PULCHRITUDINOUS
(adj.) breathtaking, heartbreaking beauty
TESSA HAD SQUEALED IN DELIGHT UPON RECEIVING THE TINY HUNGARIAN HORNTAIL MODEL ON CHRISTMAS MORNING. She had woken up early that day thanks to Hermione who'd jumped on her bed and attacked her with a pillow to "get her lazy arse up". She was ready to push the girl off — that was until she saw the pile of presents on the foot of her bed along with Harry's present on her nightstand — the little dragon yawning and snorting small fumes of fire.
She opened the presents she'd received from her friends and family, and to her delight — the usual Christmas charm from the person who doesn't matter. This time, it was a magnificent star that she very eagerly attached to the collection on her wrist: the Hogwarts Express, a book, a lightning bolt, and now a star.
"I love it," she whispered to herself before quickly getting dressed and using the sweater Molly made for her. She wondered if her mother was using one as well right now, but then it would have a large C stitched to the front — effectively blowing her cover. Perhaps not.
She and Hermione met up with Harry and Ron in the common room before going down for breakfast. Philip had told her yesterday that he's going to hide in the Durmstrang ship all day until it was time for the ball. He'd teasingly told her something along the lines of "I'll need to look handsome enough for my date who'll most likely captivate the crowd."
Tessa rolled her eyes at that and had pretended to chuck a breadstick at him.
In the afternoon, Tessa joined Harry and the rest of the Weasleys in a snowball fight. She had been hiding behind a fort she'd made, chucking half-shaped snowballs over her shoulder when Hermione cut in to take Tessa away.
"But it's still early!" Tessa whined with a pout to Hermione who clicked her tongue reprovingly at her.
"What, you need three hours?" Ron added with a laugh. But Hermione had already began tugging Tessa up to the castle. "Who're you going with?" he yelled after Hermione but they had walked away.
Tessa snickered, opening her mouth to say something when she turned the curb and roughly slammed against someone. She gasped and slipped on the snow — only to have strong arms wound around her waist and hold her steady. Her heart sped up erratically at the near-fall as she clutched onto their shoulders.
She glanced up and her nose nearly brushed against Draco's as her breath caught in her throat. "D-Draco!" she stammered, suddenly losing the ability to form coherent sentences as her mind went into absolute haywire.
He had the nerve to smirk as he slowly pulled his arms away from her and slipping his hands in his pockets. "Merry Christmas, Braveheart," he murmured lowly, his voice deep and sending shudders down her spine.
Tessa's cheeks burned at the sensual tone and she wildly looked away from his bright, silver eyes. "Merry Christmas," she replied back, clearing her throat. "I hope you received my present."
He cocked his head lightly to the side. "I did, and I'm wearing it." He pointed to his shirt, and with a very small whiff, Tessa could smell the cologne she bought for him.
Her lips twitched as she fought the urge to smile. "That's good — I didn't know if you'd like it or not. But I'm glad you're already using it."
Draco was quiet for a second, fondly looking at how her cheeks dusted pink and the way she avoided his gaze. "I have something for you," he said softly, taking the sunflower he'd hidden in his back pocket and brandishing it to her.
Tessa blinked in surprise, her mouth hanging open as she said, "Thank you." She took it from him, their fingers slightly grazing as she smiled up at him. "Was this from the seeds I gave you last Christmas?"
Draco chuckled and shook his head. "No — I wanted to keep them all to myself. That one is from my mother's garden. She's been growing sunflowers since our second year." He abruptly stopped talking, but she didn't ponder on why.
Tessa gently ran a finger along the petals. "Well, thank you. I love it."
Draco smiled at her before adding, "I hope to see you at the ball later."
Tessa suddenly snapped her head up and looked past Draco's shoulder to see Hermione up the steps and tapping her wrist as though she had a watch. She turned back to him and said, "About that — Hermione's waiting for me, and I should go get ready." She started to hurry passed him and stopped again to say, "But yes, I'll see you later!"
She could hear him chuckling as she sprinted up the steps. "Save a dance for me!"
"I will!" she yelled over her shoulder before catching up to Hermione.
Hermione glanced at the flower in her hand and muttered, "That was nice of Malfoy to give you a present."
Tessa grinned. "He is. I think it's really thoughtful of him, because he rarely gives presents. Aside from this, I think the only other time he gave me a gift was when I drank lake water last year and he gave me a remedial potion to clear it." The two girls were inside the warmth of the Gryffindor common room when Tessa said, "I can't wait to see their reactions when they find out you're going with Krum."
