[1] BoAtHouSe » DrAcO mALfoY

eleven » if that is what must be done

"Inquisitorial Squad?" Melanie asked while the group of friends were sitting in a train compartment on their way back to London. "What's that?"

"The Inquisitorial Squad," Draco repeated, as all the students in the train compartment puffed up their chests in pride, except for Amelia and Blaise, who seemed to not care about the Inquisitorial Squad; and Melanie, who didn't know what it was. "The Inquisitorial Squad is a group of students, handpicked by Professor Umbridge, who are especially supportive of the Ministry."

"We can dock points from people we don't like," explained Theodore.

"For example; Potter and his friends," said Pansy with a smirk.

"So, what this Inquisitorial Squad is," Melanie was mocking them, it all just seemed so stupid, "is a group of Slytherins who prance around the school, docking points from anyone they don't like. Seems pretty dumb to me."

Six pairs of eyes stared at Melanie with surprise. Pansy opened her mouth to speak once more in defence.

"Well, we get extra credit and extra house points," she said.

"Well, I don't know about you all, but I prefer for the things I do to have meaning." Melanie put an end to the conversation as Theodore spoke up.

"Have you heard that Potter is forming an army?" Theodore asked the group. Everybody had their own reaction. Draco scoffed, Pansy rolled her eyes, Blaise just looked over it all, Crabbe and Goyle seemed to have no emotion, Theodore and Amelia looked at each other and laughed. Melanie was the first to voice her reaction.

"Harry Potter is taking this 'I-survived-the-killing-curse-when-I-was-a-baby' talk to his head, like a teenager could defeat the Dark Lord. Like a school boy could defeat the greatest dark wizard ever." Melanie rolled her eyes, not believing for a second that Harry Potter could defeat Lord Voldemort.

The group continued their conversation until the food trolley stopped in front of their compartment.

"Anything off the trolley, dears?" The trolley witch asked the group of friends.

Everybody except Amelia and Melanie shook their heads. Amelia got a Pumpkin Pasty while Melanie got a pack of Jelly Slugs.

"I'm not sharing," Melanie told Draco, who was staring at the packet of sweets. "You should've gotten your own."

"Come on, Avery. Just one," Draco pleaded.

"Nope," Melanie answered. "The trolley's probably not so far down the corridor, go get some yourself."

"You're breaking my heart, Melanie." He put a hand on his chest, faking heart break.

Melanie stuck her tongue out at him immaturely as Draco walked out of the compartment and down the corridor, mumbling "Meanie."

"You're always so mean and sarcastic around him, Mel," Amelia pointed out, with an amused smile. "It's like you're a different person."

Melanie shrugged. "He told me the same thing."

"It's kind of odd," Amelia mused. "You're always more shy, only talking when you really have to."

And that was exactly what Melanie didn't like about herself. Melanie hated that she was quiet, usually more on the shy side.

"But when you're around him, you get more confident, more talkative. You say what you feel, which is usually something sarcastic." Amelia laughed. But Melanie wasn't laughing, she was thinking.

Why aren't I always more confident, more talkative, more assertive? Why am I always quiet, shy and reserved? Why is it, that when I'm with Draco, I become who I aspire to be? What does he awake in me that makes me this way? Melanie thought.