Hermione looked at the two that had appeared unexpectedly. She was finally getting Her Harry past his nobility streak and she, as the opportunity presented itself, was going to get a little use out of her and Harry's hormones. She, in all honesty, was a trite bit annoyed.
Harry himself was annoyed with Larry. He had just made a major breakthrough with his relationship with Hermione and Larry had brought Bob and himself and cocked it up. They wanted him with Hermione, and he was in complete agreement, but right when things were progressing they interrupted. Bloody, interfering, annoying GITS.
Larry rolled his eyes and Bob smirked.
"Hello, Hermione Granger. My name is Larry. This is Bob. Everything Harry has told you is true, and you can't tell anyone else."
Harry stared and Hermione huffed. "Is that why you were interrupting?"
"No. It was time for a review for Harry here. They aren't regularly scheduled, but since he told you everything you could be here for it. I wanted to meet you, and wanted to add 'Finally' because I was getting right tired of fixing him up and sending him back. And with you in the picture, that's less likely to happen."
Hermione was slightly mollified. Apparently Harry really did need her to survive and even a Grim Reaper said so. Now if they would just finish this review so she could get back to working on Harry's hormones ....
"Anyway, Harry. Good going so far. Been right pleased and even Lora is starting to settle down a bit."
Hermione looked at Harry. "Lora?"
He looked over at Hermione and replied, "Larry's boss. Apparently my dying was annoying to her and she wasn't happy about trouble in the department. That's it, as near as I can tell." He looked back to Larry. "So, does that mean I won't need as many reviews?"
Larry shook his head. "Nope. As far as Lora is concerned, things as they are now aren't broke, so there's no need to fix them. You have a number of visits to look forward to. Besides, Bob has plans and he needs these reviews to get them passed on."
"Plans, Bob?"
Bob smirked at Harry and Hermione. "Well, things are going so smashingly well at the moment that Destiny Repair has decided to use one of the few clients that it has direct access to as a means of fixing some things up, things which will affect your Destiny as well as others'."
Harry groaned. He remembered Larry's warnings from before. Hermione looked both intrigued and worried. Hermione asked, "What kind of plans are they and do they involve me as well?"
"Well, as your Destiny is tied with his Destiny, anything that affects him also affects you. Besides, I don't think you'll complain."
"Why not?"
"What plans do you have for house elves?"
"Well, I don't want to see them enslaved. I want to see them free and happy."
"Yeah. That's a good thing, but there are things that you don't know about house elves. You should ask. Two particular house elves. You can figure out the two."
Harry and Hermione thought about it a moment and looked at each other. They both said, "Dobby and Winky!"
"Yeah, those are the two. You might want to be careful about calling out their names while we aren't here though. Because we're here, this is private and no one can hear. But once we leave, I should mention at least one of them is listening for you to call them."
Harry told Hermione. "I really owe Dobby. If you remember what I told you about our seventh year, he saved our lives as well as Neville's, Luna's, Ron's, Ollivander's, Griphook's and so many others'. And as a result he died. Whatever he asks for he gets. And if that means a bond, that's what it is. And Winky is miserable and will stay miserable until she dies if something doesn't change. So, that includes her too."
Hermione huffed. Bob shook his head and looked at her. "Listen. I can tell you that you're going to do a lot of the house elves and as a result they will be much, MUCH happier than they have been for centuries. But, in this case, you really ought to listen to Harry. Trust me. I know. And in the long run, it will help Harry and yourself with your Destinies. Besides, Harry, I think you want to find out from your house elf friend what he did with the goblins."
Hermione finally nodded. "Fine. But they are included in my plans for equal rights. I won't see them trampled in slavery."
Larry and Bob laughed at her. "Can you really see Harry trampling anyone's rights? Especially a friend's?"
Hermione nodded her head sheepishly. "That's true. Harry's too good for that."
Harry smiled at her. "I promise we'll work for their rights. But, we have to work with them, not ignore what they think."
Larry and Bob stood up. "Well, it's been fun. Keep doing what you're doing. Things are progressing nicely, so don't blow it."
They disappeared. "So," Hermione said, "should we call them?"
Harry thought about it for a moment. "Let's go out and see who else is up. It's still 10:00 where we came from, so everyone might still be up. We can talk about it and see what everyone thinks. We just can't mention Larry and Bob. Besides, I don't want your dad to think I'm taking advantage of you."
As far as Hermione was concerned, Harry would have to be force-fed the "advantage". And she had plans to move things in that direction.
Harry and Hermione left Harry's room and made their way to the living room area. The adults were still up and chatting.
Sirius saw them first and yelled out, "Harry! Hermione! Should be worried what you two were getting up to?" and then laughed.
Tonks leered at them. Emma looked interested and Robert looked slightly green. He may have given his tacit agreement, but that didn't mean he had to like it.
