A/N: Phew! Sorry, once again, for the massive delay in getting this chapter up.

A/N II: Writing/reading court scenes is boring so I've tried to add other things into the mix. You'll be the judge of how successful I've been!

A/N III: According to the internet, which is never wrong, the Death Eaters mentioned in this chapter were likely incarcerated following the war or their fate is unknown. I have used this to my advantage.

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Hermione had stopped in the doorway of their bedroom to observe Severus sat on the edge of the bed, fastening the last of many buttons down his front. He had on the same bottle-green robes he'd been wearing when Hermione had first seen him in The Moroi. That was almost three years to the day ago, though in some ways it seemed much longer, and in others like it was only yesterday.

'What?' Severus enquired, arching an eyebrow at catching her staring.

'I was just thinking,' she replied, 'how you wore those - your best robes - when you finally agreed to meet with me in Bolstrad.'

'Mmm,' he returned, getting to his feet and checking himself over in the mirror. 'I wouldn't flatter yourself thinking it was for your benefit, I just wanted you to think I was doing alright for myself.'

'Oh, charming!' she said with a smile, taking a few steps towards him and wrapping her arms around his middle from behind, her head rested against his shoulder blade. She felt him stiffen slightly, for just a brief moment, and then relax into her hold.

'Thank Merlin you didn't fall for it,' he whispered. Gently, he prised her fingers apart where they met over his abdomen and turned to face her. Hermione felt a burning desire to be close to him, and refused to remove her arms, which slid to his thin waist. He studied her for a moment, his dark eyes flicking over her features meticulously. 'You're alright,' he said, his voice strange. It had not been a question but rather like he felt as though if he said it aloud it would make it more true.

'I'm alright,' she replied, and she saw a ghostly smile pass across his lips. She didn't need to ask how he was, she could tell by how tightly his hands gripped her shoulders, and the way the muscle twitched in his jaw that he was struggling. 'Are you ready?' she asked instead.

He inhaled deeply and closed his eyes. 'As I'll ever be,' he replied.

~oOo~

It was hot and stuffy inside the court house, and if Hermione had considered it busy at the pre-trial hearing, that was nothing compared with the scene that had greeted them today. The moment they had stepped out of the floo and into the atrium they'd been met by a barrage of flashing camera lights. She'd felt Severus tense at her side, but in the next moment he had taken her hand and was pulling her through the crowd towards the courtroom with apparent determination. That was how it would appear in the papers tomorrow at any rate; Hermione alone could sense his hesitancy. Indeed, her own legs felt leaden, and she wanted nothing more than to turn with him and flee. It crossed her mind that they might pick up the twins, Apparate to Bolstrad, live out their lives in that crooked little house at the top of the hill, and no one would need know the truth. It would be as though all this horridness with the trial were merely some bad dream. But then they'd arrived at the small ante-chamber, slightly out of breath from the briskness of Severus' pace, and seeing Featherstonehaugh stood soberly, in his starched black robes and horsehair wig, had made the reality of the situation irrefutable.

'Ah,' the solicitor said, picking up a few sheets of parchment, 'you're here. Any last instructions?'

'I don't think so,' Severus said a little hoarsely before turning to face Hermione. 'You should go and find a seat,' he said, giving her the distinct impression that actually there was something he'd like to say Featherstonehaugh, he just didn't want her to hear it.

'Alright,' she reluctantly acquiesced, 'then I will see you tonight,' she told him, reaching up on her tiptoes to kiss him.

'You will,' he replied, looking at her a little longingly as he stroked a stray curl behind her ear, 'now go on.'

She issued him a weak smile, nodded once, and left the room in something of a flurry lest she burst into tears. Tears would do no one any good, so she ignored the burning sensation behind her eyelids and strode down the corridor towards the courtroom entrance determinedly. She could hear the thrum of voices from within before she had even opened the door, and paused for a moment with her palms pressed against the oak. She didn't know what she was waiting for, or attempting to delay, and she knew that whatever it was, her attempts would be futile, yet she couldn't bring herself to go inside. Perhaps she'd spent so long trying to be optimistic for Severus' sake that she'd actually convinced herself that a 'not guilty' verdict was inevitable, and being here had reminded her that it was actually anything but.

