A/N Before I start with the 1st chapter I wanted to say that I don't know how the courts in England are handled, much less the wizarding courts, so you are just going to have to bear with me

A/N Before I start with the 1st chapter I wanted to say that I don't know how the courts in England are handled, much less the wizarding courts, so you are just going to have to bear with me. I am also pretty ignorant when it comes to the American judicial system as well. . . I'm sort of going off of Law and Order, CSI, and such. Hehe.

Oh, and on the preface I forgot to put the disclaimer. Note: The following disclaimer will be the only one throughout the whole story. Oh, and as for my other Dramione story, I have put a poll on my profile so you can state whether or not you wish for me to continue it.

Ok, then. Disclaimer: All rights go to J.K Rowling except for the characters and ideas which are obviously my own. Also, for the brief reference in the preface of Jasper Cullen, that person goes to Stephenie Meyer. Three more days!!

OK, this has gone on long enough! Now, for the story. . .

"The people now call Mr. Harry Potter to the stand," Mr. Botwell's voice rang out clear and true.

Harry stood up, his face drained of all color as he walked to the stand which he felt was too close to the Judge for comfort. Honestly, who could blame him? Judge Riley had a mean look about him, one that only showed anger and disgust towards anyone who was brave enough to look his way. Harry, however, with his foolish Potter pride, stared him right in the eye. The Judge raised his left eyebrow in contest and his glare deepened. Gulping, Harry instantly looked away and sat down. Best to stay on his good side. . .

Hermione gave a soft, almost hesitant sigh as she looked up to where her lawyer Mr. Botwell was standing. Grasping her hands together nervously, she waited for them to begin.

Clearing his throat, Mr. Botwell looked up to where Harry was sitting and began. "Tell me Mr. Potter, where were you the night of Mr. Malfoy's death?"

Harry looked the lawyer in the eye and said with conviction, "I was on the Quidditch field practicing with my team for the upcoming match against Slytherin."

Nodding to show that he understood, Botwell continued on, "Is there anyone who could verify this?"

Harry blinked. "Well, obviously my whole team. . . "

"Yes, I understand that Mr. Potter, but could you please clarify who exactly that is."

"Well," Harry looked around, suddenly nervous, "Well, there are the three chasers Ashlee Pittman, Ginny Weasley, and Katie Bell. Then, the two beaters Fred and George Weasley. Ron Weasley as the goal keeper, and finally me as the Seeker" He looked down at his hands nervously as he whispered on last thing.

"What was that Mr. Potter? I am afraid I wasn't able to understand what was just now uttered. So could you please repeat that for the court?"

Harry sighed and said with just enough volume to be heard, "Ron didn't show up for practice that day. Neither my teammates nor I knew where he had wandered off to. We just simply assumed that he had forgotten that we had a practice meeting, but as soon as Ginny and I had heard of Mal- I mean Draco's death . . . We knew."

Ron glared up at Harry. His eyes showing no emotion. Ron shook his head once, his lips pursed, before looking down at hands.

Hermione watched Ron. In way, she did feel slightly bad for him, but the main emotion in her towards Ron was pure hate and disgust. She knew it was him who had killed Draco. Another tear leaked out. She quickly wiped it away before anyone saw, but of course Mrs. Weasley, with her quick watchful eyes noticed it immediately and patted her hand whispering, "It will all be okay Hermione. Soon all of this will all be settled and Ron will be able to come home."

Hermione internally cringed. Of course Mrs. Weasley would say that. She believed her son when he said that he was innocent. After all, why would he lie about such a thing? Besides, it was Malfoy, so even if Ron did kill him, it would obviously be self-defense.

Mr. Botwell began again, "So, you are saying Mr. Potter, that the accused was in fact not with you the night of Mr. Malfoy's death?"

Harry nodded.

"And you are also saying that both you and the sister of the accused both had reason to believe that Mr. Weasley was in fact guilty?"

"Yes sir."

"Why?" Mr. Botwell prodded.

Harry gulped and looked down. "I-I- I would rather not say."

Botwell moved closer to the stand and looked at Harry for a few minutes before walking to his desk and saying loudly, "Your witness."

