Draco got up from the sofa, bored out of his mind. He stood by the window, his hands clasped behind his back. The Kingdom of Aerglo extending far beyond his eyes could see, bathed in the darkness of the night. Draco could see the sea to the right, black as the night, and the shore. Waves stroking the land of his Kingdom. He closed his eyes, imagining the sea breeze. How powerful he felt while standing on his ship, only the blue ocean before him.

The voice of his mother brought him back to reality. He didn't understand why this issue couldn't wait until the sun had risen. But, there he was, in his mother's sitting room in her private chambers.

"Unacceptable!" Narcissa gasped, furious. "I can't believe this! Is he being punished?"

"He is locked up in the back dungeons, your Highness. He's going to be executed on Friday at the central plaza," Eirene informed.

Draco couldn't help but stare at the old woman, her hair gray after so many years living, hands wrinkled and green eyes tired. Eirene had tended Narcissa since she was just a child, never leaving her side. And she had taken care of Draco when he was younger. Even now that he was soon to become King after his marriage, Eirene still took care of his mother. Draco would never admit it, but he loved the old woman.

One of the servants had woken Draco up, his mother asking to speak to him immediately. His Manservant had been caught trying to escape after stealing. This was the fifth Manservant that had served Draco in the past year, none of them seemed to be fitting for the position. They all failed in serving the future monarch. Draco was tired of this. None of the servants that had been presented to him seemed to know how to do things properly.

"Good, we should not bother the King with a simple servant," Narcissa stood up, her silk nightgown falling loosely on her body. She paced up and down the room, anxious, but never leaving the elegant walk, proper of a Queen. "We have so many visitors coming in the upcoming weeks, House Nott will be here tomorrow, and House Greengrass will be here next week. We are sure going to be short of servants. And now my son doesn't have a Manservant. How improper, the Heir to the Crown without someone to tend him."

Draco stopped listening to his mother furious argument. His best friend will be here tomorrow, and here he was wasting sleeping time over something stupid.

"Just send another Manservant," Draco told Eirene nonchalantly, waving his hand. At the end of the day Draco was far too protective of his duties as Prince, and the Manservant was only useful to tend to him, get him dressed and carry his things.

"May I suggest, his Lordship, another alternative?" Eirene spoke softly, and Draco nodded, looking outside the window again. "As the last few Manservants weren't suited for his Lordship, I suggest a Lady-in-waiting."

"Impossible," Narcissa shook her head. "Where will you get a Lady-in-waiting before dawn? The ones that aren't serving me or the King are serving our visitors."

"There is, indeed, a girl that I believe is up to the task."

"Is she a servant? That would be improper, we need someone well educated. Someone that can help Draco in his daily life as well as his royal duties," Narcissa narrowed her eyes.

"She is not a servant, your Highness," Eirene whispered.

"Are you suggesting a Kitchenmaid to tend to my son?"

Narcissa was outraged by the suggestion, disgusted even. A simple Kitchenmaid, no more than scum, tending to her son. The Prince being followed around by a Kitchenmaid, what a scandal.

"I raised her myself, your Highness. She is well educated and knows how to behave. Her mother was an upstanding Lady-in-waiting for one of the King's allies."

"And her last name is?" Narcissa demanded.

"I'm afraid the girl doesn't have one, your Highness," Eirene looked down. Draco arched an eyebrow.

"So, you are suggesting a misbegotten Kitchenmaid to tend on the future King?" Narcissa was astonished. Her mouth hanging open.

"I would never suggest something that would harm her Ladyship or her son. I believe she is fit for the job," Eirene stared at Narcissa, who didn't like the idea of scum near her son. "She is not a slave, your Highness. She was born and raised here, not purchased nor imprisoned. Just give her an opportunity, your Highness. She will not let you down."

Narcissa exhaled, thinking. Eirene had devoted her whole life to take care of her, not once had she forgotten her duties. She was the closest thing to a mother that Narcissa ever had, her own mother too busy with royal duties to care for her children.

"Just send her to my chambers in the morning, I'll determine if she's able to fulfil the duties that are expected from her," Draco spoke with authority, annoyed by the situation. Eirene nodded and, with a bow, exited the Queen's Chambers. "Now, I am tired mother. I will see you in the morning."

