Secret Behind The Mask

Chapter 12- Permanent Changes

Harry glanced at Ron and Hermione, before coming back to Melly.

"I don't accept your apology," he said. "Because I know that everything was true, and right now, you are lying to us. You two can believe her if you want, but I'm not." He looked at his two friends, who have betrayed him, and sighed. "I'm off to bed."

He turned on his heel, and stalked to the boys' dormitories, leaving Ron, Hermione, and Melly alone in confusion.

Hermione yawned. "I think I should get to bed also," she said as she stood up. "I'll see you both in the morning. Melly? Don't worry about Harry. He'll give in soon."

She slowly walked off to the girls' dormitories where the Head Girl room was.

Ron sat down next to Melly, and they both gazed into the fire in silence.

Melly was right; Harry is one of the most stubborn students. He didn't even believe her apology! Well, if Melly was in his position, she wouldn't either.

Melly stole a glance at Ron, and saw that he was engrossed in thought while concentrating at the fire. She, too, brought her concentration to the fire.

Snape?

What do you want?

As soon as I get Harry, how will I inform my father that I have him?

He'll know, I'm sure. Now, would you please leave me alone so I can sleep?

Why is everyone going to bed early?

Tomorrow, I have fifth, sixth, and seventh years. And in two of those classes, I have to help prepare for the NEWTs. I still can't believe that Potter and Weasley are in my class.

They must be smarter than you think. Well, no, scratch that. Ron is totally brainless! Harry is just as stubborn as you are, maybe even more stubborn. Hermione is just oblivious to the fact that she is the smartest girl in the school, and she can't see behind a white lie. Tell me again why I have to bring freaking Potter to my father?

All I know is that you have to bring him. All I know is that I have to teach you how to learn Imperious. I don't know anything else. Now, please, would you let me get to bed?

Why? What are you going to do about it? Tell my father?

No.

Take points off of my house?

I think I should remind you that you don't have any house points left.

Then, what are you going to do?

Something that I don't find civilized. New topic. I want you here, tomorrow, after dinner, so we can get on those imperious lessons, all right?

Whatever.

"Melly?"

She winced and quickly looked at Ron. He didn't seem to wear any expression on his face, he just stared at her, his breathing seeming to quicken.

"What?" she asked, hoping that he didn't hear her quivering voice.

Ron's bottom lip trembled. He looked into her eyes, wanting to see into her soul, she guessed. Without warning, he was merely on top of her, with his lips locked with hers.

She almost pushed him off, but she thought that if she pushed him away, he would get suspicious. Even though she knew he wouldn't, she couldn't take any chances to mess this up.

Melly wrapped her arms around Ron's neck, pulling him down so he lay on top of her.

Ron pulled away. "Melly?" he repeated.

Melly knew exactly what he was going to say. She pulled him down again into a deeper kiss, but Ron pushed away again.

"Melly, this is important," he insisted.

Melly bit her lip, holding back a sigh of annoyance. What is wrong with him?

Duh! He's punch drunk in love over you! Melly told herself.

"Yes, Ron?" she asked in a sweet voice, flashing him a one of her irresistible smiles.

How was she going to tell that she supposedly loved him back?

"I know we just got together and all, but..." He looked down. Melly heaved a heavy sigh, causing her breasts to become completely noticeable. Ron nervously looked back up at her smirking face.

What am I doing? I never act like this, even if I had to.

"And I understand that you're having some difficulty. You know, with Harry being stubborn and all," he said nervously, swallowing hard.

Stop talking! Kiss me again. Kiss me now!

"But I just wanted to say that..."

Okay, you love me! I love you, too. Now let's get on with it!

Now, why am I thinking like this?

"I just wanted to say that...I-I-I love you, Melly," he said quickly. He ended with an unsure smile.

Melly smiled back. "Really?" was all she could think of to say.

Ron leaned in closer, touching their noses. "Really, really," he whispered back.

Melly stifled a small chuckle. She wrapped her arms around his waist, and kissed him.

Now, no more talking, so we can get this over with.

---

"What are you doing here?" Snape asked as he walked into his classroom, finding a student sitting at his desk.

She smirked at him. "What? No hello?"

Not if you break into my classroom and expect me to light about you sitting in my chair.

Her smirk grew. "I need to talk to you."

"Whatever it is, Melly, can't it wait?" He walked to his desk, and stood, towering over her, crossing his arms. Melly leaned back in his chair, and looked up at him.

"Why does it have to wait?" she asked, slowly blinking her eyes once. "I can't have a nice conversation with you?" she asked seductively.

Snape sigh in irritation. He pinched the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes. "What do you want to talk about?" he asked, opening his eyes again. He slowly lowered his hand as he stared at her. No, not at her, more like at her hair.

