Title: Of Lovers And Lions
Summary: It is after the final battle and the Golden Trio, along with most of the survivors of their year, have returned to Hogwarts to re-sit their final year. Thinking that this year they will finally be normal, they are shocked by the unexpected acquittal and return of Draco Malfoy, and intrigued by the arrival of a strange new girl in their year. Who is she and why is she suddenly at Hogwarts? Secrets, especially romantic ones, cannot be hidden forever as Harry, Hermione, Ginny, and Ron delve into the mystery.
Main Characters: Draco Malfoy, Amirina D'Carlton (OC), Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ginny Weasley, Ron Weasley.
Other Characters: basically anyone from the HP universe.
Shipping: [Ron W., Hermione G.] [Harry P., Ginny W.] and [Draco M., OC].
Time/Universe: Post-Second Wizarding War.
Genre: Romance/Mystery
May contain traces of Draco-worship and Ron-bashing.
Oh and most importantly: HEDWIG, REMUS, TONKS, AND FRED ARE ALIVE. DOBBY IS DEAD.
DISCLAIMER: Sadly I do not own anything that resembles characters or places in the writings of J K Rowling or any other authors whose work may slip in here; however the character of Amirina Carlton and all other characters derived from her I will lay claim to
Chapter 1: Acquitted?!
As he sat rigidly in the cold steel chair he could feel the hatred in the piercing gazes that came from every direction in the small, dark and slightly stuffy room. He knew were directed at him. Half the wizarding world seemed to be tuned into the events transpiring in this chamber, the events that were undoubtedly focused purely on him. Darn that sounded arrogant!
Well not really when you think about it, an annoying voice in his head that sounded suspiciously like his father reminded him. This is after all YOUR trial.
Yes, it was his trial. He was the center of attention for once, not Harry Potter, not Ronald Weasley, and certainly not that Hermione Granger. They were present, yes, and they were testifying, yes, but they were not the main feature today. But for once Draco Malfoy was not glad of the opportunity to steal the limelight from the Golden Trio. Today was definitely not a good day to be the center of attention.
He allowed a slight frown to grace his otherwise perfectly sculpted mask of indifference. Since when had he stopped mentally insulting the trio of Gryffindorks?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~L&L~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Harry Potter, Ginny Weasley, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley sat in the front seats on the left side of the court chamber. They watched the pale platinum blonde in front of them curiously as he seemed to frown at nothing in particular. Hermione was the first to say what was on all of their minds.
"You would think that he would be more scared than this, after all, it is his life that is up for debate today" she murmured.
He didn't look any different to the boy they had gone to school with, in fact he looked far more at ease than when they had last seen him on the final day of the war. All they could discern was that he didn't seem in the slightest bit worried, which in itself was worrying.
"You're right, as always" Harry replied, "but hey, maybe he thinks he can still find his way out of this."
"But how? The ministry has taken all assets related even in the slightest to the Malfoy family, and most if not all of his father's contacts are dead or already convicted Deatheaters." Hermione's brow crinkled as she thought. "Malfoy isn't stupid, his grades were very close to mine before the war. He must know this isn't going to end well. Unless.."
"Who cares?" Ron interrupted. "I just hope he gets what he deserves, just like his father."
"Ronald!" Hermione admonished.
Just last week they had sat in these same seats and watched as notorious death-eater Lucius Malfoy completely fell apart at his trial. He had begged, pleaded, and even screamed for a more merciful sentence as the Wizagmont had deemed him beyond reproach. He had been dragged from the chair that the younger Malfoy now sat in, his wife Narcissa had shed only a few silent tears before her face became an impenetrable mask again. To the untrained eye, it would seem as if his own wife didn't care that they had sentenced him to death via the Dementor's Kiss.
