"Ez he seengale?"
Tessa tried to not roll her eyes.
"Yes," said Tessa with a smile plastered on her face. "But he already has a date for the Ball."
"Shame," said the Parisian girl as she turned away from Tessa uninterested once more.
"Don't vorry," said Amelie placing a hand on Tessa's arm. "Sheez." Amelie paused thinking of the proper words.
"Desperate," whispered Tessa in Amelie's ear whom giggled profusely as her cheeks burned a shade of pink.
"Mornin' ladies," said a gruff voice as Tessa turned around to see George looming over her.
A few of the Beauxbatons students turned away from him enveloped in one another's conversations as Amelie smiled at George happily.
"Pardon me," said George lightly. "But may I borrow Tessa for the rest of the morning."
Tessa glared at George as Amelie smiled brightly nodding her head.
"Ev course," stated Amelie scooting Tessa out of her seat. "Thank yew for letting me 'ave 'er for ze veek."
"Anytime," said George pulling a reluctant Tessa out of her seat and nudging her lightly to walk towards the Great Hall doors.
"I wasn't finished with breakfast," mumbled Tessa crossing her arms over her chest.
"You're not finished being a child either apparently," snapped George once they exited the Great Hall.
Tessa glared at the back of George's head as he climbing the Grand staircase. He veered off course towards the Hall Of Hexes as the crowd of students dwindled to a few stragglers looking lost as always.
"May I ask why I'm going to THE Room?" Asked Tessa as the silence made her feel uneasy.
George turned around causing her jump jump lightly.
"Would you like to go to the Ball with me?" Asked George quickly staring at Tessa's shocked face.
"Absolutely," stated Tessa without skipping a beat.
"Cool," said George with a smile. He turned around and continued walking down the hall stopping at the familiar door Tessa missed seeing. "Wanted to get that out of the way. You know." George shrugged as he pulled open the door allowing Tessa to go in first.
"There she is," said Fred quickly looking up from a stack of books on the table.
"Nice to see this place again, eh?" Asked Lee elbowing Tessa lightly as she set her bag down in a chair next to the door.
"I've definitely missed this place," said Tessa quietly.
"And us?" Asked Fred. He winked as Tessa stared at him blankly and walked around the stack of books snatching the notes from Fred's hands.
"I don't miss that however," stated Fred as she sat in the chair next to him.
"What are you doing," stated Tessa perplexed at the scribbles and shaky drawings of ears with a cable.
"What do you think," responded George leaning in between she and Fred.
"Bugger of," grumbled Fred pushing George away.
"A listening device," sighed Tessa.
"Exactly," said the three boys in unison.
"Mostly Fred and George's concept," said Lee proudly.
"It's genius," whispered Tessa. She stared in awe at the diagrams and intricate notes she had to squint to see. A moment had passed and she realized that silence in the room.
She looked up to see Fred staring at his potions book, but no George or Lee in sight. She looked behind her. Her chair squeaking from the sudden movement.
"They went to get supplies," said Fred quietly.
"Oh," replied Tessa scooting closer to the table and away from Fred.
"I'm sorry," said Fred quickly.
Tessa looked up at him in shock.
"You're sorry?" Asked Tessa in a vindictive tone.
"I was a prick," blurted Fred. He closed his book and clasped his hands together staring at them hard.
"You were horrible," said Tessa slightly annoyed.
"I know," responded Fred.
"Well actions speak louder than words," spat Tessa. "It's about time you put a use to your actions for good and not fuel on whatever fiery resentment you have towards me."
Fred sat quietly nodding his head lightly, as Tessa's rigid body began to ache from the tension.
"I thought," paused Fred still staring at his clasped hands now turning purple around the edges.
"You thought?" Asked Tessa looking up at him. She closed her book as well facing her torso towards him and leaning into her hand resting her elbow on the table.
"I thought," said Fred calmly letting go of his hands and gazing up at Tessa's eyes. "I thought you and that French girl hit it off and-,"
"-And you took your jealousy on me," interrupted Tessa boring eyes into his. "Well what if we did, and then she ended it because she felt like she was impeding on our friendship."
"I feel horrible. What I did," paused Fred looking away from Tessa's glare.
"You feel horrible," laughed Tessa lifting her head from her hand and tousling her hair. She leaned back into her seat pouting at the door. "You made my life a nightmare the past month."
