Hello, here is the next instalment! Hope you enjoy it.

There is a tiny little bit of language but I think you will all be able to handle it .

Happy reading

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Hermione woke up on Saturday morning as the smell of eggs and bacon floated through her door. She stretched and sniffed, confirming that it wasn't a dream; someone had made her breakfast!

She got out of bed and wrapped a deep blue gown around her before making her way into the kitchen.

There was no one there, well she didn't see anyone at first and the cooking utensils seemed to be moving around quite happily on their own.

When she walked past though, she saw something that was definitely not a pan. She leaned over the counter top and she saw-

"A HOUSE ELF!" She yelled. The poor creature jumped, dropping an egg. It quickly began wiping up the mess talking frantically.

"Oh Ma'am, Lottie is very sorry! Very sorry!" But Hermione paid the elf no heed, she turned around sharply to find Draco had come in, startled by her yelling.

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?" She screamed pointing at the now quivering elf. It glanced from Draco to Hermione and back again, fear in its eyes.

Draco tried to pull Hermione out of the room but she pushed his hand away "WHERE DID THIS ELF COME FROM?" She demanded.

Draco thought once again if Hermione thought he was deaf. "I brought it here."

Hermione pushed him then, causing him to stumble into the dining table. "What are you doing Granger?" He asked angrily as he recovered.

"I TOLD YOU I WON'T HAVE A HOUSE ELF!" She continued to scream.

The poor creature in question placed two plates of breakfast and orange juice on the counter, trying to be quiet but Hermione heard the glasses on the bench and turned to face it. "STOP IT!" She yelled.

The elf froze, looking up at her. The master had told her that his fiancé might be angry to see her, but she had never imagined she would be this angry. Lottie started to run through all that she had done since arriving at the apartment and wondered if it was something she had done wrong.

"Stop yelling and calm down!" Draco grasped her arm and pushed her into the lounge. Before he entered the room he quickly turned back to the elf "You just wait there." He ordered curtly.

"What did I tell you? I said I can take care of myself, I can make my own food and I don't need a-"

"I KNOW!" Draco bellowed. This uncharacteristic outburst stunned Hermione into silence. She stood, staring at him in shock.

"Christ Granger, I swear you're out to make me deaf." He ran a hand through his hair wondering where to start. He had been checking on her every ten minutes or so, hoping to tell her nicely. Well that plan had failed.

"Why is there a house elf in my kitchen?" She asked more quietly but with no less venom.

"Look, I explained this to you already; it's not seemly for you to be doing all these chores." He turned to face her, although her gaze was searing.

"I told you very clearly I didn't want a house elf. You know how I feel about slavery-"

"They like it!" Draco countered, his patience starting to fray. "You only think that because of your muggle up-bringing. They like it, they do."

Hermione bristled. "Oh so my up-bringing isn't good enough for you? Is that it? Being raised by muggles has interfered with my ability to spot slavery when I see it?"

Draco groaned inwardly, "No! It's the way things are Hermione!"

"Back to Hermione are we?" She sneered getting up.

"We are keeping the house elf." He stated.

"No." She stood, hands on hips, glaring. He may have encountered many scary things during the war, some that would make anyone else wet themselves, but he didn't think anything could surpass Hermione's scary-ness at this moment.

"Why not?" He countered, sounding a lot braver than he felt.

"Because it's wrong."

"Well what are you going to do when we move into Malfoy manor? Clean the entire house by yourself?" He smirked, thinking he had won this one. Wrong again.

"That's what maids are for!"

Draco looked at his fiancé, not bothering to hide that fact that he though she was going insane. "And maids are not like house elves?"

Hermione shook her head firmly, obviously seeing more sense in this that Draco did. "No, maids get paid and they get clothed, fed-"

"House elves get fed! And clothed and paid!" Draco retorted.

"No, they don't get paid enough!" Hermione yelled. She was so angry, she wanted to hit something, preferably Draco's head.

"Then pay them more! I never said you couldn't do that!" Draco ran a hand through his hair again.

"I would but they WON'T ACCEPT IT!" She yelled back.

"That's because they like to be in our service! That's what I've been trying to tell you!" He sighed and sat down feeling suddenly tired.

"They don't know any better; they aren't educated." Hermione continued.

"Don't tell me you want to start a school for house elves." Draco groaned, the thought made him cringe.

"No, but I won't have a house elf." She replied stubbornly.

Draco thought of how people who react, seeing him, a Malfoy, letting his wife cook and clean…

It wasn't a pretty thought.