"We've been talking about what's been happening and making plans if you MUST know," Hermione huffed as she reached down and picked up a throw pillow and then threw it at Sirius. Robert looked slightly happier, but Tonks and Emma looked almost disappointed as Sirius continued laughing.
Harry added, "Anyway, we talked." At that he gave a slight nod to Robert, who looked satisfied. "We came out to talk to you about some plans." Everyone looked interested.
"One of the things that we have decided to concern ourselves with house elves," Harry carried on. "There are two particularly that we are concerned with, one of which is my friend and another that we know is unhappy. We wanted to call them to arrange to get some information for our future plans. I know we are on vacation, but this is important."
Sirius and Tonks looked approving while the Grangers looked interested. Hermione had mentioned house elves in several of her letters and they wanted to meet one and see what they looked like.
Sirius said, "Well, even if we're on vacation, your plans have to move forward. While the goblins are doing a lot of the work for the next two weeks, this is your cause. So it's fine with me." Everyone agreed with Sirius.
"Alright, here goes then." Harry said. He then called out, "Dobby!"
A pop was heard and in front of everyone stood Dobby in a Hogwarts tea cozy as a robe with two mismatched socks.
"Mr. Harry Potter, Sir! You's calls Dobby! I is happy to help you! How can Dobby help?" Dobby was almost quivering with excitement as the Grangers were fascinated and the rest almost burst out laughing at Dobby's enthusiasm. Hermione knew that this was a losing battle. Oh, well, at least Dobby would be happy.
"Hello, Dobby. How are you doing?" Dobby broke down in tears.
"Mr. Harry Potter Sir is a great wizard! I's never been asked how I am from a wizard. I am so happy to be called!" At that Dobby attached himself to Harry's leg.
Harry knelt down so he could talk to Dobby more at his level. "How is the job at Hogwarts? And how is Winky?"
"I am working hard and am enjoying it. I is paid a galleon a week and has one day off a month. It is a good job." Here Dobby's ears drooped. "Winky is still drinkin. I am trying to take care of her. She wants to be part of a family again. And so do I. I like my freedom, but I wants to has a family as well."
Here Harry looked at Hermione. She nodded, and Harry looked back at Dobby and said, "I would love to have you and Winky in my family."
Dobby's ears perked up. "You take Dobby as your elf so I can keep your secrets? Can Mr. Harry Potter's Sir Grangey take Winky as her elf?"
Hermione could not argue with how happy Dobby was to be part of a family again. And Winky had been really miserable when she had last seen her. At least Larry and Bob had said that they would help her attain her goals. So Hermione nodded to Dobby.
"I will go and bring Winky here."
Sirius and Tonks were flabbergasted by the apparent loyalty of the house elf to Harry. Usually a house elf had a lot of loyalty but only when bonded. Dobby was apparently a free elf and still his loyalty to Harry was unquestioned. The Grangers were absorbed, by Emma had a question. "Hermione, do you really want to take a house elf as a servant?"
Harry answered before Hermione could. "House elves don't look at it as being a servant. They look at it as being part of a family. Even at Hogwarts, although the elves are bonded to the castle, they view the students and staff as a family and are very eager to please." He paused and looked at Hermione before he continued. "It makes them feel needed."
Hermione blushed when he put it that way. She would have to revise some of her opinions.
All of a sudden Dobby popped back in with Winky in tow. Winky wore a simple dress which was stained with butterbeer.
"Hello, Winky," Hermione started out. "How are you?" she asked gently.
Winky's voice was slurred as she answered, "Winky is sad. She has no master and no family."
"Would you like to be part of my family?"
Winky's demeanor changed instantly. "Miss wants Winky?"
"Yes, Winky, I do. I need a house elf as family so that she can keep my secrets and teach me about house elves so that I can help them."
Winky looked at Hermione. Hermione was famous, or infamous, with the Hogwarts house elves. "You not be trying to free elves that not want to be being freed now?" Winky asked with a very slight note of reproof.
Hermione blushed as she answered. "That's why I need an elf. I need to learn what they need and how to make sure they are happy." Winky became very excited as Hermione said this. "If I take you as my elf, will you take an allowance and wear a uniform and never punish yourself? Will you take any days off?"
Winky thought about it. "I will not take pay and wear clothes. I am a respectable house elf even if I am shamed! And a house elf does not take days off!" Winky looked as though she might run off.
"No, no, no, Winky. It's not PAY per se, just some gold so that you can get anything that you might need. You don't even have to spend it. You can use it or not use it however you like. And a uniform isn't clothes. It just shows that you're my elf. And you don't HAVE to take time off. But you can take time to do anything that you normally wouldn't be able to do."
Winky looked for trickery and decided that as long she was a part of a family she could handled Miss's quirks. "Winky agrees."
Harry then asked Dobby, "Will you agree to the same terms with me?" Dobby was much more enthusiastic. He would be Mr. Harry Potter Sir's elf! He nodded his head so that his ears flapped. "What do we have to do to take you as our elves?"
