The afternoon’s events were ignored at supper. No one spoke of anything, not even the coming Christmas Eve.
Melody gazed at Harry as he looked down at his plate and at others, but never when he glanced at her. Their eyes never met at that meal except once. Harry caught Melody’s eye as Celeste asked him burdening questions. Just looking into his deep green eyes brought tears to Melody's. She rose from the table and excused herself in French and ran down the hall to her and Celeste’s room.
Closing the door behind her, she mopped up the tears on her face. There was a knock on the door, but she hesitated. Once she opened the door, she regretted it. Harry leaned against the doorway looking blankly into the room.
“May I come in?” he asked looking at Melody.
“Why? I’m not Hermione,” Melody snarled.
“Melody, you know I didn’t mean it like that.”
“You could have fooled me.”
“Are you going to let me in?”
Melody paused, but stepped aside and shut the door behind him.
“I shouldn’t have yelled at you. It’s just that not having Ron and Hermione around is hard. They were my best friends,” he said as Melody passed him and looked out the window.
“I told you, you could go back anytime.”
“That doesn’t mean I want to.”
“You should.”
“I thought you were angry with them.”
“That doesn’t mean that I should keep you away from them. I’d kill to be back at Beauxbaton with Celeste and all my friends. You have no idea how hard it was for me to leave. At Beauxbaton, I was the vision of perfection. People wanted to be me, Harry. I never envied anyone,” Melody said gently. “Now that I’m at Hogwarts, I envy everyone I meet, because they have their friends.”
Melody took Harry’s hand in her own and looked into his eyes.
“Don’t lose Ron and Hermione over me. It’s not worth it,” she said in tears.
She dropped his hand and turned away. Taking a step forward, Harry grabbed her arm and spun her around, “Melody, you have friends at Hogwarts. You have Lavender, Parvati, Neville … and you have me. If going back to Ron and Hermione means losing you, then that’s not worth it,” he said as he brushed some hair from her face, “Dammit, Mel, don’t you get it? I’ve been mad about you since that day at Diagon Alley. You’re all I think about. Every night I go to bed, I try to clear my mind, but it’s impossible as long as you aren’t mine. I love you, Melody.”
Melody stood in shock for a few moments. Harry looked down at his feet, but Melody placed her hand under her chin and lifted it. She pulled his face closer to hers and she kissed him. With every second, the kiss became more passionate as Harry held her closer. The tears filling Melody’s eyes changed to tears of joy. She was at home in Harry’s arms.
***
There was a rustle from the hallway and Melody pulled away from Harry. She pulled him out onto the balcony and closed the door just as Celeste entered the room.
Harry refused to let go of her hand as she peeked through the window drapes. He pulled her back into him and he held her close. They could hear Celeste calling for them between the two rooms, but nothing could pull them away.
It wasn’t until Celeste walked out unto Harry’s balcony that they moved. They jumped from each other, but it was far too late for that. They couldn’t fool Celeste.
“I could ‘ave seen zis coming from a mile away!” she laughed.
Melody only smiled at her and took Harry’s hand. He laced his fingers with hers and led her back into the sitting room. Celeste soon appeared through the connecting door and took a seat on the sofa. Her eyes were wide as Melody kissed Harry good night.
Harry disappeared to his own room and Celeste squealed with approval.
“I thought you were just friends.”
Melody provided no comeback as nothing could take her mind off Harry. He had loved her all along and there was nothing more precious to her in the world.
“I sure ‘ope you got ‘im a gift!” Celeste joked.
Melody smiled to herself, “Oh, I’ve had something for him if this happened or not. I’m giving him the Asteroid.”
Celeste’s jaw dropped in disbelief, “You are giving ‘im your Asteroid? Are you sure?”
“I’m positive. He has more use for it that I do.”
“But, Melody, what about your contract wiz zee France Fire-Breathers? You’re going to need zat broom in a year or two!”
“Celeste, drop it. I’m giving Harry the Asteroid. Now, if you’ll excuse me. I’m off to bed!”