Chapter 2
Hermione returned to her private bedroom in the Head Girl/Boy suite to find her belongings has already been unpacked by Allie. She grimaced. I have to give her a reward for this. McGonagall might be insisting on me using Allie but I'm not going to take her for granted.
"Allie" she called loudly into the room.
With a pop, the she-elf appeared wearing a red tea-cosy for a hat and a pristine white pillow case emblazoned with the Hogwarts crest.
She curtsied.
"Allie is here to serve. What can Allie do's for the wonderful and famous Miss Granger?
"Hi, Allie. Can we talk for a few minutes?"
"Of courses, Miss."
Hermione squat down to be at the same level. As a short witch she hated it when others towered over her and she didn't want to make Allie feel inferior.
"Allie, first of all, I would like you to call me Hermione. I know it seems unusual. I'm going to be stuck with Draco Malfoy using my last name and as I'm going to be living here for quite some time, Hogwarts is my home. I would like the people I interact with to address me as if I were at my family home. How would you feel about that?"
The she-elf seemed deep in thought, and almost close to tears.
"I thinks, Miss Hermione, that might be ok."
"That's wonderful, Allie. Now, there is an extra thing that I hope you will be ok with. With Harry and Ron not coming back to school, I'm going to be short on friends until I make new ones. I'm hoping that my making new friends might start with you. What do you think?"
"I don't knows how to friends withs a witch, Miss Hermione."
"Well, if you'd like to try, we can figure that out together. If it makes you uncomfortable, we don't have to but I was good friends with Dobby. Did you know him?"
"Oh yes. Allie helped Dobby to clean the Tower of Gryffindors when Miss Hermione was trying to frees all us elves."
Hermione cringed.
"Ah yes. I'm sorry about that. I didn't understand at the time how serving is like breathing for house elves, it felt very unfair. It still does really but I understand it better now."
"Yes Miss. A few of us elveses saw you were trying to helps us but most gots offensied."
"I know, its ok. I'm not to free anyone anymore so you don't have to worry. Now, what do you say about us trying to be friends?"
"Allie would like that Miss Hermione." Giving another little curtsey.
"Excellent. In that case, would you bring us up some tea we can share and then I'll let you get on with your duties. I may not be trying to free you anymore but as your friend I'm going to make sure you get a little break and you can always tell the other elves that I ordered it. How's that?"
Allie gave the witch a sly little smile and clicked her fingers, conjuring a bright silver tea service.
"That looks lovely…"
Allie went to begin pouring but Hermione held up her hand.
"Allie, it's going to take a little while to get used to what each of us is ok with and I'd like to start with a small compromise. I think that as you are my friend now, you are also a guest in my quarters so I'd like to serve you a cup of tea. What do you think?"
The she-elf looked nervous but nodded tentatively.
"Lovely…, this tea looks lovely and strong. Just how I like it. Did you brew it yourself?"
Allie beamed. "Yes Miss Hermione. We elveses has records of what everyones is liking and when Allie got assign'd to the Headses Quarters, I reads up on yous."
"You are very, very good at tea." Hermione smiles in a conspiratorial way.
"Now, I hope this isn't going to make you uncomfortable but I was wondering what you would think about joining me on this gorgeously soft and comfy sofa for our tea? I can conjure you a little stool if you prefer but I'd like you to sit with me."
"I don't thinks I is allowed Miss"
Hermione's face hardened slightly at the fear in her little friends face.
"Allie, whose room is this?"
"Yours Miss." The elf said thoughtfully.
"And who should get to say where someone is allowed to sit in my room?"
The elf gave another sly grin.
"That would be you again, Miss Hermione."
"Good, and I would like my friend to sit with me on this sofa and share a cup of tea."
Hermione shrunk one of the china tea cups to be a more fitting size for an elf, then filled it with tea and handed it to the elf.
"I'm afraid I'm not sure if you have tea and sugar."
"All we elves is lactosis intolerants Miss. But Allie likes tea to be as sweetes as Miss Hermione."
"Awww, aren't you adorable? One lump then?"
"Yes pleases Miss" Allie said in her squeaky little timbre, blushing slightly.
Hermione finished the drinks and handed the tiny porcelain cup to Allie.
"Shall we?" she said gesturing to the sofa.
"Yes, Miss." Allie said and clambered up onto the plush red fabric.
"What shall we talk about with our tea?"
"I has an idea Miss about what you said about homes."
"Oh lovely, Allie. I can't wait to hear."
"Yous said Mr Malfoys will always calls you Granger."
"Yes. I'm sure you know a little of our history. He really doesn't like me but I want to draw a line under the past and try to find a way to be nice to him."
The elf nodded.
"Yes Miss. Allie's idea is to be calling hims Draco, insteads of Malfoys. His propers growings up will makes him do the reciprocals."
