It's not all roses, you know.

_melody_rose_ @ 2005-01-20T00:42:00

2005-01-20T05:42:28Z

Throughout everything, I shouldn't regret this, but I do. I regret more things than any of you could ever imagine.

Due to a complete lack of maturity, and the absolute pain it causes me to try to be professional IC, I must regretfully leave this RP. I thank every one of you who ever made it fun for me, because it was the first RP I'd ever been in, and I learned so much. I had some really, really good times in here, and I'll always hold those memories. Over the months, Mel has become very, very dear to me, and it pains me to have to give her up.

However, when OOC problems get to the point that it literally causes me pain to try to remain all well and good IC, it's not fair to anyone for me to stay here. I've tried to rectify the problem for months, but lack of response, lack of caring, lack of. . .I don't know, from other parties made it impossible. The RP lost its fun months ago, but I've held on to the vague hope that this could all be fixed. If both parties were capable of complete honesty and maturity, it would have been fixed. What more can I say then that I tried? That's all you can ask someone to do. But it gets to a point where you realize that people can't be helped unless they want to be helped.

No matter. I'm disappointed in the way a fair few things lately in here have been handled. Especially bias from people who have no right to be biased. It was expected, but still very, very disappointing.

I'm not trying to be vindictive, here. Drama is the last thing that any RPG needs. But some things need to be said. I'm posting this in Mel's personal journal instead of the community, because I'm not going to let it get deleted. Comments are disabled because honestly? I don't want to hear any protests when I know what's true and what's false. There are only two people here who care that I'm quitting, and one of them is quitting with me.

I refuse to stay here any longer and subject myself to the humiliation of people implying that somehow I'm the cause of a problem, or that my 'lack of interaction' is a terrible thing. Certain characters posts and comments, or lack thereof, make my lack of interaction completely laughable. Especially when said characters were the ones to urge the mod into saying something about it. I mean, talk about making it SO easy to see right through that.

Well, that's it. It was fun for a while at least, and again, I thank you for that. Good luck in the future for this RP.

~Amber, keeper of Melody

_melody_rose_ @ 2004-12-25T10:10:00

2004-12-25T15:10:04Z

Happy Christmas, everyone!

_melody_rose_ @ 2004-12-14T20:51:00

2004-12-15T01:51:47Z

Well, I got the scoop out of Grace. . .I had to corner her (literally), but it wasn't too hard to weasel all the details out.

It seems that Theo is a. . .Slytherin. ~~Which makes him quite impossible for me to trust right now, after everything that's happened with Shay.~~ My general impression was that Theo's a really, really nice guy. Who knows? If he makes Grace happy, I'm happy for the both of them.

**charmed private**

Good god, why didn't anyone slap me when I spoke about Shay the way Grace speaks about Theo? It's positively sickening!

**end charm**
____________________________________________
(IC RP with Grace Williams and Melody Rose de Thenard)

Grace was sitting in a dark corner of the Gryffindor common room, staying away from everyone in an attempt to concentrate while doing her Ancient Runes homework. Unfortuatley, all she could seem to think about was her date with Theodore, which kept causing her to stare off into the distance rather than down at the parchment her quill was resting on.

Melody comes in through the portrait hole, and begins to walk up the stairs to the dorms when she notices Grace, looking so thoughtful that her quill was on the verge of falling out of her hand. With a smirk, Melody darts in front of her and says in a teasing tone "You know, you really shouldn't sit in dark corners when you know there are people who are just dying to interrogate you about your outings with this boy they've been seeing you with. Consider yourself. . .cornered. Spill it!"

Grace jumps, startled when Melody jumps in front of her, her quill faling to the ground. "Mel! Lord, don't do that!" Picking up her quill she smirks a bit back and says "Spill, what?"

"Oh, don't be thick!" Melody replies, rolling her eyes. "Who is this Theo that you've been drooling about every time I've seen you lately? And why have you been coming back to the dorms later? Does Grace finally have a. . ." Mel's eyes widen dramatically ". . .boyfriend?"

"Oh don't be so dramatic, Mel!" Grace bites her lower lip, and as vaguely as possible she says, "She might..."

"Oh, you do, you DO, I knew it!!" Melody exclaims loudly, jumping up and down and attracting some less than friendly looks from other Gryffindors who were trying to do their homework. "When did this all start, hmm?"

"SsssH!" Grace hushes Melody. "The whole tower doesn't need to know my business you know!" She smiles again, not being able to stop herself from the grin. "When we slammed into eacher other at breakfast, oh about a...week ago?"

"Slammed?" Melody perches herself on the arm of the chair that Grace was sitting in. "My, you children certainly get started earlier and earlier!" she grins in a disapproving motherly tone, being deliberately annoying.

"Hey! No... no slamming! Not like that! Oh jeez, Melody! We weren't looking where we were walking during breakfast and bumped into each other! " Grace looks up at her bewildered. "Good lord, what do you take me for?!"

"Are the rumors true?" Melody inquires in a lower voice, ignoring Grace's bewilderment. "Is he really a. . .Slytherin?"

"There are RUMORS?" Grace explains. "Who really cares that much! Seriously!" She shakes her head. "What would it matter if he was?" She looks at Melody inquiringly.

"I think you should keep him away from Shay for the time being if he is", Melody suggests with a slight grimace. "He seems to have a vendetta against the whole lot of them, especially since. . ." She waves her hand dismissively, silently referring to the incident with Draco, Millicent, and Seamus.

Gracie, stifles a dhort laugh thinking on the situation with Seamus. "Yeah, I'll avoid him at all costs." She looks a Melody wondering what she'll say when she says he is, in fact, a Slytherin. "Well, he is a Slytherin. But he's really sweet and kind...unlike most of them."

Melody lets out a frustrated sigh and exclaims "Don't you dare laugh at what's happened to Shay. Why does everyone keep doing that? Maybe I'll have to put a hex on your dear Slytherin's. . .goods in a few months and see how you like it!" She raises an eyebrow and frowns. "Sweet and kind? Those aren't traits that come commonly in a Slytherin."

"Well, from what I've gathered, he's not your average Slytherin. "And oh please don't! I know it's a terrible thing that happened to Seamus." Grace motions Melody to sit. "Here, stay a few minutes." She teases.

Melody slides off the arm of Grace's chair and takes a seat. "Yes, it's quite terrible." she says flatly, scowling. "But anyway," she resumes pointedly, "They don't make uncommon Slytherins. If he posseses such traits that aren't found commonly in Slytherin, he wouldn't BE in Slytherin. Maybe he's just lying."

"I like to give people the benefit of the doubt." Grace looks at Melody. "Don't worry, it's not like I'm ging to bed with him. If he's really like the rest of the Slytherins he'll get sick of waiting for me, and move on. But I'm willing to give him a chance."

"I don't know", Melody says skeptically, shaking her head. "I've never seen a Slytherin give another Slytherin chocolates, never mind to a Gryffindor." At the look on Grace's face, she adds, "That box he sent you this morning was positively enormous. I feel bad for the poor owl!"

"Yeah, I owled him back saying I didn't need nor want chocolates." Grace sighs shaking her head a bit. "He doens't need to give me presents to please me. Guys never get that do they?"

Melody makes a disbelieving sound and says "Nothing wrong with chocolate. . .I'm surprised they weren't poisoned or something, though."

"Well, I never said there was anything wrong with receiving chocolate. Just that I don't need it. I just like being treated well, you nkow?" Grace sighs a bit, thinking once again, of how gentle and sweet Theo was.

"Hellooooo??" Melody calls, waving her hand in front of Grace's eyes. "Your eyes are getting that glazed over look again! The chocolate couldn't have been that good."

"No..." says Grace dreamily. "But the date that preceeded it. Was."

Melody giggles and rolls her eyes. "God, was I this bad too?" she asks, looking horrified at the thought. "How could you stand me?"

"It was tough..." said Grace laughing, her tone slightly teasing. "But I managed...Oh come on I'm not THAT bad, am I?"

"You're terrible. Absolutely horrible. Now tell me more!!" Melody urges, grinning. "I want to know much more than what you've said so far!"

"Be more specific," said Grace looking at Melody, bemused. "I'm not sure what it is you want to hear from me."

"Everything!" Melody bursts out, recieving more glares from the Gryffindors across the room who were still slaving over homework. "What was said, where did you go, did you kiss, everything!!"

Grace just smiled and looked down at her parchment, taunting Melody, in the most friendly way possible. "These are your methods of persuasion??

"Oh, you haven't seen anything yet", Melody says, a teasing tone of warning in her voice. "I try first by being annoying, then by being sickeningly nice, and if that doesn't work. . ." she raises her eyebrows, and then lifts her hands up, wiggling her fingers in the air. "Then I get scary." she says.

"OH dear lord," said grace feigning fear. "Okay okay, you've got me, I'll spill!"
of fallen rain: Melody throws a fake glare at Grace, and then says "Well, what are friends for, anyway? Isn't that was girls are supposed to do, gossip? I mean, I told you just about everything. I'd hate to think of you being so happy with no one to share any news with!"

"I'm rather quiet about such personal matters," said Grace. She wasn't lying; she wasn't much for kissing and telling. "But I'll share with you."

"Ah, now we're talking!" Melody exclaims. "That didn't take much persuading at all!" Settling down with her chin resting on her arm, she looks at Grace intently and waits for her to begin.

"Well," says Grace looking at all the other Gryffindors etching away at their miles of parchment. " I figure, if you do much more persuading our fellow Gryffindors may kick us out of the tower and be quite reluctant to let us back in."

"Oh, who cares about them, go on! You're killing me here!" Melody bounces in her seat and looks at Grace expectantly.

"Well, I'm still not sure what it is exactly that you want to hear." She fidgets a little in an attempt to become more comfortable. "How we set up the date? Is that where you want me to start?"

"If that's where you want to start, it's fine with me!" Melody concedes.

"Well, at breakfast I was late, as usual, and sorting through my bag, and Theo walked into me. Accidentally of course. He picked up my bag and escorted me to the table. Then walked me to Transfiguration, and asked if I would love to take a walk down by the lake that evening," Grace smiles. "He really was quite the gentleman about the whole thing."

"Aww. . ." Melody grins, then urges "Then what?"

"Well," says Grace, almost shying a bit. Not exactly wanting to be so forthcoming. "Then we went for our walk. And the sun was setting on the lake in the most beautiful way..." she stares off again rembering Theo pressing his lips to her in that tentative way he had that evening.

"Ooh, ooh, let me guess!" Melody replies, noting Grace's expression and grinning more devilishly. "Then you kissed!"

Grace flushes a deep shade of scarlet, almost a color that Ron's face would turn, hiding her face behind her hands, but not before it's too late to hide new skin tone.

