Pure-Blood? I'm B Positive

The door to my temporary bedroom was open, the smell of stew invited itself in as I sat on the floor writing. I began to taste the stew as the smell diffused into the room more with every moment, my stomach screamed at me - I hadn't eaten since breakfast. Finally I could hear Dee-Dee sing up to the first floor "Dinner's ready, Miss!" I closed my book and rested my quill against the ink pot, rushing down the stairs I followed the sweet smells of onions and gravy. The table was set for two, the huge pot of stew (which would feed at least 10 people) stood as the centre piece, with a plate of bread rolls and a ornate glass canter filled with a rich red liquid beside it. I looked at the two plates and then towards Dee-Dee, who was drying cutlery.
"Only two places, aren't you and Linny eating?" At this moment Linny walked through the door, with a miniature mop levitating just behind her. Linny gave a sarcastic laugh.
"Us eat with you? In what world may I ask? We eat when there is no work to be done."
"Surely you can have a small break to eat through the day?" I turned to face Linny who was now peering at the table, ensuring everything was in it's place.
"There is no time for a break, not if I am to clean the house properly."
"The house doesn't need cleaning to the extent you clean everyday. Only the rooms that are used daily need cleaning daily."
"That is the way I have cleaned since I got here, and that is how I shall clean until the day I die."
"Cheery." At this moment Professor Malfoy walked through the door with a newspaper in hand, through the corner of my eye I noticed that the image on the front cover of the paper was moving.
"Settled in nicely, Araina?" Professor Malfoy sat at the table and began to spoon stew onto the plate in front of him, almost oblivious to the two house-elves who were cleaning things that were already spotless and putting away things that were only going to be got out again within a minute of so.
"Yes, thankyou. The room is lovely, thanks to Linny." As I spoke I looked at Linny, who froze when she heard her name and looked up at me, her eyes seemed much wider and warmer than before, her pupils grew bigger and her mouth opened in awe.
Professor Malfoy didn't lift his head and began to eat the hot stew that was in front of him.
"I was thinking, you should let them have a break half way through the day."
"Who?" Professor Malfoy ripped apart a soft wholemeal bread roll and dipped it into his stew.
"The house-elves. Dee-Dee, Linny? They work very hard in order to uphold this house and I think they deserve an hour off at some point in the day. There is no need for them to-"
"They're supposed to work hard. If I gave them an hour off they wouldn't know what to do with it."
"They could eat, wash, read."
"Read? I almost forgot she could read." The person sat in front of me was a different person to whom I was talking to a mere hour before.
"She, has a name. She works hard in order to keep you happy and you don't even notice she is there. Put yourself in their shoes, or pillowcases." I looked at Dee-Dee and Linny who were both wearing dirty pillowcases which both had holes in. The house-elves were both looking up at the table where me and Professor Malfoy sat, discussing their treatment. Professor Malfoy looked up at me, I couldn't tell what he was thinking, or feeling. His face was unreadable and I was getting anxious - I had almost forgot he was my teacher, how could I be talking to him like this?
"I'm sorry, Professor Malfoy." I looked down at my empty plate and began to spoon stew onto it in attempt to avoid any further conversation.
"We're not at Hogwarts anymore. You don't have to call me Professor." Professor Malfoy sighed and twiddled his spoon in his hand. "And you have every right to voice your opinion. And your reasoning is logical, it is a waste of time them cleaning the entire house all day - I only ever use 30% of it. Some of their day could be put to better use, such as self maintenance." Professor Malfoy smiled uneasily at me and I smiled back, I was proud. I understood what it took for him to say those words, especially in front of the house-elves themselves.
"Good. You're doing the right thing, they'll appreciate it, more than you think." I grinned and began to eat my stew which was indescribably delicious.