Hermione turned red as she covered her face to conceal her giggle.
Ginny and Catherine were already inside the dormitory with the dresses. As soon as Hermione and Tessa entered, her mother wasted no time in blasting music and getting to work in preparing the three Gryffindors for the Yule Ball.
"Mum, why do you look like you're going to cry?" Tessa asked, sharing a laugh with Ginny as Catherine swept eyeshadow over Hermione's eyelids.
Her mother sniffed and told her to go put her dress on. "I remember going to parties and dances when I was a student here, too, and — stop laughing, I'm getting emotional here! — to see the three of you all grown up makes me so proud!"
Tessa scrunched her nose up as she very carefully put on her dress, the material was extremely delicate and she was afraid to ruin it. Once it was on, she sat on the chair Hermione had vacated from as her mother put makeup on her.
"When we'd go to parties," Catherine said, "Lily, Alice, Marlene, and I would do each other's hair and makeup. We were best friends, and luckily enough we were all dorm mates as well."
Hermione was zipping up Ginny's dress for her when she mumbled, "Must be nice. We wish we had Ginny for a roommate."
Finally — all three girls were in their dresses and had their hair and makeup completed. Ginny looked very beautiful in a gorgeous green and pink dress with her long hair let down, and Hermione was absolutely stunning in a periwinkle-blue dress. Her hair was fashioned into an elegant knot atop her head, and she greatly resembled a faerie.
As soon as Ginny was finished, she thanked Catherine profusely before excusing herself, saying that she didn't want Neville to wait too long for her. Tessa had wanted all three of them to go down to meet their dates together, but she told Ginny that it was okay and to go ahead and meet with Neville.
"Here's the plan," Tessa said to Hermione after Catherine went downstairs to see if Harry and Ron were dressed well and hair tidied up.
Hermione nodded and listened eagerly as they exited the empty common room.
"By now," Tessa went on as they walked along the quiet corridor, "everyone will be waiting down the steps in front of the Great Hall. Krum will be there waiting for you, since you'll have to do walk in with him as the Champion's date." Hermione blushed as Tessa continued, "I want everyone to see how completely, jaw-dropping gorgeous you are — so I'll wait at the side, and let you walk down the stairs first."
Hermione pursed her lips. "But I want you — "
Tessa shook her head and took Hermione's hand. "I want you to have your moment first. I can go after you, it's okay."
Hermione stopped in the middle of the hallway and embraced Tessa tightly. "You're my favorite, you know that right?"
Tessa laughed. "I better be — now, come on! You can't be late!" The two girls laughed before holding the end of their dresses and picking up their pace to near the staircase. Tessa gave Hermione a nod as she stood behind the wall. "Go on — it's your time to shine."
Hermione could barely contain the grin and squeal that slipped out before she straightened herself and walked down the steps. Tessa peeked to see that Harry, Ron (their dates: Padma and Parvati Patil) and Krum were all waiting downstairs. Even Philip was already there talking with the Bulgarian Seeker, and she fought a grin upon seeing the silver tie he had on.
As soon as Hermione descended the steps, they all turned to gaze up at her — and like Tessa predicted, their jaws dropped in utter disbelief. Hermione looked so beautiful that none of them could process that fact, simply watching wide-eyed as she accepted Krum's extended arm.
Tessa straightened, getting ready to make her entrance as well, when she saw him. She froze for a moment, watching Draco enter the scene below with Crabbe and Goyle flanking either sides of him. He was so painfully handsome — his hair slightly brushed to the side and his silver eyes brighter than ever. He had on a long black coat outside his white dress shirt and — oh God, Tessa nearly tripped on her feet upon seeing the silver tie he also had on.
She watched the way Draco's eyes made a sweep of her friends and frowned slightly when he couldn't find her there. She bit her lip in amusement before she drew in a deep breath and descended the stairs to make her appearance to them all. At the sound of her heels clicking against the tiled steps, they turned their attentions to her.
Almost as though Merlin or some divinity were watching over her, the lights brightened and illuminated her figure. The dress that adorned her was of magnificent pale crystals that clung to her skin, flowing from a high neckline to her wrists and down to delicately fall against the ground. The material was so exquisite that every time the light shone against the dress, it looked as though starlight bathed her. Her mother had fashioned her hair into a knot and finished it off with a thin tiara that made her feel as elegant as a princess.
