A/N- Such wonderful feedback from such wonderful people. Every time I look at my phone and see I have an email because somebody has reviewed my story, my heart swells and I smile. Y'all are the bomb. This chapter won't be long, but I think it's necessary to set up the big Gringott's scene.

Disclaimer: I don't own a darn thing. One of these days I'm going to come up with an original idea and make millions (haha), but til then, fanfiction will have to suffice.

Chapter 7

April 27, 1998

Draco tapped his fingers on the back of Hermione's neck in a random pattern, impatiently waiting for Bill Weasley and his veela wife to leave the house for their aunt's house. Potter wanted to finalize their plans for Gringott's with the goblin, but he didn't want to give away their plans by having Bill see him going to speak with him.

The four of them were sitting in the living room by the fire, Potter and Weasley playing wizards chess in the arm chairs that they had moved to face each other. He was currently seated on the couch with Hermione, her head in his lap, blanket over her legs, while she dozed. She hadn't been sleeping well and he knew that his touch relaxed her, hence the tapping and rubbing on the back of her neck.

He could only assume that she was nervous about their upcoming foray into Gringott's. He could feel her unease and nervousness every day, but she never volunteered exactly why she was feeling that way. Draco didn't ask because he was pretty sure he already knew the answer. Even though it was a failsafe plan, when she and the Idiot Twins embarked on an adventure, something always went wrong. She now knew first hand that the results could be capture, torture, or death.

However, Draco was determined to not let that happen. As much as he would enjoy seeing the Weasel suffer, he knew it would hurt Hermione so the Slytherin would do what he could to keep that from happening. Surprisingly, Draco found that he didn't much mind Potter. He would never be best friends with the dark-haired man, but he could admit that while he could be extremely dense, Potter didn't seem to annoy him as badly as he had done in school.

Just the fact that he didn't hate the Gryffindor annoyed him a little. Things were changing all around him, and the fact that his whole world would never be the same made him nervous. He knew that if the Order won then he would definetely spend some in Azkaban. Whereas Hermione was affected by what happened to him, and he by her, he wasn't sure that he could live with himself knowing that his bad decisions would affect Hermione in a permanent way.

There was always the other possibility. If the Dark Lord won, Hermione would be the first muggle born to die after she served as an example in the worst way possible as to what was to come. When she lost her life, he would also lose his. Not that his position was any better than hers. By now, he was branded a traitor and would be the second to die after Potter.

Either way, his choices at this point seemed to be Azkaban or a painful death. For these reasons, Draco had done his absolute best to enjoy every single day he had with Hermione to the fullest. Not only would he be suffering either way the war went, so would Hermione. Draco was pulled out of his thoughts by Bill stepping into the room.

"Fleur and I are leaving. I know you four are plotting something so try to get along." Draco rolled his eyes at the oldest Weasley. It was obvious that he was used to watching the younger children throughout his life. He still hadn't managed to turn off the older brother act. Weasley and Potter nodded their heads in agreement to Bill's words, and seemingly satisfied, Bill turned around and left.

The floo activated and Draco heard the kitchen return to silence. He wasn't sure how long Bill and Fleur would be gone to their aunt's house so he thought it would be best that they get their planning session out of the way as soon as possible. Therefore, he reached down and ran his fingers through Hermione's curls, enjoying their silky softness as they brushed over his fingers.

Her hair had captivated him years ago. At first, it had been horrid and he had made fun of her ruthlessly for it. It had been large, bushy, and frizzy, but it was wild and had character which Draco found very fitting. In the last couple years, however, it had calmed down due to what he assumed was the weight if it. Her curls fell heavy down her back, reaching her waist, shining in their rich mahogany glory. He had taken to smelling her hair whenever he wanted to feel closer to her. Strawberries and mint would assault his senses, calming him so he wouldn't project his emotions to Hermione.

She came awake slowly, a smile spreading across her face as she realized that she was still laying in his lap. Draco bent and kissed her temple.

"Bill and Fleur left. We need to get this done in case they come back early." She nodded and sat up, rubbing her eyes as she stretched. Draco watched her shirt rise, exposing a few inches of her lightly tanned skin. He was brought out of the fantasy of running his tongue all over her warm skin by the Weasel.

