By Reason Of Birth

The Elf

Theo Apparated Hermione to the Granger's after she told him the address. She let him into the house and he followed her up to her room, taking in all of the details of the Muggle home his sister had grown up in. It was overflowing with unmoving photographs of the family and he couldn't help but feel slightly guilty that his parents were taking her away from them as well as the only home she had ever known.

In her room, he was amazed to see how girly it was. Soon, however, she noticed him staring at the pink wallpaper and ballet border. "I haven't had the decor changed since I was ten," she explained. "I didn't really see the point considering how little time I spent here. In the last few years, most of my holidays have been spent with Harry and Ron."

He nodded his understanding and she sent him to her bookshelf to start Shrinking her things. By the time the two had all of her clothes and memorabilia packed into a four-piece matching luggage set (pink with blue ponies), over an hour had gone by.

"Lammy!" Theo called out. Hermione gave him a funny look but before she could question him, a young looking house elf appeared wearing a floral pillowcase.

"Master Theodore called Lammy?" the small elf asked, looking to her master adoringly.

"Yes, Lammy. I would like you to meet Miss Hermione. She is going to be your mistress from now on and she needs you to bring her luggage back to her rooms at the cottage."

"Yes, Master Theodore. Nice meeting yous, Miss Hermione," the elf greeted Hermione with a small curtsy, Hermione staring at the elf, her face a mask of horror.

Finally, Theo cleared his throat and pulled Hermione from her stupor. She knelt down so she was at the same level as the elf. "It's nice to meet you, too, Lammy. You know, you don't really have to bring my things over; I can do it myself."

Lammy's eyes became wide as saucers, brimming with tears. "Miss doesn't like Lammy? Lammy wants to help Miss but Miss says no!"

Theo was staring at Hermione incredously. He had heard of Hermione's plight for the house elves, but he hadn't thought much of it. "Um, Hermione, you really should let her bring your things over before she has a heart attack. She's never been rejected before."

Hermione looked up in surprise and confusion. "I'm not rejecting her, but why should I make her do something that I can easily do myself?"

"Because that's what she does. Hermione, I've heard how you want to free the elves, but they don't want to be free."

Overhearing Theo through her mutterings and pulling her ears, Lammy looked up to Hermione, scared. She sat down on her haunches and started rocking back and forth, shaking her head. "No, Miss, no free Lammy. Lammy be good, no free Lammy."

Hermione looked up at Theo, afraid of the elf's reaction. Dobby had been so happy to be free, she couldn't imagine why the idea was so horrible to Lammy. "Hermione, you have to order her to bring your things to the cottage. Please, or she'll be there freaking out all night."

Hermione nodded as she turned back to the elf, touching it's arm soothingly. "It's all right Lammy, I'm not unhappy with you. Can you please bring my bags to my room at the cottage for me? I would really appreciate it."

Lammy looked up to Hermione, her overlarge eyes red with tears. "Miss wants Lammy to bring Miss' things home for her?" When Hermione nodded, Lammy immediately stood up and snapped her fingers, both the luggage and the elf disappearing.

"What's wrong with her?" Hermione asked.

"Nothing's wrong with her. Hermione, house elves want to work for their masters, it makes them happy. It really all just depends on how you treat them. I know there are some families who beat their elves and mistreat them, but we are not one of those families. You will have to get used to it because it's not going to change. In fact, Lammy is your own personal house elf. She's been waiting for you, and you hurt her feelings by not wanting her help."

"Oh. I'm sorry. I didn't want to hurt her feelings."

"I know you didn't. Now, let's go before the Grangers come home and you have another big goodbye. How were you planning on Apparating around everywhere when you refuse to do it without a license?"

"I knew that Brisco would make you come with me, what with me being a flight risk and all. Sorry for counting you into the equation, though. You probably had better things to do."

"No, not really," he smiled. "I had been informed to keep my calendar clear all this week to help you acclimate to living with us."

"That's presumptuous."

"No, that's Dad. Now let's go. Where are we going?"

"Oh, shit," Hermione cursed. "They're probably going to kill me for bringing you. Sirius' house is Unplottable. Until a couple of weeks ago, it was under Fidelius as well, but he took it off when the war ended and he got his Ministry pardon."

"Sirius Black?"

"Yeah. He's Harry's godfather. They live at number 12 Grimmauld Place in London." With that information, Theo once again entwined their fingers together and they disappeared.

Arriving at Grimmauld Place, they climbed the stairs, fingers still entwined for support as Hermione knocked on the door. A minute later, it was opened by Sirius himself. He grinned at seeing Hermione, but his look became suspicious when he saw an unknown boy holding her hand.

Seeing where his gaze was, Hermione dropped Theo's hand. "Hello, Sirius," she greeted him.

"Hello, Hermione. What brings you and your friend here?"

"I have to talk to Harry and Ron. Sirius, this is Theo Nott, Theo, this is Sirius Black," she introduced. Sirius and Theo shook hands, though Sirius seemed to be sizing the boy up.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Black," Theo greeted.

"You, too, Mr. Nott," Sirius replied, keeping his manners. "Come on in, you two. HARRY! You have company!" Sirius shouted into the house as he led Hermione and Theo into the lounge.

When Harry entered the room, he looked shocked to see the duo waiting for him on the sofa. "Hermione, Nott. I wasn't expecting you so soon," he said, his eyes boring into those of his friend.

"I know, but I wanted to tell you everything as soon as I could. Is there any way we can get Ron over here as well?"

"Yeah, I can Floo him. If you came here to talk to me and Ron, why are you still with Nott?"

Before Hermione could come up with an answer that wouldn't give anything away, Theo answered for her. "I'm acting as her bodyguard at the moment. Also, I factor into the story she's going to tell you and I have information that she doesn't."

Harry nodded his head in acceptance, though he still thought that the connection between the two was romantic and he didn't understand how it would have happened. Going over to the fireplace, he grabbed a handful of Floo Powder and stuck his head into the green flames. Less than two minutes later, Ron was standing in the room, his robes being Scourigified by Hermione, who never left the sofa.

Ron's face started turning a deep red at the sight of Theo, but Hermione nipped his explosion in the bud by ordering her two friends to sit down and listen to her. Over the next hour, she and Theo told her story and why she hadn't been able to tell them about it in the past.

Harry and Ron were upset that they had had no idea about any of it, but they understood why they hadn't. They were also no longer upset about Theo's presence, though they were not above threatening him with things that could occur around and to him if anything should happen to their friend.

When Hermione and Theo left Grimmauld Place, a large weight had been lifted from her shoulders that she hadn't even realized she was carrying. She was just so relieved that her friends knew everything now, and that they still accepted her for who she was. She had never doubted Harry, but she had assumed that Ron would have been more upset.

While they had both started off upset, Theo's explanation about how his family had wanted nothing to do with the Dark Lord set them at ease. They were not going to do anything to go against him and cause their own deaths, and both boys understood. Due to the fact that Hermione had been given away for this reason, they took the words at face value rather then under speculation as they would have under any other circumstances. Now all she had to worry about was moving in with her birth family and getting to know her parents and brother better.

Chapter End Notes:
I forgot to mention the last couple chapters... many thanks to my beta, sugarquill39. and once again i thank everyone who's been reading and reviewing, it's very encouraging, lol!