A Gryffindor Falls For A Slytherin: The Angelic Witch and Draco Malfoy (Book 2)

Leaving The Bradys

Heroneka managed not to shout out, but it was a close thing. The little creature on the bed had large, bat-like ears and bulging brown eyes the size of tennis balls.

As they stared at each other, Heroneka heard Reagan's voice from the hall.

"William, my man!" Reagan sounded super enthusiastic. "I was waiting for you since morning."

This told Heroneka that Reagan had gone ahead to tell William that Heroneka was just getting ready for her little birthday party and would be down with them soon.

The creature slipped off the bed and bowed so low that the end of its long, thin nose touched the carpet. Heroneka noticed that it was wearing what looked like a tiny dress you would see on a raggedy doll.

"Er - hello," said Heroneka nervously. "Do we... Know each other?"

"Heroneka Pearlstone!" said the creature in a high-pitched voice Heroneka was sure would carry down the stairs. "So long has Puddles wanted to meet you, ma'am... Such an honour it is..."

"Th-thank you," said Heroneka, edging along the wall and sinking into her desk chair, next to the window. She wanted to ask, "What are you?" but thought it would sound too rude, so instead she said, "Who are you?"

"Puddles, ma'am. Just Puddles. Puddles the house-elf," said the creature.

"Oh - really?" said Heroneka. "Er - I don't want to be rude or anything, but - this isn't a great time for me to have a house-elf in my bedroom."

Thomas and William's loud laugh sounded from the hall. The elf hung her head.

"Not that I'm not pleased to meet you," said Heroneka quickly, "but, er, is there any particular reason you're here?"

"Oh, yes, ma'am," said Puddles earnestly. "Puddles has come to tell you, ma'am... That Puddles is here to welcome you..."

"Sit down," said Heroneka politely, pointing at the bed. She was super confused at the moment.

To her horror, the elf burst into tears - very noisy tears.

"S-sit down!" She wailed. "Just... Like... Her Highness."

Heroneka thought she heard the voices downstairs falter.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, "I didn't mean to offend you or anything--"

"Offend Puddles!" choked the elf. "Puddle has waited to witness your arrival for so long, ma'am."

Heroneka, trying to say "Shh!" and look comforting at the same time, ushered Puddles back onto the bed where she sat hiccoughing, looking like a large and very ugly doll. At last, she managed to control herself and sat with her great eyes fixed on Heroneka in an expression of watery adoration.

"Why have you been waiting for my arrival?" said Heroneka, trying to understand why Puddles was here. "I mean, I didn't ask you to be here."

Puddles shook her head. Then, without warning, she leapt up and started banging her head furiously on the window, shouting, " Bad Puddles! Bad Puddles!"

"Don't - what are you doing?" Heroneka hissed, springing up and pulling Puddles back onto the bed - Just at the exact moment, Erol, Ron's owl had swooped in from the open window and was screeching loudly.

Erol dropped a letter at the study table hooted twice staring at Puddles and then flew out again.

"Erol! Wait!" Heroneka called after him, but he was long gone already.

"Are you alright?" Heroneka asked Puddles as she picked up the letter and shoved it in her shorts' pocket.

Puddles had noticed her doing so already but chose to ignore it.