"We're keeping it." He said firmly.

"No."

"Yes, we are."

"No, it's going." Hermione stepped towards the door, but Draco stood in her way.

"It. Stays. Here." He said tightly. Hermione looked up, glaring at him.

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes!"

"No, I refuse!"

"It's staying here!"

"I SAID NO!" Hermione yelled pushing him again, this time Draco pushed her back into the couch.

Before either of them could do anything, a camera flashed and a short, squat reporter was tapping frantically on the balcony door.

Draco and Hermione gaped as the situation played in their heads.

"Oh shit." Draco muttered turning away from the balcony. This only caused the reporter to rap on the glass harder and Hermione began to fear he would break it.

"What are we going to do?" She asked staring at the form outside.

"I don't know, but whatever we do, Potter isn't going to be pleased." He ran his hand through his hair again, messing it up even more.

Lottie chose this time to poke her head through the door. "Sir?"

"What?" Draco snapped irritably, earning another glare from Hermione.

"There are people at the door wishing to see you sir."

Draco looked up sharply. "Who?"

"Lottie does not know them sir." She squeaked. Hermione shook her head at the man outside who refused to go away.

Draco found the insistent tapping incredibly annoying as he tried to think. "Don't let them in. We're not available." He said to Lottie who nodded and ran out of the room.

"WILL YOU PISS OFF!" Hermione screamed at the reporter who was startled, but apparently the camera man wasn't and took another shot of the angry Hermione.

"Damn it Granger! Get away from there!" He grabbed her and pulled her into the bedroom.

"Were we yelling that loud?" She asked, completely calm.

"Yes, I believe you were." He replied dryly.

"You were yelling too!" Hermione retorted.

Draco feared another screaming fit and so he gave in early. "Okay, yes I was yelling too. That doesn't make all the reporters go away."

Hermione sat down abruptly. "We're doomed." She muttered. "This is going to be all over the paper…"

Draco agreed but tried to think of a way to get rid of them. He couldn't think of a way, until Ron apparated into the room.

"What a circus out there!" He said walking towards them. Hermione seemed shocked.

"Ron, what are you doing here?"

Ron smiled. "Actually I was coming around to visit you, only to be stopped by a crowd of media people asking me if I knew the Malfoy's."

"I'm not a Malfoy." Hermione snapped indignantly.

"You will be soon enough dearest." Draco said gloomily.

Ron looked around "Yes well, it appears that they are waiting for you to leave the apartment, which you won't do of course."

"What are we supposed to do?" Draco frowned at him.

Ron shrugged. "I don't know. But just keep it on the low down for now. I guess you could apparate somewhere, but they are bound to spot you."

"I can't believe this. What are they going to say?" Hermione whined. Draco had never heard Hermione whine, she had never been the type. He decided that he found her whining very annoying and he hoped she didn't do it too often.

"They're going to tear you to shreds at that interview." Ron said bluntly.

Draco sighed, the weasel just couldn't help but be a pain is his arse. "Why don't you just go?"

"Well actually Harry wanted me to tell you that he's going to be busy so we can't catch lunch with him tomorrow. Quiddich training."

At the mention of quiddich Draco tensed but said nothing.

Hermione stood up and walked over to her closet. "We're leaving." She announced as she pulled out a red top and jeans.

"What?" Draco stared at her.

"We're leaving, I don't care if they find us, I can't stand being here." Hermione contemplated which coat to take when another thought occurred to her. "I'm going to free Lottie first."

"No you aren't." Draco hissed dangerously, but Hermione wasn't intimidated.

"Oh really?" She raised an eyebrow at him. "Well guess what? I'm going to."

Ron appeared a little confused. "What's this all about?"

"I got a house elf." Draco said simply.

Ron nodded in comprehension "Oh, its spew all over again. I feel your pain."

"It is not spew! It's S.P.E.W!" She snapped.

"Yes well where do you think you're going to hide?" He asked.

"Malfoy Manor of course." Hermione said pulling out a bag.

Draco had not been informed of this decision. "Malfoy Manor? Why?"

"Well, why not?" Came the reply. Draco found no answer to that. "Good."

Ron smiled "Well I see you guys are getting along fine. See you!" He dispparrated before either of them could say anything.

"Well," Draco sighed, feeling lost in the day's flurry of activities.

"Lets go!" Hermione smiled. He took hold of her and thinking that she was absolutely crazy, dispparrated to his childhood home.