''Ermione?' a familiar voice sounded from behind her, though it was surely impossible, 'you did not tell us you were friends with 'arry Potter!'

'She did not tell us a lot of things,' said another voice, a little reprovingly.

Hermione turned to see the most unexpected gathering of people: Fiers and Stela, the ones who had spoken, were there, looking slightly bewildered, Harry was beside them, and, loitering in the shadows at the back, was Draco Malfoy of all people.

'I thought you might have come down here,' Harry said, confused and a little uncomfortable looking, 'these two said they knew you?'

Hermione looked between them all with wide, glassy eyes. 'Yeah,' she said breathlessly after a moment, 'they do,' and with that she lurched forwards and fell into Stela's welcoming arms.

'W-we should never have left Bolstrad,' she stammered frantically, feeling sudden, overwhelming guilt, which she suspected had been building for some time, buried beneath a multitude of other emotions. 'If I hadn't made him come home none of this would have happened. H-he warned me and I didn't listen…' There were still no tears but wild sobs ricocheted through her chest as she clutched to Stela's shoulders.

'Now, now,' Stela comforted her with a pat on the back, 'it would have been but a half life you lived if you were not being true to yourselves.'

'Mmm,' Hermione murmured into Stela's shoulder, clinging to her old friend for dear life. She was not entirely convinced, right now, in the shadow of the trial, any life in Bolstrad seemed preferable to what was waiting beyond those oak doors.

'We wrote to Severus before we came,' the old woman then said.

'He never mentioned.'

'Probably because he told us not to come,' Fiers replied, coming up beside Hermione and patting her arm in a fatherly way, 'but the day is yet to come when I will take orders from my assistant, so we are here whether he likes it or not!'

That made Hermione smile and a moment later she pulled back from Stela, stood up, and straightened out her robes. 'I've… well, we've missed you so much,' she continued, 'I'm sorry we didn't tell you.'

'It is understandable why you did not,' Fiers said.

'How did you find out?' she asked.

Fiers chuckled. 'That's all down to you, dear,' he said with a smile. 'You remember, even as recently as when you were in Romania, how the newspapers were manipulated so only positive things were written about magic and those who used it. It was to encourage that sense of solidarity amongst wizarding communities in the face of the oppression they experienced at the hands of the Muggles. It is, of course, precisely why Severus was able to live such an anonymous existence in Romania in the first place. But that is all a thing of the past now.'

'We did not hear stories of Voldemort or anyone who would use Dark magic,' Stela then said, taking over the story telling from her husband. 'But now, there is going to be a treaty, Hermione, between the Muggle government and our own. They have agreed to stop paying out for people to give up their magical status-'

'Yes,' Fiers interjected, apparently unable to contain himself, 'and there is no need for press injunctions in such a climate, so they have been telling us what happened in Britain after your war. How Harry Potter triumphed and… and about how Voldemort's followers were rounded up; Severus, "The Last Death Eater," now amongst them.'

Stela nodded eagerly, a broad grin spreading across her kind, wrinkled face. 'That is why Nicu is not here. He wanted to be, but he must stay in Budapest to oversee the new treaty being signed. He continues your work!'

Hermione smiled shyly. It felt wrong to be happy considering what was about to happen, but she couldn't help but be pleased, if not a little overwhelmed, that her years of work on The Watch's cause had come to fruition in such a remarkable way. 'That's fantastic,' she croaked, unsure how to verbalise exactly what it was she felt.

'Better than fantastic. But it is something to be celebrated after all this nastiness is over,' Stela said, apparently reading Hermione's uncomfortableness.

'We should get going,' Harry offered, checking his watch.

'Right,' said Hermione, nodding as she mentally pulled herself together. 'Oh,' she then exclaimed, suddenly remembering that Draco was still there. He had managed to make himself surprisingly inconspicuous for a Malfoy. 'What… what did you want?' she asked, sounding rude but not meaning to.

'Urm…' he murmured, slinking forwards out of the darkness. He was taller than Harry, but skinnier, certainly a less imposing figure in a darkened corridor such as this. 'I shouldn't really be here but I wanted to… well, forewarn you, I suppose…' He paused, looking uncomfortable, but his audience must have seemed impatient because, with a little stutter, he began again after just a moment: 'M-my father and his old friends, you see, they're planning on turning this trial to their advantage. "Throw Snape under the Knight Bus," were my father's words.'

