Disclaimer: I own nothing. Except the cute house elves I created haha.

Thanks to Dizi 85 and fallenxoangel! I honestly would've chucked this whole idea out the window if it weren't for your reviews.

Please read and review kids! Happy reading...

Harry woke up feeling extremely groggy. He looked around and found he was in his room at Grimmauld Place, but he was completely naked. He never slept in the buff. Last thing he remembered was getting sloshed with Ron at Seamus' pub opening, but surely he hadn't drank that much. And why was he naked? Even in a drunken state, Harry didn't think he'd ever bring some random bird home for a shag—he just wasn't the type for one night stands. He didn't really remember anything, so maybe he did? Well it didn't really matter, he felt like he was in desperate need of a shower and if the foul taste in his mouth was any indication, he needed to brush his teeth. When he got up, though, he noticed that his ankles were really sore and somewhat swollen.

"How the bloody hell did that happen?" He shrugged and limped over to his bath deciding he would just give Hermione a ring later—she would be able to help him sort out everything, she always saved him he thought with a smile. He stopped, a strange nagging feeling coming over him at the thought of his head. He thought back to the last time he saw her, it was at the pub. She seemed to have a good enough time, that is, when she wasn't trying to avoid Ron. He shrugged once again deciding he'd talk to her soon enough. Besides, he thought with a laugh, Hermione always said he took his premonition like feelings too seriously.

"Mistress would like to take a bath now, Mistress? Drory drew a bath for Miss." Hermione sniffled before looking up at the older house elf.

"Drory, thank you, but you really don't have to serve me." Hermione sat up and looked at the elf. She was quite petite, even for a house elf. She had big green eyes, and a big smile that practically took over her face, that is, until Hermione suggested she didn't want Drory to wait on her.

"Drory is sorrys Miss. Drory will have a new elf to serves you Mistress if Drory has done something wrongs, Miss." Drory was holding back tears at this point and Hermione felt awful. For the life of her she couldn't fathom how on earth these creatures were brainwashed into thinking it was right to serve someone hand and foot without kind of reimbursement.

"No Drory it isn't you, please don't cry. I'm sure you're wonderful at what you do." At this the elf bounced up on her heel and her broad smile returned. Hermione bit her lip, not quite sure how to tell Drory that she didn't want any elves to serve her because she was morally opposed to such treatment of elves. If she wasn't here, she would be getting ready for bed so that she could be wide awake and ready for her first day working at the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures heading the Progression of the Handling and Labor Ethics of Magical Creatures division. She had so many innovative ideas that could really bring elves right to the front burner now that Voldermort was gone. She sighed, knowing she couldn't think about that or else she might start round one million of her sob session.

"Drory do you enjoy working here?" The elf nodded enthusiastically.

"Yes, Mistress Drory likes it here very much." Hermione eyed the elf suspiciously. How could it be that this elf liked it here so much, yet Dobby had loathed every minute he spent within these very walls?

"Drory what about Dobby?" She asked without even thinking. She knew that elves had to be loyal to their masters and by not doing so it was considered almost sinful. She winced as she realized she was basically outing the poor mistreated elf to his former coworker as a traitor.

"Drory's Dobby, Miss, never knew the kind Masters and Mistress. Dobby, Miss, knew Masters and Mistress after they swore to the Dark Lord, Miss."

"What do you mean your Dobby, Drory?" The older elf shook her head sadly.

"Dobby is Drory's son, Miss. Drory had Dobby when Masters and Mistress still very kind, Miss, but when Dobby start serving, Miss, theys change, Miss." Drory's big green eyes glinted in the dim light and Hermione could feel how much she missed her son.

"Drory why do you want to serve so badly?" She asked getting back to the point of trying to treat her as an equal.

"Drory not understand Miss."

"Well," she said biting her lip, trying to find the right words in her head before speaking and potentially insulting her. "Why do you enjoy it?"

"Because that is how Drory is born, Miss. Drory born to serve like some born to sing or write. Drory good at it and Drory like it very much. And Drory loves Master Draco, like all the house elves loves Master Draco."

