Title: Unsettling Departure

Pairing: Winky x Dobby

Summary: A new romance, or just friendship? One-Shot.

Warnings: Don't like it, don't read it.

Rating: T, just to be safe.

Dobby was walking into the Hogwarts kitchens after seeing Harry Potter, his friend when he noticed a new elf looking around in a wide-eyed, nervous way. The new elf seemed like she didn't know what she was supposed to do within the kitchen. So Dobby decided to go greet her and introduce herself.

"Hello. My name is Dobby, are you new here? What's your name?" Dobby was extremely excited so while he was talking he said every word much faster than the average elf would and he had a smile that stretched from ear to ear.

"He-hello D-Dobby. I am new here, I only arrived a few moments before you walked in. Oh, and my name is Winky."

"May I show you around, Winky?" Dobby was now speaking at a normal pace, but still had a large smile on his face.

"Alright." Winky said this in a shy, quiet voice, and then looked to the ground with a faint hint of a smile on her lips.

Dobby took her hand in his and pulled her along with him as he left the kitchen. He first took Winky to the Great Hall, she was amazed be the size of it. What surprised her most was the amount of people who smiled, waved, or said 'Hello'. Winky decided to ask Dobby about it.

"Dobby, why are they so friendly? I don't understand."

"Winky, you know how there are four different houses for the students? Well, there mostly consist of Hufflepuffs, Gryffindors, and Ravenclaws."

"What is the last house?" she asked in a quiet voice.

"Slytherin, most of them still have house elves, and they don't like the fact that we choose to be here." Dobby said this with an uncharacteristically serious voice.

"Well...let's hope that we don't see any of those people." Winky exclaimed. Dobby blinked, surprised that Winky had actually said something in a loud, happy way.

"Yeah." Said Dobby, who was still slightly shocked from her earlier outburst. Dobby then decided to show Winky the different classrooms. He started with the Herbology room, and then went through the castle, explaining what each room was and finished with the Potions room.

"The Slytherin head, Severus Snape, teaches this class."

"We, umm, we should go then shouldn't we?" Winky said in a quiet, panicked voice.

"He wouldn't hurt us, but I agree, it is probably safer to leave." Dobby led Winky back to the kitchen, but was told by another elf that Harry was looking for him, and that he would be in the Astronomy Tower.

"Winky, I have to go, I would take you with me but it will be dangerous. Unless, you want to come with me..."

"If it's not too much of a bother, I would like to come with you." She said nervously.

"Of course, you're not a bother. Just try to be prepared because many dangerous things could happen."

"Alright." So the two set off to go find Harry. When they finally reached the Astronomy Tower Harry was surrounded by the three other boys of his age. These boys were easily identified as Draco Malfoy, and his cronies, Crabbe and Goyle.

As Winky and Dobby silently approached the group Draco turned to face them, he had seen Harry's eyes follow something moving behind then

"House-elves! Get out of here, you have no business in this place."

"Harry Potter is my friend, and I have come to help him." Dobby said with a matter-of-fact tone within his voice.

"Oh, well, then, what is your reason for being here?" Draco asked in an overly eager voice, obviously meant to mock Winky.

"I am here to do the same as Dobby. Help Harry Potter." Exclaimed Winky in a confident voice. Draco stopped for a moment, he hadn't been expecting an answer. If anything he had been expecting a frightened squeak and for her to either be so shocked and scared she wouldn't be able to move or for her to scamper away hurriedly.

Harry decided to take charge of the moment by knocking out both Crabbe and Goyle, then charging at Malfoy. Draco snapped back from his shocked state just in time to block the hit from Harry.

"What did you do to them?" yelled Draco.

"I've only stunned them Malfoy, they'll be fine...in a few hours." Replied Harry with a smirk.

"Not so tough without your back up now are you?" dobby and Winky both said this at exactly the same time. Bothe of the elves stopped what they were doing. Dobby laughed and shook his head in disbelief, while Winky giggled nervously as her eyes looked everywhere except Dobby. They looked over to see Harry and Draco were still fighting.

"Sectumsempra!" dobby was unable to tell which boy had cast the spell, but it didn't matter because Winky was hurt and dying, fast.

"Please HELP ME! I don't know how to save her!" dobby chocked out through his sobs.

"Shh, please don't cry Dobby. Even though you were my only friend, you are the best friend anyone could hope for." Winky whispered in the loudest voice she could manage.

"But you're dying and I can't save you! What kind of friend am I?" Winky took a very ragged breath and spoke, so softly you almost couldn't hear her.

"The best. I love you, Dobby. Thank you." Winky took a last shuddering breath, and died in the arms of the man she loved.