Hey Guys! Here is the final chapter of Still She Rose! I truly hope that you all have enjoyed this story. It has meant a lot to me.
I am considering writing a single Epilogue chapter but I'm not sure.
Please leave a Review!
Have a great day!
Sunday
When Collette arrived at Draco's house, she had loads of research about Cormac McLaggen's new Advocate; none of which eased the nerves of the women.
"So, you're basically saying that she's a Blast-Ended Skrewt." Ron said after hearing just how Advocate Knight had won her previous cases.
"An utter Bitch is what it sounds like to me." Theo grunted with a nod.
Collette sighed, "She's tough. She'll certainly recall Hermione and Hannah to ask them her own questions, and could possibly call Parvati, Katie, and Cho up to the podium."
"Bloody marvelous." Hannah muttered bitterly.
"I know this is not the outcome we had all hoped for, but I still believe that we have a fairly good chance of winning this case." Collette said.
Hermione sighed, along with the others.
They spent the entire day discussing the possible actions of the new Advocate before Collette left and they all went to bed. They knew they needed to rest up for the following day.
When Draco and Hermione arrived back on the fourth floor, they sat down on the sofa in the lounge, curling up together. They both remained silent and listened to the rain outside, until Draco spoke up.
"How are you?" Draco asked the brunette quietly.
The witch inhaled slowly before sighing and saying, "I'm…okay, I suppose. I'm also completely and utterly anxious about tomorrow. After everything Collette said about Advocate Knight…well, she sounds dreadful."
He nodded and pressed a kiss to her forehead as they both heard a pecking noise on the window.
With a quick wave of his wand, Draco opened the window, allowing an owl to enter the warm, dry room.
The shook its feathers, flinging water droplets everywhere before Draco accepted the letter in its beak. Draco flicked his wand and dried the spots in the room where the droplets had landed before he opened the letter that was addressed to him.
The bird flew back out the window, into the pouring rain while he opened the letter.
Draco huffed, annoyed. "Well…shite."
"What?" She asked.
Draco handed her the letter and she looked at it.
Case No. CCT-470-308-538
Name of Plaintiffs: Hermione J. Granger, Katherine J. Bell, Cho N. Chang,
Parvati A, Patil, Hannah M. Abbott Name of Advocate: Collette Adair
Name of Defendant: Cormac S. McLaggen Name of Advocate: Elora Knight
Mr. Draco L. Malfoy,
You are required to be at the trial of the case numbered above, so that you may be questioned by Advocate Elora Knight.
It is scheduled for Monday, June 3, 2004. You must arrive at the Ministry of Magic in Courtroom #12 by 8:00 in the morning.
- Your wand must be brought to the trial
- You may only bring one person with you, and they must remain seated in the balcony throughout the entire trial
- You must stay until the courtroom has adjourned for the day
If you have any questions, contact Clover Bamford at the Office of the Grand Panel.
Premier Judge: Orson Croce
Judge Assistant: Seraphina Coffey
She sighed and looked over at him with tears in her eyes, "I'm so sorry, Draco."
He shook his head, "I'd do anything to help you."
The brunette nodded with a sigh, "Thank you, Love, but after everything Collette just said about Elora…I don't want her to…" She paused in her speaking, unsure of how to phrase it.
Draco took her hand in his, "Hermione, Love, I can take whatever she throws at me. I know that she will probably question my qualifications and may even question my relationship with you, but I'll handle that. You just need to remain as calm as possible and try to not let it bother you."
She huffed, "Draco…"
"No, Hermione. You have come so far in such a short amount of time. Don't let some bint that McLaggen hired intimidate you. She can't take from you what you fought so hard to find within yourself." He said.
Hermione nodded and leaned further into him.
Draco held her close and kissed the top of her head.
They sat in silence for some time, listening to the rain, before going to bed.
Monday
It was around two in the morning and Hermione simply could not sleep. Her mind was racing with thoughts and the possibilities of what might happen. After hours of lying there, wide awake, she finally slid out of bed and pulled on her robe before grabbing a book from off the table against the wall and going out to the lounge to read for a bit.
She had picked out one of her new books, titled, Life-Altering Moments and How to Move Past Them.
The brunette sat down on the sofa and curled her legs underneath her as she opened the book. She could hear the rain continuing to pelt down outside and inhaled nervously, hoping the book actually helped her.
As she read the words written by Parisa Ackworth, a witch who had also been sexually assaulted, she came to the crucial realization that despite the fact that Cormac had attacked and raped her, she was still completely in charge of her own body. Though that realization may seem obvious to most, it was critical for her to see it in print.
