AN:So sorry for the lapse in updates. I feel so bad. I hate it when authors don't update consistantly and now I've become one of them. Ha. Ok now, this story will not be what you guys expect. It isn't the usual Hermione changes and Draco falls for her kinda plot and believe me when I say that it will go on for some atime. Hahaha...so all ye faithful reviewers, please do review. Tell me what you think should happen. I appreciate all feed back. Yepyep. Ok sorry for that extremely long author note, I'm long winded by nature so bear with me k. Ok enjoy man. (Well at least I hope you do)

"Court is now in session. All rise," said one of the aurors that doubled up as the Minister of Magic's personal bodyguard. The minister stepped up onto the raised platform followed by Dumbledore and another man that Hermione didn't know. Hermione looked up to see Mel staring after Dumbledore and was instantly engulfed with a feeling of such intense hate that it scared her.

The feeling had nothing to do with what she was experiencing at that moment and so she was momentarily flabbergasted before it hit her. She was experiencing the feelings of the others. Oh god. That was exactly what she needed at that moment as though her feelings weren't enough to deal with.

The minister told all of them to be seated and soon the courtroom was filled with many whispers as everyone settled into their seat. Soon the whispers ceased and Fudge continued, "Bring in the suspect," he announced. His face was sullen and he looked more tired than he had in all his years as Minister of Magic.

He had finally come to terms with the fact that Voldemort was back and he was faced with so much stress as the fear of the wizarding world heightened visibly every day. The conviction of a Weasley was the last straw. They were most known for loving muggles and Fudge knew that if news leaked out that Bill Weasley, the oldest of the Weasley children was a death eater there was going to be hell to pay for.

The already over precocious wizarding world would cross the line and delve into a state of paranoia. The doors at the back of the dungeon swung open abruptly, their hinges creaking and two Black cloaked figures, with Bill in between them glided in. A sudden cold descended on the people in the courtroom.

It wasn't something physical that could be cured by a warm drink. The cold seemed to seep through their very skin and towards their heart turning blood to ice as it made its way there. Once at the heart it seemed to engulf it with its darkness, squeezing it. Making them revisit the horrible memories that they kept hidden at the back of their minds.

Hermione shut her eyes as she was forced to relieve the day she learnt of her true parentage. She squeezed her eyes shut as she tried to force the image to disappear. Beside her she heard Melissa whimper. Forcing her eyes open she looked at Melissa. She was quivering in her seat, he eyes tightly shut and mumbling under her breath.

Unfortunately Hermione could not catch what she was saying. "Bill!" a piercing voice rung through the room. Mrs. Weasley was being restrained by her husband as she tried to get to Bill.

Mel crumpled into the seat beside Hermione weakly and it seemed as though she had given up. Hermione assumed that it was because she thought that Bill stood no chance. Hermione unfortunately didn't know Mel's past and did not know that Mel was now crying for a different reason.
Her tears splashed against the dark cherry wood seat. She hated herself for crying, showing her weakness and she just when she had happily settled into the routine of her new found life. She looked up and saw Bill. Mel's heart ached when he saw how weak he looked. His face pale eyes lifeless.

She had loved him, loved his family and...he had loved her. Now all of it was gone, disappeared like a wisp of air, leaving nothing behind but a gaping hole in her aching heart.

The Dementors released Bill from their grip once he had been seated in the chair which was on the podium at the front of the room. They glided out of the room and there was a collective sigh of relief. The chains on the chair leapt to life and bound Bill to the chair so tightly that he gasped.

His eyes, lifeless all along showed an emotion, a single emotion that caused Mel to go into hysterics. He looked at her as she was overwhelmed by the amount of love his eyes held. She wept for the loss of her dreams of a better life.

Hermione sighed and rubbed her friend on the back trying her best to soothe her friend. Her eyes roved around the room and she caught sight of Malfoy leaning against the wall, smirking at Bill. She hated him, why did he have to be so damn smug and not to mention arrogant.

