Classes passed as Melody completed her first week at Beauxbatons. Each day fell into a routine. Everyday before her first class, she would be confronted by Marcel, and everyday she refused his invitation to Marcus’ party.
After class on Friday, most of the seventh years disappeared to get ready for the party. Inside her suite, Melody was pacing and glancing at the clock instead.
When 6:30 rolled around, Melody jumped up from the sofa and called into the two-way mirror.
“Harry! It’s Mel,” she said, rather excited.
Harry’s head popped into view, but his expression wasn’t quite excited.
“Oh, hi, Mel,” he said, almost too dully, “What’s wrong?”
Caught off guard, Melody said, “Nothing. Can’t I talk to you?”
“Actually,” Harry began, looking over his shoulder, “I’m sort of on my way out.”
“Where are you going?” Melody asked, her eyes narrowed.
Looking uncomfortable, Harry regretfully continued, “Well…it’s just this thing, nothing really.”
“Then what’s all the hurry about?” asked a very suspicious Melody.
“It’s just a little party in the Room of Requirement.”
Melody paused. Of the two, Harry was the suspicious and jealous one, but something came over Melody.
“Is Ron going?” Melody finally asked.
A trick question…If Hermione wouldn’t let Ron go, then there was something Harry wasn’t telling Melody about this party.
“No, I don’t think so,” Harry said quietly, “I have to go.”
And with that last interjection, the mirror was clear…and broken.
“Oh for God’s sake!” Melody yelled, fixing it once again.
She began to pace until Celeste climbed the last step into her suite.
“Melly? Do you think I could borrow your silver clutch?” she asked, energetically, “It’s a shame you won’t come with us to the party.”
Celeste began to walk to Melody’s closet, but was stopped by Melody.
“Sorry, Celeste. I think I’m going to be needing that bag.”
Celeste laughed, “Is that the best you can do? If you’re going to give me lame excuses you can at least make them interesting. All you ‘ad to say was you didn’t want me to use your purse.”
“No, Celeste,” Melody chuckled, “I’m coming too.”
A smile brightened Celeste’s face, but it faded quickly.
“But Mel, you said that ‘arry would not approve.”
Entering the closet, Melody replied, “If he can have fun, so can I!”
Celeste hesitated as she picked up one of Melody’s necklaces, “What are you talk”“
“Nevermind,” Melody interrupted, “This is going to be just like old times.”
Marcus’ suite was crowded as Celeste and Melody made their way across the room. Melody’s discomfort grew with every step through the dancing mass. She kept seeing Harry’s face on their bodies and imagining some of the awful thing he could be doing.
Just as Melody was about to make herself a seat on the couch, someone placed a hand over her eyes. She grabbed the hand and spun around to find Marcel. He glanced down at Melody’s hand, which was still linked with his own.
“And you told me you weren’t interested,” he smirked as he pulled Melody closer to the dancing students.
“No, Marcel. You don’t understand. I have a”“
“Huge crush on me?” Marcel finished.
“No! I have a bo”“
“Whatever it is, you can tell me later, but now you’re going to dance with me.”
With that, Melody was pulled into the crowd. She stood still for a few moments, but as soon as Harry’s face popped onto the body of a guy making out in the corner, Melody grabbed Marcel’s waiting hand and began to dance.
As the party guests slowly disappeared, Melody found that the phantom Harry face was gone.
She moved from Marcel to get her purse, but he stopped her.
“Melody?” Marcel asked in a small voice, “Do you think I could walk you to your room?”
Without thinking, Melody agreed. It wasn’t until they were in her sitting room and Marcel tried to hold her hand that she snapped out of her daze.
“Look Marcel…” she began.
Marcel took a step closer to her, “Before you say anything, Mel. I want you to know that I missed you last year. The summer after fifth year I decided that I would change so that I could get your attention, but then you were gone.”
Melody was speechless. Marcel looked so defeated, so broken up inside. She took a seat next to where Marcel had sunk to the couch.
“Why are you fighting me?” he said as he grabbed her hand.
“I’m not fi”‘’
But before she could say another word, Marcel had leaned in and kissed her. Reflexes made her jerk back, but before she knew it, she was pulling him towards herself. Wrapping her arms around his neck, Melody lost all sense. Whether it was loneliness or attraction, Melody was giving in to Marcel.
When she finally pulled away, she didn’t say anything. It took a few minutes before she snapped out of it. Fear and sadness combined on her face unlike the joy playing across Marcel’s.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, beaming.
“Marcel…I have a boyfriend.”
Marcel turned to face the fire. They sat in silence for a few moments, for Melody was fighting the urge to hold him.
She was about to when he said, “Well, who is he? I’ll talk to him.”
“No, Marcel,” Melody said, coming back to reality, “This wasn’t supposed to happen.”
“Well, it did, so what happened now? You can’t just forget it.”
“I know that, but I…love him,” Melody said, half-heartedly.
Marcel turned sharply in his seat to face Melody, “Then why did you lead me on?”
“I tried to tell you at the party, but you wouldn’t listen.”
Marcel cursed to himself as he looked away again, “Just tell me who he is.”
“Harry.”
“Bonveau? You’d choose him over me? Melody, I’ve never even seen you speak to that kid!”
Melody fought with herself over whether to tell him or not.
“It’s not Harry Bonveau. This Harry is from Hogwarts,” she said, timidly.
It took a moment, but Melody knew when Marcel figured it out. He rose from his seat and took a step towards the fire.
“How am I supposed to compete with the famous Harry Potter?” he said without looking at Melody.
“Marcel, you aren’t.”
Marcel paused for a second before crouching in front of Melody, “Then why did you kiss me back?”
Tears were finally forming in Melody’s eyes, “I don’t know.”
“Can you honestly tell me that you didn’t want that to happen?” Marcel asked, solemnly.
He stood and began to circle the room slowly. Melody’s gaze moved from a portrait of Harry to Marcel over and over again.
“Marcel…” Melody began causing him to turn “I’m just confused.”
“Why?!” Marcel exclaimed, “Either you want to be together or you don’t.”
Melody sat with her hands folded in her lap for a long minute before standing beside Marcel. She stationed herself right in front of him and took his hands in her own.
“I want to be together.”