Disclaimer: All HP characters don't belong to me. Some sentences are quoted from "Harry Potter" by JKR and "Fred and Edie" by Jill Dawson.

To BeaumontRulz, my Beta Reader from this chapter onwards!

Thank you all for your reviews!

Esmerald tears: This is inspired by a true story after all…

Chapter 4: The Fight

"Order! Order!" yelled the Minister of Magic a week later in the courtroom, where Harry's and Hermione's murder trial continued. He banged his hammer and everyone went quiet.

Harry and Hermione sat in their usual places; they had started to wear identical grey robes that the Azkaban prison provided.

The Minister of Magic cleared his throat and looked at his documents on his table. "Today we are going to question the defendants. First, Mr Harry Potter."

Everyone turned their heads to look at Harry, including Hermione. Harry looked calm on the surface, but Hermione noticed that his hands were trembling, with fear no doubt. Hermione took a deep breath and held his hand gently.

Harry didn't look at Hermione but his hand had relaxed under her grasp.

"You are Harry James Potter, right?"

"Yes."

"Are you aware that killing someone would cost you a death penalty which is hanging?"

Some of the people in the court gasped and whispered.

Harry swallowed before he answered. "Yes."

"Why did you do it anyway?"

"It was an accident!" Harry suddenly said. "I didn't mean to kill Ron! I mean, I did kill him, but it was just because I was furious, I… Ron is my best friend…"

The Minister of Magic's face was emotionless. "Mr Potter, did you just say that you and the decreased are best friends?"

"Yes."

"Well, a witness told the Magical Law Enforcement Squad that you and the decreased had a huge fight a few months ago in the house of the decreased, is that true?"

Harry thought of a while. "Yes."

"What were you two fighting over?"

"O-over Hermione."

"Tell us about the fight, please." asked the Minster.

"Yes sir, um…" started Harry and kept glancing at Hermione as he started talking.

Hermione's face was pale. She remembered that fight clearly.

Months ago

It was a lovely Sunday morning at the Burrow. Hermione was sitting on bench in the garden, reading a book while Ron was clearing the weeds. The other Weasleys were out, visiting Fred and George at their joke shop.

Harry came out of the house and breathed in the morning air. Hermione saw him and smiled.

Harry smiled back. "Morning Hermione! Morning, Ron."

Ron grunted and continued to work. Harry strolled to Hermione and sat beside her.

"What are you reading?" he asked.

"Shakespeare." said Hermione, holding the book entitled 'A Midsummer's Night Dream'.

"A boring author, if you ask me." said Ron as he worked.

"William Shakespeare is a playwright, a brilliant one, in fact. You just don't appreciate his works, that's all." said Hermione, annoyed.

"I agree, when I was in muggle school, we did one of his plays called Romeo and Juliet. I thought it was too mushy back then, but I'm okay with it now."

"Romeo and Juliet?" asked Hermione excitedly. "Oh what role did you play? Romeo?"

Harry laughed. "I wished. Dudley made sure I wouldn't get that role. Nah, I just played one of the people in the party where Romeo meets Juliet."

"Aw, too bad, you would make one gorgeous Romeo." said Hermione.

Harry leaned forward and whispered. "I'm Romeo. And you are my Juliet."

Hermione giggled.

"Harry, would you come here and give a hand!" yelled Ron. Harry got up and went to his friend. Hermione grumbled silently at Ron for taking Harry away from her.

For a while, Ron and Harry worked in the garden while Hermione read. The weather soon became hot.

Feeling hot under the sun, Hermione called to Ron. "Ron, dear, would you mind going in and fetch my hat? You know, the one with the wide brim."

Ron wiped the sweat off his forehead. "Fetch it yourself. I'm busy."

Harry looked at Hermione and put down his basket of weeds. "I will get it."

Hermione smiled. "Thank you, Harry; it's on my dressing table."

Harry nodded and went to the Burrow. Ron frowned at Hermione but she ignored him.

Harry came back with the hat and handed it to Hermione. Harry was sweating under the heat and Hermione noticed. She took out her handkerchief and pressed it gently against his forehead.

Harry smiled for a while before he reached for her hand and pulled it down. "Thank you, Hermione, I can manage."

Then he glanced at Ron. Hermione caught his message and realised that she was getting too close to Harry.

"I'm, err, going to get a glass of orange juice. Ron, do you want one as well?" asked Hermione quickly.

Ron shook his head.

"Harry?"

"Yes, thank you." said Harry politely and went back to Ron to continue his work.

Hermione went back to the Burrow and headed straight to the kitchen. She was opening the drawer when Ron stormed in.

Hermione snapped the drawer close. "What's the matter?" she asked in alarm.

Ron grabbed her wrist.

"Ron, let go! You're hurting me!" said Hermione, trying to tug her hand out of Ron's grasp. "What's wrong with you?"

"I tell you," said Ron angrily. "Will you and Harry stop doing that?"

"Doing what?" asked Hermione.

"Stop acting like a couple in front of me! I'm your husband, not him, damn it!" said Ron. "And stop ordering him around!"

