desk and moved over to Malfoy, taking his hand in mine. "Be sure she gets back to that filthy Common room of hers. Oh, and Weasel-bee? Next time I catch you out after curfew it'll be worse than a talking too and couple of measly house points from Gryffindor."

Pulling Malfoy away, I hurried down the corridor back towards the stairs to the dungeon. Behind us, Ginny said something foul to the Death Eaters and continued to her tower on her own.

"What are you doing?" Malfoy whispered so quietly that I almost didn't here him.

"Keeping up the appearance of 'us', okay?" I said, smirking. "Just like I did with Ginny, back there. Give peoples the thought that I switched sides, not only to get away from those 'Dumbledore loving fools', but also to be with you."

"You want them to hate you more?"

"Sure why not? That way, at least then, they'll never suspect that us Gryffindors are plotting."

"Are you plotting?"

"What do you think?"

"I think you're heading the wrong way for the Slytherin Tower."

I stopped, grinning sheepishly, letting Malfoy lead the way, his fingers curling up to intertwine with mine. "Don't get too cozy, Malfoy."

"What exactly does 'keeping up appearances' entitle?" he asked, ignoring me.

"Well, you know . . . the usual boyfriend and girlfriend stuff," I said.

When he stopped to face me, a sly smile on his face, I rolled my eyes. "No that does not mean you can kiss me again. I've already told you I'm taken."

Malfoy continued to walk, a slight chuckle passing over his lips. "Wouldn't think of it, Travis. But wouldn't that technically count as 'keeping up appearances'?"

"You're toeing a very thin line, Malfoy. I suggest you step back."

He didn't pursue the matter any further, but the smirk never left his face.

A/N: Yeah, short chapter, I know, but aren't they always? I hope you're enjoying so far and I hope Malfoy isn't too OC. But I figure Melody is probably like his first actual friend, maybe not including Blaise, so what the hey. Anyway, here's your teaser.

"So . . . what on earth do you expect us to do then?"

I smirked. "Stay out of trouble . . . or at least, don't get caught."

Hope you enjoyed. I'll see you next chapter.