Draco Malfoy started to pace, his hands behind his back. "What I know of the goblins stems from my parents interactions with them. As I've mentioned, they're not likely to have a soft place in their hearts for the Malfoys."

"My father's never had a single good word to say about them. They're greedy, unscrupulous, and strictly fair."

Harry snorted, "That last's a bad thing?"

Draco raised an eyebrow, "To a Slytherin? Absolutely."

Hermione smothered a chuckle, and - to her surprise, saw Pansy doing the same.

Draco paused, turning around dramatically, "My father respects the goblins, though he'd never tell anyone that directly. They're powerful in our world, despite not having wands of their own. Goblin magic is strong."

Harry frowned, "If a powerful person like your father respects them, I suppose I ought to as well."

Pansy guffawed, "I suppose I ought to as well!"

Malfoy continues, "You very well ought, indeed!" Malfoy's smirk, for once shows pure amusement, not mockery. "They're tricksy things, these goblins, but they've got a penchant for 'honesty' - so an outright lie is likely to leave you wanting."

Harry nodded, "I'm shite for lying anyway."

Malfoy looked at Pansy, "Pansy, what do you know?"

Pansy snarked back, "Those goblin rebellions Binns always goes on about aren't just for show. They're a warrior race who turned their focus to currency under duress. They're more likely to listen if you'll give them their pride back."

"Pride?" Hermione asked.

"They want wands," Malfoy drawled. "And to be able to walk in the daytime without getting hassled."

Harry Potter said consideringly, "I've never seen them outside of Gringotts"

"Treaty," Pansy said with a pert smile. "What would you be like if you hadn't seen the sun in two hundred years? If your littlest grew up without ever seeing it except out of windows?"

Harry Potter sighed, "This isnt' going to be easy, is it?"

"Best things in live never are," Malfoy said, sticking his hands in his pockets.

Pansy started to speak slowly, "Wizards don't often treat goblins with respect. They're smaller, and they don't have wands. Don't give them reason to think you're pushing them around. You'll be on their turf - again, treaty obligations. Treat it like you're in their home. Pay attention to the small things."

"I wish we could teach you Gobbledygook, their language," Hermione said in exasperation, "Apparently they don't respect folks who don't learn it, and they will simply speak around you, rather than to you."

Pansy smiled, "Play up being young, Mister Potter. Maybe pick your nose while you're at it. Goblins no more expect their children to be supermen than we do."

Harry buried his face in his hands.

Hermione said, "She's got a point, Harry. Ask questions, be curious. Don't let hostility stop you, either."

Draco Malfoy drawled, "You do that innocent face like a champ. Pity Snape's never fallen for an innocent act, isnt' it?" Draco smirked.

Harry's head snapped up, his eyes burning green fire - "I was innocent, damn your bloody hide!" he exclaimed in an exasperated manner.

"Shoulda just told him that, then, rather than trying to playact innocence." Draco Malfoy drawled, "We know you haven't been innocent for a looong time."

Harry Potter stilled, straightening and balling his hands into fists. Then, angrily, he turned to Hermione, "How can you POSSIBLY like this prat?"

[a/n: Harry's being a bit prickly. Comes from not wanting his 'mortal enemy' to know some of the things that Draco knows ... and has known about for a while.

THAT being said, once Harry settles down, he'll understand that Slytherins cling to secrets like dragons cling to gold.

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