Chapter 17: White Wash

Hessa woke up finally, she was warm next to a fire when she opened her eyes. There was a man sitting across from her, he was dressed as all usual wizards, robes and all. He was reading and it looked like he had just finished writing a letter. Hessa sat up finally and it caught his attention, "ah, I was wondering when you might wake up!" The old wizard seemed kind, "I was out getting some rare winter berries when I found you. Good thing I did, otherwise you might have gotten frost-bite. By the way, why were you out there like that?"

She looked at him strangely for a second, then it occurred to her…and it hit her and the memory of what happened came back. Draco had left her. The old wizard saw that maybe he had asked the wrong question. "I didn't mean to pry…, it's just that it's dangerous and all. Do you have any family or friends I can contact?"

"Dumbledore." Hessa had said it before even thinking.

"You know Dumbledore?"

She nodded. "Well then, I shall send a letter to him immediately. What is your name dear girl?"

"Hessa."

"Hessa…?"

"Hessa Ollivander."

"Dear Gods! You're that dear girl that was kidnapped by the Death Eaters! You got away? What about Ollivander?" She shook her head. "Oh…I'm so sorry," the old wizard looked down. "He was a fine wandsmith and a great wizard. But don't you worry, we'll get you to the right people!" Hessa smiled weakly. "My name is Nelson by the way, Nelson Cornsby," with that, he got up and left to owl Dumbledore.

Hessa looked into the fire. This empty feeling seemed to engulf her. She could no longer feel Draco…he has set her free in his temper tantrum…the command he had said of 'you can do it without me!' was enough to break their bond. A wizard of a Conk could do this at any time, though most were not stupid enough to do such a thing. But it wasn't so much the bond, it was the fact that she truly loved Draco and he had betrayed it and simply because he didn't get his way. His need to control her had consumed him, no doubt it wasn't just the Malfoy in him, but the blasted potion Voldemort had fed him as well. His animal instincts taking over instead of his common sense and ability to rationalize. Perhaps it was better this way. Hessa looked out the vast snowy hills feeling nothing of Draco…and it was the strangest feeling in the world right now.

………………………………..

"They found her!" Arthur Weasley busted through the burrow door.

Harry and Ron looked at each other, "found who?"

"Hessa!"

"What?" Harry's face lit up as if he were a kid at Christmas.

"Molly! They found Hessa!"

Mrs. Weasley ran to the fornt door, "are you serious?"

"Very!"

"That's wonderful!" they hugged each other while Ron looked at Harry who seemed frustrated because he wanted to know more.

He finally broke in, "when do we pick her up?"

The Weasleys stopped for a moment and realized they had to make proper arrangements, safe ones, to pick up Hessa. "WE," Mr. Weasley looked at Harry, "don't. I and Dumbledore will be retrieving Hessa in a few hours and taking her to Hogwarts." Both Harry and Ron started to open their mouths. "…and NO, neither of you can come with…it's too dangerous."

"Arthur, is she…all right? Did they do anything to her?" Molly teared up, afraid for the worst.

"It's to early to tell. The wizard that found her…she was nearly frozen to death when he discovered her."

"Oh NO!" Mrs. Weasley immediately started to fret.

"But how did she even get away? I thought her and Draco were bonded!" Rond still looked over at Harry who was starting to turn a slight shade of red…

"We don't know. A Conk can't leave her wizard unless something has happened to break the bond and that can either be done through death or verbalization. And I don't know many wizards who could give up a creature such as Hessa Voluntarily."

"Do you think you-know-who, killed him?"

"I wouldn't doubt it, he's killed his own followers before," Arthur said grimly.

"Bloody hell," Ron looked down.

Harry looked at the Weasleys, inside he secretly hoped Draco Malfoy was dead. He was the one who took Hessa from in the first place…and now he would win her back..

…………

It had been tow days and he had still found it hard to find Hessa. He couldn't understand at first why it was so hard to find her, why all that was missing…and then it occurred to him, he had accidentally released released Hessa from their bond. In his temper tantrum and stupidity, he had done the one thing he shouldn't have, and now he was racing time to get to her before the Order did…and Harry Potter.

Panic ra through him. Just the idea of that scar-headed good-two-shoes touching his Hessa was enough to send him into a rage. Just the idea of them becoming physical was enough to put a bitter taste in his mouth, the kind one got when one was about to be sick…this was not how this was supposed to happen!

