As promised, this chapter is much longer than Chapter 2 and I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Also, I apologize for the long wait for this chapter - I decided to enter a Valentine's Day one shot contest so I was working on that the past few days.
Thanks for reading! ~HufflepuffMommy


Hermione was determined to find a way out. Once Draco had retired to his wing, Hermione checked every area she could think of to escape. She tried the floo in every fireplace she came across, but they were locked up tight. Doors and windows that lead outside would give her a jolt or burn her fingers. She even tried apparating but gave up when she was still rooted to the same spot. With a defeated sigh, she found her way back to the stairs and picked the first room she found in the East Wing. The manor had grown dark as the night progressed and Hermione didn't feel comfortable roaming the halls as the night wore on.

She was curious though as she didn't see another single person, or creature, within it's walls, not even house elves. Her stomach growled as she crawled onto the bed, wishing she had more than just a salad for lunch. She tossed and turned a good part of the night until she couldn't stand it any longer.

Using the moonlight that was filtering in through the vine-covered windows, Hermione walked slowly down the stairs to where the kitchen was, remembering its location from when she was walking around the manor earlier.

She heard voices from behind the closed kitchen door and felt a sense of relief that she wasn't the only person, besides Draco, who was there. She opened the door, expecting to see a slew of house elves, but was met with… emptiness. Confused and slightly disappointed, she walked fully into the kitchen.

"Hello?" she called out. "Is anyone here?"

She heard a tinkering sound next to her, but only saw some appliances on the counters. Another sound behind her had her turning, only to be met with nothing.

"Ok. What's going on here?" she asked outloud to herself.

"Um, is the missess needings anything?" came a small, squeaky voice.

Hermione looked around, trying to find the house elf but to no avail. "Er, I was just... Wondering if I could get something to eat? A… uh, sandwich perhaps?" she said to empty room.

All of a sudden, the ice box opened and fixings for a sandwich came floating to the counter, landing on a plate that had hopped out from the cupboard. Hermione watched in amazement as a glass bounced lightly across the counter and filled itself with some pumpkin juice. She walked slowly over to the counter, trying to figure out how everything was happening, when a goblet bounced next to her and said "Is that alright, miss?"

Hermione's eyes widened, "You're… you're alive?"

The goblet nodded, "Yes, miss. We was house elves before this though."

Hermione picked up the finished sandwich and took a bite, leaning a hip on the counter. "What happened to you? And…. to Malfoy?"

"We does not talk about it, miss. It was a bad, bad day in the Malfoy home when that witch placed the curse-"

"Oh, so he was cursed," Hermione whispered to herself.

"So sorry miss, Millie shouldn't have said that." The little goblet walked over to the nearby wall and started banging it's rim around the top, cracking it.

"No! No, stop!" said Hermione going over and picking up Millie before she hit herself some more.

"Millie broke an order miss. We is to never to speak of that night, the master said so."

"Well, your master won't know you said anything so no need to abuse yourself," she said as she looked over the goblet in her hand. "You have a little chip there… if I had my wand, I could fix it for you but Malfoy took it."

"Milie is ok, miss. I does not feel it anyways."

Hermione frowned and set down the goblet back on the counter and went back to her sandwich. A barstool hobbled over to her and nudged her side until she sat down, thanking it.

"This is just… absurd," she said, looking around. She watched as more and more items around the kitchen started to move. She wondered if they were all previously house elves or if everything was just enchanted.

Finishing up her sandwich and juice, Hermione yawned into the back of her hand, thoroughly exhausted now that her stomach was full.

"Would miss like some assistance going back to her room?" asked the goblet.

"Er, that would be lovely, thanks," said Hermione.

Millie swiveled around and called out another house elf's name, Lumey.

Lumey, who happened to be turned into a candelabra, bounced over to Hermione, his candles already lit.

"Lumey will assist you to your room, miss," said Millie.

Hermione picked up Lumey by the handle, "I appreciate the light, Lumey. The manor is very dark at this time of night."

"Lumey is happy to assist, miss," he said as they made their way back through the manor towards the room she picked.

