✓ | RECKLESS AND BRAVE | Draco Malfoy

71 | STRIKHEDONIA

STRIKHEDONIA
(n.) the pleasure of being able to say "to hell with it"

TESSA WAS ALONE IN THE ROOM SHE SHARED WITH GINNY AND HERMIONE. They had all gone downstairs for breakfast while she chose to stay behind and try to catch up on her reading. It's been a couple of days since the incident, and her eye was still patched and covered with gauze — restricting her sight and vision greatly.

She sat on her bed — a book propped on her lap as she took deep breaths and tried to read. Her pace had decreased drastically, and her eye strained to swallow the words on the pages with much difficulty. She patiently controlled and leashed her temper, allowing herself to go through the words.

It wasn't until she realized what Knots on a Counting Rope was about did complete frustration envelope her from head to toe and she let out an angry cry as she threw the book across the room. Tessa broke down again, her body shaking as she buried her face into her hands — desperate to claw the gauze out just so she could feel normal again.

There was a lurch in her stomach with the sudden urge to throw up. Nausea and vertigo hit her as she stood up, her knees buckling as she crumpled to the floor. A dull throbbing pain thumped inside of her rhythmically as she curled up against the side of the bed, hugging her legs to her chest with her head buried between her knees.

Somebody was knocking on the door.

Tessa didn't move — she stayed quiet in hopes of whoever was outside would leave.

"Tess? It's me," came his voice from outside. "Can I come in?"

There was a short pause before she said, "Yes."

     Tessa rose to her feet as Fred pushed the door open, shuffling inside and smiling at her. "Why aren't you down at breakfast? Hermione made you a cup of coffee, Ron saved you some toast, and I think Harry kept asking if you were still asleep or not."

     "I'm not hungry," she merely responded with a faint shrug.

     Fred regarded her for a second, an unreadable emotion crossing his features. And for a moment — he seemed as though he wanted to ask her or tell her something, but he changed his mind at the last second. "Anyways," he said with a strained smile, walking over to Ginny's vanity table and pulling out a chair, "our mums sent me up here to tell you that you can have your gauze removed now."

     Tessa's head snapped up in astonishment. "R-Really?"

     Fred grinned and patted the chair. "C'mere — I'll help you."

     She padded across the room, sliding into the chair as Fred stood from behind. Tessa watched her reflection on the mirror — her hair had grown to her waist, her face was pale and gaunt, her hazel eye was dim and void of light. It stared directly back at her helplessly — the right side patched over.

Tessa watched in silence as Fred peeled the tape from her skin, making sure the gauze is held carefully around her eye as she did so. Right before he removed it — she grabbed his wrist and stopped him.

"Wait," she muttered, avoiding his gaze in the mirror. "What — what if . . . "

"Hey, look at me," he said gently and their eyes met through the vanity reflection. "There's nothing for you to be ashamed of and to be worried of. We're all going to be here for you," his eyes flickered down at the charm bracelet she wore. "He's always going to be there for you no matter what." He pursed his lips in thought and added, "Georgie might even claim you as his new twin even."

Tessa cracked a faint smile, forcing herself to feel relieved amidst the apathy. "Where is George, by the way?"

"Hanging out with his new best friend Philip."