A tall woman, by the name of Ms. Rowling stood up and walked over to Harry, and wasted no time by immediately asking, "Why are you reluctant to answer Mr. Botwell's question?"

Harry sighed, "Because in the process of doing so I would end up betraying not only Ron, but another friend as well. I happen to think that friendship and trust go hand in hand, and both of them have told me something that I promised to take to the grave and that is exactly what I plan to do."

"So, basically you are saying that Ronald Weasley confessed to the murder and also had an accomplice." She nodded her head, and was about to ask another question when an exclamation rang through the courtroom.

"OBJECTION! Prosecutor is making assumptions." Mr. Botwell stood up with a petulant expression on his face.

"The Judge sighed as he said in a bored manner, "Sustained. I ask that the jury please not take in mind of what Ms. Rowling has just stated, and Ms. Rowling, please do not make such an error again. I tend to not stand for such things in my courtroom."

"I apologize, I was just clearing things up in my mind, I didn't realize that I was verbally stating them."

"I do not care for excuses either Ms. Rowling! Please go back to questioning the witness, before I excuse you from this court!"

Grimacing, Ms. Rowling turned back to Harry and opened her mouth to ask another question, but instead closed it and walked back towards where Ron was sitting. As she sat down, she began shuffling through her papers before looking up and stating, "Oh. Sorry, no more questions."

The judge glared at the prosecutor for a few minutes, then turned to Harry and said, "You are allowed to return to your seat now Mr. Potter."

Harry quickly stood up and walked over to where Hermione was sitting and sat down. She reached her arm down and clasped his hand firmly in her own. Leaning over, she softly whispered in his ear, "Thank you so much Harry, but I think it's time that the world knew my secret." Harry nodded and lightly kissed her on the cheek.

"You are the bravest woman I have ever known, I hope you realize that." Hermione smiled at his words, but shook her head none the less. She knew that telling the courtroom what she and Draco were would be hard, and perhaps a little frightening, but surely it did not take bravery?

Mr. Botwell stood up again, and this time said, "The people now call Miss. Hermione Granger to the stand."

Hermione stood up and looked at Harry whispering, "Showtime." Then, looking at Mr. Botwell, she said in a clear, strong voice, "Actually Mr. Botwell that would be Mrs. Hermione Malfoy." Gasps seemed to flood the room simultaneously, and paying no heed to it, Hermione calmly walked up to the stand, smiled at the Judge who for some reason seemed to be holding in laughter, and sat down.

Clearing his throat, Mr. Botwell continued, "Yes, well, Mrs. Malfoy, could you please tell me what your relationship was with the deceased?"

Hermione raised an eyebrow. "Well, you see Mr. Botwell, I was married to him." Smirking, she not only withheld a laugh, but also a sob, the laugh, for the situation was rather funny, but also a sob for the fact that she was smirking. Smirking had been a notorious attribute of Draco's, but somehow, since falling in love with him, she had managed to take on that specific thing that had annoyed her and bother her for years. It was also the one of the many little things that got Harry to figure out what she and Draco really were to one another.

Harry and Ginny both laughed at her statement, but quickly quieted down when Mrs. Weasley's glare fell on them. Mrs. Weasley's harsh glare then flew to Hermione who stared back defiantly. She knew that the woman who was practically a mother to her felt betrayed, and on any other day she would be begging forgiveness, but not today. Today, Hermione Jane Granger-Malfoy was going to be honest about her relationship with the one man that she had ever loved with her whole heart. It was the least that she could in honor of his name. She was going to show, she was going to make them listen. She was going to prove that Draconis Malfoy was in fact one of the sweetest, loving, and caring men in the world.

Mr. Botwell smiled, "Yes Mrs. Malfoy, I was at least able to clear that up myself. I guess, I should rephrase then. . . It is widely known to the wizarding that you and Mr. Malfoy share a mutual feeling of animosity towards one another. So could you please explain to us as to how you two became married?"

Hermione took in a deep breath and looked around her, looked at every face but one. Finally, she stopped on him. Ron's face was distorted with guilt and hate. Grimacing, Hermione began. "Well, it all started in first year. The train ride to be more specific. I was helping Neville Longbottom look for his toad, when I had first bumped into Draco . . ."

