Chapter 43 - Together and Apart

Pacing along the beach, Draco waited for Hermione to emerge from Shell Cottage. Not having wanted to make a scene or to be noticed at all by the others, Draco had opted for leaving Hermione a note back in her room, telling her to meet him outside down the beach aways. It took some time before she finished her breakfast, check up on Harry yet again, and then managed to get some time alone, but as soon as she read the note, she dashed outside to meet with Draco. Already, without his saying so, she knew what the note meant: he was leaving again.

In the back of her mind, of course she'd known it, though in the hassle of fearing for Harry's life and trying to keep everything else together, she hadn't really given it much attention. A small, foolish part of her had hoped that Draco might consider saying, and it wasn't beyond her even now to try and convince him; however, deep down, she knew that it was the right thing for her to let him go right now if he truly felt that he needed to. There were so many questions that still needed answering, so many things that they still had to take care of...

And the world was still not a safe place in which Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy could be together.

Even now, walking along the beach to where she spotted him, Hermione reflected that they were well out of sight of the cottage, should anyone happen to look outside. Draco had chosen this spot deliberately for privacy, which indicated that even among Hermione's closest friends, their relationship couldn't be open.

Relax, maybe he's got other things on his mind, Hermione thought, trying to calm down her nerves even when all she wanted to do was hold on to Draco and never let him go—never have him let her go.

But things just couldn't be like that. For now.

"How long did I keep you waiting?" she asked, once she was within earshot.

Draco turned and gave her a typical Slytherin smile. "Too long," he replied, when what he really wanted to say was "not long enough".

Hermione shrugged. "You might have told me that you wanted to see me, you know. Also, Luna and I are sharing a room, so supposing she had come across your letter instead of me?"

Draco's slight blush betrayed his indifference, since although he didn't put anything too telling in the note, just the fact that he wanted to see Hermione alone wasn't something he wanted publicized. "I assume Lovegood knows when to mind her own business."

"I thought you were calling her Luna now?"

Draco shrugged. "I'm still new to this. Even Crabbe and Goyle have first names, but you don't hear me addressing them that way, do you?"

Hermione smiled. "I suppose not."

For a while, a silence lingered between them as each was unsure what to say, though knowing that an obvious "goodbye" was eminent. It was Draco who finally broke the silence, reaching into his robes for the second time that day and drawing out a wand—Hermione's.

"How did—?" Hermione reached for it eagerly, feeling the return of ease and security that she hadn't even realized that she'd lost, now that her wand was finally back in her hands. Her capture having been the first time that Hermione was ever separated from her wand since it had first chosen her, she had felt more than powerless without it; therefore, that Draco was giving it back to her now meant more than words could express.

"My mother found it," Draco confessed, catching the flicker of surprise on Hermione's face before she hurried to hide it. Giving her a wistful smile, he reached into a different pocket and pulled out the last wand he had on him—and one that he had only decided the fate of since giving Harry his own wand. Holding it out towards Hermione, he silently motioned for him to open it.

Once she did, Hermione's face turned pale and almost terror-stricken, for what she now held in her hand was none other than Bellatrix Lestrange's wand—the same wand that only a few days ago had caused her so much pain with the Cruciatus Curse. For a moment, she almost dropped it, as it felt so terribly wrong in her hands, but then the significance of Draco's having it and handing it over to her kicked in and she kept her grip on it.

"How? And why?"

Draco couldn't be sure that this was what his mother had intentioned in giving it to him in the first place, but he ventured his best guess. "For your wand, I think it's obvious that every witch or wizard is entitled to have their own in their possession. That's a given. But as for my aunt's wand, well...maybe in some cases it's best for a witch or wizard not to have their wand."

Unsure whether this was Draco or Narcissa's philosophy but ultimately concluding that it didn't matter, Hermione nodded and tucked the wand back into its wrapping. She and her friends would decide what to do with it later on.

"So, this is why you called me out here?" she asked, trying to make it sound light even as she felt her heart sinking.

Draco sighed, looking out over the bay as he answered. "Well, that, and also to say goodbye."

She's known that he was leaving again—of course he was—and yet hearing it said with such an air of finality and resolve was heartbreaking nonetheless. At the very least though, Hermione kept her voice steady as she stated, "To go back to Hogwarts."

"Yes."

"And continue...what you've been doing."

