Hermione was going out for a walk, a breather really, to get away from Ronald.

"Hermione, Neville's right – you are a girl…."

"No, you're not! You just said that to get rid of Neville!"

"Okay, okay, we know you're a girl. That do? Will you come now?"

She had just came through the portrait hole, and then that… that… THAT happened!

' "You're a girl, Hermione." Well spotted, Ron. Took you 3 bloody years. Does he want an award or should I just give him a black eye?'

She fumed silently, making her way up the castle to be alone. As she was pacing she noticed Dobby walking a still sobbing Winky into a door that hadn't really been there before. Her anger dissipating to the back of her mind, she looked around and noticed she was on the 7th floor, and before she thought about it she followed them.

Curiously she got into the room before Dobby could close the door behind them.

"Dobby, what's going on?" she asked quietly, knowing he could hear her over Winky.

Dobby's eyes widened as he looked over at the Granger girl who was friends with the Great Harry Potter. The same girl who had done him a great and wonderful kindness of showing The Great Harry Potter where he was and bringing him back into his life once more. She wasn't as great as THE Great Harry Potter, but she was grand and kind! However he also was worried since he didn't want her to see Winky drunk as she was. The other elves wanted almost nothing to do with her, and not just for her supposed shame, but for her constant crying and drinking. She was stubborn enough to not work, even though she had more pride than to accept pay, but an elf that didn't work… it was detrimental to her health, almost as much as the drinking that was quickly becoming a serious problem.

"Dobby is- Dobby has-"

"Take a breath Dobby, it's okay. I won't tell if you don't want me to. I'll keep your secrets. I promise." Hermione said kindly.

Dobby's eyes watered gratefully at her kindness, solidifying her as the Kind Hermione Granger.

"Dobby is taking care of Winky… Winky is… Winky is drinking lots of butterbeer and is hurting herself. Dobby is doing what Dobby can for Winky. But… Winky is not cleaning. Winky is being a bad elf."

"What do you mean, Dobby?" She asked curiously. There was no information on house elves in the library which alerted her to their enslavement. She was furious on their behalf! However there wasn't much to know about them other than their enslavement and their loyalty to their owners.

Dobby had softly put Winky into a small bed and pulled the covers over her sobbing frame before turning around to talk with the Kind Hermione Granger. The small house elf knew that the young witch was smart, even more so since her half-kneazle cared for her and ran amuck over those who weren't half as smart as him. The cat simply did not tolerate stupidity and made sure everyone was aware of his displeasure. He was also loyal and made problems for the house elves who were displeased with her. He scared them into continuing their service of taking care of her needs as well as the other students.

"When a house else is not cleaning for many days their health turns bad. A house elf will be very very sick. If a house elf is not doing good cleaning work after being in service a house elf starts to lose their moons. After 12 moons a house elf starts to lose their magic. All house elves is being born strong. Cleaning helps keeping them strong and healthy. A master can be b-bad but if a house elf is cleaning their magic circulates and takes care of them. A cleaning house elf is a strong healthy elf. But Winky is not… she has not been cleaning. She is a bad elf in a bad place in her mind right now. Dobby is doing what Dobby can, but Winky… Winky cannot handle being free. Dobby is afraid she is losing more moons faster with drinking…"

Hermione's eyes saddened, she thought she knew that the house elves would be happier free from their enslavement. She figured it was just shock that was coursing through Winky, but not being in service was literally killing her. It went against the whole movement, to better their lives, not end them. She filed away that Dobby didn't say months or years, but moons. She couldn't be sure if her literally mean moon cycles or months or certain moons just yet.

"I…" her voice faltered. She took a calming breath and her voice gained confidence, "I will take Winky into service with no pay and no clothes. We can discuss if she gets a day off a month, like you, Dobby. I will be her new Mistress… if she wants."

Dobby smiled so wide it looked as though it hurt. He looked over to Winky and shook her.

"Winky has found new service and a new mistress. The Kind Hermione Granger is wanting you Winky. With no clothes and no pay."

Winky's eyes were red from crying so much over being such a bad house elf that she almost didn't understand what her dishonorable friend Dobby was saying.

"My master Crouch is wanting Winky back?" She asked softly, hopefully.

"No. The Kind Hermione Granger is wanting Winky." Dobby said gently, yes surprisingly firmly.

Winky's eyes started to water again.

"Is you wanting to be in proper service or not Winky?" Dobby asked disturbingly low for such a normally kind and happy elf.

Winky's eyes watered and started to tear again. She wanted to be in proper service again, she wanted to be a good proper house elf! She however also wanted to be back home with her proper masters of the great Crouch family. The new house of Granger was too new to be honorable, and would die out just as fast after she married, even if she would still belong to the witch. However she knew she could not be picky and wait for her master to call her back into service since he made perfectly clear that he never would. She kept blaming herself for being scared of heights, if she had opened her eyes, she might never have been given clothes.