Hermione nodded slowly, taking in the elf's words. She felt that odd cloudiness come over her mind once again and tried to shake it off.

"Drory?"

"Yes Mistress?"

"I think I'll go take that bath now." Drory bounced into action, nodding the entire way as she shooed Hermione into the bathroom, her smile broader than ever.

"Where is she?!" Draco paced back and forth along the side of the enormous dining table that sat in the middle of the Malfoy dining room. There was a fire roaring in the hearth at the far end of the room and it roared with every frustrated sigh or irritated word he uttered.

"Master, sir, Miss must be quite exhausted." Linky said cautiously from the post he, Coggy and Piddy had taken up near the entrance to the kitchen. They watched their Master pace back and forth since he arrived at the dining room to find Hermione had not yet arrived. Though the three faithful servants trusted and loved their master, at times when he was annoyed or mad he eerily reminded them of his father—that is, the dark version of his father.

"So? I told her dinner was in half an hour." He growled.

"Perhaps Miss forgot?" Offered Piddy with a slight tut-tut when he whipped his head and glared at her. Piddy had been his nanny elf since he was born and he respected her above all others elves. He sighed and relaxed a bit and mumbling an apology.

"Coggy will go fetch Miss, Master." Draco slumped down in his chair and buried his face in his hands after Coggy apparated up to Hermione's chambers.

Why do I even care if she joins me for bloody dinner? She's nothing to me. Why did I even keep her here?! He sighed as a calm began to creep up his spine and relaxed his shoulders and neck. Because she's the only one who can help you.

"Drory?" Hermione called out. She just finished her bath and came out to find the black pants and black long sleeve shirt she had been wearing gone from wear she'd tossed them on the bed earlier.

"Yes Mistress?" The elf appeared in an instant and looked extremely eager to help Hermione in any way she could.

"I, er, well I don't have any clothes." She pulled the towel she had wrapped around herself tighter feeling extremely anxious about what kind of awful attire Malfoy was bound to have her wear.

"Mistress has her wardrobe Mistress. Drory show you." The elf bounced over to the wardrobe at far corner and pointed to it. "Mistress supposeds to think what Mistress wants and wardrobes make it, Mistress." Hermione looked at Drory who was smiling hugely then back at the wardrobe. Just think of what she wants? She wanted something comfortable. She took a breath then reached forward and opened the door gasping as she found a red lace teddy hanging there. Okay not that comfortable. She closed the door rather strongly, grimacing She thought of something more along the lines of sweats and a shirt before opening the door and smiling in relief when she found exactly that inside. She looked back to find that Drory had left her to change in private and put on the white bra and panties laid at the bottom of the wardrobe. She finished dressing and walked back to the bed where all her things had been. She knew her clothes were taken away but she had hoped she would still find her wand there.

"Um, Drory?" She couldn't remember where her wand had gone. She last had it with her when she healed most of Harry's injuries—Gods it felt like that was ages ago but it couldn't have been, in actuality, an hour. She sighed before looking amongst her room again, wondering what on earth had happened with it.

"Yes Mistress?"

"Drory what happened to my wand?" She asked looking around the room once again. She sighed and looked down at the elf who was staring down at the oriental carpet. "Drory?"

"Mistress couldn't keep her wand."

"Draco took it?" Drory started so pace a bit, shaking her head in her hands and slapping her forehead rather violently. Hermione knelt down and grabbed the distraught elf, holding her arms down at her side. "Drory you didn't do anything wrong. You didn't betray your Master."

"Drory not supposed to say anything Miss." She said shaking her head.

"You didn't say anything, Drory. It wasn't very difficult to sort out." Drory looked up at Hermione, her green eyes wide and glassy. "You didn't do anything wrong Drory." The elf nodded and Hermione let her go, watching as Drory took a few calming breaths before looking about the room, obviously quite anxious to clean something.

"Did Mistress need anything in particular, Mistress?"

