Chapter 4: Gryffin vs. Snake
Fifth year was terrible to begin with and things seemed to go downhill from there. Hessa never got to see Harry because of Umbridge, she banned him from going out of the castle practically, banned him from Quidditch, and she barely heard from him. Her suffering was even more so when she received a letter stating that he couldn't see her anymore, that he shouldn't see her anymore because of the danger that seemed to be mounting within the school, he was afraid for her.
Hessa never cried so hard in her life, she held the letter in her hand on that cold day and didn't realize that she was being followed by Draco. Why was she crying? He saw her throw a piece of paper in the garbage and he grabbed it before it was destroyed. His eyes widened with anger, that self-centered, idiotic, prat! Breaking up with her because he was 'afraid for her safety'! Was he kidding? Some would look at that as being noble, he looked at it as one, one of the dumbest things he'd ever seen in his young life, and two, an opportunity to take what he always wanted. If Potter was dumb enough to let a treasure like that go, well…what sort of man would he be if he just left something that valuable lying in the mud?
Draco took the letter to his father, who only laughed, "the boy is such a moron. If he only realized how valuable a tool she was, he wouldn't be so eager to throw her away on some noble whim."
"Is it time father?"
"Yes, you've been patient enough, Draco. With the Dark Lord back, there will be little to stop us and you've grown up quite a bit, no doubt due to your little love interest."
"Yes father," Draco stood upright now, proud and tall. He was getting a lot of looks, same as Potter, he even noticed the mudblood, Granger taking a good gander and then blush.
"But I must say this, she isn't a pure-blood witch, Draco so…."
"I understand that, father."
"Then you are willing to follow the rules?"
"Yes."
"Excellent."
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Ollivander watched his daughter go through the motions of daily life. She hardly smiled anymore, barely ate, and he often heard her sobbing in her room at night this past week. He knew it would take time for her to get over Harry Potter, he was her first true love, still, he knew why the boy did it and he could at least admire the boy's noble gesture. Yet, must he sacrifice every bit of his own happiness as well as his daughter's?
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Harry was miserable, he barely smiled, not that he had much to smile about anyway. Umbridge left a lovely scar on his hand that said 'I will not tell lies'. But it made it worse when he thought of Hessa, what was she doing now? Sighing, Harry went back to his studies, only to have a book slammed down in front of him…great, it was Malfoy.
"What do you want?"
"Heard you broke up with Hessa."
"What's it to you?" Harry narrowed his eyes as if he were going to kill him.
"Just wondering how you breathe half of the time, considering how brain-dead you are."
"Shove it, Malfoy," he didn't have time for this, and it already occurred to him what an idiot he was for doing it.
"I'm just saying, you know…other wizards find her VERY attractive. I know a few of my mates are interested, they'd probably take better care of her too…"
Harry stood up in a threatening pose, "you so much as LOOK her way and I'll…"
"You'll what, Potter? You're on restriction from what I understand, can't go anywhere, the mail's being monitored."
"Meaning what? I can at least send a letter to her…"
"Maybe, if it doesn't, I don't know…get lost. Bye," Draco waved at him. "I think I'll make a stop at Ollivander's, I may need a new wand."
Harry was shaking with anger.
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Hessa was putting away the wands that were made while Ollivander was buying lunch at the local Bistro. It didn't even occur to her to look up when she heard the door bell ring, "I'll be with you in just a minute." She finished taking stock and then saw the blonde, pain in the ass, staring straight at her. "Oh, it's you…"
"Yes it is," Draco drawled.
"What do you need now?"
He observed her, she looked sad and didn't seem to have the usual fight that he often enjoyed….Potter truly did do a number on her, idiot. Still, he couldn't say he hadn't done the same to some other girls in his time, but not Hessa, he could never do that to her. "I was just in the neighborhood, looking for a present and all."
"What, does your pet need a wand?"
Draco tutted, "just a bit touchy today, aren't we? It wouldn't have anything to do with you and Potter breaking up, now would it?" She shot her head up and glared at him. "I guess it would."
Hessa furrowed her brow as if hurt and looked down, "leave it to you to bring something like that up. Have you just come here to poor salt on the wound, or have you actually come here to buy something?"
"I'd like that trinket over there, a cute little thing for my mother's birthday. They're quite the fashion now, dangling charms from wands…I'll take the gold one."
