Delusion (A Severus Snape love story/Harry Potter fanfiction)

Chapter Five - The Beautiful Game

Chapter Five

When Melody finally stumbled through the portrait at twelve o'clock that night with a thorough berating from the fat lady, she all but collapsed into her brother's lap. He shuffled round in the armchair facing the fire and she snuggled beside him, trying desperately to stay awake.

"How did the trials go?" She asked groggily, forcing her eyes to remain open despite the warm lure of sleep.

"Alright I think," He smirked, "Blocked all but one shot. Harry said that I was the best one there, much better than McLaggen." He spat the name with disgust and Melody raised an eyebrow, wondering whether there was more than just competitiveness for Quidditch between the two. "How was Snape anyway?"

"Awful. I had to clean the cauldrons, by hand! I mean, there was at least two dozen to get through. And then he said that I hadn't cleaned them well enough so I had to do each one again." Ron exhaled loudly at the unfairness of the detention as Melody scowled into the flickering fire. "Ruddy git."

"You said it." He muttered, looking away from her downturned face when he heard the door to the boy's dormitory open. "Oh, hey Harry." He smiled to the green eyed boy whose focus was entirely on a rather sheepish Melody.

"I've gotta go." She squeaked, jumping out of the chair and scurrying over to the door. She chanced one last upset look at Harry before jumping up the steps two at a time.

Hermione stirred when she slid into the room they shared with a few other Sixth year girls. Melody tried to tiptoe silently over to her bed, having to jump over a very disgruntled Crookshanks in the process. After his hissing had ceased, Melody snuck a glance at Hermione who was now dribbling slightly onto her pillow.

As soon as her body hit the bed and the covers draped over her scantily clad form, she could feel the extent of the aches and pains all over her limbs; having been stuck in one position all night she was now stiff and incredibly sore.

A loud groan emitted from her lips as she turned over and burrowed her head into the pillow in an attempt to lure sleep. Her stomach swelled with guilt and she dreaded having to face Harry in the morning.

*~*~*~*

"Melody!" Someone hissed, shaking her shoulders violently and disturbing a pleasant dream about crumple-horned Snorkacks. She moaned and pulled the covers over her head, refusing to open her eyes. She sat bolt upright and screamed profanities, however, when her face was pummeled with torrents of icy water.

"HERMIONE!" She bellowed, being silenced when she clamped a hand over her mouth.

"Sorry Melody, but Harry wants to talk to you. He says it's urgent." Melody grabbed the watch from her bedside table as the freezing water dripped off the end of her nose.

"It's bloody four in the morning Hermione! What gives?" Hermione muttered some incantation and she felt a sudden blast of warm air envelope her whole body.

"I said I was sorry and that Harry really needs to talk to you." Melody wearily rubbed her eyes and tried to maneuver her stiff limbs out of the bed.

"He better have a good reason for disturbing my much needed beauty sleep." She grumbled, pulling a hand made, knitted crimson jumper over her pajamas and slipping her feet into some scuffed slippers. Hermione was already back into bed by this time and Melody wondered just how she knew that Harry had wanted to talk to her - what was she doing up this early?

"What was so important that you woke me at dawn at the weekend, Potter." She growled when her feet left the last step and she was blinking in the watery sunlight beginning to creep through the open windows.