Tessa sighed, throwing down her quill as the words in front of her blurred together. She was finding it really hard to concentrate. It was only the first day of her classes and already, her concentration was shot. It was hard. Being back in Hogwarts after the War. Even a year later. Everything was still too fresh. It was like she could turn around and there would be her older brothers, Dmitri and Jeremiah popping in for a visit. Just to see their baby sister. Now, Tessa would do anything to see her brothers again. Anything to hear them tease her again, tug on a lock of her red hair. Shaking her head, she stood, ignoring the looks she was getting from the other students. Professor Flitwick looked over at her, concern on his face. As he opened his mouth to speak, Tessa simply shook her head and nearly ran out of the classroom, needing some fresh air before she broke in front of everybody. She had no idea how she was going to make it through this year. It was hard at home and it seemed it was going to be just as hard here in school.

"Do you think it's weird being in Potions class and not seeing Snape?" Blaise asked Draco as the two of them headed out to the Quid ditch field.

"It is odd. It's just not the same with Professor Slughorn. And the new professor they have for Defense Against the Dark Arts seems like a wack-job. And that is saying something considering the past professors we've had for the class." Draco stated.

"She does seem like an odd one. Weirder than Trewlaney. And I didn't think anybody could be weirder than her."

"True. Hey, I had a question to ask you. Concerning Tessa-Lynn."

Blaise stopped walking and looked over at his best friend. "What about her?"

"Has she talked to anybody about what happened during the War?"

"Not that I am aware of. She just kind of shut down. Closed herself up. She won't even talk to Luna when she tries to get her to talk. And they used to talk about everything...and I mean Everything." Blaise said, a strange look on his face.

"Everything?" Draco chuckled at the implication of Blaise's words.

"Yea, man. Everything. Nothing was kept from the other. But now, Luna is lucky if she can get anything out of Tessa about the War and her losses and even, hell, what happened to Tessa."

"What do you mean what happened to Tessa?"

"Some of the rumors that were going around after the War were that your Aunt Bellatrix held and tortured Tessa before killing her older brother Dmitri right in front of her when he tried to save her. Nobody really knows if that is true because Tessa won't talk about it."

"Do you think she would talk to me if I tried?"

"I don't know. I would like to say yes. But I seriously doubt it. She won't talk to nobody about it and I'm afraid we are going to lose her to her secrets."

Draco nodded, unsure why he was so concerned with the young Ravenclaw, but there was just something about her that just drew him to her. He wanted to erase the shadows in her blue eyes.

Luna entered the Ravenclaw dorms, heading straight to the room she shared with Tessa. Hearing that her friend left her Charms class early, she knew where to find her. She knew this school year wouldn't be easy for Tessa.

"Tess Tess." Luna entered the room, locating her friend curled up in the window seat, staring out the window.

"You should be in class, Luna." Tessa mumbled.

"So should you."

"I just...I can't right now."

"Then neither can I. You need me."

"I can't talk about it..."

"When you are ready, I am here for you. But right now, just let me sit here with you. You shouldn't be alone." Luna moved over to the chair by the window, sitting down and making herself comfortable.

Tessa turned her head slightly to look at her best friend, feeling her eyes water with more tears. They seemed to be never-ending lately.

"Tess..."

"Please...don't." Tessa whispered, closing her eyes and laying her head back against the cool glass.

The two girls were quiet for the longest. The only sound that could be heard was Luna's soft breathing and the quiet sniffles from Tessa as she tried to hold back her sobs.

"It hurts, Luna. I know it's going too hurt. It's not going to go away. But it hurts. It hurts waking up each morning and knowing that Dmitri and Jeremiah won't be here." Tessa spoke so quietly Luna almost didn't hear her. Luna looked at her friend, thinking of something to say when she realized Tessa dozed off, tears silently streaming down her face. Taking a deep breath, she let it out shakily as she tried to hold back her own tears. A knock on the door had her moving quickly to answer it, shocked to see Blaise and Draco standing there.

"What are you guys doing in the Ravenclaw dorms?"

"We just walked in..." Blaise stated, a slight smirk on his face at the slight confusion on his girl's face. "The door was opened. We walked in. And now here we are."

"Mmmhmmm. What first year did you two bully to let you two in here?" Luna crossed her arms over her chest.

"No bullying was required. Swear on Merlin's beard, the door was open."

"Well, while you two are here, you can help me move Tessa to her bed."

"Is she alright?" Draco asked as they entered the room, his gaze going straight to Tessa's sleeping figure.

"No."

Moving past Blaise, Draco walked over to Tessa and gently slid his arms underneath her, lifting her as carefully as he could so he didn't wake her. He turned and moved towards the bed Luna turned down, ignoring the look on Blaise's face as he laid the sleeping redhead down. He would deal with his questions later.

"She walked out of her Charm's class. It's only day one of the new semester, if she can't handle it now, she's not going to be able to make it through the year." Luna informed then as an idea popped into Draco's head.

"She'll make it through the year." Draco stated, a smirk almost forming on his face as his idea took root. He knew how to get Tessa to break and finally talk to somebody. It wasn't going to be pleasant and Blaise and Luna might not like his methods. But it was time to teach a certain little Ravenclaw on why he was known as Hogwarts resident bad boy.