Title: True Friend
Rating: K
Pairing(s)/Character(s): Harry, Dobby
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: Don't own 'em - not making any money off 'em. Dern it.
Word Count: 406
Summary: Harry is a true friend.
Notes: In this story, Dobby isn't a free elf, but instead, Harry owns him.

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: Transfiguration - Birds often symbolise freedom. I want you to write about someone setting someone, or something, free. This could be a child, a secret, or something altogether more sinister. Prompt Used - (word) free

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: Witches Brew - Prompts Used - (word) Bright, (word) Always

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: Hopscotch - Prompts Used - House Elf (creature) and "That is foul"

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: Chocolate Frog - Oswald Beamish - Silver - Write about an interspecies friendship or romance.

365 Days of Drabbles Challenge: Prompt Used – Undeserving

Harry stared at Dobby who stared back with bright eyes. Dobby's tennis ball eyes always had a way of getting to Harry's heart in a manner almost caused him to go to his knees.

"This is foul," Harry muttered, fingering the bruise.

"Dobby is undeserving of the Great Harry Potter's kindness."

Harry rolled his eyes. When would Dobby realize that they were friends? "Who did this to you?"

Dobby shrugged. "Dobby don't know wizard."

"When did it happen?"

"When Dobby was in Diagon Alley for the Great Harry Potter, Dobby was pushed. Dobby hit his head."

Harry's eyes narrowed. "I hate the fact that people don't even think to say 'excuse me' to house elves. They deserve common courtesy."

"Dobby is fine! He promises the Great Harry Potter that he is fine."

"I know you think your fine, but it's still not right."

"The Great Harry Potter shouldn't worry about Dobby."

Harry sighed and sat fully on the ground. "Dobby, I've been thinking a lot lately."

Dobby smile widely. "The Great Harry Potter has a big, wonderful brain."

"Dobby, you have been such a great friend to me. I would be lost without you, but I can't keep you here. You deserve to be free."

"But the Great Harry Potter –"

"No, Dobby," Harry interrupted, "You deserve freedom. You are worth so much more than simply being someone's house elf. You deserve to be treated better."

"The Great Harry Potter treats me well."

Harry smiled. "I'm going to continue treating you well, and that's why I'm setting you free. A true friend does what's best for their friend, no matter how painful it might be. And it is painful. I'm going to miss you."

"Harry Potter..." Dobby's eyes filled with tears as Harry took off his jacket.

He draped it over Dobby's shoulders. "You're free."

With a heart-wrenching sob, Dobby threw his arms around Harry's neck. "Can Dobby stay anyways?"

"You don't have to," Harry whispered, comfortingly patting Dobby's back.

"Dobby wants to. He wants to very much."

"You can stay as long as you want."

A weight lifted off of Harry's shoulders. If Dobby was really choosing to say, at least Harry knew it wasn't because the house elf didn't have a choice. He knew that if Dobby ever chose to exercise his rights and leave, it would break Harry's heart, but he'd survive.

Like a true friend, he just wanted Dobby to be happy.