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

Chapter Nine - The Arrivals

Chapter Nine

Harry, Ron and Ginny stumbled through the fireplace, coughing as the soot blossomed in clouds above their sooty faces. Glasses askew, Harry struggled to dust himself down before being engulfed in a large hug by Mrs Weasley. Ron stood awkwardly watching them, rolling his eyes to Ginny who was smirking.

Melody tripped and would have fallen from the hearth had a powerful set of arms caught her before she hit the floor. Apologizing profusely for her clumsiness, she pulled herself upright and tried to flatten her wildly static hair. Her eyes travelled from the hands placed on her arms to the eyes now sparkling at her from within the handsome face.

Without another word, Melody threw herself at Oliver and captured his mouth with her own, a gesture he returned gladly. His arms wrapped around her waist as she clasped her hands behind his neck, smiling into their kisses. A bout of coughing brought them back to the present and they pulled sheepishly apart.

"That's disgusting sis." Fred grinned, ruffling her hair affectionately and only managing to produce a scowl from his flushed younger sister.

"Yeah, no-one wants to see that." George added, engulfing her in a tight hug as Fred grabbed her from the other side, both of them squeezing her so she could hardly breath.

"You hurt her and I swear we will break every bone in your body." Fred turned his head towards where a bemused Oliver stood, one eyebrow raised as he ran his hand through his toussled brown hair.

"Yeah, I don't care if you're our friend, we will kill you if you harm her in any way." Melody was turning blue from lack of oxygen and managed to let out a pitiful squeak so they loosened their grip slightly, still clinging protectively to her.

"Guys! What is your problem! You've had no issues with my last boyfriends." Fred kissed her on the top of the head whilst George whispered in her ear,

"He's four years older than you." She growled and managed to finally wriggle out of their grip and slip under their outstretched arms, being immediately embraced by her mother.

"You need to move your stuff from your room. I've moved most of it, but the rest had anti-movement jinxes cast on them so they bit me each time I tried to move them." Melody sighed, and attempted to drag her heavy, battered trunk from where it lain abandoned by the fireplace and towards her room.

*~*~*~*

It was a few evenings later and the family were seated around the extensive oak table brimming with sumptuous foods and tempting drinks. Fred and George were entertaining everyone with their own brand of Wizard crackers whilst Ron and Harry were having an argument about the most recent Chudley Canons Quidditch Match.

Sitting closest to the door, Melody was deep in thought as she stirred her food absentmindedly around her plate, head in one hand whilst the other was gripped tightly in Oliver's. She barely flinched when the door was flung open and a flurry of swirling snowflakes tumbled in, along with a very windswept and tired man who was instantly greeted by Mrs Weasley.

"Oh, hello Severus dear, nice to see you." She smiled, taking his coat and hanging it up beside the door as he tried to brush the snow from his robes, cheeks tinged a delicate pink with cold.

"Thank you for asking me to stay, Molly." He said softly, giving her a small nod as she patted his arm and left him to seat himself at the table, beside Melody. The girl still hadn't noticed who had entered the room as she was too busy trying to stack as many glasses on top of each other as was humanly possible.

She snapped out of her reverie when the smashing sound of glass penetrated her muffled hearing and she lifted her head up to survey the carnage. Glittering shards of glass were spread across her lap, a few embedded in her skin as she widened her eyes, struggling not to laugh. The room fell silent before everyone joined in the laughter - Everyone, that was, except Professor Snape who scowled at her.