"Ah, you DID, you little harlot, you!" Melody exclaims, jumping up and pulling Grace's hands away from her face. "You DID!!" she repeats, doing a sort of dance of triumph.

"Melody!" Grace exclaims. "Calm yourself! You're upsetting the younger Gryffindors!" She smirks again. " And I am no harlot! it was only a kiss. It's not like I've never kissed anybody before!"

"I will not calm down when my friend's finally getting some action!" Melody says in defense, sitting back down. "Proceed, what else happened?"

"Well, just kissing. And then we said goodnight and made plans to go out the next night. Which was even more fun..." Grace smirks, not continuing with her story for a moment.

"What'd you do that night, have sex in a broom closet?" Melody replies dryly, not taking Grace's bait. "Soooo romantic!" she croons.

"Hey, I'm no fool! There was no sex!" Grace crosses her arms in front of her. "We did some talking...and...some more...kissing..." But she bit her lower lip. Curse that nervous Habit of hers. What they did wasn't just 'kissing', it was kissing.

"Oooh, Gracie-poo making out?!? The horror!" Melody gasps dramatically.

"Oh sod off you!" says Grace pushing Melody's shoulder a bit, jokingly of course.

"And what if I don't?" Melody replies playfully, pushing Grace back. "You'll sic dear Theo on me?"

"Oh of course not!" says Grace laughing now. "You know me better than that!"

"Well, you never know!" Melody says with a shrug. "Those crazy Slytherins are unpredictable anyway!"

"THis one's unpredictable in a such a nice way though," says Grace, just praying that Melody doesn' ask her where she went on her second rendezvous with Theodore.

"Oh really?" Melody says, letting her curiosity get the best of her. "And how so?"

"Well..." says grace thinking a moment. He pretty much stopped things from getting too far the other night. And he's been treating me amazingly... "He's unbeleivably sweet and gentle and understanding. I suspected most Slytherins to be the type to try to get into a girls pants about ten minutes after they're acquainted with them..."

Melody raises an eyebrow. "I still think that if he's really as nice as you say he is, he'd have been put in a different house. Slytherins just aren't nice people."

"Perhaps it was his lineage that got him put into Slytherin house?" Grace asks. "And I haven't seen a mean side to him yet, although i'm sure he's got one. Don't we all?" She tilts her head to the side. "And from what I've heard of Ron's brother Percy, he should have been a Ravenclaw with his study habits. So it could be part lineage, don't you think?"

"Well, I'll save my judgement until I get to know him, and I sincerely hope that he really is what you say he is, for your own sake." Melody shrugs. "I think you deserve better than a nasty Slytherin, that's all. So if he's not nasty, good for you."

"Okay then," said Grace. "Like I said, it's not like I'm jumping into anything too physical right now. I'm going to get to know him first..."

"Yes, just stick to making out in broom closets for now." Melody says sarcastically, smirking.

'It wasn't a broom closet! It was the Qu--" Grace immediately closes her hands over her mouth, realizing what she's let slip.

"Oh, what's that?" Melody says in excitement, cupping her hand to her ear. "Was that the Quidditch pitch you were going to say? Or worse, the shed with all the supplies which is pretty much the same as a broom closet anyway?"

"No not the she--"she clasps her hands across her mouth again. "Look what yu're making me do!"

"Oh, come on, spit it out!!!" Melody urges, thoroughly amused by Grace's embarrassment. "It's probably nowhere me and Shay haven't been by now.

"Melody!" Grace yelps. "I don't need to know wher you and Shay have...you know!" She buries her face in her hands. "You're relentless you realize!"

"Utterly." Melody replies with a sly grin. "You may not need to know where Shay and I have been, but I do want to know where you and Theo were!"

"Okay okay!" Grace takes a deep breath before continuing, more to drive the image of Melody and Seamus shagging out of her mind. "We walked down to the quidditch pitch. The gryffindor part, seeing as it was the first one we came across that wasn't...occupied. And we didn't only make out. We did talk!"

"Good gracious me, are you saying he's such a substandard kisser that you could actually stop to talk to him?" Melody smirks. "He must have quite a personality!"

"Oh no! He was definitely not su--" she shuts her mouth again quickly. Oh how Melody could drag the information out of her!

Melody was enjoying this thorougly. A little too much, actually. "Oh, he's not a substandard kisser? My apologies for thinking otherwise! So how good is he, then?"

Grace stares off once more, remembering how amazing at kissing he actually was. Then, snapping back to reality and seeing Melody's Bemused face, she merely blushed again, her eyes looking anywhere but at Melody.

Melody smiles at Grace's red face. "That good, huh? Well, I'm glad. Wouldn't want you to be stuck with a bad kisser."

"Hey," asked Grace suddently remembering a comment melody had made to her previously. "What exactly did you mean by 'our little Gracie's growing up?' "

"I only meant that it was about goddamn time you found yourself a boyfriend, that's all! I mean, you must have felt just a tad left out with all the couples around here." Melody vaguely waves her hand towards the rest of the Gryffindors and the portrait hole. "I know it sucked for me before Shay came along."

"True," said Grace. "Since I came here, i have been kind of feeling like a third...well seventh wheel...I'd kind of guessed, by that comment, that you were assuming I'd never had a boyfriend before or something."

"Me? Be that presumptuous? Please." Melody pokes Grace's arm and says "I was just being a brat, that's all. I'm very good at being a brat."

"I noticed," laughs Grace. "Did you see me come in late the other night? Please tell me you didn't!" She sincerely hoped Melody or Seamus hadn't seen how dissheveled she was when she'd finally made it through the portrait hole that night.

"Oh, that was you?" Melody says with the largest smirk she'd worn all night. "I thought it was! I said to myself 'messy hair? Head down in an embarrassed sort of way? Yep, that's Grace.'"

"Oh dear lord..." trails Grace hanging her head a bit. "I wasn't, embarrassed in the actual sense of the word...it was more like...preferring to head toward the showers and then to bed as quickly as possible before being stopped..."

"No, you were definitely embarrassed. In an 'oh, god, must go fast, hope no one sees me oh god oh god oh god' way." Melody smiles knowingly. "Trust me. Been there, done that."

"Oh you've caught me!" Grace throws her hands up in the air in defeat.

Melody stands up and takes a dramatic bow. "What can I say?" she says humbly. "I simply rule."

"You're so modest, Melody!" Grace exclaims, getting to her feet as well.

"Yes, modest and humble and all that." Taking another bow, Melody says "I think I've weaseled just about everything out of you. I'll reward myself by going to bed early for a change."

"You do that. I was just going toput my books back and head to the owlery...to send something..." Grace smirks again.

"Ooooh, love letters!" Melody says with a wink. "You go do that. I'll see you in class. . .or sometime, anyway. That is, if you're not too busy with Theo!"

"Oh don't worry," says Grace, reassuringly. "I won't forget about you! I still have time for my friends too!"

Melody nods and, with a final good night, disappears up the stairs to the dorms.

_melody_rose_ @ 2004-12-08T19:30:00

2004-12-09T00:30:54Z

It seems as though at least some of the drama around here has died down. . .maybe it's safe now to come out.

It's most unlike myself to shut myself away when things like what's been going on here lately happen. I usually enjoy chaos to a certain degree. . .it amuses me. ~~That almost makes me sound Slytherin or something, doesn't it?~~ But in all honesty, I haven't been feeling very well lately. I don't know what's wrong, or exactly when it set on, but I've withdrawn myself from pretty much everything. Perhaps it's the weather. That could possibly explain why I've been coughing constantly lately. The massive workload the teachers seem to be piling on before the holidays doesn't help either. Oh well. . .I'm sure it's only temporary. But I really should try to get at least a little more sleep. I've already fallen alseep in one class, I wouldn't want to repeat that.

*charmed against professors' eyes*

Especially not in Snape's class, the bastard.

*end charm*

Anyway. . .my apologies if it seemed to anyone that I didn't care about certain ordeals lately. I've just been distracted.

By the way, Miss Grace, who's this boy I've seen you hanging around with lately?

_melody_rose_ @ 2004-12-01T22:50:00

2004-12-02T03:50:30Z

SEAMUS FINNIGAN, YOU DID WHAT?!?

_melody_rose_ @ 2004-11-07T20:23:00

2004-11-08T01:23:18Z

Had an interesting conversation with Grace this evening. I'm left feeling really uncomfortable and wishing I had someone to talk to right now.

I couldn't take it if any of my friends got hurt. Or Shay. Especially Shay.

_____________________________________
(IC RP with Grace Williams and Melody Rose de Thenard)

Melody sits at a table in the common room, surrounded by books, parchment, and extra quills. Clearly frazzled, she squints at a piece of parchment, re-reading an essay she had just finished.

Grace sits, or rather, lays across her books across form Melody having nodded off once again nid-sentence, and her quill was leaving a nice black line across her parchment.

Melody finished proofreading and lowers her parchment, slamming the nearest book shut with a loud sigh.

Grace's head shot up from her books and she yelped a bit startled, before rubbing her eyes and looking around, exhausted.

"Er. . .sorry!" Melody says with a half amused smile. "Forgot you were there. I'm concentrating too hard." She piles her books on one corner of the table and shuffles her parchment together. She continues "I think I've gotten everything done. . .at any rate, my brain can't handle any more."

"I think my brain checked out...I don't even know how long ago. How long was I out for?" She asks gathering up her books and frowning at the black streak that had been drawn across her parchment.

"Um. . .whenever it was I started my Charms essay, which was my second to last one. How long ago that was, I have no idea." Melody pauses and looks around. "I don't have a clue what time it is."

Grace stifles a yawn and said, "I hate it when I do this. Fall asleep while doing my homework. I seem to be making a habit of it lately."

Melody nods in agreement. "That's what happened to me Friday night, and that's why I'm here right now."

Grace laughs a bit, "I've been trying to get this bloody work done all weekend, but I keep passing out in the middle of it! It's ridiculous!"

"What do you have left?" Melody asks, nodding towards Grace's books.

"Well, I've managed to get all of it done except my downfall. Ancient Runes," Grace shudders before putting her books aside.

Melody wrinkles her nose and says "Exactly why I didn't take that class. Pure evil, it sounds like. I was going to help you out, but I'd be no help, there."

"oh it's fine. I'll get it. I just need some motivation," Grace leans back in her chair stretching her arms a bit. "So, what's going on with you? it's been far too long since we've been able to have a good chat."

"Ugh. . .so true it hurts", Melody agrees. "I've been buried under schoolwork and homework and projects and essays. . .I've probably started reciting spells in my sleep. I haven't had time for anything but school. What about you?"

