Chapter 3; Melissa
Melani had decided that, after trying out all of the movements, she liked the third the best. She spent about two weeks working on it, trying to perfect it as much as she could. As for the staff papers, she didn't have any idea on what she was going to do with them.
On top of that, her dreams about dueling Malfoy hadn't stopped. In fact, they had gotten progressively more intimate, but not anything worse than kissing. It disgusted her that her subconscious would dare to come up with these dreams, because she most definitely did not like Malfoy, and especially not in that way. Along with the romance, he kept calling her Melissa for some reason. In fact, the whole dream itself was confusing. Like, why was she dueling him? And why did he enjoy being hit?
All of these things contributed to the splitting headache that she continually got daily.
Today, she had her music with her along with an inkwell and quill and was scaling the stairs. She had decided that she would compose that morning, even if it was the worst melody ever. She was halfway up when she bumped into the platinum blond, who just smirked at her and went on. Puzzled and slightly frustrated, she sped up so she was in front of him.
Apparently, she was so frustrated that she couldn't control her anger when she set up. Melani threw off her robes and tossed her music on a stand that proceeded to clatter onto the floor. She muttered a rage-filled "Engorgio!" at her violin and it ballooned in size. She finally calmed when she failed to transform her wand for the fourth time.
Wiping her brow, she cursed at Malfoy for being the root of her problems and steadied the overturned stand, composing herself. She calmly tapped all of the papers and set the ones labeled "III" in front of the rest, as she had done for the past few weeks. With nervously shaking hands, she lifted her violin so it was under her chin and raised her bow to play.
After practicing the difficult piece so much, it had finally payed off. She had the melodies and the repetitive thirty-seconds down to a T, and the only thing that was missing was the rest of the orchestra and the quick-paced tempo.
Melani finished with flourish and a flushed smile on her face. She was pleasantly surprised with herself and her abilities. She had just put her violin to her side when slow, hollow clapping echoed from the shadows.
She gripped her bow, and it transformed back into a wand. Carefully, she placed her violin on a chair and then stabbed her wand into the direction of the clapping. She saw the distinct pale smirk before a tall, lean figure stepped out into the light from the bundle of dusty curtains near the door.
"Malfoy!" she hissed.
"Gerisha, what a surprise it is to meet you here," he stopped clapping and made his way towards her.
She kept her stance, pointing her wand at his chest. "How long have you been here?" she demanded.
"Today? Since the door closed. In all? Since second year," he grinned at her expression of disbelief.
"H-how..." Melani stuttered, the hand holding her wand shaking.
"I followed you. People start asking questions if you're gone for a while. I've seen you play everyday," he examined his fingernails, continuing almost lazily.
"Genius, really. How you integrated your talent into your life subtly, such as your necklace or..." he was close enough to look down at her trembling form.
"... Your wand," he whispered huskily, beckoning to where her wand was shaking in her hands.
Snapping out of it, she pushed him off of her and brandished her wand threateningly, stabbing it at where he had fallen.
"Go screw yourself, you prat!"
Something dark flashed through his gaze before he grinned. "Ooh, I'm so scared," he mocked her with a bad falsetto. "You wouldn't dare hex me, the son of the powerful Lucius Malfoy."
He was right. She couldn't hurt him without getting on the bad side of his father and their family. She silently cursed pureblood politics.
But Melani stood her ground, far too stubborn (or stupid) to surrender.
Flipping his hair so it was out of his face, he held out a hand. "If you aren't going to do anything, you might as well help me up," he said.
She hesitated, then turned to place her wand next to her violin. Then, facing him, held out both hands, a bit reluctant.
As if taunting her, he grabbed her right wrist and lightly kissed the top of it, then helped himself up, intertwining his fingers with hers. When he was as close as he could possibly be to her, he dropped her hands and wrapped his own around her waist. She blushed, face to face with his chest, then looked up at him. Melani was suddenly reminded of her dream that night.
"Melissa, isn't it? Call me Draco," he whispered silkily, making Melani shudder.
"It's Melani..." First name terms, eh, Melani thought to herself grimly. No matter what happened, they were certainly not friends, even if he insisted on being so open with her as he was doing now.
He smirked. "That's a pretty name, but Melissa suits you better," he said, smoothing out her bangs from her eyes. She pouted lightly.
"What do you want me to do so you won't spill my secret?" she muttered, looking back down at his chest, blush ever prominent.
"Ah, so you do know the Slytherin tradition of owing favors," he chuckled softly.
"My... My brother was in Slytherin. He dropped out in fifth year, though," she said. As if by habit, she wrapped her own arms around his waist without realizing it. He responded by pulling her in closer, which she did noticed.
"Hmm... I want you to let me call you Melissa... Think of it as a 'nickname', if you will," he said.
She nodded, though was a bit sad. What was wrong with her normal name?
"And..."
She shot him a confused look.
"And," he repeated, enjoying her sudden attention. "I want you to teach me how to play like that."
"I... What?"