Draco grimaced, but kept his voice calm as he repeated, "Yes. What I have to do."

Hermione nodded, remembering every detail of what he'd told her and reminding herself of how she had reacted, and what she said she'd accept from him if they were to be together. She loved Draco Malfoy, no matter what he did or who he appeared to be—neither of those things made up who he truly was, and she had to continue to have faith in that.

Until this war is over, she thought, for what was probably the thousandth time. The only question was, even if they both did survive, what could possibly be next for them?

This wasn't the time to think about that, though. Right now, they had precious minutes left and then, once again and for an undetermined amount of time, they would be apart once more, never knowing...

"Once you get a chance though, will you send me another patronus to let me know how you are?"

It was on the tip of Draco's tongue to mention that he doubted whether he could even make a patronus anymore—with or without a wand, he simply couldn't summon up enough happiness nowadays for one to take form. However, he wasn't going to leave Hermione without a hope, and so he gave a nod as his only response.

"Once you do," Hermione went on, "I'll also let you know how things are on our end."

"Have you decided what to do, by the way?" Draco prompted.

"I have been giving it a lot of thought, actually," Hermione replied thoughtfully. "You see, when we were captured and Bellatrix was...you know...she seemed to be extremely concerned over our having the Sword of Gryffindor. When she...questioned me, she kept asking me 'what else' we took from her vault, and she seemed to be completely convinced that we had been there." Blowing out a breath, Hermione shared the conclusion she had yet to mention to anyone else:

"My guess is that that's where she's keeping the horcrux. That's where she's keeping Hufflepuff's Cup."

It was a monumental conclusion, and one that Draco needed some time to digest. Logically speaking though, it made sense. Out of any place in the Wizarding World to keep a horcrux, Gringotts was a location that anyone might have easily chosen. It was secure, each vault could be accessed only by the witch of wizard themselves, and it was heavily protected by all sorts of magic that made it impossible to break in. Except that...

"If she thinks that you've been there already, then won't she go and check—maybe change its location for all we know?" Draco asked. Because, after all, it wasn't as though Hermione and her friends could just go waltzing into Gringotts and request to be let into the Lestrange family vault—they'd need a plan.

Hermione smiled, and for the first time looked down at the packet containing Bellatrix's wand with something other than disgust. "She can't get in without authentication. And now that you've given me this, I don't see how anyone besides me can get in."

"You, as in..." But Draco didn't need time to figure out Hermione's plan. After all, hadn't she and her friends already used the same method twice?—once on him in second year, and once to break into the Ministry just earlier last year?

"You're going to use Polyjuice potion," he stated.

Hermione nodded. "She left plenty of her hairs on me, believe me. It'll work."

"But Polyjuice potion takes a month to brew," Draco pointed out. "Do you even have all the ingredients?"

"Well..."

"Take stock and tell me what you need. I'll send it out as soon as I can."

If Hermione hadn't been on the verge of tears before, she was rapidly getting there now. "If you keep offering things up like that without giving me a chance to...I'll..."

"You'll what?" Draco questioned, a sly smile curving his mouth. "Fall for me all over again, Granger?"

Hermione blushed. "As if I could..." she mumbled.

But that was enough for Draco to hear. Without warning, he stepped forward and enfolded her in his embrace, burying his face in her hair for what was going to be the last time for likely a good, long while. And though by this point it was beyond nonsensical for him to react with anything other than expectancy, a part of Draco stilled breathed with relief when Hermione's arms went around him and she hugged him back.

No matter what happened, he absolutely couldn't lose her, he vowed to himself.

"Take care of yourself, Draco," Hermione murmured as she too held onto him tighter still, clearly unwilling to let go.

"I'm not the one planning to break into the world's best-guarded bank and steal a horcrux," Draco replied, pulling back a bit to look down at her. "Worry about yourself first."

Hermione smiled and shook her head. "I haven't done that practically since the first day I made friends. And now you're more than a friend, Draco."

More than a friend. No matter how many times it was affirmed, Draco still couldn't fully believe it. Hermione Granger loved him.

Almost before she was ready and just as she was about to say something, Draco leaned down and kissed her, expressing through action what he couldn't just through words. Hermione responded right away, bringing her hand to the back of his neck and coaxing him closer, deeper, and more fully connected to her. Draco's responding groan sent shivers down Hermione's spine, but just as she was about to reach for him once again, Draco pulled back and gave them both some air. His expression some somewhere between ecstasy and agony; but in either case, it was clear that leaving was just as hard for him as it was for Hermione.

