Oh, and just so ya'll know, italics are Hermione's inner thoughts, and bold are Draco's. Have fun!
Chapter 4: Well, duh!
Lucius looked suspiciously at his son. Taking in his traveling shoes and the bag that holds everything, he raised an eyebrow.
"Where are you going?"
"Crabbe's. Goyle's going too and we're going to get a head start on pranks and other…things."
"And why was I not informed of this?" His eyes glinted with something that Draco wasn't sure of.
"Mother informed me I would be going, I thought you knew."
"I'm sure she forgot to tell me." He sneered.
"Would you rather me not go, father?"
He paused and eyed Draco for a moment, as if trying to decide the most important decision in his life.
"No, no, you'd better go. Merlin knows Crabbe and Goyle need a head start. How long will you be gone?"
"We hadn't discussed that. Whenever they get it, really."
"Alright then. I'm sure you're mother will be checking in with you."
"I'll keep an eye out."
"Yes…Well, what are you waiting for? I'm sure they're waiting, tell Crabbe Sr. to owl me."
"Yes, sir."
Draco walked away. He didn't dare let out his breath until he was down the stairs and almost to the door. However, just when he shut it, he heard his father's voice, screaming. 'Uh oh'. He heaved his bag over his shoulder, and started running. If he could just make it outside the gates, he would be good. Lucius came tearing out of the house after Draco.
"Draco Malachi Malfoy, STOP THIS INSTANT!"
"Yeah…OR NOT!"
"Draco!"
He had just made it to the gates. Sure he was wheezing and coughing, but he was there.
"HA! TAKE THAT!" Satisfied that he had the last word, he disapperated just as a spell went flying through the air.
Draco appeared outside of Gringotts. If he knew his father, he would soon guess as to where he had gone. But then again, he did have a tendency to underestimate people. That, or overestimate. Either way, he hurried into the bank and quickly produced both keys. His father's vault was much larger than his was, so it was on a more secure level, deeper in the earth. He decided to go there first. Surely the bag was big enough to hold it all, wasn't it? Another thought struck Draco as he felt the cold, dank air hitting him. Where would he keep it all once it was out of the vault? He made himself stop thinking and concentrated on keeping appearances up. He could just move it to another vault. Inspiration hit him, and he suddenly smirked, knowing just the vault that would do the trick. After emptying both vaults, (trying to shove all the galleons in inconspicuously, but failing miserably) he rented a room at the Leaky Cauldron, and pulled out his writing materials. After all, it would probably take a lot to convince her.
Hermione was still out riding around when she spotted the familiar form of Lightning streak across the sky. Heading home, she tried to remember if she had left her window open. Unable to remember, she cycled faster and reached home in record time. She glanced up quickly, saw that her window was indeed open, and heaved a sigh of relief. Pushing herself to jog up the stairs, she went into her room and saw Lightning waiting expectantly. Pulling off her hoodie while walking over, she reached down and secured the letter. She was surprised, after all, hadn't he said he wouldn't be able to write for a while?
She was even more surprised when she opened the letter. She saw her name and nearly died of shock. He knew her name? How? She got a sinking feeling in her gut and read the letter. At the end she was even more shocked.
Hermione Granger,
I never thought I'd be asking you for help, but I am. I have recently acquired a large amount of my father's galleons, and I need a safe place to put them. Gringott's would be the safest of course, but I cannot open an account without my father finding out. Therefore, I have a proposal to make. However, I will not discuss this further in a letter. Meet me in one hour outside of Flourish and Blott's.
Draco Malfoy
Lightning was looking at her as she made the connection. Her eyes went wide as saucers, and her breathing came in short, sharp blasts. Suddenly running over to her desk, she chanted to herself, no, over and over again. Comparing the letters, she shrieked. The writing was the same! NO! He doesn't know who I am, right? She looked to Lightning and he bobbed his head, as if in reply to her unspoken question. She tried to calm herself, taking deep breaths. He didn't know and that was all that mattered. However, now, she knew whom she was writing to. And that made a huge difference to her. How could she write to him? It was HIM! Starting to freak again, she willed herself to be cool. Be calm. Then she looked at the time. She had 30 minutes to get there if she was going. If? Of course she was going, how could she not? The thought idly crossed her mind that it could just be a horrible trick, but she brushed it away quickly. Getting dressed, telling herself that he wouldn't care what she was wearing anyway, she still had to change 5 different times before she was satisfied. After thoroughly checking everything that could possibly be wrong, she smacked some apple lip-gloss on, made sure she had money to buy some books, and disapperated. A second later, upon opening her eyes, she found herself outside one of her favorite bookstores. Just as she was about to go in, she heard his voice.