"Please read out the charges," Fudge's voice rung throughout the silent room.

"Bill Weasley has been charged as working for he-who-must-not-be- named and was caught performing the killing curse on a muggle-born Daniel Bathford by Miss Candice Thompson, an auror," said the scribe. Bill Weasley looked faint in his seat.

"Did he really do it; did he betray all who loved and trusted him?" was exactly what was running through both Hermione and Melissa's mind. Mrs. Weasley who was being pacified by her husband was led to where they duo were seated.

Her eyes, red rimmed and only showing sorrow. There were no tears; tears wouldn't show the amount of pain and loss that she was feeling at that moment. Tears held no meaning as she saw her oldest son being chained to the chair in the front of the room. She would be strong for him. Nothing was set in stone yet. There was still hope. The tiny amount of hope that she clung onto as though it was her life line.

Hermione sighed and tried to console Mel when she felt someone slide in beside her. Looking to her side she saw Mrs. Weasley and from the look that the woman had in her eyes, Hermione realized that her sorrow was nothing but shallow and she saw the pain reflected Mrs. Weasley's eyes. The pain she saw made hatred course through her.

Hatred for Bill. She hated him for causing so many problems for his family, yet one question remained in her mind. "Was he innocent." Mrs. Weasley gave her a shaky smile and turned to watch the court in progress. The court that would either be her son's savior or convict him to a life of living hell.

"Bill Weasley, do you admit to performing the killing curse in Daniel Edward Bathford?" Fudge's voice asked the most important question.

"But sir you have to understand...he was," Bill stuttered as though he just found his voice.

"I care not whether or not I understand, though I doubt I would understand why anyone would perform the killing curse on a innocent man. Did you or did you not perform the killing curse?" Fudge cut in his voice holding no compassion and was rid of emotion.

Bill hung his head sadly and muttered a soft, "Yes." Hermione closed her eyes trying to keep the tears from falling. He wasn't innocent. He had killed someone.

Mel's face shot up. "He really did it Hermione and all along I thought...I thought he was innocent. That he was framed. That bastard. I hate him," Mel said. Her eyes burning with anger.

Mrs. Weasley muttered a almost inaudible, "No." Her hopes for his redemption were diminished. Was he really her son, the man that she had raised since young to believe that muggles deserved to be respected.

Hermione turned to look at Mr. Weasley and saw that he too was looking at the ground and shaking his head dejectedly. He got off one of the chairs at the last row, where he was seated and softly made his way to the door and walked to the double doors at the back and silently opened them.

He slipped through them making no noise. Hermione stared after him. Tears prickled at the back of her eyes when she saw that he had left, practically disowned his son.

"Aha...Azkaban it is then, how long should the sentence b..." fudge said but before he could finish his sentence, Dumbledore interjected, "Please do explain the circumstances."

"Wait before that, Vertiaserum please," Fudge said shooting Dumbledore a glare when he wasn't looking. Fudge still had not gotten over the fact that Dumbledore had been right about Voldemort and the fact that the wizard world had requested for Dumbledore to be elected as Minister of Magic.

The only reason he remained Minister was the fact that Dumbledore had declined the position and Fudge was more than threatened by the overwhelming support that Dumbledore had.

A ministry official rushed through a door and came back carrying a tray with a bottle of clear liquid nestled in between crushed velvet. "The strongest I could find Minister," he said. Walking towards Bill the ministry official brutally pulled Bill's head backwards and let a few drops of the potion fall into his open mouth.

"Swallow!" He ordered coldly. Bill swallowed feeling the burning sensation as the potion slid down his throat. It reached his stomach and it felt as though his insides were burning slowly, painfully turning into ash.

Mel took in air sharply when she saw the pained look on Bill's face. She wished everything had been normal. Just the way it had been a week earlier, before her whole life fell apart.

"Explain the reasons why you killed Daniel Edward Bathford," Dumbledore asked. For once Hermione understood why he was the only one that Voldemort daren't cross even at his height of power.