"What did you do to your hair?" he demanded.

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about," she said, her face finally going serious. She laid her arms on the desk, and rested her head on her arms. "I woke up this morning with my hair looking like this."

"You don't know what could've happened?" Snape asked, picking up some of her hair.

It didn't feel different; it just looked different. It was slightly darker, more bluish than her normal blonde.

"I was hoping you knew something that might fix it," Melly mumbled.

"Of course I do," Snape whispered.

Melly looked up at him, her weird feelings from last night returning. She felt something going on in the pit of her stomach. She quickly looked away.

Why am I feeling this, again?

Feeling what?

You weren't listening last night, were you? She asked, looking up at him. His eyebrows were furrowed together. "I was having feelings last night."

"What sort of feelings?"

She smirked up at him. Do I dare tell you? She asked, her head slanted. She felt one of her scars burning in a strange way. It felt as though her scars her taking over her.

She stood up, and fluttered her eyelashes at him. Snape anxiously walked backwards, confused at her strange actions.

The feeling coming from her scar was seeming to take control of her body. What it was feeling like, she couldn't explain it. As a matter of fact, she couldn't think of anything at the moment, except for how much she thought Snape looked...how would she put it? Certainly not the way she looked at him before.

Snape backed all the way to the wall, Melly still approaching.

"M-Melly," Snape stuttered. "W-what are you doing?"

Melly smiled at him seductively as she pushed her body against his.

Don't I make you excited? Melly asked.

Snape's eyes went as wide as eggs. That voice definitely wasn't Melly's, although it did sound familiar. Where did he hear it before?

Snape snapped out of his thoughts as he felt Melly's lips on his. He opened his mouth in disgust, and Melly took this as the chance to deepen the kiss.

Snape was thankful he could control his vomit, or he would've probably scarred her for life. He pushed her off with such a force, since she nearly clung for dear life to him.

"Melly! What the hell are you doing?" he demanded.

Melly just smiled and swished her hair back. That's when he saw it. Her hair had gotten much darker, and she now looked like the one woman that she could possibly resemble on purpose.

"Faith?" he whispered so softly, you could almost mistake it for him mouthing it. Of course! That's the voice he heard in her head.

Melly?

What is it?

Yes, definitely Faith. How could he hear Faith's voice in her head?

Faith?

Yes, Severus?

Where is Melly?

That little Fate isn't here at the moment. She smiled.

"Fate?" he asked. Melly-Faith nodded her head. "What are you doing here, in Melly's head?"

Melly-Faith just smiled as the bell rang. Melly-Faith's eyes grew wide as she fell back into his chair, seeming to faint.

Snape ran to her. Melly groaned and opened her eyes.

What happened? She asked as she rubbed her forehead.

You might want to get in your seat, I'll tell you as soon as I can. Snape noted footsteps approaching the dungeons. Quickly.

Melly nodded, and went to her seat, Snape making cautious notes that her hair was almost black now.

Why is my hair turning blue? She asked him as she sat down. I still haven't figured it out. She then had a disgusted taste in her mouth, and Snape took notice of her disgusted look she gave.

What's wrong? Snape asked.

I have a very disgusting taste in my mouth.

Snape looked taken aback. He brushed his teeth this morning! How dare she! Well, she didn't have the best tasting breath in the world either.

---

Potions class went by slowly. Everyone was distracted by Melly's new change in hair color.

"Melly?" Sherry whispered. "What did you do to your hair?"

"I didn't do anything to it," Melly responded.

Harry glared at the back of Melly's head. See? She still has the hair color! How can he believe her when the evidence is sitting a couple of seats away from him in the back, her head turned in the opposite direction as she talked with Sherry, Pansy, Draco, and some other Slytherins.

Harry looked at Hermione. Hermione was the only one, he noted, who didn't care about Melly's hair, and just kept working.

"Hermione?" Harry tried to get her attention. It took a few tries, but he finally got her attention. "Do you not see her hair?"

Hermione glanced over at Melly, then back at Harry. "Yeah? So?"

"It was that color yesterday. Don't you remember?"

"Sure I do, Harry. But she seems as clueless about it as everyone else. Even Snape doesn't know what she might've done."

Harry looked at Snape, and knew that Hermione was right. Snape kept stealing interested looks at Melly, then writing something down on a piece of parchment, then looking back at Melly, and so on...

He looked back at Melly, and saw that she was staring back at him. Her eyes having a small bluish glint in them.

Maybe from her hair? Harry asked himself.

Melly looked at him with sad and betrayed eyes. Maybe she didn't know what happened yesterday...

No! Harry, don't think like that! She is Voldemort's daughter, and you know that she'll do anything to get to you. It's just a trick. Ron and Hermione may have fallen into her trap, but I will get them out, and I won't be pulled under with them.