For anyone who is sexually assaulted, the emotions they feel vary from one end of the spectrum to the other, and sometimes completely off the spectrum. One emotion however, that most of them feel is that they are no longer completely in charge of their body and what they choose to do with it.
This emotion is normal, but incorrect.
You are in charge of your body just as the person who sexually assaulted was in charge of theirs. They could have stopped their actions but chose not to. You get to choose what happens from this point on.
"Hermione?" She heard and looked over at the doorway of the bedroom where Draco was standing with sleepy eyes. "What's the matter, Love?" He asked, walking over, and sitting beside her.
She shook her head and looked at the blond wizard, "Nothing. I'm okay." She replied honestly.
He nodded, hearing the truth in her words, "Would you like to come back to bed?"
She nodded and closed the book, setting it aside before following Draco back to bed.
It was half past six when Hermione woke up again. She stayed in bed for a moment, listening to the rain while attempting to clear her mind.
"Good morning, Love. Are you okay?" She heard him ask from the doorway of the ensuite.
She looked over and saw that he was wearing a navy-blue towel around his waist and his hair was still wet. She swallowed, her mind instantly clearing as she nodded.
He nodded, "Okay. I'm going to get dressed, all right?"
Hermione nodded once more and spoke, saying, "Okay. I'm going to take a shower."
After they had both finished their showers and were dressed, they met in the bedroom.
Dressed in his suit robes, Draco looked over at Hermione, "Would you like to go eat some breakfast with the others now?"
She nodded as she walked closer and pulled him down, into a deep, passionate kiss.
Though surprised, Draco responded instantly, cupping her cheek as he kissed her back.
Hermione deepened the kiss, tilting her head.
Slowly, Draco pulled back and pressed his forehead against hers, "You've got this, Love." he whispered.
She nodded, gripping his robes tightly, "I know." She replied quietly.
The wizard pulled back and kissed her forehead, "Let's go eat some breakfast."
Hermione nodded and the couple Apparated to the kitchen.
When the group finished their short, silent breakfast, they gathered in the library before taking turns Flooing to Harry's office at the Ministry.
Once they had all arrived, Theo looked at the women and said, "All right, girls. Let's go kick this bastard's arse."
He succeeded in making them all smile, even if just slightly.
The group made their way to the courtroom.
When they entered the Entry Chamber, they found Zacharias Smith getting the Courtroom Lock placed on his wand.
"What are you doing here?" Hannah asked angrily.
Smith turned and sighed, "I erm…I received a summons to be here today."
Hannah huffed and turned away from her ex-boyfriend.
After everyone checked in, Draco, Zacharias and the five women went into the courtroom while the rest of the group went up to the balcony.
Collette was waiting for them while the defendant's table was empty.
"How are you all feeling this morning?" Collette asked the group.
As Cho was about to respond, the doors of the courtroom opened, and a group of people entered, strutting toward the defendant's table.
Cormac, along with his father, Eddie Carmichael, Sally Smith, two other blokes and a woman with a strict appearance all gathered around the table and began talking quietly.
"Bloody hell." Cho muttered.
"The stern-looking woman wearing the deep purple robes is Elora Knight." Collette said in a low tone. "The young bloke, wearing the light blue robes, carrying the files is her assistant. His name is Calixto Frampton, and he does a significant amount of her research."
The girls nodded while Draco continued to watch the group on the other side of the courtroom. Hermione noticed and grabbed his hand, gently squeezing it to get his attention.
Cormac, Advocate Knight, and her assistant all sat at the table while the others sat in the seats behind it just as an Auror came out to inform them that the trial would resume in five minutes.
Draco kissed Hermione on the cheek before going to sit down.
When the nine members of the Grand Panel entered and sat down on the high bench, the Premier Judge cleared his throat and spoke up.
"Now that we can resume the trial, there are a few things I must make clear. The defense's new Advocate is allowed to recall any of the previous speakers to the podium even though the previous statements will still be taken into account. We will be taking a shorter lunch break today, only half an hour, as there is another trial beginning soon. I believe the Advocates each received a letter informing them of the shortened lunch break. Are there any questions?"
When no one spoke up, Premier Judge Croce nodded and said, "Advocate Knight, you may begin."
Elora Knight stood up and cleared her throat, "Thank you. I call Hermione Granger to the Statement Podium."
Draco noticed how Cormac smirked and the Auror Medic clenched his jaw in controlled anger.
Hermione walked over to the Podium and swallowed but remained visibly stoic.