Both plates began to empty, as did the canter of wine. An hour or so passed as myself and Professor Malfoy ate, drank and spoke - I was beginning to feel sleepy as the effects of such a large meal and alcohol began to kick in.
"I best give you a tour of the mansion before bed." Professor Malfoy yawned as Dee-Dee and Linny cleared away our plates and glasses.
"I'd love that, thankyou Professor."
"Please, don't call me professor. It makes me feel exceptionally old. You don't call Neville professor." Professor Malfoy smirked as he spoke, I could feel my face getting redder and redder. Did he know? His smirk seemed to suggest he knew exactly I couldn't bear to put the word 'professor' in front of Nevilles name.
"That's different. I knew Neville before he was my teacher."
"Yes, I suppose you did. Nevertheless, call me Draco." Draco rose from his chair and pushed it underneath the table, I followed suite.
"This, as you well know, is the kitchen. We have a dining area just across the hall, but I don't go in there." Draco slowly walked out of the kitchen and into the foyer, there was a room directly opposite, the door was closed.
"Why not?"
"It's dark and the table is far too long for just me." Draco turned from the door and walked diagonally to the door which was positioned next to the kitchen.
"This, is the pantry. I have no idea what is in here - Dee-Dee is really the only one who goes in here." Draco pointed to the room which was situated a short way down from the pantry. "And that is the cleaning closet, or Linny's room." Draco smiled at me and then stood stationary as I turned slowly making note of all the rooms which were on the ground floor.
"To the first floor?" I pointed to the staircase which lead continuously from the ground floor, all the way to the second. We walked up the staircase, the only sound came from the occasional creak from a floorboard.
"Prof-Draco, this house is so big. Why don't you sell it and get a small one, just for you?"
"It's not my house to sell." Draco shrugged his shoulders and gave a defeated look.
"But, your parents don't live here..." We had almost reached the first floor, and Draco's pace seemed to quicken.
"Correct, but they still own it." He turned and to his left was one door, the room which was offered to me. To his right, were two other doors, and behind him a single room at the end of the corridor.
"This, as you know is a guest room, your room." Draco spun around and now faced the right of the corridor.
"These two rooms are also guest rooms, my aunt Bella would often stay in one of these." Draco walked down the corridor towards the room at the end.
"Aunt Bella? Who is she?" I began to walk faster in order to keep up with Draco.
"She's dead. That's all you need to know." Draco put his hand on the door handle of the end room and opened it, the room seemed dark and dingy, like when thick dark curtains block out the sunlight and make the entire room hot and musty.
"This, is the drawing room. It wasn't used much, still isn't."
"A Living room? Hmmm."
"I never really ventured here when I was a kid, and i'm not sad to say - I still don't." Draco gave a single laugh before closing the door and making his way back towards the staircase.
"Y'know, you can talk to me about it."
"About what?" Draco spat his words and put his hand on the banister of the staircase, making his way towards the second floor.
"Your past." Draco stopped in his tracks and slowly turned to face me, his face was sullen and he was staring at the ground hard as if attempting to count every grain of wood in the numerous varnished floorboards.
"There is no need. And that is none of your business." Draco turned back around and began walking.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to intrude. I just wanted to know that if you ever needed to talk, I'm willing to listen. I wont judge; you didn't judge me." I stood behind Draco who was breathing heavily as I spoke. He didn't turn to face me, but just gave a single nod before stepping foot onto the second floor.
"That room is the master bedroom - My parents room. Across from it is my room, if you need me - knock." Draco pointed from one side of the hall to the other, this floor seemed to have more doors that the previous two. "Those 2 rooms are guest rooms. That door there is a study, as is the room next to it." I nodded as Draco pointed from one door to the other, it was unlikely I was going to be visiting any of these rooms so I didn't make much effort to memorise them. Draco walked again to the end of the corridor, this door resembled that of the one directly below it. Draco opened the door and the smell of dust and old books hit me as I put my head around the door.
"A library. Wow, this is amazing."
"It's not really used much." Draco closed the door. "That's it all really... oh, and the Attic." Draco pointed to the ceiling. I nodded in understanding.
"What about bathrooms?"
"All the bedrooms and en suite."
"Oh, of course. I didn't need to, nor have time to check earlier." I grinned idiotically before following Draco back towards the staircase. He headed towards his own bedroom door.
"I'll spend most of my evenings in here - marking, planning lessons, etc. But through the day, I think we should do stuff together. There was no point in me offering you to come here if you are more bored here than you would be at Hogwarts." I nodded as Draco opened his bedroom door and entered his room, closing the door and leaving me stood in the corridor of his house. I began to make my way down the staircase to my own room; a long hot bath was in order.

I stepped into the cold room and shut the window, excluding any draft or cold air from entering. I turned around and for the first time noticed a small disused heater that reminded me of the copper kettles and Victorian styled items the owner of the care-home would collect. I transfigured my hair clip into some wood in order to start the heater, soon the room was filled with heat (and smoke). I opened the window in order to let the fumes diffuse out. I opened the door to the other side of the room, which lead to the bathroom, I opened the door and before me was a black marble sink, toilet and bath all matching with simple yet beautiful gold taps and drains. The floor was granite and sparkled as the light reflected off of it. The bath was large enough for a troll to wash in, yet it seemed too clean to even contemplate putting such a dirty creature in it. I ran both taps, in one tap a steamy hot blue liquid the consistency of water came gushing out, in the other a lilac coloured more frothy liquid came out, the two met at the bottom of the bath and intertwined creating a strong smell of lavender and bubble bath to die for; the bath was soon full and I was ready to get in. The heat of the water stole my breath as my toe touched the surface of the water, I got in slowly, adapting to the temperature as I lowered my body into the soapy suds. Within minutes I felt relaxed, I was almost in a sleep like state as the water swayed with my every movement - now I was in, I didn't want to get out. My mind drifted as the sound of the the crackling fire and the smell of lavender blocked out all thought and feeling, I was numb to the world. Not the hard, cold kind of numb, but the oblivious, blind sort of numb. My eyes were closing, I was drifting, I was almost reaching the world of dream when. Knock.