"Ah...it's exactly the same. No time to think let alone play my guitar for my mental health. And these damned nightmares...oh yeah, I'm still having nightmares!" she throws her arms up in frustration. "Sorry," she says calming herslef a bit. "Kind of got carried away for a minute there."

"What are these nightmares you're having about, anyway? They seem to be bothering you quite a lot." Propping her feet up on the table, Melody twists her ring around thoughtfully.

"Well," Grace starts. "They were just night terrirs for a while. Y'know promptly frogetting them after I wake up and such. But they're getting more and more clear. Professor Trelawney thinks they're prophetic."

Melody raises her eyebrows and states bluntly "Professor Trelawney is insane." Observing Grace with interest, she says "What seems to be so prophetic about them, though?"

Graces eyes lok away as she says quietly, "Voldemort."

Melody blinks, shocked, and her eyes widen. "Ah. And. . .um. . .what is he. . .what is he doing in these nightmares?"

Grace looks at Melody and asks her in a serious tone, "Do you really want to know?"

"Well, I wouldn't expect him to be playing Quidditch or eating Chocolate Frogs. . .clearly it's bad." Melody takes a deep breath and waves her hand. "Let's hear it."

"Okay," says Grace taking a deep breath. "I'm going to give you a warning though. Last time I had nightmares this bad, was the Triwizard Tournament. And people died. And I knew it was going to happen, well my subconscious seemed to know anyway. Still want me to continue?"

Lowering her head, Melody gives a small shrug and says "Ignorance is the best way to get us all killed."

"Okay," said Grace very unsure of herslef. "I'm running, but it's not me who's actually running. It's like I'm somebody else. And I don't know who it is yet, but I'm with people from the ministry and other wizard adults...and He's...killing them all as I run...students are there too... but they don't have faces yet. And that's when I wake up screaming, pretty much."

"That's. . .horrible" Melody says after a moment, unable to say anything else. "You. . .you say students. Anyone we. . .know?"

"I don't know...I can't see who they are. I was just afraid it was Harry, hearing about how many scrapes with Voldemort he's had," says Grace, her fear beginning to creep up into her voice.

Trying not to frighten herself into a panic, Melody asks calmly "Do these nightmares get more clear every time you see them? I mean. . .with more details each time? Or just the same thing every time?"

"They get clearer and clearer over time. At least that's what they've been doing. And that's what they've done before. It's a waiting game. A waiting game that keeps me exhausted, but a waiting game nonetheless," she replies, hoping she hasn't frightened Melody too much.

"Telling me all this is fine. . .but you need to talk to Dumbledore. Because this sounds dangerous." Melody lowers her eyes and adds "People could get hurt from this."

"Yeah, I know," says Grace, nodding a bit. "I notified Draco already, to let him know that it could be Harry. But I do need to talk to Dumbledore, or just someone - not Trelawney. I'd like to notify someone who's mentally stable."

Melody swallows, feeling slightly nauseated, and replies "Dumbledore's headmaster, there's no one better to go to than him. He'll be able to help you."

"I agree. It's just so hard to admit when I have a problem. To an adult anyway. Call it my stubborn Irish nature. But I do have to go to Dumbledore. As headmaster he has a right to know this," she replies, understanding exactly what melody is saying.

"Not only does he have a right, but. . .if you don't tell the right people, it could put us all in danger. There has to be some reason why you're having these nightmares." Biting her lip, Melody lapses into silence.

"I..." Grace thinks of a way to say this without sounding off her rocker. "Apparently...I...I'm a Seer."

"Well, if that' true", Melody says, taking it in stride, "Then this is very, very serious. You need to talk to Dumbledore as soon as you can."

"You're taking this rather well," Grace says a surprised tone in her voice. "Better than I did anyway."

"I've heard a lot of surprising things in my life. . .I've learned to stay calm." Giving a halfhearted smile, Melody says "It's nothing that entirely odd and insane to think about anyway."

"I just have a hard time believing in Divination. Prophecies and such," Grace replies.

Melody nods. "Well, if you ever want to doubt it, try looking again at these nightmares."

"Well, I can't very well doubt it now, now can I?" Grace says smirking a bit. "It was just hard to admit it."

"I've never messed with things like that." Leaning back in her chair, Melody heaves a sigh. "And this is one of the reasons why. It could turn out to be something very, very important."

"Yeah," says Grace. "It's my muggle half getting the better of me in this case. Ma's always taught me that Prophecies and mind readin and predicting the future is all fake. Guess she was wrong."

"Obviously", Melody replies. "You'll tell Dumbledore soon, right?"

"Cross my heart," Grace replied honestly. "It was an amusing time though, when Professor Trelawney finally caught up to me."

"Why's that?" Melody asks, leaning forward and writing a note on a piece of parchment.

"Oh you know Trelawney," Grace said remembering her encounter. "Babbling on and on about tea leaves and crystal balls...and how Seers are so rare. And it wasn't really what she was saying, it was how her brain, which must be frazzled by all that incense she inhales daily, put everything into words."

Laughing, Melody says "That's definitely Trelawney to a T!" Her smile fading, she adds "Seriously, though. I couldn't bear to see anyone I know hurt. You've made it very clear to me tonight that I don't want to have to lose anyone."

"I don't want to lose anybody either. I feel like I've just met you all. And you're all wonderful. It's all i can do to put it from my mind while I'm awake so I can concentrate," Grace replies solemnly.

Melody sighs and lays her head on the table. "I'm happy for the first time in my life, and I don't want anything to ruin that. Not even You-Know-Who. I'll do whatever I can to prevent him from hurting my friends."

"As will I," says Grace. "I promise. I'll talk to Dumbledore, read up on Seers, and work on my Defense Against the Dark Arts with more fervor than i thought to do before. I have the terrible feeling that whatever is in the future is coming sooner than people think."

"I really, really hope you're wrong", Melody says with a shake of her head. "For all our sakes."

"Me too," Grace replied, slowly, her eyes darting back toward the floor.

Ugh.

2004-11-05T23:05:10Z

Well, we've been assigned a project by Professor Snape. . .

**charmed against Snape's eyes**

. . .because, you know, I don't have anything better to do in the spare moments when I'm not swimming in homework. Miserable, bitter old man.

**end charm**

However, fate was kind to me, and I've been paired up with someone not completely incompetent, so I think I'll manage to at least pass. Ron, we'll have to get together sometime soon and brainstorm what potion to research, so we can have it approved by Professor Snape soon as possible.

I spent a lovely evening with Shay and Dean the other day. And then an even more lovely rest of the evening with just Shay. I think I'll skip that part, as I'm sure none of you want to hear about it. I swear the more time I spend with the both of them together, the more my maturity level drops. I feel like such a fraud of a prefect. But to be honest, it doesn't really bother me. The two of them make me laugh. And what's life without a little fun?

I should go. . .the sooner I can finish my homework, the sooner I can enjoy my weekend. Or whatever's left of it by the time I'm done. If anyone needs to find me, I'll be in the Common room buried under approximately 600 books.

_melody_rose_ @ 2004-10-30T03:39:00

2004-10-30T07:39:38Z

It's been so long since I've written in this that I feel like I should have to dust it off!

I've been fairly swimming in schoolwork and haven't had time to think, never mind look at a computer. But here I am at last. Briefly, anyway.

Along with being stressed about school, Shay was having some problems with pain and worrying the heck out of me. I've been more gentle with him lately, although I don't think it helped. It just had to go away on it's own, I guess.

Speaking of Shay, he asked me to go into Hogsmeade with him this weekend. Sounds like fun! Although I really ought to start doing my homework so I don't ruin the day with my guilt over untouched Charms homework. Goodness knows I could use a day of carefree and fun. They're so rare, lately.

Other things around school. . .some things have been going on that I haven't hada moment to pay attention to. Grace, if you don't mind, I'd like to have a chat with you relatively soon.

Hmm. . .I better get going on my homework or I'll never finish!

_melody_rose_ @ 2004-10-14T01:59:00

2004-10-14T05:59:52Z

Haven't been able to find a spare moment to update for over a week! What with these Gadmos, and homework, and trying to find time to sleep, it's been a bit difficult.

But! I finally got to turn my Gadmo in. . .bit of a pity, it was starting to grow on me. But the last thing I need is a pet this year. Busy busy busy.

Oh well. I managed to find sometime to get out yesterday and spend a couple hours on my broom out in the Quidditch pitch. I hadn't been flying since last year, so it was a nice change. I really should do it more often. *shrug* It'd be more fun with someone to go with. And I love 'Mione to death, but she's pretty much the exact opposite on a broom than she is usually. She's terrified of flying. It's rather amusing. Only I didn't say that. Oh well. Can't be good at everything, I suppose.

My back's starting to bother me. This isn't a very comfy chair. Off I go, I guess.

_melody_rose_ @ 2004-10-03T23:00:00

2004-10-04T03:00:28Z

These Gadmos, I'll tell you...absolutely adorable.

I've stubbornly refused to follow the trend and name mine like everyone else has, because I'm thoroughly attached to it as it is.

I should probably start a diary thing for it, shouldn't I?

Well, it slept soundly last evening, woke up when I did. I sort of slept late and forgot to feed it this morning, but it fended for itself and caught some insects.

It played around for a couple hours while I was down in the common room...and I took a bit of advice from Hermione and charmed a little space on the wall for it to stick to. After a while it got tired, so it cuddled up in a little ball on my lap and fell asleep. Adorable.

When it woke up, I fed it again, and now it's curled up on the desk near me. Every once in a while it picks it's head up and looks around. Curious thing, it is.

Couldn't Professor Lupin have given us something ugly to look after so I wouldn't want to keep mine?

Not much to report, life's been pretty normal these past few days. Haven't seen as much of Shay as I'd like to. Between classes and the Gadmos, I haven't had time to do much. Oh well.

My Gadmo's getting fidgity, I need to go put it to bed. Ta!

_melody_rose_ @ 2004-09-28T01:54:00

2004-09-28T05:54:54Z

Why is everyone complaining about their Gadmos so much? They're adorable! I've been playing with mine all evening for lack of anything better to do. It's cute to find it randomly stuck to a wall. I fed it earlier, and now it's sort of just...lying here lazily. Very cuddly.

I have nothing else to say except to point out that these little fuzzballs are harmless, and I don't know what some of you guys are complaining about!

It could definitely be worse!

Um...that's it. I think. Yeah. That'll about do it.

I am so odd.

_melody_rose_ @ 2004-09-25T01:36:00

2004-09-25T05:36:36Z

These little Gadmo things are cute, in a weird sort of way. Mine's an interesting shade of blueish-green. Very cuddly....it's got some teeth on it, though!