"Miss Granger…" Elora said, looking through her notes. "You and my client have known one another for several years. You've dated him on numerous occasions. You claim that you've never truly felt safe with him…so why would you go away with him? You two went for a flight during the bash you attended on the eleventh of May…which meant that the two of you were alone and nowhere near anyone else. Please explain why you would do something that would appear to be, at least based on your remarks, rather careless and unsafe."
Hermione suppressed her anger, pausing for a moment before replying, "As I've said before, I thought that Cormac might have actually grown up."
"But for such a bright girl, isn't that rather foolish?" The Advocate asked.
"Foolish?" Hermione replied with edge, "To assume that he would have done what everyone else has? Maturing is a natural process, Advocate Knight. Clearly your client is freak of nature." She replied, accidentally allowing her anger to seep through a bit.
Elora Knight appeared surprised by Hermione's reply and turned back to her notes, "Putting yourself in a situation where you felt unsafe, isn't that your own fault?"
Hermione shook her head, "No. It was not my fault that your client ripped my dress. It was not my fault that he tore my knickers and beat me. It wasn't my fault that he was such a coward that he used a wand to threaten my life. It was not my fault that he decided to rape me. Everything that he did that night was his own doing and his own fault. I am the victim, Advocate Knight, not your client. He's simply having to pay for his crimes and whining about it." She replied.
The Advocate did well to hide her shock, but Hermione still noticed it within her eyes.
"How many sexual partners have you had, Miss Granger?"
Hermione's eyes widened, "Excuse me?"
"How many sexual partners have you had?" Elora asked slower.
"I don't see why…"
"Miss Granger, just answer the question." Knight cut in.
Hermione clenched her jaw and inhaled, "Four."
"Could you please name them?"
Hermione's eyes went wide, "Why?" She asked as she noticed Cormac smirking behind his Advocate.
"Miss Granger, please name all four of your sexual partners." The woman said, causing Hermione to feel heat flaring up in her face and chest.
The brunette's stomach clenched with anxiety, and she glanced at Collette who looked angry but nodded for her to go ahead, knowing she didn't have a choice.
Hermione inhaled deeply, unable to look over at Draco as she replied, "Ronald Weasley, Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnigan and Terry Boot."
"You may sit back down, Miss Granger." Advocate Knight said with the slightest hint of pride in her tone.
Hermione huffed and went back to her seat, rage bubbling in her gut.
"I now call Draco Malfoy to the Statement Podium."
Draco stood up and made his way to the podium. He stood there and glared at the Advocate, waiting for her to speak. His anger was flared up to massive proportions.
"Mr. Malfoy, how can this court be certain that you didn't alter the results of Robert Abbott's Magical Bloodline Test?" Knight asked.
"Because I've never altered anything. I've always given the exact results that I find. Robert Abbott is the son of Cormac McLaggen. Try not to hold it against the young lad though, he's a good boy." He said in the calmest voice possible.
Cormac clenched his fists, but Calixto calmed him by whispering something to him.
Elora Knight walked over toward the podium but stopped just short of it, "Mr. Malfoy, since your girlfriend is one of the so-called victims, have you threatened the life of my client?"
"No, though I wouldn't shed a tear if he were to drop dead this moment." Draco replied, knowing that he shouldn't be making such harsh remarks but after the way Elora had questioned Hermione, his anger was out of his hands. Draco knew Cormac was lucky that their wands had a Courtroom Lock on them, otherwise Draco would kill him in that moment, and his Advocate might be soon to follow.
Elora turned back to her notes, "You and Hermione Granger have been in a relationship for only a short time, is that correct?"
"Yes." He replied with edge.
"Since when exactly?"
He glared at her, "Our relationship began on the twentieth of May."
"So then only nine days after Miss Granger claims the attack took place, you two became a couple?" She asked.
"The rape did take place. It happened on the eleventh of May. And yes, we became a couple nine days later. Why does that matter?" He asked.
"And since she did not name you as one of her numerous sexual partners, I suppose you're uncomfortable with sleeping with someone who claims to be a victim."
"That's not a question." He replied through clenched teeth.
"Are you concerned that Hermione Granger will claim that you too, have raped her if the two of you sleep together?" Elora asked with narrowed eyes.
"Absolutely not. She's only ever said that one man raped her and that is your client, Cormac McLaggen."
"That'll be all, Mr. Malfoy." She said, not bothering to look at him.
Draco clenched his jaw and walked away, furious with Elora but also with himself for allowing her to get him riled up.