"The most expensive as always," Hessa chided as she wrapped it up after taking the money.
As she slid it to him, Draco placed his one large hand on her two small ones, then looked into her eyes, "only the BEST for the women who belong to a Malfoy." Hessa tensed and blushed, trying to pull her hands away but he wouldn't let her, "there are other fish in the sea, you know?" She still said nothing, she couldn't even meet his eyes. He finally raised his hand gently and left.
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Hessa locked up, but her father timed her on how long it took for her to get home. He trusted what Harry Potter said, but he would never mention his name front of her, he would say, 'because of all the rumors of Voldemort being back.' Her father was so considerate of her feelings. She turned to find Draco standing a few feet from her and caused her to jump, "do you mind announcing yourself!"
"I apologize."
"What do you need now, we're closed?"
"I've come to walk you home."
"Walk me home? Are you feeling alright?"
Draco smiled, "I'm feeling perfectly fine. It's just with all the rumors, one has to be careful and with you being…well, what you are, I think it would safer for you if I walked you home. Please, take my arm."
Hessa looked at him as if he had bats crawling out of his ears, but decided that maybe he was right…after all, Harry wouldn't lie….Harry. He left her on some stupid crusade, he already kissed Cho from what she understood, he was living a life without her, she wasn't at Hogwarts for him to keep an eye on her, so why not move on to someone who was? Hessa was brought back out of her thoughts when she heard Draco's voice…
"Are you ready?"
"What? Oh…yes," she reluctantly took his arm and looked up at him, he'd gotten so tall and broad shouldered, he was filling out quite nicely, his chiseled features were becoming prominent and he was looking very much like his father.
"What?" he drawled.
"What, what?"
"You're staring."
"I'm sorry, you've just gotten taller since the last time I saw you."
Draco seemed to straighten up more, "yes well, most of the Malfoys are very tall, my father is 6' 5", I'm already 6 foot."
"Oh, I'm afraid I'll never be more than 5'3".
"I think a woman should be dainty." Hessa only shrugged her shoulders, "I don't think you realize how delicate you are."
"Unlike Pansi Parkinson?"
He winced at her name, "ah, her."
"I heard you two were an item, marital arrangements and all."
"Contracts amongst the pure-bloods. Still…."
She looked down, "obligations."
"Yes, obligations. She really isn't my type, my father got lucky in his dealings of finding a wife, my mother was perfect for him."
"It sounds so…just, impersonal and cold, just sticking two people together and," Hessa made a clicking noise with her mouth and thrusted her hands together, "off you are to have a kid, or excuse me…an HEIR to the thrown of Malfoy."
"I suppose it is, here we are, your home."
"Yes, well…thank you for walking me home," she started up the stairs but he grabbed her arm. "You're doing it again…you always feel so free to touch me." He said nothing and just stood on the stair down from her, then, without any hesitation, he lifted his hand to her face and petted her cheek. "I should go," Hessa turned and left.
Draco walked down the street smiling excessively, he wouldn't taunt Potter with this, although it would be great fun. However, the boy wonder would get it in his head to fight for Hessa and quite frankly, he would rather have her get over Potter and he could move in for the kill and Potter could do nothing about it. You can't very well fight for a woman who doesn't want you, now can you? And though Draco had gotten much stronger since the last time he went after him over Hessa, he detested physical fighting unless he had to. The Dark Lord and his father were training him heavily for times to come and he really didn't want to deal with it in school as well.
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Harry had his adventure, but his thoughts laid with Hessa. He came into the store one day to find Draco talking to her as if they were good friends. Draco turned, "well, well, look who's here, finally able to make an appearance?"
"Harry?" Hessa looked up, she was so happy to see him and that's the one thing that Draco didn't like. So when she tried to get from behind the counter, he casually stepped in her way with his back to her, looking at Harry as if he had a question, his eyebrows arched.
"Looking for something, Potter?"
Harry ground his teeth, "why don't you get out of her way? Make yourself useful and, I don't know, help your father scheme another way to kill us all."
"It wasn't my father, Potter, your mind playing tricks on you? He's already proved it was polyjuice potion."
"Likely story, but I guess that's the advantage of having money. I don't know how your father did it, but I know it was him that was there."
"Sure, it was. Now, what would be reason you're back here. I believe you broke her heart, didn't you?"
Hessa watched both of them go at it, "please stop this."
