I do not own any of J.K. Rowling's characters. I'm just borrowing them to play with, probably to her horror were she ever to set eyes on this. But what matters is that you who are reading this, whoever you are, that you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it. So, enjoy!!
Chapter 53 We'll Make Plans
Harry watched everyone leave after him and Draco said goodbye to them.
Fred had pulled Dudley aside into another room, and Harry was resisting the impulse to listen at the door as Lupin and Hagrid said goodbye and that they would both see him and Malfoy soon.
* * * * *
Dudley was looking at his cousin as he and Malfoy said goodbye to all their friends when Fred grabbed his hand and pulled him into another room.
"Fred, what-"
His words were cut off as Fred's lips brushed his briefly.
"I'll come for you as soon as I can. I'll owl you. Don't leave your house, it's not safe. Promise me?"
"I promise, and I'll be waiting."
* * * * *
Fred and Dudley came back into the room and him and George left to go back to the joke-shop after they said thank you and goodbye, and Harry led Dudley upstairs to a spare bedroom.
"If you need anything you know where our room is. The bathroom is two doors down, and the girl's room is right after that."
Dudley nodded, smiling as he went into the room, turning back to look at Harry.
"I had fun tonight."
"Yeah, me to. I'm sorry about what Mrs. Weasley said…"
"It's okay. I'm used to it."
Harry sighed, rolling his eyes dramatically, smiling a small smile.
"Yeah, me to. I'll see you in the morning."
He nodded again and Harry shut the door, walking back to his room and shutting that door as well, stripping off his clothes and climbing into the bed, closing his eyes in sudden exhaustion.
He smiled when he felt the bed move as Draco slid in beside him, shifting automatically to rest his head on his shoulder, purring happily in the back of his throat when his fingers slid through his black hair in gentle caresses.
"Are you okay, angel?"
"Mmm… Better then okay. I'm really tired though…"
"Then sleep, love."
He nodded, smiling again when Draco tucked the blankets closer around them, snuggling against his side contentedly.
"See you in my dreams, Drake…"
Draco smiled, pressing a gentle kiss to Harry's forehead, holding him close.
"And you in mine, my dove."
* * * * *
Harry opened his eyes slowly the next morning, looking over at Draco where he lay still on the bed.
His fiancé's gray-blue eyes were distant as though he were thinking really hard about something.
"What's wrong, Drake?"
"Hmm?… Nothing, angel."
Harry shifted onto his elbow, staring down into Draco's beautiful eyes searchingly.
"Please don't lie to me, dear one. I love you, and I know how to tell when you're upset about something."
"Not upset exactly. Worried, maybe. Contemplating, definitely."
"Contemplating what?"
"We have to figure out a way to get into my aunt Bellatrix's Grinnotts vault without being caught or involving her, for obvious reasons."
Harry shuddered, all hints of lingering sleepiness leaving his eyes, a dangerous look taking its place quickly.
"And why do we have to do this?"
"Because she has Hufflepuff's cup in there."
"How do you know this? How long have you known this? Why didn't you tell me before now?"
"I overheard her bragging about it to my mother years ago. And I didn't tell you sooner because I wanted us to have some time together to just relax before I had to.
Bellatrix can't get into the Manor now.
The wards won't let anyone in who makes the current heir feel threatened in any way now that his sire is gone, which also means that, were Lucius to, Slytherin forbid, escape from Azkaban somehow, he can't come home anymore.
It's a spell that was built into the Manor's wards at the beginning of the Malfoy-line as a means of safe-guarding the most precious-treasure."
"You?"
"Yes," Draco answered, smiling slightly. "Me."
"Alright, we'll come up with a way to get in somehow."
