Chapter 32

The Battle Within

Cynthia sat in her chair almost hysterical, "WHY! Why didn't you keep a better eye on her!"

Marius said nothing…he was too angry to, his eyes had been pitch black for a while now and Marcus wondered what he was planning to do. Adamina stepped in, "Cynthia…it wasn't his fault, the crowds scattered everyone and people are dumb panicky animals when they're scared, I nearly got lost in the crowds."

"He'll never give her back…I'll never see her again," Cynthia sobbed; Adamina went and held her tightly with tears in her own eyes.

Marius walked out with Marcus following, "Marius, what are you going to do?"

"I'm getting her back," his voice didn't seem like him.

"HOW? You'd be fighting an entire army and then you have magical defenses. Don't be stupid!" Marcus stopped when Marius turned around.

"I'm not being stupid…we'll meet an army with an army…"

"What? You mean to plan this city into a war…!"

"Yes. Because I am tired of this tyranny! For years we've run and we have never been able to do what was natural to us. We've hidden like RATS in a cellar all because we feared of being enslaved. But now…now things have changed, there are vast amounts of male Conks now, an army that can take on hundreds of wizards…and they've been longing for a real use, I hear them talk about it all the time," Marius hissed.

"Even if you had their approval, you still need to get through the council. They may not be willing to go after Hessa. They already view her as scarred, as doomed…they may see her as a unnecessary risk!"

"Regardless…they will agree with me, one way or another."

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Hessa awoke with Draco wrapped around her and felt surprisingly warm and safe. She rolled over into his chest as she used to when they were younger and he further tightened his grip. Draco seemed to purr but when she realized that he wanted to initiate sex, Hessa pulled from him…she did not want to bond with him.

He glared at her as she tried to get up, his hand calmed on her wrist preventing it. "Please…I just want to take a shower now. I didn't get to last night and…"

"Take your shower, but then you are to come back to bed."

Hessa nodded and quickly went into the bathroom but she did not undress right away, instead she sobbed. Her hands would not stop shaking, part of the problem was her defiance of the bond, she was defying a natural instinct and her body was arguing with her, even her soul. Yet her mind remembered…

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With his sharp hearing he could hear Hessa crying. Draco could feel her confusion and anxiety…but once they bonded it would all go away. But something else would help too, something that would make her forgive him…a memory charm. One that would erase that blasted Potter and Marius from her mind forever…along with that nasty incident at Grimmauld Place, yet it would be tricky, he would have to be careful on how he reconnected the memories where they made sense. It would take time but all he had to do was put a strong sleeping drout in her tea.

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The hot water helped her as it soothed her tense muscles, yet she still did not want to go out there, Hessa simply stayed holding herself and allowing the water to drench her. The door opening was not heard but the sliding glass door to the shower was and she turned to find Draco getting into the shower. "What are you doing in here?" she asked defensively.

"You were taking too long, my love," he sniffed her. "You don't smell clean yet…have you been using up all the hot water without at least washing yourself?" Hessa said nothing and would not meet his eyes. "Well then, I have no problem washing you myself…I remember I used to do that to you, we loved it." He grabbed the nice soups he had brought up for her and bathed her, washed her hair then bathed himself. Draco then held her, "Hessa…I know you are unhappy with me, I know that you are confused and hurt, but I will not tolerate you in the arms of another. And since you will not give yourself to me voluntarily, I'm afraid involuntarily will be done…"

"Draco…don't," she whispered. Hessa felt like she couldn't breathe and felt weak, hazy, her body was put over his shoulder and the cold air hit her skin as they entered the bedroom. She was placed on the bed and felt Draco straddle her a bit, looking down on her and caressing her face. His legs were spreading hers and as he kissed her, entered her sharply causing Hessa to scream out but he hugged and held her tighter to him. Draco tried to be as gentle as he could but was overexcited yet she was finally kissing him back…she stopped fighting it and finally the bond took place once more.

Once it was finished they lay by each other, Hessa's head was on his chest and he caressed her purring. She didn't know what to think but they were bonded and then to be married, she was to stay on the Malfoy grounds unless he was with her…and she was never to deny him. He wanted a family soon as well. "Are you feeling a bit better now?" he asked carefully.

"A little…," she said softly.

There was tea on the bedroom table, Draco slowly got out of bed and went to pour it, lucky for him she wasn't paying attention and was turning facing the other way. He took a small vile out of his robe pocket, one that was put there while she was showering, and put the liquid into her cup. It was tasteless and odorless; she would merely feel groggy and then…goodbye Harry Potter and Marius.

Hessa sat up and winced…sore, still…from a female's perspective she was lucky that all the men she'd been with were well endowed. Taking the cup she sniffed it…nothing, and then started sipping. Draco knew she was being quiet, contemplative more than anything else, but that would change in the next few hours. He watched her as he sipped his own tea and once she had finished she got up and put the tea cup away but when Hessa started to head back to the bed, she felt very strange…so tired. Draco came to her as she started to stumble, "I'm not feeling well…Draco…"

His reptilian eyes looked on as she faded out completely, then lifted her up and took her back to the bed while grabbing his wand. He had become excellent at memory charms and started his work…

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"You wish to plunge this city into a war?" Viktor looked outraged, but the other council members were starting to agree. "How can the rest of you agree! As much as Hessa means to those around her it is too much of a risk to go after her!"

"And why not?" Marius snapped. "You would if it was your daughter!"

"Perhaps I would and perhaps I would not…"

"You know you would, don't try and play the diplomat now, Viktor."

"You should find another more suitable! One that isn't scarred and one that isn't going to cause a war within these walls!"

"You mean like your daughter?" Viktor huffed. "I am tired of this…this…farce! All we do is hide in these walls, pretending to be something that we're not! Living a life that isn't even fulfilling because we aren't allowed to find our own witches or wizards. We've become mostly self-sufficient but it isn't in our being."

"You've searched the globe for the one that belongs to you and you haven't found her Marius!"

"Yes, I have…" The council mumbled. Marius looked at them, "Hessa."

"That's impossible! Hessa is a Conk female."

"I don't mean in that way. We belong to each other, some Conks never find their witch or wizard and they live a life that is just their own and that is who I am…but I have found who my heart belongs to and that is Hessa."

One of the other council members looked at him, "and what if she is already bonded to Draco Malfoy, what then?"

"I've read our bi-laws. It states that if another male already claims a Conk female, that bond is invalid. She was unbounded when I met her…and she was taken from me. I have every right to challenge him and every right to fight for the freedom of my own people. As long as Voldemort's reign continues, we will be trapped in here for a good while, never being able to go to fairs, never be able to enjoy a life that we dream of."

"You say this to save Hessa," Viktor chided.

"That may be true…but this has been a long time coming and you know it," Marius hissed.

The other council members seemed to agree, "he's right Viktor. We can't ignore this any further, Hessa is out there and Draco has the amulet…it will be just a matter of time before Voldemort gets it in his head to try and invade the city again…enslave us all. It is better that we have the upper hand, prepare our troops. We can blend and spy and see where their weaknesses lye….All those in favor of declaring war?"

"I….I….I…..I….I…I…………….I." Viktor finally gave in.

"You have your battle, Marius. But plan this well, we want to come back Victorious, with Hessa….and not as slaves."

Marius walked out of the council chamber, Cynthia and Adamina sat up, they had been waiting there for what seemed like hours. "Well?" Adamina looked at him.

"We go to war…"