"I'm-"
"Stop saying you're sorry," blurted Tessa glaring back at Fred. "You fucked up Weasley."
"I don't know what to say," blurted out Fred almost as if he were in pain.
"Stop saying and start doing," said Tessa picking up her book and walking over to her bag across the room. She didn't bother stuffing her bag as she picked it up slinging it over her shoulder. She opened the door to the study hall and marched out letting the door swing open behind her.
"You ready," shouted Angelina as she ran across the room rummaging through her bag.
"Almost," shouting Tessa as she shoved her feet into her left shoe.
"Merlin's beard," grumbled Angelina as she ran passed Tessa and snagged her wand stuffing it in a garland wrapped around her thigh.
"Why are you bringing that," scoffed Tessa as she shoved her right foot into another heeled shoe.
"Always need your wand on you," stated Angelina happily.
Tessa shrugged in responded and wobbled on the narrow heel holding her body weight as she stood.
Her dress was a gray in color. The top half showed her bare skin peeking through lace and forming a v shape down her chest showing little cleavage. Each arm was covered in the same material to her wrist. The lace hugged every which way it laid and flowed, past her waist, in a silky fabric to the floor, covering her heels, barely grazing the ground.
The back of her dress however was none the bit conservative as it drooped low down her back showing her bare skin until the silky fabric hugged the two dimples on her lower back and flowed to the floor into a light train.
"We gotta go," shouted Angelina behind whom opened the door and began running down the stairs.
Tessa picked up her dress and followed suit taking her time as she closed the door behind her and sauntered down the stairs. Small chatter echoed through the staircase and erupted into a roar as the tiny hall opened up to the Common Room below her.
Sequined Dresses and silky tux laidened students littered the Common Room in such a fashion that Tessa has never seen her entire house in such a cordial manner. Tessa reached the bottom step and was immediately scooped up by George whom led her towards the Common Room exit.
"You are stunning," said George rubbing Tessa's right shoulder leading her out of the loud room. The Grand Staircase was considerably louder as Tessa saw Angelina and Fred two flights below them.
"We are supposed to be in the Great Hall first closest to the Professors table," said George quickly as the Ground Floor neared in Tessa's vision. Best get a move on already late." George laughed as Tessa elbowed him lightly.
"We are not late,"scoffed Tessa dramatically causing a few students to look their way in hopes of the first sight of drama for the night.
George laughed harder as he hopped off the last step and helping Tessa off the staircase before allowing her to walk ahead of him into the great Hall.
The room was packed with upperclassman waiting impatiently for the ball to begin. Tessa glanced at Angelina and Fred whom by the looks of it were farther apart than any couple in the entire room almost allowing a Durmstrang student get in between them.
George, however, was so close to Tessa she could feel his breath on the nap of her neck as the room began filling First and Second year classmates.
"Liking the view by the way," whispered George."Never seen such a risqué outfit from you Thornhill."
"There's more where that came from," replied Tessa as she bumped George lightly away from her. They both laughed as the room was filled, minus the champions, and the orchestra began playing the first notes of a song.
"Hurry up," shouted Fred behind him.
It was almost Three in morning as Tessa picked up her dress running after him. After dancing with George for most of the night to now chasing after a boy that lost her trust through a hallway, only lit by the moonlight, Tessa had lost both of her shoes, her hair fallen into beachy waves grazing her bare back, and a smile she only shared with Fred that hadn't been on her face in weeks.
"I'm trying but the floor's hard to run on," shouted Tessa happily. She rounded the corner and bumped into Fred whom was waiting for her. He wrapped his arms around her lifted her into the air. "Put me down!"
"Alright," laughed Fred and he placed Tessa back onto the stone floor and grabbed her hand pulling her deeper into a very dark hallway.
"Where are we going?" Asked Tessa.
"I told you you'll see," laughed Fred as he stopped in front of a door and opened it slowly.
The room was brightly light with floating candles and a bottle of fire whiskey on a single table. Tessa marveled in the sight as she entered the room; the door shutting behind her.
"Sneaking into the library, kitchens, and now this," thought Tessa as the room glowed and ambient array of pink, orange, and yellow.
"You said actions over words right," said Fred motioning her to follow him to the table.
"Yeah," said Tessa as she sat on the bar stool adjacent to Fred.
"Well this is the best I could come up with on such short notice," grunted Fred as he popped open the Fire Whiskey and poured into on of the glasses that somehow materialized onto the table.