Every step she took, she did her best to keep her chin up and her mind into complete focus into making sure she wouldn't trip and make a fool out of herself. It was easy to ignore the way they'd all stared at her with a dumbstruck expression.
What wasn't easy was pretending not to notice the way Draco had gone very still — his eyes slowly gazing over her more than once as his throat bobbed.
After what felt like a very long time, Tessa finally made it to the bottom of the stairs where Philip was already waiting with an arm offered to her. He was exceptionally handsome today, his ebony hair pushed away from his forehead to reveal his burning sapphire eyes. He grinned crookedly at her as she slipped her hand around his arm.
"I love your dresses!" Tessa said brightly to Padma and Parvati who stammered out their thanks, eyes still glued to her dress in awe.
"I — I have no words," Harry said dumbly, sharing a look with Ron who couldn't even form a sentence. The redhead didn't know what to do or say — he was too busy switching gazes from Tessa and to Hermione who was standing a little further away with Krum.
Tessa laughed before she walked along with Philip, halting when she locked eyes with Draco who was still standing rigidly. She let a corner of her lip rise as she glanced around him briefly. I don't see your date anywhere.
Draco didn't reply for a moment, an unreadable emotion burning in his eyes. Then he cocked his head slightly at her as his gaze softened to a fondness for her. You were my only option. It was either I go with you or I don't go with anyone else.
Her cheeks heated at that as she started to walk forward with Philip. We better head inside now.
Don't forget you promised me a dance, Braveheart.
Tessa's face reddened and she tugged Philip further inside the Great Hall that was exquisitely decorated with sparkling silver frost, garlands of mistletoe and ivy, and stars thrusted upon the black ceiling. The House tables had vanished; instead, there were about a hundred smaller, lantern-lit ones, each seating about a dozen people.
As she, Philip, Ron, and Padma sat down on a table where the Weasley Twins were, Fred had glanced over at her and accidentally jerked his knee up and banged against the table. His eyes nearly bugged out of their sockets as his mouth hung open. "T-Tess — ?"
Tessa didn't know whether to feel bad that he hurt his knee or laugh at his reaction. "Hi, Fred — hi, George — Angelina, I absolutely love your dress!"
But even Angelina took a while to shake away her astonishment before she beamed happily at her, "Thank you! I adore yours just as much!"
Tessa chatted for a little more with George and Angelina since Fred was still mutely staring at her. She threw a glance over her shoulder to her mother who was sitting at the staff table and sent her a thumbs up.
Philip leaned over to speak to her in mild amusement, "Care to tell me why your mother told me to make sure you don't take any alcohol a student might slip into the drinks here?"
Tessa snorted and rolled her eyes as she whispered back, "Because she talks about grass when she's drunk and is scared it might happen to me."
Philip burst out laughing at that before instantly gushing down once the Champions entered the Great Hall with their dates. Cedric went with Cho, Fleur with Roger Davies the Ravenclaw Quidditch Captain, Krum with Hermione, and Harry with Parvati.
As they passed, Ron narrowed his eyes at Hermione and Tessa nearly let out a sigh of irritation with how he was behaving. After everyone finished eating, Dumbledore stood up and asked the students to do the same. With a wave of his wand, the tables pushed themselves away from the floor and a raised platform conjured into existence.
Tessa watched enthusiastically as The Weird Sisters hopped up on stage to be greeted by thundering applause. They began to sing in a slow tune as the Champions made their way to the dance floor with their dates. After a little while, the other students began to join the dance floor, and Philip tugged Tessa to lead her over there. Her eyes fell on Adalene, the Beauxbatons girl glaring nastily at her as she slow danced with a Durmstrang boy who was gaping at Adalene with a dazed expression.
Bringing out the passive-aggressiveness in her, Tessa purposely stopped near them and made a show of dusting off imaginary dust from the cuffs of her wrist and dress before continuing to sashay into the dance floor.
"You cruel thing," Philip mused softly as he brought his hands on her waist, a mischievous glint in his sapphire blue eyes.
Tessa smirked, resting her hands on his shoulders. "That's not the first time someone's called me that."
He playfully squeezed her waist and she pressed her lips to keep from laughing out loud and disrupting the soulful atmosphere.
The two danced with happy, contented smiles as Philip twirled her. At one point, Harry had danced nearby them with Parvati who looked as though she could dance the night away. They continued to sway to the song, until someone came over.
Tessa could hear her heart echoing as she watched Draco look at her. Without taking his eyes off of her, he said in a low, smooth voice, "Do you mind if I cut in?"