"I never thought of that Allie. That's a great idea. You are a very smart elf."
Allie bowed her head it embarrassment. "Thank you Miss."
"Now, while we're talking about Draco. I was hoping I could get your help."
"Of courses, Miss Hermione"
"You see, the thing is, the Headmistress wants me and Draco to set an example to the other students about house unity and to show them that if even he and I can get along, given our rivalries from the past, then it really can't be that hard to put difficulties aside. She wants us to undo a thousand years of hatred and I'm really not sure where to start."
"Oh that's easies-peasies, Miss."
"You said that way too quickly, Allie. What can possibly be so easy?"
Hermione narrowed her eyes in amused suspicion at the she-elf.
"What do you really thinks of Mr Malfoys, Miss?
"Well…" Hermione thought for a moment. "I don't know."
"You saids you wants to be nicers to him. Is that's because of whats the Headmistress wanteds? Or is it because you really wants to?"
"Hmmmm, I think it's easier because she has asked it but I think I'd want to anyway. I testified for him at his trial to keep him from going to prison and convinced the Wizengamot to send him back to school. He deserves his education and to have a life free of snake-face."
Allie laughed.
"Also, he was always a brilliant student; he was only ever second in marks because of me. I think I want to actually like him."
Allie was nodding with a knowing smile.
"Or at the very least not be at each other's throats."
"Thens my ideas will work perfectlies, Miss."
Hermione gave a resigned sigh at the cunning little elf.
"Come on then, what's your idea?"
"Kissiz, Miss."
Hermione frowned.
"What?" The witch said disbelievingly.
"Kissiz, Miss. You needs to be givings Mr Malfoys kissiz."
Hermione laughed. She couldn't help it. The idea was hilarious. Ridiculous. Wasn't it?
"Allie, I can't just kiss Draco. I don't even want to, I don't think but it takes time to build up to people doing that even when they do want to."
"Elveses don't needs time Miss. We just kiss whens we want to."
"Well he certainly wouldn't want to. He hates me, remember? I need to get him past that before thinking about anything else."
"Allie can helps Miss. Allie can tells Mr Malyfoys how much you talks about him and how you thinks about kissizing him."
"No! No, please don't do that. Firstly, it's not true and secondly, I'd never hear the end of it. He'd tease me mercilessly."
"Ok Miss. But if it's not true then why woulds his teases be a problem?"
"I just can't deal with that kind of teasing when I'll have to put up with his sneers and snarkiness too."
"Ok Miss Hermione. Allie should go and prepare Mr Malfoys rooms now. He will be hear soons and Allie doesn't wants to get in troubles."
"If Draco is ever mean to you, Allie, you come and tell me. I'll sort him out. I look after my friends and you are my new best friend."
"Thank you, Miss."
Allie looked like she wanted to say something else but fear was in her face again and it broke Hermione's heart, and piqued her curiosity.
"Is there something else, Allie? You look like you have a question that you're scared to ask."
"Y-yes, Miss."
"Allie you never need to be scared that I will be upset you and I will never make you punish yourself. Just be honest with me ok?"
The elf nodded.
"Allie was just having wonderings Miss when you saids you looks afters your friends…"
Hermione nodded. "Go on, it's ok."
"You saids you kept Mr Malfoys out of Aksabans and made sures he gots his edu- educ- learnings. You looked afters him. Maybes he is alreadys your friend."
Hermione took a deep breath and thought about the Allie's words. She had a point, albeit a very innocent one.
"It would be very nice if he sees it that way. I guess only time will tell. Thank you for your help today Allie, and thank you for being my friend. I'll let you get back to your duties."
"Shall I leave the tea, Miss?"
"Yes please. I'm going to pour another cup and read for a while in the common room while I wait for Draco."
"Very good Miss Hermione."
Allie got up, curtseyed and popped away.
Hermione followed her own plans to the letter, pouring a second cup of tea, summoning a book and walking into the lounge area of the Head Quarters. She plonked herself down on the sumptuous dark wood and black leather sofa, tucked her feet under her, hovered her cup of tea within reach and opened up the very worn copy of Hogwarts a History.
Fifteen minutes later, a door creaked at the entrance and Hermione looked up to see her blond dorm-mate swagger into the room. He was trying to look casual.
"Granger." He said, looking her straight in the eyes.
She felt her stomach flip, for some unbeknown reason. Allie and all that bloody talk about kissing.
She settled her practiced friendly smile upon her lips and heeded a different piece of Allie's advice…
"Hi, Draco."
A/N: You may notice that both chapters of this story have been highly conversational. That is by design and I hope to keep it as such with possibly a few letters thrown in. The idea is each conversation brings at least one small form of peace and all will lead to the biggest peace of all.