Disclaimer: Dobby and the rest of the characters are all J.K. Rowlings. No profit is being made.
Glue
Dobby must stick to Draco Malfoy like glue.
It is the only thought present in Dobby's mind these weeks. Dobby shadows his former master from dawn until dusk, because Harry Potter told Dobby to and Dobby would never dream of disobeying Harry Potter. It has been Dobby's dream to serve him, to give Harry Potter whatever he needs, so Dobby will not rest until then. Harry Potter does not deserve a lazy house elf.
The young Malfoy walks through the castle all day, and while Dobby tries his hardest to find something, anything, that will make Harry Potter happy, Draco Malfoy does nothing out of the ordinary. It does not help that Dobby still feels his old binds pull, and Dobby has to stop himself from bashing his own head against the wall for spying on his master. Former master, Dobby corrects himself. Former master.
Dobby has to collect ice for his hand later that evening, for Dobby has put his hand in the boiling water that was meant for Harry Potter's table. Dobby had to be punished for following Draco Malfoy like a criminal, but Dobby has never felt so ashamed. Dobby tells himself Draco Malfoy deserves it, but then proceeds to smother himself with his pillow. The head house elf saves Dobby, but looks disapprovingly, as if she knows what Dobby is doing. Dobby is spying instead of working, and Dobby knows he is being bad, but it is for Mister Harry Potter and that will justify slacking off in the end. Dobby hopes.
Dobby has to work together with Kreacher. Dobby hates Kreacher. Dobby hates Kreacher with a passion which Dobby could never summon for his former masters. How dare Kreacher be disrespectful to Harry Potter? Harry Potter is great and noble, while Kreacher is not even worthy to lick Harry Potter's feet. Sometimes Dobby resents Kreacher, more of jealousy than anything, because Kreacher has Harry Potter for a master while Dobby has not. Dobby knows he should punish himself for it, to think that Harry Potter would be better off with a house elf like Dobby, but deep inside Dobby knows it's true so he does nothing, and waits for Kreacher to leave.
Between spying for Harry Potter and working for Albus Dumbledore, Dobby still has to find time to care of Winky. Winky is miserable and nothing Dobby does or says will help and Dobby knows this, but it doesn't keep Dobby from trying. Dobby is afraid of taking her to the Room of Requirement, ever since the unknown force threw Dobby out when he tried to enter. Dobby is scared to go near that room again, and Dobby feels guilty for telling Harry Potter about that room. What if Harry Potter gets into trouble, or worse, danger, because of stupid Dobby? On the other side, Dobby had been trying to help Harry Potter, and Harry Potter had been grateful. Does that still make it bad?
Being a house elf is a hard job.
As the weeks pass, Dobby is slowly becoming delirious. Dobby must not sleep, he must not rest, he must keep an eye on Draco Malfoy at all times. It is one of these nights in the Slytherin dormitories that Dobby is hiding in the shadows with Kreacher, watching over young master. Kreacher glares at Dobby through the darkness, and Dobby glares back. Dobby wants to do this job alone, without Kreacher. Dobby wants to serve Harry Potter, and only Dobby should complete this task. Kreacher scrunches up his nose and puts a long curled finger in it. Dobby pulls a face, disgusted.
It is like this every night. Kreacher is always trying to annoy Dobby, and Dobby is trying to do Dobby's task. Thinking of Harry Potter keeps him awake as Dobby stares at his former master's closed curtains. The minutes drag by painfully slow, but they are not allowed to talk, lest the students here them. Not that Dobby would ever want to talk with Kreacher. Kreacher is the most vulgar company Dobby has ever kept.
Dobby must not leave Kreacher alone, or Kreacher might do terrible things.
When early morning rises, Dobby is surprised to hear a shuffle in a corner of the room. Dobby stands up, goes to the corner, and finds, to his bemusement, that it is Winky, clenching an empty Butterbeer bottle in her left hand and a dark blue sock in the other.
"Winky?" Dobby squeaks, but then quickly covers his mouth as if he could put the noise away again. "What is Winky doing here?" Dobby whispers, eyeing the sock in her hand.
"Winky misses Dobby," Winky sobs, and suddenly throws herself at Dobby, sniffling into Dobby's shoulder. Kreacher scoffs, but Dobby ignores him and stares at Winky, his eyes shining.
"Winky comes to see Dobby?" He takes her right hand. "And you brought me a sock?"
Winky nods, wiping her eyes and hiccupping. Dobby unclasps her fingers from the sock and holds it up against the early morning light. "It is Harry Potter's sock!" Dobby whispers. "Winky is a very kind elf."
Dobby sees Kreacher rolling his eyes, a sneer on his small elfish face, but Dobby doesn't care. Winky brought him Harry Potter's sock. Dobby's lucky sock! Dobby reaches for Winky's hand and pulls her to the spot where Kreacher is hiding. It is no longer a very effective hiding place, and they must move.
As if young master read Dobby's mind, something stirs behind his curtains and all three house elves dive under one of the other beds. Dobby shuffles around and carefully puts on Harry Potter's sock. It matches nicely with his other sock, also given by Harry Potter. But the blue one is his freedom sock, and it will bring luck, Dobby is sure.
Dobby wriggles his toes. Perhaps today, he will find the information Harry Potter seeks.
Author's Notes: Just something that popped up in my head the other day. It was interesting, at the least, writing form a house elf's point of view. I even found out I'm a bit of a Dobby/Winky shipper. ;) Please review!