I unfortunately don't own the world of Harry Potter. J. K. Rowling does.

Thank you to my wonderful beta, Book. Freak112233 !

Just a quick thanks to xXMizz Alec VolturiXx, TheEscapeFromReality, Nikolina1095, Allen Pitt, Beesy, translucent steeds, emerly, Yuuka-90, bodie3, Limavaa, Emberetta Isaca Vexley, SabakuMoon, Cereah, and Fruitlessberry.

Just so you know, I'm writing 6 other stories as well. Thanks! :)

Chapter 68:

Discovering the Hidden

Draco Malfoy's eyes widened as he began skimming through "Restricted only" books from the Hogwarts Library. Most of the books only gave vague descriptions and veiled references to the curse, meaning he would have to look in the Malfoy library when he returned home. Yet, even these little pieces of information were eye opening for him. It scared him that there was so much he wasn't aware of concerning the spell.

According to these snippets, Ariella needed permission to do practically everything. His father was right – he had been lenient with Ariella, despite the fact that he now seemed to be hurting her.

However, though the servant had innumerable restrictions placed upon him or her, the master(s) and mistress(es) had essentially none. He was free to do anything and everything save killing her directly. Yet, even then there were numerous loopholes with that rule.

Hearing footsteps, he looked up tensing as his hand moved to cover up his reading material.

"It's just me," Theodore Nott said, coming into view.

"Not much. I'll have to look when I return to home."

"Malfoy, you need to find out what you can do as well."

"According to these, I can do anything I want." He said, gesturing to the books. However, Nott shook his head.

"I mean, what you can still do in accordance with your father's rule."

Draco nodded solemnly. "I'll do what I can."

"Good. Now, have you found anything to help with healing her hand?"

"Essence of Murtlap. However, it takes about two weeks to make, and I don't exactly have a supply of murtlap tentacles on me, let alone the ingredients to make the solution. I can see if I can order some from Apothecary in Diagon Alley."

"It – it's horrible. And it's getting deep – the sooner you can get it, the better."

"I know…I know," Draco replied, uncharacteristically serous as he looked up at his house mate.

"Good! That's great Colin!" Harry said as he walked around the Room of Requirement. It was the first meeting of the D.A. after break. Ariella stood on the side, watching quietly as the other members practiced magic, particularly Patronuses. Perhaps this was why every now and then, a member of the D.A. would look over at her.

"How are you?" he muttered moments later, coming up beside her.

"Fine, thanks. I – "

Suddenly, the door of the Room of Requirement opened, and closed. Harry looked round to see who had entered, but there did not seem to be anybody there. It was a few moments before he realized that the people close to the door had fallen silent. Next thing he knew, something was tugging at his robes somewhere near the knee. He looked down and saw, to his very great astonishment, Dobby the house-elf peering up at him from beneath his usual eight woolly hats.

'Hi, Dobby!' he said. 'What are you-What's wrong?'

The elf's eyes were wide with terror and he was shaking. The members of the DA closest to Harry had fallen silent; everybody in the room was watching Dobby. The few Patronuses people had managed to conjure faded away into silver mist, leaving the room looking much darker than before.

'Harry Potter, sir ...' squeaked the elf, trembling from head to foot, 'Harry Potter, sir ... Dobby has come to warn you ... but the house-elves have been warned not to tell ...'

He ran head-first at the wall. Harry, who had some experience of Dobby s habits of self-punishment, made to seize him, but Dobby merely bounced off the stone, cushioned by his eight hats. Hermione and a few of the other girls let out squeaks of fear and sympathy.

'What's happened, Dobby?' Harry asked, grabbing the elf's tiny arm and holding him away from anything with which he might seek to hurt himself.

'Harry Potter ... she ... she ...'

Dobby hit himself hard on the nose with his free fist. Harry seized that, too.

'Who's "she", Dobby?'

But he thought he knew; surely only one 'she' could induce such fear in Dobby? The elf looked up at him, slightly cross-eyed, and mouthed wordlessly.

'Umbridge?' asked Harry, horrified.

Dobby nodded, then tried to bang his head on Harry's knees. Harry held him at arm's length.

'What about her? Dobby-she hasn't found out about this-about us-about the DA?'

He read the answer in the elf's stricken face. His hands held fast by Harry, the elf tried to kick himself and fell to the floor.

'Is she coming?' Harry asked quietly.

Dobby let out a howl, and began beating his bare feet hard on the floor.

