TID short story ( Fanfiction)

Chapter 24

Newly dressed in a navy blue silk gown that cascaded down from her shoulders like a waterfall at twilight, Tessa thanked Sophie again for generously offering to do her hair into a lovely braid. She joined Will and Jem in the hallway, each looking up sharply at her with widened eyes.

They wore each a smart topcoat-Jem's dark green and Will's ebony black-over a white-button up that was quite wrinkled. Jem blushed from underneath his white tophat, leaning casually against his dragon sword-cane.

Will loosened his blue scarf-Tessa could not help but notice how much it brought out his eyes-and remarked smoothly, "Ah, another delightful Christmas celebration. Wonder what will be the scandalous mischief I would do today..."

"I'd like to see you attempting to dance with Clary," Jem offered Tessa his arm which she took, feeling her cheeks burn. He grinned, "That would be scandalous enough, once Jace throws a fit."

"Excellent idea, James," Will considered this thoughtfully while he hooked his arm with Tessa's other one. Jem merely grinned wider at this, witnessing Tessa's startled expression and her growing blush. "Although," he said, pushing the doors to the Institude ballroom open, revealing its magnificence after the Shadowhunters had been done adorning it with Christmas decorations. "I would also like to try cleaning off the five hundred chocolate tarts Bridget made especially for this occasion."

Tessa stared at the ballroom in awe. A gold chandelier dangled in between two enormous Christmas trees-those must have been the work of the younger and older Magnus. From their branches sprouted hundreds of flickering candles, bathing the room in a warm, golden light, and runes carved out of glass were hung and sparkled brilliantly under the light of the candles.

She then noticed the people. Even the New York Shadowhunters were dressed in Victorian clothing, and Tessa did not deny that they looked extremely sharp in them as well. Jace, wearing a white double-breasted vest underneath a black shirt, had his arm over Clary's shoulder as he followed her everywhere to glance at the decorations. Clary spun about in her crimson sundress, laughing at something Jace had said, almost spilling her drink in the process.

Isabelle twirled around on the dance floor, all grace and beauty, as Simon tried his best to match her movements. They had giggled whenever they bumped into each other.

Alec, sitting on the small stage, had a guitar slung across his shoulder (she had to ask Jem what it was, as Will knew more books than instruments) and was strumming it alongside with the lovely violin music Zachariah was creating beside him. Older Tessa sat next to Alec, gently stroking her fingers through Church's grey fur which was pouting furiously on her lap. At one point in time older Magnus begged to have a go on the violin, and ended up producing abhorrent shrieks on the strings instead. Jem and Zachariah had flinched at that, as if greatly offended.

Cecily and Gabriel alongside with Sophie and Gideon were milling about the long mahogany table topped with scrumptious Christmas desserts. Will made an immediate beeline towards it when the chocolate tarts had been added to the table.

"Dance with me?" Jem smiled shyly, gently taking Tessa's gloved hand into his.

"I would love to," Tessa led him towards the dance floor which was in front of the stage where Zachariah and older Tessa was sitting at. They glanced at them with teasing smiles, and Zacharian raised the bow of the violin to slide it across the strings tenderly.

Tessa placed a hand on Jem's shoulder, and he in turn wrapped his arm securely around her waist, their free hands entwined with each other's. With all the dancing lessons her brother had experimented with her through her childhood, Tessa decided that this would be the time she put all those lessons into good use.