Title: Through the Fire and the Flames
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and the songs used for the title and chapter headings belong to their respective owners. I did not and will not receive any payment for this work of fiction.
Pairing: Draco/Hermione
Rating: M
Warnings: Underage drinking in this chapter. There may be other warnings in other chapters.
A/N: Last week I signed up for my fall classes. I'm taking 18 credit hours, all of which are reading intensive, twelve of which are also writing intensive. Because of this, I will not be able to do NaNoWriMo in November so I have decided to do it early.
This fic is AU in that Voldemort attacked at the end of 6th year and horcruxes did not exist. Everything else is canon, including Dumbledore's death.
This is my first attempt at NaNoWriMo. Hell, this is my first attempt at a long, in-depth story. That being said, I hope you like it. Please review to let me know what you did or did not like and what I can improve. Thank you.
July 30, 1997. It had been one month since Voldemort attacked Hogwarts through the cabinet in the Room of Requirement. Draco had almost given up and switched sides before Snape showed up and did the job for him. The battle had lasted throughout the night with Harry finally killing the Dark Lord as the sun broke over the trees of the Forbidden Forest. Draco had spent most of that time hiding from the battle.
Despite that, the Ministry had charged him with the attempted murder of Albus Dumbledore, the poisoning of Ronald Weasley, the use of an unforgivable on a minor, cursing Katie Bell, and crimes against humanity as a Death Eater. Things really were not looking up for him.
He had had to wait an entire month for his trial. He was allowed to spend it at home in Malfoy Manor, but he was not allowed to leave. The Ministry had put a tracking charm on him to alert them if he even considered it. But, he did not. He spent most of that time in his father's study, draining one bottle of his father's Ogden's Old Firewhiskey after another.
On July 5, he was allowed out to attend his father's trial. Moral support, they said. A lot of good that did. As bad off as Draco's case appeared, his father's was ten times worse at least. His father had his crimes from the first war tacked on as well, and all of the bribery of Ministry officials among other things. The Wizengamot didn't even have to exit to deliberate. They immediately sentenced Lucius to a lifetime in Azkaban with a one-strike clause. If he tried to cause trouble even once, he would get the Kiss without a trial.
Draco was thankful his mother was not charged with any crimes. He didn't know if he would be able to survive her trial, much less if she were found guilty. She had never taken the mark nor had she ever shown her loyalty in public. Anything she may have done in her own home was considered defending her property.
The Daily Prophet had been doing articles on the Death Eater trials since they began. On July 12, they had an article on Snape's trial from the day before. He had been charged with Dumbledore's murder - a crime most considered worse than murdering the Minister - but he was found not guilty. Harry Potter presented Dumbledore's memories of their agreement; he had found them the next day in the Headmaster's pensieve. Narcissa testified to having him make an Unbreakable Vow to keep her son from committing the act. Apparently that was all the Wizengamot required to allow him to continue teaching.
After reading the article, Draco considered the possibility of Potter testifying at his trial. He had been there. He had to have seen the indecision on his face. He had to have heard the desperation in his voice. But Draco dared not get his hopes up. They had done nothing but antagonize each other for six years. Not six months ago, Draco had tried to crucio him. Of course, Potter had nearly killed Draco with his defense, but would that matter? There was one way to find out.
At seven o'clock that morning three Aurors arrived to escort him to Courtroom Ten. When he walked through the door the Wizengamot, witnesses, and spectators were already seated. He looked to see who would be testifying, but it didn't bode well. The witness stands were empty. The only positive sign, as far as he could tell, was that the chains didn't bind him when he sat in the thrice-curséd chair.
Shacklebolt, the new Minister, did not acknowledge him when he sat. Instead, he looked to the Auror standing to the side and ordered, "Dawlish, administer the veritaserum." The man complied immediately. Draco didn't fight it, knowing that would only hurt his case. When it was done, the Minister looked at him. "Please state your full name for the record."
"Draco Lucius Malfoy."
"And your date of birth."
"June 5, 1980."
"Thank you. Now, to check that the veritaserum took effect. What color are your eyes?"
"Grey."
"Where do you live?"
