(I'm so sorry once again to have taken so long to put up this new chapter! I have been busy getting ready to move back down to Florida and haven't had much time to type. That being said it will take even LONGER to post the next chapter, which is written but I can't type because I'm moving next Sunday. Once in Florida I have to fix the computer down there cause it has tons of viruses, so it may be a while till you next hear from me. I will not forget about this story though and will try my hardest to post back as quick as I can.

Now I hope you enjoy this chapter, it's mainly a lot of fluff but it sets up something for the next chapter. XD)

Chapter 10 – A Trial!

The day of the Hogsmeade visit was finally upon them. Harry groaned as he turned over in his bed. He had been having the most wonderful dream. What had woken him? He felt something prod the back of his head and he flew up into a sitting position. "What the-?" He looked the length of his bed but saw nothing. He opened his hangings and groped for his glasses on the nightstand. He squinted through the semi-darkness, which to Harry seemed terribly bright. He breathed a sigh of relief as he saw the smiling face of Dobby.

"Good morning Harry Potter."

"Dobby…why did you poke me? I was having a good dream for once."

"Dobby is sorry sir, but Dobby has something to tell Harry Potter."

Harry scrambled out of his bed and crouched beside Dobby so that they were eye to eye. "Did you find out anything?"

"Well Dobby was cleaning the Slytherin common room this morning and happened upon young Mr. Malfoy talking to his friends." He hesitated.

"And!" Harry ushered him on, "Go on you can tell me."

"Dob-Dobby can't sir…Dobby can't…his former master."

"No no no, yes you can Dobby. You're not bound to them anymore, please Dobby you must tell me."

Dobby started to shake, "He-He said that some kind of trial was scheduled for Mr. Malfoy…that it should be set soon." He closed his eyes and shook even more; he rushed to Harry's nightstand and banged his head against the drawers.

"No Dobby don't!" Harry hissed and pulled him away from the drawers. "What trial…did he say anything else?"

"Harry?" Harry turned to find Ron's head poking out of his hangings, his eyes closed. "What is it?" Ron mumbled sleepily.

"Sorry Ron, its just Dobby."

"Dobby?" He opened his eyes and he stared at Dobby for a moment. His eyes widened, "Dobby!" He scrambled out of bed just as Harry had, "Did he find out something?" He crouched beside Harry.

"He said Mr. Malfoy is going to get some kind of trial."

"A trial!" He cursed, "That means we he's not doing anything illegal…we can't let him have a trial; Hermione's right, he's bound to have people under his power still. He'll get out."

"We can't do anything about it though…I mean if he gets a trial it's up to the people on the Wizengamot."

All the while Dobby was reaching his hand toward Harry's book on the nightstand. Harry didn't even glance at him but grabbed his hand. Ron turned to Dobby, "Did you find out anything else?"

"No sir…but-but." He hesitated again.

"What?" Harry and Ron said together.

"Dobby was caught sir. Young Mr. Malfoy heard me when I dropped a book. He yelled and kicked me out." He turned around to show the massive bandage on the back of his head.

"Did…did he know we sent you?" Harry asked nervously.

"I don't know sir, but I've never seen him like that. It was as if young Mr. Malfoy were expecting someone to listen in on him."

Harry and Ron sighed, "Well thanks Dobby, at least this won't come as a shock when we read about it in the Daily Prophet." Ron said as Harry walked to his trunk.

"Listen Dobby, since we get to go to Hogsmeade today I'll get you a new tie…but here." He handed Dobby one of his red and gold striped Gryffindor ties. "You deserve this, I know it's not new but I consider you a Gryffindor like us, so you need one."

Dobby broke out in a huge smile and his eyes started to water. "Really Harry Potter?" He hesitantly took the tie from Harry and placed it around his neck. "Thank you sir." He once again hugged him about the middle and bounded out of the room.

Once the door of the dormitory closed, Ron spoke first, "Do you suppose we should wake the girls up?"

