Disclaimer: Of course, these lovely characters do not belong to me. I do borrow them for a new idea.
Prison
May 1998
She stared at the food in front of her. It looked quite delicious if she was honest, but she still refused the grumble in her stomach. Instead, she studied the expensive china, the silverware, and crystal. This whole situation was so absurd and wrong and yet here she was – imprisoned in a golden cage.
The celebration of Harry's win, of their win, seemed like a distant memory. Really it had just been a couple of days. The exhaustion of the fight had started to make her sleepy that evening. She had been sat between Ron and Ginny, with Harry on Ginny's other side in the Gryffindor commons. Those fighting on their side had been brought into the still-standing living quarters of Hogwarts, while anyone remaining of the losing side, had been secured in the dungeons.
She had felt Ron's arm wrap around her, as her head had settled on his shoulder. She had been just ready to risk closing her eyes when she had caught a glimpse of Kingsley arguing with Molly and Arthur. Her interest had been perked, but she was so tired after days without sleep and with the adrenalin leaving her veins.
Ron's arm had tightened around her when Kingsley and another wizard had made their way over to them. Being back with those she trusted, Hermione had been too tired to feel threatened by Kingsley. Now she knew that was a mistake.
"Mrs. Malfoy…" it hadn't been just her breath that caught in her throat, the whole room had become uncomfortably quiet. The Weasleys all had had their eyes on her and Harry had moved to attention.
"We have to ask you to come with us and answer a few questions."
"What the hell?" Ron had risen and stood between her and Kingsley.
"Ron this is none of your concern." It was then that she had noticed that Kingsley had only called her by her last name.
"Well, I'm sure this can wait until morning." Harry had now been next to Ron. The two of them shielding her and Ginny, while the redhead girl had woven her arm tightly through her own.
"Unfortunately it cannot wait." Kingsley had hesitated, but the other wizard seemed to have had his emotions much more at bay.
"Someone suspected of treason cannot be staying in these quarters." It had been then that all the other Weasleys along with the Longbottom's, McGonagall, and a few others had surrounded her.
"You have no idea what really happened." Harry had spat, but the wizard had not cared.
"That's why she needs to come in for questioning."
There had been more arguing but in the end, they had taken her. She had been questioned in one of the old classrooms. Kingsley had seemed softer after a few answers but the other wizard was determined to find something.
It had taken hours to recount the story multiple times. Someone had told them about her helping Narcissa during the battle. Probably the Ravenclaw that had gotten offended, when she protected her mother-in-law rather than taking her down. The Auror didn't seem satisfied with her explanation of obligation through the bind.
And while she had first pondered to include the mind-reading she had done it when the mention of truth serum started. Of course, having Malfoy in her mind had made her so much more of a traitor than she had been before, although she couldn't help it.
Even Kingsley seemed a bit unraveled at the suggestion that had followed hours later that she should be staying at the Malfoy Manor until her name was cleared. That had not been the answer, she had expected when asking where she should stay since they refused to let her be in the castle. While the other Auror had initially suggested the dungeons, Shaklebolt ended up drawing his personal line there. Kingsley had also refused to send her to the Manor, but the other wizard had been adamant and had apparated her to the gates himself, leaving her without another word.
"Does Mistress need anything to make the food more appealing?" Roks suddenly stood a few steps from her, taking her by surprise. Hermione glanced at the untouched plate and shook her head.
"I'm not hungry." She got up and walked towards the window, dismissing Roks and the food. She was surprised to not hear the pop and finally glanced back at the elf.
"Roks was told Mistress needs to eat."
She sighed staring at the elf.
"Young Mister Malfoy said he wouldn't go to Azkaban for the death of Mistress if she starved herself."
Hermione almost laughed fairly certain that Roks was not supposed to recall that detail to her. While she always tried to help house-elves, she had never had a relationship with any of them, as Harry and Dobby had had.
It had been Roks, though, who was sent to check on whoever was lingering by the gate the night of her arrival. She had stood there quite a while, contemplating whether she should stay or leave, or just curl upright by the gate. Leaving had been against the order of the Aurors and would probably make her more suspicious. Entering the Manor and asking for a bed to sleep in had made her wanted to vomit. Since it had been in the earliest of morning hours, she had finally decided on the curling up against the hedge option, almost crawling under it, settling her back against the stems.
"What would Mistress' favorite food be? Roks will make sure it is prepared exactly right, so Mistress can enjoy it."
She turned to him, tears shimmering in her eyes. She regretted her move when she sensed the alarm in the little creature.
"Just bring me some soup." The elf opened his mouth as to ask another question, but then silently popped away, leaving the current plate, should she change her mind.
Her eyes wandered around the room she had been given. It was similar to the one she had during her last visit, but she was glad it wasn't the one. She had closed her eyes in her uncomfortable nest under the hedge when Roks had found her. The elf seemed to recognize her as the young lady of the house and had disappeared in a panic. He must have alerted Narcissa, who appeared shortly after clearly wearing her nightgown under her robe, dragging Draco out with her. The older witch had asked questions about her well-being and intentions but had been received with silence. When she had asked Hermione once again to stand and walk with her, she had simply closed her eyes. She was more than surprised to not be levitated this time. A sour-looking Malfoy had picked her up on his mother's orders instead and carried her inside. While they walked she could hear Narcissa saying something about taking better care of his wife under her breath.