Philip smirked at Tessa, giving her a pointed look as he said, "Not at all. She's all yours."
As Philip walked away, Tessa suddenly found it hard to breathe — yet as though she had all the oxygen in the world as Draco held her in his arms. "You lied," Tessa mumbled in a shaky voice, bringing her hands up to his shoulders. "Philip didn't do any of what you said he'd do in the closet."
Draco raised an eyebrow as he drew her closer, slipping his arms to encase around her. "You mean this?" Every word he spoke made her catch her breath as she struggled to control her heartbeat.
"Yes," she said hoarsely. "You lied."
He cocked his head to the side to regard her before he suddenly took one of her hands in his — and then carefully twirling her around. He drew her back to him, one arm latching around her waist to bring her flushed against his side. Tessa could barely hear herself think with the roaring of the blood in her veins as Draco dipped his head to hover his mouth over her ear. "Do you suggest I make up for my sin, Braveheart?"
It was definitely a sin for him to do this, Tessa thought to herself as his lips brushed against her ear with each word.
Two can play the game.
Twisting in his arms, Tessa found her back pressed against his front as she craned her neck to speak directly into his ear, "You better start early if you want to redeem yourself." She watched in smug satisfaction as he sucked in a sharp breath at what she did, before she spun around to come face-to-face with him once more as though nothing happened.
She didn't see his next move coming.
As the song's final chord struck, Draco held Tessa in his arms and placed a hand on her lower back. With masterful grace, he dipped her as the music faded and all that was left was their breaths mingling with one another's and their gazes burning into each other's as though no one else was in the room.
"Perhaps I will," Draco whispered as he carefully brought her back up to a standing position.
Tessa's heart was pounding as she breathed heavily, unable to comprehend what was it that made her feel so reckless and brave whenever she was around Draco. As though he challenged her to become a stronger version of herself and a brighter star in the sky.
As the music changed to a swift-paced one, Draco leaned down to murmur softly, "You look exquisite as always, Tessa." With that said, Draco stepped away and sent her cheeks flaming with a wink before he walked off to his table where Crabbe and Goyle sat with bottles of butterbeer.
Tessa stood dumbstruck for a second in the dance floor, trying to register everything that just happened. She didn't move — not until the students jumping to the beat forced her to go back to the table where Ron and Harry sat talking with Philip. "Hi," she said breathlessly, taking a seat next to them.
Philip smirked teasingly at her. "Hello to you too." He laughed at the still-dazed look on her face before he got up. "I'll go get you something to drink."
Just then, the upbeat song ended and Hermione approached them with a toothy grin and pink cheeks. She beamed at Tessa before taking a seat next to Harry.
"Hi," Harry said. Ron didn't say anything other than quietly glare daggers at Hermione.
"It's hot, isn't it?" Hermione fanned herself with her hand. Tessa was still smiling stupidly to herself at the side. "Viktor's just gone to get some drinks."
Ron gave her a withering look. "Viktor?" he said. "Hasn't he asked you to call him Vicky yet?"
That snapped Tessa out of her daydream as she looked at Ron in surprise with how venomous his voice was.
Hermione looked as though she'd been slapped shock. "What's up with you?"
"If you don't know, I'm not going to tell
you."
"Ron, what — ?"
"He's from Durmstrang! He's competing against
Harry! Against Hogwarts! You — you're — fraternizing with the enemy, that's what you're doing!"
Tessa's mouth hung open as she blinked at Ron in disbelief. "Not again with this stupid fraternizing with the enemy!"
"Don't be so stupid!" Hermione exclaimed furiously at Ron. "The enemy! Honestly — who was the one who was all excited when they saw him arrive? Who was the one who wanted his autograph? Who's got a model of him up in their dormitory?"
Ron ignored that as he continued, "I s'pose he asked you to come with him while you were both in the library?"
"Yes, he did. So what?"
"What happened — trying to get him to join spew, were you?"
"No, I wasn't! If you really want to know, he — he said he'd been coming up to the library every day to try and talk to me, but he hadn't been able to pluck up the courage!"
"Yeah, well — that's his story," Ron sniped nastily.
Tessa glanced at her brother who looked just as awkward and out of place as she was. Harry subtly shrugged at her with a bewildered face. Philip was walking over with drinks in hand, but Tessa caught his eye and shook her head quickly at him. He noticed the snarling faces of Ron and Hermione and he instantly turned around to go the other direction.
Hermione was absolutely livid. "And what's that supposed to mean?"