"How? We can't get up the staircase."

Ron shrugged, "We'll have to do it the old fashioned way then." He grinned.

"Hermione! Ginny! Wake up! We need to talk to you!" Ron yelled as loud as he could up the girl's staircase.

They heard yelling from a couple of girls.

"Shut up!"

"Who is that?"

"Go away, we're sleeping!"

"Hermione! Ginny! Get downstairs so your idiot boyfriends will be quiet!"

Ron and Harry looked at each other. "I think they'll get the message." Ron smiled.

"She's going to yell at you…you know that right?" Harry said with a smirk.

"Yeah well…we'll see." He smirked knowingly.

Ron and Harry finally heard footsteps descending the staircase. Ginny came into view rubbing her eyes and Hermione was tying her dressing gown closed.

It was then that Ginny spotted Harry and walked over to him. She smacked his shoulder looking wide-awake, "What's the big idea waking us up at the crack of dawn…on a Saturday!"

His eyes widened in surprise, "I'm sorry, but Ron and I just felt we had to tell you-"

"What is it?" Hermione chimed in.

Ginny's eyes flashed in Ron's direction, "Dobby came to see us a few minutes ago." Ron said quickly.

"Really!" Hermione said eagerly, "And?"

"He told us he had overheard Malfoy talking to his friends. I assume he meant Crabbe and Goyle. Anyways he told them that his dad was going to get a trial and that it's almost set up." Harry said hopelessly.

"A trial?" Ginny asked, her eyes now quite normal.

"That's great!" Hermione said.

They all stared at her. "And how is that great?" Ginny said sarcastically.

"Dumbledore is on the Wizengamot! He'll have a role in deciding if Mr. Malfoy goes free. I highly doubt he'll let him go and I'm almost positive all the other members of the Wizengamot will feel the same. I mean he's a known Death Eater and no one is in a huge rush to let one go."

"We never thought of that." Harry said looking down in disbelief. "How could we forget about Dumbledore?"

"It doesn't matter, I don't think we have to worry." Ginny said as brightly as she could at six in the morning.

"Well I wouldn't exactly say that, there is always a chance that Mr. Malfoy will go free. What if he already has half of the Wizengamot under his control or worse? What if Voldemort has them under his control?"

"Well you're a bright little ray of sunshine aren't you?" Ginny said yawning. "I don't think there is anything to worry about, so if you don't mind I'm going back to bed for a few more hours." Hermione sighed as Ginny went back upstairs.

"She doesn't do well in the mornings does she?" Harry asked.

"I heard that!" Ginny yelled down the stairs.

Hermione whispered, "You do understand what I'm saying, I'm sure Dumbledore won't let him go…but we can't be sure."

Ron and Harry shook their heads in agreement. They walked over to the couch and sat down. "I think Ginny's right though…we can't do anything about the trial so we don't have to worry. Dumbledore will take care of it." Harry said.

"I guess." Hermione said.

They sat talking about what they were going to do in Hogsmeade until breakfast.

After breakfast they headed out of the Great Hall and onto the breezy grounds. As they passed the stone gargoyles perched on top of the gates they heard the distinct drawl of Malfoy behind them.

"It's sickening isn't it? A mudblood with a pureblood. Can you imagine anything more foul and disgusting? Eh, he's even touching her."

Ron had pulled Hermione closer to him to keep himself from doing something stupid to Malfoy. "Just ignore him." Hermione whispered in his ear.

"Be careful Weasley, mudblood filth doesn't come off easily." Malfoy said louder.

Ron couldn't take it. "Yeah Malfoy!" He said as he turned around to face him, "How would you know, have you assisted your lousy father in any of his attacks? You know, father and son bonding. I mean I know you haven't recently…given the current circumstances."

Draco's eyes flashed, "You'll be sorry you said that soon."

"Oh I'm sure I will…so when is your father's trial? How many people did he have to bribe to get one?" Ron said nastily as Hermione pulled him around and tried to make him walk. His head was still turned toward Malfoy though.

