Chapter 31

When Hermione emerged from the cell, it was hours later. Harry and Ron had been pacing the hall, desperately trying to find a way in and drag her out, but she was the one gifted at protective enchantments. Ron was on her in seconds, his hands grabbing her upper arms and slightly digging into them. His mouth opened but she held up her hand and beat him to it.
"I'm fine, Ronald," she insisted.
"What did he say?" Harry asked, his voice nervous and shaky.
"A lot, he had a lot to say," she answered, sighing.
"You know who's wand isn't working, he isn't able to hurt you with it, so he's been trying to use other wizard's wands, but to no avail, he's starting to get desperate." Harry nodded, allowing the information to sink in.
"Also, Draco told me how to get into Bellatrix's vault at Gringotts," she continued. Ron looked at her, his hand wrapping around hers, a worried look gracing her face.
"You can't believe a word he's saying, he could be walking us into a trap." His thumb brushed her cheek, sending a shiver down her spine.
"I don't think he is," she protested. Ron threw his hands in the air in frustration.
"How can you be this naive, Hermione?" he asked her, his voice ripping into her.
"Why would he lie?" she defended herself, leaning against the door.
"I am not naive, Ron, I trust him, I think." That definitely was the wrong thing to say.
"You trust him?" he hissed, turning to her, his face inches from hers. "You trust that foul git?" Hermione bit her lip, trying to ignore her trembling hands.
"You trust him over me?" he asked, hovering over her.
"What? How is that even a question right now?" she asked, incredulously.
"Ron, come on," Harry grabbed his shoulders and pulled him off her.
"Go calm down, I'll deal with this." Ron groaned but obeyed, walking down the stairs mumbling. Harry turned to Hermione, changing the subject.
"So he knows how to get into the vault?" Harry asked her. Hermione closed her eyes and leaned back against the metal door.
"He does, but there is a catch," she answered.
"Of course there is."
"He has to take one of us, and he will only take me." Harry groaned.
"That sounds like a trap, Hermione," he insisted. She knew he was right, but her gut feeling was telling her that he was to be trusted and that he wouldn't do anything to hurt her.
"I trust him, Harry," she whispered softly.
"Is there something else I should know about?" Harry asked, his eyes piercing hers. She bit her lip,
"no, there isn't, he's just changed, okay?" Harry nodded softly and turned away from her.
"I need to talk to him first," he insisted. Hermione didn't protest when he pushed her aside and rushed into the room.

Draco was still sitting in the chair, waiting for Hermione to come back like she had told him she would. Imagine his disappointment when Harry freaking Potter came barging in looking all bothered.

"She freed you?" he hissed, his voice hoarse. Draco threw his hands up.

"Alright, you may have Hermione fooled, but I'm not as easily convinced." Draco saw that the boy who lived was clutching his wand tightly, itching to hex him.

"If you think Hermione is easily fooled, you don't know the first thing about her."

"And you do?" Harry spat.

"I know her better than you ever will," he answered, his silver eyes never letting go of Harry.

"Don't be ridiculous, you know nothing about her." Draco smirked.

"I know her, she won't remember if you'd ask her now, but I know her," he was getting angry now, tired of having to prove to everyone how much he cared for her.

"I know her, and…." he stopped for a moment, groaning in frustration.

"You can take me or Ron to Gringotts, but not Hermione. I won't put her in harm's way like that." Draco shook his head.

"It won't work with you or Ron, it has to be her. I won't take anyone but her." Harry rushed forward and grabbed Malfoy by the throat, slamming him against the iron wall.

"I don't trust you for a second, you little shit," he hissed against Malfoys ear. "If you think we'd let her go with you without protection, you're crazy." He tightened the grip on his throat, constricting Draco's airway. "If you so much as touch her, I will kill you, and it'll be long and painful. I'll drag it out until you beg for it, do you understand?" Harry asked. Draco didn't answer and Harry pulled him off the wall then threw him back against it with a skull cracking force. "Do you understand?!" he yelled so loudly and forcefully that tiny droplets of spit spattered Draco's face. He leveled his gaze with Harry's and hoarsely answered.

"I understand."

"Good," Harry answered, letting go of Draco and strutting out of the room.

Hermione sat in the kitchen of the house once more, waiting for Harry and Ron to be done arguing. They argued like they were her parents, which might not be a bad thing, seeing how her parents wouldn't argue over her anymore.