'And what's the supposed to mean?' asked Harry, suddenly at Hermione's side so the four of them, Fiers and Stela included, faced Draco in unity.

The latter bowed his head slightly and refused to meet their gaze. It was a mannerism she recognised; Severus did the same thing, whenever he was in some way reminded of his association with Voldemort, and there was something disconcerting about witnessing the self-consciousness of these once confident men, however misplaced that confidence might have been.

'It won't be difficult for them to overemphasise Severus' role in the war to make their own seem lesser,' Draco explained. 'They'll make out he tricked them, manipulated them, took advantage of them…'

'That's ridiculous!' Harry cried before Hermione had the chance, 'everyone knows the part your father played in the war, and as soon as this trial gets under way, they'll all know exactly what part Snape played; that of spyfor Dumbledore!'

'And I hope you're right! I'm on your side, believe it or not, but Severus did get close Voldemort, whatever his intentions for doing so might have been,' said Draco, looking over his shoulder down the corridor as though checking they weren't being overheard. 'You were there at my father's trial. You saw him give information on the other Death Eaters to make himself look better, and Severus is like the jewel in the crown. Just don't underestimate what my father will do to regain even a fraction of the social standing he had before the war!'

'We wouldn't put any level of underhanded scheming past your father!' Harry spat.

'Good, then my job here is done,' Draco retaliated. 'I just wanted to be sure of that, and I've told Severus' solicitor what he can expect as well. I won't forget the things Severus did for me during the war, you know.'

'Right,' Hermione said, wanting to put a stop to Draco and Harry's argument before it had really begun. She didn't have the energy to deal with Draco at the moment. 'Then… thank you, I suppose,' she concluded somewhat dismissively.

Draco sighed resignedly, nodded once, and then brushed passed the four of them into the courtroom.

'I still can't trust him,' Harry said, once the door had closed again.

'It seems hypocritical to forgive Severus and not Draco for getting caught up in something when they young and impressionable, though,' Hermione reasoned.

'Mmm,' Harry shrugged, 'anyway, we really ought to get ourselves seated. Come on.'

Evidently reading Hermione's reluctance to go through the oak doors earlier, Harry didn't give her a moment longer to think about it before tugging her gently by the wrist into the muggy, overcrowded court. The din of voices fell silent at the sight of Harry Potter and Hermione Granger striding between the rows of seating, but in the next moment people had returned to their conversations and Hermione felt happily anonymous once more. Ginny was saving seats for them just beside the stand where Severus would be brought out to, and a quick glance around the nearby pews revealed a number of other people had also turned out for support. Minerva was there beside Eileen; Neville, Hannah, and Luna; George, Arthur and Molly Weasley, sat on either side of a grim looking Ron; and a few rows back was Draco sat surrounded by various vaguely familiar old Slytherin students. Hermione just hoped Severus recognised this for what it was; people on his side.

~oOo~

Whether or not Severus even saw the people who had gathered to support him, Hermione could not tell. From the moment he was brought into the dock he avoided so much as a glance in their direction. He kept his head down, his gaze steadfastly fixed on something the middle-distance above the Wizengamot's heads. He had stood, when asked by the Chief Warlock to do so, and spoken to confirm his name, and then had sat in his chair again, shoulders slightly slumped. The Chief Warlock had reiterated Severus' charge and explained to the court that opening statements from both the defence and prosecution would be followed by the presentation of evidence. He had then pointed a boney finger at Featherstonehaugh to intimate that he should go first.

'Ladies and gentlemen of the Wizengamot,' Featherstonehaugh began. Surprisingly, considering his small and crooked stature, there was something formidable about him as he addressed the room. 'My client does not deny killing Albus Dumbledore. But as we will show you over the course of this trial he had no choice but to kill one of his closest friends and allies, and one can only imagine what a torturous and painful act that must have been for a man to whom loyalty is no triviality. So why did he do it? My argument on that score; he did it for the sake of us all. It was an act of war, an act of war which was instrumental in Harry Potter living long enough to dispose of Voldemort once and for all. My client is a man who has dedicated almost his entire adult life to the protection of Harry Potter to this end. Indeed, you will hear many a fantastical tale over the next few days with regards to my client's own involvement with Voldemort and his followers, but I will take this opportunity to remind you that these fables come from the mouths of individuals already convicted, or at the very least, reluctantly pardoned by yourselves, of conspiring to bring about Pureblood rule and other related crimes. My point being, they are hardly trustworthy sources. I urge you to consider the facts of this case, and the facts are that Mr. Snape is no murderer.'