"Merlin's sake, 'Mi, put your arms down. The ferret is drooling all over you, it's like he's never seen skin before." Draco felt a flash of embarrassment through their bond. Anger surged through him.

"Actually, Weasel, I've seen far more than my fair share of flesh. That's how I know how special Hermione is; I've seen the competition. That's why I don't plan on treating her like dirt. I won't treat her like you." Draco knew his words hit home with the Weasel and the explosion was going to happen in mere moments. Potter was shaking his head, exasperated look on his face. Hermione stepped in the middle of the argument, angry look on her face.

"Enough. We have more important things to worry about. Merlin, you two..." She trailed off as she started for the staircase. He hurried behind her, eager to stay close to her as they made their way to the goblin's room.

Potter knocked on the door and waited until they were beckoned to enter. Mr. Ollivander was asleep, as he was any time that Draco had peeked into the room. He hadn't been doing well down in the dungeons of the Manor, and Draco could only hope that the aging wizard didn't die. Ollivander had done everything that the Dark Lord wanted, given all the information on wands that he needed. He had mildly tortured the old man, but mostly left him in the dungeons in a state of neglect.

Just as he had last time, Potter waved his wand at Ollivanders bed, silencing the space around him so they wouldn't be overheard. Hermione took a seat on the bed next to Potter so Draco sat next to her. Weasley stood by the windows, eyes angry and arms crossed over his chest.

"Thank you for meeting with us one last time. We want to tell you our plan and see what you think of it." The goblin, Griphook, was seated in the window seat as he had been the last time they visited.

"I will help you if you can do one thing for me." Potter nodded.

"Anything within reason." Griphook smiled, revealing several rows of tiny sharp teeth.

"Jugson is the Death Eater stationed at Gringott's. He's also the man who has been killing the goblin families. Incapacitate him and leave him for the goblins. They'll take care of him in their own way." Potter nodded.

"If he's there, Malfoy and I will make sure that he's left to the goblins. If he isn't there, I can't promise we'll be able help you with that." Griphook nodded.

"Good enough for me. Tell me your plans." Potter launched into their plans.

"As you suggested, Malfoy and I are going to be the ones entering the bank. I'll be under the invisibility cloak following behind him. We'll be heading to the bowels of the bank. I'll be the one to cast the Imperious curse if he discovers me. Ron and Hermiome will be waiting in Diagon Alley, just outside the bank, but transfigured to look like a middle-aged couple.

Malfoy and I will enter the vault together. Can you tell us anything about what kind of protections are in place on the Lestrange vault?" Griphook shook his head.

"Gringott's offers all the protections that you're aware of, plus the dragon kept down below to guard the vaults. As for what the family has added on the inside of the vault, we aren't notified and we don't ask. Goblins never enter the vaults unless the owner visits and requests it, or the Ministry orders it after being approved by the Wizengamot." Potter nodded again, eyes focused and he seemed yo be concentrating.

"That's fine. Malfoy and I will figure it out. Maybe they won't bother us since Malfoy has legal access to the vault." Griphook shrugged.

"I can't say. Each family is different." Potter gave the goblin a semblance of a smile.

"That's good enough, thank you." Griphook gave Potter a nod.

"You're most welcome. Make sure you leave as quickly as possible because as soon as you lift the Imperious curse, the goblins will sound the alarm." Potter stood after once again promising to leave Jugson for the goblins if he was present. The four of them filed out of the room and closed the door behind them. Draco was just about to lead Hermione back down to the living room so she could rest a little more when the Weasel stepped forward.

"Hermione, can I speak with you privately please?" She narrowed her eyes slightly at him.

"Alright, but no arguing." Draco groaned inwardly. There wasn't any way that was going to happen. He had a feeling this day was just going to get worse.

-O-

Hermione had a feeling that she already knew what Ron wanted and she wanted no part of that discussion. He only wanted to badmouth Draco and then whinge that she was bonded to him. She had put down the limitation that they couldn't argue, but she didn't actually think that was going to happen.

