Time Stop: We warned you.

Shadow: I don't feel like doing this.

Wang: Yay!

Time Stop: Wang got this idea from somewhere, and begged us to help him with it.

Wang: Uhuh, uhuh.

Shadow: I still don't like it.

Time Stop: Yes, we are doing a Dramione fic.

Wang: Yes!

Shadow: But, despite Wang's disapproval, we will make this as realistic as possible. So no sudden wackiness from the characters, we try to keep it in perspective.

Wang: Yeah, if they do something crazy, it's 'cause there's a reason.

Shadow: Bloody 'ell. Argh! Now I'm sounding like them!

Time Stop: We don't own anything.

Wang: Nothing at all!

Shadow: Argh!

Prologue: Trial

He smiled a slow smile. Despite the chains, the fear, and rats, and the complete lack of hygiene of any of his…fellows; he was having a good day. He watched as the Aurors around them prodded them forward with their wands, enticing snarls of hate from some of the group. He didn't care about that, didn't care about pretty much anything anymore. You see, as a Death Eater and son of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named's right hand man, he was high on the most wanted list. So, he inched forward, awaiting his trial.

Today was a good day to face trial. What better day than on his birthday?

She hurried on her way, escorted by Aurors. She didn't need an escort. Doesn't the Ministry already known that it was Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley, and her, whom stormed Voldemort's fortress and defeated him in a duel? Don't they remember following said three back into the Forbidden Forest to recapture his followers?

Yes, they did, but they still gave her a guard. She sighed softly, making her way through the twisted corridors to the Judgment room. Located deep inside the Ministry of Magic, it was one of the oldest rooms created by wizards. Of course, she didn't want to go. She didn't want to try Death Eaters on a beautiful Saturday Morning. She would rather be with Ron, and sit by the side of the Lake.

But, she had to try and witness for these villains. Even for one of them, who was only her age.

He looked up, once, and saw her walk by the front door. When had he gotten to the front of the line? He didn't know anymore. He only saw her, a mudblood, walk by, escorted by half a dozen Aurors. Even he, her bane of existence, could tell that she didn't need them. Even as he was brought out into the light, and forced to follow her footsteps, he couldn't help but remember something from his past. A time when all was right. When He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named didn't exist.

Back before he had gone to Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Before he met Potter and Weasley and her.

She sat down in her seat, hardly noticing that Harry and her best friend, Ginny, were already there. She watched as the latest prisoner was led away.

"Hey, you all right?"

She turned to the beautiful red head next to her. "Yeah, I'm alright."

"Did you bring my brother with you?"

"No, I honestly thought he was with you two. I thought he would be here already."

Harry glanced up from the paper he held. "It doesn't matter if he wants to be here or not, the door is closing."

She glanced up, and saw the door closing. The prisoner was seated in the center of a room and bounded to the chair. His pale skin bore scars, so many scars. His hair was at one point blonde, but now it was almost stark white.

Then his eyes met hers, and she gasped. They weren't hard, but a something in between of sadness and apologetic.

"Who is this man?" She asked Harry.

But her answer was given by the Speaker of the court. "Draco Malfoy, son of Lucious Malfoy and heir to the Malfoy estate."

Draco looked up. "I am him."

"You have been charged with the crimes against the people. You have been found guilty of joining the group known as the Death Eaters, and the deaths of seven individuals, including Albus Dumbledore. How do you plead?"

Harry muttered under his breath. "Draco never touched Albus. It was Severus who did it. And he did it for the benefit for Albus, for I saw his memories. Albus told Severus to do it. Draco...he was in the wrong place at the wrong time."

She gazed down at the young man below. "If he couldn't kill Professor Dumbledore, then how could he kill anyone else?"

Harry gazed at his enemy, though it wasn't like the feeling he once had on his enemy. Now, instead of anger, he only felt pity. "He was set up. I wish there was a way to save him."

Ginny and her both glanced at Harry with alarm.

"No one deserves that. He...I feel like he had no choice."

Their conversation was interrupted by the Speaker. Under her gaze, everyone quieted. "I...I am guilty of my crimes."

"No!" She cried. Unaware of what she was doing, she had stood up. Beside her, Ginny tried to pull her down but to no avail.

"Yes, Miss Granger?"

"You can't kill him."

"We never said we would. Draco Malfoy, you will be sentenced to live out life in Azkaban Prison. There will be no-"

"No!"

"Miss Granger! Interrupt again and you will be thrown out of this court! He is convicted of crimes you and your friends and others have given us. The evidence is overwhelming, he cannot go unpunished. There is no way to undo even if I wanted to."

"But I have proof that he didn't kill Professor Dumbledore, nor those other victims."

"Prove it, share to the members of this court that they are wrong." Whispers sprang up from around the audience. This was news to them, this would make the front page.

"Hermione," Harry urged her. "Please don't. If they found out..."

Hermione glanced down at her friend, begging her with his eyes. Then she glanced at Draco, and saw his eyes questioningly looking up at her. She opened her mouth to speak, but couldn't. Harry was facing so much about everything right now. If she said he was with Dumbledore when he died, then he would get no rest.

Draco looked up, and saw her stand up, defending him. Why? Did she feel pity for him? He didn't know, didn't care, anymore. He hung his head when she gave up on him. She didn't speak about what proof she had. Proof she was right.

"Then as there is no other interruptions-"

"Wait!"

