Disclaimer; I own nothing!

A/N Hi all. Sorry for the slow update. I have the flu and have been sleeping for the past few days. It never fails. Every December I get sick. Go figure. I hope you like this chapter, I am trying to write other stories as fast as I can but being sick doesnt help. I wrote a chapter the other night after taking some medicine and when I read it the next day it didnt make any sense. LOL! Anyway happy reading and don't forget to review.

Filing Charges

"Just left Hermione mate. She's not doing that good." Draco said as they walked.

"Couldn't our nurse heal her?" he asked.

"Yeah, but something more happened, something she just told me."

"Well what?" Harry said, getting impatient. He wanted as much stuff as possible to nail this asshole.

"He raped her tonight, right before we got there." he said looking downwards, not wanting to see the look of rage and hate reflected in Harry's eyes. He looked up quickly and saw it. That monster of hate he felt earlier.

"He what?" Harry asked already knowing the answer.

"I think you heard me the first time." he replied not wanting to repeat himself.

"I am going to fucking kill him." Harry said pulling his wand out of his robe and walking towards his office.

"Wait Potter." Draco said, trying to catch up to him.

"You know he deserves it," Harry said trying to rationalize his impending actions.

"I know it, but she wants him to go to trial. She wants everyone to know what he did. We need to respect that." Was this really him? The voice of reason? Harry looked at Draco and sighed.

"You are right." he said, "Is she okay?"

Draco shrugged.

"The nurse is looking her over now; she might have some internal damage. But I think she will be fine."

"So, not to be too nosey, but what is going on between you and her? I mean I know what I saw the other day, but what was that. A one nighter?"

"No"

"Then what?"

"I love her." Draco said as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Harry was taken aback by this.

"You love her? For real?" he asked astonished. Draco simply nodded his head. Was he really having this conversation with Harry Potter?

"Wow." was all Harry could manage.

"I am going to get back to her; she just wanted to make sure that you added those charges onto what you already have. Oh, one more thing, can you add murder on as well?"

Harry looked at him astonished at what he had just said.

"Murder? Of who?"

"He killed their baby by pushing her down the stairs two years ago. That's why she told you she had a bad day when you dropped by. She was reliving it." he knew Hermione had entrusted him with that info, but he felt as if Harry needed to know in order to prepare a case against him.

Harry looked mortified at this new information. A look washed over his face that was a combination of hate and the feeling of wanting to vomit.

"Thanks." he said before walking back into his office to discuss this new information with his superiors and co-workers. Draco headed back to the nurse's where Hermione was waiting.

He knocked softly and Hermione told him to come in. she was dressed, which was a good thing.

"Everything ok?" he asked calmly.

"All healed." she replied as she hopped off of the table.

"You ready to go?" he asked. She nodded and they left the room together.

"Where are we going?" she asked as they approached the floo fireplace.

"Back to my place, if that's okay with you. Harry wants you to wait before returning home."

"Oh, alright." she said happily. She did not want to be alone tonight. Draco grabbed some floo powder and threw it into the fire turning the flames emerald green.

"Malfoy Manor, my room" he said before leading her into the flames that whisked them back to his house.

They stepped into the darkened room, which had been straightened and put right by Dribby in their absence. Hermione looked around and sighed. She thought she would never see this room again, never see him again. She was sure she would be dead once Steven got his hands on her. But she was stronger then she thought, and she owed that to Draco.

"Hungry?" he asked.

"Starved." she replied. He called out for Dribby and ordered some food before returning to her. She was looking through her clothes trying to find some clean ones.

"I am going to take a bath if that's okay." she said quietly.

"All yours." he said motioning towards the large bath. She smiled at him before entering the bathroom.

She turned on the faucet and poured some bubble bath into the running water. She stripped off the clothes she was wearing and tossed them into the garbage can. If she had her wand she would have set them afire. She didn't want anything to remind her of her ordeal. She knew she would never return to the house she shared with Steven. If she got it in the divorce she would sell it. Soon the tub was full and she was lowering her tired body into the hot water. The muscles in her body loosened and she relaxed soon enough. Her mind went through the last 18 hours. She had been through so many emotions, and Draco told her he loved her. And she loved him. It was such a deep emotion that she had not felt in many, many years. She was not sure if she had ever really loved Steven, but she was sure of her love for Draco. It was undeniable. She closed her eyes and relaxed into the bubbles. Half an hour later she was awakened by a knock at the door.

"Yes." she called.

"Hermione, dinner is ready." he said poking his head in the door.

"Ok. You can come in if you want." she said softly. He walked in and sat on the side of the tub. The lights in the bathroom were softly flickering candles. The flames danced on his face as he took off his shoes and sock and put his feet into the tub.

"How are you feeling?" he asked her.

"Ok I guess." she said before she dunked her head under the water, wetting her hair. Draco looked at her. She was so beautiful.

"Do you mind if I join you?" he said motioning towards the tub.

"Not at all." she said, washing her arms. He undressed slowly and her eyes swallowed his body whole. He lowered himself into the tub and sat next to her. He couldn't resist leaning in and brushing her lips with his.