Ron led her into the room he was currently sharing with Harry and gestured for her to take a seat. He raked his hand through his shaggy red hair and sighed.

"Hermione, this just isn't a good idea. I know you're thrilled that Malfoy says he wants you, but it's Malfoy. He won't be any good for you. Please reconsider." Hermione heaved a deep sigh and started to rub her temples. She could feel the beginning of a headache and she wasn't sure if Bill had any headache potion in the house.

"Ronald, I can't do this with you. It isn't your decision. I'm not going to make decisions in my life based on how happy or unhappy they make you. It's my life. You would tell me to piss off if I told you that I didn't want you to be a quidditch star or if didn't want you to become an auror." Ron started pacing, hands clenched into fists at his sides. Hermione could tell that he was really working at controlling his temper.

"'Mione, this isn't about me, it's about the fact that it's Draco Malfoy you're getting ready to jump into bed with. You're not that kind of girl and he just gropes on you and kisses on you as if he owns you." Hermione was really getting angry now.

"Ronald, we're soul mates. The only person for me will be him, just as I'll be the only one for him. You have to stop this petty prejudice. Draco doesn't like you in the slightest, but he's civil to you until you say something hurtful to me or you act stupid. If anything, you should be happy that I'm bound to someone who actually cares about me." Ron scoffed at her words.

"He doesn't care about you, Hermione, not like I do. I cared even though you're plain and bossy. I cared when you didn't have any other friends and the only person who wanted to take you to the Yule Ball was an older man that only wanted in your knickers. Malfoy doesn't give a fuck about you, he only wants to make sure that he has someone important backing him up when he goes to Azkaban after we win this war. Mark my words, Hermione, he'll be in Azkaban." It was all she could do to hold back her tears. Everything Ron said was what she feared to be the truth in regards to Draco. she trusted that he cared for her, that he wasn't using her, but she was terrified that she really was as unattractive and unworthy as Ron said. Her hair started to crackle with her anger and she was now the one struggling to hold her temper.

"How dare you say you care for me when you're standing here insulting me, judging me like you have the right to? If you had cared for me like you say, you wouldn't have tried to punish me in sixth year by making me jealous with Lavender. You wouldn't ignore me all the time. You would act like I was important for more than just your schoolwork." Ron punched a hole in the wall, finally letting his anger explode. Hermione started, never seeing Ron be so physical when he was angry.

"That's a fucking lie, Hermione, and you know it. Like Malfoy said, I was sowing my oats with Lavender. It's not like you were ever going to be the only girl I shagged, no matter how much you belong to me. I wanted to live a little before I finally settled for you." Hermione couldn't hold back the surge of magic that rushed through her, threatening to tear the room around her to pieces. She tamped down her magic as ruthlessly as she could, composing herself only slightly before she spoke.

"No, Ronald, you got with Lavender because you were jealous over me kissing Viktor in fourth year, Harry told me one night when he was drunk. I don't belong to anyone, Ronald Weasley, but if I did, it sure as fuck wouldn't be you. For the record, if I would have married you, I would have been the one settling because you offer me nothing. Not intelligent conversation, not any care, not any attention. I'd just wither away, dying a little inside every single day, because I would be so bloody unhappy."

Hermione knew she had gone too far when Ron's wand materialized in his hand and shot up to point at her face. She held completely still, not wanting to push him over the final hurdle to violence. Never in a million years would she have thought he would go this far. It made Hermione regret her words no matter how true they were. His chest was heaving and she was unsure if it was because he was angry or restraining himself.

"You want to be with Malfoy? That's just fine, Hermione. Now that you've saved me the time I would have wasted with you, you deserve to be happy, even if your idea of happy is being a Death Eater's whore. Don't come crying to me when he shares you among all his friends, cheering them on the whole time. Fuck, he'll probably invite Greyback back for seconds."

At his cruel words regarding Greyback, Hermione began to shut down. She sat on Harry's bed and lowered her head, her hands threading through the hair at the back of her head. Images of Greyback filled her head. The sight of him bent between her legs, her knees pinned to the floor, exposing her womanly core to the room, the excruciating pain from her shattered hip, the sickening smoothness of his tongue on her most intimate flesh. The explosion of pleasure deep in her loins.