………………………………….

Nelson let the two men enter.

"Hessa?" Arthur looked on her in disbelief and happiness. She was like a second daughter to him. Hessa looked up in a dream-like state, not quite believing who she was seeing, but then ran and hugged the two gentlemen as if they were going to disappear.

"Thank you, Mr. Cornsby," Dumbledore smiled.

"It was no trouble at all. No trouble…"

…………………..

The side-by-side apparition was not something she appreciated. No wonder Harry hated it, it felt so weird. But soon she was at Hogwarts, a school she had never been in, a school she could only look at from afar while her closest friends had their adventures…and the boy she loved much longer than Draco.

Dumbledore escorted her around the school since it was out for the Holiday. When they reached the Great Hall, Hessa immediately sat at the Gryffindor table and in the same place where Harry had sat many times…and it made him wonder. Arthur Weasley had gone to get everyone, giving Dumbledore enough time to observe Hessa. One, out of fascination, he himself had never seen a Conk but also he wondered how was it she knew where Harry's bed was, or his locker at the Quidditch Pitch?

Finally his fascination with Hessa came to an end when everyone found them. Dumbledore simply straightened his glasses and smiled at Harry, patting him on his shoulder and heading to his study. Harry looked at him awkwardly…Dumbledore knew something that he didn't…again but decided to let it go this time, because this time his mind was on something more important. Hessa.

Hessa looked at Harry, even while everyone else had bugged her. Of course the twins blocked her way and she apologized for attacking them. They forgave her saying that it was 'because of the Malfoy's' and 'had the known she would have been bonded to them, they would have kept her away.'

Everyone finally stood out of Harry's way as he walked towards her, "Hessa."

"Harry," she smiled wit the tears in her eyes. Harry grabbed her and hugged her, lifting her off her feet. Everyone cheered and the twins made a point to suggest a party of some kind. The Weasleys agreed and Molly wanted to go back to headquarters to start cooking, everyone was hungry, weren't they?

Whey they got back, Hermione was eager to show her around and all the new spells she had learned. Harry simply stood aside calmly, just watching Hessa made him happy. Besides, he'd have time enough to find out what happened to her when she was taken away. Because that small smile he had on his face was not only out of contentment, it was out of the thought that is Draco Malfoy wasn't dead…Harry Potter was going to kill him.

Everyone else was content for now to just let her laugh, let her rest and forget. But Harry knew she had been through hell. He knew because she had the same look he had in her eyes. The soulful, worn-down look that you get after going through so much in such a short time…the same look that one had when you were just grateful to have survived it all.

After the dinner was eaten and the 'grown-ups' went to bed, Fred and George saw fit to bring out the fire whiskey. "Time to really celebrate," they grinned. Ron and Harry smiled at each other while Hermione shook her head.

"That's a bad idea."

"Oh, come on, Hermione!" Ron said frustrated. "It's all right to loosen up now and then."

"But I know how loud you all can get, and I don't want to get Hessa in trouble the first night she's back!"

A small voice came from the back, "it's all right, Hermione."

Hermione sighed, "fine, but why don't you and I do something else?"

"Like what? Needle point?" George grinned. Harry tried to suppress a grin.

"Well…," Hermione turned pink. "I don't like to drink straight whiskey."

"That's okay, I know how to make mixed drinks…Draco…er," Hessa froze when she saw Harry's face at the mention of worst enemies name. "I mean…I was shown," she smiled meakly…actually no one was happy to hear a Malfoy's name.

Hermione cleared her throat, "That will be fine, let's go." She nearly shoved Hessa out the door and quickly grabbed a bottle of fire whiskey.

Harry stood up, but George stopped him, "Hang on, mate, Hessa will be fine."

Fred looked up, "but can you blame him? I can't imagine what she's been through. The Malfoys aren't exactly known for their respect for…" The twin was cut off when he saw George's motion of hand to neck…a sign to 'Shut it!' Especially when Harry's face seemed to contort with anger. "I mean…er…they don't have respect for anyone!"

"Nice save," Ron said flatly.

……………………………..

Hermione and Hessa worked the blender and chatted a bit, catching up. Yet Hessa saw that Hermione was looking at her a certain way and she knew it would be a matter of time before she was asked about what exactly happened.

