The class was terrifyingly quiet as Umbridge circled the room her heels clicking with each slow heavy step. She glanced over a Slytherin girl's shoulder at the back of the classroom and shook her head approvingly as she moved down the middle of the aisle slowly watching each student dip their quills into their ink and scribbling onto the parchment. She stopped at the front of Professor Flitwick's podium and swirled around to face the class, writing in her book, and shutting it loudly causing the classroom to look up. She giggled lightly and walked out of the classroom to the next victim.
"How is this even happening," laughed Lee sarcastically.
"Don't know," sighed Tessa. "I can't even write to my parents with everyone's owls being intercepted."
"Fucking reeks of foul play," mumbled George shuffling his feet on the cobbled path.
"So when are we going to the room," grumbled Lee impatiently.
"Shut up," whispered Tessa elbowing Lee lightly. She glanced around them for a second and looked back at Lee rubbing his hip in pain. "Sorry."
"It's alright," stated Lee shoving his hands into his pockets.
"We'll talk about it later okay," said Fred quietly as he eyed a group that began to loom closer behind them following the four out of the Great Hall.
Tessa veered onto the Grand staircase with George as Lee and Fred waltzed into the Library with the group hot on their heels. The door slammed shut echoing through the silent halls as Tessa and George climbed the Grand Staircase to the Common Room.
"Hogwallops," said Tessa quietly as the Fat Lady swung the door open.
"Finally empty for once," laughed George walking around the Room and leaping not the couch stretching his legs across the arm rest.
"This is the only place we know we are safe," laughed Tessa shoving his feet onto the floor and sitting beside him.
"Even that's an understatement," mumbled George annoyed.
"Doesn't matter," said Tessa quickly. "We need to talk about the meeting."
George yawned and stretched his arm over Tessa and pulled out his wand he mumbled softly and fire shot out of the tip into the fireplace as the logs roared into flames.
"Can't we just cuddle," said George quietly.
"No," laughed Tessa shoving George away from her. "We need to set up times and, and-"
"You need to chill," assured George. He pulled out a sheet of parchment and laid in Tessa's lap. "We already surveyed times, dates, rooms that are currently taken and ones that aren't."
Tessa scanned the paper and rest her head on George's shoulder. The fire crackled lightly as silence enveloped the two.
"So hows the lovely couple," mumbled George.
"There's no couple," scoffed Tessa.
George shrugged lightly causing Tessa heads to bob up and down.
"That's not what I hear," replied George.
"We may spend more time together, but-"
"-But what? you know both of your are enjoying this whole group splitting," interrupted George.
Tessa blushed lightly pushing deeper into the couch.
"It's okay," laughed George. "He'll make a move sooner or later. It's quite cute honestly. Never seen him work so hard."
Tessa laughed quietly.
"I've also never seen him snag so many treats from the kitchens than I have recently," said Tessa happily.
"Oh bollocks, Lee never gets me anything when we're together," scoffed George. "Make sure to request pumpkin pasties for next visit."
Tessa laughed as she got up from the couch and walking over to the mantel throwing the parchment into the flames.
"How hard could it be?" Asked Lee quietly staring at the tapestry. He scrunched his face and gritted his teeth as Tessa paced back and forth behind him.
Within seconds the tapestry molded into a broom closet sized door and Tessa walked passed a satisfied Lee rolling her eyes.
The Room was huge as students voices echoed off the walls and the door disappeared behind Lee once he leaped off of the step.
"There you are," sighed Harry his face pale.
"You all right?" Asked Tessa quietly.
"Harry's….well," stated Hermione slowly. She smiled sympathetically at Harry and walked around Tessa to a corner of the room where Ron twirled his wand between his fingers.
Tessa patted Harry on his back and walked over to Fred and George.
"Oh no no," laughed Fred as Tessa stood by him.
"First come first serve on partners," finished George smirking.
Tessa smirked as Lee slowly hid behind George and walked over to Hannah Abbott studying by herself. Fred, George, and Tessa burst into laughter as they leaned one one another nearly falling over.
"Te-Tessa?"
Fred and George fell to the ground as Tessa turned away from them wiping her eyes.
"Yeah Neville," laughed Tessa heartily.
"Would you like to be my partner?"
Tessa smiled lightly and nodded as she followed Neville to a corner of the room by the large fireplace.
"Sorry if it gets too hot," sighed Neville nervously. "It's the only place I could find with enough space."
"It's fine," laughed Tessa. "I'll manage."