Tears began to seep out of the corners of her eyes as the images replayed over and over in her mind. There was beating on the door to the room and Hermione could hear Draco and Harry demanding to be let in the room. Ron swished his wand and the door flew open, almost spilling the two of them onto the ground. Both looked furious, but Hermione really didn't care why. She couldn't focus on anything aside from the horrible images replaying through her brain.

Draco launched himself at Ron, pummeling him with his fist anywhere that he could reach. Ron was attempting to fight back, but Draco was moving with the speed and agility of a man obviously enraged. In fact, now that she concentrated, she could feel a fury like none she had ever felt through their bond.

Suddenly, Hermione couldn't handle anymore than what she was already grappling with. She stood so quickly that nobody else in the room noticed and bolted from the room. She had reached the door to the deck before she heard the questioning shout wondering where she had gone.

The Gryffindor began running. She couldn't run very fast due to her hip and her still sore and healing ribs, but she continued for several minutes without stopping. She felt when she left the wards and only worried for a brief moment about people waiting for someone like her on the other side.

Hermione grew tired, her stamina nowhere where it should be for fighting in a war and living life day to day. She needed to catch her breath and she needed to get ahold of herself before she really did die. She dropped to her knees in the sandy surf and was panting.

Hermione was unsure how long she sat there on the beach, partially wet and now freezing. She was no longer breathing hard when she heard the pounding of footsteps behind her. Even though she half expected it to be Harry, she knew it was Draco. As much as Harry did care for her, he would always be Ron's friend first.

The Slytherin dropped to his knees next to her and didn't bother to wait for her to speak. He wrapped his arms around her and apparated, catching Hermione by surprise. When they landed at the ward boundary to Shell Cottage, she felt a hint of remorse. If she had been killed when she left the wards, Draco would have died as well.

He lifted her in his arms and carried her through the wards, setting her back on the ground once they were safe again. He conjured her a blanket and wrapped it around her before casting a warming charm on her, doing his level best to halt her teeth chattering. Draco then crossed his legs and set her in his lap so he could hold her close to him. They were silent for a long time before Hermione finally broke the silence.

"I'm sorry I was stupid. I shouldn't have left the wards." He ran his fingers through her hair so he could reassure her with touch and words that he wasn't angry.

"I'm not angry, mon coeur. You were upset, rightly so. Anybody would have reacted the same way." She nodded against his chest, happy he understood how upset she was. They were silent from then on, and Hermione began to warm. The warmth combined with the steady beating of his heart against her ear lulled Hermione into a drained, emotional sleep.

-O-

Draco was still livid. From the moment he had heard the things the Weasel was saying to Hermione through the door, he and Potter had been pounding on the door, trying to get in. He wasn't sure what spell Weasley had used, but he suspected that it was one he had gotten from Hermione.

After hearing all the truly horrid things Weasley had said to Hermione, Draco had taken it easy on the redhead. He deserved to suffer for what he had done, but Potter had physically pulled Draco off his friend and then held him at wand point, threatening to hex him if he didn't stop.

When he realized that Hermione was gone, he told himself that he could always finish dealing with Weasley later. He had chased after Hermione, suddenly terrified that something would happen to her if she left the wards. Which is exactly what had happened. She had run for who knew how long on a hip that wasn't fully healed, not to mention her ribs.

Therefore, he was now seated in the gritty sand, damp and cold, holding his soul mate tight while she slept. Deciding that he had had enough of the sand and surf, Draco carefully rose to his feet, Hermione still bridal style in his arms.

After shifting her weight slightly, he made his way back into the house. He didn't encounter a single person. Therefore, this left his way back to her room and into her bed relatively simple. It didn't take long for Draco to place her in bed and arrange her exactly how he wanted while she slept.

After several long minutes, Draco felt his eyes grow heavy so he decided to nap along with Hermione. He would deal with the fall out when they woke.

A/N- Not near as long as normal, but it'll have to do. Next chapter is Gringott's! Leave me your thoughts, I appreciate them so much.

Love,

A