✓ | RECKLESS AND BRAVE | Draco Malfoy

44 | REDAMANCY

REDAMANCY
(n.) the act of loving the one who loves you; a love returned in full

TESSA'S CHEEKS WERE ROUND AND FULL AS SHE SCARFED DOWN HER FOOD. She was starving, and it wasn't until recently that she'd regained her appetite.

"Slow down, Braveheart," Draco crooned from next to her, propping his hand against his jaw as he watched her in mild amusement. "We wouldn't want you to get indigestion now, would we?"

She sent him a look, but slowed down nonetheless. They were at the kitchens right now, at a secluded corner where the house-elves left them to be. Dobby had come over to greet them when they arrived, and was more than happy to pile a plate for Tessa. He was rather delighted to see Draco as well who even offered the elf a polite nod.

     "Here," Draco said, passing her a steaming cup of coffee once she pushed aside her empty plate.

     "Thank you," she hummed and lifted the cup to blow on the hot drink.

     Draco watched her with that crooked smile of fondness for her as he said quietly, "I'm glad to see you eating again."

     "What do you mean?" Tessa hissed under her breath upon nearly scalding her tongue as she put the cup down.

     He was silent for a heartbeat before replying, "I hated seeing you pull inside your shell those past weeks. I hated how I couldn't speak or go to you — at least not until I know I had the opportunity to without disrespecting your mother's wishes." He broke off in a breathy chuckle with no humor. "I shouldn't even be here with you right now, but — "

     "But you are," Tessa cut in, unable to stop herself from reaching across the table to cover his hand in hers. "I don't care what anyone says, Draco," Tessa whispered, her hazel eyes boring deep into his. "You're your own person."

     The planes of Draco's aristocratic features softened as he moved closer to her ever so slightly that he could smell the coffee in her breath. "Even if your mother would kill me if she found out about us still meeting up?"

     Tessa rolled her eyes and shifted in her seat to fully face him, flipping his hands so that their palms were touching and their fingers entwined. "I told you before remember? I see you and I'm not afraid of you."

     Draco struggled to catch his breath as he whispered into the air between them, "How do you always know what to say, Braveheart?"

     Tessa winked cheekily at him. "I'm Tessa Potter, what do you expect?"

     She thought he would laugh at that and call her a smartass — but instead he kept his gaze burning through hers. The grin on her face faded as he let go of her hands and brought his own up to very delicately cup her face. His fingers were long and slightly cold against her flushed skin. Tessa forgot how to breathe when Draco leaned down to press his forehead against hers, their noses slightly brushing in the barest of touches.

     "You make me want things I can't have," Draco murmured through the thundering of their hearts, his silver eyes searching her hazel ones. "Things I don't deserve."

     The roaring fire in her veins and the crashing waves grew to a crescendo in her blood as Tessa's skin heated in his touch. He was close — so close to Tessa that it made her dizzy with an overwhelming cross of want and need.

     It was that flicker of Tessa's eyes to his mouth that drove Draco insane.

     Before he could change his mind, Draco leaned forward and —

     "Dobby is delighted to see Tessa Potter eating well again!" the house-elf exclaimed chirpily as he moved over to take Tessa's plate.

     Tessa and Draco jumped apart from each other as though they had just been burned, cheeks flaming as they snapped their gazes to Dobby.