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Draco sat awake, reading the spell's side effects. As the list went on, he couldn't help but think that maybe he should have read this first. It was kind of scary. Ellery couldn't feel emotions such as love or anger towards him, and because he was her master, she would give her life for his without thinking twice. It was only if he started feeling guilty that she would have more choice over how to feel about him. That was as far as he got before he had to close the book, his hands trembling a little. This seemed almost as bad as watching someone he didn't know die for no reason. What had he done to this poor girl?

" You're still awake." Draco looked up to see Ellery, much to his horror. Quickly, he slipped the spell book under his pillow.

" Couldn't sleep," he said. She set down the laundry basket she had balancing on her hip and leaned on the door frame. " Is there anything I could do to ease your mind?"

" I don't know that there is, but if you have any ideas, feel free to share," Draco replied.

Ellery offered a small smile, and then held up a hand. " Wait here," she said, " I think I have something that may help." Then, picking the laundry basket back up, she disappeared into the dimness of the hallway. Draco waited, trying to push the lump that had formed in his throat back. He knew she was only being so good to him because she was being forced to, but still. Everything she did was so genuine, and it made him feel like she actually cared.

" Okay," Ellery entered the room when she returned, with a heavy looking case in her hands, " What I've found is that a little music helps a troubled mind. I know it seems kind of childish, but it really does help."

He watched as she unlatched the case, his eyes widening in surprise. " Is that...?" he began.

" A guitar?" She finished with a smile. " Yes, it is. I took lessons for a good portion of my life. I used to sing my grandmother to sleep, in the months before she passed. It took her mind of the pain she was in. I figured it couldn't hurt." With that, she opened the case and removed the instrument, fastening a strap around her body. She strummed a few warm up notes and then placed her fingers in a specific position on the narrow neck. " Forgive the sadness of this song.... it's dear to my heart. It's the lullaby of my childhood."

" You're going to sing me a lullaby?" he snickered. Ellery gave him an unamused look. The smirk faded from his face. Now looking satisfied, she began to play.

Ellery's voice was that of an angel. She had her eyes closed, her body swaying slightly, as if she were somewhere else in her mind. Draco could already feel himself start to relax, and he sat back against the pillows. The faint scent of grapefruit filled the air, lulling him into half sleep. By the time she was finished, he was fully and comfortably asleep. Ellery removed the strap from her shoulder and fixed the covers over her master, turning the light out and tiptoeing out into the hallway.

Once she was alone, she sighed. It was still obvious that he was keeping something from her. His mannerisms towards her were overly confident and demanding, and it kept reminding her of her parents. When they told her to learn magic the way everyone else was. When they tried to send her halfway across the world, because they didn't want to deal with her. Ellery shook her head and wiped at damp eyes. There would not be any falling apart or emotions. Not here, even though she was alone in the dark hallway. So, she drew in a shaky breath and pushed the door of her small room open. She doubted sleep would come to her now that the memories had crowded in.

---------------

" Maybe you should tell her," Lucius Malfoy said to his son.

" She'll get angry with me. I don't want to make her angry. She's had a rough life," Draco said, looking down at his feet, " But she's so brave, and she's a good person. She didn't let anyone stop her from getting where she wanted to go."

His father was silent a moment, but then he said something that surprised Draco. "Then maybe you should try being honest. That's the brave thing to do. And after she's done being upset, she'll appreciate that you told her. No doubt she suspects by now; she's very bright. You could learn something from her."

Shocked into silence, Draco managed a smile. His father didn't usually give advice, let alone good advice. Mr. Malfoy patted his son on the shoulder and gave a rare, small smile back. " Now go. She's sweeping the dining hall, last I saw. I would check the kitchen too."

" Thanks, Father," Draco said finally, and then turned and began the hunt for Ellery.

She was still in the dining hall when he got there, wiping down the reflective surface of the long table, pausing to move a pair of leather gloves. When she noticed him, she gave him a tired but cheery smile.

" Good morning, sir. How did you sleep?" she asked.

" Very well, thank you," he answered, his voice shaking just a little. Ellery must have heard it, because her pretty face clouded over with concern.

" Is there something wrong?"

" Well, no...." his voice trailed away, and he took a deep breath and tried again. " Ellery... Do you know why you're here?"

Confused, Ellery knit her eyebrows. " I'm here because I felt called here."

" Can you explain what called you?" Draco fidgeted with his fingers behind his back.

" Not exactly... it was like a hollow feeling. I feel fine now, if that's what you're so worried about." Ellery tilted her head to one side, her loose hair falling over her shoulder.