She wasn't a dumb house elf, but she was above all else, loyal. She missed Crouch Jr even if he had started doing bad things, she had seen him as a babe with babe breath, when he was pure and innocent. There was nothing more pure than a baby. But there were no more babies in the house of Crouch and she had in the end appeared to have failed her task in keeping Crouch Jr hidden and safe. He had overcome the bad magic and did more bad instead. She could only take care of them, but they both were doing… bad. At least in proper service she would not be bad.

"Winky is…" She looked at Dobby and to the witch who was willing to take her into service. It was the same witch who bad mouthed her old master. She too had brown eyes. "Winky is happy to be of service Miss. Is Winky to be bound now?"

Hermione smiled kindly at the brown eyed elf who had stopped sobbing and obviously gave some thought to what she was being offered. However once again as there were no books on house elves she wasn't sure how to proceed. So she looked over to this new firm Dobby.

"I think that would be for the best." Her stomach churned a little at having agreed to have a slave, even if it was to save her life. "How do we have you bound? Is there a ceremony or something that I need to do?" She looked at Dobby, acknowledging that although Winky was agreeing and had given it proper though, was still not properly of firm mind at the moment. However Hermione also acknowledged that the Crouch family had a hand in the first War and there may be resentment or even prejudice left over concerning muggleborns and wanted that to not be a factor in her decision making.

She sadly thought back to a moment when she had seen her grandfather piss drunk, and how mean and nasty he was with his words. He had been sober for more than 30 years, but took up the bottle again after his wife had died. Grandpa Mettle had been a nasty drunk, he was abusive to the extreme and only sobered up because his grandmother threatened to divorce him or at least run away if he would deny her even that. She wouldn't take it anymore now that she was finally pregnant. She didn't want her mother growing up with a drunk abusive father, even if she had to raise her alone. So her Grandpa Mettle quit the bottle so he would be able to keep the love of his life and their child.

If it hadn't been for her father to stop him though, Grandpa Mettle would have struck her with his fist for having the easily recognizable hair of a French person. Grandpa Mettle was very subtle about his prejudices, but he hated the French and her father was half English half French. He hated the French in general.

Hermione inherited a lot from her great grandmother apparently on her father's side appearance wise. Her hair was extremely hard to miss, what was supposed to be curly was bushy, her skin looked constantly tan, even during the English and Scottish winters, and got darker when she went to France for summers. Her Grandpa Mettle was extremely drunk and started yelling about how she was a blemish to his family tree for being born and looking the way she did. He also started to yell at her mother about having bad taste and if it weren't for Grandma Mettle, he never would have allowed her parents to marry.

Her mother started to prattle on about how he "didn't mean it", but her father had cut her off and made it quite clear, "A drunk mind speaks a sober heart." After that they made sure that Grandpa Mettle was put in bed with a glass of water on his nightstand. Hermione continued to sit in the living room upset that while her grandfather loved her, also hated a small part of her. She thought back to all her visits and interactions with him and noticed that he always avoided looking at her hair when possible, always suggested that they cut it or kept it back or did something with it.

Her grandmother would always soothe her saying that they just hadn't found the right way to take care of it because at the end of the day there was nothing wrong with it. She never noticed until now that the look her grandmother always shot her grandfather was a warning and not just a look of annoyance like she always thought.

He always did chuckle at her teeth claiming that she got them from him, a true English man. It was such a bad stereotype that no one would cease to admonish him about it. While they were not crooked or knashed or any of the other horrid stereotypical appearances, they were large. Which is why she was pleased that she let Madam Pomfrey fix them after that skirmish with Malfoy and his lot. That and to avoid braces, those were indeed a muggle nightmare in and of themselves.

So despite her feeling bad for taking advantage of Winky's slight impairment, she figured it was for the best. She was addled, but her heart was speaking more than coherent mind right now.

"Winky is to mean to be bound to you. Her magic must seek yours and your magic must not reject her. Winky is to mean to be a good house elf and to give you and the House of Granger great service. You are a new starting house. House of Granger. Her willing to serve you must be absolute. It is easier to inherit a house elf because they is in service to the house and already bound by magic. But House of Granger might die when The Kind Hermione Granger takes on new last name. So Winky is to be bound to you as House of Granger and The Kind Hermione Granger so bond is true. But The Kind Hermione Granger must also be firm with Winky until she is better."

Hermione's brain was wheeling fast and excited at the new information about house elves. She was sure that most purebloods took them for granted without even thinking about it. However she also understood the severity and depth of the bond that was about to take place. It took her mind back to the ancient Egyptians, how even servants (slaves her mind whispered) would be killed and mummified when their master died. It was a deep commitment. She wasn't sure how wizards and witches could abuse them the way they did! If she couldn't free them lest they die there should at least be laws on how they're to be treated! But that was for another time.

She nodded at Dobby to let him know she understood. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, calming her mind.

"I'm ready Winky. You may now bound yourself to the House of Granger." The young witch said firmly. She looked quickly over to Dobby to be sure that she started correctly. Of which Dobby nodded assuredly.

Winky slowly got out of the little bed and stood, she wasn't hunched and she wasn't standing proud. She did hold her hands in front of her heart nervously, even inebriated aware of the situation and what it entailed.

