Wordlessly Hermione pulled Draco to his feet, and out of the closet. He looked around his room, everything was lying on the floor, and the far wall had an enormous crack. She had been serious; Draco had let his magic escape in his frustration. But Hermione just held his hand, and waving her wand they watched everything fly back to its proper place. The wall melted back into a smooth surface, and she smiled at him, reassuringly.

"What happened to Michelle?"

Hermione held his hand tighter as they left his room, silently treading down the hallway.

"I sent her home."

Once in the kitchen Draco fell into the empty seat across from Hermione, "Did she notice?"

Hermione hid a smile, "You mean when the whole building started shaking and the furniture started floating? Yeah, she noticed."

Draco put his head in his hands, suddenly exhausted, "Sorry."

"That's alright, I modified her memory and everyone else in the building so..."

Draco looked up, "You modified every one's memory?"

Hermione nodded, "Well unless you wanted the ministry snooping around here, and besides I had to restabilize the building."

"That takes really powerful magic, Hermione. There are over 100 people in this building!"

Hermione blushed, but nodded, "Yes, well, you managed to crack the foundation. That is also powerful magic..." She studied him, "Why did you lose control, Draco?"

He licked his lips, which were now dry, "I don't really know really..."

Hermione gave him that same glare, the one that made her infamous in the ministry.

Draco closed his eyes, feeling shaken. If the ministry had found out that he had lost control of his magic around muggles there would be no chance for him. He needed to get his inheritance, he needed to prove to himself, and the whole wizarding world, that the Malfoy family was a name worth respecting. If he ever wanted to stop hiding he would have to stop blaming himself, stop focusing on the past, and start looking towards a possible future.

"Was it the Dark Mark?" Hermione finally spoke, "Because Michelle doesn't..."

"I know, I know," Draco cut her off, voice harsher then he meant, "It just sunk in again...that this...thing prevents me from having a normal life."

Hermione just stared at him," Draco, I said we will figure out your inheritance. You will have a normal life again."

"Will you help me?" Draco whispered, not daring to look into her eyes.

Hermione froze, not bothering to hide her shock, when Draco slowly met her eyes.

She swallowed, reaching over and taking his cold hands, "You know I will."

"Thank you..." Draco gripped her hand, pulling her closer, needing to breathe in her scent. She rested her head on his chest with a small smile. For a moment they sat there in silence, and Draco felt his breathing even out, the exhaustion from the lack of magic, beginning to fade.

"So what do you want to do now?" Hermione's voice interrupted his thoughts, and despite how he felt Draco grinned.

"What was your idea?" Draco whispered into her hair.

Hermione immediately sat up, eyes bright, "From what I have been researching, the wizarding laws have never been officially changed. They denied you your inheritance, based on your father..."

"And myself..."

Hermione ignored him, "...being a Death Eater, which supposedly qualifies under the Malicious Wizard decree of 1666, where it was decided that a wizard who had committed a foul enough crime, mass murder of muggles, or an unforgivable used repeatedly on an individual until death, and so forth would have an added punishment...which came about because of the wizard Dollander Neco, who set fire to a muggle barn which then spread to consume most of London, which instead of then putting out, he decided to watch from his broomstick..."

Draco grabbed her hand, "Hermione."

She glanced at him surprised, then blushed, "Sorry, anyway, the Decree of 1666 stated the accused would then have all of their assets taken and distributed to the victim, or victims family. Depending on the causality rate, and after the appropriate punishment decreed, and a hearing by the Wizengamot..." the accused would then have his assets valued then divided..."

Draco sighed, "What does that have to do with me?"

Hermione glanced at him, "I was getting to that, these laws, have never been extensively updated, and considering the time period it was originally made, leave large loop holes I'm sure the ministry will not like to be reminded of."

Draco suddenly felt hopeful, "And those are?"

"Well, if you recall, the Underage Wizarding act is a comparatively recent decision by wizarding standards, that forgives underage wizards who accidentally expose themselves to muggles, or, because of uncontrolled magic cause minor accidents..."

"Hermione..." Draco sighed.

She paused, looking guilty, "Sorry. But what I am trying to say is that we can use the Underage Wizarding act to our advantage. It is the loophole we need to expose the Ministry's unfair usage of your money and estate."

Draco paused, "How?"

"You were accused by the standards of the Malicious Wizard Decree of 1666, and that law applied only to the most common accusers of the day, wizards. Not only were witches excluded," Hermione stared at Draco, "But it also leaves out "those who have only recently been given a wand"."

Draco stared at her, processing her words, "You're saying that because I was underage I cannot be subject to that Decree?"

Hermione nodded, eyes bright.

Draco ran his hands through his hair, "But I participated in the final battle Hermione, and by then I had turned 17..."

Hermione only grinned, "But that is not what you were punished for, was it? Think back to the Death Eater Trials."

"I was charged for the attempted murder of Albus Dumbledore..."

"Yes," Hermione nodded, "But you didn't murder him. Harry testified on record that you were coerced into becoming a Death Eater, as punishment for your fathers mistakes. He said you lowered your wand..."

Draco looked away, "I remember, Hermione, but what are you saying?

"They accused you as an adult wizard, a full Death Eater, despite the evidence that you were a decoy of Voldemort's and that you were underage when it happened..."

"And the law is based on when the crime was committed, and I was still underage!" Draco practically leaped from the couch, " Therefore I can get my inheritance!"

Hermione nodded seriously, then broke into a smile, "Yes, you were underage, therefore not eligible to be a Death Eater, which the courts already acknowledged by not sending you to Azkaban. So while the Ministry can still keep all of your fathers property under the Decree of 1666, they cannot keep your inheritance, for the law of inheritance dates further back then the Decree..."

Draco swept Hermione off the couch, and crushed his body to hers, locking their lips together.

"You...are completely... and utterly...amazing..." Draco kissed her face and neck furiously, wanting to dance around the room with Hermione, then throw her back on the couch and make passionate love to her.

"Thank you," Hermione whispered, and Draco paused in ravishing her neck, looking at a suddenly shy and pink witch.

Smiling he took her face in his hands, pressing their faces together, "Thank you, thank you, thank you."

Draco felt her skin grow hot under his hands, "We haven't won yet."

"But this is more of a chance then I've had in years."

Hermione smiled, "I want to clear your name too, you know."

Draco paused, then kissed her again, nice and slow, "What can I do to help you?"

In response he felt her hands creep up under his shirt and wrap around him, "Just hold me," She whispered.

Draco smiled.

Once again, I apologize this took so long, but I really wanted to get the story clear in this chapter, and the logistics of wizarding law is hard to do...Hope it makes sense. Enjoy and review, por favor!