Hessa stopped the blender and looked ahead, "I know you want to know what happened." Hermione looked down. "Draco released me."

"What?"

"Draco released me, he isn't dead. We got into a fight and he lost his temper and threw me down and verbally released me."

"But other other than the argument…I mean a Malfoy would never let go of something they consider valuable. It's odd that he would unless he didn't mean it …Hessa, you don't think he'd come back for you, do you?" Hermione's face turned dark with concern. Draco was hard enough to deal with the first time and he wasn't even really after them.

"I don't think so. Once Draco makes up his mind about something, generally he doesn't change it. But I'm glad he did it, Hermione…," Hessa's eyes teared. "His world, it was just so lonely and cold, all that anger and jealousy. I couldn't bare it half of the time."

"Were they cruel to you?"

"Lucius Malfoy was most of the time, Draco was kind and then Voldemort changed him, his temper became more erratic. He wasn't rational anymore."

Hermione nodded curtly. She was angry now, if she could, she would curse that git into oblivion! But then remorse for Hessa seemed to come into play and she just blurted out, "It was our fault!"

"What, why?"

"We should have known Voldemort would come after Ollivander, he was one of the top wandsmiths in Europe and you being considered a Muggle at the time…we should have been more careful!"

Hessa hugged Hermione, "it's not anyone's fault. No one could have known, no one could have know what I was either."

"I'm just sorry, Hessa. We were all together and you were alone with those killers. It must have been lonely."

"It was at times."

"Look, I'm going to take these drinks up while you finish what's left and I'll be back," Hermione seemed too cheerful. It was Hermione language for 'I'm going to tell the boys not to mention or even ask you one thing or I'll put a bat bogie curse the likes of which they'd never seen!"

Hessa let her go with a sigh. Ah well, at least it gave her a minute to herself which she hadn't had in a while.

………………………………………………………………………..

It was just a matter of time before Harry came down. He had managed to slip by as Hermione was discussing what she had heard from Hessa and her concern. But he wanted to hear it from Hessa herself.

"I knew you'd come down," she said as she looked out the window, looking at Harry's reflection.

"Yeah," he said quietly.

"So I suppose Hermione told what was said."

"I just wish you could have told ME," Harry pointed at himself, stabbing his finger in his chest as if it were a knife.

"I just…I want to believe that he just let me go. That it was all just a nightmare, you wouldn't believe the things that went on in that house."

"I know what Lucius Malfoy did to you." Hessa grew silent and lowered her head, staring at the floor. "Why did Draco let that happen?"

"He threatened to kill Draco's mother…"

"I DON'T BELIEVE THAT…!"

"Harry…"

"What!"

"Please….I know you're angry…"

"I have every right to be angry! He snatched you away and then…then he can't even take care of you! He can't even protect you! I knew I was a prat for doing what I did…but to…," Harry walked towards Hessa and looked down at her. He understood now the link between Hessa and himself, that feeling Draco was so addicted to…knowing that she will be molded into anything he wanted, and be the only person officially belonging to him. "You were mine and he took you away," he said almost childlike.

Hessa glanced up fairly surprised at the comment, it was something he wouldn't normally say, but perhaps he felt it was the truth…but Draco felt that his truth was the only one also.

……………………………………………………………………………………

Draco had found the house that Hessa was in. He inhaled deeply…she had been here, but sensed that she may not be anymore. He covered his face with the dark cloak, his heavy black boots making clanking noises from the straps as he approached the door and knocked. The old man answered cordially enough, "how can I help you?"

"I am looking for a young lady, we were separated in the storm, has she stopped her?"

The old an looked at him as if he was examining him and the simply lied, "no. I'm sorry…no one has been by. Good luck finding her." He tried to close the door, but Draco stuck his boot in and forced open the door. "What the hell!"

"Do yourself a favor, I don't lie to me!" he took a whiff of the air. "Two men were here…Dumbledore and Weasley," a sarcastic smile came across his lips. "Where did they take her?"

"I don't know," Cornsby said flatly.

The next thing he knew he was against the wall and off his feet, "I SAID, don't lie to me…"

"I told you, I don't know. They thanked me for finding her and left," his windpipe felt like it was being crushed.

"That's a shame…and I too, thank you for finding my Hessa. But since I can't have you telling anyone I'm looking for her…"

-crack-

Draco snapped Cornsby's neck, walked over his body and left.