"You weren't supposed to say anything." She hissed at him.

Draco was left momentarily speechless and then he took out his wand in comprehension. "I'll teach you to send someone to spy on me!" He said in rage, but before he could get out another word, he was lifted off the ground.

"Now ya wouldn' be tryin' ter curse no one now would ya Malfoy?" Hagrid growled.

Draco shot daggers at Hagrid, "No!" He said viciously.

"I don't like yer tone or the fac' that yer tryin' to pick fights. Come with me…you two also!" He pointed at Crabbe and Goyle with his other hand. As they walked back to the castle Hagrid turn his head back at Ron, Hermione, Harry and Ginny and winked at them.

"You two go ahead I have to talk to Ron…alone." Hermione said not taking her eyes from Ron's.

Harry and Ginny looked at each other and shook their heads. "Sure we'll uh…be at the post office. I have to send Jake's broom order in anyways." Harry said.

Ginny pulled him along, "Don't look back, it could get nasty." She whispered to him as they left.

"Poor guy." Harry whispered back.

Once Harry and Ginny were out of earshot Hermione rounded on Ron, "Why?" She asked too passively for Ron's liking.

"Why what?" He asked hesitantly.

"Why do you let him get to you? He wasn't even insulting you."

"Yeah but he was insulting you. That's worse then anything he can say to me."

She smiled, "I know it bothers you when he calls me a mudblood, but you can't attack him every time he calls me a name."

"I didn't attack him."

"Not physically, but you did verbally."

"So? I didn't hurt him." He said vaguely.

"Yeah? Why did he pull his wand on you then?" She crossed her arms.

"I don't know…maybe cause he's a prat." He shrugged.

"Ron," she sighed. "Okay-listen-to-me." She said slowly. "As much as I hate to admit it, one thing Malfoy is good at is dueling. You can't keep giving him reasons to curse you." She stepped closer to him and put her arms around him. "His dad probably taught him things…I just don't want anything to happen to you."

"You don't think I can take him?" He asked in a disappointed tone.

"I didn't say that, I actually think you could be a pretty formidable match against him…it's just he probably knows curses that you don't or curses that you would refuse to use. Just promise me that you won't purposely provoke him into doing anything."

He wrapped his arms around her and sighed. "Okay…I promise not to try and provoke him." He said in an airy tone.

"Oh that sounded convincing…but I'll take it anyways. Now come on, let's get to the post office." She moved to pull away but he held her against him.

"Whoa…you do know why I get mad at him though right?" He asked.

"Because you're the greatest boyfriend someone could ask for." She said smiling.

"Well of course." He grinned, "But that's not the only reason. I just…Malfoy would love to hurt you in anyway possible. Him calling you names is only the first step…if he thinks he can get away with that then he might try something worse. Getting to you would mean getting to Harry and me at the same time and like I said he would love that. I just want to protect you."

She kissed him. "I know…that's why you need to avoid contact with him…if he can't get to me he can't get to you."

"Okay." He bent down and kissed her. She smiled as he picked her up and he moved her around to his back. She wrapped her legs around him as he placed his arms under the crook of her knee to keep her up. She wrapped her arms around his neck and they set off toward Hogsmeade, piggyback style.

As Ron and Hermione neared the post office Hermione could see Harry and Ginny waiting outside. Harry looked ecstatic while Ginny somewhat depressed.

"I've just sent the order form, it should only take a week or two," Harry said as they neared.

Hermione looked over Ron's shoulder at Ginny when he said this and she frowned. "Alright!" Ron said beaming.

Harry smiled at the two of them, "Did you want to show her the view from up there?" He asked Ron.

"Yep…you know it's a whole different perspective from up here, isn't it?" He said.

Hermione looked away from Ginny and smiled. "Completely different, I feel a nose-bleed coming on." She kissed his cheek, "So where to next?"

"How about Honeydukes?" Ginny said trying to sound cheerful.