"Malfoy Manor during holidays. Hogwarts during school."
"What form is your patronus?"
Well, this is the end, I suppose, Draco thought to himself as he mumbled, "idon'thaveone."
"You need to speak up, Mr. Malfoy," the Minister admonished with a glare.
"I do not have a patronus, Minister," Draco enunciated, barely hiding the sneer. Shacklebolt knew good and well Draco didn't have a patronus form, that he couldn't even cast a patronuse shield. And he knew exactly why, too.
"Why is that?"
"Death Eaters cannot even cast a patronus shield because of the punishments received at the hands of the Dark Lord. There are not enough good memories left to power it," Draco answered, not caring to hide his disdain for the Minister or his line of questioning.
"Very well. Are there any witnesses you care to present?" It seemed that implication was enough for the Minister. He didn't need Draco to admit to having taken the Mark.
Before Draco could answer, he heard the most amazing sound in the world.
"Yes," Harry answered as he walked through the door. "I'm sorry I'm late, but I was mobbed in the Atrium."
"That's understandable, Mr. Potter. Are you here to testify for Mr. Malfoy?" Shacklebolt was visibly surprised by the Savior's appearance in the courtroom.
"Yes, sir."
"Very well. Are you willing to testify under veritaserum?" The Minister had regained control of himself.
"Yes, sir," Harry repeated.
"Dawlish, please administer the veritaserum on Mr. Potter." The Auror once again responded immediately.
"Can you please state your name for the record?" Shacklebolt began the questioning.
"Harry James Potter."
"And your birthday?"
"July 31, 1980."
"Mr. Potter, you are still a minor according to wizarding law. I'm afraid you cannot testify unless in defense of yourself." Shacklebolt appeared to truly be sorry.
"Actually, Minister, I am physically one day older than I am chronologically because of the use of a time turner once in my third year," Harry sheepishly admitted. Of course, Kingsley already knew this.
"Very well. Please present your testimony." It was with this acceptance that Draco began to suspect perhaps the Minister did not want to put him away for life.
"The first charge is attempted murder of Albus Dumbledore?" At the Minister's nod, Harry continued. "Any acts in relation to this were committed under duress. Before the final battle, on the Astronomy Tower, Draco admitted to the Headmaster that Voldemort threatened to kill his mother if he did not fix the cabinet and kill Dumbledore. Both Narcissa Malfoy and Severus Snape can testify to this threat."
"As for the poisoning of Ronald Weasley, it was unintentional. Horace Slughorn had planned to give that bottle of mead to Dumbledore for Christmas. Instead, he gifted the Headmaster with a cheaper bottle. If anything it was negligence on the part of Professor Slughorn. Any true Potions Master knows to check any food or drink they are given for tampering."
"As to the use of an unforgivable on a minor, Draco was also a minor at the time, so that charge should be lessened to simply the use of an unforgivable. However, during Defense Against the Dark Arts in our fourth year, Bartimus Crouch, Jr. posing as Alastor Moody routinely cast the Imperius Curse on the students in attempt to teach us to throw it. The Gryffindor and Slytherin fourth years shared this class, allowing Draco to observe Katie's progress throughout the year. In Dumbledore's Army in fifth year, we agreed it would be a good idea to be able to throw the Imperius Curse, so we continued practicing it. Before the end of our fifth year, Katie was able to throw the curse every time."
"As for being cursed by the necklace, Katie was not meant to open the package when under the Imperius Curse. When she threw the curse, it became an unfortunate case of 'curiosity killed the cat."
Before Harry could address the last charge, the Minister interrupted him. "Curiosity killed the cat?"
"It is a muggle expression. It means that Katie placed herself in danger by opening a package she didn't know the source of."
"Thank you. Continue."
"Finally, for crimes against humanity as a Death Eater. Draco, as I explained earlier, was under duress to do Voldemort's bidding. He was required to go to a few attacks and revels before returning to school. Since September 1, 1996, Draco has not attended any Death Eater attacks or revels because he was not able to leave Hogwarts."
"How do you know all of this, Harry?" the Minister asked, forgetting all forms of formality.
"My own memories and those of Albus Dumbledore."