Fred glared at the corner of his eye watching Neville's wand fly from his hand the third time in two minutes. He rolled his eyes and jumped when his wand flew out of his own hand.
"Finally," shouted George triumphantly.
"Took you long enough," joked Fred as he picked up his wand from the carpeted floor.
"Could you do any better?"
Fred straightened his shoulders a little and glanced at Tessa helping Neville guide his his arm to the motion of the spell. His checks burned red and glanced at his brother.
"By the looks of it id say you're-"
With a pop George's wand flew out of his hand and flew across the room.
"Looks like I'm beating you," smirked Fred.
George rolled his eyes and nodded over towards Tessa picking up her wand near the fireplace. Fred stared at Tessa long enough to get a smack in the head from Ron's wand flying out of his hands. Fred whirled around and glared at Ron sheepishly reaching for his wand and looked up at Hermione. Her arms crossed, hip cocked, left foot tapping lightly. Fred winked and turned back around for round two.
"Alright," sighed Harry clapping hid hands together. "Hermione will call for the next meeting but until then can we have pairs of groups slowly leave with time between each group."
Alicia and Angelina left fist as murmurs between groups grew into banter. Harry stood next to the fireplace stiffly with Ron patting him on the back in assurance. Neville smiled at Tessa and waved Tessa waved back as she watched him leave with Ginny.
"Wanna go last?"
Tessa looked up at Fred and nodded as the third pair left.
"Is there a reason?" Asked Tessa.
"No reason," smirked Fred as he watched Tessa shift from side to side. "I like it when you get antsy."
Tessa whirled around looking back up at him with shock.
"I'm sorry," sputtered Fred his face growing red. "That was wrong-"
"-Me too," interrupted Tessa with a smirk her face switched from shock to satisfaction.
"What?" Asked Fred shifting his weight.
"I like it when you get antsy," stated Tessa glancing at Fred up and down.
Fred relaxed lightly still as four pairs were left in the room.
"We're going next love birds," stated George as he walked past with Lee smirking in tow.
Fred glanced at Tessa whom smiled and nodded lightly as she watched the two leave. Fred felt something warm grazing his wrist and chills went up his arm as Tessa's fingers slowly grazed up his arm and back down. He leaned into Tessa as the last group left and put his chin on her head closing his eyes. The door shut and he felt Tessa sneak her arm around his waist pulling him closer. He closed his eyes and bent down to feel the solid weight leave. He looked up to see Tessa half way to the door smirking as he quickly followed behind her.
She ran out the door and laughed as Fred grabbed by the waist pulling close to him their laughter echoing in the halls.
"Quiet," laughed Tessa as Fred waddled behind her trying to pick her up by her waist.
His breath on her ear caused her to shiver as she pulled both her arms out of his grasp. He latched a firm grip onto her forearm causing her to nearly trip over.
"Hang on."
Fred froze as the hallway grew eerily quiet. Tessa blushed lightly as she looked down at Fred's arms pulling her closer into him. She looked down the empty hall as silence hovered over them. For a moment it seemed as though they were alone until a small tap of something drop and a rustling of robes kicked Fred into gear.
In flash, Tessa felt her body fling back around down the hall that no longer had a room to hide in. She sprinted down the hall as she heard screeching of footsteps rounding a corner. Tessa turned to the right down a dark hallway with a small staircase looming at the end. Tessa ran passed a door and felt Fred snag her sweater shoving her into the a broom closet closing the door quietly and locking it behind him. He shifted his weight pushing Tessa against the wall and turned to face her.
"Fred-"
Fred covered Tessa's mouth as multiple foot steps bounded down the hallway and past the broom closet. Fred turned his head to the side to listen. Tessa melted into his touch as she stared at the sweat beading down his temple towards his jawline. He looked down at Tessa's leg waved with his pushing them both in to the inner door. He blushed and released his hand from her mouth putting it next to her head on the stony wall.
"That was amazing," huffed Tessa staring at Fred jawline and back up to his eyes. "How'd you know."
They were both breathing heavily now as Fred wiped the bead of sweat running down his chin pushing his torso deeper into hers.
"I don't know I-"
Fred grew quiet as he watched Tessa stare down at his lips and back up to his eyes. With her free hand Tessa pulled Fred's face closer and kissed him hard on the lips as Fred pushed her body deeper into the cupboard so she could feel the carvings of the wood deep into her back and weave his hand around her knee and wrapping her leg around his waist.