✓ | RECKLESS AND BRAVE | Draco Malfoy

72 | TAUSENDSASSA

TAUSENDSASSA
(n.) jack-of-all-trades; a multi-talented person

TESSA STOOD INSIDE THE ROOM IN HER DRESS FOR BILL AND FLEUR'S WEDDING. She hesitated whether or not to put make-up over her scar or allow the guests to see it marring her face. She lingered by Ginny's vanity, watching her reflection on the mirror as her eyes flickered to her mother's concealer on the table.

     Someone knocked on the door. She didn't even hear it, until she saw them enter.

     "The others are looking for you," Adalene said, striding towards Tessa. She looked extremely beautiful in her gold maid-of-honor dress that was lined with silver; her hair was intricately twisted into a chignon with few strands framing her face and making her brown eyes appear doe-like.

"Yeah, I'm sorry," Tessa murmured absentmindedly, and looked back at her reflection. "Do you think I should do it?"

Adalene was quiet, watching Tessa for a moment before she said, "No, I don't think you should."

Tessa met her gaze through the mirror. "Why do you think so?"

"Because it does nothing to make you appear of lesser value than of who you really are," Adalene said earnestly. "I was jealous of how much you shone three years ago. You were always the star of the room — brighter than anyone else even when you don't try to be one. And I was childish and blinded with infatuation over Draco Malfoy that it made me see you as a rival. And I'm sorry for that again — I want to make things right now and let you know that no scar can ever bring you down. You're the Tessa Potter — the Girl Who Protected."

Tessa's eyes stung with tears as she hastily looked away from Adalene, sniffing as she rapidly blinked them away.

"Even when I returned to Beauxbatons," Adalene went on, "I still asked about you. I read the French tabloids and newspapers to see how you've been doing. It sounds strange and unbelievable, but I've always hoped that one day I can redeem myself for everything I did to you. Now that I'm finally right here beside you — I want you to know that I see you as someone who is nothing short of selfless, kind, and protective over the people you love. And I admire that about you — you made me change within these three years. It gave me time to reflect and find myself on who I truly am inside."

Tessa was gently spun around to come face to face with her as Adalene held Tessa's shoulders.

     Adalene's brown eyes were firm and determined as she said, "If you think I'm going to let a battle scar on your face bring you down, then so help me God I will find that Thayer whatever boy and let him knock some sense into your head, because he sure did to me."

A laugh escaped Tessa's lips as she carefully wiped the tears on the corners of her eyes, making sure her makeup isn't smudged. "When you were mean to me, I never felt like I wanted to cry — but now you're nice, I'm actually tearing up. Who are you and what did you do to Adalene Belliveau?"

Adalene laughed and shook her head at Tessa before walking towards the door. "I'll tell them you'll be down in a minute." She waved and shut the door behind her.

Tessa let loose a long breath, pulling herself together as she looked into the mirror again. She stood in a long strapless dress the color of pink sunrise — the brief moment when the purple sky gets kissed in lazy pink and gold hues of the morning sun. Her hair was fashioned to spill across one shoulder like midnight ink, leaving her other shoulder bare.

     And when she stared at the embers in her eyes, the slice of gray in the right, and the ruined flesh that scarred over her eye — Tessa thought that maybe . . . just maybe . . . she didn't exactly reflect the beast inside of her.