✓ | RECKLESS AND BRAVE | Draco Malfoy

19 | SAUDADE

     Lockhart teamed Neville with Justin Finch-Fletchley, as Snape reached Harry and Ron. "Time to split up the dream team, I think," he sneered. "Weasley, you can partner Finnigan. Potter —"

     Harry moved automatically to stand between Hermione and Tessa.

     "I don't think so," Snape said with a cold smile. "Mr. Malfoy, come over here. Let's see what you make of the famous Potter. And you, Miss Granger — you can partner Miss Bulstrode." He turned to Tessa with another saccharine smile. Without taking his stony eyes away, he barked out, "Parkinson, get over here and partner with Valentine."

     Tessa's eyes snapped over to see three Slytherins making their way over. Millicent Bulstrode was a large and square girl who had a very aggressive look on her face. Malfoy was strutting over haughtily, though a very faint hint of nervousness flashed in his eyes as he momentarily glanced from Pansy Parkinson, who was smirking deviously, and to Tessa.

     "What do we have here," Pansy hummed as she faced Tessa. "It's the daredevil fool."

     Tessa rolled her eyes and huffed, crossing her arms. "Nice try, Pugface. Just shut it and let's get this over with." She added, "And don't call me daredevil."

     Pansy scowled at the pugface moniker people who hated her called her. "Listen, Valentine — just because Draco said we can't hurt you doesn't mean I can't hex you with a spell right now. It's a dueling club — everything is fair in here."

     Tessa frowned, eyebrows drawing together in confusion. "What do you mean Malfoy said you can't — "

     "Face your partners!" Lockhart yelled out to them, interrupting Tessa. "And bow!"

     Tessa and Pansy didn't take their eyes off each other as they lowered their heads.

     "Wands at the ready! When I count to three, cast your charms to disarm your opponents — only to disarm them — we don't want any accidents — one . . . two . . . three —"

     In unison, Tessa and Pansy cried out their own spells. Knowing Pansy would do something insane, Tessa instantly yelled, "Protego!" She was a split second too late, the other girl had dauntlessly sent a jet of fire to Tessa. She jumped out of the way at the last minute, but not before the flames licked her arm and singed through her robes. She pushed herself off the floor, doing her best to ignore the nasty burn that seared throughout the flesh of her forearm.

     "I said disarm only!" Lockhart shouted over the heads of the battling crowd.

     Tessa snapped her head up to Pansy who was cackling before she growled and raised her wand. Pansy lifted her own hand as the two girls shouted at the same time:

     "STUPEFY!"

     "FURNUNCULUS!"

     A burst of red light streamed out of Pansy's wand and overtook Tessa's vision before she was sent flying backwards. She hit the wall behind her, collapsing to the ground as she wheezed to breathe. The wind was knocked out of her and she could barely take in any air into her lungs as she struggled to stay conscious. Black spots danced all over as she tried to painfully blink them away.

     There was an ugly scream from Pansy, and the next thing Tessa knew, the pug-faced girl had clambered on to straddle her. "Look what you did to my face!" Pansy shouted as she grabbed Tessa's hair and tried to throw a hook.

     "Stop! Stop!" Lockhart was screaming as Tessa felt hit after hit from Pansy — her limbs ached as she tried her best to push her away.

     Then came the loud shout of Snape, "Finite Incantatem!" There was one more punch sent to her stomach before someone finally yanked Pansy off of her.