Draco kissed his mother on the cheek, before walking down the hall and up the stairs to the other side of the castle where his chambers were.

When Eirene crossed the door that separated the castle from the servants' quarters and the kitchen, she raced down the stairs, as fast as her old legs would let her. Going down to the last floor where the Kitchenmaids and Houseslaves slept. Opening the last door to the left, she found five, of the many girls that were slaves in the castle, sleeping in the small room, wrapped in thin blankets on the floor. Eirene walked into the crowded room towards the girl that had been more like a daughter to her.

"Wake up," she whispered, shaking the girl's shoulder. Her wild and tangled curls covering most of her face. She opened her eyes, confusion written all over her face, but before she could ask what was happening Eirene spoke again. "Gather your belongings, don't leave anything behind."

The brown eyed girl grabbed the few items that were hers, all fitting in her arms. Eirene started walking up the stairs, and the girl followed a few steps behind. She saw saw how the girl shivered as her bare feet stepped up the stone stairs. They reached the top floor of the servants' quarters, and Eirene pushed the girl into an empty bedroom. The girl's eyes stared at the bed, she had not slept in a bed since she grew up too much to fit in Eirene's with her. Kitchenmaids weren't allowed such luxury.

"Well, we need to get you ready," Eirene said, pulling the dirty and thin nightgown off the girl's body. The sun had not yet risen, and she didn't understand why she needed to get ready, but not a single word left her lips.

Eirene pushed her to a bathtub, the water cold as ice. There was no time to warm it up. Eirene spent a good half an hour scrubbing the pale skin of the brown eyed girl until it was red, the water turning muddy with dirt. Kitchenmaids usually weren't allowed daily baths, not being anything more than slaves. But now she was not a Kitchenmaid, she was a Lady-in-waiting and had to look the part. The dirt was washed away as Eirene scrubbed even under her nails.

She wrapped the skinny girl in a towel and forced her to sit on a chair, applying lavender oil and combing her hair. The girl whimpered in pain as the comb pulled the knots out of her hair. Her wild curls slowly transformed into beautiful loose curls, reaching her waist. Eirene braided two locks of her hair, beginning near her temple and clipping them together behind her head. The copper barrette was shaped like a small lily.

"Nini, I don't understand," finally the girl spoke as Eirene spread lavender oil all over her body, hydrating her skin, leaving a healthy glow behind. The old woman couldn't help but feel her heart warming at the nickname the girl had given her since she learned how to talk.

"The time has come, Hermione. All these years I've spent teaching you how to speak and behave like a proper lady will come to use. You are going to have a better life, everything I wanted for you."

Her old, wrinkled hands pulled out a long light blue dress, extending it over the bed. It was embroidered in a darker shade of blue, forming an abstract pattern. Hermione gasped. She knew what kind of dress it was. Long dresses were reserved only for the higher rank servants, Ladies-in-waiting to be more precise. And it was light blue. Not red like the ones the Ladies that tended the Queen wore, not green like the ones that tended the King wore.

Stretching her arm, Hermione touched the cloth with the tips of her fingers. The soft cotton felt completely different compared with the rags she was used to wear. Eirene pulled the dress over her body. It was sleeveless, showing little cleavage and the skin of her back, a silver looking metal belt around her waist, and the skirt of the dress consisted of two layers of fabric that fell loosely down her hips, moving with every step. Perfect for the hot summer days that would soon come.

"My beautiful girl," Eirene cupped Hermione's cheek, smiling. "You are going to serve his Highness, the Prince."

"But how, Nini?" Hermione asked, confused.

"Her Highness has given you an opportunity after I persuaded her. Don't let me down, Hermione. I want you to be more than a Kitchenmaid. There's no better place than to be a Lady for his Highness. Maybe you will still tend to him when he becomes King."

She helped Hermione put her sandals on, applied balm to her lips with her index finger and clasped a thick silver bracelet on her wrist. The House of Malfoy's coat of arms engraved on the silver. The sun had risen, the sky slowly changing from orange to blue. Not a cloud in sight. Fear growing in the pit of her stomach, she was heading to the unknown, and Hermione's face reflected her fears.