As he sat back down, Advocate Knight spoke to the judges.
"As we've all heard, the Magical Bloodline Test has been verified by Mr. Malfoy. Since it states that Robert Abbott is my client's son, we sent out a last-minute summons this morning." She said as an Auror brought the young, scared-looking Robert Abbott into the courtroom.
"Absolutely not!" Hannah said, standing up, "Leave him alone!"
Collette stood up and spoke to the judges, "We were not given the summons and since he isn't even eleven years old yet and unable to receive a wand, the law states that his guardian must be informed…"
"Yes, Advocate Adair, we agree with you." Premier Judge Croce said before looking at Elora disapprovingly. "Advocate Knight, you should know better than to do this. Another action like this and your client will need to find a new Advocate once more."
Elora Knight nodded, though she didn't seem bothered, "I simply thought the boy should meet his father."
Robert looked confused and glanced around the room before looking at his mother.
Hannah got up and rushed over to him, "Where are Grandpop and Grandmum?" She asked quietly.
He pointed to the balcony where she noticed her parents watching with worried expressions.
"I'll take him out to the Entry Chamber to meet them." Draco said, "Since I've finished with my questions, I'm not required to be in here the entire time. I'll be back shortly."
Hannah nodded and watched as Draco left with her son.
"Call your next speaker, Advocate Knight." Judge Croce said.
She nodded and called Zacharias Smith to the podium.
"Mr. Smith, how can we be certain that it wasn't you that stunned Hannah Abbott and raped her in the loo at Hogwarts?"
Zacharias was stunned but her question, "I…She…It wasn't me. I saw Cormac do it. I explained that I should have done something. If I had been the man I am now, then I would have, but I was a coward back then."
Draco reentered the courtroom and took his seat, furious with Advocate Knight and her actions.
Advocate Adair nodded, "And how can you be certain that it was my client that you saw that day? Looking through the stall door in a loo isn't exactly the best place to be in to properly see the attack."
"How would you know? You weren't there." He said angrily. "They were directly in front of my stall. I saw both of them clearly. I know what and who I saw. I'm certain of it."
She nodded, "That'll be all."
He glared at her before nodding and walking away, back to his seat.
"I believe now is a good time to take our lunch break, as it is nearly noon. Everyone must be back here by twelve thirty." Judge Drewitt said before the judges left the courtroom.
Cormac's group of people left the courtroom before Collette and the others stood up.
When Collette stood up, she said, "Okay…so you all really shouldn't have lost your tempers, but I do understand why you did. Let's go eat in Harry's office, I had our lunch delivered there at eleven."
The group met the others in the Entry Chamber, but no words were spoken. They all entered Harry's office and Draco pulled Hermione aside.
"Are you okay?" He asked quietly.
She nodded, looking at him with anxiety visible in her eyes.
Draco pulled her close and kissed her forehead, before whispering, "I love you."
She let out a quiet sob and pressed her face against his chest. Her fears of him being angry with her about her past sexual partners had been eating at her since the horrible Advocate had brought it up. Hearing him say those words, calmed her fears tremendously.
He held her tightly against him, "It's okay, Love. Everything is okay." He muttered into her hair.
She pulled back and met his eyes, "I truly hate her."
He nodded, "Yeah. She's an utter bitch."
"Completely." Hermione nodded.
Draco leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips, "You and me…we're just fine. In fact, we're spectacular, okay? Her words, Cormac's actions, their plans…none of that will change my love for you."
The brunette nodded, "I love you too, Draco."
He smiled and kissed her once more before they joined the others to eat lunch.
As they ate, they all remained mostly silent, knowing that if they spoke about how angry they were, they'd go barmy.
After lunch they went back to the courtroom and back to their seats.
When it was time for Advocate Knight to call her next speaker, she called for Sally Smith, which eased the fears of everyone at the prosecution side.
The beautiful blonde witch stood and walked over to the Statement Podium. She licked her lips and swept her hair over her shoulder before looking down at her piece of parchment that had her statement on it.
"My name is Sally Smith, and I was one year below Cormac McLaggen at Hogwarts." She began. "After graduating Hogwarts, I entered into a relationship with him. We were together for two years and during that time he was nothing but a complete gentleman. I cannot understand why these people" she said with a hint of revulsion in her voice. "would accuse him of such hideous actions. I know Cormac very well and though we aren't together anymore, I care for him. He would never do any of those things. Please don't blame him for something they've made up…something he didn't and wouldn't do." She said, finishing her statement.