"Honeydukes it is then." Harry said smiling and put his arm around her shoulder.

Her expression softened somewhat and she smiled back at him. As they neared Honeydukes Ron let go of Hermione and she slid down.

They entered the shop to the babble of at least fifty Hogwarts students crowded around the numerous shelves and barrels full of candy. Hermione walked off with Ginny to the display case full of various chocolates as Ron and Harry left to restock on their supply of chocolate frogs and Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans.

"You okay Ginny? You didn't look to happy back at the post office?" Hermione asked as they reached the display case full of sumptuous looking chocolates.

"Yeah I'm fine. It's just every time Harry or Ron say something about Jake's new broom it just reminds me that I don't have one."

"Oh…well you do great on your broom, you don't really need a new one."

"I know it'd just be nice." She smiled and turned to the lady behind the counter.

Harry peered into a barrel and smirked. "Hey Ron."

"Yeah?" He crossed over to Harry.

"Let's get some of these." He smiled devilishly.

Ron let out a noise of disgust. "No way!"

"It won't be for us…we could fly them over to the Slytherin table at dinner. I bet Crabbe and Goyle would at least eat them."

Ron smiled but it quickly faded away into a frown. He glanced over at the chocolate counter to where Hermione and Ginny were making their purchase. "I can't, I told Hermione that I'd try to leave Malfoy alone."

"Oh…okay." Harry looked disappointed for a moment. "Wait…I know. How about you buy them and I'll do it? Then you're technically not doing anything. You could just tell Hermione you wanted to send them to…Fred and George."

Ron grinned, "Alright."

Ron scooped out a large handful of Cockroach Clusters and dropped them in a bag.

They left the candy shop laded with bags of sweets. Ron had not only bought the Cockroach Clusters (which he had bought when Hermione wasn't watching), but also more Chocolate Frogs, Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, chocoballs filled with strawberry mousse, and Drooble's Best Blowing Gum. Harry as well bought more frogs and beans, but also some Pepper Imps and a new product that was on display called "Brode's Colored Drops" which he had bought for the use of Malfoy. Ron and Harry had given each other faces of pure delight upon finding these. Hermione and Ginny had bought mostly fudges and chocolates, frowning as they saw a sickly green colored piece of fudge with a sign saying, "Slides easily down your throat if you are ever too weak to eat."

They walked out of the shop and headed to the Three Broomsticks for some butterbeer. They sat talking about the upcoming Quidditch match, Ginny's O.W.L.s that she was still nervous about taking and of course Mr. Malfoy's impending trail.

Once they had each had a few butterbeers they left to Zonko's Jokeshop. Harry stocked up on a few stink pellets while Ron went straight to the dungbombs. Once they had made their purchases their last stop was Dervish and Banges. Ginny found the Nose-Biting Teacups hilarious and proceeded to buy a few ignoring the disapproving look of Hermione. "You are a prefect you know." She said just loud enough so that she was sure Ginny and Ron would hear. Ron shrugged and bought some Hiccup Sweets and Frog Spawn soap. "Maybe no one in the bathrooms will notice." He whispered to Harry and he laughed. Hermione quickly rounded on him, "What?" He shrugged, "Nothing…honest." Ron smirked at her.

Harry was on his way out of the shop when he saw a small mirror to his right. At first he thought it was a mirror like Sirius had bought him, but as he read the sign he should have known what it was at first sight. "Unbreakable Pocket Foe-Glass - Never leave the safety of your home with out one." He could see blurry figures moving about.

Ginny walked over to him, "Thinking of buying one?"

He shrugged, "Wouldn't hurt would it?" He asked.

"No I suppose not." She said and rubbed his back in a soothing manner.

"You don't think I'm being paranoid?" He asked hesitantly.

"If anyone has anything to be paranoid about…it's you."

The sun was setting and they finally made their way back to Hogwarts for the Halloween feast, Harry's Foe-Glass in his pocket.

(Reviews are of course ALWAYS welcome! XD)