As Featherstonehaugh concluded and took his seat a tall, hawk-like woman across the room, who Hermione presumed to be the prosecution lawyer, got to her feet. She spoke in a scratchy, tinny voice that carried about the room with astounding clarity: 'ladies and gentlemen of the Wizengamot, before you, looking a little older, and perhaps a little tireder than you remember him, is Severus Snape. In 1997 this man was responsible for the murder of one of the greatest wizards of our time; Albus Dumbledore. He pointed his wand at an unarmed wizard and cast the worst of the unforgivable curses. We will show you throughout the course of this trial, how Snape has lied and manipulated for his own benefit. As Mr. Featherstonehaugh has just said, I have no doubt that loyalty has always been of utmost important to his client, but I would argue that his loyalty has always been placed with Voldemort. Without further ado, I would like to call the first witness to the stand; Lucius Malfoy.'

A door creaked open at the back of the silent courtroom and Lucius Malfoy was ushered in by a court warden. Hermione wasn't sure what she was expecting, or perhaps hoping for, but he looked much the same as he had before the final battle. Perhaps there was a little grey at his temples, but otherwise he strode down the centre of the courtroom and took his seat with a characteristic arrogance and smugness that only Lucius Malfoy could have been capable of affecting.

'Mr. Malfoy,' the hawk lady said, 'you understand when you are in this court that you are under oath to tell nothing but the truth?'

'I do,' he confirmed with a small smirk. Hermione saw Severus' body twitch a little and for the first time he lifted his head so to glare directly in Lucius' direction.

'I believe it would be of benefit to this court for us to start at the beginning,' the woman continued, 'tell us, if you will, how you and Mr. Snape first met?'

'We met at school, Hogwarts. I was a sixth year, Slytherin, and he was sorted into my house. He… caught my attention, I suppose.'

'In what sense?'

'For an eleven year old, he was particularly skilled at Dark magic, which was an… interest of mine at that time,' Lucius said, as though he had rehearsed every word very carefully. 'I reckon he could have taught me a thing or two,' he then added, with a hollow laugh. 'I'd seen him cast the odd hex in the corridors, but most students will do that from time to time, and then towards Christmas of his first year, I caught him out of bed after curfew - I was a prefect, you see - duelling with some other kids in his year. He knew curses I'd never heard of, in fact, it turned out later he'd invented him them himself. I think it was safe to say I was… impressed.'

'So you became friends?'

'I wouldn't say "friends," there was a considerable age gap, but certainly acquaintances. He was badly bullied, so I suppose, getting me and some of the other older boys on side had a protective factor for him. He would seek me out. He had a lot of questions, but once I left Hogwarts we lost touch for a few years.'

'And then what happened?'

'I received a letter from him. Quite out of the blue. Oh, it must have been three or so years later. Snape would have been about fifteen when he wrote it.'

'Indeed. I would like to draw the court's attention to exhibit A,' the woman's shrill voice rang out. A screen dropped down against one of the walls and there was a clicking and whirring noise from somewhere at the back of the room as a projector switched on. Magnified against the screen was an apparent copy if this missive for all to see, and though the lettering was a little larger, a little clumsier, more childlike, it was undoubtedly written in Severus' unmistakable spiky scrawl. 'For anyone at the back who can't quite see, I shall read exhibit A aloud: "Dear Mr. Malfoy, You said I should contact you when I came to a decision. I'm sorry it has taken me this long but I know what I want now. I don't think I should write it out in case this letter is intercepted, but I hope you will know what I mean. Next weekend is a Hogsmeade weekend. Can you meet me? Yours faithfully, S. Snape." And did you know what Mr. Snape was making reference to, Mr. Malfoy?'