Elora smiled kindly at the blonde witch and nodded, "Thank you, Miss Smith. May I ask you a question?"
Sally nodded, "Sure."
Nodding, Elora looked at her notes before asking, "Throughout your relationship with my client, was there ever even a hint of violent behavior from him?"
"Never. Cormac always treated me wonderfully and I never noticed him having any sort of anger issues with anyone."
The Advocate nodded and thanked the blonde before allowing her to sit back down.
"I now call Dougal Lochridge to the Statement Podium." Elora said while looking over her notes once more.
The other bloke that the group hadn't recognized walked over to the podium and cleared his throat. He was a bulky bloke with short, dark curls and when he made eye contact with Hermione, he smiled, causing bile to rise into her throat.
"My name is Dougal Lochridge and I have worked for the McLaggen family, at their Apothecary, for nearly seventeen years. I've watched Cormac grow and seen how he behaves around men and women. He is a wonderful young bloke and has the manners of a gentleman." He said, clearing his throat once more before continuing. "I understand that these women probably were attacked by someone, but it couldn't have been Cormac. He's not the type of person to do such a thing. Please understand that he is a good man and has respect for everyone. He would never do such horrendous things, especially to a woman."
Elora nodded, "Thank you, Mr. Lochridge, you may sit back down."
As Dougal walked back to his seat, Advocate Knight glanced over at the Prosecution table before saying, "And now, I call my final speaker, Mr. Cormac McLaggen."
Cormac smirked and stood up, straightening his striped, grey robes before he made his way over to the Statement Podium.
He cleared his throat and looked over at the girls' table once more before looking down at his statement.
"My name is Cormac Shane McLaggen. I have been accused crimes that I never committed. Any woman I have slept with has wanted it." He said before meeting Hermione's eyes, "On the night of May eleventh," He said turning his head back to look at the judges, "Hermione Granger never said no or stop. She had wanted to dance with me. She had wanted to go flying with me. She had wanted to snog me. And she had wanted to shag me. She wanted it rough, that's why there were bruises. I don't know why she suddenly wants to claim that I raped her. Clearly, she's disturbed. But the truth is that she wanted it." He said before inhaling with a subtle smirk still on his lips, "As for Hannah Abbott…she and I were in a relationship during our Seventh Year. I'm heartbroken that she never told me about my son, and I assure you that I will be seeking partial custody of him, but I never raped her. We had been sleeping together throughout our relationship and I'm stunned that she hasn't admitted it."
He paused, clearing his throat before saying, "Katie Bell and I also had a relationship for a short time. It was during that time that we shagged. I never raped any of them." He said sternly as he pointed toward the girls. "Yes, I slept with three of them, but all three girls agreed to it and wanted it, rather desperately, to be honest. Please don't reprimand me for these fabricated crimes."
When he completed his statement, Elora nodded, "Thank you for your statement, Mr. McLaggen. Now, I am going to ask you a few questions."
Cormac nodded, glancing over to the other table, seeing the visible fury raging through the group.
Draco's fists were clenched so tightly that his nails were biting into his palms.
"Mr. McLaggen…" Advocate Knight said, "you said in your statement that Miss Granger never said no or stop. Did she make any comments or react in any way that, looking back at it now, you realize you possibly should have stopped?"
Cormac shook his head, "No. In fact…and I don't want to sound…well, she made the sort of noises a woman makes when she's enjoying herself."
Hermione felt such rage fill her body that she nearly stood up and screamed at him, but Hannah reached over and took her hand under the table, showing her support and calming her a bit.
"And with Hannah Abbott, how long did the two of you have a relationship?"
"For about a year." Cormac answered.
Hermione felt Hannah shaking with fury beside squeezed the blonde's witch's hand. Hannah squeezed back, as if attempting to steady herself.
"As for Miss Bell, do you have any ideas as to why she hasn't acknowledged the relationship between the two of you?"
While shaking his head, sandy-haired wizard replied, "No. I'm not sure at all. I never thought she was ashamed of what we had, but evidently, she was. At least, she was enough so to make up these lies about me and recruit others to join her vindictive plan."
"Did you ever sleep with Miss Chang or Miss Patil?"
"No. Never." He said, shaking his head.
Elora nodded, "Thank you, Mr. McLaggen and I'm sorry that you are having to go through this."
Cormac nodded with an artificial sigh, "Thank you."
As Cormac sat back down at the table, Premier Judge Croce spoke up, "Advocate Knight, was that the last of your speakers?"
Elora nodded, "Yes it was."