"Tell me Lumey," Hermione said as they glanced towards Draco's wing, "Is anyone allowed in Malfoy's room?"

"Oh no, miss. No one is allowed, 'cept for the master and the Mistress," Lumey supplied.

"Mistress?" she asked.

"Lumey cannot say anymore, miss. 'Tis against the rules," he said.

"I see. I guess I will just have to see for myself in the morning," Hermione said as she set down the candelabra on the nightstand and crawled under the covers.

Lumey dimmed the lights of his candles, "Goodnight, miss."

"G'night, Lumey," Hermione said, her eyes already closing and drifting off to sleep.


The next morning, Hermione woke to someone banging on the bedroom door. She glanced over to the nightstand and noted that Lumey was gone, probably having left soon after she fell asleep.

"Granger! Wake up!" came the growling voice on the other side of the door.

Scowling at the direction of the door, Hermione tossed the covers off of her and stalked towards it, arms across her chest.

"Are you going to give me my wand?" she demanded through the door.

"Fuck no. You'd probably hex my balls off as soon as you get your hands on it," he said.

"Would serve you right!" she shouted.

"What I came for," he said, ignoring her. "Was to ask you why you were bothering my house elves last night? What were you doing lurking around the manor?"

With a huff, Hermione opened the door and stared at the beast in front of her.

"I was 'lurking' around the manor last night because I was starving! You left me wandless and with no food for the whole evening, so I had to do something." She tapped her foot in annoyance. "You can't keep me here, Malfoy. It may be the weekend now, but people will start looking for me."

Draco growled and ran a hairy paw through his main of hair. "I know."

"I- you do?" she said, fully expecting an argument again.

"Look, just… meet me downstairs for breakfast ok? We can…..talk." His nose wrinkled at the word and Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Fine. I'll be down in ten minutes. I'd like to take a shower and a change of clothes would be nice to have," she demanded.

She shut door in his face before he could say anything and she could have sworn she heard him growling profanities as he walked away.

Smirking in satisfaction, she opened the door to the attached bathroom and marveled at the size. Hm, she thought to herself, I might be more than 10 minutes. That claw foot tub is calling my name.

She had been soaking in the tub for at least 20 when she heard some sort of commotion outside the bathroom door. Sighing, she pulled the plug and let the water drain as she dried off with one of the large, plush towels. With it tightly wrapped around her figure, she walked out of the bathroom and was confused when an armoire was set right in front of the door.

"Er…. hello?" she asked the piece of furniture.

The armoire shook and opened as she heard a squeaky voice say, "Misses is need in need of clothes? Polly has lots of assortments for you."

Hermione smiled at the house elf who was transformed into the armoire. "Well, thank you Polly. What do you have?"

Polly opened up a drawer that contained many different sizes and styles of underthings. Blushing slightly, Hermione rummaged through it until she found some pieces that were her size.

"Does, uh, Malfoy just happen to have these on hand for anyone who comes to visit?" she asked.

"The master sometimes has guests that stay the night and he wanted to make sure they had changes of clothes, miss," Polly informed.

"I see," she said, looking through the clothes that were hung up and chose a dark blue sweater and some black leggings.

"I think this will do. Thank you Polly,"

Hermione went back into the bathroom and closed the door to change. When she opened the door again, the armoire was gone.
She slipped her feet into her flats she had with her, and walked down towards the kitchens. When she passed the dining room, she heard a gruff voice talking, "Where the hell is she? She said she would be 10 minutes and it's been nearly half an hour."

"Now dear, you must be patient," came the voice of Narcissa Malfoy.

"I'm done being patient. I'm going to go see what's-"

"You will do no such thing. Sit down and wait like a gentleman," the matriarch ordered.

The door was slightly ajar, and Hermione went over and peeked through the crack. She saw Malfoy sitting uncomfortably on one of the dining room chairs at the head of the table, looking thoroughly pissed off with a scowl on his face. On his right was a plate setting, but his mother was nowhere to be found.

Frowning, she stepped back, took a calming breath, before opening the door all the way.

"About fucking time," muttered Draco.

Hermione ignored him and went over to the chair with the empty plate setting. "Is this seat for me?"
"Who else would it be for?" he snarked in response.

