21.
Dead air.
She once had the privilege to experience a Dementor on the train in her third year. That experience was nothing compared to existing in a cell surrounded by them. Each one sucking in her exhales, ripping her thoughts from her mind leaving her only with regrets. It was worse than a void; they left your mistakes, your faults, and the misery of all you had done wrong. It wasn't a prison it was agony. Hermione had no reservations of her place now. She deserved this. Her atonement for all the pain, death, and sadness she caused. They had informed her that her hearing would begin in three days. She had agreed that she would cooperate with them fully and also to the use of Veritaserum. She was notified that Severus had requested to speak to her before the hearing.
She hadn't wanted to see him. To see the hurt that she had caused him, but she would sit through it, if he wanted to see her; the waste that she was then she'd go.
Time meant nothing here, which she learned quickly when the door to her cell opened and a Ministry official beckoned for her to precede him. She was led into an inquiry room its only occupants a small table two chairs and her husband. She flinched at the thought. Gone where feelings of joy from his love only the regret of not living up to her vows. She was chained to the chair her hands shackled to the armrest her feet locked to the metal legs. Her hair was matted, face sunken, her eyes troubled and haunted looking straight at Severus her shame flamed off of her in waves.
"I am so sorry." She barely had the energy to speak.
He didn't speak for sometime. He just starred at her, sick with grief. It was his fault she was in here, his mistake for not saving her from this, for lying to her.
"You do not need to apologize, I should have never lied to you. You had asked me specifically of my role in the war, which side I was on and I was too much a coward to tell you. I didn't want to loose you and I had little faith in your love for me."
" You protected me the only way you could, Severus and I hurt you. I doubted you. My own insecurities made me into this. What kind of wife am I?" She scoffed.
"My wife. I know you believe you deserve this in the same way I feel I should be here laying right next to you. But I will not let you live like this…you are my wife, my life; you don't deserve this because of a faux pas."
" A faux pas? I've killed innocent people, Severus. Men who died fighting for our world, fought to protect muggles and muggle-bornes, like my parents and I. I killed them because I was bored and too smart for my own good. I'm sorry I've hurt you but I deserve this, if not worse."
His heart ached for her, this wasn't her, and she was loosing her will to live; no worse than that, her only reason to live was to serve through her misery.
" I love you, and that's all that matters. Please…' he reached out to her cupping her face into his palm. ' Know that your recompense can be paid by serving a purpose and helping others." She shook her head from his grasp.
"I'm useless, no better than Voldemort himself."
Frustration washed over him, Albus told him that talking would be useless until he removed her from Azkaban. He stood, walking towards the door.
" You are wrong…Voldemort would have never felt an ounce of remorse over what he had done."
Before the words could seep into her the door had clicked shut.
~~~~**~~~~
Two Aurora's led her into the courtroom. She stood in front of the room. She could see Severus sitting off to the right. She nodded her head in acknowledgement glancing quickly throughout the room Harry, Ron and Albus sat to his left she squared her shoulders, focusing on the wall ahead of her as Fudge entered the room.
The Aurora's charmed her feet to fasten to the floor, her hands frozen at her sides.
" Please administer the Veritaserum." Fudge shouted.
A tall man came forward with a small vial.
" Open your mouth please." He said holding onto her chin and dropping three large drops onto her tongue.
Hermione instantly felt the effect. All her fear, shame, and guilt surfaced and she felt her eyes grow wide as she trembled.
" To begin, what is your full name." Fudge said as she starred straight into Severus' face.
"Hermione Anne Granger-Snape." Her voice quaked as her stomach cramped. A murmur of voices hummed in and out of the room.
Severus boiled with anger, as he watched her tremble. He had done everything in his power to save her from this but Albus had told him there was no way around it, she'd have to go through with the hearing.
" Were you a follower of He-who-must-not-be-named?" Fudge's voice boomed out over the crowd.
" Yes." There was uproar of murmurs.
" Did you bare the Dark Mark?" He asked his beady eyes boring into hers.
"Yes." She gulped for air.
Severus could see her whole body tremble. Three drops of Veritaserum was a very powerful dosage, and along with the anxiety of the trial, he was sure she'd be ill for days. He bit his tongue at the thought.
Fudge took out a photo and held it in front of her face.
" Do you know this man?"
" Yes, but not his name." She said
" Eastwick Davis." Fudge spat the mans name with a vengeance.
" Where do you know this man from?" He asked taking the picture from her gaze.
She swallowed. " He was in the Feasting Room in November. He was the first man I ever killed." Tears where running down her face now her trembles intensifying. Severus' hands clutched at the chair, his knuckles white with anger.
Fudge nodded. " Did you use a unforgivable to kill him?" He asked.
" Yes." She breathed she could see Ron and Harry bristle at this as Albus laid a cool hand on the boys to keep them composed, inwardly she shook her head, she was lower than filth she could see it radiating off the boys faces.
" Are you responsible for the potion that enabled the Death Eaters to advance on Hogwarts?"
" Yes." Her teeth where chattering.
" Where you also instructed to spy on Professor Severus Snape for he-who-must-not-be-named?"
She blinked twice and gulped in air as her eyes pleaded with Severus, asking for forgiveness.
" Yes." She finally said.
" Is that why you married him?" It was meant as a blow for Hermione but, she knew Fudge disliked Severus even more so.
" No." Fury danced in her eyes as she steeled her voice.
" What was the reason behind it then?" He looked amused Hermione thought, and she hated him for it.
" I love him and I wanted and still want to be his wife." Fudge raised an eyebrow at her answer as a swell of pride washed over Severus.
" Did you turn him in after you received conformation of his role in the war?"
She was sobbing now. " Yes." She screeched. In her mind there were so many reasons why she had did it, they all seemed infinitely petty to her now.
" Are you responsible for the deaths of, Justin Flinch-Fletchley, Aurora Chase, and Aurora Krentz?" He asked over her sobs holding out photos so she could see.
" Yes." She kept her head high even as the tears streamed down her face.
" Did you use an unforgivable on each person?" Fudge's voice was growing louder as he continued.
"Yes." Her head shook with sorrow as she accepted her answer.
Fudge nodded and turned back to the council. There was a small sound of rustling papers.
" Hermione Granger is charged with treason, along with the manslaughter of Eastwick Davis, Aurora Chase, Justin Flinch-Fletchley, and Aurora Krentz. She shall be sentenced to the Dementors Kiss at the first of the month, Please take the prisoner to her holding cell."
Hermione's breath caught in her throat as she herd the verdict. " It is no less than I deserve." She whispered.
"Indeed." The Aurora said as he released her.
Hermione's hands and legs were released. Severus could see her legs give out as she crumpled to the floor. The Aurora savagely manhandled her up and out the door. " Hold on, my love. You'll be out of there soon enough." He whispered to himself.
As she was led away he snuck out the side door and peering cautiously around the hall quickly pulled the invisibility cloak around him and followed after Hermione.
No one saw him leave just as no one could see the scheming twinkle in The Headmasters eyes.
A/N: I've been informed that I couldn't receive non-member reviews and have hence fixed the problem so I can hear from all of you now. I've working out of library's and neighbor's house's to get this story out there so please kind and leave a review. ---P.S: I've got another story coming out soon and I invite you to read that one as well as soon as it's updated.
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