"Here, let me help you." he said grabbing the sponge and the lavender soap and sitting behind her. Her long hair cascaded down her back. He pushed it aside and washed her back slowly, being careful not to he too rough on the red marks that had just been healed hours ago. He kissed those red marks softly, feeling her pain, trying not to think of what she had endured. He reached over and grabbed the shampoo. After pouring some in his hand he lathered up her curls and she rinsed her own hair. She turned around to face him and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Did you really mean it?" she asked. "What you said in Pansy's basement, did you mean that?" she was so insecure.

"That I love you? Hermione, I don't think I have felt this way about anyone ever. I have never said those words to anyone else." tears formed in his eyes again. Too many emotions that he was not used to. "You pushed your way into my stubborn heart, and I love you, more than you can imagine."

She was crying again as well, but tears of joy. She had not felt worthy of anyone's love in a very long time. Steven had told her so many times that no one else would want her. Her hair was too curly, she didn't have a nice enough body or a pretty enough face. He had wore her down until she thought so little of herself she had given up on life. And now, this man who she had hated most of her childhood, and who she thought hated her as well was sitting her next to her naked body telling her he loved her and only her. Her stomach felt as if it were filled with fluttering butterflies. He was washing her chest, which was heaving from her sobbing.

"Don't cry love." he said in a soothing voice. "There is nothing to be sad about now."

"I'm not sad." she said in between cries. "I have never been happier." He pulled her body against his, letting her press up against his bare chest. Her tiny body felt like a perfect fit to him, like no one else ever had. She lay her head down on his chest and listened to his rapid heart beat. His arms were safely wrapped around her. She breathed a sigh of relief.

Back at the ministry they were preparing to take Steven to Azkaban. He had been ungagged for quite some time to allow him to speak and answer questions, but so far he had said nothing. There were no less than 14 Aurors in the room when it happened. Out of the corner of his mouth Steven whispered;

"Accio wand." and a wand flew out of one of the Auror's back pocket and into Steven's hands which were bound in front of him, before any of them knew it he was severing the invisible ropes with;

"Diffendo" he jumped up out of the chair and grabbed the nearest Auror, pointing the wand at her throat.

"If anyone comes any closer I will kill this woman." he shouted. Everyone stood back and looked at him; his eyes were full of rage. He slowly backed his way out of the room and into the ministry hall.

"Don't let him get out of this building." someone screamed. Harry had just walked back into the room after getting the last of the charges signed by his supervisor. He was nearly knocked down by the others preparing to chase the escapee.

"What's going on?" Harry asked.

"Shanly just escaped." one said as they passed him. Harry dropped the papers and gave chase as well. They spread out in the halls in search of him and his hostage. Harry ran out into the deserted lobby.

"Make sure no one leaves by this floo, or by the visitor's entrance. I don't care if the Minister himself comes out here." Harry yelled to the security guard. He nodded and stood by the massive fireplace. Harry raced down the adjoining hallway, his heart racing. If Steven escaped he would never forgive himself. Especially after what Malfoy had told him he did to Hermione while he held her prisoner. He hated himself for leaving the room and leaving him ungagged. He hated himself for trusting anyone besides him to watch that he was securely in custody. He had made so many mistakes, and if he escaped, Hermione would have to go into hiding again. It would be his fault. He raced down the dark corridor looking around for Steven and his prisoner. He hoped the others were having better luck. All the exits were blocked, and you couldn't apparate out of the ministry, only in. they would find him. He was sure of that; it was just a matter of time. He just hoped that the Auror that he captured was unharmed. Suddenly he heard a commotion up ahead of him. He rounded the corner and ran into Steven, who was trying to get out one of the enchanted windows, not realizing that they were just there for decoration. The Auror was trying desperately to explain to him that the windows were not real, but in his panic to get out he was not listening. Harry almost had to suppress a chuckle at the scene. He casually pointed his wand at Steven, who had let go of his hostage, and said;

"Hem, hem.' Steven turned around, his eyes wide with rage and fear.

"Let's go Steven, don't make it harder on yourself. The other Aurors are on their way down then hall."

The witch he was holding had scooted away from him and ran down the hall desperately trying to find some help. Steven and Harry both had wands pointed at each other.

"I am leaving this place." Steven said madly. "I am going to get my wife, and we are going home."

"Clearly you are delusional." Harry said calmly. "Hermione is gone, moved on. The divorce will be final tomorrow. And you will be in Azkaban. If you are good you may be out in 10 to 15 years. Unless we can prove you murdered your own child, then maybe longer."

"You don't know anything Potter, Hermione will not divorce me." his wand hand was shaking madly. He looked like a lunatic.

Harry saw the other Aurors hurrying down the hall out of the corner of his eye. Steven must have sensed it too because his wand steadied and pointed it directly at Harry's chest. Before he knew it over a dozen hexes were flying at Steven. He collapsed onto the floor in a heap and the wand rolled away from his hand. Harry rushed over to his body and felt for a pulse. His head lowered.

"He's dead." Harry said quietly.