"Obvious, isn't it?" Ron scoffed. "He's Karkaroff's student, isn't he? He knows who you hang around with . . . He's just trying to get closer to Harry — get inside information on him — or get near enough to jinx him —"
Hermione's voice quivered as she spoke in a low voice, "For your information, he hasn't asked me one single thing about Harry, not one — "
"Then he's hoping you'll help him find out what his egg means! I suppose you've been putting your heads together during those cozy little library sessions —"
"I'd never help him work out that egg! Never. How could you say something like that — I want Harry to win the tournament, Harry knows that, don't you, Harry?"
"You've got a funny way of showing it," Ron sneered.
"This whole tournament's supposed to be about getting to know foreign wizards and making friends with them!" Hermione said hotly.
"No it isn't!" Ron shouted. "It's about winning!"
People were starting to stare at them as Harry said quietly, "Ron, I haven't got a problem with
Hermione coming with Krum — "
Ron ignored Harry as well as he continued to lash out, "Why don't you go and find Vicky, he'll be wondering where you are."
"Don't call him Vicky!" At that, Hermione jumped to her feet and stormed away from them, disappearing into the crowd of dancing people.
Letting out a puff of annoyance, Tessa got to her feet, mindful to not attract any more nosy people's attention. "You're unbelievable," she growled under her breath to Ron who was scowling at the direction Hermione left. "If you were going to be all sulky and jealous about Hermione going with Krum, then you should've asked her way earlier to the ball."
But Ron wasn't listening either to her. She threw her hands up in the air before stomping away from him and to the dance floor. Hermione was nowhere to be found, Philip was busy talking with a Durmstrang classmate, Fred and George were chatting with Ludo Bagman, and even her mother was discussing something with Dumbledore. Without even realizing, she had searched the room for Draco, their eyes meeting all the way across the Great Hall.
There was concern swimming in those silver eyes of his. Is everything okay, Valentine?
Tessa smiled faintly. Yes, don't worry about me.
Draco frowned at that but before he could reply, Tessa had already left the Great Hall.
ϟ ϟ ϟ ϟ
"You shouldn't be up here, it's freezing," came a soft voice from behind Tessa.
"The stars help me think," she replied, listening to him approach her as a cold breeze whistled by to ruffle her hair slightly. She reached up to unravel her hair, letting it tumble down her back.
Draco was quiet for a second before he said, "I know exactly what you mean."
Tessa was about to turn her head and tell him to sit down, but she felt warmth envelope her. Looking down in surprise, she found Draco's velvet suit jacket around her shoulders. She watched him sit next to her, their legs and arms brushing as she smiled. "Thank you."
"What happened earlier?"
Tessa rolled her eyes. "Nothing. Just a stupid fight between Ron and Hermione. It's okay, they'll resolve it soon."
Draco huffed and chuckled at that as they silently watched the blinking stars for a moment. He shifted from next to her, and she turned to see him lay on his back. "Did you dance with Weasley?"
Tessa copied his actions, laying on her back as well with her head uncomfortably against the cold ground. "No, I didn't have the chance to. It feels weird these days with how detached he is from me." She let out a heavy exhale.
Draco turned his head to look at her. "What's that sigh for?" There was no malice in his voice, but mild amusement rather.
Tessa smiled to herself, letting her eyes close to rest them. "He's one of my best friends, so it's natural to find it strange when he's disconnected from me. I don't know," she hummed thoughtfully, "it's like there's something he knows, and won't tell me."
Draco stayed quiet for a whole minute, and very slowly he replied, "Whatever the case is, Braveheart — I hope you two become close friends again. I'd hate for you to lose someone dear to you."
Her eyes still closed, Tessa let out an incoherent murmur to him.
Draco chuckled at that before he opened his arm for her. "Braveheart, come here." She cracked an eye open to see him patting his arm. "You'll hurt your head laying like that." He watched her endearingly as she sleepily scooted closer to him and rested her head on his arm like a pillow.
He swallowed hard, trying his damn best to control his thundering heart as he watched the way she started to drift to sleep in the warmth and comfort of his arms.
She was so close to him that it pained him to see how extraordinary she was.
"Braveheart," he whispered softly to her as she hummed in acknowledgement. Smiling fondly at her, he murmured, "Even with all the stars out here tonight — you still glow the fiercest of them all."
Tessa must be half-asleep already because she muttered, "That's nice." She didn't even crack an eye open to give him a pointed look with how cheesy that line was.