"Then we will now hear closing statements." Co-Premier Judge Drewitt said. "Advocate Adair…when you're ready." She said, looking at Collette.
Collette stood up and walked to the center of the of the courtroom. She looked at each judge before speaking, "Throughout this trial, you have all heard many different and contradicting statements about Cormac McLaggen's character. You've been told that he is a wonderful man who has never disrespected a woman." She said before shaking her head with a sigh, "However, there are five women sitting at the Prosecution table who have honest, clear, detailed, and terribly painful stories telling you that those statements are complete lies. Cormac McLaggen" She said pointing at the defendant, "has attacked, raped, and hunted these women. He impregnated one of them and stalked all of them. There is solid proof that these attacks…that these rapes occurred. You cannot ignore the evidence laid out before you. You cannot allow this monster to walk free in the world. You cannot all him to get away with these horrid crimes. He has left a vile and undeniable mark on these women's lives. Don't allow him to do that to more people." She said sternly, taking a moment before going on, "Cormac McLaggen is a rapist. That truth cannot be denied. Make Cormac McLaggen pay for his crimes and put him in Azkaban where he belongs." She said with a solid nod before adding, "Thank you for your time."
"Thank you, Advocate Adair." Premier Judge Croce said. Before looking at Elora. "Advocate Knight, your closing statement?"
The witch nodded and stepped forward. She inhaled deeply before saying, "By sending an innocent man to prison, you will cut a life and all of its potential short. A life that has such a promising future. My client is innocent. These five women have concocted terrible lies. Stories that are truly horrifying and I wish that I could tell you why they've done this and explain their actions. However, I cannot explain the minds of people who would do such a thing." She paused before continuing, "Cormac McLaggen is a good man…an innocent man. Don't punish him for their lies." She finished before adding, "Thank you."
Premier Judge Croce nodded in response before speaking, "As it is nearing eight in the evening, we will deliberate overnight and should have a verdict ready in the morning. The defendant, the prosecutors and both Advocates will receive a letter precisely one hour before you will need to be back here for the verdict and possible sentencing. Are there any questions?"
When no one spoke, he dismissed everyone. The nine judges exited the courtroom first, before Cormac and his group left.
The girls stood up and began to walk out of the courtroom.
Draco pulled Hermione into a hug, seeing the anxiety in her eyes.
"You did brilliantly, Love." He said quietly.
Hermione nodded and looked up at him, "So did you." She replied.
He huffed, "Hermione, I completely lost my temper."
She shook her head, "You stood up for me."
"Of course." He said, "I'd do anything for you."
Collette nodded for them to hurry and follow the group.
Everyone went back to Draco's house; they ate dinner in complete silence before all going to bed.
When Hermione and Draco arrived on the fourth floor, Draco waited to see what she wanted to do. When Hermione began to cry, he rushed over to her and pulled her into his arms where she instantly broke into sobs.
She had been verbally attacked by Elora Knight and had simply had to endure it.
He hugged her while repeatedly muttering that everything was going to be okay into her hair.
As her sobs eased, she pulled back from the hug and met his eyes, "I'm sorry. I just…I…"
"You needed to let it out. It's all right, Love." He replied, "Today was difficult."
She nodded, "That bitch." She muttered.
Draco nodded, "She is a bitch, but nothing she asked and nothing you said will change us, okay?" He said, knowing that she was still concerned about him knowing that she had slept with the men she had named.
She nodded and leaned up on her toes, pressing a kiss to his jaw, "I love you."
He cupped her jaw and kissed her lips, surprising her.
Hermione hummed and tilted her head, deepening the kiss a bit.
As they separated, she looked up, into his eyes, "I'm so, terribly sorry about…about…"
Draco shook his head, "It's okay, Love. We both have a past. We just haven't discussed that topic yet. We will, but not tonight. You need to rest."
The brunette sighed, relieved, and nodded, "Let's go to bed."
Tuesday
Hermione slept later than usual, having been completely exhausted after the previous day.
When she opened her eyes, the time was a bit past nine. She let out a quiet sigh, not moving from the spot she had been in since midnight.
She heard the bedroom door open, and Draco entered.
Hermione slowly sat up, rubbing her face.
Draco sat on the edge of the bed and waited a moment before saying, "Morning, Love."
She smiled a small smile that held such heaviness behind it.
He reached out and took her hand. "Let's get you some breakfast, okay?"
She nodded, "Yeah."
"I can bring some up here, if you'd rather not go downstairs."
"No, we're all in this together, might as well go down there."
Draco nodded and stood up.
Once Hermione had changed her clothes, the couple Apparated down to the kitchen.
