✓ | RECKLESS AND BRAVE | Draco Malfoy

40 | NAZ

NAZ
(n.) the pride that comes from knowing that you are loved no matter what you do

TESSA DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY SHE FELT AS THOUGH SHE WAS GOING TO BURST OUT OF HER SKIN. Her blood was roaring in her veins, as though begging her to find solace somewhere and simply let go. As the day of the first task drew nearer, she felt even more worried for Harry and on what it could possibly be.

To make matters worse — Rita Skeeter had just published her piece about the Triwizard Tournament, and it had the most ridiculous writings of Harry. She had once approached Tessa in hopes of getting an interview and most likely twisting her words around, but it was on the same day of her detention with Ron and Harry — she simply snarled out a response and yanked open a door to magically walk out.

Colin Creevey didn't have the slightest bit of a problem in opening his heart out to Skeeter about Hermione and Harry. Thankfully, Hermione was taking things better than Harry.

"Stunningly pretty? Her?" Pansy Parkinson was snickering during lunch one day as she read the article about Hermione. "What was she judging against — a chipmunk?"

"Ignore it," Hermione said with her head held high, refusing to give them the satisfaction of embarrassment.

But Tessa couldn't ignore it. Shoving off Philip's warning hand, she shot to her feet and harshly sent the simpering Slytherins a cold glare. "Zip it, Pugface, or I'll really give Skeeter something to judge against."

Actual fear flickered in Pansy's eyes and she looped an arm around Draco's who was quietly eating his lunch. "Draco — she's scaring me," she whined in that nasally voice of hers, lifting a perfectly polished finger at Tessa's direction.

"Then I suppose that means she's doing an excellent job in putting people in their places," Draco coolly said, his lips tugging up to a smirk toward Tessa.

With a gesture as small as that, it's a wonder how great of an effect it had in putting an ease into the violent ripples in her body, making her feel calm.

Things felt so much different when it was just the three of them without Ron. Tessa didn't have someone to automatically bump fists with or whisper corny jokes to or put her hand down for her when she'd obnoxiously raise it up. It felt so strange — and she wanted things to go back to the way they were soon.

     Viktor Krum was constantly in the library as well. Tessa didn't mind it at first — she had thought it was because Philip was also there with her, Harry, and Hermione as well. But then the group of giggling girls who spied on him started to irritate Tessa while she read, that she'd asked Philip to shoo his best friend away. He simply laughed and said Krum had his reasons.

     "He's not even good-looking!" Hermione was also furiously hissing. "They only like him because he's famous! They wouldn't look twice at him if he couldn't do that Wonky-Faint thing —"

     "Wronski Feint," both Harry and Tessa corrected in unison.

     The Saturday before the first task came, and they were permitted to visit Hogsmeade. Philip couldn't come because of some Durmstrang matters Tessa didn't quite understand — and Hermione was planning on bringing Ron along without telling Harry.

     "What about Ron, though?" Harry said before they left. "Don't you two want to go with him?"

     Tessa let out a soft laugh and whispered to Hermione, "Busted."

     Hermione flushed as she mumbled, "Oh . . . well . . . I thought we might meet up with him in the Three Broomsticks . . . "

     "No," Harry said flatly.