Draco Malfoy and his Unknown Fate:
Author's Notes: Okay. Dobby is very, very hard to write. Harder than Dumbledore even and I think the way he talks isn't quite right, but I tried. I'd love comments on how I did with him. Anyway, read on!
Warnings for this chapter: Eh. Nothing much.
Disclaimer: The characters in this story belong to J.K. Rowling. I'm merely borrowing them for the time being. This will be slash (eventually). Don't like it? Don't read it. Otherwise, enjoy.
Draco found himself creeping about after hours in search of the kitchens. Not only was he hungry, but he'd woken up from a nightmare and had a craving for hot chocolate. At Malfoy Manor he had always visited the kitchens after a bad dream and now seemed as good a time as any to find Hogwarts kitchens. It took a few tries before he finally found the correct hallway and he watched with fascination when the portrait swung open after he tickled the pear.
He could have sworn he'd heard it giggle.
The house elves were swarming in the warm kitchen, bustling about efficiently. House elves didn't need sleep as far as Draco knew and even now they were working to keep Hogwarts at its best. He slinked inside, grinning when the house elves saw him and started offering their services. He didn't know why people thought he was so cruel to them. For one, they delighted in pampering him and Draco absolutely loved to be fussed over, so why would he dislike them? For another, he'd grown up in Malfoy Manor where the only beings around to play with were old family portraits, the family ghosts, and the house elves. He'd been raised by the odd, green creatures and unlike his father didn't feel the need to assert his authority over them at every opportunity.
"You is wanting some food, yes? Tippy is happy to gets you what you needs."
Draco smiled at the eager house elf and ignored the others clamoring for his attention. "How about some scones Tippy? And maybe a cup of hot chocolate?" There was a sudden rush of activity as the house elves swarmed returned back to their regular duties as Tippy served him and Draco took a seat at an empty table, craning his neck around to look at the huge kitchen with interest. There was one house elf getting drunk in the corner and the other elves seemed to be avoiding her, going out of their way to cast her dirty looks or sniff disdainfully.
"Is you young Master Malfoy?" Said one squeaky voice and Draco turned to look at the creature that had addressed him.
He stared in shock at the house elf peering at him with bulbous eyes. A tea cozy was on his head, tipped to a rakish angle and he was wearing mismatching socks; one had snitches on them. "Dobby?! Is that you? I thought Father killed you."
"No, no Master Draco. Dobby is free thanks to the Great Harry Potter. Dobby is working for Hogwarts now and is getting paid for it, yes he is."
"Potter freed you? Figures." He said sourly. Potter seemed to be everybody's bloody hero. Then he smiled at the thought of Potter besting Lucius and the look the Malfoy patriarch must have had on his face. "Father must have been spitting mad." Draco sounded positively delighted. Then he grew pensive, examining the house elf in front of him carefully. "I'd wondered where you'd gone to. None of the others were anywhere near as interesting to talk to. I'm glad your alive." Dobby had frequently spent time entertaining Draco and he'd missed Dobby's presence when he'd returned home and the house elf was no where to be found.
Dobby had actually been one of the three house elves who'd had the task of raising him and Draco knew that the way that he had talked to Dobby as if he was an equal, asking childish questions a house elf was hard pressed to answer and bouncing ideas off him, had gone a long way in making Dobby different from other house elves. Giddy and Tubby had never even tried to satisfy Draco's innocent curiosity, but Dobby had always made the attempt, sometimes in vain. The way he'd forced Dobby to question his own existence and way of life, not to mention so much interaction with the 'young master', had gone a long way in making Dobby quite the intellectual.
By house elf standards at least.
"Dobby is glad he is seeing Master Draco too. Dobby will make Master Draco his special hot chocolate, Dobby will. Dobby is knowing just how Master Draco likes it." With a ear to ear grin the house elf dashed off, while the other elves went about their usual business. Tippy's scones were almost done and he exchanged a few brief words with Dobby before turning back to his task.
Several minutes later both Dobby and Tippy approached him, setting the table and placing their respective offerings in front of him. "Have a seat Dobby." Tippy's brow furrowed, but Draco's next words smoothed it again. "He was a Malfoy house elf. I'd like to chat with him a bit, that's all. If you can spare him that is."
"Oh, you is his old Master. Tippy is seeing how it is. Dobby, sit down." Tippy ordered, echoing Draco's words, before bustling off to join the other house elves.
"Do you like working at Hogwarts?" He asked, biting into a delicious scone. Dobby beamed when Draco took a sip of hot chocolate and complimented him on it.
"Dobby does, Master Draco. Dobby is cleaning the Slytherin prefects rooms, yes Dobby is." Draco grinned.
"Good. I always felt sort of weird about that. At least I trust you."
The house elf's ears drooped and tears seemed to come to his eyes. "Master Draco is too good to Dobby. Dobby loves his little Master Malfoy. Dobby wanted to be a good house elf, but he had to protect the Great Harry Potter." Draco stilled the house elf's hands which he had been using to tug on his ears in distress.
"Don't fret. I'm glad you're not working for Lucius anymore. He's a bastard and he hurt you all the time." He paused, searching for something to say that would make Dobby feel better. "I was disowned you know, so I'm not the Malfoy heir anymore. I'm like you. I was freed." Dobby burst into tears and started bawling, burying his face in Draco's robes as he cried with sheer happiness. The Slytherin looked about helplessly, but he found no help from the other house elves. He patted Dobby's bony shoulder, at a loss. "Don't blubber, Dobby."
"Dobby is sorry he is getting all emotional. Dobby is just so happy, he is."
"That's nice. So why don't you tell me about how Potter freed you, hmm? I'm curious about it now." Draco asked, in a bid to distract the house elf from his tears. Well, that and he really wanted to know.
Dobby sat back, his ears perking up. "It all started when Dobby decided to keep the Great Harry Potter from going to Hogwarts where it was so dangerous. The first thing Dobby did was steal the Great Harry Potter's mail…" Draco set back, sipping at his hot chocolate as he prepared to be entertained. He wasn't disappointed in the least.
To be Continued
Comments and constructive criticism are more than welcome.