'Yes. A conversation we had before I left school, or rather, a number of conversations we had had. He would ask me about becoming a Death Eater.'

'And you said you could help him?'

'No, no,' Lucius replied, waving his arms in front himself theatrically. 'Certainly not. I just said it was a big decision, he should think about it, and once he'd decided, he should contact me and we could… discuss it.'

'And did you meet Mr. Snape in Hogsmeade that weekend?'

'I did.'

'And what did you discuss?'

Lucius hesitated, apparently choosing his words carefully. It was the first time he had faltered throughout the entire inquisition. 'He asked me the same question again. He wanted to know what he needed to do to become one. He asked if I could take him to a meeting.'

'So what you're saying, Mr. Malfoy, is that from the age of at least… what, eleven, Mr. Snape was actively seeking to become a Death Eater?'

'Objection!' cried Featherstonehaugh, suddenly jumping back to his feet, 'irrelevant!'

'Overruled,' said the Chief Warlock with a dismissive wave of his hand, 'I think it is pertinent we have an understanding of any ideologies the defendant might have invested in if we are to understand whether or not he committed the crime in question. Continue, Mr. Malfoy.'

'Right… then, yes, I would say he was actively seeking becoming a Death Eater, I mean, there were other things too…'

And so, for over an hour Lucius Malfoy regaled the court with stories of Severus' corrupt and corrupting teenage years. Stories of how his letters had become incessant, obsessive almost, all expressing his fervent desire to join Voldemort's ranks; how he, poor Lucius, had felt overwhelmed, threatened even, as he had attempted to temper Severus' enthusiasm for the subject; how Severus had practically begged Lucius to take him to gatherings the moment he was of age, and how he had set about impressing the Dark Lord with demonstrations of his own Dark spells and potions from the very first of these. Lucius' role, according to Lucius, had been that of mere bystander, harassed, possibly spelled, into facilitating Severus' initiation. And the more Lucius spoke the more restlessness Hermione could sense from the crowds. They were like dogs who had been told to leave their food; staring, slobbering, single-minded, and Lucius was their master, they hung to his every word.

'How is Severus to have a fair trial when there are so many pre-conceptions?' Fiers whispered into Hermione's ear, leaning forward from the row of seats behind.

'I don't think fairness has factored into this at all,' Hermione muttered through gritted teeth, 'not facts for that matter,' she added, feeling completely justified in her sentiments as Lucius completed his tirade with:

'It's quite possible I wouldn't have become a Death Eater myself if it hadn't been for Snape haranguing me about it day and night…' he said, sounding very sorry for himself, 'threatening me to find things out for him… I didn't take The Mark so long before him, and certainly not long after I'd received his letter…' His grey eyes flicked about the room apparently assessing how his audience had taken this last part; Hermione shook her head with derision and disbelief and hoped she wasn't the only one. She wished Severus would look at her, look at all of them, so he might not feel quite so alone, so he would know that they hadn't believed a word, but he refused to remove his gaze from Lucius.

'Mr. Malfoy,' the prosecution lawyer said at last, thankfully silencing Malfoy, who she seemed to sense was falling apart. 'You have relayed to this court, in great depth I may add, your knowledge of the extent of the defendant's involvement with the Death Eaters, which was evidently substantial. I have no more questions for the moment. Thank you.' The prosecution lawyer sat down abruptly, glancing at Severus as if checking for some sign that she had chinked his armour. For his part, Severus remained with his gaze still fixed on Lucius, his expression perhaps vaguely disappointed.

With the hawk-lady having sat down it was Featherstonehaugh's turn to ask his questions. 'Mr. Malfoy,' he said sternly, getting to his feet and again and pacing in front of where Lucius sat. 'A point that seems to have been overlooked thus far, that perhaps you can clarify for me, is why Severus would ever have considered you some sort of authority on Death Eaters in the first place?'

'I…'

'I mean, you tell us that you were in some way beguiled, manipulated even, by this child, five years younger than you and for most of the period of time we are talking about, underage, but, if that is the case, which I am certainly not suggesting it was, why did he choose you, who apparently knew so little about what he wanted to know? Or perhaps why, if, again, you knew so little about the topic in question, did you even suggested in the first place that my client should contact you about it?'

Lucius said nothing, his mouth opening and closing soundlessly like a fish.