Hermione wasn't allowed to speak to the Ladies and she had only admired them from the distance. Eirene had been very severe about her education. She would work all day in the kitchens, and at night Eirene would teach her three hours every night. How to speak properly, how to read and write, how to tend a Lord, how to behave, what to do and when to do it, getting the foreign slaves to teach her how to speak other languages. Everything since she was seven. And now, at nineteen years old, she was suddenly on the other side of the table.

"Don't speak unless you are spoken to. Don't forget to bow. Remember the way he does his morning ritual. He washes his hands first…" Eirene was reciting all the rules and what to do to Hermione, as they climbed up the stairs towards the Prince's Chambers. Hermione was carrying a silver tray with the things she would need for his morning ritual. She couldn´t help but stare in awe, never had she stepped into the palace. And it was bigger and more luxurious than she imagined. But then again, the owners of the Kingdom lived inside those walls.

Eirene noticed the young girl's hands were shaking as they stepped into the west upper wing that served as the Prince's Chambers. These consisted in ten guest rooms, with two large bathrooms. Doors covering the long hall that led to a large sitting room with a private library and an office annexed to it. Servants were silently cleaning, getting everything ready before the Prince arouse. Eirene continued to explain what her duties were when those rooms were full. What was expected of Hermione when the Prince threw one of his parties with his friends.

"His Highness best man will be arriving today before supper. And his Highness is planning on celebrating it with his closest friends," Eirene turned abruptly, Hermione almost bumped into her. The old woman grabbed Hermione by the shoulders, her green eyes staring into her brown ones. "I know that you may not like what you see or listen, especially at this… unique parties. But you must vow silence. You serve the Prince, only. And you must protect his secrets. You can never let a word out of what you see, hear, read or do that concerns his Highness. Or you can be executed. Do you understand?"

Hermione nodded, her eyes open wide. Eirene continued to guide her. At the far wall of the sitting room, two large mahogany doors stood. Intricate design carved into them. Two gold letters, D and M, in the middle. Eirene squeezed her shoulder and pushed Hermione towards the doors, quickly leaving to fulfil her duties to the Queen.

Taking a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves, she adjusted her posture, her head held high, just like Eirene had taught her. Glancing at the slaves quickly disappearing, into the server's door, which wasn't indistinguishable from the wall, she pushed the door.

She opened the right door, just enough to let her in. The room was dark, the curtains shut, and yet Hermione could distinguish the platinum blond hair, peeking under the covers of the bed (which could probably fit seven people).

Draco heard when the door clicked shut, behind the girl as she entered his bedroom. Pretending to be still asleep, he watched the girl's every move. The room was dark, and he couldn't see her factions, just a shadow of her figure walking around his room. She quietly placed the tray on a table, before opening his closet and pulling out the clothes she considered for him to wear. Impressed in a good way by her choice, he observed how she laid the suit over the fainting couch, brushing away any dust that could cover the clothes. None of his previous Manservants remembered to do this, and he was grateful.

She got everything ready for him without making a noise. Then, she walked over the glass doors, opening them to let the fresh air in, clipping the curtains at the sides so the warm sun illuminated the room. Draco could smell the ocean mixing with the flowery smell of summer. She walked over to the bed, standing a few feet away from him.

"Good morning, your Highness," she bowed, one leg behind the other, chin down.

"Morning," he stood up in front of her and lifted his arms.

Without pronouncing a single word more, the girl started to attend her duties. She stripped the nightgown off his body, leaving him in his underwear. Draco eyed her as he walked over to the dressing table and sat down. She poured warm water over his hands, cleaning them. Then, she soaked a cloth in warm water, running it over his face before applying shaving cream.

Draco noticed that she smelled like lavender mixed with wood and earth. Kind of what the forest smelled like. Her brows slightly frowned, as she dragged the razor blade softly over his skin. Her hair fell over her back, chocolate mixed with caramel. The cloth was over his face again, cleaning the excess of cream, her fingers careful. She grabbed a small tin and dipped two fingers into it.

But, before she could bring her fingers to touch his face, Draco grabbed her wrist so hard he could feel her bones cracking under his grip. He lifted his gaze, prepared to meet fearful eyes. But he didn't. Her amber eyes weren't scared, in fact, he could see her soul burning behind them.

"What are you doing?" he spat, angry. How dared she put something unknown on his skin?

"It will prevent your skin from getting irritated, Master," she spoke softly, but not a single trace of fear in her voice.

