Potters (Hermione x Male Reader)

Death Threats

Hedwig hooted happily when she saw that Harry had come to the Owlery, bearing a letter she was tasked with delivering. Ron's letter to Percy was soon tied to her leg, and she was zooming off into the distance, all while doing flips and spins in the air in glee. Once she disappeared from sight, the quartet made their way down to the kitchens to find the elf that had saved their lives.

Hermione was enveloped in a hug as soon as Dobby spotted what she was holding, that being the odd socks they had bought in Hogsmeade. With Hermione still being squeezed, Y/N stretched his neck to see down the other end of the kitchen to find Winky, still sat on the same old stool, and tears still leaking out of her massive eyes.

"Y/N Potter's Grangy is too kind, too generous, too good to Dobby!" The little elf squeaked, still wearing his Weasy jumper. Big, bucket-filler type tears erupted from his eyes, splashing to the floor and leaving puddles, which were soon cleared up by some other house elves.

"You saved Y/N and Harry's lives with that Gillyweed, Dobby. We only wanted to repay you," Hermione said, sitting on her knees so she was eye level with Dobby. The elf continued to weep, but flung his arms over Hermione's shoulders, sticking his face over her shoulder. Dobby's ear smacked into Hermione's face, but she didn't seem to notice, or care.

"Any chance I could get any more of those éclairs, is there?" Ron asked, looking around at the gathered workforce. A few of them bowed to 'Master Weasy' and scurried off around the kitchen.

"You've just had breakfast!" Hermione scolded, but Ron recieved a large silver platter of éclairs anyway, much to his delight.

"We should get some food to send to Snuffles, no doubt he'll go hungry if he's on a strict diet of rats and rain water," Y/N said.

"Good idea," Ron agreed, spitting some wet crumbs out of his mouth as he did. "Give Pig something to do. You couldn't give us a bit of extra food, could you?" He asked the house elves surrounding them. Hermione also agreed with Y/N's idea, but took it upon herself to make some.

Hermione was reluctantly ushered away from the pots and pans by a few house elves, tugging on her sleeves to pull her away. One had even tied itself around her leg, gripping tightly to stop her from running back to the benches to help out.

"Dobby, where's Winky?" Hermione asked, not being tall enough to spot amidst the crowded kitchens. She suddenly yelped as Y/N wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her up above his head.

"Do you see her, now?" Y/N asked laughing at Hermione's reddening face.

"Yes, now put me down."

"Aww, did I embarrass my little Grangy?"

"No, you held me in a place you shouldn't in public..." she whispered the last part.

"Winky is over there by the fire, miss," Dobby said.

"Yes, thank you, Dobby," Hermione said, leading the others to the small elf. Her pillowcase had grown filthier since last they met, now resembling a soft lump of coal. In her hand was a half empty bottle of Butterbeer, and a few empty ones laid on the floor next to her. She seemed to be lost in thought as she stared at the fire, swaying gently on her stool, hiccoughing every ten to fifteen seconds.

"Winky is going through six bottles a day now," Dobby whispered to the four, careful not to let Winky hear them.

"Well, it's not strong, that stuff, is it?" Ron said, still scoffing down éclairs from his tray and sucking chocolate off his thumb.

"'Tis strong for a house elf, sir. Winky is pining, Harry and Y/N Potter, sirs. Winky wants to go home. Winky still thinks Mr Crouch is her master, sir, and nothing Dobby says will persuade her that Professor Dumbledore is her master now."