His face was set and he seemed to radiate power and his stance demanded respect.

"I was under the imperious curse. Hugh Baron cast it on me. He said that it would be best that the world learned that the Weasleys weren't all saints," Bill said in a monotone.

Hermione gasped. How could she have not seen it? Bill had been framed. He was innocent. Mel too was sitting upright with a shocked expression on his face.

"He's innocent. Lord thank you," Mrs. Weasley said her face letting on to the amount of relief she felt.

"Come now Dumbledore, you don't believe this do you. Hugh Baron obviously is held with much respect and is a valued member of the Ministry. He would never do this," Fudge said snorting. "Obviously there is something wrong with the Vertiaserum." he added derisively.

Hermione was appalled at Fudge's ability to discredit facts that were right in front of him. How could Fudge be so bias, so smug about sentencing an innocent man? This wasn't one of his ego problems. This was the life of an innocent man, an innocent man facing Azkaban.

The little hope that she saw burning in Mel's eyes was distinguished. "How can...is that possible?" Mel said losing the ability to form coherent sentences. Mrs. Weasley too was shocked. Dumbledore turned around and said something to Fudge quietly.

The man on the other side of Fudge nodded as well but Hermione was too far away to catch what he said.

"We will have to bring Lucius Malfoy in for questioning. Therefore we will have to push the hearing to the next week. Court is adjourned till then. All present here is expected to be tight lipped about this case." The minister concluded.

Everyone stood up as Dumbledore, the minister and the other official swept past. Once they had left the room, the crowd started to disperse. Mrs. Weasley, Melissa and Hermione rushed to Bill's side.

"You have an hour and half with him before the Dementors come. Usually it's only ten minutes but under Dumbledore's request..." the hassled looking scribe said trailing off as he walked to retrieve the bottle of veritaserum.

The chains that bound Bill to the chair let him free and he stood up. Hermione took in his overall appearance. His skin was pasty and pale. His eyes which usually twinkled held no emotion and he had visibly lost weight.

His robes that were usually stretched over his muscles hung limply. He no longer held himself respectably. "Mom," he said his voice hoarse. Mrs. Weasley pulled him into a hug and finally she wept. The tears that she forced herself to contain came rushing out. Tears she spilled for the near loss of her son. Tears that she would always remember. She cried softly into Bill's shoulder, when she felt someone pulling her off him.

"Bill how could Fudge be so ignorant?" Mrs. Weasley said in a shaky voice. She hated the minister and felt very much like slapping him. Her son was innocent he had been proven that under the influence of Veritaserum and yet Fudge chose to deny things that lay right in front of his very eyes.

"Mom, look at me. I'll be fine. Don't worry. Look after the rest and we'll all hope for the best," he said consoling her. Mrs. Weasley nodded numbly. She kissed him on the cheek and moved away, knowing that he would want to speak to Melissa.

"Mione'," he said smiling wanly at her. His smile didn't reach his eyes. "Keep studying babe. You'll make it big one day. Tell Ron that I didn't mean for this to happen and also tell him that I hope he can forgive me," Bill said. All he said held a not of finality to it.

Hermione knew it wasn't in her place to hog Bill's time with them and reassured him that he would definitely get out. At this he just smiled, before muttering a soft, "Always the naïve one."

Hermione had to try her very best to stop herself from crying.

Bill turned to Melissa. She had a very sad look on her face.

"Can I get a hug," he asked trying his best to smile and he held out his arms.

"No...you can't," Mel said amidst her sobs.

"Please?" he asked his eyes brimming with tears yet a strange smile was on his lips.

Mel rushed into his arms crying. He enveloped her in his arms and rested his chin on her head. "Don't cry babe," he said trying to sound reassuring. "At least we'll have the memories," he added, his voice cracking when he said that.

He couldn't imagine life without Melissa. He felt the lump in his pocket. It was the ring. He had been about to propose. His throat felt tight. She looked up at him and whispered, "Why have you given up Bill. There is hope yet."