I've managed to tone down my extreme giddiness to the point where people don't give me odd looks anymore because I'm smiling like a goofball. That's definitely a good thing. But I shouldn't be ashamed for being happy...it was such a rare thing for me up until recently, and it's a great feeling. I'm taking it and running with it, and if anyone doesn't like that, that's really too bad. I'm in love, and it's a wonderful feeling.

I talked to Hermione this evening. I haven't seen her since her birthday, and I haven't had a good talk with her since far before that. So it was nice to see her again!

__________________________________________________
(IC RP with Hermione Granger Weasley and Melody Rose de Thenard)

Melody is curled up on a couch in the Common room, with her eyes closed, leaning her head on the side of the couch. To a passerby, she looks asleep, but she's really only thinking.

Hermione takes a seat on an empty couch, book in hand. She assumes Melody is sleeping and resigns herself to silent reading.

Sensing someone near her, Melody opens one eye to see who it is. Seeing it's Hermione, she lifts her head. "Hey!" she says in greeting. "How are you?"

She gives a little start but laughs all the same. "Scared." Hermione admits with a chuckle. "But alright. How are you? It's been a while."

Stretching a bit and shifting her position on the couch so as to face Hermione, Melody nods. "It certainly has been a while. I'm pretty good. I don't know how much you've heard over the past few days."

"I heard you got a ring!" Hermione says excitedly. "I want to see!"

Smiling broadly, Melody leans forward and holds her left hand out to the girl. "It's gorgeous, I can't even stop looking at it myself!" she says with a laugh.

Hermione takes her friend's hand in her own and appraises the ring. "It's beautiful, Mel! When did he give this to you?" She asks.

"A couple nights ago", Melody replies. "The little bastard completely overdid the entire thing."

Hermione glows. "Details, Mel. Did he just hand it to you or what?" She asks, interested now.

Melody laughs. "You're going to make me giddy all over again!" she exclaims. "No, he blindfolded me and took me down to the lake, which he had all set up. Candles and roses and a blanket, everything. Very romantic."

"A blindfold! Roses!" Hermione beams. "Seamus is brilliant!"

"He certainly knows what he's doing!", Melody agrees. "He turned me into a blubbering mess."

"You'll have me doing it soon too. So romantic." Hermione sighs dramatically.

"I'm sure you'll be fine", Melody replies teasingly, raising her eyebrows at Hermione's dramatics. "But I've got some other news that'll make you happy!"

Hermione leans forward, interested. "What? Tell me!"

Melody lowers her voice and says significantly "Shay giving me a ring wasn't the only thing that happened that night."

Her jaw drops slightly. "What did you guys do?" She asks in a whisper.

"Take a wild guess!" Melody says, amused at the look on Hermione's face. "You'll probably be right!"

"I'm going to guess you two snogged." Hermione replies.

Melody laughs. "Yes, we snogged. And more than that. A lot more."

"You didn't . . . did you . . ." Hermione looks at Mel with a raised eyebrow. "Did you two shag?" She asks in a whisper.

"Now she gets it!" Melody exclaims. "Yes, we did shag."

A great smile erupts on Hermione's face. "Wow! Congratulations, Mel! How was it?" She can't help but ask.

"It was....interesting", Melody says, shrugging a bit. "But good. Shay was very kind about it."

"I'm so happy for you." Hermione smiles.

Melody blushes a bit and smiles back at Hermione. "Thanks!" she replies. "I'm really glad it happened, actually."

"Me too. We were all rooting for it, to be honest." She smirks.

"Who exactly is 'we'?" Melody asks, a bit surprised. "It was bound to happen eventually, anyway."

"Ron and I." Hermione admits.

"You stopped shagging each other long enough to contemplate other people's relationships?" Melody says jokingly. "Now that's a surprise to me!"

"Hey! We don't shag all the time." She feigns offense. "If we did, you'd never see us."

"Well, I don't see you much", Melody points out. "Besides, you're married! What else would you
two do?"

"Talk, for one. Homework for another." She laughs in reply.

Melody shakes her head."Talk? What's the fun in that!? And homework? Oh, come on!"

"What?" She returns.

"I don't think you two do much homework together. It's probably more you doing most of his, and then ending up shagging anyway!" Melody smiles innocently.

She nudges her friend playfully. "Hey!"

"Hey yourself!" Melody shoots back. "I'm sure it's true!"

"Not entirely." Hermione sneers playfully.

"But mostly, and that counts enough!" Melody sticks her tongue out at Hermione and adds "Not that I can really blame you."

"Oh ho! Welcome to the dark side, my friend." Hermione smirks.

"What's so dark about it?" Melody asks with a smile. "Seems pretty nice to me!"

She shakes her head. "Terrible."

"You're one to talk!", Melody laughs.

"Oh hush." Hermione replies with a lopsided smile.

"Fine", Melody says, lapsing into silence and instead staring intensively at Hermione.

She raises an eyebrow at her friend. "What?" Hermione asks.

"Well, you told me to hush, and there's nothing better to look at!" Melody grins and continues staring at the girl with a half-glazed expression.

"Go to bed, Mel'." Says Hermione.

Melody blinks and says "You know, that's actually a good idea. I think I will!"

Hermione waves. "Have a good night."

Melody stands up and smiles at Hermione. "I'm sure I will...you too!" she says before turning and walking off to her bed.

I'm so in love...

2004-09-24T04:36:55Z

I think I can honestly say that I have the best boyfriend in existence. Not only did Shay, out of absolutely nowhere, get me a wonderful ring

to replace the damned pendant I never found, but he and I spent a breathtaking evening out by the lake. The planning and thought he put into it literally made me cry.

And of course I couldn't shut up about it to Grace the next day. Poor girl. She probably wanted to punch me after about five minutes.

But good gods, I love Seamus.

________________________________
(IC RP with Grace Williams and Melody Rose de Thenard)

Grace sits with her knees pulled close to her, the toes of her shoes mere inches from the lake, just looking, deep in thought, humming lightly to herself.

Melody exits the castle, a wide smile on her face and a new spring in her step. Spotting Grace near the lake, she walks over and sits down next to her, looking as if she's keeping a great secret. "Hey!" she exclaims.

Grace jumps a bit at the enthusiatic 'hey!' she hears next to her, "Oh hi! Melody you startled...wait," she says noticing something in Melody's smile. "That smile..." she starts. "Enlighten me!" Exclaiming the last phrase enthusiatically, thinking she know why Melody is smiling.

Still grinning broadly, Melody looks out at the lake with a new appreciation. "Shay gave me a bit of a surprise last night. He took me outside, right around here, and gave me this." She holds her hand out so Grace can see her new ring.

Grace looks at the claddaugh ring and gasps, "Good lord Mel!" she exclaims, acting surprised that Seamus gave her the ring, and pulling it off pretty well. "It's gorgeous!" She takes Melody's hand and examines the ring, smiling.

"He really planned it out, too", Melody adds. "He took me out here, and there were candles and roses, and it was absolutely amazing. He made me cry." she admits. "Just the way he spoke, and the look on his face, and everything he had done...I couldn't help it!"

Grace sighs, imagining the whole romantic scene. "He's really a great guy, sin't he...you cried?"

"He's amazing", Melody agrees with a nod. "I had never expected anything like that. I mean, I know we were both stressed, and we needed more time alone together, but he went above and beyond anything I expected."

"He seems really sweet," replies Grace with a warm smile. "Now, if all guys could be like that..."

"I hear you", Melody replies, making herself more comfortable on the ground. "I thought guys like him only existed in stories or something."

"Well, now you know the truth," says Grace. "Seamus was conjured from a story book." She laughs after a moment.

Melody laughs. "That's okay if he is, as long as he never goes back." Leaning closer to Grace, she adds in a softer voice "The ring isn't the only thing that happened last night, you know."

Grace knows, by the mere look on Melody's face, but asks, "Really? There's more?"

"Oh, there's more, all right", Melody says, raising her eyebrows suggestively. "Can you guess?" she asks, blushing slightly.

"You didn't?" grace asks in that not realy asking a question way. It wasn't as if she couldn't tell, but something about Melody actually hinting to it made it seem surprising.

Melody bites her lip and blushes harder, nodding furiously. "We did."

Grace exclaims, "No Way!" She's now turned to Melody facing her with a look of intrigue and excitement. For some reason unbeknownst to her, hearing it out loud made it seem so much more surprising than guessing in her head.

"Yes way", Melody says, smiling again. "He asked me, and I had been thinking about it anyway. So we agreed. The way he went about asking was very sweet."

"Aww," Grace sighs again. Then getting into teenage girl mode she asks, "Well, details! Well, not details, but y'know what I mean. Was it weird? He was sweet about the whole thing?" she fires off the questions, wanting to hear what Melody has to say, but she can't seem to shut herself up.

Melody looks down at her knees and sighs contentedly. "He kept saying he didn't want to pressure me, like he thought I'd think he'd take advantage of me." She pauses and looks up at Grace. "I knew he'd never do that, though." Pausing again, she thinks back to the previous night. "It was wonderful. I was nervous, and I think he was, too, but it was amazing."

Grace sighs,"Sounds...perfect!" She looks at Melody and laughs, "You know, youre not fooling anyone with that goofy grin sprawled across your face!"

"I can't help it!", Melody says defensively, wondering if she really looks goofy. "I woke up in his arms, wondering if it was all real, or if I had dreamed it. And all through the day, I just keep thinking back to it and I can't help but smile."

"Don't worry," says Grace, her smile lighting up a bit. "I bet I'd be the exact same way!"

"I bet you would", Melody replies, twisting her ring around her finger thoughtfully. "I think most anyone would."

"Yes," Grace agrees. "Don't play with that ring too much, you wouldn't want to break it!"

"You're right, I don't", Melody says, looking at the ring fondly. "Although I don't think Shay would give me a ring that breaks before I've even had it a full day!"

"Well, yeah," says Grace nodding. "But if you keep playing with it every 30 seconds, then eventually it'll break..."

"Would you rather I play with Seamus every 30 seconds in front of everyone?" Melody teases.

"Oh good lord no!" Grace explains laughing and shuddering at the same time. "Keep that for the bedroom..."

"Well, it wasn't exactly in the bedroom last night...in fact, it wasn't that far from right here!" Melody continues, still teasing. "I could show you the exact spot! That'll squick you!"

"I'm good. Really. There's no need for that!" says Grace putting her arms out in front of her making a 'no thank you' motion. "Although by your mood, I'm sure you'd either show me anyway, or show me if I'd said yes. But I didn't."

"No, I wouldn't put you through that", Melody says with a laugh. "I know you like to sit by the lake often, so I won't ruin that for you."

