Suddenly, Hermione came to her senses, and realized how improper it was to be in the girls dormitory, alone, with a male. She reluctantly pushed herself away from the warm, throbbing body of the house elf.

"I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me… I think it best if you left, Dobby…"

A curious shadow came over Dobby's face, as he whispered "As you wish" and disapparated. Hermione was left alone, with a feeling of longing and dissatisfaction. Why did her insides writhe like worms when she thought of Dobby? Why did she feel such powerful lust and rapacious desire? She picked herself off of the cold stone floor, and smoothed her pleated skirt. It had slipped up her thigh a little when she was with Dobby… she wished that he had slipped it up a little more…

She sat down on her four poster bed and thought what his hands would feel like on her body—she checked herself quickly. "Hermione, stop that! You know that would never work… he would never think those things about you. You are dreaming the impossible dream", she thought to herself. She examined her face in the mirror, and fixed her luxurious hair into a knot at the back of her head. She took a deep breath, and made her way to the common room.

The room was too cheerful during the day, she decided. There were students in every chair, at every table, in every spare spot. Whispering, laughing, boisterous discussions… they seemed so unnatural to her right then! The chandelier that hung overhead glinted happily, it's thousands of facets shining like flecks of gold. Hermione thought she needed something a little more subdued. She walked to the portrait hole and stepped out gracefully. She kept her head down, for fear of encountering Ron or Harry on the way down the hallway.

However, she had only moved a few yards, before something grabbed her hard and pulled her behind a tapestry. She was pushed up against the wall and a pair of lips forced themselves upon her. "ERNIE!" She shouted.

Ernie Macmillan moved his face away from hers. He had also grown over the summer, and he was now cockier than ever. Hermione was attracted to his appreciation of her intelligence, and the term before, they had taken to finding secluded spots all over Hogwarts to engage in indecent activities. Hermione would usually have welcomed Ernie's violations with happy giggles, but now, she felt that she would have to put that amusement behind her. She removed his hands from her body, and said, "Ernie, I can't do this anymore. It was fun while it lasted, but really, don't you think this is silly? How can you just fool around like this with someone you don't even care about?"

Ernie looked confused as he backed away from her. He ran his hand through his hair and gave an awkward smirk. "What did I do? I always treated you well, didn't I? I thought that we were just experimenting? I even had a new spell I wanted to try on you!"

"It's nothing like that, Ernie. I'm just moving on to different things." Hermione held out her hand good naturedly. Ernie hesitated, "You're not, you know… well… you know… Eloise Midgen?"

Hermione laughed "OH NO! Certainly not! I mean, her acne has gotten much better over the summer, but I don't really swing that way." She smiled. "Thanks Ernie, it was fun." She winked over her shoulder as she walked away.

She had the disconcerting feeling that she ought to be feeling remorse, like she did when Dobby left. But instead, she felt nothing. It was as though Ernie had never existed to her in that way. She was surprised and unnerved. Why did Dobby keep creeping into her thoughts? She thought "Perhaps I'm in…. NO! Impossible! He's a HOUSE ELF!" There. She had thought it. She had thought what she had been forcing herself not to. She had always told herself that wizards ought to appreciate house elves, and treat them as equals. And now, she was behaving just like all the other wizards. She felt ashamed. "No. NO. That's not why. I…I…I'm just confused right now. To prove I'm not racist, I will start an initiative to help the House Elves. Yes, that's what I'll do. I'll start the Society for the Promotion of Elvish Welfare here at Hogwarts! That will take care of this problem. I've been thinking of Dobby because I feel sorry for the House Elves. That's all." But no matter how much she told herself this, her heart still refused to believe it.

HEY GUYS! I have a reallllly good plot twist coming up soon... But I won't write any more unless you guys want me to! Please review! Give me lottttts of reviews! It's going to get STEAMY! But only if you guys give me feedback!