Tessa's boots clicked, and clacked, along the stone floor as she briskly walked down to the hospital Wing.
"Bloody geniuses," mumbled Tessa under her breath as she rounded the corner of the hall towards the tall and wide engraved double doors. Her canter slowed to a walk as she opened one of the doors to hear the room full of laughter.
"Tess!," shouted Fred motioning her over. "Look we finally have facial hair now.". Fred pointing at his long white beard that covered his mouth and neck.
"We're men," interjected George happily. He stroked his beard lovingly waggling his eyebrows in Tessa's direction.
Tessa sighed and relaxed her tense shoulders as she walked over to the twins' beds. "Finally hit puberty I see," said Tessa laughing.
"I take offense to that," said Fred appalled.
"You of all people, hitting us when we're low," said George wiping a fake tear from his cheek.
"Oh shove it you two," said Tessa waving them off as she sat down next to George's bed.
"Meme me," mocked Fred as he smiled at Tessa who winked at him in response.
"How long will you two be in here?" Asked Tessa quietly.
"Will you be fine on your own without us," said Fred waggling his eye-brows.
"Oh please I have a life that doesn't involve you two," said Tessa getting up from her chair.
There was a moment of silence from Fred and George until they both sputtered into laughter as Tessa walked away from them.
"Pricks," laughed Tessa as she opened the door to the hospital wing and walking out of the laughter filled room, closing the door behind her.
"Are you excited?" Asked Tessa nudging Angelina as the crowd of students filled the the Great Hall. The Goblet of Fire's flames glowing blue and silver lapping over the rim.
"Very," said Angelina blushing slightly wringing her hands together in her lap.
"If anyone could get it you will," said Hannah Abbott sitting to the right of Angelina.
"Mhm," mumbled the three girls in unison as they watched Viktor Kramer and his group waltz in with a trail of girl behind them.
"Gimme a break," grumbled Ron who was glaring at Viktor Krum and his groupies as they walked past.
Hermione rolled her eyes as she stared at the entrance of the Great Hall watching the last of the Beauxbatons students saunter to their group. Tessa rolled her eyes and glance at the teacher's table that was now seated by non other than Percy Weasley.
"The hell?" Said Tessa shoving Ron's shoulder and pointing at Percy sitting very taut in his seat.
"I'm sure he's keeping it warm for that twat, Crouch, until he arrives," mumbled Ron that sputtered a few chuckles around them including Hermione who covered her smirk with her hand.
"Lousy git," said Fred glaring at the table now accompanied by Ludo Bagman.
Tessa rubbed Fred's arm in assurance causing him to blush lightly and relax into his seat. The Great Hall was now filled to the brim with giddy and excited students waiting for the ceremony to begin.
"Good luck, Angelina," said Tessa as Angelina smiled lightly.
"HARRY! HARRY! HARRY!."
The entire Common Room erupted in cheers once Harry walked into the room like dragged by Fred and George.
Tessa walked up behind Fred and George and pushed in between them to Harry. She grabbed Harry after Fred and George congratulated them, and kissed both of his cheeks causing Harry to blush profusely.
"How'd you do it?" Asked Tessa still holding his Face.
"I-I didn't," sputtered Harry. Tessa let go of Harry's face a nodded understanding as he blushed even more moving into the throng of people trying to hug him and speak to him.
"Oh so now that Harry is champion you want to have a shot at him too," said George nudging Tessa.
"Bugger off," laughed Tessa pushing George away toward Fred looking glum in the corner near the fireplace.
Tessa turned around and watched Harry now with a red and gold cap on his back billowing behind him as he ran up the staircase.
"Party pooper," mumbled Tessa as she grabbed a pumpkin pasty from the table filled with treat and walked over to Angelina and Hannah.
The morning of the First Task was dismal. Harry looked as though he was about to throw up his breakfast as owls swooped over his head dropping packages to their owners.
Tessa's family owl, black with white speckles, zoomed over Fred and George's head with a massive box nearly hitting Ron as it slammed on the table skidding to a stop in front of Tessa. Nyx, Tessa's now grown gat, leaped onto the table and sat on the box pawing at Ron's dropped sausage,
Fred and George began laugh as Ron tried to grab his beloved sausage while Nyx bopped his hand every time he reached for it.
"Bloody fucking cats," said Ron snatching his sausage as Tessa picked up Nyx and placed her in Fred's lap.
"You know you need to stop eating Ron," said Hermione motherly.