'It's no matter, Mr. Malfoy, if you're struggling with that,' Featherstonehaugh continued, 'I think your lack of answer tells the Wizengamot all they need know. Perhaps I should remind the court that the only reason you are not in Azkaban today is because you defected from your Dark Lord in the very last throes of the war, just as you realised he had no chance of winning!'

'Objection!' the hawk-lady interjected, 'argumentative!'

'Upheld,' grumbled the Chief Warlock, 'this is Mr. Snape's trial, Featherstonehaugh, not Mr. Malfoy's.'

Featherstonehaugh shrugged. 'Then perhaps you would care to be more vocal with my next line questioning, Mr. Malfoy, lest we should think you have become bewitched once more?' he said, addressing Lucius again. 'In 1996, your son, Draco Malfoy, was given a rather special task by your Master, was he not?'

Lucius paled visibly and took a sip of the water from the glass in front of him, clearing his throat. Hermione suspected he wasn't used to being spoken to like this and relished the slight thrill she experienced at seeing him so uncomfortable looking. 'He was,' Lucius croaked.

'Can you explain what that was?'

'To… to kill Albus Dumbledore.'

There were a few gasps from the crowd which Featherstonehaugh seemed to enjoy having caused. 'And shortly after this honour was bestowed on your son, his mother, your wife, visited my client at his home and asked him to help your son; asked him protect your son, even complete the task he had been assigned should he fail? She will tell us herself in the coming days how she had him partake in an unbreakable vow to this end?'

Lucius' brow creased. 'I…' he began before trailing off. He scanned the crowds of people searchingly until he found Draco. From where Hermione sat, Draco's face was obscured by a number of other heads, however, she sensed that he must have reacted affirmatively in some way to Featherstonehaugh's question because the crowd suddenly erupted with such disdain that the Chief Warlock had to intervene to silence them. 'I… not to my knowledge,' Lucius called over the din. 'Not that I know of!'

Featherstonehaugh heaved a dry chuckle. He was clearly enjoying himself, even if he was the only one. '"Not to your knowledge,"' he repeated. 'Could you tell the court where you were at this time?'

'Azkaban,' Lucius replied at length, murmuring it rather as though he didn't want people reminding of the fact.

'So it is quite possible that this event took place without your being privy to it? That perhaps your wife and son would not have wanted you to know this?'

Lucius grimaced and looked at the prosecution lawyer for support, though none was forthcoming. Indeed, she now looked rather like a hawk that had flown through a particularly bad storm, so flustered had she become. 'I… suppose that is possible,' Lucius said at length as though each word were being torn from him unwillingly, 'though I think it very unlikely.'

'Fortunately,' Featherstonehaugh scoffed, 'what you "think" is of no concern to this court, we deal in facts here, and perhaps when we hear from your son and your wife over the coming days we will finally get hear some! This is pointless, no further questions.'

Lucius stepped down from the stand slowly, looking as though he didn't quite understand what had just happened. But Featherstonehaugh being finished with cross-examining Lucius only meant it was the turn of his old cronies to step in, and clearly Draco had not been mistaken about any of their intentions. One by one, eerily familiar faces that still had an ability to send chills down Hermione's spine took the stand to deride Severus.

'Oh, yeah,' Crabbe, who had been let out of Azkaban for the occasion, had told them, 'Snape told The Dark Lord all kinds of stuff. All Dumbledore's secrets… there was the time when the Order were moving Potter and Snape told us where they would… very accurate information it was too… there was a battle and a number of deaths… Snape was casting curses and jinxes just like the rest of us.'

'Indeed,' the prosecution lawyer mused with a self-satisfied smirk, 'that seems a rather strange thing for someone who purports that they were trying to save Harry Potter's life to do. No further questions.'

'… made him very popular with The Dark Lord all that masterminding did too!' Selwyn contributed, 'his right hand man, and I reckon he'd have done anything to maintain that position, murdering Dumbledore included! I don't think The Dark Lord could have been half as successful if it wasn't for Snape.'