Draco waited for a few more minutes before he called out to her again, "Braveheart?"
Her soft breaths met him, and he knew she was asleep by then.
He reached a hand up tentatively and let a finger graze over the slope of her nose. "Endearing when half asleep," he whispered once more. And before he could change his mind — Draco moved just a little bit closer and let his lips brush against her forehead. His kiss lingered there for a while, letting his eyes close as he relished having her in his arms. His star; his Braveheart.
ϟ ϟ ϟ ϟ
Nobody was looking forward to the first day of the new term. Snow was still on the grounds, and Tessa was grumbling and shivering as they walked to Care of Magical Creatures. When they arrived at Hagrid's cabin, they were all clearly surprised to see an elderly witch instead of Hagrid himself.
"Hurry up, now, the bell rang five minutes ago," she barked at them.
"Who're you?" Ron asked, staring at her. "Where's Hagrid?"
"My name is Professor Grubbly-Plank," she said briskly. "I am your temporary Care of Magical Creatures teacher."
"Where's Hagrid?" Harry repeated loudly.
"He is indisposed."
Tessa frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"This way, please," Grubbly-Plank said instead, choosing to ignore Tessa's question as she strode off around the paddock.
"What's wrong with Hagrid?" Harry said as they hurried to catch up with the rude professor.
"Never you mind," she said.
"I do mind, though. What's up with him?"
Professor Grubbly-Plank acted as though she couldn't hear him as she continued to lead them to where a large and beautiful unicorn was tethered.
"Oh it's so beautiful!" Lavender whispered in awe. "How did she get it? They're supposed to be really hard to catch!"
"Boys keep back!" Grubbly-Plank yelled. "They prefer the woman's touch, unicorns. Girls to the front, and approach with care, come on, easy does it . . . "
Tessa stayed rooted to her spot as all the girls left to follow after the snobby professor. She crossed her arms stubbornly as Harry turned to her and Ron. "What d'you reckon's wrong with him? You don't think a skrewt — ?"
"Oh he hasn't been attacked, Potter, if that's what you're thinking," came the voice of Draco behind them and Tessa prayed to the heavens that he doesn't do or say anything stupid. "No, he's just too ashamed to show his face."
Ron gave Tessa a warning look but she repeated under her breath, "Not his keeper."
"What d'you mean?" Harry said sharply.
Draco paused to let his gaze linger on Tessa as a hint of an apologetic smile passed his lips before he pulled out a folded page of newsprint from his robes. "There you go," he said to Harry. "Hate to break it to you, Potter . . . "
Tessa glimpsed at the title, and didn't have to read the article to know that it was about Rita Skeeter blowing things out of proportion on Hagrid being a half-giant. She pinched the bridge of her nose while Harry read the article out loud for them all.
"How did she find out?" Ron whispered in horror.
Before anyone else could do anything, Grubbly-Plank stalked over to yank Tessa over and yelled at her for not joining the other girls.
"I hope she stays, that woman!" Parvati said happily as they walked back to the castle for lunch. "That's more what I thought Care of Magical Creatures would be like . . . proper creatures like unicorns, not monsters . . . "
"What about Hagrid?" Harry said angrily.
"What about him? He can still be gamekeeper, can't he?"
Tessa frowned at what Parvati said and opened her mouth to retaliate, but Hermione has walked through the crowd and joined them in the Great Hall. "That was a really good lesson, I didn't know half the things Professor Grubbly- Plank told us about uni —"
"Look at this!" Harry snarled and shoved the Daily Prophet article under Hermione's nose.
A look of terror flashed across Hermione's face as Tessa poured herself a cup of coffee. "How did that horrible Skeeter woman find out? You don't think Hagrid told her?"
"No. He never even told us, did he? I reckon she was so mad he wouldn't give her loads of horrible stuff about me, she went ferreting around to get him back."
Tessa lifted a brow at that. "What an interesting choice of verb," she drawled quietly to herself.
"Maybe she heard him telling Madame Maxime at the ball," Hermione said.
"We'd have seen her in the garden!" Ron countered. "Anyway, she's not supposed to come into school anymore, Hagrid said Dumbledore banned her . . . "
"Maybe she's got an Invisibility Cloak," Harry said, furiously ladling soup into his bowl. "Sort of thing she'd do, isn't it, hide in bushes listening to people."
"She's a fly on the wall, that one," Tessa muttered and wiping off the mess Harry made and taking over in putting food into his plate.
