Ten out of Ten by Morriganmercy

Day 13

- NOT MY STORY! All credit goes to @morriganmercy on a03!

TW: Description of dub-con sexual fantasies. Hermione ~likes~ hearing about them, but I wanted to warn just in case. What can I say, he was unredeemed.

When Hermione entered the sitting room on the morning of the thirteenth day, Malfoy was seated in the armchair by the window.

"Are you... reading the phone book?"

He didn't look up but casually turned a page. "I am looking at the phone book. Very different."

Hermione bit back a smile. They had discussed the concept of telephones over dinner the night before, even placing a practice call to Gemma. They had stood in the window with their heads pressed together so that Malfoy could listen in on the receiver. He had seemed completely bewildered by the sight of the little girl's mouth moving in time with the words he was hearing through the strange device. Hermione couldn't imagine who he might be trying to reach.

"Did you need help finding something?" she asked.

"If I require your assistance, I will ask for it," he said snootily.

"Suit yourself."

Hermione left him to it and went into the kitchen.

"Nilly," she called.

The elf appeared at once, dressed in a pale green pillowcase and with flour up to her elbows.

"Oh!" Hermione said at the sight. "If this is a bad time—I mean, please don't feel like you have to come right away when I call. I'm sure it won't ever be an emergency."

Nilly smiled brightly. "Thank you, Mistress, but Nilly is always happy to come when Mistress calls."

Hermione looked doubtfully down at the little elf. "But surely you were in the middle of something... Perhaps if it's very important that I see you right away, I could call twice?"

"Very well!"

Hermione had a feeling that she was being indulged, but there was only so much she could do about it.

"Well, if you aren't busy, I was thinking about making some breakfast."

"Oh!" Nilly said. "What is Mistress wanting? Nilly will bring it at once!"

"I'd like to help," Hermione said firmly. "Or if you're willing to teach me how to make those little pastry egg cups then you could—"

Hermione broke off at the sound of a throat clearing behind her. She turned to see Malfoy standing in the doorway, and he quickly shook his head.

When she looked back, tears were welling up in Nilly's eyes.

"Mistress is not wanting to need Nilly's help anymore?"

Hermione winced. "That's not it at all. I just wanted to offer—"

"Mistress is already doing her own washing up and making her own bed every day." The elf gave a small hiccup. "Making the bed is Nilly's favourite."

"I didn't—"

"And now Mistress is wanting to do all her own cooking?" Her eyes were swimming with tears. "Nilly will always remember fondly the times when she was needed."

"Oh, dear," Hermione said, grabbing for a tea towel and bending to kneel in front of the elf. "Please don't cry, Nilly. I didn't mean to upset you." She offered the towel and watched as Nilly dabbed at her eyes.

"I promise it's nothing to do with you," Hermione went on. "It's just... I've lived in this house by myself for a long time now, and I'm used to doing things on my own." She swallowed as the elf blinked up at her. "I'm not very good at asking people to do things for me," she admitted.