"Yeah looks like you're still stuck with your baby cheeks with how much you stuff your face," said George laughing harder as Ron threw his empty pate at George's chest.
"What's the package," asked Hermione excitedly.
"I don't know I'll check later," said Tessa as picked up the box and ran out of the Great Hall towards the Gryffindor Common Room.
"Need help?"
Tessa turned around expecting it to be Fred when instead it was George.
"Always need help from you," said Tessa smiling.
George smiled back and grabbed the box from her arms and ushered her to go up the stairs.
"So is this more supplies," said George brightly.
"I honestly don't know," said Tessa touching the mint green bow wrapped seamlessly around the lavender box.
"Looks fancy," said George shaking the box lightly.
"Probably from my family in France," said Tessa laughing as George shook harder but to no avail only the sound of rustling paper.
"Balderdash," said George.
"We can leave it there," said Tessa pointing at a nook near the Common Room entrance that one could hardly see unless they flashed a light to it.
"Too lazy to walk upstairs," said George laughing as he placed the box behind a Gryffindor Banner.
"Nah,"said Tessa waving him off. "But it would be nice if an elf found it and carried it to my room."
"I'm telling Hermione," said George pushing the painting door open allowing Tessa to go in first.
"Then, I'm telling Lee you stole his sweater he's been looking for for the past three days."
"I was only joking," said George trying to grab Tessa as she ran down the stairs.
Tessa ran down each staircase with George hot on her heels until she reached the ground floor only to be picked up and swung over George's shoulders.
"Put me down," laughed Tessa as she relaxed into his grip.
"Doesn't seem like you want to be put down," said George jokingly.
"Eh," said Tessa. "It's actually quite nice being carried."
At the entrance of the castle, George dropped Tessa off his shoulder and carefully laid her on the steps so she could walk down them without trying to regain her balance.
"Bummer," said Tessa mimicking a pout as George pushed her to continue walking with the growing crowd of students making their way to the arena.
"Where have you two been?" Asked Lee making room for Tessa and George.
"Tessa took too long putting up her package in her room," said George winking at Tessa.
Tessa stuck out her tongue as the arena filled to full capacity within minutes. Below her she saw Hermione looking heavily worried and looking in every direction she possibly could.
Tessa leaned over her seat and tapped Hermione lightly
"You okay 'Mione?" Asked Tessa. Hermione jumped from her touch and nodded her head vigorously and quickly turned back around.
Tessa shrugged her shoulders and waited, like the rest of the arena, for the First Task to begin.
"When is Harry coming," said Ginny impatiently as the party grew thicker and louder as the minutes droned on.
"Thats a good book,"stated Hermione sitting next to her by the fire. She Pointed at the book in Tessa's hand who covered the title and Hermione could only decipher the book by its illustrations.
"It's been great so far," said Tessa holding up "Sense and Sensibility" for Ginny to see.
"Can I read it next?" Ginny asked peeking over the couch.
"Of course," laughed Tessa as she placed the book down and sat up allowing her feet to rest on the floor so all three girl can sit on the couch together.
Once Ginny settled next to Tessa they both sat silently waiting for Hermione to begin talking. It was apparent she had something to say considering she was fidgeting with her hair lightly.
"Erm," said Hermione uncomfortably. "I'm sorry for earlier. I was nervous for Harry."
"We all are Hermione," said Tessa soothingly. "Look if it makes you feel better i think all of us here have the same feeling about what's going on with the tournament."
"And why Harry is in it," interjected Ginny.
Hermione nodded relaxing into her seat as an eruption of cheers enveloped the room. She stood up and sauntered towards the front door waiting for Harry to be clear of congratulators.
"About time you two showed up," said Ginny as she grabbed a bag of pastries from Fred's hands. She stood up and walked away as Fred took her seat staring up at the ceiling.
"Quit a show isn't it," said Fred pointing at the sparkling show above them.
"Yeah it is," said Tessa in awe as the color changed from silver to blue.
"We'll make some of our own," said Fred confidently squeezing Tessa's shoulder pulling her closer into his body during the process.
"I know you will," said Tessa happily.
"And you'll be there," said Fred looking down at her.
"Yeah,"said Tessa quietly. The room grew silent as Fred leaned in closer to Tessa. More fireworks shot into the air creating a faint popping noise like pressure pushing at your eardrums.