"Granger…I'm surprised you showed."
She turned around with a bored look on her face, willing herself not to look in the window.
"I was bored."
"Right. Come on, we aren't talking here."
"Then why bother to meet here, Malfoy?"
"I don't have to explain myself to you." He turned and started walking. Hermione felt compelled to follow. Soon enough, they arrived at what looked to be a broken-down shack. Hermione put a bewildered look on her face and silently followed him in. Inside, she fought with herself whether to look thrilled at the sheer amount of books in this place, or to still look bored. She chose thrilled, and started to wander, looking at the shelves. She was well aware of Draco's gaze on her, but ignored it, pretending she didn't notice at all. After all, it was what she was best at.
"Now, then. About my proposal."
"Yes?"
"Like the letter said, I now have a large amount of my father's money, and I don't really want him to find it. Gringott's is the only place I trust with it, but I can't open an account without him knowing. That's where you come in."
"And pray tell, how did you decide upon me?"
"Because. You're you. Potter's best friend, mudblood, bookworm, and you'll do almost anything to stop Voldemort."
"I see you still haven't matured, ferret boy." I wish you didn't think that.
"And there's the last reason. You hate me." I wish you didn't.
Hermione was silent. She knew she had a blank look on her face, and he was waiting for something, but she just couldn't say anything. He wasn't ready to admit it yet, she knew that much. She ended up ignoring it entirely.
"So basically, you need me." I need you.
"No. I don't need you. I want you to help me." But I want you more.
"And if I don't?" I wish it wasn't like this.
"Then nothing. I'll find someone else and you won't tell anyone." I could never find someone better.
"Sure you could. What do you want my help with? You're wasting my time." I could spend forever with you.
"I'll be blunt. If you let me put all that money into your account at Gringott's, you can use it. But I'm warning you, take it all, and I will get it back. One way or another. We'll each have a key."
"That's all?" I don't want that to be all.
"Yes. And you're to tell no one about this." I wish I could tell everyone.
"Of course not. Wouldn't dream of it. So, are we going now?" I don't want to go.
"If you agree to all terms, yes." Maybe you don't hate me.
"Then what are we waiting for? I still want to go to Flourish and Blott's."
He merely looked at her, face betraying no emotion, and left. Hermione made her way to Gringott's, thinking to herself, What have I done? Draco was waiting inside the bank. Hermione pulled her key out and asked the goblin in front of her to make another one. While the second key was being made, they were both taken to the vault. Surprisingly, it was on the floor just above his father's vault. Draco looked at her until she looked back, apparently exasperated.
"I asked for a deep vault. I like it down here."
She looked away, and Draco continued to look at her. She ignored it as best she could; only stealing glances from behind her hair. Only half an hour later, they were walking out, Draco a few feet behind Hermione. And while Draco examined his new key, Hermione went back to Flourish and Blott's. After all, with this new development, reading was the easiest way to avoid it all. Pretend like she didn't know it was HIM she was writing to, pretend that HIS money wasn't in her – or is it 'our' vault now, she wondered idly – pretend that she didn't particularly care that he was trying to step out of his father's footsteps, and pretend that she hated him. It was all so much, and the only way to ignore it now was to read. And that meant new books. She pushed aside all these thoughts as she walked in and smelled the books. At least she didn't have to pretend with the books.
And BAM! How's that for a shocker? It really was, cause even I didn't plan on writing that. Now I'm gonna have to rethink a lot of it, but it's okay, cause I like it better this way. What will Hermione do now that she knows? When will Draco find out? And what will happen when they both go back to school? So many questions that will not be answered at this point in time. Ah, the fun of being the author! I'll try to update quicker next time!
Dizzy