Harry Potter: Love's Second Chance

Hermione's mouth performed her best rendition of a fish out of water as it constantly opened and closed for almost a minute as she tried to find a logical argument. She knew there had to be one. Finally the only line of argument she could muster surfaced. "It's because she's been brainwashed Harry. She's been told to believe that."

"I think it's more than that Hermione. As you just pointed out, elves are intelligent. Wouldn't there be more elves like Dobby if that was the only thing? Look around the kitchen, none of them want to be free. If it was just education, at least some of them would be at least open to the idea. I think Dobby is an extreme case. Remember when you offered Hagrid a..spe…a badge and he said Dobby was a weirdo?"

"But.." Hermione started to reply then Dobby's words came back to her 'Yous only think like witches and wizards do, not like house-elf'. Hermione started to inventory what she knew in her mind about the little elf. "He only wanted to be free from the Malfoys, but why not bond with another family if he didn't really want to be free? He wanted pay from other families he approached. So it sounds like he wanted to be free, but what did he do with his money? He bought Harry a Christmas gift. If Dobby doesn't really want to be free but doesn't want to bond with a family or the castle what does that mean? What does he want?" She asked herself. She couldn't put the puzzle together right now, so she turned her attention back to Winky and her husband. "But what if she doesn't always want to be enslaved or doesn't want to do what we ask her to do?"

Harry smiled at his wife. "That's easy. I'm surprised you didn't think of it," And he explained his thought process which left Hermione resembling the fish again. Harry turned to Dobby. "Dobby, when Winky wakes up, tell her once she is sober and I do mean she must be at least two days without a single Butterbeer, to come talk to Hermione and me. We might have a family for her to bond with. For now though, why don't you take her to the come and go room and put her in a nice bed. I can't stand to see her in this cupboard."

"Dobby will do that Harry Potter sir," Dobby replied softly as he looked admiringly at Harry. "Dobby is most thankful."

Harry and Hermione spent the rest of the afternoon walking around the lake hand in hand. Both were slightly nervous about what was going to happen in the evening if Ginny held true to her planned date. Though Miranda had told them they were safe from potions and they knew they had a plan; it was still unsettling to know someone they had considered a friend was at that very moment planning an attempt to control them.

They had spent hours discussing what they could or should do. Harry wanted to confront Ginny, to let her know they knew about her plans, but realized she'd just deny it and not only would it make Ginny more dangerous, but the fall out could be devastating to their friendship with the other Weasleys they did like.

"Well it's time," Hermione said as she glanced at her watch. Her eyes found Harry's and they both had the same thoughts. They knew that after this evening, there would be no possibility of ever renewing the friendships they thought that had had for the last seven years. It was with trepidation they turned from the lake and followed the path toward the castle for dinner.

"We could always skip dinner," Harry suggested for the third time as they neared the door.

"Our OWLs start tomorrow and we can't be looking over our shoulders all week," Hermione reminded him for an equal amount of times.

"What about the life debt she owes me?" Harry asked. "Couldn't I just get her to leave us along with it?"

"I'm not sure if it would work in this type of situation. Do we really know what the debt entails?" Hermione replied. "Does she owe you a life or will any asked for thing settle the debt? Is it a one time occurrence to settle it or can a lifetime 'leave us alone' work? How would such a thing be worded if we could? I mean if we wanted to spend time with the Weasley family sometime in the future would she lose her magic or life just by being around us at a Christmas or birthday? If we word it with potions and she gives me a poison, would that work? There are just too many unknowns to depend on something like that. I don't want Ginny to die because of a poorly worded life debt request, nor do I want us to think we're safe when we aren't."

Harry sighed as he nodded his agreement.

Harry and Hermione sat side by side at the very end of the Gryffindor table so they would only have to protect themselves from only one side or front. Hermione sat to Harry's left so her wand arm would be between them, allowing her to cast detection spells unseen. They had thought about having Neville and Luna sit next to them, but determined it was best to allow Ginny and/or Ron to get close enough to keep an eye on them.

"Do you two lovebirds mind if I sit here?" Ginny asked in a cheerful mood as she sat down in front of them.

Harry glanced at Hermione with a raised eyebrow before shrugging his shoulders at Ginny.

"So how's your studying going?" Ginny asked as she started putting food on her plate.

"Fine," Hermione replied while at the same time she palmed the dye from her pocket and as Harry distracted Ginny by asking for a bowl of potatoes, she quickly put a couple of drops in each of their goblets.

"I really haven't had a chance to talk to you since the Quidditch championship," Ginny said to Harry. "The team will never be the same until you're back flying on your broom," He looked over at Hermione. "It's a shame you don't enjoy Quidditch or flying that much Hermione; not the way Harry and I do anyway," Ginny's eyes flickered over to Harry's before she took a bite of food.

Hermione had to force herself not to roll her eyes.

....

Join my P*atreon to enjoy 60+ advanced chapters.

Link: p*atreon.com/ScarletRosee (Remove the *) 

Free members can get 2+ advanced chapters FOR FREE.