FREEDOM

Lucius was furious when he reached his manor. He did nothing but to literally break down the safety wards around the Manor. When he got through them, he stomped the way to his door and with a loud bang slammed them shut behind him. The eerie silence of the entrance hall did nothing to soothe his mind.

Truely heard the shout of the Master and cringed slightly under Draco's bed. She didn't want to leave this place of safety. She shifted slightly and crept nearer to the wall. It didn't take more than 5 seconds until Lucius slammed Draco's door shut, too. Truely could see his black boots stopping before the bed. His cane, with the sharp peak, stood next to his long legs and Truely now really didn't want to leave her sanctuary.

Lucius had grabbed his cane when he ran upstairs. He knew how the elves felt about it. And he would everything in order to get information out of them. The elves were the only ones living here except Draco and him.

"Truely," he roared, "you get out here in 5 seconds or I will get you." His hand trembled slightly on the cane because of his anger.

But Truely was like a little child knowing that something bad would happen if she showed herself. Therefore, the small elf wasn't even thinking about leaving her place.

Sighing, Lucius dropped his cane. He knew this would happen. It had happened every time he wanted something from this elf. He knelt down next to the bed and with a fast motion of his arm, snatched Truely's leg. The elf screamed, but Lucius pulled on her leg. Her other leg hit him on his arm, but he just pulled harder.

Truely tried to grab something to stop her master of pulling her out. Her little fingers tried to grip the carpet but to no avail.

Finally, Lucius stood up; the elf hanging head down on his arm. He tossed Truely harder than necessary down on Draco's bed.

Panting, slightly because of his exhaustion and more because of his anger, he stared down to Truely. His grey eyes pierced Truely's and she knew why she hadn't wanted him to find her.

Suddenly, he laughed and now Truely was really afraid of him. It seemed that her master had lost his mind.

Lucius' adrenaline rush had stopped, and the stress fell away. He was so glad that the Dark Lord wasn't alive anymore. If any of his fellow Death Eaters had seen that he had to snatch his elf like a mischievous toddler… He was just laughing harder. And seeing that it scared his rebelling house elf, just the better.

After having calmed down a little bit, he became serious once again. He looked at the elf, sitting on Draco's bed. Crossing his arms, he looked down at Truely and ordered her to tell him everything that had happened today. And Truely did tell him everything. Even the part of Hermione wanting to leave.

At this piece of information, Lucius raised his brow slightly. Her leaving, that was something he would definitely bring up. Seeing that Truely had stopped her tale and no more information about the poisoning was provided, he started to question her in more detail.

"Who has brought Hermione her breakfast every day?"

"That's was me," the elf said. Lucius already knew that, because it was him who ordered Truely to do so.

"Did you make the breakfast yourself?"

"Yes, master."

"What exactly did you choose for her?"

"Ehm.. her usual breakfast."

Here Lucius rolled his eyes. Truely took everything too literally sometimes.

"And what exactly contained her breakfast?"

Truely's eyes lighted up. Now she understood her master.

"A croissant, butter, strawberry jam, some fruits and a cup of tea. And, of course, her healing draughts. The healing draughts," here she stopped for a second, "were in her croissant. Otherwise, she wouldn't take them."

Of course, she wouldn't, Lucius thought. "Show me the healing draught," he commanded. He knew that the draught must be the reason. Draco had just eaten the croissant and nothing else.

Truely hopped off the bed and let the way to the kitchen. However, when she tried to open the door, it wouldn't budge.

Confused, she tried to open it again, this time with her magic. Again, nothing. Seeing that his elf was becoming distressed, Lucius opted to take over.

Draco, although not very clever in some situations, especially with Potter, did something right this time. Only his and his son's rooms were not affected by the wards.

When he opened the kitchen door, every house elf was stunned. Staying in the same position when Draco set the wards up. Some were washing dishes, another elf stirred dough in a bowl, and another was sweeping the floor.

Truely looked at her companions like a small child in Honeydukes. With wide eyes and an almost comical awe, she walked through the kitchen, too afraid to touch anything.

Seeing that his elf was occupied for the moment and wouldn't do something, Lucius crossed the kitchen to the pantry. When he opened the door, he saw the elf he missed earlier in the kitchen scene. With a swish of his wand, he disillusioned himself. Another wave of his wand let the life in Malfoy Manor continue.

Silently, Lucius watched the old house elf preparing the healing potion Hermione had to take. Everything seemed in order, until the last step of the process confirmed his suspicions.

Snatching the house elf around his neck, he brought the swearing creature out of his hiding place. Truely and the other elves watched in wonder as a fellow house elf seemed to float through the air and out of the door.

Out in the entrance hall, Lucius let go of the elf and it fell down on the cold, marble floor tiles. Trying to scramble away from his, now visible again, Master, the elf muttered how he hated mudbloods, and this one particularly; with her stupid S.P.E.W and now, he had to care for her.

Hearing that, Lucius' anger soared again. Hermione had been hurt when he had to care for her. He failed in keeping her safe. Vowing, to protect her in the future, Lucius shortly questioned his motives for doing it. But when he glanced at the elf again, he focused solely on it. Seeing that it hated Hermione's of freedom for them so much, he had an idea. It didn't matter to him that he would object such action some years earlier. It didn't matter that it may influence his standing in the wizards society. Nothing mattered except that he wanted revenge for her.

"Truely," he barked, "bring me a dish towel." Truely hurried over to him. He grabbed the towel with one hand and the elf with the other.

"Ahhhh… no clothes" cried the elf.

"Too late." He muttered menacingly. Silently transfiguring the towel in something close to a shirt, he put it violently on the creature.

He tossed the now free figure out of the door and slammed it behind him. He didn't want to have something to do with it anymore.

He, Lucius Malfoy, pureblood and former Death Eater, had voluntarily given an elf its freedom. For a woman. For Hermione.

Just a short snippet, because I have finished it.

May contain some errors, because I can't spellcheck.