"It's perfect," sighed Tessa as he placed a glass half filled in front of her. "I'm amazed you even got Fire Whiskey to be honest."
"Eh stole it from the Professor's lounge," shrugged Fred. "It's quite easy when they're to busy having fun themselves."
"Mhm," mumbled Tessa staring at Fred with wonder.
"Now that I have shown my sincere apology through action," said Fred pouring a glass himself. "Can we talk now."
"Yeah, we can," sighed Tessa after she took a sip from her glass.
"Seems like you and Fred are doing great," mumbled Hermione as Tessa sat next to her in the Great Hall.
It had been a week since the Yule Ball and she and Fred were inseparable since. Even sitting by Hermione now was a surprise.
"Yeah," said Tessa lightly blushing. "He's been working on building our friendship."
"Relationships more like it," mumbled Hermione.
"Pardon," joked Tessa as she grabbed a piece of toast between them.
"Oh come, Tess," stated Hermione. "You two have mostly done everything beside kiss when it comes to a budding relationship. You even held hands with him the other day."
"You're watching us," stated Tessa dramatically clutching her heart, smearing butter residue from her fingers on her shirt.
"Oh come off it," grumbled Hermione as she covered her book with her face. "Even if you have come to terms with Fred and yourself being friends again you haven't even considered how Amelie and Angelina feel."
"They're both fine Angelina's satisfied and Amelie is very happy for me," said Tessa smirking as she ate her butter filled toast. "She's the one who broke up with me anyways. Well not really broken up, but ended things from going further."
Hermione sat still for quite sometime until placing her book down and staring at Tessa.
"Didn't know that,"said Hermione quickly.
"Mione, I know you're still looking out for me but I'm fine," said Tessa in between bites.
"How's you and Viktor by the way," said Tessa waggling her eyebrows.
"We're fine," said Hermione abruptly. "But that's besides the point. How is it that you are smitten with him when a week ago you wanted to rip his eyes out with a ladle." Her frizzy hair bounced as she situated in her seat.
"We talked," said Tessa shrugging her shoulders.
"What about?" Asked Hermione leaning forward even more.
"It's personal besides," responded Tessa waving Hermione off. "He's actually treating me like a separate being from the the guys for once."
"You mean girlfriend," stated Hermione leaning away from the table.
"No," sputtered Tessa quickly. "He told me the truth and his actions, mind you were highly unethical in my judgment, are forgiven considering his nature."
"His nature," repeated Hermione un-skeptically.
"Yes," stated Tessa pouring a glass of orange juice. "Remember that time Malfoy called you a mud-blood and the next day he was in the Hospital Wing vomiting his intestines out." Tessa ate a piece of her toast as Hermione grimaced at her perplexed. "He couldn't eat anything solid for days."
"Yes," said Hermione mildly annoyed.
"Yeah," mumbled Tessa with a mouthful of food. "He's a walking nightmare if you rub him the wrong way."
Hermione's eyes squinted as she watched Tessa take a sip of her orange juice. "Guys guys did it didn't you."
Tessa spat out her drink all over the table as Hermione flinched from the spray that hit her face. A few tables down you could hear a group of students laughing and pointing in their direction as Tessa held her nose in agony.
"Merlin, 'mione," spat Tessa as she reached for a napkin and wiped her out and nose that looked slightly orange until it was wiped clean. "No we didn't."
"You did something," stated Hermione in the same tone as before.
"Fine," said Tessa. "Keep your voice down."
"So," said Hermione waiting impatiently.
"We had a few shots of Fire Whiskey," stated Tessa.,
"How'd you get Fire Whiskey," stated Hermione shamefully. "You could get expelled if a teacher found out."
"I know I know," stated Tessa annoyed. "We were a bit tipsy, and we talked about life and other stuff."
"You kissed," said Hermione monotonously.
"We talked about stuff," whispered Tessa looking around the room whom seemed to not care anymore about the two girls covered in juice.
"Okay," said Hermione picking up her book and began reading it again as if what Tessa told her was expected.
"That's it," said Tessa after a moment of staring at Hermione for a few seconds.
"Yeah," said Hermione.
Tessa rolled her eyes and sat up from the table walking out of the Great Hall and up the stairs towards the Common Room where Fred was waiting on her to go morning walk around the castle.