Ever since that early morning she had been in here, staring, thinking, and waiting. Something had snapped in her that night when she had curled up to sleep under the hedge. The first morning she had showered and prepared for her departure, assuming Harry and Ron would come for her, after clearing up the misunderstanding. They hadn't come. There hadn't even been an owl and as dinner was served that night, she simply crawled back into bed not touching any of it.
Her stomach grumbled again, but like the past two days, she refused. It was slow, but the realization that nobody was getting her came. Voldemort's little comment about her helping the Malfoys seemed to have set off a chain of events, she had never expected.
On day two, she began to wonder if Harry and Ron would ever come for her. Their friendly faces had soon been replaced by the disappointment that had shown when she was forced to walk to the Malfoys during the battle. It didn't matter that it had been other people showing disappointment and disgust, in her subconscious, there were just those two wearing other people's expressions. She had been surprised to be woken from her nightmares by those faces rather than by Bellatrix's hysterical laugh last night.
It hurt so much more to see the disappointment than to be tortured.
She was surprised to hear the knock against her door, but remained quiet. She had only communicated with Roks, since her arrival in the bedroom. Like she assumed Narcissa let herself in when she didn't receive a reaction and slowly made her way to Hermione.
"Why are you here?"
The younger witched glanced at her mother-in-law, who came straight to the point.
"Traitors list."
"I thought it was your doing that Harry Potter managed to kill the Dark Lord?" Narcissa seemed confused.
"And yet my last name is Malfoy and my legs wanted to join you during the battle quite willingly."
Narcissa sighed. She turned to the window Hermione had been staring out of and looked over her garden.
"I had the choice between your house or the Hogwarts dungeon."
"And you suggested my choice of friends wasn't the wisest." Although her words could be considered sarcastic, her voice didn't reflect that. Hermione remained quiet, staring at her hands.
"Well they have taken Lucius to Azkaban, apparently, they don't trust his word to stay here." Hermione huffed sarcastically, before clapping her hands over her mouth, biting back on her comments.
"It's alright, dear. I wouldn't trust Lucius either if I was one of your lot." Narcissa now wore an amused smile. "I'm just glad they left Draco in my care, while we all await trial."
Hermione lifted her eyes and they suddenly filled with fear. Her mind knew that Narcissa had been referring to the two Malfoy men and herself when she had spoken, but suddenly there was this clear picture of her in the Wizengamot. It occurred now to her, that she was on house arrest just like the other Malfoys, which could only mean that she as well would be put on trial. She drew in a labored breath as she stumbled backward towards the nearest wall.
She could feel Narcissa's hand clasping her own, as she slid along the wall towards the floor. Not aware of when she actually hit the ground. The reality of facing Azkaban made her wish Bellatrix had just ended it all. Her brain tried to reason with her that her actions for the Order and Harry would likely save her from this severe punishment, but her anxiety successfully shoved those thoughts to the side.
"Roks." There was a pop, but her breathing had now become so labored that she was barely aware of her surroundings. It wasn't until she felt Narcissa dumb a liquid down her throat that she slowly started to calm. While her breathing started to become more regular, she could feel the tears push down her cheeks. She hiccupped and was taken by surprise when two strong arms wrapped around her and carried her to the bed.
He dumped her roughly, before making his way back to the door.
"I told you before, Draco, it wouldn't hurt you to be nicer to your wife."
The door was slammed without a response. Another hiccupped sob came across her lips, her vision still blurry from the many tears. She could only assume by the comment that Narcissa had called her son for help. Why was beyond Hermione's imagination. After all the witch could have just used a spell to get her off the floor or a much more likely scenario, leave her there.
"I shall write to Mr. Potter and request his visit to you." She had removed the covers and now settled them on top of her. "Get some sleep."
-.-.-.-.-.-.-
She was served soup for every meal after she woke up again. There was always a variety of at least five soups as well as different kinds of slices of bread to go along with them. Roks beaming in joy when one of the bowls was empty that night, was more satisfying than then content feeling in her tummy.
Hermione had prepared to let him know she would maybe eat a salad for a change when three days later, Arthur Weasley followed Narcissa into Hermione's bedroom. She had been curled up into her bed since the bit of soup she had eaten wasn't giving her the energy to do much more. Narcissa excused herself, leaving her with the only father figure she had left.
"I'm so sorry. We wanted to get you days ago, but there were all these requirements we had to pass first before we were allowed to move you." She sat up, raising a confused eyebrow. It took her a moment and his embarrassed expression before she realized that the requirements were probably in place to make sure she wasn't spying.
"We convinced them that Molly and I would do as chaperones for now." His ears turned red. "Your hearing is next week. We have set up a long list of character witnesses, as well as a list of incidents after the marriage that show your loyalty. Once the hearing is done, there shouldn't be any issues."
His smile was kind and he looked around the room, his eyes stopping on the tray with various bowls of soup.
"I didn't know you liked soup so much." He tried hard to be his chipper self, but she could tell that he was uncomfortable for more than one reason.
"Roks had orders to get me to eat and when I requested soup he proceeded to bring me a huge variety every day." She shrugged. "I guess I should have been more specific."
Arthur looked back to her: "Well Molly is already cooking up your favorite dishes for your arrival. I hope you don't mind that I added my favorite dessert to her list."