"You only have to say, 'I take you, Dobby, as my elf' and we could bond."
Hermione said, "I take you, Winky as my elf." A light flashed and Winky looked much improved.
Harry said, "I take you, Dobby, as my elf." A light flashed around Dobby. Winky and Dobby snapped their fingers and they were both now clad in small tunics. Winky had the Granger crest on hers and Dobby's had one for House Potter. "Now, if I am at the Grangers can you find me even if it's warded?"
Dobby nodded his head, "A house elf can always find his family, Mr. Harry Potter Sir!"
"Alright. If you will excuse us, everyone, we have to talk to Dobby and Winky." All of the adults nodded their heads in amusement. "We will go to bed after talking to them, so we will see you all in the morning."
Harry and Hermione walked off back towards Harry's room with Dobby and Winky following.
Emma, Sirius and Tonks were snorting with laughter at the whole Dobby and Winky situation. Robert was looking a bit green again even as he smiled because they once more went to the same room. Being a father was hard at times.
Once they were all in Harry's room, Harry said, "Ok we have some questions, but first let me put up some privacy charms."
Dobby snapped his fingers and said, "No one will know what happens in this room now. I has made it private with one way sound proofing and anti scrying wards." Hermione's eyes gleamed at this information. After they finished, Hermione had plans for those wards.
"Okay, Dobby. Thank you. Now I have a question. I have heard that you have helped the goblins?"
Dobby nodded his head vigorously. "When Dobby heard that Mr. Harry Potter Sir had declared Blood Feud against nasty snake-man and the goblins was helping him, Dobby remembered bad magic Dobby had felt at Hogwarts in the Come and Go room. So Dobby took bad magic to goblins to get rid of. Goblin Chief said it was last bad magic piece they had to collect."
Harry, who had held his breath when Dobby mentioned the "bad magic" expelled it with relief. "PERFECT! That was brilliant, Dobby!" Dobby's eyes shined with gratitude. Mr. Harry Potter Sir was a great wizard. He would not punish Dobby for helping him. Harry thought for a moment. "Hey, Dobby. Can you carry messages between the goblins and myself to help with my fight against Voldemort?"
Dobby was ecstatic! "I can do that. If you call, I can take messages or yous to Gringott's to talk to goblins. I will tell goblins that I can be called to take messages to you!"
"What about the wards at Gringott's?"
"House elves can go through any wards in service of their family."
Harry had a thought. "Can a house elf be used to find me if someone wanted to attack me?"
Dobby shook his head. "Oh no, sir! House elves may not harm another wizard by use of their magic unless by a lot of force which house elf would fight. Now that you has bonded to Dobby, no house elf can be forced to use their magic to harm you! Besides, house elves are not considered by most witches and wizards. They consider us vermin and below such things."
Harry was relieved. That meant that Hermione, now bonded to Winky, could also not be harmed that way. "Well, Dobby. I do NOT consider you vermin, and neither does Hermione. I think you are brilliant! Can you pop people places with permission?" Dobby nodded his head up and down. "Well, then. I am naming you my yeoman, or yeoelf. You will carry messages between myself and my allies as needed and let me know if any of them need my help. Can you do that Dobby?"
Dobby nodded his head enthusiastically. He would help Mr. Harry Potter Sir with his fight against the nasty snake-man. Winky, who was bonded to Mr. Harry Potter Sir's life-mate could help take care of Mr. Harry Potter Sir if Dobby was fighting.
"Ok. Hermione?"
Hermione looked at Winky and asked, "Winky, can you teach me about house elves so that I can help them to be happy?" Winky nodded her head as enthusiastically as Dobby. Since she had bonded to her Grangey, she became what her Grangey really wanted. Her Grangey liked knowledge and passing it on. So she decided she would learn things so that she could teach her Grangey.
"Winky can do that, Miss Grangey! Winky would be happy to help!"
Hermione smiled and hugged Winky. "Thank you, Winky. Sometime over the next two weeks I will call you to sit down and explain things. So, you can go and I will call you tomorrow when I know more of when I will need this."
Both elves could feel that Mr. Harry Potter Sir's Miss Grangey wanted to bond with Mr. Harry Potter Sir. So they snapped their fingers and left. Dobby would go to all of Mr. Harry Potter Sir's allies and let them know he could be called if they needed help against the nasty snake-man. Winky would help take care of her Grangey and her family, including Mr. Harry Potter Sir.
There were clean pajamas now laid out on the chairs next to the bed in Harry's room. Hermione noticed even if Harry had been lost in thought of how Dobby could help with communications. Hermione decided she liked having Winky as a house elf: She knew what Hermione needed for her plans.
A/N: Ok that was Bob and Larry and Dobby and Winky. I couldn't' decide if I should continue where I left off earlier with Harry and Hermione -- this fic IS rated M -- or if I should leave that for the finale when it comes. So I left it off for now and will wait to see what my reviewers say before I decide.