Hello and welcome! :) This is rated M for now for possible future lemons. This is a sloooowww burn romance. I'm mainly writing this bc I don't think it's been done before? And to help with my writing skills. In no way am I a perfect author, and in no way do I own anything JK Rowling related. Please feel free to give me any advice or constructive criticism. This is based on the movies and may not be totally accurate, so let me know what you think. Thank you and enjoy :)))
Today was not going to be like every other day. That much was for sure. After Voldemort was defeated, Hermione Granger joined the ministry. At first she was a receptionist in the Apparition Test Center, but she somehow managed to move her way up to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, where she was a free Attorney for magic offenders. It wasn't the most luxurious job, but it was level two, and she was slowly making her way up to level one, where she would hopefully become Minister of magic.
Her cases usually never won, but that was the goal. She was to give every criminal a fair chance, and then let the court decide whether they were guilty. Sometimes people were innocent, sometimes she wanted to pull her hair out because there was no way to defend someone with so much damning evidence. Today was different.
Walking into her office, she greeted her receptionist Jessie.
"Good morning Miss Granger, here are your cases for this week." The petite black haired woman handed Hermione a thick envelope. "Would you like a coffee or a bite to eat?"
"Good morning Jessie, coffee would be lovely, thank you." Hermione made her way to her office and sat down at the desk. A thick folder was never a good sign. Typically she would receive one or two cases a week, then have a certain time limit to prepare for her case before the court date. So either she has multiple cases this week, or one very big case.
Jessie set down the coffee on her desk. "Anything else I can assist with Miss Granger?"
"Have you eaten breakfast?" Hermione asked the small girl.
"Not yet, ma'am. My body didn't want to wake up this morning so I didn't have time." Jessie blushed and avoided Hermione's gaze.
"Jessie, how many times have I told you that breakfast is the most important meal of the day?" Hermione smirked, rolling her eyes a little.
"Too many times to count, ma'am." Jessie smiled sheepishly.
"Well I'm a little snacky myself so," Hermione levitated a small coin purse from her bag which floated into Jessie's hands. "I would like a cup of fruit and a muggle drink called Coca Cola. Buy yourself a good breakfast while you're at it." Hermione winked, dismissing her assistant.
"Alright, what have I got myself into this week?" Hermione mumbled to herself, turning to the file. Taking a small sip of her coffee, she opened the file, turning to the first page.
Hermione spit out her hot coffee, sending some that was in the cup flying. She managed to stop the liquid before it got on the file. There on the page, his portrait staring right at her, was Draco Malfoy.
A face that she hadn't seen in years. A face that had disappeared along with his mother after the Battle of Hogwarts.
She took the coffee that was suspended in the air back into her cup. Setting it down, she stared at the moving picture, blinking a few times to make sure it was real.
Draco Malfoy, aged 22, caught by Aurors the 12th of May. Accused of running from the Ministry and avoiding punishment, accused of being a Death Eater, accused of killing his mother Narcissa Malfoy in their home on the 28th of March. Malfoy is a known Voldemort sympathizer. His father Lucius Malfoy, a known Death Eater, died in Azkaban one year prior. All three of the Malfoys were on He Who Must Not Be Named's side during the war and were present at the Battle of Hogwarts.
The pages continued with information on Malfoy. Hermione could barely contain her shock. She hadn't thought about what happened to Malfoy in quite some time. She couldn't bring herself to believe that he killed his own Mother in their own home. Even though he was a monster, a bully who always called her names, she couldn't believe that he would kill the one person who loved him. The file went on and on, mostly old records from Lucius Malfoys past, vital information that could lead her as to why Draco would commit such an act.
The case was peculiar. Aurors were guarding the home for quite some time, waiting to see if the Malfoys would return. When they apparated into their living area, Aurors were too slow. By the time they entered the home, Narcissa was dead, killed by the killing curse, and Draco was nowhere to be found. Her body was mangled, cuts and gashes lining her. Draco's and her own blood covered her; the only thing putting Draco at the scene of the crime. It seemed suspicious but she hadn't seen Malfoy in years, perhaps he's worse than what he used to be.
Hermione sighed, her head hitting the large stack of papers. Why her? Why not any of the other two Attorneys in the ministry? It must be some cruel joke.
Whether or not Malfoy is innocent, she didn't want to see him. Hermione would have to spend some time with him, getting his side of the story and building her case. She should complain; try and give the case to someone else.
But that was cowardly, and if she wants to be Minister she must be brave. Hermione was never one to back down from a challenge, even if the challenge is Draco Malfoy.