"Like you and Ron did, you mean," Hermione said to the two boys.
"We weren't trying to hear him!" Ron protested indignantly. "We didn't have any choice! The stupid prat, talking about his giantess mother where anyone could have heard him!"
"We've got to go and see him," Harry said. "This evening, after Divination. Tell him we want him back . . . you do want him back?"
"I — well, I'm not going to pretend it didn't make a nice change, having a proper Care of Magical Creatures lesson for once — but I do want Hagrid back, of course I do!" Hermione added hastily.
They'd went down to his cabin later that evening, trying to get him to open the door for them — but he wouldn't budge. Fang had barked relentlessly every time they'd try and knock, but all week Hagrid wouldn't show his face.
Halfway through January, there was another Hogsmeade visit. Tessa had told them to go on without her, because she wanted to catch up on her reading. They'd left begrudgingly, muttering on how they would have wanted her to come along with them.
Tessa was in the middle of reading 1984 while walking to Hagrid's place in hopes of persuading him to talk to her, when she heard footsteps stomping from far away. Glancing over her book, she found Hermione angrily storming through the grounds and she quickly shut her book to hurry next to Ron and Harry.
"What happened?" she asked breathlessly as Ron explained their encounter with Rita Skeeter in the Three Broomsticks.
"Hagrid!" Hermione shouted, pounding on his front door. "Hagrid, that's enough! We know you're in there! Nobody cares if your mum was a giantess, Hagrid! You can't let that foul Skeeter woman do this to you! Hagrid, get out here, you're just being —"
The door swung open to reveal not Hagrid — but Professor Dumbledore. "Good afternoon," he said pleasantly, smiling down at them.
"We — er — we wanted to see Hagrid," Hermione squeaked, her voice diminishing by the second.
"Yes, I surmised as much. Why don't you come in?"
"Oh . . . um . . . okay," Hermione mumbled as they all entered the cabin.
Fang was barking and jumping to greet them while Hagrid was sitting at his table where there were two mugs of tea. His face was blotchy and his eyes were swollen.
"Hi, Hagrid," Tessa said very gently.
Hagrid looked up to them. " 'Lo," he said in a very hoarse voice.
"More tea, I think," Dumbledore said, drawing out his wand as a tea tray appeared with a plate of cakes. Everybody gathered around the table and sat down as he said, "Did you by any chance hear what Miss Granger was shouting, Hagrid?"
Hermione went pink, but Dumbledore smiled and continued, "Hermione, Harry, Ron, and Tessa still seem to want to know you, judging by the way they were attempting to break down the door."
"Of course we still want to know you!" Harry said, staring at Hagrid. "You don't think anything that Skeeter cow — sorry, Professor," he added quickly, looking at Dumbledore.
"I have gone temporarily deaf and haven't any idea what you said, Harry," Dumbledore hummed, twiddling his thumbs and staring up at the ceiling. Tessa fought the urge not to burst out laughing in such a serious situation.
"Er — right," Harry went on. "I just meant — Hagrid, how could you think we'd care what that — woman — wrote about you?"
Tears rolled down Hagrid's cheeks as he kept quiet.
"Living proof of what I've been telling you, Hagrid," the headmaster said. "I have shown you the letters from the countless parents who remember you from their own days here, telling me in no uncertain terms that if I sacked you, they would have something to say about it —"
"Not all of 'em," Hagrid mumbled hoarsely. "Not all of 'em wan' me ter stay."
"Really, Hagrid, if you are holding out for universal popularity, I'm afraid you will be in this cabin for a very long time. Not a week has passed since I became headmaster of this school when I haven't had at least one owl complaining about the way I run it. But what should I do? Barricade myself in my study and refuse to talk to anybody?"
"Yeh — yeh're not half-giant!"
"Hagrid, look what I've got for relatives!" Harry said furiously. "Look at the Dursleys!"
"An excellent point," Professor Dumbledore said. "My own brother, Aberforth, was prosecuted for practicing inappropriate charms on a goat. It was all over the papers, but did Aberforth hide? No, he did not! He held his head high and went about his business as usual! Of course, I'm not entirely sure he can read, so that may not have been bravery . . . "
"Come back and teach, Hagrid," Tessa finally spoke up.
Hermione nodded fervently and added, "Please come back, we really miss you."
More tears leaked out and rolled down Hagrid's cheeks as Dumbledore stood up. "I refuse to accept your resignation, Hagrid, and I expect you back at work on Monday. You will join me for breakfast at eight-thirty in the Great Hall. No excuses. Good afternoon to you all."