The group ate breakfast together, talking occasionally but not much as they all had the impending verdict on their minds.
While they ate, five owls arrived, flying in through the kitchen window. One landed beside each girl and the room held its breath.
Hermione opened her letter and looked at it.
Case No. CCT-470-308-538
Name of Plaintiff: Hermione J. Granger Name of Advocate: Collette Adair
Name of Defendant: Cormac S. McLaggen Name of Advocate: Elora Knight
Ms. Hermione J. Granger,
The verdict for the above stated case has been decided.
You must arrive at Courtroom #12 by 11:00 this morning. The verdict will be given by 11:30 and the sentencing, should the Defendant be found guilty, will take place immediately afterwards.
- All wands must be brought to the trial.
- Supportive company is allowed but must remain quiet during entire proceedings
Premier Judge: Orson Croce
Judge Assistant: Seraphina Coffey
She exhaled and stood up, "I'm going to get ready." She stated before leaving the room.
Draco followed, needing to get ready as well.
It was a quarter till eleven when the group left. They arrived in Harry's office and immediately made their way to the Courtroom.
The Auror guard in the Entry Chamber held out an open box. Inside it were multiple slots with each person's name on one.
Harry sighed, knowing what that was about, "Listen," he said, turning to the group, "during verdicts, no one is allowed a wand. Courtroom Locks aren't enough security to keep everyone from harming each other when the verdict is read."
"Place your wand in the slot with your name on it." The guard said.
Hermione could see that Cormac's slot already had his wand in it. She inhaled, surrendering her wand before walking into the courtroom with the rest of the group.
Harry and the others didn't have to go sit in the balcony, as the trial part of the proceedings was finished.
Collette was sitting in her usual spot and stood up as the girls walked over.
"Are you girls, ready?" She asked quietly.
They each silently nodded as they were all too nauseated to speak.
An Auror entered, announcing that the verdict would be given in five minutes.
When all nine judges entered the courtroom a few minutes later, Hermione inhaled deeply and glanced at Draco. He nodded to her supportively, before she turned back to look at the judges.
Premier Judge Croce spoke, "After deliberating overnight, we have come to a verdict on each charge. As there are several, we are going to take it one person at a time." He explained before turning to Co-Premier Judge Drewitt who nodded and stood with a piece of parchment hovering in front of her.
All the women grabbed the hand of the woman beside her, holding onto each other for support.
"The following charges were filed by Katherine Juliette Bell against Cormac Shane McLaggen." She said before clearing her throat and speaking up. "On the charges of Entering a Private Residence without Approval, Making Threats to Kill, Rape, Assault by Penetration, Using Magic to Assist with Attempted Murder, and Using Magic to Assist in a Rape, we find Cormac Shane McLaggen guilty." Drewitt said before looking up from the parchment. "All charges filed by Katherine Juliette Bell against Cormac Shane McLaggen have come back as guilty."
Katie exhaled with a quiet sob of relief as she squeezed Hermione's hand.
Judge Drewitt cleared her throat, "The following charges were filed by Cho Nabi Chang against Cormac Shane McLaggen. On the charges of Making Threats to Kill, Rape, Assault by Penetration, Using Magic to Assist in a Rape, and Using Magic to Assist in an Assault, we find Cormac Shane McLaggen guilty. All charges filed by Cho Nabi Chang against Cormac Shane McLaggen have come back as guilty." She announced, causing Cho to nod and exhale a long heavy sigh of relief.
When Drewitt continued, Parvati held her breath. "The following charges were filed by Parvati Amara Patil against Cormac Shane McLaggen." Judge Drewitt continued, "On the charges of Making Threats to Kill, Rape, Assault by Penetration, Using Magic to Assist in a Rape, and Using Magic to Assist in an Assault, we find Cormac Shane McLaggen guilty." She said, looking over at the Prosecution table, "All charges filed by Parvati Amara Patil against Cormac Shane McLaggen have come back as guilty." She finished before looking further down on the parchment as Parvati let out a silent sob and squeezed her girlfriend's hand.
"The following charges were filed by Hannah Marie Abbott against Cormac Shane McLaggen." Drewitt said, before reading off the charges and verdict. "On the charges of Making threats to Kill, Rape, Assault by Penetration, Not Paying Sion Assistance for six years, and Using Magic to Assist in an Assault, we find Cormac Shane McLaggen guilty. All charges filed by Hannah Marie Abbott against Cormac Shane McLaggen have come back as guilty." Drewitt said.
