There Will Be Blood
Author's Note: This is my first Harry Potter fanfic so please let me know your thoughts on it! I'll take your comments into consideration as I continue to write this fic. This is rated M because there will be very explicit sexual content as the chapters go on. I want to give a shoutout to my other half/ Slytherin Queen Dahlia. Your inputs have been wonderful and so helpful!
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the rights to the Harry Potter Franchise. All credit goes to J.K. Rowling.
Happy reading!
Chapter 1: Aftermath
September 1, 1998
Hermione Granger couldn't remember a time that she was not excited for a first day of school. In her entire 15 years of schooling, she had never been able to sleep the night before the first day. Yet, here she sat on the Hogwarts Express staring out the window, dreading starting her final year.
Hermione sighed as she watched the first year students board the train. Their air of earnest wonder and expectations just reinforced her dismay. She remembered dreaming of taking the Hogwarts Express wearing a Head Girl badge in this very train seven years.
Hermione looked down at the badge resting on her blazer; she shook her head and chuckled.
"What's so funny?" asked Ron.
Hermione glanced over at Ron and Harry sharing their flask of firewhisky "Would you believe me if I told you that I don't care for this badge?," she asked them.
"Because I know you, no, not really" said Harry, giving Hermione a pointed look.
Ron rolled his eyes. "Yeah no, you used to spend hours talking to Percy about being Head Girl. Don't tell me that Harry and I had to suffer hours in the library for you, just to have you not want to be Head Girl," he quipped.
Hermione threw her scarf at him. "You're lucky to be alive thanks to me and the library, Ronald."
"Women! Blimey, you can't ever win with them" Ron complained to Harry.
"I think that's just you, Ron" said Harry sympathetically to his friend.
"Seriously guys, have you thought about how different Hogwarts is going to be? Without Dumbledore, Snape, Fred…?" Hermione glanced at Ron and quickly stopped herself.
"You can say his name, you know? I won't break just from hearing Fred" said Ron. He sighed and took a swig from his flask.
Hermione looked at Harry with concern. "I'll talk to him," Harry mouthed to her.
Hermione nodded at him.
She didn't know what to say Ron. The truth was she wasn't even sure if Ron and her could even talk to each other without Harry being present. Ron and her had broken up quite quickly after the war. Hermione had initiated their breakup, but she judged from Ron's reaction that it was very mutual. Even if it hadn't been mutual, Ron seemed to have no problem moving on to his numerous conquests throughout the summer.
Hermione really couldn't complain though. This summer had been rough for all three of them. They were each dealing with PTSD from the war and none of them had advice for each other. Ron was just trying to survive any way he could, and it wasn't her business to judge him.
The three of them couldn't escape the war. They had spent the summer at countless trials for Death Eaters, serving as witnesses; they went through hours and hours of grueling testimonies, reliving the horrors that Hermione had tried oh-so-hard to block out. When they weren't at the ministry, they felt the war at home, with the vacancy of Fred, Remus, and Tonks.
They were coping in different ways. Harry was coping by visiting Charlie daily over the summer. He raced dragons every day on his Firebolt. The happiest that Hermione had seen him this summer was the day he had gotten his arm burned by a Ukranian Ironbelly.
Ginny ranted to Hermione that when she had asked Harry about the racing, he said "he needed to challenge Death once and for all."
"He's gone bat-shit crazy! He wants to race a Peruvian Vipertooth next! I'm positive that he lost half of his sanity when Voldemort killed the horcrux in him, Hermione, I swear…" Ginny had ranted for a good twenty minutes but Hermione couldn't help but to tune her out. She would have laughed but she knew her friend wasn't really joking.
Ron was coping with potions, alcohol, and women. Ron couldn't sleep alone anymore. He kept having nightmares of the war every day and usually screamed for Fred in the middle of the night. After the war, Ron suddenly had his pick of women in the wizarding world. The Daily Prophet photographed him exiting bars with a different witch every night. Around the 20th night, the headline read "Weasley is Our Sex Addict?" Hermione wasn't sure if it was number 6 or 13, who had introduced Ron to the new black market numbing potion (in Hermione's opinion it was the muggle version of oxycodone), but it had been one of them and Ron had been hooked since then.