A sentence that, in the future, maybe carried out with the younger Malfoy at his side, who would probably be next in line at the conclusion of the proceedings they were now watching. In their minds, Draco Malfoy should have been bloody terrified. But he wasn't. He was about to be, at the very least, sentenced to life imprisonment in Azkaban and he didn't seem even the slightest bit perturbed.
Their musings were brought to an end as the loud bang of a mallet on a desk echoed around the court room. Dressed in standard magenta robes, the Jury filed into their benches and sat down quietly, several not taking their eyes off of the young Malfoy, among them Percy Weasley. An elderly wizard dressed in floor length blue robes appeared at the front of the dais, casting a quick sonorus.
"All rise for the arrival of the honorable Kingsley Shaklebolt, Minister of Magic."
With a quick flourish of purple and gold robes, Kingsley made his way up to the center of the panel of judges and took a seat in the largest wooden booth.
"The Wizagmont is now in session. Today's case is the involvement, or lack thereof, of a Mr. Draconis Lucius Malfoy in the practicing of the dark arts and other illegal magic." The wizard in blue continued. "Also the accused stands trial for potential involvement in the second rising and the actions of the Dark Lord, Voldemort, that led to the second wizarding war."
He looked around the room slowly.
"Is there anything else that needs to be raised in this court?"
After a moments silence, Ron's voice was the only one that sounded out loudly in reply.
"I don't suppose I can legally have him charged for being a slimy git but I want that noted please."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~L&L~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Draco rolled his eyes and tried to suppress a death glare at Weaselby for his loud-mouthed comment, but inside he was silently grateful as a few members of the gathered crowd sniggered and the tension in the room eased just a tiny bit.
The stern-looking elderly wizard in blue looked over in Ron's direction.
"Noted Mr. Weasley, but please keep your opinions to yourself or I will have to have you escorted from the courtroom."
Ron pouted and sat back down.
The wizard then looked Draco in the eye.
"Have you anything to say in defense of these claims Mr. Malfoy?"
"I don't want this to go on any longer than you do, so here's what I'm willing to do to help you. I am willing to give you full access to the truth through the use of Veritiserum.."
Loud gasps echoed through the courtroom as many looked at the younger Malfoy in shock. Hermione was one of them. She looked at Draco with wide eyes, shaking her head slightly in confusion. The wizard in blue banged his gavel and called for order loudly, and the crowded room slowly hushed.
"However" Draco began again, "I do have one condition on which this will happen."
"Here we go, what's the ferret up to now" Draco heard Ron moan.
"And what is this condition Mr. Malfoy?" asked Kingsley carefully.
"Only you, the other judges, and the jury members can witness my testimony, it can never be public knowledge." Draco answered calmly with a steady voice, looking the Minister straight in the eyes as whispering started up in the crowd again.
Kingsley and the other judges conferred only for a minute before the gavel banged once more and the room fell silent.
"We accept your terms Mr. Malfoy. All members of the public are to leave the courtroom please."
Draco caught Hermione lagging behind the others as she walked out of the courtroom, giving him another worried look.
"Not to worry Granger, as I heard you rightly point out not too long ago to Potter and Weaselby, I'm not stupid. I know what I'm doing" he told her, allowing a small smile to grace his carefully constructed mask.
Hermione gave him one last 'oh really' look just before the courtroom doors closed behind her.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~L&L~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Four hours later the doors to the courtroom opened again and the trio plus Ginny entered and took their seats. Malfoy was sitting in the chair where they had left him, however there was a slouch to his posture now and he clearly looked exhausted.
The gavel banged once more, and the group of friends saw Malfoy flinch at the loud noise.
"The Judges and Jury have reached a verdict" The wizard in the blue robe announced.
The courtroom went dead silent.
"Mr. Malfoy has been acquitted of all charges for Reasons Unpublicised."
"WHAT!" Bellowed Ron, an equally gob-smacked Harry, Hermione, and Ginny stood there with open mouths.
The Courtroom erupted into chaos as Draco Malfoy walked free.