"I didn't order him around!" said Hermione, getting angry as well. "He offered to take my hat! If my husband is too selfish to do me a favour, what's the harm in finding others who will?"

That sentence was a bit too far. Ron slapped Hermione and she hit the floor, pushing a chair out of her way unintentionally.

Ron took a step towards Hermione and she whispered, "Don't you touch me."

"Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" demanded Ron. "Merlin, my wife is acting like a bitch!"

"Ron, don't you dare to call her bitch!" shouted Harry, who had just came into the house.

"Stay out of this, Harry, stay out!" roared Ron while Hermione got up and dashed out of the kitchen. "Don't you turn your back at me, woman!"

He chased after Hermione to the front room and caught her. "Who do you think you are? How dare you…"

Harry came after them. "Ron, you let go of Hermione now or I'll…"

"What?" asked Ron. "I haven't even done with you yet! You're acting like Hermione is yours, not mine!"

"Now that's a little too much, Ron…" said Harry.

Ron let go of Hermione.

"Oh yeah? Then what the bloody hell were you two doing, sitting so close together just now? I'm not blind you know!" said Ron, facing Harry with his hands on his hips.

"We are friends, Ron, we all are!" said Harry, his voice raised.

"Don't you raise your voice at me, Harry! I'm the one who is now the owner of this house, not you!"

"Well you are acting like an idiot…" Harry started to say but Ron raised his fist and punched him across the face.

Hermione gasped and watched in horror as Harry and Ron fought. They crashed onto tables and knocked over the chairs.

"Stop it, you two, stop it!" cried Hermione, but none of them listened.

As Ron pinned Harry on the floor, Hermione rushed to them and managed to pull Ron away. She helped Harry up.

"Are you all right?" she asked gently.

Harry nodded, his lower lip bleeding.

Ron rubbed the blood away from his nose as he breathed heavily. "H-Harry, why is it that you always get the better stuff, huh?"

Harry blinked. "What?"

"It's always you. You have everything!" said Ron. "You are the famous one. You have a huge fortune in Gringotts, you are the popular one in Hogwarts and the one with the talent in Quidditch! You have fame and fortune, and I don't! Now I have Hermione and you want to snatch her away from me as well!"

Harry got up.

"Haven't we argued about this during our fourth year? Can't you quit talking about it for once? I don't like being famous! I got that fortune because my mum and dad died! I inherited that money! You think I like that? I don't want any of this to happen! And it's just in my blood that I have the talent in Quidditch!"

Ron scowled. "You find excuses in everything!"

Harry's mouth dropped open but he closed it quickly. "Is that what you think? Fine, I'm leaving! I'm not going to live in a house where a man treats his wife like a dog!"

Harry flung away Hermione's hand and stormed upstairs.

"Go!" yelled Ron up the stairs. "You are not welcomed at the Burrow once you leave, Mister Potter!"

"Ron, no!" cried Hermione.

"Shut up, Hermione!" snapped Ron as Harry came downstairs with his luggage behind him. "And one more thing, you are not allowed to come anywhere near my wife again, you hear me! I have the right to sue you for that!"

Harry scowled at him darkly and marched past Hermione.

"Harry, no!" yelled Hermione, starting to chase after her lover.

Ron pulled her back. "Don't you dare!"

Harry opened the front door, went out and slammed the door shut. That's it, Harry was gone.

Hermione flung her hand out of Ron's grasp. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

Ron ignored her question.

"You better behave." he sneered and went upstairs. Then he came down with a coat on.

"Where are you going?" demanded Hermione.

"Hog's Head. I'm going to have a drink, don't expect me to come back for dinner!" he said and left through the door.

SLAM

"You might as well never!" yelled Hermione at the closed door.

She sat down on the carpet and sobbed on the armchair.

Present

"So Mr Potter, I will say a few sentences and you will tell me whether you agree or disagree. I put it to you that the friendship between you and the decreased ended on the day you and he had that fight."

"You can say that… I mean, I agree," corrected Harry quickly.

"I put it to you that you and Mrs Weasley have had an affair and the decreased knew all about it."

"I, I agree."

The people in their seats whispered at Harry's words. Hermione could hear the word 'Scandalous'.

"Quiet!" yelled the Minister.

Everyone in the court quieted down.

"I put it to you that you and Mrs Weasley have thought of killing the decreased ever since you had the fight."

"No, I disagree with that!" said Harry loudly.

"Oh yeah? What about the letters?" asked the Minister.

Harry blinked. "Letters?"

"The Magical Law Enforcement Squad has searched your house and Mrs Hermione Weasley's house and workplace. Seems like you two have exchanged erotic letters during your time aboard and in them, you two have plotted murder for the decreased…"

Upon hearing those words, Hermione felt dizzy, she couldn't believe that their precious letters had being brought in as evidence against their writers…

Hermione slipped out of her chair and fainted before she fell to the floor.

"Hermione!" cried Harry.

Mrs Granger screamed and stood up, as if she wanted to jump out to reach her daughter. Mr Granger tried to pull her back desperately. The guards went to Hermione and pull her up.

"Take her and Mr Potter away, we will continue the trial next time." said the Minister coldly.