Hermione was coping with insomnia and reading Wizarding law books. She couldn't remember the last time she had slept for more than an hour and half for a night. Every time sleep came, she saw Bellatrix Lestrange and the incident at Malfoy Manor just replayed like a gag-reel. Hermione found herself reading Wizarding law books these nights. She had always wanted to work for the Ministry and continue her work for S.P.E.W. but with the aftermath of the war, she figured her efforts would be better spent helping regulate the now chaotic Ministry.
She had applied for the job at the Ministry's legal department, but her application had been denied. Apparently the Ministry couldn't hire a witch without a diploma, even if the said witch was a "war hero," as the snooty receptionist had told her sarcastically.
Thankfully, Headmistress McGonagall was making this academic year at Hogwarts a "grace year." McGonagall was having every student from Hermione's year repeat their academic year because no student could take their graduating exams after the Battle of Hogwarts. Hermione was secretly relieved, she had been worried about being one of the only repeat 7th years in school, while most of her graduating class would have been gone. It felt more like Hogwarts to have all familiar faces there, all of the surviving ones, she thought with a tinge of sadness.
"Speaking of your badge, Hermione, have you talked to our lovely headboy, yet?" drawled Harry, interrupting Hermione's thoughts.
Ron scoffed. "Oh yeah here's the conversation. Gee, remember the time you watched me almost die and tried to kill all of my fellow muggleborns! Me too! Thanks Malfoy!
"Ron!" exclaimed Hermione, shaking her head. "Insulato!," she quickly sound-proofed their compartment. "You are a prefect and I'm the head girl! We are supposed to be setting an example for all the students! How are we ever supposed to move on from all of this if we keep perpetuating this and teach this to the younger Gryffindors!"
Ron quickly jumped up. "Don't yell at me, Hermione! Why don't you ask McGonagall what potion she was on, when she decided that an ex-Death Eater could set an example for all students!," he retorted.
"Oh that's bloody rich coming from you, Ronald! You're the last person who should be questioning McGonagall's judgment!" Hermione yelled, crossing her arms.
"And what is that supposed to mean?" Ron started moving towards Hermione.
Harry shot up and stepped in front of Ron. "Ron, sit down. She didn't mean anything by it." Harry turned around and gave Hermione a look. Hermione glared at Harry.
Ron sat back down, slumping over the seat. Hermione remained, staring out of the window. "We're going to have to figure out a way to get over it with Malfoy and the rest of them. I know you both know that, regardless of your biases."
"I'll get over it when the ground over Fred's body dries," sneered Ron, before taking a swig of his firewhisky.
Harry got up and took the flask away from Ron. "Okay, let's stop drinking this before your prefect's meeting. You don't need McGonagall down your throat before classes even begin."
Hermione sighed and continued looking out of the window. She had no idea how to lead this prefect's meeting. She had talked to Bill last week for advice, but he had basically confirmed her fear; the Head Boy and Head Girl usually collaborated before starting the meeting. The thought of collaborating with Draco Malfoy, was just a situation that she could not bring herself to rationalize.
Hermione thought of the last time she had seen Malfoy. It had been in July, at the Ministry of Magic.
July 15, 1998
Harry, Hermione, and Ron were present at Draco Malfoy's hearing. They were each to serve as direct witnesses to Malfoy's war crimes.
The doors to the courtroom had opened and Hermione watched as a tall dark hooded figure entered the room, accompanied by two aurors. The figure was covered in his black robes and his face was well hidden underneath the shadow of his hoodie. The chains on his arms and feet clunked loudly and his footsteps echoed across the courtroom. It was not until the figure had sat down and she had seen his thin pale hand move his robe to sit down, in that familiar arrogant manner, that she had been able to recognize that who was under the robe. He sat slumped in the chair, only his thin, bony fingers were visible underneath the robe.
