Alright guys, this is Chapter Three. You will be happy to know I have officially finished and in the process of editing the final chapter. It will be thirty chapters long unless whilst editing I get inspired to add more content.
I hope you are enjoying this story and will continue to leave me messages to let me know what you think. This is as always Rated M so do use caution whilst reading.
I do not own this fandom but am enjoying tinkering with the characters. Here we go chapter three, enjoy.
Hermione POV
As soon as the statuesque blonde spotted Draco sitting next to Andromeda and Harry she beemed at him and I could practically see her exhale in relief and tension drift from her body. A small nod in Andromedas direction before taking a quick glance at him, accompanying a smile a soft tear fell from his eyes upon their gazes catching each other.
"What have they done to her? Why is she covered in bruises? My mother is innocent in all of this, she doesn't deserve what is happening to her." I nodded my head at him and vowed internally to help her. It was strange seeing such a commanding presence look like a broken doll. Seeing the formidable witch look like such a wreck externally but inside I knew the fight hadn't left her. There was one thing that was clear to see, her resolve stayed like a steel rod on her back.
"Narcissa Malfoy, on the advise of your Magicouncil what is your plead?" She steeled that gaze into a cold, icy mask once more and I could practically feel the Occlumency shields go up.
"Guilty." Kingsley stood up and nodded to Arthur before glancing down at the woman in question. The dark skinned man automatically commanded respect from the people but there was a respect in his eyes aimed at the woman.
"You and your son Narcissa. Honestly, the martyrdom must be a family trait. Considering I have many people ready to testify on your behalf Lady Malfoy I don't think that you should write yourself off just yet. According to Harry Potter you saved his life in the Forest on the night of the battle, Luna Lovegood and Garrick Ollivander have both written testimonies telling of the assistance they received from you. Hermione Granger was tortured in your home and according to her you helped her with Occlumency and eased her suffering." The icy facade didn't crack once and instead a look of poison and derision was aimed at the Wizangamot and it was enough to rival Medusa.
"Let us not sit here in pretenses Minister. Let us not pretend I did that out of a sense of loyalty to the side of the light. Everything I have done has been for my son. I could care less about anything else and I will be convicted because let's face it I am the wife and sister of the big bad death eaters." Kingsley smirked at her and it was the small intricacies in the way they looked at each other which made me realise they must have been friends at one point.
"Having known you since you were eleven I know your loyalties are not easily given. I also know that you were the smartest witch in our year and to quote Minerva McGonagall the biggest intellectual waste of our time. Seems a shame to waste that intellect in the new world we are trying to build. It is even more so when I know that although your sister and husband were evil beings you are not like them. You are a lot more like Sirius than you think Narcissa so let's get down to it. Votes please people." One by one everyone gave their pieces of parchment to Arthur at it took him one minute to count them up.
"With a vote of eleven to nine the Wizangamot find you guilty." I heard a choked sob from Malfoy beside me but the blonde woman's face did not falter and stood as stoic as ever to receive her sentence.
"So Narcissa Malfoy you are found guilty of your crimes and it is punishable by one year suspended sentence with a year of community service. Minerva McGonagall has requested you put your Masteries to good use and has offered you a place at Hogwarts teaching Potions for your community service. Do you accept this?" The woman turned to spot Minerva across the room and nodded politely before accepting her fate.
"Then you are free to go. This hereby concludes the war crime trials, thank you everyone." Shackles disappeared from her arms and in a moment of humanity she rubbed her wrist where there was welts cutting open her skin. It was almost as if she was in shock but Draco stood up and practically ran toward her and picked her up from the ground in a huge hug as both Malfoys clung to each other in desperate relief.
Andromeda stood and Harry and I walked with her toward her long lost sister. I could see Minerva come up also and smiled at us in greeting. Seeing both mother and son holding on for dear life was enough to make me smile. I shouldn't feel this way about them both but I am happy things turned out the way they did.
"It's over mother! We're safe! It's all over." She pulled back and grasped his face in her hands and a small tear fell down her cheek and landed in the crevice of her cleavage.
"Cissy." Narcissa spun around but didn't let go of her sons hand, Andromeda smiled at her and pulled her in for a hug also. It had been a lot time coming by the looks of things and I could see the similarities between them both as they stood beside one another. Although one was dark and the other light I could see the angular cheekbones and pale complexions were almost identical.
"Oh Andromeda, I am so sorry. About everything." Andromeda shook her head at her little sister and just held onto her. Both sisters had an understanding pass through them. The last of the Ancient and Noble house of Black standing together and forgiving the sins of the past.