"I don't know… your mother perhaps?" she said, sitting down and unfolding the cloth napkin to place in her lap.

A tea cup was turned upside down in front of her plate and she flipped it upright before grabbing the handle to the teapot in the middle to the table.

"Hello Miss Granger," said the teapot.

Hermione nearly dropped the fine china, but caught herself just in time.

"Mrs..… Mrs.. Malfoy?" asked Hermione, bringing the teapot up to eye level.

"Good to see you, Miss Granger," came the reply.

"It… it is?" she asked, her eyes wide as saucers.

"Yes, indeed. Now, are you going to pour yourself a cuppa or are you just going to hold me all day?"

"Oh, um, sorry, I'll just...I'll be quick." She poured the hot liquid from teapot ever-so-gently then placed it back on the table.

Everyone was quiet as Hermione added some sugar to her tea and took a small sip.

"Well, now that everyone is settled, Draco, why don't you have the food brought out?" said the teapot.

"MILLIE! Food!" roared Draco. Hermione winced at the loudness.

"That wasn't necessary," reprimanded the teapot that was Mrs. Malfoy.

"Well, if someone hadn't taken her sweet time in the bath, maybe I wouldn't be so angry," Draco said, shooting a glare towards Hermione.

"Well, if someone hadn't kept me hostage last night, maybe I-"

A high pitched whistling sound came from the teapot, stopping the argument.

"Let's just have our meal, hm?" the teapot suggested.

"Fine," said Draco.

"Fine," said Hermione.

Food carts rolled in from the kitchen and platters of food jumped onto the table. Serving utensils scooped up food and placed them on the empty plates. When they were done, Hermione quietly thanked them before picking up her fork. She glanced over at Draco, who was literally eating off of the plate with his mouth. Hermione wrinkled her nose at him before turning her attention to her own breakfast.

"I apologize for my son," said Mrs. Malfoy. "He lost all manners when this curse was brought upon him."

"You try eating with these paws for hands," Draco said between bites.

"Seeing as I don't have hands to eat with, I really can't say," came his mother's prim reply.

Draco grunted, but slowed his pace to one that didn't spill food all over the table.

After a few minutes of silence, Mrs. Malfoy spoke again, "Draco, I believe you have something of Miss Grangers?"

"And I told you," he said, glaring at the teapot, "That that won't be a good idea-"

"Draco Lucius Malfoy, you give Miss Granger back her wand...now!" his mother demanded.

Draco scowled towards his mother while his hand went to his cloak pocket and procured a wand and shoved it towards Hermione.

She looked between the two of them; the beast and the teapot, and was highly amused that such a delicate piece of china could boss around the beast that was Malfoy. It took everything in her to not laugh out loud. Instead, she cleared her throat, plucked the wand from Draco's hand, and placed it on her lap, before continuing to eat her breakfast.

Draco eyed her carefully, unsure if she was going to hex him at any moment. He continued to watch her as he ate the rest of his meal while she pointedly ignored his staring.

When their meal was done, Hermione wiped her mouth delicately with the cloth napkin from her lap and smiled over to the teapot. "Thank you for breakfast, Mrs. Malfoy, but I simply must be going now." She went to stand but the arms on the chair she was sitting on wrapped around her waist, effectively keeping her the seated position.

Hermione shot Draco a glare. "Let. Me. Go."

Draco grinned a toothy grin at her. "Oh we will, Granger. But first, we have some conditions," he said, nodding his head over to his mother.

Hermione looked at the teapot and raised a brow, "Conditions? What kind of conditions?"

The teapot hopped off the table and onto a nearby tea-cart. "Come, let's go into the parlor and have a chat. Draco, please bring Miss Granger."

Draco smirking as he stood and walked behind Hermione's chair, but before he could lift it up, Hermione gripped her wand and muttered a spell, making the constraints around her waist release her.
She stood and looked at Draco, giving him a steely look, before slipping her wand up her sleeve. "I can get there myself, thanks." She turned on her heel, her head up, and followed the tea-cart as the bewildered Draco followed shortly after.