"Well," she said, reaching up and finger combing her curls, "I needed to cast a relaxing spell on my hair."

"Mistress there is a serum for that on your vanity, Mistress." Hermione looked over at the antique piece and couldn't help but gravitate towards it. It was made of wood and stained slightly to make it look almost iridescent. Small flowers and intricate vines were carved into the legs and around the frame of the mirror flowing with a soft, pearl pink.

"This was Mistress Narcissy's vanity, Mistress. Mistress had it when Mistress was a young girl. Mistress Narcissy told me it was very special." Hermione sat at the matching chair and gazed over the pretty bottles. She picked up a crystal one with an amber fluid inside. Drory nodded at her and Hermione took that as her cue. She poured a bit of the viscous serum into her palm and rubbed it between her hands. She smoothed it over her damp locks and combed it through with her fingers. She inhaled the sweet scent of cherry blossoms and vanilla and watched as the liquid instantly tamed her auburn locks—soft curls cascading down her back.

Hermione stared at her reflection, teeth toying with her lower lip. How was she going to be able to do this? Draco Bloody Malfoy. She hated the git, he hated her how would she be able to spend eternity with him? Her whole life, her whole world, was gone now. She loved Harry deeply but why the fuck did she give up everything for him? She cursed at herself for thinking such things—if her were here right now he might be dead. But why was she being treated so well when Harry had nearly been beaten to death? She closed her eyes and took a few deep, soothing breaths. She wiped away at a few tears that managed to leak out and gazed at herself in the mirror once more. She looked around at the magnificent room and sighed. She, at least, got to live in quite a bit of luxury. She laughed at the thought before breaking out into tears. Who cared if she had expensive furnishings? She couldn't see her friends again. She couldn't live her life! What did anything matter if she was shut away from everything she loved?

"Mistress?"

Hermione looked over at Drory who was looking across the room at the door. She got up and walked around the bed finding another house elf with graying hair and a bit on the rotund side standing there.

"Master requests your presence at dinner, Mistress."

"Oh right. Would you, er, I don't quite know—" She grimaced a bit, her lip in her teeth once again, as she tried to remember which way Malfoy had pointed out as being the right way to the dining room.

"Coggy shall escort you, Mistress." The rather haughty elf looked straight at Hermione not showing an ounce of timidity or reluctance, something Hermione was most unused to in the matter of house elves. She smiled at Drory and walked up to Coggy feeling a familiar tug at her navel and squeezing of her entire body. She tottered a bit as she found herself in a fast dining room, Malfoy standing in the corner looking at her coldly. Yet again, though, she was shocked to notice an absence of his usual ugly sneer.

"You're late, Granger." He said walking over to the head of the table and sitting down eyes intent on her the whole while.

"I- I…" he quirked a brow at her lack of words and she felt herself straighten and fix a defiant glare on her face. She had never succumbed to Malfoy before and she wasn't about to start now. "You said 'about half an hour' Malfoy. You never specified." She nearly spit his name out and he barely flinched before putting an angry snarl on his own face. He kept a steady glare on her before sighing and taking a drink from his goblet.

"You may sit Granger. I thought you would've realized this is where you sit to eat. They do have dining tables in other places other than the Great Hall." Hermione felt herself fume at the demeaning comment towards her intelligence and Draco smirked as she plopped down at her place opposite him in a huff.

Hermione didn't speak or even look up from her plate that appeared in front of her when she sat down. She pushed around her mashed potatoes and shepherd's pie around on her plate. Certainly if she attempted to eat anything at all she would probably throw it up anyway. After a few more tense moments Draco sniggered from across the table. Her eyes shot up to him and her glare intensified as he continued to laugh. He looked up at her and laughed harder at her face which, in turn, caused her face to flush in anger and her scowl to become even more pronounced.

"Honestly Granger, being such a know-it-all one would think you had at least one interesting thing to say over dinner."

"I have nothing to say to you Malfoy."