Master. No one had ever called him Master. Master. He liked how the word sounded. He nodded and released her hand, letting her finish working on his skin before dressing him.

"You haven't stated your name, girl," the authority in his voice harsher than he intended. She was buttoning up his shirt, her skillful fingers careful not to touch his skin. She looked up, without lifting her face, between her eyelashes.

"Hermione, Master," she bowed after finishing dressing him, her full lips speaking.

The Prince scanned her from head to toe. She was beautiful, yes, like all the seventy or so Ladies tending the royal family. She looked just like them, long hair, well-kept skin and wonderful body. It was quite annoying, they all seemed to have stepped out of the same mold. But he noticed that her shoulders were covered in freckles and sun kissed. No proper Lady of the court would stand in the sun. He narrowed his eyes. Her hands were neat, but small scars covered them. And she didn't seem money or power hungry. She wasn't throwing herself at him, nor she looked scared. Her eyes burning with gold freckles. But then again, she was not a Lady, she was a Kitchenmaid trying to impersonate a Lady.

"Well, Hermione, you are dismissed. I want you to have everything ready for tonight. You can send another servant in while you prepare for tonight, but I want you to be here in the sitting room when Lord Nott arrives."

"As you wish, master," she bowed and left the room, her lavender scent lingered in the air.

Draco was relaxed nonchalantly on one of the sofas, his feet on top of the coffee table. His right hand holding a large cup filled with wine, the other behind his head. It was already late at night. His best friend was laughing as the girls danced on top of him, and the Prince could not help but smile. His other friends enjoying the party as well. Many glasses of wine were drank, many half naked girls dancing for them, many others fucking them.

"If I'd known you would be waiting for me like this, I'd had come sooner," Theo said, pushing a girl in Blaise's lap. His dark-haired friend smiling, lustfully.

"I told you to come before Lady Greengrass came, she is coming next week," Draco said, watching as Blaise stood up, pushing two girls into his designated bedroom.

"I know that won't stop you from partying," Theo commented, looking around the room. "But I see you have saved a true beauty for yourself."

Draco followed his gaze. A few feet behind them, Hermione stood, quietly. Her amber eyes fixed on the carpet, hands clasped in front of her. She looked uncomfortable, trying not to watch as the gentleman in the room enjoyed the women before them.

"I didn't pick her. She looks like all the Ladies," he shrugged.

"Oh no," Theo shook his head, grinning and licking his lips. "She looks like she would put a fight in bed."

He lifted his eyebrows, eyes sparkling with mischief, while drinking his wine. Draco only rolled his eyes.

"Hermione, wine," Draco called, lifting his cup. The girl approached them, bowed and poured wine into their cups.

His gray eyes noticed that bruises were present where his fingers had clutched her wrist. Theo stopped her, before she could return to her spot. He grabbed her by the yaw, yanking her body so that she was leaning over him, face to face. He grinned, and she just clenched her jaw.

"Well, Lady Hermione. Liking your new job?"

"Yes, my Lord."

Draco almost felt how she had pushed the words out her lips, her jaw clenched and her eyes burning brighter.

"Is Draco good to you?" Theo pushed farther, teasing her. She had just been tending him for one day and Theo was already asking if he had fucked her. Draco snorted.

"My Master is very kind, my Lord," Hermione replied, not paying attention to the true meaning behind his words.

"Master, eh?" Nott mocked the name, and pushed Hermione away. She almost lost her balance, but quickly collected herself.

Draco was bored out of his mind and had already laid eyes on a girl swaying her hips on top of one of the tables. "Hermione, you are dismissed for the night," he said, gesturing the dancing girl to approach him. The curly girl, bowed and left the room, walking elegantly before closing the chamber's door behind her.

A/N: Hello guys! So this idea popped in my mind... and what better way to write it than a Dramione fanfic ;). Let me know what you think and if you would like to read more!

I know it looks kinda fluffy, but I like to write dark stuff. So tell me if you would like to read a uncensured fic, with dark and sensitive content (especially sex), or if you want me to keep it a little more PG-15. It won't be a mushy story, but I can censor it a bit.

Just to clarify the servants hierarchy 1. Lady of the court (Eirene) 2. Lady-in-waiting/Manservant 3. Servants of the King/Queen/Prince 4. House servants 5. Kitchenmaids 6. Slaves.