"Okay, thank you," says Grace. "Although now I'm going to fear that I'm going toend up sitting in that spot...and that's kind of creepy."

"Just stay by the tree and you'll be fine", Melody says with a nod. "It's not that close. And besides, I'm sure that Shay and I weren't the first couple to...do that down here. So if it wasn't us, it'll be someone else."

"You have a very good point," says Grace. "So there's no use in me fretting over it now is there?"

"My point exactly", Melody says mildly.

After a moment, Grace makes to get up, "Well, I know you have much to tell, and as much as I want to hear it, I must be going. All that schoolwork and all."

"I should be getting to homework myself", Melody says thoughtfully. "I'm just too giddy at the homework to be able to buckle down and concentrate at the moment."

"Well, sitting out here always gets me calm enough to get to my homework," says Grace. Then, looking over at the area Melody indicated to she adds, "Although you might want to sit a ways to your left."

Melody laughs. "I don't have to worry about it." she says. "I think after a while out here, I'll go in and get going on my work. So I'll see you later?"

"Yes," says Smiling and nodding. "Definitely. It's always nice talking to you."

"And you as well, even if I'm overly happy about getting some action", Melody adds with a smirk.

"Even if i'm curious about your getting action," says Grace laughing. "Wow, spoken like a true virgin..."

"Oh, something will happen soon enough, I'm sure", Melody insists. "It's inevitable around here, I think."

"Apparently so!" Grace explains. "Bye Mel!" She waves and turns to walk back toward the castle.

"See you later!" Melody replies. She smiles at Grace, then thoughtfully turns her attention to the lake.

_melody_rose_ @ 2004-09-21T20:28:00

2004-09-22T00:28:45Z

I organized a nice little party for Hermione for her birthday on Sunday.. I think she was really surprised, which is odd, because it was obvious I had something up my sleeve. It was enjoyable, and Shay showed up right before Hermione did. I don't think I realized how much I had really missed him until he walked back through the portrait with that little trademark smile of his. I couldn't stay away from him for the rest of the evening. Anyway, another happy birthday to you, Hermione!

The week's not even half over and already my head is spinning again with work. Grr. I've been staring at my Potions essay so long it's become a foreign language to me. I had to take a little break and make an update on here.

I'm sick of the Gryffindor Common room, I'm sick of the Great Hall and the Library....I need to find a new spot to spend time. That'll be my project for next weekend, should I finish all my work.

By the way, Mr. Finnigan, you still haven't told me anything about this surprise. I'm beginning to think you're purposely making me crazy by not telling me!

_melody_rose_ @ 2004-09-19T03:18:00

2004-09-19T07:19:04Z

I've gone and stayed up too late, but I can't help it, because I'm excited!!

I haven't even gone to bed yet, but let's be technical, since it's past midnight,

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Hermione!!!

We'll all make sure that you have a WONDERFUL day!

Oh, oh, oh OH! And how could I possibly forget that Shay's coming back today too! If I can keep myself from clinging to him like glue the entire day, I'll be very, very proud of myself.

I'm far too excited to go to sleep now. But I have to try..........

I think we could all use a bit of cheer at the moment. Hopefully tomorrow...or...er...later today, does the trick. At least for some of us.

I don't think I'll ever eat again....

2004-09-18T05:50:35Z

What did I wake up to this morning? A care package from Shay's mum that had to be held up by a small army of owls. Food. Sooooo much food.

Oy!! Shay, for the love of my poor stomach, the next time I write you and say I miss your mother's cooking, keep the letter out of her reach!

Anyway, if anyone finds themselves with an empty stomach, I've got enough food to feed the entire Gryffindor Tower for about a month.

I managed to finish all my homework after classes today...it took me about 4 hours, but it leaves me the weekend free to do what I want. ~~I have to figure out something to do for 'Mione's birthday...~~ And if I could find some time to relax, that would be wonderful. If only Shay was here to talk to...I miss him, and as I still can't find my damned pendant, whenever I put my hand to my neck to reassure myself, it only serves to remind me that not only is my necklace gone, but so is he. Sunday seems awfully far away....

Oh well. I'm going to make sure I did all my homework, because it really seems too good to be true that I finished it. I keep thinking there must be something I'm missing!

Ta!

_melody_rose_ @ 2004-09-17T03:59:00

2004-09-17T07:59:54Z

Advice, advice, advice.

I'm back to giving it.

Hermione let me borrow some scrolls so I could finish up my homework tonight...even so, it took me hours. I'm tired, and nothing seems to matter much without my boyfriend here to kiss goodnight.

To bed with me.

________________________
(IC RP with Hermione Granger Weasley and Melody Rose de Thenard)

Hermione sits at a table in the library, leafing through a few heavy volumes of random Wizard books. She looks to be deep in thought over what the words say.

Entering the library with an armful of books, Melody finds Hermione deeply engrossed in some musty looking books. Walking over to her table, Melody drops her books with a loud thump, making Hermione jump. "Hi.", she says in greeting, taking a seat across from the girl.

"H-hi." Hermione chuckled at her own fright. "Come to study?" Whispered the girl as she smiled at her friend. It had been ages since they had a chance to really talk. Not since the attack . . .

"Sort of", Melody replies quietly, opening one of the books she had brought. "More to distract myself, though. What's up with you?"

"About that same, really." Hermione agrees. "What are you distracting yourself from?" She asks.

Melody smiles. "Stress, mostly. And Shay, or lack of seeing him. He left suddenly, and never even said goodbye."

"That's horrid." She replies. "I hope he comes to his senses." Adds the girl with a scowl.

"Well, I suppose if he comes back and feels better, it's better than having to deal with a cranky Seamus all weekend", Melody says thoughtfully. "But that doesn't change the fact that I miss him. How are you and Ron?" she asks.

"We're doing alright." Hermione smiles. "I actually have been able to talk to him recently. We're thinking about trying for another baby next term."

"Really?" Melody asks curiously. "Are you sure that'll be the right time for that? I mean, the world's not exactly the safest place at the moment."

"Well, we're thinking about it." Hermione reiterates. "Hogwarts is the safest place right now." She adds with a shrug. "We'll see."

Melody shrugs as well. "If it's what you want", she says.

Hermione nods. "I was just glad to have a dialouge, actually." She laughs lightly.

Melody nods towards the book Hermione's looking through. "What's that for?" she asks, not recognizing it.

"I'm not quite sure. It looked good." Hermione admits. "But I honestly haven't read any of it. Well, I've read it but I just am not paying enough attention."

"You sound like me!" Melody says with a small smile. "Anything going on you want to talk about?"

"I don't want to burden you, but I was concerned about something." She admits.

"Let's hear it", Melody says attentively, looking with interest at Hermione.

"Well, you know how Professor Lupin ran away from me, right?" She asks, her voice low.

Melody nods. "Yeah, I remember".

Hermione sighs. "I went back and he acted like he had no idea what was going on! He didn't even realize he'd been so . . . so . . ." She trails, throwing her hands up slightly.

Well, he does seem sort of busy lately", Melody offers. "Maybe he doesn't realize that it bothered you so much."

"I tried telling him but it didn't do any good." Hermione frowns. "Ah well. I wanted to see what you thought about it."

"I could tell you better what I thought if I knew Professor Lupin better. But I can't really judge his actions if I don't know him that well." Shrugging helplessly, she adds "I don't think he's doing it on purpose, though. Maybe he's just distracted. He doesn't seem too thrilled about having to check every piece of mail that enters and leaves Hogwarts."

"I wouldn't be either. Which is why I tried to help him. I did." Hermione shakes her head. "He was almost rude about it."

Melody bites her lip and sighs. "I don't know. Maybe what's wrong with him he has to fix himself. It's nice of you to try to help him, but maybe it's not what he needs."

"I guess you're right." She agrees.

"I could be. I could not be. You should try talking to him again", Melody suggests.

"Maybe in a few days, after I've cooled off a bit." Hermione says, looking at Melody's books.

"You could wait for him to come to you, too", Melody replies. "It all depends. Either way, it's wise to wait."

She brightens, smiling at her friend. "Where'd you get all this wisdom from, Mel'?"

"No idea", Melody says airily. "It seems to just come to me as I need it."

"Can I start calling you the wise woman with the Inner Eye? You'll put Professor Trelawney to shame!" She laughs.

Melody laughs. "I doubt that", she says. "It's not an Inner Eye thing, it's just advice."

"The professor would disagree." Hermione laughs.

"And I disagree with that, so we all just agree to disagree!" Melody exclaims. "It all works out, you see."

"You're lucky I followed that." She chuckles, shaking her head.

"Oh, come on, Miss Cleverness!", Melody replies. "That should have been easy for you!"

"It's easier when there's less going on." Says the girl.

"Agreed", Melody says with a nod, casting a less than friendly look at all the books between the two of them.

"What is all this anyway?" Hermione asks with a raised eyebrow.

"I couldn't even tell you", Melody says, opening the first book in her pile. "Some Transfiguration, some Charms, some Ancient Runes, some stuff I don't even know........" she trails off, and closes the book again. "The only thing I can think of using it for at the moment is a not so comfortable pillow."

"I have scrolls done already if you fancy a look." Hermione offers.

"That would be fantastic", Melody says gratefully. "I don't think I could get all this done even if I stayed up all night."

She smiles and hands over four parchment rolls. "Enjoy." Hermione says.

"How do you do it?" Melody asks in exasperation. "How do you get all these done?"

"I guess I just don't procrastinate. And then, reading the chapters a few dozen times beforehand doesn't hurt either." Hermione answers.

Melody shakes her head, amazed. "I don't procrastinate!" she protests. "You want someone who procrastinates, go talk to Shay. But even so...I couldn't possibly get all these done this soon!"

"Yes, he does leaves thing until the last minute." She recalls with a laugh.

"I've been keeping him pretty in line so far this term, but I'm not you". Melody smiles. "It'd be easier for me if I had brains like that."

"I'm nothing special." Hermione says with a shake of her head.

"Yes, yes you are Miss Head-Girl-already-married-genius!" Melody replies defiantly. "Otherwise you wouldn't be everything I just listed!"

Hermione bursts into peals of laughter. She quiets when Madam Pince shoots her a nasty glare. "You're too much, Mel'."

Melody raises an eyebrow at Hermione. "Add 'insane' to that list", she comments.

"Check!" She replies, making a motion of writing it down.

"And you say I'm too much", Melody says with a giggle. "Take another look at yourself!"

Hermione laughs. "Well, what can I say?" She asks proudly.

"You can say you're too much instead of me", Melody suggests.

She shakes her head. "No way!"

"Suit yourself!" Melody replies, "But you know it's true."

