*Sigh* As always I own nothing but the plot. I felt that the story needed some comic relief, so near the end its not so serious. It's going to be a little less umm dark, from here out I think. Anyways tell me what you think. Also shout out for the reviews

sweet-tang-honney

ThexRaven

Beautiful-Liar13

Chapter 4

It ended up being Dean Thomas who was assigned to escort Hermione to the prison. She bid her farewell to Lucius and turned back to Dean.

"Alright then, let's go."

"Are you going to put your glamours back on?"

"No they'll just be taken off again."

He nodded and stuck out his arm. She laced hers thru his and felt the familiar pull at her navel as they apparated to Azkaban. She stumbled at the landing, then looked up at the foreboding building. She'd never actually seen Azkaban.

"God, this place is miserable isn't it?"

"Well it is the prison Herms."

She shook her head, "I have to get him out of here."

Dean laced his arm thru hers again and they headed for the large iron gate in the front.

Once they made it thru security, Dean sat Hermione down at a large metal table with a ring in front of it.

"Stay here, and I'll get Snape for you."

She nodded silently. She sat there for maybe 5 minutes when she heard a guard call out, "Presenting Prisoner Severus Snape!"

She stood as he was ushered thru the door and his hands were attached to the ring on the table.

"Oh Severus!"

She sat back down and placed her hands over his. He looked at her, and his mask of calm broke.

"Damn it! That fool didn't get all he deserved."

"Severus, why would you do such a thing? After going thru all that to get your name cleared after the war."

"It was entirely worth it Hermione, have you looked in a mirror and seen what that monster did to you?"

She blushed and looked down, remembering her breakdown from the night before.

"Yes, I have." She answered quietly.

His face softened as he began to stroke her hand, "Hermione, how are you? Really? Is Lucius helping you?"

"I'm ok, really. I mean I'm still a little in shock I suppose, but mostly just angry at everyone. You know not a single one of them has contacted me? No one. Harry accused me today when I went to the auror's department. I mean honestly accused me of lying. I don't know what I would have done if Lucius hadn't been there to help me thru all of this. We've kind of reached an understanding, the two of us."

Severus had a feeling that they would, once given a chance. That was why he had trusted Lucius to stay with her. At the very least, he knew that he would have stayed with her until he felt she was well enough to take care of herself.

"Hermione, I'm sorry I'm not there to help you right now."

"No that's ok, I do appreciate what you did, defending my honor and all that appeals to the princess inside me." She smirked, "But we do need to get you out. Kingsley has my medical report, and said we have a chance but we need testimonies from all three of us. That is the other reason Dean is here. I need your testimony to get you out."

Dean walked back in from the hall where he had been listening. He put a hand lightly on Hermione's shoulder as he sat down. He couldn't believe that Ron had actually done this, but couldn't believe even more that no one seemed to believe her but two convicted 'rapists' themselves. Dean knew of Snape and Malfoy's endeavors during their stints in the Dark Lord's cause. As much as he would like to condemn them, now that he was married and had a small one of his own, he felt he would do anything in the world to protect either of them. While that didn't excuse anything they did, they were atoning for their sins in their own ways and that was good enough for him. He pulled out an enchanted notebook and quill.

"Ok Snape, you know how this goes, enchanted notebook and enchanted quill make sure you aren't lying and dictate everything you say, right?""Yes, Mister Thomas."

"You may begin when you're ready."

Severus cleared his throat and began to tell Dean everything that had happened.

Walking back into the auror department, Hermione saw Harry again but firmly ignored his pleas as she walked straight by into the head's office with Dean.

He read over the testimony from Snape and looked at Hermione.

"Well this is a very good start. Now, if you have a moment, we need to get your testimony as well. I know you already gave most of it to the healer, but we need the details of how you came about to Snape's house and why he felt he needed to defend your honor."

"Right, well yes I have a moment."

"Great, Dean can you go send an owl to Mister Malfoy requesting him to come in as well?"

"Of course sir."

He walked out and shut the door. Head Auror Dawlish turned to Hermione, "Ok do you know how these work?"He held up the same quill and notebook Dean used earlier.

"No sir."

"They are laced with veritaserum, making sure that everything you say and everything the quill dictates is truth. If you were to lie they would emit a high squeal and stop writing. Is this clear?"

"Yes, sir let's begin."

Hermione was just finishing up her story when there was a knock on the door. "Enter."

