Chapter Three
Harry and Malfoy left the lift on the bottommost floor where the Ministry of Magic Law Offices were situated. Malfoy led Harry to a chamber at the end of a hallway. Harry knew this hallway; he had dreamt about it years ago in his normal life and had been tried for using magic in the presence of Muggles in the courtroom two doors down from the room he was entering.
When he walked through the door that Malfoy was holding open for him, Harry saw a sight that most pleased him and made him smile. Hermione Granger was standing with her hands on the table and her head bent down; she was looking at a book.
Well, at least she is the same Hermione, Harry thought to himself.
"What are you smiling at?" Malfoy said, seeing Harry's face.
"Er – just thinking about Pansy," Harry said, however painful it was for him to even mention her name. It was crucial that he play the part of the Slytherin in front of Malfoy; when he got Hermione alone he would be the Harry he was used to being.
"You're late," Hermione said, not lifting her head from the book.
"Whatever, Granger. Let's get this done with, shall we?" Malfoy said, walking over to the table on which a bunch of papers lay.
"Do not use that tone of voice with me, Malfoy. I don't want to be on this case with you two anymore than you want to be on it with me." Hermione raised her head and put her hands on her hips.
"So what's the case?" Harry asked.
"House-elf rights," Draco said bitterly. "I told you that."
"House-elf rights?" Harry asked, smiling that Hermione was doing what she said she would and smiling because Harry Snape was thoroughly offended that he would be on such a case. "I must have forgotten in all the preparations for the wedding."
"Forget it, Harry. Completely understandable. I would put everything aside if I had a beautiful lady like you do. I'm sure there are many ways she makes you forget things," Draco said, with the widest, most sincere smile that Harry had ever seen him wear.
"Pig," Hermione said. Harry had to force himself not to smile.
"Look you two, I am very serious about this and if you are going to impede my chances in any way of getting house-elves better rights then I will do it myself and you are excused from the case," Hermione reprimanded.
"No. We want in on the case," Harry said, eager to be dealing with the bossy Hermione that he knew so well.
"Fine. But one move that slows me down and you're out."
"Deal with it, Granger," Malfoy said.
"Oh. And you will speak nicely to me when you are in my office. You are not to insult me. One insult or nasty word from either of you and you will both find yourselves in the same state that you found yourselves when you said Neville would not last more than five minutes in the Tri-Wizard Tournament. Got it?" Hermione's eyes pierced through Harry and Malfoy like ice.
"Yeah. We understand," Harry said.
"Shall we get on with it then?" Malfoy said in the nicest voice that he could conjure.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"My god, what a complete waste of time," Malfoy said as he and Harry walked out of the Department of Mysteries an hour later. "House-elves are supposed to be enslaved. They always have been and they always will be. No one in their right mind would actually side with Granger about giving them vacation and pay. And no respectable wizard is going to pay to have a house-elf."
"I don't know, Ma – Draco, if wizards treat house-elves more civilly they might not get crossed and double-crossed," Harry said, his mind in his real world and on Kreacher and Sirius.
"What the bloody hell are you talking about, Harry?" Draco asked.
"Er – I once heard of a house-elf betraying its proper master because he wasn't treated properly and didn't like the master. He liked the master's family members much better. The elf couldn't directly betray his master, obviously, but he didn't help him either," Harry said, disconcerted at telling Malfoy the story of how and why Kreacher betrayed Sirius to Malfoy's mother and father.
"Where the hell did you hear that?"
"I overheard Ne – Longbottom telling his Gryffindor friends about it a few years ago. He was practically screaming it. I don't know how you didn't hear it. Er – listen, Draco, I think I left my wand in Her – Granger's office. You go on up. I'll meet up there in a few," Harry said, turning back to the office out which they had just walked.
Harry watched Malfoy walk to the lifts and make his way up to the atrium. When he was alone in the corridor, Harry walked to the door of Hermione's office and knocked.
"Come in," came the voice from the other of the door.
Harry opened the door tentatively.
When he shut the door behind him Hermione looked up. Seeing who it was, she frowned.
"Come to insult me without the influence of your brother?" Hermione said without pretense.
Though hurt inside by the tone of voice that Hermione was using with him, Harry hid his feelings and simply said,
"No. Actually I came to ask you something, Hermione."
Hermione narrowed her eyes in suspicion when Harry used her name.
"Since when have you called me 'Hermione'? What are you playing at?"
"Nothing. I wanted to ask you if you, Ron, and Ginny would meet me in Hogsmeade this afternoon." Harry knew that he was pushing his luck; Hermione did not look happy but he thought it best to come right out and say what it was he wanted to say despite knowing exactly what Hermione could do when she was angry.
"Why?" Hermione asked, her eyes narrowing even further until they were slits.
"I need to talk to you. I swear, all I want to do is talk. I really need to tell you all something." Harry felt he was getting nowhere. Hermione still looked suspicious.
"If this is about the case we can talk now and Ron and Ginny don't need to be a part of the conversation."
"This isn't about the case. It's personal. Please, Hermione, I really need to talk to the three of you. And Neville and Luna can come too."
"You really just want to talk? With Gryffindors like us?"
"Yes."
"Fine. Two o' clock in the Three Broomsticks. Don't be late," Hermione said, walking to the door and holding it open for Harry.
"Thanks."
Harry was barely out the door when it slammed behind him.