Hermione smirks. "Alright, alright. Yeah."

"Ha!" Melody exclaims. "I win! Win! Me! Yes!" Giggling, she adds in a lower voice "I'm going to get us both kicked out of the library."

"Hurrah! That would be a first." Hermione laughs with a shake of her head.

Melody glances at Madam Pince, who is glaring intently at her. "Same here", she says. "Perhaps I should leave before she can kick me out."

"Maybe I should too." She says as well.

"I need to take a look over these scrolls and write something up for myself anyway", Melody says, gathering her books and the scrolls Hermione had given her. "I can do that in the common room instead, though."

Hermione takes a moment to gather her things. "Think I'm going to talk a walk. See you, Mel'." She smiles.

"Definitely", Melody replies. "Have a good walk."

"Thanks, enjoy the scrolls." Hermione smiles.

"Oh, they'll be delightful, I'm sure", Melody says with a laugh. "Talk to you later!"

"Bye, Mel'!" She waves.

_melody_rose_ @ 2004-09-17T02:14:00

2004-09-17T06:14:04Z

Shay,

I hope that since you left, you're feeling better, because as much as I'm angry that you left without so much as a goodbye, I miss you. A lot. When you come back, I want to see you smiling....I miss your usual self. Whatever it takes, try to feel better these next few days. I know it's hard, but try to relax.

I spoke to Dean last night. I really have to talk to him more often. He's a wonderful guy, but I think he's lonely. Or at least, I sort of got that vibe from him, even if he didn't actually say anything.

Oh, another thing, you bastard! (don't take offense to that) You're going to miss Hermione's birthday on Sunday! I don't know whether you were planning on coming back on Sunday evening or Monday morning, but I had been hoping that we could maybe throw a little party or something for her. Everyone could use the pick-me-up. Oh well.

I find myself at certain times of the day looking around for you or halfway up the stairs of the boys dorms to go visit you, only to remember you're not there. It's unsettling, really. I miss you, and owls don't do the trick.

Tell everyone I said hi. I miss you, and I love you. Feel better, darling.

Love,
Melody

_melody_rose_ @ 2004-09-16T04:29:00

2004-09-16T08:29:11Z

Dean's great to talk to when you're stressed out. We had a talk this evening about a bunch of things....Shay, school, other people's relationships...and, er...stuff. All in all, it was quite an interesting chat. And I feel better, so that's good.

I'm debating whether or not to owl Seamus. I'm a little angry that he just up and left like that, but that doesn't change the fact that I miss him, even though I barely saw him as it was. Probably something to do with the fact that I knew he was there if I needed him, and now he's a lot further off.

My head's swimming with too much information at the moment...I better go to bed.

______________________________________
(IC RP with Dean Thomas and Melody Rose de Thenard)

Dean looks up from his Runes text in time to see Melody come down the girls' dormitory stairs, a strained look on her normally bright features. It's late and most everyone has already gone to bed. He raises an eyebrow and motions for her to join him on the couch by the fire. "You look as if you'll pop if someone even touches you. Is everything all right?"

Melody shrugs, trying to find a smile to put on for Dean and failing. She says weakly "I've been better." Plopping down on the couch, she stares blankly into the fire. "A lot better", she adds darkly.

He closes his book and sets it on the floor next to them gently. "Tell me everything."

"What is there to tell?" Melody inquires. "Everyone's stressed out, there are too many hot heads, and no one's getting along." With a disdainful look at Dean's book, she adds "And the enormous workload isn't exacly helping."

"The professors seem to enjoy giving us monumental amounts of work when they know that tempers are running high. Probably because they were treated the same way when they were younger. And the cycle continues," he says dryly. "And as for no one getting along, it seems that things in one quarter have come to a head at last. Did you talk to Shay since yesterday at all or did he really stay up in the dormitory all day?"

"I've left Shay alone", Melody says with a sad shake of her head. "I felt like if I tried to talk to him, I wouldn't be too...comforting. I'd have ended up yelling."

"Well, sometimes he needs it," Dean says succinctly. "When there's a deeper seated issue it doesn't take much to make him explode and this episode with Draco was the trigger this time. Talking sense to him doesn't work, so often the only thing that I can do is tell him he's being a prat and wait for the anger to burn its way out of his system."

Managing a small smile, Melody says "And during that time, I'm forced to miss him." Gazing into the fire again, she sighs in frustration. "It's a no win situation."

"The fact that he went home means that he's recognizing that he's overreacting already," Dean says comfortingly. "If only all of us could do the same thing, I bet we'd be out of each other's hair in no time. Unfortunately, things are just going to escalate until someone snaps. I hope it's not going to be you."

"For all our sakes, I hope so too", Melody agrees. "It's probably good that Shay went home, but...I don't know, I sort of wish he had told me and I didn't have to find out from his journal...." trailing off, Melody raises her shoulders in a half shrug. "If it makes him feel better, it's for the best, though."

Dean rolls his eyes. "That I have no explanation for other than the fact that he's amazingly stupid at times. I sent him a Howler earlier when he finally posted that he was gone."

Melody laughs. "Good idea!" she praises. "I'm sure that'll make him feel loads better," she says sarcastically. "But he needs the reality check."

"Yes, he really does. I went back and read what started this entire blowout and I have to ask what's wrong with Draco. He doesn't usually snap at anyone like he used to anymore, and this is more of a throwback to third or fourth year than anything else. It's not like him."

"The whole situation with Hermione almost attacking Harry completely set Draco off", Melody says thoughtfully. "You're right, he's being a bastard lately."

"Those two worry me," Dean says after a moment of thought. "It took us all a long time to get used to the idea of them together, but that's not the issue. It's almost that they're . . . too together, you know? I envy them but at the same time I worry about what would happen if something were to go wrong. Or if the war suddenly started."

"I definitely know what you mean about them being too together. They're pretty much attached at the hip. I mean...at least Shay and I talk to other people. They don't really have much to fall back on." Melody looks a bit bothered. "Harry seems to put Draco in front of everything...even Hermione and Ron barely matter to him lately."

"I haven't said anything more than good morning or 'pass me the toast' to him in about half a year," Dean says, chuckling slightly. "It's like he found Draco and the rest of the world ceased to exist. And Ron and Hermione will always be there, but . . . I don't know. It's like if Shay were to suddenly become entirely focused on you. I would still be his best mate and I would still make time for him when he wanted to spend time with me, but there would be some distance there. It just doesn't feel right."

"I wouldn't let Shay get like that with me", Melody says, wrinkling her nose. "Honestly, I think it's a bit unhealthy. You can't only have one person...what happens if that person disappears?"

Dean shakes his head slowly, wondering what it would be like and failing to imagine it fully. "I don't know. And I really hope that neither of them ever have to find out."

"I hope that too", Melody agrees. "Although I think it's impossible for someone to get through life with only one person to depend on."

He sighs and holds up his hands. "There's nothing that we can do, I guess. Neither of them would listen and despite my best intentions it's really none of my business. I would like to sit down and have an actual conversation with Draco before we graduate, however. He's . . . well, he's interesting, to put it simply."

"There's something about Draco that makes me not want to talk to him. He's hostile, I think. And overdefensive." Smiling in amusement, Melody says "If anyone tried to talk to him, he'd get even more hostile and overdefensive. But I'd like to see you try."

Dean smiles rather deviously. "Hostile and overdefensive does not bother me in the least. I've dealt with people like that all of my life and I know how to work around it. What's more, I have the patience to do it. Just call me Dr. Thomas," he says, miming pointing a gun at his head and pulling the trigger. "It seems to be my chosen lot in life."

"So what happens when you're the one who needs someone to talk to?" Melody asks. "You can't go around asking advice from yourself!"

"Seamus really does listen better than he lets on," Dean says, shrugging. "And most of the time I can sort out my problems without talking to anyone else. I'm naturally a private person."

"Even private people need to talk sometimes", Melody points out. "But you're right. Seamus can listen when he wants to. He's helped me out more than once when I've needed it."

"And all he needs most of the time is a firm foot planted on his arse to steer him in the right direction. You do it well," he adds, noticing the slight frown on her face. "And if it were anyone else besides the two of us he wouldn't listen at all. That's how you know he cares - when it comes down to it, he lets you push him around when he knows that's what he needs."

"And then I become a controlling bitch and ruin his life", Melody says, smiling. "I try to keep him in line, because otherwise he's hopeless most of the time. Loveably so, but hopeless is hopeless."

"Mmm, he's like an unhousebroken puppy half the time and then mature when you least expect it. Crazy Irishman," Dean says fondly. "When I first got here I would barely speak to anyone. It took him a full six months to wear me down to even trivial conversation and he just kept going from there until it evolved into the interesting dynamic that we have today."

"Interesting is right", Melody says. "I don't quite get the way you two work."

"Sometimes even I'm not quite sure," he says, smiling. "We're complete opposites in most ways and most people say that they can't see why we're friends in the first place, but somehow . . . it just fits. He's brought me out of my shell and I guess I've given him one to retreat into when he needs it. If we were girls we'd be watching movies and eating ice cream and all of that stuff," he says, wrinkling his nose.

Melody raises an eyebrow at Dean. "I don't even watch movies and eat ice cream with my friends" she says, laughing.

"Well, I don't know what you women do in your spare time. I mean, I usually just cover myself in glitter and prance around when no one's about," he deadpans, succeeding in keeping a straight face.

"Wow", Melody says. "I don't think I've ever known a girl to do that."

"I'm that special kind, in case you hadn't noticed," he said, winking at her.

"Clearly", Melody says dryly. "Us women aren't much different, I don't think. We just angst more and have too many emotions."

"I'm happy to say that the bitch factor does not run heavily in the Thomas family on the men's side, at least," he says. "Neither does the flamboyant dress. Why, if I didn't open my mouth people'd probably never know."

"Well, that's good, because it's easier to keep under wraps if you'd like", Melody says with a shrug. "Better than being really, really obvious."

"If Seamus were gay he'd be the biggest, most flamboyant pouf the world has ever seen. Thank the gods he's straight, otherwise I doubt wizarding kind would know what to do with itself."

Melody thinks of Seamus and tries to imagine him gay. Bursting into laughter, she exclaims "You are so right it's scary."

He chuckles softly and nods. "You understand. It'd be horrendous."

"It would be. Thank goodness he's not." With a sidelong glance at Dean, Melody says "You don't...fancy him at all, do you?"

Dean snorts slightly. "In a way, I suppose, if he were gay and not horrible at it, I think I would. But whatever angst was present in that quarter was something that I dealt with a very long time ago. I present no threat, I promise," he teased gently, poking her in the arm.

