"What's happened?" Harry asked, with concern in his eyes.
"When will my father get out?"
"Tomorrow at the earliest." Harry responded quickly, Draco nodded.
"What if I have another reason to keep him in?"
"Malfoy, they already heard your concerns." Harry said mildly.
"No, I have something new." He insisted, and they all listened closely.
"Which is?"
"He used the cruciatus curse after the war, in his home…on my mother." Draco's voice cracked with emotion, Hermione grabbed his hand. Harry and Ginny's eyes shot to their intertwined hands. "It's unforgivable." Draco spoke again, snapped Harry and Ginny out of their trance.
"Can you prove this?" Harry asked.
"The doctors at St Mungos can confirm that her current state is due to the curse."
"But there's no proof your father did it."
"I saw it!" Draco's voice rose steadily.
"Your word against his…it's just going to look like a last minute attempt to keep him from getting out." Harry said, clearly playing devil's advocate.
"I'll take a truth potion." Draco shot back, getting ancy.
"Or…" Harry said, the gears turning in his head. "...the pensieve!" Harry almost shouted, and Hermione and Ginny's eyes lit up.
"The what?" Draco question.
"Is it still there?" Harry asked Hermione, ignoring Draco's question. Hermione thought for what felt like a long minute.
"Yes it's still there, I'll go talk to McGonagall!" Hermione said excitedly, turning in her spot to leave.
"Hold on!" Draco almost yelled, and Hermione stopped in her tracks.
"I'll go with her." Ginny said, joining the conversation for the first time.
"Now wait a second." Harry said. There was an awkward moment where the two couples shared the same exact looks. The boys trying to be protective and the girls, very seriously bucking against their need to protect them.
"Harry will explain and we will meet you at the ministry." Hermione said and the girls disappeared out the front door moments later. The boys stared at each other for a moment.
"Dumbledore had a pensieve in his office. A pensieve is a place where you can review memories. Anybody who sticks their head in the pensieve can view the memories inside of it." Harry informed.
"So if I put my memory into it, they can view it as evidence?" Draco asked and Harry nodded.
"But you'll have to relive the moment in front of everyone, maybe multiple times."
"How long can he get for it?" Draco asked curtly.
"Possibly life. If he's deemed a threat to you, then as long as you are alive, he'll be in there." Harry said and then put his hand up to stop Draco from speaking. "You'll have to face him."
"I'll do it." Draco answered.
"Okay…" Harry paused, putting on his coat. "..let's go see Kingsley."
The boys stepped into Harry's fireplace and each yelled their destination as they threw the green ashes. They stepped out onto the stone cold floor of the ministry and Draco was immediately uncomfortable. The last time he was here was for his own trail, he shuddered at the thought. They made their way to Kingsley's office, Harry leading the way. When they arrived Harry spoke in hushed tones with another auror before knocking on Kingsley's door. The office door swung open to reveal a huge marble office with high ceilings and expensive furniture.
"Harry, and you've brought Mr Malfoy, to whom do I owe the pleasure?" Kingsley greeted them fondly, closing the door behind them and offering them a seat.
"Call me Draco please." Draco said gruffly.
"Of course Draco." Kingsley answered politely. "I am sure you are unhappy about the decision that was made about your father."
"That's actually what we are here about." Harry interjected, nudging Draco with his elbow. Kingsley focused his attention on Draco and sat down in his chair.
"May I?" Draco asked and Kingsley nodded. "On May 2nd I returned to the manor with my parents after the war officially ended. My father was informed by another death eater that my mother had turned on them." Draco paused, watching Kingsley's reactions but he didn't give much away. "My father went on a tirade and used the cruciatus curse on my mother multiple times." Draco's head hung down a little when he finished.
"I'm terribly sorry to hear that Draco." Kingsley said. "I knew your mother was at St Mungos, but I, along with many others, thought it was a war related injury." Kingsley's tone was earnest yet detached.
"It was not." Draco said coolly.
"I completely understand why you wanted to keep him from being released…" Kingsley started, clearly not connecting the dots. He was silent for a minute and then a spark filled his eyes and it was clear that he understood. "I'll gather the council." Kingsley shot up from his chair and walked towards the door, he suddenly stopped and turned around. "Do you have proof?"
"Dumbledore's pensieve." Harry answered and Kingsley nodded.
"That'll work." Kingsley retorted, turning back towards the door.
"One more thing!" Draco exclaimed, Kingsley turned back around once more. "I would like to take a truth serum before my questioning…I don't want any room for doubt."
"It's normally not necessary, but if it's what you want it can be arranged." Kingsley said slowly and waited a moment before trying for the door for the third time. "Stay here, I'll be back." He called over his shoulder.
The boys sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes until there was a knock on the door. Draco got up to answer it and his face lit up when he saw who was on the other side.
"We've arrived with the package." Hermione said playfully, and Draco noticed a shallow stone basin floating between her and Ginny. He couldn't process that at the moment because he was solely focused on Hermione. He pulled her into a tight hug and he felt more secure with her head on his chest. When they parted Harry was next to Ginny, smiling at Hermione and Draco's exchange. The four of them took seats on the couch in Kingsley's office. Ginny in the left corner, Harry's arm around her waist and Hermione next to Harry but leaning slightly into Draco. The pensieve was floating directly over Kingsley's desk.
Hermione and Ginny explained their conversation with McGonagall. That she enchanted the pensieve so that it would be light as a feather, and Hermione was using a levitation spell to bring it with them. The pensieve naturally hovered, never fully touching down on anything, but in order to move it from place to place you have to levitate it. Hermione said that McGonagall was happy to help, and wished Draco luck. It was nice to have support, he had never had that before.