Lucius walked in and sat down, "Dawlish."

"Malfoy, we need your testimony.""Of course.""Miss Granger if you'll excuse us."

"Nonsense, she can stay."

Hermione sat back down and looked at Lucius as he began his tale. She gasped when she heard that Severus had showed him her while she was in the tub. Traitor, she thought bitterly. Lucius smirked at her, since he knew exactly what she was thinking, being as Severus told him not to tell her. He finished his story and Dawlish shut the notebook.

"Ok here is what we are going to do. I've been notified that Ron is off the ventilators now. So Hermione, if you can, I would like you to accompany me to the hospital. I need to see how Ron is going to react to you. Since your reports are true, I get the feeling he will be outwardly hostile to you. If that is the case, I can document this and it will greatly help you. Then I will take his testimony, which will most certainly prove interesting, although you can't stay for that part. Then I will bring everything back here, file motions to dismiss the allegations against Snape, although I do believe he is still going to have to pay a hefty fine and possibly some jail time because it was still assault no matter the reasoning behind it. It shouldn't be anything substantial though. I will also file charges against Mister Weasley and providing everything goes accordingly, he should get a hefty jail sentence for his attack against you. Everything clear?""Yes sir."

"Good, then let's get a move on."

Dawlish and Lucius stood and moved towards Hermione.

"Malfoy, you can leave you aren't necessary for this part."

"I told Severus I would watch her, and somehow I think facing her attacker is going to be a little overwhelming for her. I would like to accompany her."

Dawlish looked at Hermione, "It's ok with me sir. I would like him to come."

Dawlish shrugged, "Very well then, let's go."

Entering St. Mungo's on Lucius Malfoy's arm and being escorted by the head auror proved to be another interesting experience. Everyone stared at her. This time she left her glamours down for purely vindictive reasons. They stood silently in the elevator as it rose to the Intensive Care Ward. As the doors slid quietly open, Hermione observed the whole Weasley clan, minus Charlie, Harry and Luna. "Oh this is not going to go well."

She felt her bravery completely fail her. Lucius tightened his grip on her arm and pulled her closer.

"Don't worry Hermione, I won't let anything happen to you. Say the word and we'll leave."

"Ok." Oddly, that made her feel more confident. They stepped into the lobby, following Dawlish. She felt all eyes turn to her. Most were glaring, especially at the company she kept. George and Ginny looked sympathetically at her. Seemed perhaps not everyone thought the worse of her after all.

"You little bitch!"

Hermione flinched as Molly launched at her. She felt Lucius tighten his arm and swing her around behind him.

"Mrs. Weasley!"

Dawlish stepped in front of Lucius and Hermione, holding up his hands.

"Hermione is here at my bequest. Please refrain or I will have you escorted off the floor until we leave."

"Look, the little bitch jumped right into bed with the worse Slytherin still around."

She sneered at Hermione. Hermione felt tears well up as the vindictive comment hit home from the woman she always thought of as another mother. Harry and Luna remained silent, Harry having learned his lesson earlier.

"Mrs. Weasley kindly remove yourself out of my way." Lucius scoffed.

"How dare you!" She raised a hand at Lucius.

Hermione gasped and pulled with all her strength at Lucius's finely tailored robes. He stumbled back just as Hermione stepped forward and grabbed Molly's arm.

"What do you think you are doing, Molly?"

Molly ripped her arm out of Hermione's grip. Lucius straightened his robes and stepped up right behind Hermione. She felt his warmth soothing against her back and she stood straight.

"I can't believe that all of you would think the worst of me like this. What have I done to any of you to deserve such disrespect? Nothing, that is what. I have been a friend, sister, daughter, and confidante to everyone in this room and when something traumatic happens to me, this is how you repay me? With scorn, humiliation and disrespect? I always defended the Weasley name when people would laugh and talk down about you, and now? I think that everyone was right. You make me sick."

Ginny and George looked completely ashamed. Harry looked vaguely sick and Luna seemed to be contemplating Hermione. Dawlish set his hand on her shoulder making her jump. He blushed, then pointed her to Ron's door.

"Miss Granger, if you please?"

Hermione headed thru the door, Lucius stopped.

"Hermione, I won't go in there. Making it a harder situation for you isn't my intention. I'll be right here, just call if you need me ok?"

"Of course, thank you."