"Well, it'd be a soap opera like no other if you did, that's all", Melody says, poking him back.

"Exactly. Too much drama. There's enough going on in our daily lives without that adding any stress. I'm good at working out problems, remember? It's Cheery who needs a lesson now and then. Before this whole thing I hadn't seen him that annoyingly happy for awhile. He's mad about you."

"Well, if you ever need help working out your problems, I'm usually around", Melody offers. "Because you're right. There's too much stress and drama as it is." Melody blushes slightly. "And thanks."

"I'm sure they will, it just sucks now until they do." Shrugging, Melody stretches. "I'm sure a good night sleep probably couldn't hurt either."

"That always seems to help things along," he agrees, leaning down to gather his books.

"You're great to talk to, you know", Melody says with a smile, standing up. "I feel a lot better."

"My work here is done!" he concludes, standing and balancing the pile on his hip. "Take care and make sure not to beat Seamus too badly when he comes slinking back here."

"I won't, I promise", Melody vows. "It'd probably make him pout, and that's the last thing we need."

He grins and nods, tapping the side of his nose. "You're a fast learner."

Melody nods. "I try. Have a good night, Dean", she says.

"You too, Mel."

_melody_rose_ @ 2004-09-16T01:52:00

2004-09-16T05:52:51Z

Grrr.

Just....GRRR.

Well, from now on, I guess I'll just keep my mouth shut, because I can't seem to say a thing without people taking it the wrong way and flipping out.

Too. Fucking. Stressed for this.

_melody_rose_ @ 2004-09-14T23:29:00

2004-09-15T03:30:13Z

No luck finding my pendant so far...although I seem to have the whole of Gryffindor Tower on the lookout for it.

For about the third time this week, I fell asleep doing homework. I did it tonight doing Charms homework, which ended up not even being that hard, which tells you how tired I am. I went out to the Great Hall to grab a bite to eat, only to discover that I'd missed dinner. Oy. Luckily, Grace was there, and she was kind enough to go to the kitchens with me and have a chat.

_______________________________________
(IC RP with Grace Williams and Melody Rose de Thenard)

Grace sits at a table in the great hall, finishing up the last of her homework for the night. With a look of satisfaction she closes her books and begins to gather them up, putting them in a neat pile.

Melody bursts into the Great Hall, looking around. Stopping, she looks rather disappointed, until she spots Grace and walks over. "Hey," she says breathlessly. "I guess I missed dinner, huh? I fell asleep in the common room trying to do my Charms homework". She pauses and notices Grace gathering up her books. "You're leaving?" she asks.

"Not if there's going to be just another night of boredom in the common room," says grace smiling, motioning for Melody to sit down across from her. "Sit down. I haven't seem much of you lately."

"No one's seen much of me lately", Melody says darkly, sitting down with a sigh. "I'm always falling asleep somewhere, or trying to get homework done." She rubs her face with her hands, as if to try to get rid of the dark circles under her eyes.

"Aren't we all," says Grace, sighing a bit as well. "I can't believe all the work they're giving us..."

"Me either", Melody agrees, absentmindedly reaching to her neck to touch her shamrock pendant. Finding her neck bare, she exclaims "And I keep going to touch my bloody necklace only to remind myself it's not there!"

"I heard that you lost it," replies Grace. "I do hope you find it soon. I know I've been looking around lately. Haven't seen it unfortunately."

"Shay offered to get me a new one..." Melody says, trailing off. "But a new one won't help." With a frustrated groan, she looks around the Great Hall. "I'm starved! Why did I have to fall asleep?"

"Would you like to go down to the kitchen? You look famished!" exclaims Grace. "I have a feeling most of us have been falling over exhausted from the workload. And I know what you mean about buying a new one. It just won't be the same. Won't have the sentimental value of the first necklace."

Melody replies gratefully "Would you mind? I haven't eaten since last nigh, and I don't want to eat a chocolate frog or something, I need substantial food."

"Mind? Not at all!" exclaims grace rising from her seat. She begins piling a few of her books into her satchel. "A Chocolate frog? You can't live off of that, especially after spending a summer in an Irish home!"

"Very true", Melody replies, walking with Grace out of the Great Hall. "D'you want me to carry some of those?" she says, eyeing Grace's bulging bookbag.

"No, I'm fine. Used to it. Although I think from now on I'll be doing my homework in the common room. less travel time," says Grace patting her bag. "Although I think I'll switch shoulders for the strap. I'm a bit sore on this side." She stops quickly and adjusts the bag.

Laughing, Melody says "I can barely leave the dorms with the amount of books we've been given this year! I guess it's a workout, though."

"Yes" says Grace, rubbing her shoulder where the bruise was. "It's definitely a workout."

Melody and Grace turn down one of the hallways towards the kitchens. "I bet one of the House Elfs would be glad to carry it to the Common Room for you....although don't tell Hermione I suggested that!" Melody says with a giggle.

"Is she really that insane about it?" asks Grace with wonder. "not that I would bother. I do feel bad for the poor things...they have to work so hard. And I know they enjoy it, but still..."

"Gods yes, she really is that insane about it", Melody groans, rolling her eyes at the memory of Hermione's last lecture to her. "It's what they're there for, though!"

"You have a point," says Grace smiling when Melody rolls her eyes. "But it's hard to understand why they love it so much. Personally, I'd rather sit around a play music all day."

"I can think of a whole host of things I'd rather be doing than slaving away for a bunch of students", Melody agrees. "I guess it's just their nature. Just like it's going to be their nature to bring me a feast when I ask for a sandwich!" As she finishes this statement, they enter the kitchens and are immediately surrounded by house Elfs.

Grace laughs, "I guess you were right." She motions no thanks to a House elf. "I've never been dow here I don't think..."

Melody chats for a moment with one of the House Elfs, and then asks for a couple things to eat. Turning to Grace, she says "This is the first time I've ever been here without Hermione. She showed me this place. And thank goodness she did!"

"Thank goodness is right!" exclaims Grace with a smile. "I think they're bringin you enough food to feel all of Gryffindor Tower!"

Grinning, Melody watches as the House Elfs troop back with multiple plates and bowls full of food. "I think they're bringing enough food to feed all of Hogwarts!", she corrects. Melody takes a bit of everything she fancies and piles it onto a plate. Grabbing a butterbeer, she motions to the House Elfs and says "That's all I need guys, thanks!"

Grace waves to the House Elves as they turn to leave, "Maybe I'll eat some other time!" She leaves the kitched laughing. Looking at Melody she says, "I stand corrected. That food could, quite possibly feed all of Hogwarts!"

"Indeed", Melody says, taking a bite of a sandwich. "Sorry, I'm too hungry to wait!" she apologizes through a mouthful.

"Oh No problem!" says Grace smiling. "Eat. You look like you truly needed it." realizing something she adds, "I swear I just sounded exactly like my Grandma. Oh good lord..."

"Well, you're right", Melody points out. "I'm thoroughly famished!"

Grace chuckles a bit. She winces a bit as she laughs. "Bugger it!" she says, pulling her bag off and dragging it behind her. "Normally it doesn't bother me, but this bloody shoulder..."

Melody laughs."If I were good at that sort of thing, I'd levitate that for you, but I don't think I could do a whole bookbag!"

"I would try. i'm not half bad at levitating things, but once they're in the air, they just keep spinning. That would not be good with a bag of books," says Grace dragging the bag behind her.

"No, it wouldn't." Melody says through another mouthful of sandwich. "Where are we headed, the common room?" she asks.

"Sure. Whatever you want to do," says Grace shrugging a bit, again wincing. "Remind me not to use my shoulder for a couple of days. A couple days ago it didn't hurt, but now it's sore as all holy hell."

Shaking her head, Melody says "It must be this whole seventh year deal. See who can break their arm first from carrying too many books!"

"Actually," says Grace. "Although I'm sure the books helped the pain along a bit, I didn't hurt myself by carrying my books. I walked, well more like crashed into one sprinting Ronald Weasley the other day."

A less than friendly look passed over Melody's face as she heard Ron's name. Smiling to hide it, she says "Really? I hope you didn't hurt each other!"

"Well," says grace, a look of confusion coming over her face as she saw Melody frown a bit. "Neither of us were paying attention to where wewere going. He clear knocked me over. I'm sure he's fine. Solid like a Rugby player, he is. I'm a bit sore, but nothing a little rest won't cure."

Melody raises her eyebrows. "He has a knack for not paying attention to things", she says.

"Eh," shrugs Grace, wincing again and cursing herself quitely, "So do I. i had a nice chat with him though. I'd never met him, but Hermione spoke highly of him, and Ginny, last time I saw her, seemed quite intent on finding him."

"I'd hope Hermione would speak highly of him! He is married to her after all!" Melody frowns and shakes her head. "I don't think he realizes that half the time, though."

"Well, you know what I mean about her speaking highly of him!" Exclaims grace laughing. "Doesn't realize it? How so?"

Melody shrugs. "It took him days to find out that Hermione was possesed by Voldemort! What kind of husband is that?"

"I wouldn't know," says Grace. "I've never had a husband. Although my father can be quite oblivious at times..."

Melody doesn't reply. They reach the portrait of the Fat Lady, and speaking the password, Melody enters with Grace behind her. "I just stopped fighting with him", Melody explains. "So I really shouldn't say anything bad about him."

"Your feelings are your feelings," says Grace, making sure not to shrug, but instead nods her head. "You should vocalize them. Don't bottle things up. You'll end up like me.' She smiles weakly. "You were fighting with ron? he seemes very friendly to me..."

"I did vocalize my feelings, but we got cut a bit short", Melody says. "And yes, I was fighting with him. You saw how Hermione was after she got posessed...no one went near her! She was miserable, and Ron was nowhere to be found!"

"Well, honestly, i didn't see much of Hermione, says Grace a bit sadly. "Or anybody. But Iheard about it, and only wished I'd saw her. Ron was no where to be found?! Good lord..."

"Exactly", Melody says. "I confronted him about it, and his only excuse was he was 'busy'. Too busy for his wife?" Melody shakes her head.

"I don't know..." trailed Grace shaking her head a bit. "I hope everyone's worked everything out okay?"

"I suppose", Melody says uncertainly. "I still need to have a talk with him, though", she says thoughtfully.

"I hope you do talk to him soon," says Grace thinking. "I hate to see people cross at each other."

"I don't", Melody replies. "I'm altogether too tired to deal with any more drama right now."

"Drama is never a good thing," says grace in agreement. "No one is ever happy with a lot of dramam going on."

"You're right...plus I have too much work to do, and I need to be able to concentrate on it." Melody looks up towards the dormitories and says "I still need to finish that damned Charms homework."