"How do you know of Dumbledore's memories?"
"When the final battle was over, I took refuge in his office. I didn't want to be faced with the press or all of the deaths I had caused. I spent most of the day watching the memories in his pensieve."
"Would you be willing to present these memories to the Wizengamot?"
"Yes, sir."
"Thank you. Is there anything you would like to add, Mr. Malfoy?" Draco did not hear the Minister as he gazed at Harry with shock in his eyes, though not any of his other features. "Mr. Malfoy?" the Minister tried again.
"I'm sorry, sir?" Draco finally replied.
"Is what Mr. Potter said true?"
"Yes, sir." Draco replied, obviously still shocked to those who knew how to read him.
"Is there anything you would like to add?"
"No, sir."
"I think we will adjourn to deliberate now. All those in favor?" Every member of the Wizengamot raised their hand. It was only a formality when Shacklebolt asked for the opposed.
For the entire two hours the Wizengamot was gone, Harry stood, not looking at Draco despite his attempts to catch the other boy's eye. When the Wizengamot returned and all of the members were seated, the Minister spoke. "Draco Lucius Malfoy, we have found you not guilty of the attempted murder of Albus Dumbledore, the poisoning of Ronald Weasley, the use of an unforgivable on a minor and the use of an unforgivable, and the cursing of Katie Bell. We lessened the number of counts of crimes against humanity as a Death Eater, but of those that remain, we find you guilty. You are sentenced to one year of parole. As part of that parole, you will be required to return to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to finish your education. Each week you will have a meeting with Headmistress McGonagall. If we receive good reports from the headmistress, we will reconvene to consider relieving you of your remaining parole upon your graduation. Have you understood everything so far?" At Draco's nod, the Minister continued. "You will spend the rest of your summer on house arrest at Malfoy Manor as you spent it up until today. On August 31, should you need to go to Diagon Alley for school supplies, an Auror will escort you. Your Hogsmeade priveleges have been revoked. For school holidays, you may either spend them at the school or on house arrest at Malfoy Manor. Do you understand your sentence?" Draco merely nodded again. "In that case, this session of the Wizengamot is adjourned."
Everyone but Draco and Harry moved to leave. When the room was mostly empty, Draco turned to Harry. "Thank you. When I came in and saw no one in the witness stands, I thought I was going to join my father," he admitted.
"Don't thank me. I knew you didn't deserve Azkaban, but I never would have been able to help if it weren't for Hermione. She wrote the case, I just had to memorize it," Harry explained.
"Can you thank her for me?"
"You'll see her on the train. You can thank her then," Harry suggested before leaving. It was only Draco and his escorts left in the courtroom.
Draco drank again that night. But not to suppress the pain. He drank to attempt to comprehend why two-thirds of the Golden Trio had helped him. When he finally passed out on his bed, he decided he would never know unless he asked them, but that was never going to happen.
As the summer continued, Draco began drinking less and less each night. He knew he wouldn't be able to continue his habit when he returned to school, especially not as Head Boy. He was surprised when he opened his letter and the badge fell out, but the Headmistress had explained that, despite what had happened, he was still the top boy in the class, second overall only to Hermione Granger who would be Head Girl. She also explained that she understood the predicament he had been in and she wasn't going to hold it against him.
He also stopped drinking because the pain had lessened. He still had nightmares about all that he had been forced to do, but it helped to know that he wasn't going to be punished for something he didn't want to do in the first place, something he only did to protect his mother.
Because of this, he was completely sober when the Auror came to escort him to Diagon Alley on August 31. It was a quick trip. He didn't see anyone he knew; most were dead or in Azkaban. His escort didn't allow any stops at Fortescue's or anywhere else he didn't need to go.
The same escort picked him up at ten o'clock the next day to take him to the train. Draco was packed and waiting when the Auror arrived so they were quick to apparate to the platform. Because of their expediency, Draco was able to get his stuff stored and make his way to the Heads' compartment without dealing with too many onlookers. He was leaned against the outside wall, the shade pulled over the window to keep people from looking in, reading a book when Hermione Granger walked in. To say he was surprised at what he saw would be an understatement.