"I have missed you my dear." Narcissa smiled at her older sister once more before they broke apart and Arthur came closer to the two Malfoys with two boxes in his hands.
"I believe these belong to you, Harry was kind enough to relinquish them to us." As soon as Draco opened the box and his hand curled around his wand it was as if a sense of calm happened. The dark circles seemed to lessen, the blackness of his arm started to dissappear and leaving behind a red, angry scar which was reminiscent of Severuss scar.
His running theory was that there needed to be a certain level of consent and willingness to perform the acts required of a death eater. Eventually the dark mark will kill all of those whom were tethered to him, it seems it is constricted to intent.
Narcissa reached out to receive her wand and the result there was instantaneous, a soft glow erupted from her hand and enveloped her arm which is something I had never seen. Andromeda grew concerned at her little sister and clocked her head to the side.
"You need a full evaluation Cissy, how longsince the last flare up? Any headaches or loss of vision." Narcissa smirked at her for a moment before shaking her head and casting what looked like a scroungify on her and transfigured both herself and Draco into some decent clothes that didn't have holes in them.
Her hair twisted into a bun at the back of her head and within seconds she was like the perfect pure blooded princess. Her bruises still remained and Draco took her hand in his like a scared little boy almost.
"I have to thank you both it seems, not only did you save my sons life but advocated for our innocence so thank you Mr Potter..." She reached out and shook his hand before turning her attentions back to me and I felt like I was being studied like a lion in the zoo.
"Miss Granger..." Upon initial contact with her outstretched hand she sucked in a breath and slow fingers traced my skin above my sleeve to where the cursed scar was. Anger and fear flashed in her eyes before looking up at me with the bluest eyes I had ever seen.
"You should get that looked at by a curse breaker Miss Granger, sooner rather than later. Considering there is two in the Weasley Family alone it should be an easy enough feat for you. Thank you for all of your help, not that this makes much of a difference but I am sorry. For everything." She was gone in a flash and all I could feel was how cold her hands were against the warm flesh of my scar.
Even over the top of my clothing I could feel a tingling and emptyness where her hand was. It was terrifying, I hadn't experienced anything like it. The strength, warmth and passion of her magic floating through my skin. Minerva came over to the woman and I could see the Malfoy matriarch smile and hug the older woman and it made me wonder as to the nature of their friendship.
"We are going to head to lunch Hermione you wanna come?" Harry tapping me on the shoulder was enough to break me out of whatever I was overthinking about. Andromeda was gone along with the two Malfoys but Luna, Neville, Minerva and Arthur were standing waiting on us.
"Yeah, sorry. Got caught up in my own head." Slowly we followed the crowd and made our way from the bowels of the Ministry towards the Atrium. Photographers were still camped out in the area and we were ushered through the chaos by the Aurors and sent on our merry way. Today was a good day and two innocents lives were spared the fate of Azkaban.
A small restaurant on the muggle side of Diagon Alley was the setting for our lunch. Sitting in between Minerva and Harry seemed to be the perfect place, although it made me realise how little I go out. Ever since the war being in the muggle world was difficult for me. I need to make more of an effort to actually have a life.
The new headmistress was looking a lot better than the last time I had seen her. The night of the Battle she looked weary, tired and broken by what was happening, not though there was a spring in her step and a lightness surrounding her. I only hope it can continue.
"It's so nice to see you both, I am surprised Mr Weasley is not here. Are you three not attached at the hip?" It seems Poppy Pomfry kept to her word of Healer-Patient privilege if she didn't say anything even to her partner.
"Well that is a long story." Arthur shuffled uncomfortably and considering it was his children he probably wanted the ground to open up and swallow him. In true Gryffindor fashion though he steeled his shoulders and smiled at Minerva.
"It seemed Ron and Ginny seemed to think it was a good idea to drug Harry and Hermione. Molly and I are furious with them both. During their last time at Hogwarts they were spiked with Amortentia keyed to their blood. Apparently Ron found a book in an old abandoned classroom in his fourth year. They had bribed Percy to show them how to make it." I know the rest of the Weasley's were absolutely horrified at the two youngest. Percy didn't know what he was doing and had been practically worshipping both of our feet since.
"How on earth did they both get away with this?" Both Harry and I just looked at each other and shook our heads at the teacher. She looked pissed and to be honest I cannot blame her, I was still furious with Ron for the way he behaved.
"We didn't press charges but we can't trust them anymore. After the battle upon Andromeda insistence, Poppy did a medical check up on both of us and it seemed we were suffering from a sort of withdrawal. We thought it was the effect of the Horcrux but it seemed like when Ron left us he no longer could give us any Potions and our feelings for them both which were completely fabricated had dissappated." Arthur hung his head in shame and held onto my hand across the table.
