AN: Ok this is following on from where we last saw Hermione. I know I was supposed to put up another flashback of Dracos but my muse was being bold and wouldn't leave me alone til I wrote this chp and then I was too impatient to wait before I put it up... Forgive me?
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Hermione twisted her hand together in the folds of her robes. She watched the inquisitors as they shuffled their papers impatiently. She felt her stomach wrench as she heard a door bang open at the back of the hall. Quick, light footsteps hurried up the stone floor, each step rapping smartly on the ground.
As the unseen approached, Hermione wondered if this was how Harry had felt when he faced the Wizengamot back before the beginning of fifth year. Hermione quickly swallowed past the lump in her throat. It would do no good to be getting upset this early in the proceedings.
"Alright," the stern voice of Rufus Scrimgeour said in the vast silence. "Now that everybody has been assembled," he said this with a stern glance in the direction of Percy Weasley. Hermione was surprised at him; it was unlike Percy to be late for anything, let alone one of the most important Wizarding cases in the world. Percy blushed, but picked up his quill, ready to take notes as he saw fit.
"We are here today…" Scrimgeour hesitated. "Dumbledore!"
Hermione looked up to see the Headmaster standing at her side looking unusually grim. He nodded to the new Minister. Rufus gestured with his wand to conjure up a seat for Dumbledore, then gestured again to invite the Headmaster to sit down.
"Sorry for the delay." Dumbledore said, then sat back to wait for the proceedings to continue. Scrimgeour nodded, then spoke for the benefit of the note-takings.
"Professor Dumbledore has chosen to forgo his seat on the Wizengamot to be beside the witness."
Hermione felt her hands steady at this reassurance. Scrimgeour went on.
"We are here today to discover the cause of the death of one Harry Potter, student of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. We have already heard the accounts of Severus Snape, Potions Professor of above, Neville Longbottom, student of same, and Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster. Witness called, Hermione Granger, student of same school." He looked directly at Hermione now. His bushy eyebrows seemed to magnify his intense stare.
"Miss Granger, you were present at the time of the accident?"
She nodded, unable to look at him she just stared at the cold stone floor.
The Ministers tone softened.
"Miss Granger I know this is difficult but you need to speak aloud for the benefit of the note-taker."
Hermione looked up to see Percy bent over his scroll, waiting to continue recording the meeting. For the first time Hermione could see how pale he was and that his eyes were red-rimmed.
Hermione nodded, then hastily said.
"I understand. I was there."
Scrimgeour nodded.
"Could you tell us please for the record, where it happened?"
Her hands trembled.
"We were in the Potions lab. It was our second class of the day about 12 o'clock and we were making the Animorphous Potion. It's supposed to change a person into an animal for an hour. A lot like the Polyjuice Potion." She found solace in detail. It kept her from seeing in her minds eye the outcome of the potion.
"And who was working with Mr. Potter on his potion?" Scrimgeour asked.
Hermione shook her head.
"We were working on our own. Sna- Professor Snape had suggested that we work solo to practice for our exams. Because most important in the exams would be the ability to think clearly and work on our own. Harry was sharing a work-desk with Neville Longbottom."
"Will you tell us how good do you think Harry was in Potions?" Scrimgeour watched intently for her reaction.
"Harry was a good student." Hermione said through gritted teeth.
"And Neville?"
Hermione shrugged, averting her eyes to the floor again.
"He tried hard but he was scared of Snape and that made him nervous in Potions class. He was prone to making mistakes." She could see the muttered conversations between the members of the Wizengamot. She froze. They couldn't possibly think- "He didn't do this. It wasn't Neville's fault!" She protested violently. "It wasn't!"
"I'm not saying that Miss Granger. This was a terrible accident. I'm sure Neville didn't mean to."
"What?" She turned to Professor Dumbledore. "Sir?"
Dumbledore looked straight ahead, not looking at Hermione, he said in a clear even tone of voice.
"Neville Longbottom has already accepted his part in the accidental death of Harry Potter. There will be no trial, nor no punishment set down by this court."
"NO!" Hermione stood. "He didn't do it! He didn't! Neville… Neville looked up to Harry… He would never do this to Harry."
She glared at the Wizengamot defiantly.