"So you two huh?" Harry asked with a huge smile on his face. Hermione leaned into Draco a bit more and nodded slightly. Draco snaked his arm around her waist and pulled her closer. Harry looked more satisfied than a kid on his birthday. "Happy for you guys."
"We both are!" Ginny said but then her focus shifted solely on Draco. "That being said, if you hurt her…I'll kill you myself." There was a tense moment but then Draco laughed.
"As I would deserve." He surprised Ginny with his answer and she laughed lightly as well.
"At least you know." She said, stretching her legs out over Harry's. "So when did this start?"
"Gin." Harry chided.
"Oh come on, you want to know too!" Ginny countered, and turned back to the couple next to her.
"It's quite literally been a day." Hermione said lightly, and Ginny seemed unphased by this.
"Yes but ho-" Ginny's line of questioning was cut off by the entrance of Kingsley.
"Hermione, Ginny, so nice to see you both." Kingsley greeted, seemingly in good spirits which Draco and Harry both knew was a good sign. "The council is gathering to hear your case. They are contacting Azkaban to summon your father to the hearing."
"When is the hearing?" Draco asked, tensing up a little bit.
"Tomorrow and Tuesday." Kingsley said.
"I'm not sure I can get away from work I'd have to as-"
"Minerva has already found fill-ins for us." Hermione interjected.
"Well that works out." Kingsley said cheerfully. "You do know that your father will be present for the entire trial right?" Draco nodded in response. "Very well, you lot can meet me here at 8am sharp tomorrow morning. I would also suggest that you get as many character witnesses as you can Draco."
"Why would he need that when we have the pensieve?" Hermione asked, but Draco shot her a look like she was opening a can of worms.
"Hermione, I will not lie to you, the council can be quite biased. I just want to make sure that Draco has the absolute best chance of winning." Kingsley leveled with her, and Hermione seemed to accept his answer. "The truth serum will be created by Horace Slughorn and ready for consumption tomorrow morning." Kingsley added. "Well if that is all, I will see you all tomorrow."
With that, the four left Kingsley's office. They were almost out of the ministry when they heard a familiar parental redhead's voice calling from behind them.
"Harry! Hermione! Ginny! Draco!" Arthur Weasley bellowed from behind them, approaching them at a run. When he arrived, it took him a minute to catch his breath. "I wanted to catch you lot before you left. Mind if I have a word?" He asked, looking pointedly at Draco. This took everyone by surprise, but Draco awkwardly accepted the offer and moved aside with Mr Weasley. "I er…wanted you to know that my er…issues with your father do not extend to you." He struggled to find the words, reminding Draco of how his son stumbled over his words when he was nervous.
"I appreciate that, thank you." Draco responded curtly.
"I would like to er…take part in the trial." Mr Weasley stated awkwardly, shifting on the balls of his feet.
"What do you mean?"
"I know I don't know you that well, but I knew your father plenty." He said with more confidence. "I'd like to be a character witness against him, if that's alright with you."
"You don't have to do that Mr Weasley." Draco answered politely.
"I know I don't, but I want to." He insisted.
"I'm sure your opinion of him will weigh heavily, and if you are willing, of course I wouldn't mind." Draco was touched, even if it didn't show. He glanced over at Hermione, wondering what she was in such deep conversation with Potter about.
"Hermione, listen to me…" Harry said insistently. "...he will tell you not to come, but he is going to need you there. He might think his hate for his father will make this all easy, but it's not that simple."
"Harry I know, I wasn't planning on not coming." Hermione was confused as to why he thought she would back down and not go to the trial.
"Good, because that truth serum is no joke." Harry shuddered as if remembering using it himself.
"Why are they making him do that, is that protocol?" She asked curiously.
"They aren't making him, it was his request."
"What why!" Hermione exclaimed.
"No idea."
"No idea about what?" Draco asked, returning from his conversation with Mr Weasley.
"What Mr Weasley wanted you for." Hermione said quickly, but Draco eyed her suspiciously.
"He wants to testify against my father tomorrow." Draco said, shrugging slightly.
"Really?" Harry Ginny and Hermione all chimed in unison.
"Yea, is that not expected?" Draco questioned.
"No." Ginny's answer was short and she pulled Harry by his arm to seemingly go talk to her father.
"We'll be here tomorrow, bright and early!" Harry called as he was dragged away.
Hermione and Draco made their way to the right side of the atrium and stepped in one of the fireplaces one at a time. They came out through the toilet in the underground bathroom and were cramped in a public stall. Draco would have usually taken the opportunity to kiss her, but another ministry guest or worker could come out of the toilet any second now. They made their way out of the public bathroom, found a little outcove to step into and left with a POP to Draco's flat.
Once the door closed behind them Draco did what he wanted to do all day, he took her by her waist and kissed her. She responded eagerly, her hands shooting around his neck. They took a few steps backwards as they embraced and Hermione's back was against the wall. Hermione took this as a sign to put more into it. She moved her hand to the back of his neck and tugged on his hair lightly. His kisses got more aggressive, and his hands traveled elsewhere. A long while after they tore apart breathing heavily. Draco kissed her once more before heading to the kitchen to make them dinner. He had to apparate to the store quickly, but arrived back before Hermione noticed because she was getting changed into the clothes she wore the night prior.
"You don't have to come tomorrow." Draco said as he was placing the plates down. Hermione rolled her eyes, gearing up for the fight that was about to start.