Only You

Spoilers: *OOTP and HBP*

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Disclaimer: None of the characters nor the settings belong to me but are all the property of J. K. Rowling. I make no money from them.

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George waited impatiently for Melody the next morning at King’s Cross Station. He and Fred had wanted to go to her hotel that morning to get her, but Arthur had refused to allow them go saying he was certain that a capable young woman like Melody could handle it on her own. Fred grumbled that it had more to do with their Mum’s refusal to allow Arthur to go back to the Muggle hotel, fearing he would make the three students miss the train completely if he were allowed back amongst the Muggle contraptions he’d raved about all night. After an entertaining dinner at the Leaky Cauldron the night before, Arthur had gone with the twins and Melody back to the Hilton Euston and proceeded to drive the boys crazy with questions about every Muggle contraption in the place. Only the fact that Melody was getting an immense kick out of giving Arthur the lowdown on everything kept them from intervening. Privately, George was glad that Melody got on so well with his family. Finally, at midnight, Fred had loudly demanded that their father leave Mel in peace to get some rest.

The knowledge that they would soon be all together at Hogwarts got Fred and George up early the next morning. Their trunks packed and ready for loading, they proceeded to drive everyone else, especially Percy, insane with their demands to speed things up. By the time they got to the Ministry cars, Percy was so put out with the twins he loudly refused to share a car with them. Eventually, the family made it to Platform 9 and 3/4.

The train due to leave in minutes, George and Fred cast about for a sight of Melody. They’d already loaded their trunks onto a carriage, staking out an empty compartment, and had gone back out to look for her. Their Mum was handing out sandwiches before they saw her skid through the platform barrier at top speed, almost losing control of the luggage trolley in her hurry. The boys grabbed the sandwiches and stuffed them in their pockets, calling a quick goodbye to their mother as they dashed to the trolley and grabbed Melody’s luggage. With an ease that almost looked choreographed, the two tossed her trunk and other bags onto the train and then climbed on themselves. A quick glance showed that they’d lost Melody, who’d gone to Mrs. Weasley to hug her goodbye. The boys yelled at her to hurry only to see her wave them off and head to say goodbye to Mr. Weasley, as well, passing Harry who was now hurrying to the moving train. A quick peck on Arthur’s cheek, and Melody was dashing after the train, laughing, her hair streaming behind her. Fred and George leaned out, one arm outstretched and the other holding onto the handrail for support. Melody grabbed their hands, and they pulled her up through the doorway, scolding her for taking so long. Melody turned back, grinning, and waved at the Weasleys before George dragged her off into the interior of the carriage, Fred hauling the door closed.

Opening the door into their compartment, George scowled to find several of their friends already lounging inside. Lee Jordan rolled his eyes and jumped up to help stow Melody’s trunk while Katie Bell and Angelina Johnson put away her other bags. Fred pushed his way into the compartment, loudly complaining he’d have nowhere to sit. Angelina told him to stuff his complaints, they’d left plenty of room. And indeed, she and Katie were sitting so close, whispering into each other’s ear, that there was plenty of room for Lee on the bench. Fred gave a flash of a grin and sat down opposite Lee, immediately leaning forward to discuss some of the ideas he, George, and Melody had mentioned the day before.

George sat down next to the window, leaving a small space for Melody on the same bench. As she sat down, Melody used her elbows and hips to push the Weasleys over more so she could get some more room. Katie and Angelina giggled and went back to whispering, their eyes cutting from George to Melody. Melody gave them a narrowed glare, an evil smile on her lips and the tittering played out.

The group spent their time discussing the recent Quidditch season and their predictions for the future. There was a lot of expectation building about the World Cup, due to be played the next summer, and the teens discussed teams and strategies until Oliver Wood poked his head in to discuss some new ideas he’d had for the Gryffindor team.

Oliver had only just left when the group felt the train slowing. A look out the windows showed they were not yet at their destination. Katie and Angelina had just begun to query what was happening when the train stopped with a jolt that knocked two bags out of the luggage rack and directly into Lee. Cursing a blue streak, Lee had just jumped up when all the lamps went out and the girls gasped aloud.

George threw his arms around Melody and pulled her into his body as Fred slid nearer to her and moved his torso to block her from others. Melody had just opened her mouth to complain when there was a scream from further down the carriage. The compartment door squeaked open and a large shape hurtled onto everyone’s legs, causing several yelps of surprise. Two more shapes crowded in, both of them gibbering in fright.

“Who is that?” hissed one of the girls. There was a grunt of pain from the shape cowering on the floor. Lee and Fred had both kicked it as it fell.

“There’s something boarding the train!” came a hysterical whimper from one of the intruders. The other figure whined and tried to claw its way nearer the others.

The group heard a panicked “Wait till my father hears . . . !” as the shape fell into Fred’s lap.

“Get off me, you git!” Fred hollered, pushing the body off.

“Shut up, Malfoy!” George hissed. “There’s something outside the door!”

Malfoy whimpered and fell on top of the figure on the floor, whining a soft, “Save me! Save me!” as a huge dark shape loomed in the doorway.