It should have been empty. His parents weren't around anymore and he had no other relatives.

The moment they appeared, Draco knew it had been a mistake. For once, Hermione had got it wrong.

The press was crowding outside the manor as well, it appeared some people anticipated their actions.

Quickly Draco shuffled Hermione into the house, ignoring the desperate questions of the media.

When they were inside he gave her a glare. "Was this part of your plan my sweetheart?"

Hermione looked frustrated and shocked at the same time. "No, this was not."

Draco stopped, not wanting to anger her. A few moments later he thought he should have taken opportunity.

A house elf came scuttling to them to take their coats.

"HOUSE ELVES?" Hermione screamed. Draco covered her mouth swiftly with his hand and led her upstairs.

"Do you want to make the situation worse?" He said harshly.

"You have house elves here!" Was all she said.

Draco rolled his eyes, "Obviously! I told you that already."

Hermione frowned turning to the window. "It's useless. Lets just go out and talk to them."

"Are you crazy? No, just stay here, they'll go away." Draco shrugged off his coat and threw it over a couch.

Hermione didn't think they would go away, but her confidence had taken quite a blow since arriving at a press filled Malfoy Manor.

"Fine."

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Draco didn't show Hermione around the Manor, in fact, he spent the rest of the day on the other side of the house. He had simply had enough of her temper and the screaming and yelling and whining.

Hermione wandered around feeling melancholy but glad that Draco had finally disappeared. She had become his friend but always being together had frayed her patience more than she liked to think.

This gave them both time to contemplate matters at hand. There was no doubt Harry would be upset his plan wasn't working and there was the thought of their careers; Hermione's as an auror and Draco's as a quiddich player.

Their lives were riddled with rumour and intrigue; something neither of them wanted.

'My life is over.' Draco thought sadly, he was reading a quiddich book but couldn't concentrate. 'And it's not even her fault.'

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In to morning, Draco went to find his fiancé. She was lying in one of the guest rooms tucked away near the back of the house.

He watched her sleeping, taking the time to appreciate her. Not just her looks, but everything about her. They had both been thrown unwillingly into this predicament but she had made the best of the situation, while he had continued his arrogant ways.

Sometimes he thought it was a Griffindor thing, but other times he knew it was just a part of her persona. It was something he found irritating and yet charming at the same time. He confused her a lot.

"Draco?" She mumbled, rubbing sleep from her eyes.

"Yeah, it's me." He replied looking away, uncomfortable.

She sat up and looked around. "You have a big house."

Draco chuckled, "It is rather large isn't it?" She smiled and flopped back down again. He sat down near the foot of her bed, waving his wand to open the curtains. "The press have gone." He observed, fighting the impulse to say 'I told you so.'

"They are?" She asked sitting up. "Oh. You were right then."

Silence. Draco turned to her and began to apologise, just as she was doing the same. Both paused awkwardly.

"I'm sorry for yelling at you yesterday." She said quietly.

"Me too." They sat again, not speaking.

A small elf popped into the room causing Hermione to stiffen but she said nothing.

"Sir?" It squeaked.

"Yes?" He tried being polite to ease Hermione's tension.

"Would you and the mistress like breakfast sir?" The elf bowed low.

"Yes we would thank you." Hermione said quickly, looking away. The elf popped and was gone.

"I guess we could hire maids." Draco mumbled.

Hermione sat up, all of a sudden very attentive. "What did you say?"

"I said we could hire maids… if you want." Draco looked down, not understanding why he wanted to make her happy.

Hermione hugged him, grinning widely. "Oh thank you! That's wonderful!" She beamed.

Draco smiled weakly in response but she didn't seem to notice. She flounced out of bed and threw on her clothes from yesterday.

Draco kept his back to her the whole time even though he knew, he could have looked if he had wanted to. 'I do want to.' The thought sauntered lazily around in his brain 'I'm losing my mind.'

"Sir! Sir! Mistress!" The same elf who came to collect their coats yesterday came running into the room holding a wizard radio.

"What is it?" Draco demanded, but this elf had been with the family since Draco was born and wasn't afraid of his master's cold tone.

"They are talking about the master and mistress! Lots of talking about you sir!" The elf bounced eagerly at Draco's feet.

Draco took the radio "Thank you." The elf scurried out of the room again, looking very pleased that he had done something right.

Hermione stood beside Draco as he turned up the volume.

"And it was allegedly reported that Mr Malfoy was grabbing his fiancé and forcing her to sit down." A woman said, sounding outraged.

