Hi all,

Thank you so much for following and adding to favourites!

As promised I will be doing updates every friday and saturday!

Special thanks to my two guest reviewers.

I hope you enjoy where this is going!

Over the next couple of weekends Draco Malfoy had a new project. At least that's what he called it to justify it. He wanted to be sure this was a regular thing not a one off. He was quite happy to see that Granger was a creature of routine just as much as he was. He could have stopped after the first couple of times, but it didn't. She had an excellent taste in music and lingerie. The more he watched her, the more he wanted to keep watching her. Soon he began to notice other little details of her life. Before long, Draco Malfoy was fantasising about a Mudblood and his bad mood was back all over again. He had tried distracting himself with other girls, Parkinson was always available for a snog and he had wanted to snog a lot over the weekends. As far as the world was concerned Pansy had Draco all wrapped up. As far as Draco was concerned, Granger was driving him insane and she was all he thought about every time he was making out with Pansy.

—

Meanwhile, completely unaware of Draco's frustrations, Hermione Granger had only just discovered there were House Elves at Hogwarts and she was determined to do something about it. For days now she had been spending time in her corner of the Library researching Elvish rights. She was expecting once she came up with a solution to have the complete support of Harry and Ron. She was expecting that she could get McGonagall to help her with speaking to the elves. She was expecting the elves to be receptive of someone fighting for their cause. What she wasn't expecting was Draco Malfoy sliding into a chair opposite her and putting up a notice me not charm around them

"Granger, I see you have a new pet project" He said smoothly

"What?" She said bewildered

"Elvish rights, after potter freeing Dobby you have decided you need to do the same! You just discovered Hogwarts has elves, which I'm surprised someone with your… well… smarts didn't realise till her 4th year… I mean come on! Did you think Dumbledore and McGonagall spend their nights casting Scourfigy all over the castle? or did you think the squib filch could manage all this by himself?"

"Why are you here?"

"I have a proposition for you…"

"Really? What in the world do you have that I could possibly want?"

"Information. There is a whole section in my personal library back home, including the Malfoy tome that speaks about elvish magic, origins, you name it. Stuff that is far more comprehensive and real than the shit you'll find in these tame books here at Hogwarts… and I might be willing to give them to you in exchange for a little something for me…"

"What might that be?"

"I want the password to the head's bathrooms"

It took everything she had to not react

"Why would I have it?"

"You're good Granger, that was almost Slytherin of you… I however know…. For a fact… that you do have it. I don't care how you got it, but I know it changes every week and I know you find out about it. So… Do we have a deal?"

"You want a password so bad you'd be willing to give me access to the Pureblood Malfoy library? Have they started sending sludge through the pipes in your dorms?"

"It's a one time offer Granger, you can take it or leave it… What do you have to lose?"

Hermione was so confused with Draco Malfoy's sudden change in tune. She didn't know what to make of it. He was demanding, and rude but at the same time had managed to compliment her. The exchange was clearly not fair, tome's in exchange for a bath? Since when did that make sense. Also this was Malfoy? But she also really wanted to know more about house elves, he was not making this easy and he sure as shit wasn't giving her time to think

'What am I missing? What am I missing?' She thought as warning bells went off in her head

Draco could see her overthinking, he didn't want her to. He wanted a yes….

"Going once, going twice… Going… thrice… okay, fuck it… your loss Granger"

"Wait! Malfoy! It's Loch Ness… this weeks password is Loch Ness…" She rambled

"Huh…. Would not have guessed that…" he said contemplatively. He reached into his bag and pulled out a brown paper package.

"Here you go. The first of many. Pleasure doing business with you…" He gave her a nod and walked off leaving Hermione more bewildered than anything else.

—

"What just happened?!" Said Hermione out loud to no one in particular.

In the last two minutes Draco Malfoy and she had a civil conversation resulting in a beneficial partnership for her and a bath for him.

She tore open the package to see two beautiful leather books. The first book had a what she figured was a real ruby set in the cover with an intricate gold pattern around it that seemed to be moving. She had never seen a book like this.

"He wasn't lying…"

Hermione ran her finger over the beautiful cover and could feel the hum of magic radiating from it. She opened the first page to see the title - Elves and wizards the everlasting bond

—

After walking away Draco hid behind the shelves and watched a stunned Hermione Granger open the package he gave her. She was mesmerised to say the least. It took very little time for her to get completely engrossed in the book. He smirked, he figured his plan would work after all

He left the library and headed to the dungeons. He had to call in a favour with his godfather and favourite teacher.

Please do review!