7th of February 2020

17. 7th of February 2020

It was the last point on her agendum, and she watched Draco Malfoy putting his hands on the meeting table, intertwining his fingers and lowering his head as if he was praying. He kept his hair very short these days. It was a good choice, since it hid the fact that he was becoming bald.

"Headmistress Weasley—"

"Yes." Her way of acknowledging him had the added benefit of interrupting him, and she saw how he pressed his eyes together in what looked like exhaustion. Maybe it was, since the discussion had been going on for a while now. She could go on for hours more. Funny how Malfoy didn't seem to realise that in everything ending with the two of them facing off, she would outlast him. Even if it killed her.

"Please, this is a bad decision. And however strange it might seem to you or any other Muggle-born, the house-elves and the ones whom they serve are, in a sense, codependents. The elves don't wish for freedom. They don't want it, not the way you seem to think they do." He looked and sounded sincere. He always did these days.

"Mr Malfoy, you seem to have forgotten Dobby."

If she didn't know better, she would have thought that Draco gave her a pained look.

"I haven't forgotten anything, Headmistress, but Dobby is—was—an aberration. Freeing the house-elves of Hogwarts is not a good idea. They will be distraught, thinking they have displeased you. That is a serious offence for them."

The rest of the Board of Governors were fidgeting, whispering among themselves, with expressions ranging from the annoyed to the worried.

"Headmistress." It was Fiona Craggmore this time. "Mr Malfoy has a point. House-elves who are given clothes and set free do not adapt well." Mrs Craggmore's worry was, without a doubt, very much sincere, and Hermione almost gave in. But then she caught Malfoy's nod in the corner of her eyes.

Hermione caught herself sighing. "I hoped I wouldn't have to bring this up, and I'm sorry, but I can't view you as unbiased. You are all purebloods. You are raised believing in the superiority of Wizardkind. The rights of Wizardkind."

Several of the Board members shook their heads, looking stunned by her statement. But then again, few were willing to open a subject like this, even this long after the war.

"I have taken precautions. I have talked to Head house-elf Kreacher. I have devised a magical contract that allows them to choose to leave services at Hogwarts at any time he or she wishes. Hogwarts has the right to dismiss a house-elf, but only if a new family is secured for the elf first." Several members of the Board looked as if they wanted to say something, so she held up her hand and continued. "They will also have the right to have two days off a week, if they so wish. All of them are to sign the contract before they are given clothes to ensure that the elves feel safe in agreeing to this."

Draco took a deep breath. "Please. Hermione!" He looked straight at her, and he was pleading, which was unexpected. She could feel the small hairs on her arms raising since, for some unknown reason, his pleading made her feel uneasy. "Everyone knows our history and why you are, quite understandably, unwilling to listen to me." What was he doing? And she couldn't help it; she just stood there, muscles frozen in anger. He wasn't allowed to refer to the war, and he had no right to remind her of that room in Malfoy Manor and what had happened there. She didn't care if she had reminded him first.

She brought out her wand, and with a swift wave, she piled her parchments together.

"This meeting has reached its end. The contracts will be signed the day after tomorrow."

As the Board members rose and filed out of the room, she took care to smile and speak to everyone before they left, making sure to smooth down the feathers she had ruffled.

Draco was waiting, lingering on, waiting for the rest of the Board to leave the room.

"At least talk to Severus first, Hermione. Please." He looked around the room, as if he were searching for something. "House-elves are not a stable breed. You have to admit that Kreacher and Dobby are balanced compared to the others, and that is saying something."

She drew a deep breath, trying to calm down.

"The elves will be set free. And I assure you that nothing will change for Scorpius. He will have the service to which he is accustomed."

Draco looked at her. "I just hope—" He made a disgusted moue, and then took on his customary and much more familiar haughty expression. "As you wish, Headmistress. Don't say I didn't warn you." His slow drawl was very like his mother's.

And with that, he turned on his heel and left the room. He didn't swagger anymore. He strode. Merlin, how she wished she could get over her distaste for him and his pureblood nonsense.