'Yes, Harry Potter, yes!'

Areilla froze, struggling to breathe for a bit as Harry straightened up and looked around at the motionless, terrified people gazing at the thrashing elf.

'WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?' Harry bellowed. 'RUN!'

Out of everyone, only she and Harry did not immediately run. In fact, she seemed to Harry to have simply frozen and Harry's mind raced – how much trouble would she be in if the Malfoys found out about this? He didn't want to think about it and, picking up Dobby and cradling him with one arm, he quickly spoke.

"Dobby-this is an order-get back down to the kitchen with the other elves and, if she asks you whether you warned me, lie and say no!" said Harry. "And I forbid you to hurt yourself!"

As the elf disappeared, Harry grabbed Ariella's hand. Her head jerked up, a wild fear in her eyes as he started running. She ran with him, but her eyes were unseeing of him.

Suddenly, Harry tripped, falling and skidding alone the ground. Ariella stumbled as he let go.

They heard a laugh and turned to see Draco Malfoy concealed in a niche beneath an ugly dragon-shaped vase. Ariella paled at seeing her youngest master.

'Trip Jinx, Potter!' he sneered at his school enemy. Then he turned to see who else he had caught, his voice caught in his throat, the words to call out to their Professor dying in his throat.

"Ariella?" he whispered, in shock.

"I – Draco, I'm sorry. I just – "

"Enough. Return to the hallway just beyond the Common Room. I will deal with you later." He ordered, his voice suddenly softer than it had been only a moment ago. Yet, there was an undertone of harshness to it all the same.

Ariella quickly glanced between Harry and Draco, before bowing her head once to the latter boy and hurrying away to wait for him.

What would happen to her? She had – technically she had hidden information from him. He had seemed so angry, even then. Would he finally punish her, punish her like Mr. Malfoy did? She gulped. She never should have joined the D.A. It only –

"Ariella," an eerily calm voice said, causing her to jump, startled, as Draco's voice pulled her from her thoughts. Slowly, the servant turned to face her master. Her breathing quickened as she knelt in front of him, refusing to look him in the eye.

"Draco, I – I am so sorry. I – "

"How long have you been going to meetings?"

"Since – since I told Harry the truth about me. A bit after you got my wand back, I suppose."

Draco's eyes widened. "That long? What happened to not being able to hide information from me?"

"I – I'm sorry. You never asked where I was going, and I – the bond wasn't compelling me to tell you."

"Why'd you join? You are in constant contact with my father, with the Dark Lord. What were you thinking?"

"I – he asked me, and I just wanted to see if I could possibly make friends! Not to mention all that was happening was were learning defensive spells. I – I need to be able to defend myself, if I ever have a wand again at least!"

Ariella was growing near hysterical, and Draco could see this. Though she couldn't see it, his expression softened. He couldn't punish her, at least not harshly. She had good intentions and he couldn't be that angry with her for that…not when he agreed with her motivation.

"Please – what are you going to do to me?" she whispered, shaking.

"I need my potions and Quidditch equipment cleaned and my books put in order. That should suffice as your punishment for not telling me."

Ariella looked up, brown eyes wide.

"That's it? But I – "

" – Ariella, listen to me," he interrupted, squatting so that master and servant were now eye–level.

"I see the way you react when my father is around, when you think you're going to be punished. I'm witnessing it again right now. But what I don't want is for you to fear me like that. Yes, you did something that was wrong; you hid information from me, something that as my bound servant, you are not supposed to do. But you had a good reason for it. I'm trying, at least while we're here, to be fair."

"I know, and that's why I – I don't want you to think that I – I'm so grateful for what you've been doing, and I'm sorry if it seems as if I've abused it, but – "

" – You're rambling," he said softly.

"You can start cleaning the equipment tomorrow. For now, simply try and get some rest," Draco instructed, rising to his feet, helping the witch beside him to do the same.

"Thank you for now reporting me," she said quietly as they walked back to the Common Room.

"You're in enough trouble with her and my father as is. I didn't think I needed to add more fuel to that problem." He replied, tensing as he gestured to her hand.

"Still…thank you," she repeated gratefully.

So I have to ask - do you think Draco is to OOC here?

I'm doing the best I can to update, and I will continue to do so. Thank You so much to everyone who's sticking with me! :)

Thanks to all who are reading and enjoying this story. If you have any suggestions, (i.e. would like to see something happen, etc.) questions, or comments, please feel free to private message me. Thanks! ~ Leanora