"Having Problems with it?" asks Grace. "I can help out a bit i think. I'm decent at charms. Just don't ask me to do any ancient runes..." She shudders a bit thinking about her Ancient Runes Homework.

"I'm okay at it most of the time, I'm just so tired that everything seems a hundred times more difficult." Melody sighs. "Luckily it's the last of the homework I have to finish for tonight."

"Well thats good," says Grace optimistically. "I seriously thought I'd be up all night doing that Ancient Runes homework. It will be my downfall! At least, you'll be glad to know, the Charms homework wasn't to difficult. So, if you factor in your state of exhaustion, it's only pretty difficult."

Melody smiles at Grace. "That's good to hear. I guess I should go finish up with it, then!"

"Alright," says Grace, smiling. "I hope you don't find it too excruciating. If you collapse in your charms book, you can always use mine for 'reference'!"

"I'll keep that in mind" Melody says with a chuckle. "It was nice talking to you!"

"It was nice talking to you, as always," says Grace, plopping herself onto a couch in the common room.

"Bye!" Melody says, and disappears up the stairs to the girls dormitories.

_melody_rose_ @ 2004-09-13T00:08:00

2004-09-13T04:08:13Z

Somewhere between this morning and an hour ago, I've lost the necklace Shay gave me for my birthday. It's a pendant with a shamrock he found in it. We went into Hogsmeade together, and I don't even remember whether I still had it on at that point...

I've haven't ever taken it off since he gave it to me, and whenever I'm stressed or bored or thoughful, I tend to sort of stroke it. It means the world to me.

I've uprooted the entire girls dormitories looking for it, emptied the pockets of all my clothes, and searched everywhere I can think of, and yet I can't find it.

Oh, gods, if it's somewhere in Hogsmeade I'll never forgive myself. There has to be somewhere I haven't looked. There just has to be.

_melody_rose_ @ 2004-09-11T01:17:00

2004-09-11T05:17:31Z

Well, I managed to make up with Ron...sort of, anyway. But not until after getting angry with him again. I don't know what's wrong with me lately, but the smallest things irk me and set me off. I'm more tired than I thought, I guess. After Hermione and Ron left, I fell asleep in the Common Room and didn't wake up until 15 minutes before class the next morning. Thank goodness my homework was done. This past week, trying to cheer Hermione up while everyone else was running away sucked a lot out of me. I thought maybe helping her with her problems would distract me from my own, but instead, it seems to have sucked out my last drop of energy.

It's good that Hermione doesn't have to worry about her friend and her husband fighting anymore. Although she's still over-stressed. I just wish I knew what to do...

___________________________________________________
(IC RP with Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, and Melody Rose de Thenard)

Hermione sits with parchment rolls spread out all around her. She glances wearily at Ron's scribblings and nods silently. The common room is for the most part, empty, save them.

Ron scratches his nose as he considers the parchment in front of him. He scratches out a line, before scribbling down a few more sentences. He throws down his quill with a triumphant smile. "Done!" he exclaims, looking to Hermione for approval.

Melody walks into the common room, looking mildly annoyed about something. Spotting Hermione, she smiles. Her eyes slide to Ron and her smile wavers.

She smiles in turn from Ron to Melody. Hermione looks tired but tries to maintain her presence. "Hey there." She says to Melody warmly.

Ron turns to Melody, his expression friendly. But at the look on her face, his expression wavers, and he turns back to Mione, uncertain.

Trying her best not to look at Ron, Melody replies "Hey! How are you?" to Hermione. She walks over and takes a seat, still avoiding Ron's eyes.

Hermione keenly avoids this question, having had a run in with Harry eariler in the day which still unsettled her. "Have you done your homework?" She asks.

Ron, uncertain of what to say, keeps his eyes fixed on Hermione.

Knowing something's up with Hermione, but not feeling at ease to discuss it, Melody shrugs and nods. "I just got done helping Shay with his. He has a terrible attention span."

She laughs, almost distractedly. There's something in the wavering of her tone that's unnerving. Hermione gazes, a bit helplessly, at Ron.

Ron looks at Mione questioningly. He pats her, to make sure she's okay, before he turns back to Melody, clearing his throat.

Normally, Melody would be demanding that Hermione tell her what the problem was, but something about Ron being there as well made her stay silent, looking expectantly at Ron to do something, as he is married to her.

"I'm sorry." She whispers aloud. Whether it's meant for one or both of them, Hermione doesn't clarify. She sits, holding Ron's hand, trying to appear she isn't as numb inside as she feels.

Even Ron has noticed something is not right about the way Hermione is acting. He drapes his other arm across her shoulder. "Hey, what is it?" he asks, quietly.

Melody, wondering herself, puts an hand on her arm and says "You can talk to me...." she glances at Ron, and adds "...us".

Hermione sighs with a light shiver. "Talked to Harry earlier. It was just . . ." She trails. "Feel really terrible about it." Admits the girl softly.

Ron's grip tightens. "What did he say to you?" he demands, a little more harshly than he intended.

Melody keeps her eyes locked on Hermione and waits for her to answer.

"He . . . he didn't know I'd . . . and then I told him how Draco would defend him against things . . . people . . . no matter what." Hermione's thoughts come out jumbled though they make sense in her head.

Ron's face flushes in anger, forgetting for a moment that Harry's his best mate. Ron's grip on Mione's hand is growing steadily stronger without him realizing it.

Confused, Melody says "I don't understand...why does it bother you that Draco would defend Harry against things? I mean, they are...together."

"He would kill to defend him, Mel'." Hermione replies in a pained voice.

Ron grimaces. "Malfoy is a git, but surely even he wouldn't...." he protests. But the anguished look on Mione's face says it's true. The anger returns in full force, almost propelling Ron out of his chair. "Where is the git? I'll hex him into next week!"

Melody watches Ron with a grim look. "Don't you think it's the same with you? Wouldn't you kill for Hermione, even if it was Harry?" she looks directly at Ron for the first time during the whole encounter. "It's a part of what love is. Defending your partner."

Hermione falls silent, resting her cheek against Ron's shoulder.

Ron raises his chin in defiance at Melody's words. "Course I'd defend her, even if it was Harry!" he says, dangerously.

"Well, that's my point, then" Melody says, shrugging and ignoring the anger in his voice. "Draco's only doing for Harry what you'd do for Hermione."

Closing her eyes, Hermione tries not to absorb their words, attempting to get them to float past her. She wishes this whole mess were over and that everyone wouldn't be constantly rowing with one another.

Ron narrows his eyes. "I suppose...." he says grudgingly. His arm tightens around Hermione's shoulders. (

Melody sighs, leaning forward and putting her face in her hands. "I wasn't saying it to be rude, Ron, I was just trying to make you understand where Draco's coming from." Her voice is muffled through her hands, but she doesn't want to show the weariness that had appeared there.

Despite her efforts, Hermione hears their words. As much as she sees their logic, they still pain her deeply. She clutches Ron tightly.

Ron continues to glare, stubbornly unwilling to admit Harry and Malfoy are anything like him and Mione.

Melody stands up, looking defiant, although there's hurt in her eyes. "I can't take this right now, I'm sorry." She looks at Ron. "I'm just trying to be helpful, and you're glaring at me like I said something horrible."

"Mel'," Hermione says softly. "Don't go . . . Ron doesn't mean it . . ." She casts a look at Ron. "Do you?" Asks the girl.

Ron looks back and forth between the two girls, his anger still evident. He runs his hand through his hair in frustration. "Bloody hell. Look, Melody, just sit back down, okay?" he says, attempting to placate the girl.

"I'm too exhausted to sit here and be glared at tonight", Melody says in exasperation. "I'm tired, trying to cheer Hermione up all week has taken a toll on me." Her eyes clearly say to Ron 'Since you weren't around.' "And since you and I fighting is obviously putting stress on her right now, I should just leave."

Hermione looks as if she wants to apologize for having taken up so much of Melody's energy. "Don't leave." She requests again. "He won't glare."

Ron struggles to keep his temper under control; he really does want to stop fighting. He squeezes Hione's hand, before turning back to Melody with what he hopes is a friendly expression.

"I'm not having you speak up for him, Hermione", Melody says. "If he has something to say, he's perfectly capable of saying it himself."

She freezes, looking striken. No words come out of her mouth. Hermione is suddenly at a loss.

Ron looks at Hermione, his expression helpless. He looks to Melody, sighing. "Look, I said I was sorry. I was busy, okay?" He squeezes Hermione's shoulders. "But I'm here now." he adds, almost in an undertone.

Melody sits back down with a sigh. "I'm sorry", she says wearily. "This isn't even about you, Ron...I'm just tired, and I'm angry, and I'm overdefensive, and I'm taking it out on the wrong people."

"You need a rest." Suggests Hermione softly. She can see her friend's tired appearance and worries about her silently. "Maybe we should give her some." Adds the girl, looking at Ron.

Ron looks at Mione, surprised, then nods. "You should get some rest," he echoes.

Melody sighs wistfully, then gives a small smile. "Thanks, guys", she says. "I could use some rest, you're right."

Hermione stands, giving her friend a comforting smile. "Feel better, Mel'." She wishes, taking Ron's hand.

Ron gives Melody an awkward smile as his wife pulls him to his feet. "Uh, see you later," he says lamely.

"I'll try my best", Melody replies to Hermione. To Ron, she inclines her head a bit and says "I will."

Now that I've found a moment or two...

2004-09-09T03:51:55Z

So apparently Hermione and Ron have made up...which is all well and good, but it doesn't change the fact that I'm still pretty angry at him. I have a really low tolerance for people treating my friends like crap. But on the other hand, I dislike holding grudges...

*shrug*

But I'm glad Hermione's happy now...she's been through a lot lately.

Shay offered to take me to Hogsmeade this weekend to get ~~a birthday present for Hermione~~ a couple things I need. Sounds good to me...we can have a chat about the term so far. I hope he's not too stressed out, I know he gets like that.

Speaking of classes...I think it's the teachers objective to take 20 years off all our lives by completely over-stressing us with work. Oy. It's only been what? Not even a week, and already I'm drowning in work. I don't know if I can take an entire school year of this. Good thing I'm friends with 'Mione, I suppose.

I'm off to see if Shay needs any help with homework....I actually finished for the evening (*gasp*), and it's an excuse to spend a bit of time with him.

Au revoir!!

_melody_rose_ @ 2004-09-07T03:26:00

2004-09-07T07:26:48Z

Seamus,

Hermione's birthday is coming up on the 19th, and I want to find her something that's original and not completely stupid. I mean, getting her a book or something is probably what she gets from everyone.

You've known her a good deal longer than me, so I'm enlisting your help. Any suggestions?

~Melody