Never Piss Off a House-Elf

It took Satchel a while to find Hermione. He checked her room first, because he'd put all the new things in there for her, according to her needs and what he knew she liked to have at her disposal. From there he looked in the kitchen, knowing that she often snacked throughout the day, even while complaining about her rather Rubin-esque figure. Satchel shook his head, trying to think of where she would be in his old master's house. Smiling, Satchel winked out of the kitchen and into the library.


"Miss! The master is wanting you to accompany him on a trip!" Satchel said, bowing low to Hermione, who had an apple in one had, a quill in the other, and a book spread across her lap. "Miss! That is the Master's book in youse lap!"


"I know, Satchel, Severus said I could use his library," Hermione said, still poring over the text, 1001 Ways to Use Gerber Root in Clear Potions. "It is a bit boring, though. I think I'll move on to another. But so many of these are boring titles. . ."


"Miss, the Master wants you to go with him for the rest of the day," Satchel said, wringing his hands. Hermione didn't seem to be too interested, and Satchel didn't want to be the one to tell Severus that. "The books will be here, Miss."


"Satchel, I believe that Severus, as a full grown wizard, can manage just fine by himself for his little outing. And you may tell him I said so," Hermione said, slamming the book shut as she reached for another. "Ah, yes, The Fine Art and Secret to Double-Brewing Opaque Potions. That will be quite fine for some light reading."


Satchel shook his head and winked out, back to Severus's study. Hopefully the Ogden's had stifled Severus's temper, not added to it.


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Miki had appeared almost immediately after Severus sent Satchel to find Hermione. The newer elf was still getting used to her new master, but she was a hard worker, and had a tender heart for all her fiery temper where Satchel was involved. She brought Severus clothing, smiling at him as he pulled the clothing out of her arms.


He held up the first shirt, examining it before he spoke to the elf.


"Miki, are you quite sure this is mine?" Severus asked. The shirt was a flat, luxurious black, but short sleeved and stretchy. He never wore short sleeves, as the scar left behind by his Mark was still rather visible. He thought about that for a moment and decided to let it go.


"Master, Miki is being fixing clothes for youse. Has been getting new clothes and fixing the old for the Master. Himeko would not want to see the Master as teacher all the time," Miki explained, holding out a pair of pants for him as well.


A thought came to Severus's mind and his groin suddenly swelled. Hermione bent over a desk, his head between her thighs, her calling out his name in the heat of passion. . . Severus shook himself and tried to shift the swelling to the side. It didn't work. Sighing, Severus reached out and called a Cool-Off draught to his hand. He drained it and the potion helped calm the storm raging beneath his pajama bottoms.


He took the pants out of Miki's hands and groaned. They were black denim, a silver snake embroidered on each back pocket. He shucked his pajama bottoms, gingerly rearranged his bulging boxers, and stepped into the pants.


At least these aren't skin-tight, Severus thought, dragging them up and over his lean hips, securing them with the button and fly. They were a bit loose at his waist, so he let them hang a bit low, threading an old belt through the loops, tying it off.


"There. I am relatively presentable, wouldn't you say, Miki?" Severus asked the elf, and she shook her head at him. "I'm not?"


"Master is needing to tie his hair back, else he looks old and unkempt," Miki said wisely, tapping a claw on her lip. She closed her eyes and opened her hand, coming up with a black leather thong for Severus to tie his hair back with. "Miki is tying back the Master's hair for him."


Severus rolled his eyes but knelt down so Miki could attend his hair. It was thick, silky black hair that slightly waved and always got in his face when it was short enough to move on its own. It shined whenever the light hit it, and Miki had liked that feature of her master from the beginning. And she always had a good, private giggle after he left for the day; he was so vain about that black mane!


"Done! And done!" Miki said, wrapping the ends of the leather under and into one another securely, so it wouldn't come undone on its own. It wouldn't have done for her master to wear it as a bow.


"Am I presentable now, Miki?" Severus said, quirking an eyebrow at the elf, who blushed and nodded, bowing. "May I have some robes to wear over this? I fear I look the muggle."


"But Himeko is being from muggles, Master," Miki said as she grabbed some robes from the study closet for Severus. "Maybe Himeko is liking seeing Master likes a muggle?"


Severus took the robes from Miki and settled them on his frame, shaking out the shoulders so they sat right. He turned back to Miki.


"Please tell Satchel to have . . . Himeko. . . dressed appropriately for our outing."


Just then, Satchel winked in, frowning and wringing his hands.


"Satchel, is the Miss waiting in the foyer?" Severus asked, although he already knew the answer. Hermione had decided she'd not like to go with him.


"N~-- no, Master. Satchel is telling the Miss that the Master wants to take her out, but she is rathering being with the books, Sir," Satchel said, pulling on his ears. "Satchel is being running into walls for this, Sir."


"No, Satchel. I will go to the Miss. Where is she?" Severus gritted out. He'd been in a good, generous mood. She should have accepted immediately, but now he had to go talk her into it. He was tempted to drop the subject, tell her later that she missed a gift for her impertinence. A new song began on the sound system, and Severus listened to it for a moment before deciding against that. He wasn't going to start mistreating her even before the marriage began.


"I~-- in the library, Master. Please don't be angry at the Miss, Master. The Miss is wanting to be learning, Master," Satchel said, tears in his eyes.


"I am not going to hurt Hermione, Satchel. I am going to go get her, and I am taking her to get a gift for her. She merely needs some convincing," Severus said, turning on his heel and leaving the study.


"Master is needing the in-outie," Miki declared, looking at Satchel.


"So is Satchel."