Fred pressed nearer Melody, pushing her body harder into George’s, and George tightened his arms around the girl as he felt her body shudder. They all heard a rattling hiss of breath and felt a sudden drop in temperature. The cold seemed to be all around them, swirling over their bodies and into their very being. Melody moaned softly and buried her face in George’s chest. He dropped his head over hers and started to whisper to her. Finally, the shape moved out of the doorway, and all that could be heard was Malfoy’s gibbering.

George continued to hold Melody close, one hand moving into her hair to keep her head against his chest. Fred turned to them and leaned into her back, his head pressing into her shoulder. Quietly, he whispered, “What the hell was that?”

Just as quietly, George responded. The two talked a moment with no conclusions. Just as suddenly as they’d gone out, the lamps came back on and the train lurched to a start.

Fred looked over at the other bench and saw Katie Bell’s face pressed into Angelina’s chest. Suddenly his mouth went dry, and he lost his train of thought.

“Get off me, Crabbe!” came a furious snarl from the floor. A disheveled Malfoy arrogantly pulled himself up and shook himself off as Crabbe lumbered to his feet, as well. He looked at Katie and Melody and sneered. As he opened his mouth to speak he suddenly leaned over, howling in pain and grabbing at his legs. Lee and Fred had kicked him simultaneously. Snarling about Gryffindors and Wealeys, Malfoy stormed out of the compartment, followed closely by Crabbe and Goyle. Everyone noticed that he’d fearfully looked both ways before exiting.

“Well done!” Fred and Lee congratulated themselves.

The door opened again, and a strange man looked in, asking, “Is everyone okay?” He pressed a small piece of chocolate into Lee’s hands and told everyone to have a bit before heading on down the passageway. Everyone looked at the chocolate and then at Lee. Lee looked back at everyone else and then dropped the chocolate to the seat, shaking his head.

Conversation was stilted as everyone slowly began to feel more like themselves. George continued to hold Melody until she pushed him away, telling him she was fine. Her laugh was rather shaky, and, when she’d leaned back against the seat, George moved himself nearer until his arm was pressed against her. He glared at Fred until Fred looked down at Melody, startled, and hurried to do the same on her other side. They remained comfortably pressed against her the rest of the journey. Fred noticed that Katie and Angelina sat just as close to each other.

When the train stopped at the station, everyone seemed subdued as they got their luggage and hauled it off the carriage to pile it onto the trolleys waiting outside. The group moved to the coaches and debated how to split up for the ride. Angelina grabbed Fred and whispered into his ear. He looked at her in shock and then nodded. “Let’s just all go together,” he announced. “The girls can sit in our laps for that short of a journey.”

He took Angelina’s arm and pulled her to an empty coach. Giggling, Katie dragged Lee along behind. Melody looked after them with a confused look on her face. George shrugged and stepped up to her, bowing deeply and offering his arm. “Mademoiselle?” he said softly. Melody smiled and curtseyed, taking his arm with a flourish. They strolled to the waiting coach. George lifted her in and then climbed in behind her, settling in the cramped space left on the seat.

Lee groaned as he was sandwiched between two gangly Weasleys. “Watch the elbows!” he complained.

Melody looked at George, trying to figure out how to best seat herself. “Best thing to do is just slip back until you’re back is against his chest,” Angelina told her with another giggle. “At least you won’t knock heads with him,” the taller girl added ruefully as Fred rubbed his forehead.

George helped her sit on his lap, settling her weight on his right thigh and letting her legs drape over both his to press against Katie’s who was sitting in Lee’s lap. “Just relax,” he whispered in her ear as he pulled her against his chest. He rested his cheek against the top of her head and prayed for a slow trip to the castle.

Every jolt of the coach brought a yelp from Fred. Because of her height, he’d tried to settle Angelina on the seat between his legs, and every bump in the road had him convinced he would be speaking soprano by the time they arrived. For his part, Lee was highly entertained. Every lurch jolted Katie on his lap and he was getting a good eyeful of her full breasts as they bounced. George had one arm crossed in front of Melody with the other rubbing gently up and down her arm. He could smell the scent of her shampoo, a soft floral fragrance he couldn’t identify but thought was quite nice. As the coaches stopped in front of the castle, he pressed a light kiss to the top of her head and took a deep breath, his eyes closing momentarily. Regretfully, he helped her off his lap so she could climb out.

The carriage ride seemed to have restored everyone and the group joked and laughed as they climbed the castle steps. Jammed in with other students, they made their way to the Great Hall. Right before reaching the doors, they were surprised by Professor McGonagall, who called Melody away. Melody frowned and shrugged at the others. “Save me a seat?” she suggested as she began to maneuver through the mob to the professor.

Fred and George were pushed into the Great Hall by the mass of students and quickly found seats at the Gryffindor table with the others. George looked around worriedly for Melody throughout the Sorting, but she didn’t appear until the conclusion, coming in with Harry and Hermione. Fred and George shoved their neighbors over, making room for her between them. She squeezed into place just as Dumbledore began his remarks.

“What was that all about?” Fred asked curiously.

“Tell you later…” Melody whispered.