"No! So many people are saying that Mr Malfoy has changed." An older woman said thoughtfully.

"So they say, but how do we know what he is like behind closed doors? How do we know that Miss Granger is willingly taking part in this marriage?"

"What if Mr Malfoy is the victim here?" This time a man spoke, his voice was deep and rough.

"What ever do you mean? How can he be the victim?"

"There are many reports of people seeing Miss Granger pushing Mr Malfoy into their dining table. I have heard that it's a very expensive range of furniture and made of glass. Some say it broke with the force. She must have pushed him rather hard."

"Miss Granger? No, Mr Malfoy is definitely the culprit here, is he on our side?"

"Of course he is! Harry Potter himself declared him a loyal friend."

"Even Mr Potter can be fooled by the greatest of con-artists."

Draco turned the radio off with a snap of his hand. He looked livid.

"I uh… think they saw us fighting yesterday." Hermione said lamely.

"No? You think?" Draco snapped, feeling very irritated with the press and what they were making out an argument about an elf. It was then that another thought occurred to him.

"You didn't free Lottie yesterday."

Hermione frowned. "No, I didn't. We should go back so I can." She smiled.

"You can, I don't feel like moving from this room." He replied gloomiliy.

Hermione patted his shoulder "You will be okay. They will get over it soon enough."

Draco was unconvinced but said nothing as Hermione went back to her apartment. While he sat, feeling dejected the elf brought in breakfast.

He sat and ate a little but left the rest, not feeling very hungry.

Just as he was about to leave the room, he saw Hedwig flutter past the window, then double back and tap her beak on the glass. He stepped over and let her in.

She swooped past, dropping the parchment in his arms and perched on the arm of the chair preening her feathers.

Draco, the letter read

I heard everything. It's everywhere, the paper, the radio even the muggle entertainment news. It's incredible the way you can screw things up.

This interview is going to be very nasty, I hope you and Hermione can handle it. Ron told me he stopped by and things were at Hermione's apartment. I hope you guys have been left alone by now – for Hermione's sake.

Also, I wanted you to know that I spoke to the scout and told him of your current awkward position, but as per usual, he had already read a few articles about you. I told him that perhaps you would be busy over this coming season but I was sure you would make an effort to be an active member of the team.

He says that he likes the way I fly. You know Malfoy, I think you are a little in over your head at the moment.

Harry

Draco gaped at the letter, he had never imagined Harry could be so vindictive. He had completely destroyed Draco's chances at becoming seeker for the team, insulted his flying ability and blamed the whole fight with Hermione on him. It was outrageous.

"What has gotten into him?" He turned to the only living thing in the room, Hedwig.

The owl hooted but offered no explanation. "What an idiot." He muttered.

He took and piece of parchment and began to write.

Potter,

You're letter was completely unnecessary. I can tell you are afraid of my abilities being better than yours. You have a funny way of showing inter-house unity.

The argument between me and Hermione is not my fault. It's not even her fault.

If you're going to continue this arrogant, prick-like behaviour, Hermione and I are better off without your intervention.

Draco Malfoy

He tied the letter to Hedwig's leg and as he let her go whispered "Bite him for me." She hooted and took off into the distance.

Hermione chose then to appear and smiled when she saw breakfast.

"You let her go then?" He asked.

"Yes, I did. The press are all gone from there too." She took and piece of toast. "What's that?" She asked, spotting the letter.

"From Potter." Draco replied bitterly. Hermione raised her eyebrows, she picked it up and read it. As she read she frowned and as she continued, the frown deepened.

"How dare he?" She was stunned.

"Well I've replied and I don't think he'll be very pleased." Draco couldn't help but smirk.

Hermione shook her head. "All over some quiddich team."

Draco knew she would never understand.

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In the afternoon Draco and Hermione went for a walk around the grounds. Draco showed her all the things that needed to be taken care of and she made a list.

"What is that for?" He asked, looking down at her parchment.

"So I know how many maids to hire. And stable hands. And butlers." She smiled.

Draco was horrified. "Maids? Butlers? Stable hands? How rich do you think I am?"

Hermione put on an innocent face "I know you are very wealthy."

Draco shook his head, savouring the moment; his last moment as a carefree Malfoy.

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Sooo? How did you like this part? Harry is starting to get a little nasty isn't he? Do u like it or do you prefer he remains a saint?

This chapter is much longer than the others, I hope it wasn't boring!

Ok, now you can review . Thanks!