Hermione couldn't believe what she was hearing, what she was seeing. These wizards were willing to put the blame on an innocent student without the benefit of a full investigation.
"He didn't do it and you lot are too scared to look at the main suspect." She raged.
"Miss Granger!" Scrimgeour protested. "If you will not calm yourself..."
Hermione froze inside. Hermione smiled, a cold, icy, smile.
"I'm calm." She stood up very straight. Then turned abruptly and stalked out of the Chamber.
Dumbledore sighed.
"May I go on record as saying, 'I told you so'?"
Scrimgeour glared. Dumbledore gave a small bow then followed Hermione.
She had burst out into the hall beyond the chamber, trembling with rage at the foolishness of the Minister and the Wizengamot. How on earth they could think Neville had caused the change in the potion that had made it have the reaction it had was beyond her. Neville may have been bad at potions, ok, he was awful, but she had been helping him and he had been doing so much better. Besides what had happened with the potion needed so much more than a simple mix-up, the usual fault of Neville's potions, to change it the way it had.
If only Snape hadn't made Harry drink it. He must have known something was wrong with it by the colour.
But Snape had been as horrified as everyone else at the colour Harry had changed, at the sudden and terrible fit that had come over Harry. And by the complete and utter stillness that had taken over the body of Harry Potter as he passed from this world to the next.
Dumbledore came up behind her as the trembling upped to full scale shaking. He must have been saying something but Hermione heard not a word. She could only remember how excited Harry had been at achieving the required mark for entering 6th Year Potions with Snape. He'd been so excited at the knowledge that he was embarking on the first step to becoming an Auror.
And now he was dead. And Hermione was so scared. He'd left her. He'd been her best friend since 1st year in Hogwarts. The three of them had come through so much together. They'd practically saved the world a few times, had come up against Voldemort too many times to count. And a simple Potions accident had claimed the live of Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived… no more.
Dumbledore muttered something and she nodded. He moved away carefully and she stood on her own, her head down. She was away in her own thoughts when she heard her name being called.
"Hermione?" She looked up, her face was blotchy from tears and her lower lip trembled, but she was more in control. Dumbledore was nearby talking to one of the Wizengamot in quiet hurried tones. Percy stood in front of her looking a bit lost, like he wanted to comfort her but wasn't sure how she'd take it. He settled for handing her a clean handkerchief from his pocket.
"Thanks you." Hermione gently wiped her eyes.
"Hermione, I just… wanted to say…" He hesitated. "I'm sorry… for your loss." It sounded a bit flat but Hermione knew he meant it even so. She nodded, accepting his words. Percy looked a bit relieved. "Look," He hurried on, "I know this isn't the best time but could we talk… I mean…"
He glanced up and around as if worried that someone might be watching or listening.
"It's important." He sounded so serious and Hermione wondered for a moment had something else happened, or did he know something about what happened to Harry, about the Potion. He worked as the Minister's Aide, maybe he'd overheard something. He nodded, as if reading her mind.
"There's a lovely little café off Diagon Alley, in Conduit Lane. It's a nice place to sit for a while." Anybody listening in would have thought that they were having a simple conversation, but Hermione could see the intent in Percy's eyes. He glanced at his watch. "I have to go."
"But-" Had she misread?
"I have an appointment in an hour." He nodded to her.
"Ok." Hermione sighed relieved. Now maybe she would learn something. Anything. She watched as Percy took his leave of Dumbledore and the other Ministry officials still hanging around. As he stepping into the lift to head up to the main floor she caught his eye and he gave her another nod.
Hermione watched the lift slowly head upwards and wondered how she would get away from Dumbledore's careful watch. To her surprise it wasn't actually that hard. Dumbledore came back to her looking a bit grim (this seems like its going to be his look for the year, Hermione thought sadly).
"Hermione," He said. "There are some things I need to arrange here with the Minister. Would you mind waiting upstairs? Or-" He turned as one of the officials called for him.
"I'll take a floo to Diagon Alley. I'll be in one of the café's." Hermione supplied, surprised at his willingness to allow her to go off on her own.
Dumbledore nodded and she headed to the lift, half-expecting at any moment to be called back by someone, anyone, realising that she was heading off for a secret rendezvous with Percy Weasley.
Dear God, please let him have some answers, she prayed.