✓ | RECKLESS AND BRAVE | Draco Malfoy

59 | GLAUCOUS

GLAUCOUS
(adj.) frosted; pale bluish-grey, like early morning fog

DRACO HAD NEVER FELT TRUE FEAR UNTIL HE HEARD THE GUTTURAL SCREAM OF IMMENSE PAIN TESSA LET OUT. At once — he dropped and abandoned his examination and hurried over to the girl who thrashed on the floor feverishly.

     "Mr. Malfoy, get back to your seat!" Marchbanks called out to him. "Mr. Nott — sit down!"

     "Tessa," Draco said in a panicked voice, gathering her in his arms. "Tessa, talk to me." He tried to shake her awake, but she had slipped into unconsciousness. Her face was streaked with tears, and her body was limp and heavy on him.

     He glanced over to Harry who was in a sluggish state and was being helped up by Tofty. "I'm — I'm fine, sir," Harry stammered. "Really . . . I just fell asleep. Had a nightmare."

     "Pressure of examinations!" Tofty said sympathetically. "It happens, young man, it happens! Now, a cooling drink of water, and perhaps you will be ready to return to the Great Hall? The examination is nearly over, but you may be able to round off your last answer nicely?"

     "Tessa," Harry blurted out as soon as his eyes fell on Draco who was holding her on his lap, and Theo who was checking her temperature and pulse. "My sister — you need to help my sister."

     "I got her," Draco said gruffly, scooping her up in his arms as he strode out of the Great Hall with Theo ahead of him and pushing the door open.

     "You two haven't finished your exams!" Marchbanks said from behind them, checking on their works.

     "Tell her 'fuck the exam'," Draco muttered to Theo as he stepped out of the threshold.

     "He said we'd like to submit them early, thank you very much," Theo said instead before hurrying after Draco who had already reached down the corridor.

     They heard footsteps echoing down the hallway, and Draco threw a glance to see Harry sprinting over to them. "Is she okay? What the hell happened?" he asked breathlessly, eyebrows drawn together in worry.

     "I . . . I don't know," Draco whispered helplessly as they quickened their pace to the hospital wing.

     They burst in, and found Madam Pomfrey spooning something into Montague's mouth, and she jumped in alarm. "Potter — Malfoy — Nott, what do you think you're doing?" Her eyes fell on the unconscious girl in Draco's arms, and she ushered him over to help her on an empty bed.

     "I need to see Professor McGonagall," Harry said as the matron checked Tessa's vitals and announced she just needed rest. "Now. It's urgent."

"She's not here, Potter," Madam Pomfrey said as she left Tessa with the two Slytherins sitting on either side of her bed, and returned to Montague. "She was transferred to St. Mungo's this morning. Four Stunning Spells straight to the chest at her age? It's a wonder they didn't kill her."

"She's . . . gone?"

"I don't wonder you're shocked, Potter. As if one of them could have Stunned Minerva McGonagall face on by daylight! Cowardice, that's what it was. Despicable cowardice. If I wasn't worried what would happen to you students without me, I'd resign in protest."

"Yes," Harry mumbled and went over to stand next to Draco who was gently stroking the hair away from Tessa's pale face. The bell outside rang as the sound of people flooding the entrance hall and corridors echoed.