"It is with deepest affections and honor to be bound to the House of Granger and Winky personally to The Kind Hermione Granger. Winky is wanting very badly to be in proper service and The Kind Hermione Granger has given her this gift. It is not to be wasted and Winky shall not. Winky now bounds herself willingly and fully to the House of Granger. To serve to the best of Winky's ability, to care as best as Winky can, to listen completely and keep all secrets true. Winky gives Miss Hermione Granger house elf's oath to keep her secrets and Winky's silence. To honor Miss's family. To care for Miss and her family. To give Miss all service I can offer from Winky and any children she may have. Winky will be the best she can be for the House of Granger and the hopeful eternal line of The Kind Hermione Granger."

Winky then closed her doe brown eyes and let her magic feel out and connect with the young witch's. Hermione felt the little house elf's magic, curiously. Her magic's first instinct was to be defensive and reject the house elf magic, but Hermione quickly reigned it in and instead allowed it to touch her magic. She wasn't mad at the little house elf, and she would not allow her magic to attack her or goodness reject her because she was still angry with Ronald.

It wasn't a leech relationship, more of an acknowledgement, a sort of peace you get from a good familial relationship. She let her magic slowly accept Winky's magic and allowed her magic to hug the small elf.

Winky opened her eyes and started to cry at the kindness the young witch that was her new Mistress. Her magic was nicer than her old Master's magic. She felt as though she were being disloyal to her old Master, but was firmly reminded that she had a new Mistress who wanted her. Her heart ache started to lessen, her shame started to abate. She was no longer a shameful free elf. She belonged to the House of Granger. She belonged to The Kind Hermione Granger.

Her magic receded back into her and Hermione made sure her magic never went on the defensive, offensive, or try to cling on and leech. Thankfully her magic didn't want to do any of those things, and was proud she was keenly aware of her magic to be able to tell. She came to Hogwarts to learn to control her magic, to make sure there were no accidents (even though they still did occasionally happen with adults), and she was proud of her awareness and control.

"Winky is now belonging to the House of Granger and the wonderful Kind Hermione Granger." Her voice finally sounded much calmer than it had been earlier, even if there were left over sobbing breaths now that were to be expected. The difference was telling and made Hermione rethink her points on the House Elf Liberation Front and back to the Society for the Promotion of Elvish Welfare.

Hermione smiled at the small elf, at peace knowing that she helped even at the sacrifice of her belief of elves for an elf. She was aware she had much to learn, and there was no better way than from the source itself. It was back to the drawing board for this project, but in the end she would yet win and get what she wanted.

"Dobby I hope you don't mind, but I'm sure I'm going to need your help and direction concerning Winky since I'm new to all of this. Would you be willing?" Hermione asked the green eyed elf who adored her best friend more than anything in the world.

"Yes, Miss! Dobby would be honored!" He squeaked, standing tall and proud.

"Is there anything else I need to do right now or is she fine in your care, Dobby?"

Dobby felt as though his chest would explode from happiness he hadn't felt since Harry Potter had been kind to him.

"Winky will be needing small ground rules for now." He said gently.

"Will she remember them after she's slept? Or any of this…?" Hermione asked concernedly.

"House elf magic will know and remind her," he said factually.

Hermione nodded in response.

"Alright then. Winky, you are to be presentable at all times. I will not be giving you clothes but if you need cloth to make such items to be presentable by my standards you are to let me know immediately. You are to take care of yourself. Unless you agree to have one day a month off, you are now allowed to drink anything alcoholic. Like butterbeer," she gave Winky a firm look, "You may not appear and announce yourself in the presence of others unless I call for you and they happen to be there. This is a safety precaution, not because I'm ashamed of you. You may make me special treats in the kitchens with the other elves. You may also help clean the castle alongside the Hogwarts' elves as well as… having special jurisdiction over duties concerning me and my belongings. If a wizard or witch asks who you belong to you are to tell them it is of no concern to them." Her voice was firm and no nonsense but wasn't cruel, she also tried to include things she thought would make the small elf happy.

Dobby nodded approvingly at Winky's rules.

"Anything else will be discussed at a later point, or as it comes along. I know you can be invisible when need be, so for the time being if you are in my presence or need something from me, I will need you to be invisible. When I'm well and truly alone, it's fine. Or with Dobby or another trusted house elf." Hermione nodded decisively now that she figured she was done putting down the proverbial foot with… her elf.

Part of her mind wanted to feel greasy for owning an elf and another part of her was oddly calm and accepting. It was acknowledging the bond and knowing that she saved Winky's life.

"Come find me after you're better please. There's another important thing we must discuss. However you must be discreet about it like I said earlier. You are free to bring Dobby with you. I just don't want you coming to see me if you're in pain with a hangover or something, okay?" She said last minute.

Dobby smiled at the young witch for catching on so quickly. The half-kneazle made a good choice for a witch. It was no wonder he was free to terrorize his fellow elves for speaking ill of the well-meaning witch.