When Dumbledore left and shut the door behind him, Hagrid burst out sobbing as he covered his face with his large hands. After a few moments, he sniffed and said in a scratchy voice, "Great man, Dumbledore . . . great man . . ."
"Yeah, he is," Ron said. "Can I have one of these cakes, Hagrid?"
"Help yerself," Hagrid said, wiping his eyes on the back of his hand. "Ar, he's righ', o' course — yeh're all righ' . . . I bin stupid . . . my ol' dad woulda bin ashamed o' the way I've bin behavin' . . . Never shown you a picture of my old dad, have I? Here . . ."
Hagrid walked over to pull out a picture from his dresser. It showed a short wizard who was beaming at the photo as he sat on top of Hagrid's shoulder. Hagrid was so young, barely even a teenager, yet he stood a good seven or eight feet tall already.
"Tha' was taken jus' after I got inter Hogwarts," Hagrid croaked. "Dad was dead chuffed . . . thought I migh' not be a wizard, see, 'cos me mum . . . well, anyway. 'Course, I never was great shakes at magic, really . . . but at least he never saw me expelled. Died, see, in me second year . . . Dumbledore was the one who stuck up for me after Dad went. Got me the gamekeeper job . . . trusts people, he does. Gives 'em second chances . . . tha's what sets him apar' from other heads, see. He'll accept anyone at Hogwarts, s'long as they've got the talent. Knows people can turn out okay even if their families weren' . . . well . . . all tha' respectable. But some don' understand that. There's some who'd always hold it against yeh . . . there's some who'd even pretend they just had big bones rather than stand up an' say — I am what I am, an' I'm not ashamed. 'Never be ashamed,' my ol' dad used ter say, 'there's some who'll hold it against you, but they're not worth botherin' with.' An' he was right. I've bin an idiot. I'm not botherin' with her no more, I promise yeh that. Big bones . . . I'll give her big bones."
Tessa shared a look with the other three, knowing fully well he was talking about Madame Maxime.
"Yeh know wha', Harry?" Hagrid said suddenly, "when I firs' met you, you reminded me o' me a bit. Mum an' Dad gone, an' you was feelin' like yeh wouldn' fit in at Hogwarts, remember? Not sure yeh were really up to it . . . an' now look at yeh, Harry! School champion! Yeh know what I'd love, Harry? I'd love yeh ter win, I really would. It'd show 'em all . . . yeh don' have ter be pureblood ter do it. Yeh don' have ter be ashamed of what yeh are. It'd show 'em Dumbledore's the one who's got it righ', lettin' anyone in as long as they can do magic. How you doin' with that egg, Harry?"
"Great," Harry lied. "Really great."
It was worth the lie, because Hagrid's face spread into a large smile. "Tha's my boy . . . you show 'em, Harry, you show 'em. Beat 'em all."
Later that night when they made their way back to the Gryffindor Tower, Harry was deep in thought. "What are you thinking about?" Tessa asked as she glared at Ron who kept trying to knock his knees against the back of hers.
"A bath — I need to take a bath," Harry mumbled before distractedly walking ahead inside the portrait.
Tessa paused and shared a look with Hermione. "Well, that doesn't sound strange at all — ouch, Ron, quit doing that!" His laugh echoed as he ran straight inside the common room.
"I hope the second task goes well for Harry," Hermione murmured worriedly.
Tessa sighed deeply. "Me too."
A/N
I HAVE BEEN DYING TO WRITE THIS CHAPTER EVER SINCE I CREATED TESSA PLEASE THE YULE BALL AND THE ASTRONOMY TOWER SCENE PLEASE IM SO EMOTIONAL MY BABIES ARE GROWING UP AND I JUST *screams into pillow and thrashes around uncontrollably*
Btw! The dress Tessa wears is an inspiration of a favorite book of mine (A Court of Mist and Fury) where the protagonist Feyre (hehe sounds like my name Fhreya lmao) wears to Starfall. It's very very similar, and I just wanted to say that I do not have any claim over Tessa's dress!
Okay so we know that Catherine and Tessa are both very very stubborn and strong willed women — but out of curiosity, who do you think would win if they got into an argument?
Oh oh! And so I know that most of you want Tessa and Draco to just KISS already (excluding sneaky Draco in this chapter oop) but just wait a couple more chapters! I promise you that the build up and even more tension that leads to their long-awaited kiss will all be worth the wait!!