"Harry, mate! Good to have you back." Fred, or was it George, looked up from the toast he was buttering as Ginny disappeared under the table with her customary squeak. Mr Weasley waved around a forkful of bacon, nodding cordially to Harry.

"Thought you'd got yourself shot of us." George, or was it Fred, grinned at Harry with a definitely Weasley-ish smile. Harry grinned back, accepting the piled plate that Mrs Weasley was passing him. "Can't get rid of you that easily, can I? Too many of you to avoid, for starters!"

Laughing at this, one of the twins asked, "What time did you get here last night, anyhow?" Harry's smiled faded as he glanced around the crowded kitchen, trying to make out a pale blond head amidst the flaming red ones.

The twins continued, oblivious to his sudden change of mood. "Dad wouldn't tell us anything..." "Except that there'd been a bit of a rumpus, and..." "Malfoy is here, with..."

CRACK! Bat-like ears swinging, Dobby appeared in the middle of the floor, causing Mrs Weasley to drop the spatula she had been using to flip eggs with an equally load clatter.

"Harry Potter, sir! Dobby is glad you is alright. Master is very angry, Harry Potter, sir, and is looking for young master. He swears young master will be punished." Mr Weasley's normally-vague expression suddenly sharpened.

"Did he give you any orders?" Dobby answered without removing his eerily large eyes from Harry, "Master has ordered Dobby to find young master, and... and to bring him back to Master. But Dobby will not! Dobby will..."

"Of course Dobby will not." All of the heads in the kitchen turned to take in Malfoy, looking as cool and pale as though he had not even heard of the events of the previous night, never mind been a key player in them. "Y... young master!" gasped Dobby.

"Dobby will not. My father has spent far too long believing that he is entitled to order the world as he sees fit. Dobby will not take me back to my father, because my father is not the only wizard from whom Dobby takes orders. Dobby, do go back to my father, and, if Mr Weasley will allow it, you may tell him where I am. What he does with that information will be for him to decide."

With sudden apprehension, Harry cut in, "Malfoy! Tell him not to punish himself."

"What?" mild irritation underlay Malfoy's tone at what he evidently considered to be a stupid suggestion.

"If you don't tell him not to, he'll be forced to punish himself for disobeying your father."

"Oh. Dobby, don't punish yourself."

"Thank you, master." With another CRACK, Dobby vanished.

"I always knew Lucius would cause trouble for himself." Mrs Weasley bustled over with another plate for Malfoy.

"Molly," said Mr Weasley, in a warning tone.

"Well, it's true. Look at him now - house elf disobeying, son forced to take refuge in our house - not that we aren't very glad to have you, Draco, dear, and glad that it's us you came to - shouldn't wonder if Narcissa won't - "

"Enough, Molly."

"Oh, very well. Eat up, dear, you look a little peaky. You, too, Harry, although goodness knows you look better fed than you have before after being with those muggles," Molly continued to bustle around the kitchen as the rest of them piled into their food.

As Harry finished his third slice of toast, a tousled Ron appeared in the doorway, clad in his bright purple Chudley Cannons pyjamas, blinking owlishly and gazing around the kitchen.

"Oi, what's all the noise? Can't anyone get a bit of sleep in this place? Bloody owlery's more peaceful."

"Aaw, widdle Wonnikins had his nap disturbed,"

"Would widdle Wonnikons like a cuddle?"

"We could transfigure Widdle Wonnikins another teddy bear," The twins grinned evilly at each other, ever-ready to take the mickey out of their younger brother. Scowling ferociously, Ron took the seat next to Draco and began piling food onto it. Draco spoke,

"You missed a visit from my house elf. It'd be less trouble to just set him free, at this rate."

"Why don't you?" Harry could feel his eyes widen in shock at he turned to look at the youngest member of the Weasley family. He didn't think Ginny had ever spoken in front of him before, yet her sudden blush said the question had definitely come from her. Despite her obvious embarrassment, she soldiered on.

"Why don't you set Dobby free?"