" It was me. You've seen the scar on your wrist by now... That was because of me. I put a spell on you... I swear I didn't mean to hurt you or anything, I was testing something out of a really old spell book and-" Draco said, his voice a rush of air. Ellery put up a hand to cut him off. Her eyes were glittering with unshed tears.

" I think I've heard enough," she whispered, her dejected eyes staring straight into his. " Permission to be dismissed, sir?"

" Permission granted," Draco sighed, the lump in his throat returning. He watched as she wiped her eyes and spun on her heel to storm briskly into the kitchen.

-------------

She had known he was keeping something from her, but what she'd just found out wasn't at all what so expected. She was here on account of a spell? Ellery pulled back the sleeve of her shirt and stared at the faint scar. What she wanted to know right then was how someone could be so inconsiderate. That was almost inhuman....

" No," she said to herself, though it was unclear even to her what she was saying no to. Shaking her head and inhaling deeply, Ellery decided to focus on her work instead of her building fury. It worked too, for a little while. It was well into the evening hours, and she was cleaning the kitchen after dinner when she heard shuffling outside the door. She thought about ignoring it; she knew who it was. But, finding that it was impossible because she also knew why he was standing out there, she opened the door a crack and peeked out.

" Can I help you?" she asked, keeping her tone even. Draco stood just outside, shifting from foot to foot.

" Can I come in?" he raised his eyes to glance at her. Ellery opened the door a little more, wide enough for him to slip in and then moved away from him. He lingered by the door, while she had her back turned to him, her arms crossed.

" I owe you an apology," Draco muttered. Ellery glanced at him over her shoulder.

" Darn right you do," she huffed back, " And I'm not sure I'm ready to forgive you yet."

" Please, Ellery. Hear me out," he began, but faltered when the girl rounded on him, her eyes intense and gleaming dangerously. He could see the dark blue flare around her body, and the few strands of hair that it was raising off her neck. The air smelled like grapefruit again, stronger this time.

" You don't get to explain this to me. It is inexcusable and incredibly rude to enslave another human. Did no one teach you that, or do you live around barbarians?" Her voice sizzled with anger, and Draco backed up against the door, his eyes wide and terrified.

" I'm sorry okay? I really am! You've made your point! I feel bad about it!" he snapped, rebounding. Their narrowed eyes held each other's gaze until Ellery's expression softened and she held her hands up in surrender.

" Alright. I see," she said, backing away from him.

" So we understand each other now?" he asked, losing the defensive tone in his voice.

" You could say that, if it helps you sleep at night."

Making sure he couldn't see what she was doing, she grabbed one of the expensive leather gloves off the counter behind her, and along with a frozen stick of butter she'd taken out of the freezer just before he'd arrived. Stealthily, Ellery slipped the stone cold butter into the glove and came forward again.

" What's that supposed to mean?" Draco's expression fell, his frustration beginning to show through. Ellery smiled sweetly and tightened her grip on the glove. Then, with lighting quick precision, she swung the glove with the butter in it at him, catching him on the jaw, forcing his head to the side. He staggered back, a yell of surprise caught in his throat.

" That's what it means. And I'm not sorry!" she snarled, and then pushed past him out of the kitchen. The dark blue glow illumination her figure in the corridor as she practically ran back to her quarters. When she got there, she slammed the door and leaned against it, sliding to sit on the floor. She buried her head in her knees and began to cry, the first real rain of tears since she left Florence and the comfort of her home.

The real reason she was angry with Draco had nothing to do with the spell. Sure, that was a tiny part of it, but the reason it made her hurt was because it reminded her of things she was hoping to forget. Given the choice, she wouldn't have minded working here. It wasn't as lonely, and it was comforting to know that there were people around, at least. But that fact that she was being forced to made it unappealing. She felt so stupid for being so clueless.

It's hard to say how long Ellery cried for, but somewhere along the line she'd fallen asleep, her head still resting on her knees. She was awakened by a soft knocking at her door. Groggily, she opened it.

" You again." she mumbled, her tone irritated. Draco rolled his eyes at her. He had a mark on his face where the butter filled glove had struck him. Ellery concealed a smirk and bluntly asked him what he wanted.

" I want to make it up to you. Tell me what I can do to make this better." he replied, his tone equally flat.

" There's nothing you can do."

" Let me try. Listen, I know I messed up. At least give me a chance." His voice was filled with sadness that nearly broke her heart. He may not be the smartest.... but he wasn't a bad person either.

" Alright. There may be one thing you can do," she said after a long silence.

" Well? What is it?" he asked.

" You have to promise me you'll help me find a way to break this spell. You're going to let me go," she answered solemnly. She held out a hand for him to shake. He hesitated, but then looked up at her, and took it.

" I promise."