Amelia Bones' voice boomed across the courtroom. "The charges against the accused, Draco Abraxas Malfoy, are as follows, That he did knowingly, deliberately, and in full awareness of the illegality of his actions, having studied the Unforgiveable Curses and the illegality of their nature, perform the Imperius and Cruciatus Curses on multiple wizards and witches, and served as accomplice to those who used the Imperius, Cruciatus, and Killing curses on multiple wizards and witches, throughout the timeframe of 1996-1998, which constitute as multiple offenses under paragraph C of the Decree for the Intolerable Curses of Sorcery, 1717, and also under section one of the International Confederation of Wizards' Statute of Permissible Curses."
"You are Draco Abraxas Malfoy, of Malfoy Manor, Whiltshire, England?" asked Bones.
"Yes" said the man in black, with a low-toned mutter.
"You studied the Unforgiveable Curses at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, did you not Mr. Malfoy?" inquired Bones.
"Yes"
"You were and are aware that the Unforgiveable Curses are illegal, are you not Mr. Malfoy?"
"Yes"
"Did you or did you not cast the Imperius and Cruciatus Curses multiple times in the past year, Mr. Malfoy?"
"I do not recall" said the hooded figure of Draco Malfoy.
Bones raised her eyebrows and pursed her lips. "Mr. Malfoy, is that a statement of affirmation or negation?," she asked sternly.
"I do not recall, Ministress" Malfoy replied with a monotous voice.
"Mr. Malfoy, did you or did you not witness other wizards and witches use the Killing Curse and serve as an accomplice to them, in the past year?" stated Bones.
Hermione grimaced at the Ministress' openly apparent bias against Malfoy. Bones had barely asked the question and had more or less stated it as a fact.
"I do not recall" said Malfoy.
Bones shook her head, clearly irritated from Malfoy's responses, or lack thereof. "Very well then Mr. Malfoy, you leave me no choice but to call witnesses to attest to the factual findings of your case."
Hermione watched as Bones called multiple witnesses to the chairs. She watched as Bones questioned them one by one, but it was becoming increasingly apparent that no one was giving concrete testimonies that proved Malfoy's usage of the curses. Hermione knew that the decision rest mainly on her, Harry, and Ron's testimonies. The Ministry had been voting in favor of their statements all summer.
She watched as Harry played dumb to the Ministress' questions and gave his statement supporting Malfoy's innocence. She wasn't surprised. Harry had always been noble, and it would figure that he would try to repay Malfoy for saving his life in Malfoy Manor.
She glanced at Malfoy and was impressed; he had managed to not move a muscle in his seat for the past three hours.
Bones called Ron next, after Harry. "Brilliant, she just had to leave me for last," thought Hermione. She watched as Ron ungracefully answered the Ministress' questions, occasionally shaking at Ron's candor. Ultimately, Ron attested to Harry's statement and added that he had never witnessed Malfoy ever performing an Unforgivable Curse.
As Ron got up to leave the witness seat, Hermione heard Bones' next order.
"I call Ms. Hermione Jean Granger to the witness chair now for cross-examination."
Hermione quickly walked to the chair, keeping her face down, and seated herself.
"You are Hermione Jean Granger, of Muggle London, England?" inquired Bones.
Hermione cleared her throat and answered curtly. "Yes"
"Ms. Granger, you are aware that the man sitting on your left is Draco Abraxas Malfoy?" inquired Bones.
"Yes."
"Let the record show that Ms. Granger has indicated her awareness that the accused is Draco Abraxas Malfoy. Ms. Granger, as according to my records, you were present at Malfoy Manor on April 5, 1998, am I correct with this information?" pressed the Ministress.
Hermione felt her stomach turn. She replied. "You are correct, Ministress."
"Ms. Granger, am I correct in saying that you were put under the Cruciatus Curse in a multitude of times by the now deceased witch, Bellatrix Lestrange?
"Yes."
"Ms. Granger, where was Draco Malfoy at the duration of your interaction with Ms. Lestrange?" asked Bones.
Hermione glanced at Harry's face and he gave her a slight nod. She glanced at where she assumed Malfoy's face was underneath his hood, and she knew what she had to do.
"Draco Malfoy was in the cellar of Malfoy Manor with Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley" she asserted.
Hermione watched as Bones' face quickly appeared furious.
"Ms. Granger! I have it on clear record that Draco Malfoy was in the same room with Bellatrix Lestrange and yourself during those seven hours that you and Bellatrix Lestrange were interacting. You are aware that lying in this courtroom is a punishable offence that will land you in Azkaban, are you not?" Bones yelled, her tone indicated the warning she was giving to Hermione.