"Oh so you planned on taking a vow of silence while you are here, then?" She merely raised a brow to his inquiry before returning to her previous endeavor of forming a replica of the Australia's Ayres Rock out of her potatoes and pie.

"Why did you even bother taking Potter's place?" He asked coldly.

"Because I love him!" She fired back. "He's my best friend." His eyes narrowed at her and an angry scowl marred his aristocratic features.

"Is that the only reason, Granger?" She looked up at him her chocolate browns boring a whole into his forehead. "Been giving it to the hero then Granger?" Her eyes widened in fury as she stood up with such force that her chair fell from behind her and she slammed her palms down on the table making it tremble significantly.

"You foul, dreadful-"

"Piddy?" He called out calmly, interrupting Hermione's little outburst. The matronly elf appeared and looked upon the scene with, what appeared to be, a bit of irritation. "Please escort Miss Granger back to her chambers." He rose from the table with his goblet and stood at the hearth and stared into the flames without so much as a backward glance towards Hermione. Piddy nodded as she took Hermione by the hand and apparating her back upstairs. Draco, upon hearing the sound of their apparition, threw back the remainder of his wine and chucked his goblet at the fire with a roar. Where the fuck did that question come from? And why did he care so bloody much if she had been with Potter or not? He ran his hands through the silvery mop atop his hand pulling at the strands before slumping down the wall and to his knees. He was so fucking screwed up and so completely in the shit.

"Harry! Where the bloody hell have you been?" Ron asked as he pulled Harry into his flat. After the war and receiving the sizable reward from the wizardring community at large he bought a sizable flat in the City and spent most of his time partying with a bit of work at the Ministry in between.

"I dunno Ron. Last bloody thing I remember was Seamus' pub opening." He said plopping down on the couch, the only place to sit in the barely furnished flat. Ron insisted he'd get to the petty things like decorating later on. For now, he was eating up all the attention and hubbub attending three to four parties every night and meeting tons of new faces.

"That was three nights ago, Harry! Must've inhaled the firewhiskey for you not to remember two days."

"I didn't drink that much Ron." Ron looked incredulously at him before going into the kitchen and fetching another bottle of firewhiskey and two tumblers.

"Well it doesn't matter, mate. Haven't seen you in two days, you've got a lot of catching up to do." He poured an ample amount of the liquid into each of the tumblers before handing one to Harry. He clinked his glass against Harry's before taking a few swigs. Harry followed suit and both grimaced at the burning that they never seemed to get used to.

"Bloody good thing you're back. Hermione nearly had a fit when you hadn't shown up for lunch the other day. I swear she's going to drive me absolutely mad-"

"Ron! Where is Hermione?" Harry asked concerned. He had tried to floo her at her flat but no one answered when he called out.

"Damned if I know mate. Bird doesn't tell me a bloody thing." He replied in a huff before sipping on more of his drink. Things between Ron and Hermione had been a bit strained since the end of the war. They had ended things during the Horcrux search and when everything was over and done with Ron had tried to get back together with her. She had said that they were two completely different people compared to who they were back in school. She said that things couldn't have worked out for them not matter how much either of them might have wanted them to. Suffice to say he wasn't terribly happy to get that reaction from her. Harry could tell, though, that he still had it in his head that they'd eventually work it out. "Anyway go on and finish your tumbler. I've got word on a shit hot party over at the West End—some kind of, what do Muggles call those things where people act out on a stage?"

"Play."

"Right, some kind of play opening. Apparently there's some big shot actor who's playing a starkers maniac all gaga over some horses or something like that so there's bound to be some shagtastic birds there." Harry shook his head but smiled nonetheless. Ron had nothing on his mind these days except partying and sex. He'd go just to please Ron but hang out on the sidelines before claiming a headache or something and skive off. He'd try and give Hermione another ring on her muggle mobile when he got home. He couldn't help but shake the feeling that something was off concerning his other best friend.

Well there's Chapter 1. Leave me nice reviews and I'll get Chapter 2 up ASAP. Please let me know if you're interested in this fic!