"Miss Granger! What is it now?"

"I...I then offer the criminal known as Draco Malfoy Wizarding Decree number 253."

"Excuse me, Miss Granger, but please enlighten the court about decree 253."

"This decree," She began, "was set in place on March 17th, 1701. This decree stated that any Witch or Wizard found to be guilty of any wrong doing to the Ministry or the magical community can be sent to the colony of America."

"And why would we do that?"

"The decree stated that the man would have his wand broken, effectively a squib for the rest of his life, under close watch by the British forces. Well, now it would be the American Ministry that would watch over Mr. Malfoy if he went."

The speaker rubbed her chin. "Your idea is promising, but it all depends on my decision, and that of the American Minister. If we so choose it, Draco Malfoy shall hereby be sentenced to exile."

Draco stared up at Hermione. She, she was trying to exile him! That would be worse than Azkaban. He tried to speak, but his voice wouldn't come to him. It was only then he realized he was crying, and he would not stop.

Hours passed, and Draco had been removed back to a holding cell. He sat, and cried. For some reason, the tears wouldn't stop coming. Meanwhile, Hermione sat with Harry and Ginny, waiting for Ron to show up.

Of course, Ron showed up, at the moment the doors closed for the second half of Draco's hearing.

"I, the Speaker of the Wizarding Tribunal find that Decree 253 is suitable for Draco Malfoy's crimes."

"What? What's decree 253?" Ron turned to ask Hermione.

"It means Draco is sent to America to live out the rest of his days, as a muggle."

"But what about Azkaban? What about death?" Ron almost exploded. Only the glare of his sister managed to keep him in check. "That bugger killed Albus Dumbledore, the greatest Wizard of our time, almost as great as Merlin himself. And that bloody ferret killed him. He has to face his dues."

"It's too late." Hermione whispered. She was watching Draco as they released him, and handed him some papers. "The sentence is cast, no one can change it now." She watched as Draco correctly identified the wand he had used for so long. Before they broke it in his face.

"Good-bye, Draco Malfoy, do not return." The Speaker said to him. Draco took one last look at Hermione, anger, confusion, sorrow, joy, love, hurt, and forgiveness all emanating from that gaze.

But all she could feel from him was hate.

So, to make a long story shorter, here are the next eight-and-a-bit years:

Draco arrived in Georgia, where he was enrolled in a local high school. He took two years of high school, before attempting college. He graduated from his high school with top honors. Sure, he had to make a speech as Valedictorian and another as the soccer star, but he was good at it.

At college, he studied Culinary Arts, and dabbled in Creative Writing. He had no serious girlfriends, or any relationship for that manner. He lived on campus, and continued to be top in his class even while winning the soccer championship in his third, fourth, and fifth years of college.

In the time he spent as a poor college student, he…he changed for the better. The poverty society forced on him, even with his scholarships, forced him to become frugal, to beg. Draco learned the hard lessons of life. He was cursed, beaten, mugged; death had come closer to him then in college than it had while in Hogwarts.

Draco left college with two masters. He had a Masters in Culinary Arts, and a Masters in Creative Writing. If he had to right his wrongs, he meant to create, not destroy.

He opened a café in Boston, specializing in European Cuisine. He opened when he left college, and had owned, operated, and cooked there for over a year now. There, he lived as a changed man, and anyone from his past might call him good; though he was still as ruthless as ever when it came to his competition.

Hermione never married Ron. When he found out she suggested Wizarding Decree 253, he left her. It was only after that was it revealed he was delayed by some of his female fans. She went to Hecate Academy in Greece, where she studied even more magic.

She never fell in love again, in fact, Harry and Ginny suspected she almost toyed with men, drawing them in before letting them loose. Hermione was there for Harry and Ginny's wedding, and was there for every birth of her godchildren.

After four years of Hecate Academy she left with a Muggle and Wizarding Degree in Art and Cultural Studies. Both are considered masters. She went to Harry afterward, and asked for his permission to publicize his adventures. He gave in, if only to right some wrongs.

She wrote several books of their adventures under the pen name of J., and traveled the world, creating art and studying native cultures. The epilogue was completely false. She still had feelings for Ron.

Of course, while Draco changed for the better, She changed for the worse. While he had friends and a new life, she had no one, and turned cold. Even Harry and Ginny Potter, and their three children, could only melt her icy mask for so long.

You see Ron broke her heart when he found out what she did.

This story is true. This story is about eight years after the war, when Draco and Hermione fell in love with another. But, it all started with this pivotal trial.

This is their story, read on if you wish.

Time Stop: There it is, the prologue to our second fic.

Shadow: Even though I hate Harry Potter fanfiction, I have to say this is pretty good for my own work.

Wang: Yes! Now more to write!

Shadow: I mean, look at all of the excuses the authors have to twist the story to their own purpose.

Time Stop: Please review!

Wang: Come back to Chapter One!

Shadow: They have magic, potions, magical creatures, Merlin, wands-

Time Stop: That's enough, Shadow. I think they get it.

Shadow: -ancient spells, unforgivables, curses, hexes, cursed items, goblin craftsmanship, house-elf magic-

Wang: Agh! tackles Shadow, sending them off the screen

Time Stop: Stop it! Both of you!

Shadow: -vortexes in the space-time, time-turners, devious plants, floo powder, brooms-

Wang: Agh!