"You can't be serious?" she heard Ron scream. He definitely wasn't up for the mission. He didn't want her anywhere near Draco. Neither did Harry for that matter, but he was always better at seeing the bigger picture. Hermione got up and stormed into the living room.

"I'm tired of you guys talking about me like I am not here," she stated as both boys looked at her. "I am telling you that I am going to Gringotts and I am retrieving that cup." Both boys remained silent for a second, Ron was the first to move.

"I don't trust him," he repeated, walking towards her.

"You don't have to. You have to trust me, you have to trust that I know what I am doing." He grabbed her hand and squeezed it gently.

"I do trust you," he whispered.

"So let me go," she asked. He shook his head softly.

"I don't want to lose you," he bit his lip. Hermione cupped his cheek, gently brushing her thumb against his skin.

"You won't," she whispered softly before planting a soft kiss on his cheek. Ron didn't protest as she left the room.

Draco looked up when Hermione entered the room, feeling that familiar flutter in his chest.

"We're going to Gringotts," she informed him before throwing him his wand. He caught it in mid air and stared at her.

"They're letting you come with me?" he asked, slightly surprised.

"They trust me," she answered, walking over to him and stopping an inch short of his face. "Don't mistake me for being an easy target, Malfoy. Any funny business and I'll kill you myself." Her breath tickled his skin and it took everything he had not to grab on to her neck and kiss her.

"No funny business," he repeated softly. He didn't miss the way her gaze drifted towards his lips. The next second, she was walking away from him and out the door. He took a second to gather himself before trailing after her.

"Do you have the cloak," he asked, catching up to her. She nodded, gesturing towards her tiny purse.

"Okay, let's go then," he offered her his hand and she reluctantly took it before apparating.

They landed in a dusty room covered in broken glass, there were wand cases littered across the floor.

"Where did you take us?" he asked, still holding her hand, not keen on letting go.

"Ollivander's," she answered. Draco looked around, the entire store had been destroyed. He'd heard about that of course, but seeing it was another story.

"I bought my first wand here," he whispered softly, barely audible.

"We all did," Hermione let go of his hand and started digging in her purse, pulling out a cloak that looked like it was made of liquid silver and other precious metals.

"That's it?" he asked.

"Yeah, that's it." They both grew quiet for a second when they heard noises out in the street.

"Take me over the plan again," she whispered, looking at him. He knew she was nervous and scared, but would go through with it anyway.

"Okay, you go invisible and I access my vault, once were in one of those little trains, we imperius the goblin. Bellatrix's vault is right next to my family's so it won't be that hard. We'll be in and out in half an hour, tops."

"That sounds way too optimistic, but sure."

"Just because all the plans your Weasley and Potter ever cooked up didn't go smoothly, doesn't mean mine won't." He was slightly offended by her mistrust.

"They were my plans," she hissed before wrapping herself in the cloak. He rolled his eyes and groaned, he had literally no game left.

"Let's go," he heard her whisper in his ear. He shivered at her breath brushing against his skin, but moved ahead anyway, feeling her close to him, following his every move.

Diagon alley was muddy and desolate, like it had been abandoned by all good people and inhabited by the evil ones. Hermione took care to step in Draco's footsteps to not leave her own. His feet were a lot bigger than hers, so that made it easier. It didn't take them long to reach Gringotts.

"Ready?" he whispered, softly. She brushed his hand against his in answer and they walked in together. Draco held his head high and his nose even higher as he walked right to the front desk.

"I wish to enter my vault," he ordered in that stuck up way only purebloods could. The goblin sitting in front had long white hair that seemed to frame his warty, wrinkled face like a halo. He leaned forward and eyed Draco before speaking.

"I need your wand," he spoke slowly and threateningly. Draco didn't waver but presented his wand and slammed it onto the desk. The goblin took the wand and inspected it, taking his sweet time.

"I'm waiting, half breed," Draco hissed, causing several others to look his way.

"Very well, you can follow him," the goblin finally gestured towards another and Draco nodded, following the other goblin to the gondolas. Draco got in after the tiny creature and he felt Hermione sit down next to him, her hand grabbing his and squeezing softly, reassuring him that she was still there.

"Here you are, mister Malfoy," the goblin exited the vehicle and gestured towards a large vault door, opening it and revealing the contents. Hermione had to clasp her hands over her mouth to not make a sound. The vault was huge and overflowing with precious metals, diamonds, rubies and coin. Malfoy was loaded. Hermione had barely recovered from the contents of the vault when Malfoy pulled out his wand and cast a quick imperius on the goblin.