Dawlish followed her in and shut the door. Lucius turned out back to the room, and rested against the door. Everyone seemed to glare at him. Ginny shuffled about, then finally with a deep breath, headed over to him.

"Mister Malfoy?"

"Yes, Miss Weasley?"

"Is she, I mean, uhhh shit. Is Hermione ok?"

"What do you think?"

Ginny blushed furiously but he wasn't done.

"She has gone thru something so traumatic that most people can't fathom it. Yet, when she needs them the most, all her friends abandoned her for her attacker. None of you gave one thought to how she was. I may not know Hermione all that well, but even I didn't doubt her story when Severus told me. There is no way she would lie about something as devastating as that. Yet, all of you condemned her right away and left her to handle on her own. No, Miss Weasley she is not alright, nor will she be for some time I imagine."

He watched as tears slid down her cheeks but he felt no remorse. They all deserved to feel guilt. He looked at Molly and saw that she was still just as stubborn as her stupid son. The eldest looked mildly confused, the remaining twin seemed remorseful and Potter looked as stupid as he always did. He thought the blonde was Lovegood, but wasn't completely sure. She seemed contemplative, which he felt was the best reaction of the room. Ginny walked back to her seat over by George. Suddenly, he heard yelling from in the room and stood up straight, whipping his wand from his cane. A high pitch squeal followed shortly after, and he smirked. The idiot was going to bury himself if he kept lying. It stopped and silence followed after. He began to relax when the door was ripped open behind him. Catching himself, only to be thrown back into the door frame. Hermione wrapped her arms around him and began sobbing. His arms instinctively went around her, rubbing her back trying to soothe her. Dawlish came out and Lucius threw a glare at him. He heaved a heavy sigh.

"I've got everything I need.""What the bloody hell happened?"

"Sometimes, the truth is worse than the lies."

"He…he" Hermione hiccupped, "called me a frigid prude who no one would ever love. That I shouldn't complain that he raped me because it's the only time any man would touch me. God, am I really that bad? Am I that hideous!"

She began to wail again and hid her face. Lucius was absolutely appalled.

"He said that all to her?"

"Yes, he also had some other comments about a Miss Brown…"

"Stupid stupid whore!"

Lucius raised his eyebrow at Hermione's outburst, but she had already resumed her crying. Chuckling slightly, "Do you not like this Miss Brown?"

"She is nothing but a stupid whore! The only thing she lives for is sex, because even an incompetence airhead like her can figure out how to lay on her god damned back!"

"Really?"

Dawlish gave Lucius a dirty look.

"Yes, really. Why are you questioning me? Don't question me. Who the bloody hell are you to question me? You don't know her. God apparently he's been fucking her since I started working for Severus! Well you know what RONALD!"

Hermione had turned back to the door, "I sucked Severus's cock long long ago! Why do you think when I finally did it to you it was Oh so wonderful!"

, Lucius busted outright laughing at her confession. Oh my, he thoughtprude she is not. She just needs the right man to handle the little minx. She turned to glare at him but he was still snickering.

"What the hell are you laughing at Lucius!"

"You dear."

"Don't you dear me you arse."

He began to laugh again. He saw that most of the people were looking them like they were crazy. Only Molly and Potter looked like they wanted to murder someone.

"Ugh, I'm so done with you. What are you on? Did you nick something in the hall? Why the bloody hell didn't you share? I ache. I want my potion and that stupid cream."

She seemed to have lost steam, although it didn't go far. Her hair was poofed out and her face was bright red, at least what wasn't bruised.

"Well then, let's get some food, wine and then we'll get your potion and em, cream."

She blushed, knowing that the healer must have told him what the cream was for.

"Gods, just kill me now."

He turned to Dawlish, "Are we done here?"

He shook his head, "Yeah, we are. You all are fing nuts you know that?"

"I believe its just the company I keep, Dawlish."

Hermione smacked him upside his head. He looked down at her and she stuck her tongue out at him and began down the hall.

"Did you just smack me you little wench?"

She flipped him off and continued down the hallway. He stared after her in shock, then turned back to Dawlish.

"Did you see that? She just hit me."

"Didn't see a thing, sorry."

Lucius shook his head and followed after her. He caught up with her in the elevator.

"You hit me."

"So I did."

"And flipped me off."

"Observant you are."

"Bloody hell."

She snickered and leaned back up against him.

As always, reviews are cherished, constructive criticism welcome and flames be damned.