"Watch where you are going, why don't you" Young Draco Malfoy looked down at the girl who had rudely bumped into him and was currently on the ground.

Flustered, Hermione stood up and stuck out her hand in greeting. "I really am sorry; I wasn't quite paying attention as to where I was walking. I'm Hermione Granger by the way, and you are?" Her face was expectant and she smiled warmly as she waited for his response.

Insolently, Malfoy looked her up and down and said, "Granger eh? Can't say I have ever heard of your family. . ." Ignoring her hand, he crossed his arms and glared into her warm eyes with his cold ones and said, "Obviously, you are muggleborn. Not only am I not familiar of your name, but apparently you are very ignorant as well. ANYONE, half-blood or no, should be able to recognize a Malfoy." He sighed, and was just about to introduce himself fully when he saw the laughter in Hermione's eyes. His own eyes widened as he exclaimed, "And WHAT pray tell is so humorous?"

At that final question, Hermione found that she couldn't hold it in any longer, and burst out laughing. "I'm sorry, but do you realize how ridiculous you sound? You act as if you were the Queen of England! Er. . .King, I mean. And, as a matter of fact, I have heard of you. You would be Mr. Draco Malfoy, son of Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy, and is from one of the richest families in not only wizarding society, but of the entire world. Unfortunately for you, the Muggle population is not aware of this, and believes that Bill Gates, J.K. Rowling, Donald Trump, and lastly the Queen are in the top. To them . . . Well, they would hear you name and ask, 'Who?'" Laughing once more, she sighed and asked, "By the way, have you happened to see a toad anywhere?"

The final question was so random that Malfoy couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of it all. "A toad? Where the bloody hell did that come from?" Laughing once more, he held out his hand and said softly, "You know Granger, I like you. I think we would be excellent friends, but know this: If my father ever hears of this, and he has his ways of finding these things out. . .Well you had better cry at my funeral. If they find my body that is."

Shaking his hand, Hermione smiled at him and said, "I think we will make excellent friends as well Draco. But seriously, have you seen a toad? Apparently a boy named Neville Longbottom has lost it, and I am helping him search for it."

Draco shook his head, "Sorry Hermione, haven't seen one. Well, I best be off, have fun looking for that owl." Nodding his head at her, he walked past her into a full compartment a few ways down. Laughing once more, Hermione continued on her way to open the next compartment where lo and behold was Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley."

"And, that was how it all began," Hermione smiled up at Mr. Botwell.

"I see. . .Wait. I thought you said that you were looking for a toad?"

Hermione laughed, "I was. Draco. . . Well, I think that at that point in his life details such as the difference between a toad and an owl didn't really mean much to him. At that point, he didn't really care about much of anything other than pleasing his father."

"Is that why he didn't want your friendship to go public?"

"Yes. He was deathly afraid of his father. He was so scared that we would spend every night stud—"

"EVERY NIGHT?! Are you shitting me? Are you telling me, that you spent every night with that Ferret since first year? Merlin! You are a bigger traitor than I had thought!" Ron pulled his arm out of Ms. Rowling's hand who was trying to tug him down. He marched up to the podium and pointed a finger in Hermione's face, causing her to lean back. "Mark my words mudblood," He spat the word out at her, "That when this trial is over and I am free, I will make you pay."

"ORDER! ORDER IN THE COURT! MS. ROWLING CONTROL YOUR CLIENT OR I WILL BE FORCED TO REMOVE HIM FROM THE COURT!!" The Judge hammered his mallet down into its pad angrily.

Ron looked at him angrily, "You know what? Fuc—mmfffmmmmmmmfmfmfmffmf –ff me Granger!!" Hermione had quickly slapped her hand on Ron's mouth, and was able to hold it there long enough for Ms. Rowling to grab a hold of him and restrain him.

Mr. Botwell, opened his mouth and said, as if nothing had happened, "You were saying?"

"Actually Mr. Botwell," The Judge ran a cloth over his face, "I think it would be best if we go on recess. Court shall resume in one hour exactly!" Tapping his mallet again, he stood up and walked out of the room.

Hermione sighed, and rushed over to Harry, all the while avoiding Mrs. Weasley's eyes.