"Teach me how to play the violin, let me call you Melissa, and your secret is safe with me," he repeated, shifting his weight to his right side as if impatient to leave.
She was lost for words. Her? Teach him?
"Dear me," he nonchalantly checked his watch. "It's almost lunchtime. We better get going."
She rested her head on his chest, still unaware of her actions. At first he stiffened, but then relaxed. It was when he rested his head on her head that she snapped out of it and realized that she was hugging Draco Malfoy and he was enjoying it.
"I-I-I need to get ready!" she pushed him off of her, flushing a deeper rose color. He stumbled, but quickly recovered.
Slipping his hands in his pockets, he watched her pack up with a small smirk on his face.
After she shrunk her violin and placed it around her neck, she said "You know, if you want lessons, you're going to need to get yourself a violin. A Muggle one, not a wizard one," she smirked at his face of horror.
"I also recommend that you get it with a case so it won't get damaged," she went on, slipping her robes on, trying to imagine Lucius Malfoy in a Muggle shop without snickering.
She took the music off of her stand and tapped it with her wand, wiping them blank. She turned and stopped suddenly when she saw Draco holding her quill and inkwell.
"You almost forgot these," he said, smirking again like the smug brat he was.
"Oh... I forgot to compose today..." she trailed off.
"I'll take them for you if you don't mind, Melissa," he said with a barely noticeable twinkle in his eyes.
She glared at him, then spoke in the same taunting tone. "I can carry them on my own, thanks." Melani took them from him, slipping them into another pocket.
They both made their way to the exit. Draco held the door open for her and bowed down low, mocking her. She smirked and, in the same manner, curtsied back.
"Oh, stop it," he said, annoyed, letting go of the door then that shut and became one with the wall.
Melani laughed, and he grinned.
"When do my lessons start, Professor Gerisha?" he asked as they made their way down the long stairs.
She grinned, eyes glinting. "As soon as you get a violin."
He frowned. "But-"
"I don't care who you are, but I am most definitely not trusting you with my personal violin, Draco. Unlike you, I can't pay for a replacement," she said in a menacingly dark tone. She wasn't smiling either.
He just scowled, obviously disappointed.
"What you can use is my old music, however," she added, changing the subject slightly.
He was grinning again. They were almost completely down the stairs.
"How long do you estimate it'll take for me to be like you?" he asked as they finally stepped off the last step.
She stopped, letting people pass in front of her. "Well... I have been playing for about six years, so..." she laughed when she saw his shocked expression.
"Six years?" he said, sounding overwhelmed. They were almost to the Great Hall. She caught him muttering under his breath something that sounded like "no wonder you're so bloody good."
"What was that?" she stopped and turned to face him. They were right outside of the Great Hall, which was full of hungry students.
"Oh, nothing," he smirked. "Listen, I'll meet with you tomorrow on the seventh floor landing after breakfast, okay?" He spoke in a quick hushed tone. His eyes kept glancing over to the Slytherin table. Melani saw that several students were staring at them strangely from all across the hall.
"Okay," she nodded.
"Great. Catch you later, Melissa!" he winked at her before swaggering over to the Slytherin table.
She grinned, and made her way to her usual spot at the Ravenclaw table. She stopped immediately when she saw Cho's face of disbelief.
"So, Melani! Getting it on with Malfoy?" Elise yelled when Melani began to walk toward the table again. Melani cringed slightly.
"No! Draco and I were-" she didn't get to finish.
"You're on first name terms?!" Cho looked like she was going to burst.
"Uhm-"
"Oh, let it go, Choco. Can't you see? They're in looove~," Elise dragged out the last word, specifically aiming it a Cho.
"No we're no-"
"I swear on Merlin's beard that I will murder that blond git if he hurts you," Cho roared.
"Wha-"
"That's the spirit!" Elise giggled.
Melani felt her face grow hot. Everyone was staring at them, except for the Slytherin third years. They were all gawking at Draco while he sat looking very smug with himself. He caught her eye and cracked a grin. He had heard it all, Melani thought sadly.
"Okay, we aren't in a relationship. We just met in the hall-"
"Then why are you on first name basis if you aren't friends of some sort?" Cho was aggravated.
"I don't know! He just decided to! Plus, he calls me Melissa, not Melani," Melani said in a hushed tone so she wouldn't be heard by everyone.
"Didn't you correct him?" Cho whispered as well, calming down a bit.
"Well-"
"Can't you see? He gave her a nickname. He definitely likes you," Elise made no effort to stay quiet.
Melani just thumped her head on the table. They would never believe her without her revealing her secret.
"Malfoy and Melani, sitting in a tree. S-N-O-G-G-I-"
"Oh, shut it, Elise!" Cho yelled before Elise could finish. Melani just groaned.
They went back to their usual conversation after Elise laughed, but Melani was done with talking for the day. She looked down at her plate, her appetite gone.
'I guess this is another secret I have to keep between Draco and I,' she thought miserably.