" I am very sorry to you both. Ron and Ginny will not be let away with this I assure you. I don't know what is going on with them both. This has been going on for a while and I cannot apologise enough." Wanting to comfort the older man who had been a father figure to me, I held onto his hand tightly with his own enveloped in my own.
"It's not your fault Mr Weasley." Ordering our drinks gave us a bit of a reprieve and conversation soon changed to other topics. Minerva gestured for me to listen for a second.
"What is your plans for the future? I suppose I can ask both of you. The reason I am asking is because I am basically rewriting the Muggle Studies subject and would like your help Hermione. Both of you even considering you have both lived in that world." I looked at Harry and I could see how much the world was slowly going to change over the next two years.
"I was hoping to return to Hogwarts to complete my Newts if possible. I feel like I missed so much within that last year, I have been working hard these past Seven years I want to actually achieve what I have been working toward." Minerva just smiled at me and grasped my hand in hers before Harry nodded at me.
" I feel like these past Seven years has constantly been a fight to survive and I haven't been able to just be a student. I want a normal last year at Hogwarts." Minerva nodded her head at us both and gave us a huge smile.
"Well then I have a proposition for you both. Hermione, Muggle studies is becoming a compulsory Subject with options for a OWL. The subject not be offered at Newt level and will conclude in Fifth year. I have a, defense instructor but he has wished to only teach the older years and I would need an instructor for First and Second year. I would like you Harry to help me with that." It's official the woman had lost the plot.
" Professor with all due respect we have no teaching experience." Now it was her turn to look at us as if we were stupid, it was amazing how the stern gaze of Minerva McGonagall had the ability to make even the most strongest of men piss their pants.
"Hermione you have been tutoring since first year, and Potter there was a secret underground fight club in the room of requirement that you both organised and ran. From what I hear Mr Potter you teach well if Professor Flitwick class is anything to go to. A Patronus charm? I have never seen Filius so elated at so many of them knowing how to do it." I scoffed when I realised she was right of course.
"We are still rebuilding and I was hoping from your grades and experience you are both more than ready to do a couple of your Newt exams already. Harry you are cleared for Defense, Muggle Studies and Divination. Hermione you are clear for Ancient Runes, Potions, Defense, Muggle studies and Transfiguration. If you do your exams when they are running in the Ministry in July." I shared a look with Harry and smiled at him.
"When you both start in September a timetable can be made to accommodate for the empty spaces with private instruction if needed. We are still rebuilding and there is going to be a lot of change in the coming months and I need people I can trust since Severus is not coming back to teach." I know Harry didn't want to join the Aurors any longer and truthfully he was at a loss for what to do.
"You would not share a dorm with the other Eighth years and would have private quarters. Pomona was injured and has to cut back from her course load and so she will only be teaching Newt students before probably retiring in a year or so. She has extended a teaching assistant position which is similar to Mr Longbottom."
"I mean I can't answer for Hermione but I would love to." I nodded as well and her questioning gaze before smiling at us both and clapping her hands in glee.
"Wonderful, that is wonderful news. Thank You both. So I will send you the curriculum packets for both subjects and after your Newt exams you can create your lesson plans with me." After having a delightful conversation for another hour it was time to go home.
Leaving Arthur and Minerva at the cafe we decided to walk back to Grimmauld Place and talk about what was going to happen. The whole way back we spoke of the subjects and what it could potentially turn into. Teaching at Hogwarts was so prestigious and looked incredible on a resume for a Mastery.
"I mean we will be teaching young minds, how in the hell are we gonna do that? The DA was needed for everyone but how am I going to teach my peers anything considering they have fought for their lives." Always so hard on himself, I could see the self doubt creep into his brain and I just pulled him to a stop.
"Harry I learnt more from you in one year in Defense than I did in the four previous. You are going to be amazing, our last year together. I love you, you are my best friend and my brother all rolled into one." He smiled and me and pulled me in for a hug to which I held him in a vice grip.
" I love you too Hermione." Slowly we parted and held hands as we walked around the corner to a Grimmauld Place. Taking my shoes off I made my way down into the kitchen to find a stack of parchment and books along with a letter from Minerva.
"Our Curriculum aims and a pile of practice exams for our Newts." Harry smiled before both of us settling on the kitchen Island planning our future. A future which was decidedly different to what we were both expecting. Hopefully it will be a brighter one.
That's all folks. Chapter Three complete. Hope you enjoy and PLEASE REVIEW.