✓ | RECKLESS AND BRAVE | Draco Malfoy

53 | ANAM CARA

ANAM CARA
(n.) a person with whom you can share your deepest thoughts, feelings, and dreams with your soul friend

DRACO DIDN'T LET TESSA LEAVE HIS DORM TO GO TO HAGRID'S UNLESS SHE WAS BUNDLED UP IN HIS SCARF AND JACKET. It was freezing outside with the snow crunching under the Golden Quartet's feet, but Tessa was decked in a Slytherin scarf and her new favorite jacket.

Harry knocked on Hagrid's door three times, and Tessa could hear Fang barking frantically inside. "Hagrid, it's us!"

"Shoulda known!" Hagrid replied delightedly. "Bin home three seconds . . . Out the way, Fang. Out the way, yeh dozy dog." The door swung open to reveal him, and Hermione screamed. "Merlin's beard, keep it down! Under that cloak, are yeh? Well, get in, get in!"

"I'm sorry!" Hermione apologized as they hurried in. "I just — oh, Hagrid !"

"It's nuthin', it's nuthin'!"

"Hagrid, what happened to you?" Tessa asked, pushing the cloak off of her as she took in the blood in Hagrid's hair, the massive bruises covering his face, and cuts still bleeding over his hands and face.

"Told yeh, nuthin'," Hagrid said firmly, limping to the kettle. "Want a cuppa?" His eyes fell on what Tessa had around her neck. "Why'd yeh got a Slytherin scarf?"

     Tessa's cheeks burned but she said, "That's not important right now! Hagrid, you're covered in blood and cuts and bruises."

"Come off it," Ron said, "you're in a right state!"

"I'm tellin' yeh, I'm fine." Hagrid beamed at them, but winced in pain from the cut opening on his face. "Blimey, it's good ter see you four again — had good summers, did yeh?"

"Hagrid, you've been attacked!"

"Fer the las' time, it's nuthin'!"

"Would you say it was nothing if one of us turned up with a pound of mince instead of a face?" Ron demanded.

Tessa pointed at Ron. "He's got a point there."

"You ought to go and see Madam Pomfrey, Hagrid," Hermione told him anxiously. "Some of those cuts look nasty."

"I'm dealin' with it, all righ'?" Hagrid grunted, grabbing a large, raw steak bigger than a car tire. It was bloody and green-tinged, and the four recoiled at the sight.

"You're not going to eat that, are you, Hagrid?" Ron's face contorted unpleasantly. "It looks poisonous."

"It's s'posed ter look like that, it's dragon meat," Hagrid said. "An' I didn' get it ter eat." He slapped it over his face as green blood trickled down, and he sighed in relief. "Tha's better. It helps with the stingin', yeh know."

"Huh," Tessa mumbled thoughtfully. "I didn't know dragon blood helps treat cuts. That's nice to know."

"So are you going to tell us what's happened to you?" Harry asked.

"Can', Harry. Top secret. More'n me job's worth ter tell yeh that."

"Did the giants beat you up, Hagrid?" Hermione asked quietly as the steak slipped from his fingers in shock.

"Giants?" Hagrid repeated, slapping the steak back to his face. "Who said anythin' abou' giants? Who yeh bin talkin' to? Who's told yeh what I've — who's said I've bin — eh?"

"We guessed."

"Oh, yeh did, did yeh?"

"It was kind of . . . obvious," Ron pointed, and they all nodded in agreement.