Not yet, her frenzied mind thought, and right before he could step away from her and break contact yet again, she grabbed Draco's hand and brought it to her chest.

Stunned beyond words, Draco held perfectly still as he felt her heartbeat beneath his palm, almost like he was holding Hermione's very heart in his hand. Beyond the reason that any healthy young man would have at this action, Draco was also taken aback at how trusting, how absolutely sure Hermione looked at that moment following her bold move.

"Just remember, no matter what you do, that there's something here who cares about you, Draco," she said, looking at him intently. "Someone who loves you. And, if anything should happen..." But here she had to stop, as the tears that had been forming in her eyes finally spilled over and she gave Draco one long, lasting look that stayed with him for many weeks to come.

"Hermione..." Draco murmured, hardly aware of anything else except her heartbeat, accelerating as he pressed his hand closer still. Wrapping his other arm around her he held her close, and realized for the first time that it wasn't just him who was having a hard time with this, with everything. Hermione really loved him; and with that love, maybe in part because of this world they lived in and in part because it was him, also came great pain.

For not the first time, Draco acknowledged that he wasn't good enough for her; and yet, at the same time, as long as she still wanted him, he didn't have the strength nor the desire to refuse her, to push her away. If only this had happened sooner at some point throughout their school years, then maybe they might have been spared all this, been together even now, fighting on the same side and never mind what part of Draco's life and past was against that. But, as it was, moving forward they could each only do their best.

Draco was prepared to do and give absolutely everything to make that happen.

"You're the only one who knows...who understands..." he said at last, still holding her close. Her own hand was now over his heart, and no doubt she felt it beating just as rapidly as her own. "I don't think I can ever make things right, move on past all that's happened, but—"

"—Draco—"

"—once this war's over, I want to try." Looking down at her and letting her see how serious he was, Draco tilted her chin until their lips were almost touching once more. "If you'll give me the chance, I'll do so then."

In Hermione's mind, there was no doubt or question about it, though she understood why Draco felt the need to reaffirm it and spell it out in clear words over and over again. He wasn't at all used to apologizing—and therefore not at all used to being forgiven. In her view, she had already forgiven and forgotten the bad history between them; but for Draco, it was still a fresh wound, one that reopened every time that someone voiced a doubt or took a look at him too closely. Even now, she could tell that he was holding back, taking what he wanted (as it was his Slytherin nature to do so), and yet at the same time leaving room for her to break away and say no if she wanted to. If this wasn't proof of his own love towards her, then Hermione didn't know what was.

Wrapping her arms around his neck, she pulled him down for another kiss, relishing the moment that she felt all his defenses fall down and he clasped her to him once more. It wasn't just the longing of being in the arms of the man she loved—it was something far deeper, a sense that no matter how out of control or insane the world became, this was her point of certainty, something she could depend on.

If nothing else, this was what Hermione had to fight for, for herself.

When Draco left afterward, for the first time since they had ever had to go through this process of meeting for a short time and then leaving for longer periods of time, Hermione wasn't upset. She knew, absolutely knew that they would meet again soon. Things were coming to a head the closer and closer she and her friends got to destroying Voldemort, and soon this war would be at its climax and end.

Then, many things would be decided.

And until then, many, many things still to be done.

But never before had Hermione Granger been filled with so much resolve, so much will that would make itself known to the world and result in what was hopefully a happy ending.

For all of them.

A/N: Okay, a bit more of a fluff chapter here, but seeing as I can guarantee that this will be the last long one until the end of the Wizarding War arc, I'll assume that readers won't be complaining too much, yes? And I did manage to sneak in giving Hermione Bellatrix's wand, so plot-wise that's pretty important.

Anyway, now we're setting up for the breaking into Gringotts part of things, and once again readers can expect quite a few changes as to what's going to happen and how. The next couple of chapters will be pretty action-packed with maybe just 1-2 chapters inbetween to take a step back and let everyone rest. But, as y'all will know from cannon, this is when stuff really gets going in terms of what's important happening. I hope everyone will enjoy sticking around for that!

Please do review, follow, and favourite if you're reading, and show your support for this story! I hope everyone's enjoying reading!