Tessa leaned upwards to close the gap between their lips and the fireworks went off again creating a deafening sound that slowly turned into a shrill voice causing Tessa to pull away from Fred and cover her ears.
"What the hell," said Tessa to Fred who had the same face of shock as hers, but Tessa felt it wasn't because of the deafening shrill that pulled them away from each other. Because he wasn't looking at the object Harry's hands, he was looking at Tessa.
"I," sputtered Fred quickly before shuffling away from her grasp and walking towards the other side of the common room.
"Shit," thought Tessa as she sunk deeper into her leather chair.
"You two," said Hermione excitedly. "You. You."
"Yes," said Tessa rubbing her face. "And now he's over in the corner talking to Ron and Dean."
"Oh dear," said Hermione sympathizing with Tessa's tone. "He's just surprised is all."
"Yes," said Tessa rubbing her shoulder that still tingled from Fred's touch.
Hermione gave Tessa a side hug before ushering her towards Angelina and Ginny. "Smile," stated Hermione squeezing Tessa's hand.
Tessa straightened her shoulders and turned her tight lipped frown to a cheeky smile once Ginny and Angelina caught sight of them.
"I saw the box on your bed," said Angelina excited. "I got one too."
"Have you opened yours yet?" Asked Tessa happily.
"Of course not that would ruin the surprise!" Said Angelina excitedly.
"You're right," laughed Tessa. "We'll open ours the same time."
"Yes we will," said Angelina passing a cupcake to Hermione.
"So Snape still wants that essay on Tuesday," said Tessa clicking her quill against her Potions book.
"Mm," responded Fred his quill stuffed in his mouth as he grabbed or a few sheets of parchment.
Tessa sighed as she did the same. They sat across from each other for the first time since Sixth year began. He was far enough away for even their feet couldn't touch underneath the table Tessa tried to reach for him which would be too obvious in her opinion.
A minutes dragged on as the scratching of quills was the only noise around them. Fred Put the lid on his ink as he began placing his books and dried sheets of notes into his bag. Tessa did the same until she stooped and turned her body back in front of Fred.
"Something wrong?" Asked Fred almost defensively.
"We kissed yesterday," sputtered out Tessa. "And you've been acting like it was nothing."
Fred stared at her silently watching her face grow from annoyance to sadness.
"I liked it," said Tessa quietly. She looked down at her lap and back up at Fred who moved his lips lightly as though he were trying to find the right words to say. Tessa scoffed she picked up her things and briskly walked away from the table.
She ran out of the library and towards the entrance hall into the gardens just outside the castle. She sat on a bench dropping her bags to a crumpled heap in the dead leaf covered ground. "stupid," though Tessa tutting her head in her hands.
"Xcuse me," said a heavily accented voice. Tessa looked up to she the french girl standing over her smiling. "Is zis seat taken ?"
"No," said Tessa scooting over to make room for her. "Have a seat."
"I'm sorry to intrude," started the girl before placing a hand to her lips. "But I saw semthing odd?" She looked at Tessa hoping she got the right word and smiling as Tessa nodded smiling lightly. "You ver running out of zat Bibliotheque."
"Yes," laughed Tessa as the girl blushed.
"And I vented to introduce myself," said the French girl. "I'm Amelie."
"Nice to meet you Amelie," said Tessa nodding at the girl.
"If it eezn't too much treble," said Amelie quietly. "I vaz vandering if you could zit vita the raven table tonight?"
"Yeah I can do that,, said Tessa taking up the opportunity to have a little space for the evening.
"Great I'll see you there," said Amelie as she stood up, curtsying lightly, turning around ,and walked away.
Fred stared at the vacant chair in front of him. He mumbled a few words before shooting out of his chair and briskly walking towards the Library door. He reached the Entrance Hall quickly enough to see Tessa hopping off of the last few stair towards the school gardens.
He walked towards the gardens and slowed to stop when he saw Tessa sitting on a bench with her heads in her hands,
"Shit," thought Fred as he began walking again towards the garden. He reached the last step until hiding behind a pillar as a Beauxbatons girl stopped in front of Tessa.
He waited for quite sometime time until small giggles from the two girls. He glanced over at the two to see the Beauxbatons girl place a hand on Tessa's arm before walking away back to the group of girls she left behind.
He glanced over at Tessa again to see her smiling and blushing before picking up her bag and standing up.
"Looks like the kiss didn't mean anything then," thought Fred to himself as he turned away from Tessa and walked down the hall to the right of him.