"You see," Draco put his arm around her gently. "You're upsetting her."
"What's your interest, Malfoy? You didn't want anything to do with her when she was younger?"
"A man can change his mind, he grows up and things change, ideas change. You'll find that Hessa and I get along quite well; I've taken her out for coffee number of times. And what's your interest? Last time I checked, you left her to supposedly 'save her' and then you started making out with Cho?"
"She KISSED ME, it wasn't mutual! And what about you and Pansi!"
Draco seemed to scoff as if it meant nothing, "Pansi and I don't even speak."
"Stop it! Both of you!" Hessa yelled.
"Hessa," Harry looked her pleadingly. "Please, I know, I know I hurt you, but I was too afraid with what was going that you could get hurt or worse."
She stepped forward out of Draco's grip, he scowled slightly but let her, "I believed in you, I stood by you! And when everyone called you a liar, I told them otherwise and…and…we shared all those moments, close ones, and then you abandoned me all for you bloody crusade. I would have waited." Hessa was in tears now and it was then Ollivander came back from the lunch, she came up. "Father, may I go home, I'm not feeling so well?"
"Why, yes…," Ollivander saw Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy scowling, it didn't take much for him to catch on to what was happening. "Go on, lay down for a bit, I'll be by to check on you later."
Draco and Harry looked back at her and they were told to leave. Draco wanted to punch that dark haired git straight in the nose, "look at what you did! You just had to go and upset her, didn't you!"
Harry came nose to nose with Draco, "maybe she's upset because she still cares." They seemed to circle each other, one puffing up more than the other, getting ready for another physical confrontation. "What's your interest, Malfoy? There has to be something else…I know Hessa's special…but someone like YOU couldn't possibly see that."
"I know more than you think, scar head," Draco wanted to tear into him, but his father's voice was ringing in his head. 'No matter what you do, don't get into a fight, you'll end up showing them what you know and it will spoil everything.' His temper was in his eyes, he had to calm down, but Potter was provoking him, "I don't have time for this…I need to see how Hessa is."
But as Draco started to leave, Harry grabbed him, "you aren't going anywhere near her!" His instincts took over and Draco backhanded Harry so hard, it flung him a few feet. It took him a minute to get his bearings, where did Malfoy get his strength? And as Harry looked up, he could have sworn red flashed in the blonde's eyes.
"You qualified for self-defense," Draco smirked and left.
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Hessa held herself as she walked down her block, she thought she was over Harry and Draco, for some reason, was becoming a confidant. This was not what she pictured when she was eleven or any age for that matter. Soon there were heavy footsteps behind her, it was Draco, "are you alright?"
"How did you catch up to me so fast?"
"Silly girl, I just ran," his speed was increased too, benefits of Death Eater training.
"Oh. Yes, I'll be fine," she stopped when he stepped in front of her.
"Are you sure?" Draco was petting her face again, something that had become a habit and one she had gotten used to. But a few times he had tried to move in for a kiss and she avoided it…it would change everything and Hessa knew it, she didn't know how she knew it, but it was there. Yet, there he was again, moving for a kiss and this time he wasn't letting her move, he'd been generous and now it was time for the real thing.
"Draco, I don't know if this is…," her lips were taken. The kiss was deep and warm and she found herself melting into it, the sensation was so strange.
He felt this strange sensation, Hessa was becoming a drug to his body, and found it so funny that he had to pick her up so he could truly kiss her the way he wanted. Finally she pulled away, putting her forehead on his, "we…we need to stop." Draco nodded absent mindedly, but he still didn't put her down and instead, carried her to the door and put her down gently on her feet. Hessa unlocked it, "I need to think."
"What's there to think about?"
"I don't know."
"I do," Draco cornered her against the door.
"You can't come in now."
"Why not?"
Hessa looked at him as if he were stupid, "you know why not." She put her hand on the doorknob and twisted it, trying to keep him from coming in. "I will talk to you later Draco."
"Not too much later, I promise you," he was fighting it, every fiber in his being wanted to push open that door and take her, his nails were practically dug into doorframe. She shut the door and he heard her go upstairs to her room, Draco turned and straightened his clothing, Gods he needed to do something to relieve his frustration. Time for a little fighting practice, then after that, he'd head right back here, no doubt scar head would be coming to see her and apologize. It would be a good idea to keep an eye on her.