Hannah let out a sob and hugged her girlfriend tightly.
Hermione knew that she was next and though all of the charges had come back as guilty, she knew that because of her past with Cormac, hers might be different. She felt sick to her stomach as Drewitt cleared her throat.
"The following charges were filed by Hermione Jean Granger against Cormac Shane McLaggen." Drewitt said before inhaling and going on with the verdict. "On the charges of Entering a Private Residence without Approval, Making Threats to Kill, Grievous Bodily Harm, Rape, Assault by Penetration, Using Magic to Assist with Attempted Murder, and Using Magic to Assist in a Rape we find Cormac Shane McLaggen guilty. All charges filed by Hermione Jean Granger against Cormac Shane McLaggen have come back as guilty." Drewitt finished.
Hermione blinked the tears from her eyes, nodding. She felt a sense of complete relief flood her chest. She had won her case. They had all won the case. Shock and relief were all she could feel as tears streamed down her cheeks.
Cormac, who had been silenced multiple times by his Advocate was completely furious, making wild, angry gestures while shouting at the women.
Premier Judge Croce cleared his throat and addressed Cormac, "Mr. McLaggen, you have been found guilty of every charge filed against you. You have committed these horrendous and disgusting crimes towards these women, four of whom were only children when you did so. Based on all of your actions, and adding up each charge, we are sentencing you to one thousand and two hundred years in Azkaban Prison. You should be ashamed of yourself. Aurors, take him away and out of my sight. He is to be immediately taken to Azkaban."
Two Aurors nodded and came forward, dragging the bastard out of the courtroom while he began making threats to the women who were crying and hugging each other.
Cormac screamed while being dragged out, "You son of a bitch! I didn't do anything, they're all just a bunch of sluts who deserved it! I gave them the best times of their…"
Judge Croce silenced him with a wave of his wand before turning to look at the women, "Ladies, I am truly sorry for the horrors you have been through because of him. Please know that he is no longer a threat to any of you. Thank you for the strength you each exhibited by pursuing the case and filing the charges against him. You may each take your leave and feel safe once again."
The girls stood up. Hermione ran over to Draco, hugging him tightly as she continued to cry tears of relief.
Without looking back, Hermione, and the others left the courtroom. They met the rest of the group in the Entry Chamber where everyone retrieved their wands. They headed back to Harry's office and Floo'd to Draco's townhouse.
The group spent the next hour hugging and crying before they began to pack their belongings.
Before long, the large townhouse only contained Draco and Hermione.
He turned to her, "How do you feel?" He asked.
She smiled and shook her head, "It's almost impossible to believe that it's over." She replied as they sat on the sofa in the library. "I erm…well, at the beginning of this entire situation…he…he practically stripped away all of the strength and security I felt. After this…journey, I suppose you could call it, I've found that strength and security again. Him being put away is a win and I am thrilled about it, but I didn't need that to feel strong again. I felt strong again the moment I realized that he didn't control me. He was one night in my past. Cormac McLaggen and his actions do not define me. It took some time for me to fully realize and accept that but now that I have, I feel…free."
Draco smiled and nodded, "I'm thrilled that you feel that way, Love." He cleared his throat nervously, "Erm…now that you feel that way…do you want to…to go home?" He asked.
She tilted her head and looked at him, "Well…I actually thought I'd stay here. It's felt like home, but if you'd rather…"
"No!" He cut in quickly. "I want you here. I love you, Hermione. This is your home too, Love."
She smiled, looking at him with so much love in her eyes, "I love you too, Draco."
"Would you like to move in here?" He asked.
She nodded immediately.
He beamed and pulled her into his arms, her true home.
Wednesday
It was early in the morning when Hermione woke up. She looked next to her and smiled, seeing Draco still sound asleep, his blond hair untidy and adorable. She loved him dearly and was thrilled that they could finally begin their life together. She was moving in with him and they were madly in love, and she couldn't imagine anything better.
Instead of going back to sleep, she slid out of bed and pulled on her robe. Hermione looked out at the roof terrace and realized that it had finally stopped raining. The brunette witch smiled and stepped out onto the terrace, inhaling the lovely 'after rain' smell.
The sun was just rising over the city and as the sunlight glazed over the sky revealing a lovely pink and orange hue, a beautiful, full, yet soft rainbow appeared. Hermione's heart felt full, and she knew in that moment, she had gotten past the trauma Cormac had put her through. She was lucky enough to have found a man that loved her and had been by her side through it all with no judgement whatsoever.
Cormac had beaten her down and yet, still she rose.