As Dumbledore explained the presence of the dementors around the castle, Melody shivered. Fred and George both nodded. “Our dad’s told us about them. Nasty things, he calls ‘em,” Fred said to the others.

Dumbledore went on to introduce the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, explaining the strange man on the train. As those around them began to immediately comment on his shabby robes and threadbare appearance, Melody tilted up her chin and announced she though he looked like a nice person. Fred rolled his eyes at George, who responded, “Well, she wasn’t fooled by Lockhart…” He shrugged, willing to trust her instincts for now.

Many from their table groaned at the announcement promoting Hagrid to professor. George looked from Hagrid to Melody wildly and resolved to ask Harry and Ron to keep an eye on her during Care of Magical Creatures. Melody looked up at him just then, and her eyes narrowed. “I can take care of myself, George Weasley!” she told him sharply.

He looked innocently at her and raised his hands. “What? What did I do?” he asked.

“Don’t be trying to set up some bodyguard for me. If I can survive the two of you, I can live through anything Hagrid can come up with…” she said.

Fred started to say something but stopped at the look from George, who simply said, “Of course you can…” as he reminded himself to tell Harry and Ron to be discreet.

Soon the food had appeared, and the students tucked in, enjoying the feast and the company until they were stuffed. All too soon, Dumbledore was announcing the feast was over.

The group hauled themselves off the benches and began to head for the dormitory. As they started to head through the common room, Fred grabbed Melody’s arm and dragged her to the sofa by the fireplace. George followed.

“Alright, give. What did McGonagall want?” Fred asked.

Melody looked around to the others going to the stairs. “Shhh!” she hissed. “I’m not supposed to let anyone know…”

George pulled back, hurt. “We’re not just anyone,” he started.

Melody smiled and rolled her eyes. “I know!” she said. “And I told her there was no way I wouldn’t tell you two, but she made me swear that no one else would know. She said she could trust that you would keep my secret…” She tilted her head and perused their faces. Then she smiled, “Of course you will!”

Fred leapt off the couch to kneel on the floor, about to swear his complete devotion to her cause when Melody laughed, “Stop that! How secret is this going to be if you proceed to act like a git? Get back up here because I don’t want anyone to hear…”

She looked around again to see that almost everyone was up the stairs. She beckoned and the twins leaned in so they could hear her whispered explanation. “McGonagall gave me something to help me with my class schedule.” She reached into her sweater and pulled out something on a long chain. “It’s called a time turner,” she explained. “It will let me repeat hours so I can attend simultaneous classes. That way I’ll have enough time in the day to do everything.”

Fred reached out to touch it. Melody pulled away and slipped it back under her sweater. “No one’s supposed to know there even is such a thing. The Ministry keeps up with all of the ones in existence and you have to have a special dispensation to use one. McGonagall got permission for me to use it during the school term to attend classes and keep up with homework. But I’m not to let you use it, and you’re not to tell anyone about it. It’s very dangerous…”

Fred looked at her and asked, “How on earth could that little thing be dangerous?”

Melody shrugged and said, “Imagine a future self appearing and what you’d think. Or is you appeared somewhere when people could see that you were somewhere else at the same time. You’d think it was something shady going on, at the very least. Apparently, there have been accidents in the past, even ones that led to deaths.”

George said slowly, “If it’s that dangerous, why is McGonagall letting you have it?” Everything that he was wanted to demand that she give it back, that she not put herself into a situation that could be dangerous. He could barely speak for the emotion roiling inside.

“McGonagall said that as long as I was careful and no one saw me using it and as long as I didn’t show up in the same place at the same time, it would be perfectly alright. She said she trusted me to be able to handle it.” Melody smiled up at them. “She personally didn’t think I should tell you but that Dumbledore overruled her. He thought it would be safer if you knew what was going on since we spent so much time together.” She cocked her head. “I wouldn’t have agreed to keep it a secret from you, though,” she added.

George inwardly sighed. Fred caught his eye and shook his head vigorously. Finally, George said, “Of course we’ll keep the secret, Mel. I don’t like it, but if McGonagall said it was okay, then I guess it will be…”

Melody frowned. “You don’t trust me to be able to handle it?” she asked softly.

“I know you can handle it. I would tell you not to do it if I thought you couldn’t. But just because I know you can do something doesn’t mean I have to like it, especially if it puts you in danger!”

Melody smiled, relieved, replying, “Oh, George...” She looked at Fred who was glaring at them both. “And you? Do you trust me to be okay?” she asked.

Fred closed his eyes, deciding to trust his brother’s judgment. “Yes, I trust you, Mel. And we won’t say a thing to anyone.” He sighed and made a face. Then he grinned. “Does this mean you won’t need help with homework?”

George reached over to cuff his brother on the ear. “You already said you’d help so forget it…” he warned.

Laughing, Melody hugged Fred, whispering, “Thank you!” Then she hugged George the same way.

Just then, Katie and Angelina came down the stairs. “Hey, they’ve put us all together this year!” Katie called. “You, me, Angelina, and Alicia! Come on!”

Frowning, Melody got up, and the girls pulled her up the stairs to see the new room.