Hermione felt a hot volcanic rage rising up her throat; the fact that Bones thought that she had the right to speak about those seven hours and lecture Hermione, the cleverest witch of her age, on basic wizarding law, as if she was some common stupid witch. It took every fire of Hermione's being not to retort with asking Bones' about her cowardice during Yaxley's reign at the Ministry.
"With all due respect Ministress, I am fully aware of the Ministry's courtroom procedures and conduct. If you are going to talk about what happened with Bellatrix Lestrange and myself at Malfoy Manor, you might as well call it what it was, an interrogation, not an interaction. As I've previously stated, quite clearly actually, Draco Malfoy was no where near the vicinity at the time that Bellatrix Lestrange had casted the Cruciatus Curse upon me. He was in the cellar with Harry and Ron and not one of them escape due to their wandless states." Hermione countered, shooting Bones a fixed glare.
Bones squinted her eyes at Hermione and looked down at her papers. She flipped through several pages before she looked up to speak.
"Very well Ms. Granger, since you've insisted adamantly that Draco Malfoy was not involved in your- Bones' paused and her voice sneered slightly- interrogation with Bellatrix Lestrange in any facet of the matter, I have no choice left but to have the statement of fact today be that Draco Malfoy had not executed or accompliced in executing the Cruciatus Curse on yourself. You may be dismissed."
Hermione quickly rose and walked back to the panel where Harry and Ron were. She looked across the room where the Ministry bureaucrats were seated; they would have to make a decision on Malfoy's guilt in a short period. They were whispering to each other and sharing their notes with one another.
Hermione sat down next to Harry. "Do you think they're going to send him back to Azkaban?" she whispered to Harry, who was staring ahead at the man in the black.
Harry had a solemn look on his face. He replied, not taking his eyes off the dark figure, "Would it matter to you if he didn't? He was there those whole seven hours."
Hermione stared at the dark figure. He had been eerily still throughout the entire hearing; he may as well have been a still corpse.
"It does matter, Harry. We wouldn't be here if it weren't for him. Seven hours be damned for a lifetime. You know that just as much as I do." She whispered to her friend.
Harry didn't say anything.
After a couple of minutes of shuffling and heated arguing, the Wizengamot were ready to announce their decision.
Bones took to her podium at the center of the room. "The Wizengamot will know announce their decision in the Ministry's case against Draco Malfoy.
Will those are in favor of clearing the accused of all charges, raise their hands in this moment?" She instructed.
Hermione turned around to count the hands in the air. It was a unanimous decision; there wasn't a single hand not in the air.
She breathed a sigh of relief and looked to see if Malfoy had expressed any reaction. The figure of Malfoy remained sitting, statuesque, as he had been the throughout hearing.
Bones' voice boomed, reeking of her displeasure, "Let it be indicated that today, July 15, 1998, the Ministry of Magic clears Draco Abraxas Malfoy of all accused charges. May it be seen that Mr. Malfoy is properly given accommodations for the journey back to his residence of Malfoy Manor. You may all be dismissed."
Hermione couldn't even imagine what it would be like to face Draco Malfoy today. It wasn't that she was afraid of him, it was just that it was…so awkward. She wasn't even sure if Malfoy was alive after how lifeless he had appeared at his hearing. Would he even acknowledge her existence or what she had done for him? How were they supposed to live and work together when there was so much bad blood between them? Would he call her a mudblood? What would she do if he did? She looked down at her watch and saw the time. "Time to take the bull by it's horn," she thought to herself, internally groaning.
She turned around.
"Ron, it's time for our meeting, come on."
Ron groaned and got himself up. "See you later, mate" he said to Harry, who nodded back at him.
Hermione looked at her spectacled friend sympathetically. "We'll meet you in about an hour, Harry."
"Yeah, you guys go ahead." Harry said, waving his hand, shooing them away.
And with that, Hermione and Ron made their way to the Prefect's compartment.
Author's Note: Please submit your comments/ review with your thoughts! Any feedback would be helpful! I'll have the next chapter up soon.