'It's no use my pretending I was some kind of angel,' Avery said, giggling madly, 'but even I was shocked by some of the stuff Snape used to get up to. Right from when we were at school… handed out hexes like they were Bertie Bott's, didn't have a good word to say about Dumbledore even then; reckoned he favoured the filthy Mud-'

'Now, now,' the hawk-lady said, interrupting Avery, who seemed to have succumbed to a touch of insanity, just in time. 'None of you have painted a pretty picture this afternoon,' she added, as Avery was ushered out of the courtroom. 'I don't think there is any point in continuing, my point is made, I feel.'

Featherstonehaugh had questioned all these others just as he had Lucius, reducing most of them to gibbering wrecks, but it was difficult to say whether the Wizengamot could overlook the pre-conceptions Fiers had spoken of. It would be naïve to believe that this trial was going to be based solely on the evidence given within it and not the twenty years of lies and aspersion Severus had had to endure prior to it. She'd tried to read the Wizengamot's facial expressions, but it was a futile endeavour; their features were stoney, unbearably unreadable.

So Hermione left the court room at the end of the day feeling exhausted and deflated, and when she met Severus back in the ante-chamber it was to find him looking much the same. He issued her a tight, closed-mouthed smile, and there didn't seem to be anything to say. Fiers and Stela fussed him and Severus was polite, not that he wasn't really pleased to see them, Hermione just suspected he wished it had been under better circumstances.

'I still cannot believe I spent three years with a war hero working in my shop for five Aur an hour!' Fiers said, shaking his head at Severus like a disappointed parent.

'That's the equivalent of about two Galleons, ten Sickles an hour,' Hermione explained to Harry, who seemed to find the concept of Severus working as an assistant in a perfumer's mildly amusing anyway, regardless of how little he'd earned doing it.

'Leave the boy alone!' Stela reprimanded her husband. 'He needs his rest now. He has a busy week of this!'

'Mmm, we should be getting home,' Hermione agreed, stepping beside Severus and looping her arm through his. Selfishly, perhaps, she needed him to herself for a little while.

'We'll be back tomorrow,' said Harry.

'And the day after, and the day after!' Fiers added. 'Until the end.'

'Thank you,' said Severus, though it sounded a little strained. He was too used to having to go through these things alone, Hermione thought.

~oOo~

They returned home that evening to an empty house. Hermione's parents were taking care of the twins and had agreed to have them overnight until Hermione and Severus settled into the routine of attending court. It was still light outside but Severus drew the living room curtains the moment they stepped through the Floo, then threw himself onto the settee, screwed up his face and pinched the bridge of his nose. Hermione didn't say anything, didn't know what to say, but squeezed him on the shoulder as she moved passed him to go make some tea and open a bottle of wine.

'I'm sorry you had to hear all that today,' Severus said after taking several considerable gulps of the wine Hermione had handed him a few moments later.

Hermione sighed. 'I can't pretend I enjoyed it,' she said, 'but Lucius is a liar, I'm sure the Wizengamot know he's not to be trusted.'

'He's not a liar,' Severus said, as though he rather regretted the fact, 'he's an embellisher, perhaps, and a surmiser, but nothing he said was a lie.'

'Oh…' Hermione replied. Being reminded of Severus' history still left a sour taste in her mouth. 'Well, it doesn't matter what he is, it's our turn tomorrow. Harry and me, Minerva… and then Featherstonehaugh can call his witnesses, can't he? Draco and Dumbledore's portrait… even Narcissa. Things will start to look a lot better from tomorrow.'

'Things couldn't look much worse,' Severus mumbled, defeatedly.

Hermione shifted closer to him on the settee and placed an arm around his shoulders. 'But what's one thing you're grateful for?' she asked. 'In all of this, what's one thing?'

Severus turned to look at her so their faces were mere inches apart. She noticed his eyes were red-rimmed, and he wore he a strange, panicked expression. He opened his mouth to speak before quickly closing it again.

'Well?' she prompted when he remained silence for just a little too long.

'It was nice of Stela and Fiers to come all this way,' he said, rather lamely. He looked away as he spoke, as though looking at Hermione caused him some sort of pain. 'What about you?'

'Your bravery,' she replied immediately, having being pondering this all day. 'I had long thought your loyalty was your greatest quality but now I see that it's your bravery.'

Severus huffed incredulously. 'There's a fine line between bravery and stupidity,' he returned, draining his glass.