✓ | RECKLESS AND BRAVE | Draco Malfoy

31 | EFFLEURAGE

EFFLEURAGE
(v.) to stroke as one would a flower

TESSA DIDN'T MOVE. Her mind could barely process what just happened as all four of them froze on where they were standing. Nobody said anything — at least not until there was a wild howling that could be heard from behind them.

     "Hagrid," Harry muttered and tried to turn back, but both Ron and Hermione had already grabbed onto his arms.

     "We can't," Ron said, his pale face still struck in horror. "He'll be in worse trouble if they know we've been to see him . . . "

     Tessa reached up to hold Harry's hand and she felt him squeeze her tightly as though he needed comfort or support. Maybe both.

     "How — could — they?" Hermione choked through uneven breathing. "How could they?"

     "Come on," Ron muttered as they slowly made their way back again to the castle.

     By the time they reached open ground, darkness spilled over them as the moon lazily gleamed brighter and brighter.

     "Scabbers, keep still," Ron hissed, a hand over his chest. His ugly rat kept wriggling madly that Ron had to stop walking to try and force Scabbers deeper into his pocket. "What's the matter with you, you stupid rat? Stay still — OUCH! He bit me!"

"Ron, be quiet!" Hermione whispered. "Fudge'll be out here in a minute —"

"He won't — stay — put —"

Tessa peered into Ron's pocket to see Scabbers trying with all his might go break free as though he was terrified of something. She scowled slightly. "What's the matter with him?" Then her gaze shifted upwards and she saw the source — Crookshanks approaching them with his body low to the ground as though stalking his prey.

"Crookshanks!" Hermione cried out. "No, go away, Crookshanks! Go away!"

"Scabbers — NO!" Ron ripped away the Cloak off of them as he chased after the rat that was scampering away from Crookshanks.

"Ron, wait!" Tessa bounded forward running after Ron as Harry and Hermione went after them.

Ron could be heard shouting from the distance. "Get away from him — get away — Scabbers, come here —" There was a loud thud. "Gotcha! Get off, you stinking cat —"

"OOF — " Tessa tripped over Ron and tumbled in the grass as Harry helped her up to her feet. The redhead was sprawled on the ground, Scabbers stuffed inside his pocket with his hands over the rat.

"You okay?" Harry asked, dusting dirt off from Tessa's shirt.

She nodded. "Yeah, don't worry about me."

"Ron — come on back under the cloak —" Hermione was out of breath from all the running. "Dumbledore — the Minister — they'll be coming back out in a minute —"

     Before Tessa could so much as blink, there was the sound of something pounding the earth behind them. Turning, she saw an enormous, jet-black dog bounding toward them with complete stealth. Tessa grinned and pointed at it. "Look — it's Paddy!"

     Hermione blanched as she tugged on Tessa's arm. "That's not 'Paddy', that's the Gr — "

     Everything moved too fast — the dog leaped for them as his front paws hit Harry and knocked them all to the ground. Tessa wheezed as she felt the breath leave her and stars dance in her sight. A menacing growl escaped the dog as it lunged forward and fastened its jaws around Ron's arm.