Chapter 14: Draco

Chapter 14:

Draco:

A POP! woke Draco from what had been a fitful night’s sleep, made possible only by sheer exhaustion.

“Master said I should wake you. Master said you might be hungry.”

Draco tried to blink the confusion out of his eyes and failed, for standing in front of him was a house-elf.

The frizzy hair of fur that had shared his bed last night—how far a Malfoy has fallen!—rose to stare at the house-elf curiously.

“Do you have a name?” She asked with more politeness and respect than a lowly house-elf deserved.

“Master calls me Treedy.”

Suspecting he knew the answer, he asked, “And who is your master?”

“Professor Snape! And Master will be very angry with me—yes he will!—if you and the lady—” Draco smirked at Granger being addressed as a 'lady'—“have not eaten by the time he returns!”

The opportunity to mock the Mudblood was undeniable.

“Surely since the ‘lady’ and I have shared a bed, we can dine together?”

A deep, wonderful blush rose on her face as she attempted a verbal parry.

“You know as well as I do that neither one of us had any choice in the matter!”

Treedy had begun frantically pacing. In a moment, Draco suspected the dumb house-elf would begin banging his head against a wall. Hermione must have noticed as well, for she sighed and nodded at Treedy.

“Yes, let’s eat.”

Another POP! and a table full of food appeared. Scrambled eggs, bread, bacon, pancakes with maple syrup, even a modest serving of eggs Benedictine… no doubt this came from the Hogwarts’ kitchens. Well, at least the food here won’t be too bad. With another pop, two chairs appeared.

“After you, ‘my lady.’” Making her blush was too easy and was quickly becoming a new guilty pleasure. They sat down and ate their breakfast in silence. New guilty pleasure or not, there was no way Draco was going to stay here, in this dung heap, with a Mudblood and a traitor. If he could find a way to escape, and soon, he should be able to convince his father and the Dark Lord of his loyalty. And with Severus’s double betrayal—of him and the Dark Lord—he had no qualms now about whose side he was on. As terrible as his father could treat him, the Dark Lord offered him power, and that was what Draco desired most of all… Even more than Severus, he tried to convince himself.

Yet for now, he had no choice in the matter: he’d watched in horror last night as Severus had bound him to the Shrieking Shack, just as his father used to bind him to his room for punishment. He knew there was no way to break the spell, at least no way for him as the victim. Perhaps, though, the spell could be broken by someone else?

He looked at Granger thoughtfully. Though she was a Mudblood, he knew that her intelligence was a rival for his own. He felt sure she was smart enough to break the spell, but also knew that she was likely inexperienced with Dark Magic. This began a fervent discussion in his head:

But perhaps if we work together, we could find a way?

This is the only way and you know it.

Even after convincing himself that working with Granger was his only chance of escape, another doubt surfaced. Would she be willing to work with him and betray Severus? He remembered Granger arguing with Severus last night: “You can’t make him stay here by force!” He remembered the sullen look on her face as Severus had berated her and ignored her protests. A searing heat of rage rose as he remembered Severus kissing her.

Oh, yes, there is a way to convince her to help me… And it even comes with the additional benefit of revenge!

They had finished eating now; and Treedy, bowing low, disappeared, taking the table with him. Severus had still not returned from wherever he’d gone. Time to set this plan in motion…

“Does he always treat you like a house-elf?” His voice oozed kindness worthy of a Hufflepuff even as his stomach turned at what he was doing. It’s the only way.

She looked at him with obvious surprise.

“Well, no, usually he treats me well…” Her voice faltered, giving Draco the chance he needed.

“So, he only treats you like this when there’s someone watching?”

“Are you implying I deserve better? You who just last night were so quick to insult me?”

Careful. She’s already suspicious.

“You may be a Mudblood, but you’re too intelligent to be relegated to the tasks of house-elves… especially since he had one at his beck and call already.”

Suspicion still danced in her eyes as she looked at him, but after a moment, she nodded reluctantly and sighed.

“I must admit that I was taken aback by his behavior towards me last night… After he kissed me, I…” She looked at Draco again and he nodded with encouragement. A moment later, she continued. Outwardly concerned as he listened to her petulant tale, inwardly he was beaming.

This might be easier than I thought.