"You think they'll take my words over Lucius Malfoy's?" he asked derisively.

Mel hit him on his chest weakly. "Have you given up on us then?" Mel said burying her head in his chest.

Bill was taken aback by that statement and he decided that he may as well do what he was planning to before he was arrested and taken away than add it to the list of things he could have done. He put his hands at either sides of Mel's side and pushed her away from him softly. Unfortunately she didn't budge.

The harder he pushed the harder she clung onto him. Mrs. Weasley who was standing at the sidelines wiped away her tears with the back of her palms. Hermione who was standing beside Mrs. Weasley was about to leave when Bill told her to stop.

"Mel let go of me love," he whispered to her. She finally let go after hearing the tone of his voice. The whole reason she was so afraid to let go was because she felt that her Bill would be taken away from her if she let go. Her love would be ripped away from her in a matter of minutes.

He knelt in front of her and Mel gasped when he reached into his pocket only to produce a velvet box.

"Melissa Jean Manson, I love you with all my heart and have shared all my secrets with you. I cannot imagine life without you but now there is a large possibility that I may have to. I may not have a chance to marry you but I want to with all my heart. Will you marry me love?" he asked, his eyes misting over.

Tears were pouring down the cheeks of everyone at that moment. It was such a bittersweet moment.

"Yes Bill. I love you with all my heart and I accept," Mel sputtered and for once that day her tears were ones of joy.

"My baby, all grown up," Mrs. Weasley sighed. Hermione rushed up to congratulate both of them and kissed Mel on the cheek telling her that she was extremely happy for her.

Bill smiled a heartfelt smile and hugged his fiancé. He knew he might not be able to marry her and lead a life with her but at the same time was happy that she had accepted if that made any sense. He looked down and kissed her softly.

A chaste kiss, yet it made his heart ache when he thought about how much he loved her. Mrs. Weasley was blustering around and finally they snapped out of their reverie. Mrs. Weasley was pulled into a group hug and all three of them laughed. A laugh that held a tinge of bitterness.

Hermione stood at the side lines. She was overwhelmed with a feeling of envy as she knew that she would experience having a loving family again. She would never experience a mother's love and a doting father ever again.

At that she thought about Mr. Weasley. She wondered if he would ever forgive his son. He had walked out half way through the trial. "Why," she wondered, "Why."

Mrs. Weasley hugged her son and new-found daughter-in-law tightly and fiercely. She wondered how she would be able to deal with it if Bill was sentenced to Azkaban. She now had Melissa, a reminder of Bill, the person Bill promised to love for life. She imagined how the poor girl would feel, having Bill being pulled away from her.

"Mione'..." Bill said his voice cracking, motioning her to join in on the group hug. Tentatively she walked to them and put her arms around them gingerly. It was the first time she had a hug from anyone one in a long time and it felt weird, as though she had forgotten how to.

"Your time is up. Bill Weasley come with me," an official voice said from behind them breaking the emotional moment.

Bill hearts plunged. He wondered how he could be so selfish, how he could have proposed to her. But his heart still swelled when he thought about her accepting. It would be his one most happy moment in his life. He wished he had just died at that point, which would mean he would have died the happiest man alive.

He would not cry anymore. He would stay strong for his family. Hermione let go and backed away from them. "Bill Weasley..." the voice said uncertainly and Mrs. Weasley moved away from him her heart breaking again. "Take care son. We'll see you soon," she assured him in a tone that hinted that she was convincing herself more than him.

Bill wrapped his arms around Melissa tightly, fearing that she would disappear if he let go. She clung onto him tighter knowing that there was no choice but to let go but at the same time she didn't want to.

AN:I dunno why I feel the need to bore all you wonderful people who read my story with my insights but here goes. I love these quotes:

-The world is but a stage.

-God is a DJ, Life is a dance floor, Love is rythm, you are the music

Ok then that's all unless you want more ( '.' )

Buaiz