✓ | RECKLESS AND BRAVE | Draco Malfoy

66 | NEDOVTIPA

NEDOVTIPA
(n.) someone who cannot take a hint

THE FIRST PLACE TESSA WENT TO WAS THE ROOM OF REQUIREMENTS WHERE SHE KNEW DRACO WOULD BE. She was shaking, face streaked with tears as she pushed her way inside the door. He was there as usual sitting in front of the Cabinet, and he started upon seeing her. "We need to stop," she was blubbering, not making any sense as she stammered.

"Tessa, slow down," Draco said, wrapping his arms around her to calm her down. "What happened?"

She was shaking her head and impatiently pushing her hair away from her face with shaking hands. "We can't do this anymore — we can't keep hurting other people, Draco. I don't want to do this anymore."

"Hey, hey," he said in a quiet yet firm voice, cupping his hands over her face to make her look him straight in the eyes. "Breathe. You're going to have another panic attack, you need to breathe first."

Tessa raggedly inhaled, following him as she steadied herself first. When she no longer felt as though she was underwater, she tried to speak again, "Remember the mead that was to be given to Dumbledore?"

"Yes, what about it?"

"Ron drank it. He ate Chocolate Cauldrons this morning laced in love potion by Romilda Vane, so Harry and I brought him to Slughorn. When he managed to give him an antidote, Slughorn poured us all a glass to drink, because it was also Ron's birthday." Tessa squeezed her eyes shut as guilt gnawed violently at her stomach. "Draco, I can't do this anymore — I can't keep hurting my friends."

"Then we won't," he said at once, drawing her close to embrace her. "I'm sorry I let things get this far — it's my fault."

"No more," Tessa repeated. "We can't have any more people become collateral damage between your task and Dumbledore."

"No more," Draco promised.

ϟ ϟ ϟ ϟ

     Nobody was in the hospital wing that night except for Tessa as she sat by his bed in silence. Her eyes were puffy as she watched his sleeping form breathe rhythmically. "Hey," she said quietly, reaching to cover his hand with hers. "It's me. I'm sorry I didn't show myself earlier when the twins and your parents were here — I couldn't dare look them in the eye after what I did."

Ron didn't even stir; she hoped he was at least dreaming about good things.

"I'm so sorry, Ron," she whispered, another tear rolling down her cheeks and splattering his skin as she hung her head low in shame. "I didn't mean for things to get this much out of hand, and it's my fault for letting this happen to you. I'm so sorry."

     She sniffed, hastily wiping across her face with the back of her hand.

"You've always been by my side, and I'm so grateful for that. You and Harry — you two are my brothers. Even though I don't say it aloud, I think of you as one. So please," she begged, clutching onto his hand tightly as she crumpled to her knees. "Please wake up soon and get better right away — I want to apologize to you again when you're awake."

Tessa rested her head on top of her hands encased around his, squeezing her eyes shut as she apologized again and again in a hushed voice.

She didn't expect for a hand to gently pat the top of her head, and when she looked up, she found Ron half-awake and smiling weakly at her. "R-Ron!" she lunged toward him with arms circling around him. "Ron, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry — I didn't mean to — "