Hermione had not forgotten about Theodore Nott Jr. She had judged him and sentenced him in her mind from the moment she heard what he had done to Gabrielle. But the law was not so swift. She didn't know exactly how, but Draco was involved in his case. He had sheltered her from the going ons simply not to fill her day with anything unsavory. She trusted him to do what was right and to get it done.

Draco bent forward and planted a lingering kiss to her temple as she looked up from her book in the Manor library. She hummed in happiness and his hand rubbed the muscle of her lower back in gentle circles.

"Love," Draco's voice was tender, he leaned back against the reading desk and tilted her chin up to look at him. She smiled as his eyes, ones she thought were cold and hardened, warmed in candlelight like molten gold. "I need to ask you something."

His tone wasn't serious, but she could tell it strained him, whatever he was about to ask. She stood and sidled between his legs, hugging him as she placed her head in the nape of his neck and inhaled.

"Nott's arraignment is happening this week and Gabrielle is going to have to be there." He spoke the words into her hair. "I know you don't want to see him-"

"I'll be there." Hermione looked up at him and kissed his chin.

"You don't have to if you don't want to, Granger." Draco kissed her nose.

"I want to, for you, for Gabrielle." Hermione smiled up at him. "He doesn't matter, and I want to know what they intend on charging him with."

"It's worse than what he's done to Gabrielle, and all those women." Draco's grin tugged up on one side.

"What do you mean?" Hermione leaned back to look at him, her hands gripping Draco's elbows.

"I mean, he's been making money not just from coercion of the rich, but he's been laundering galleons, and there's proof." Draco's eyes sparkled in the dark. Hermione's mouth fell open.

"Oh, Merlin's beard. That's years in Azkaban." Hermione tried to remember the law, but she couldn't, not many wizards laundered Galleons.

"I do have some other news, I'm afraid." Draco grimaced as the thought went through him. Hermione frowned slightly. "I will be responsible for his probation. Part of why they took so long to do the arraignment was my involvement in getting his dealings traced and proven. And, because of our family links, I was given the option to," Draco spoke all of this very quickly, Hermione hardly followed any of it, and before she could squeak a response as he paused, he continued, "Uh, be his parole Auror, kind of. And once he's free, if he steps out of line again, I have the authority to report him, bring him in, and see that he is properly punished."

"I suppose it's for the best." Hermione said weakly. She thought about how he had just gotten free of Astoria, and now, he was responsible for yet another person. She thought it would sound selfish to point it out, to say she wanted him all to herself. But she reminded herself that this was his job, he was part of the Magical Law Enforcement Department.

"I'm sorry." Draco pressed his forehead to hers. "I know this is going to complicate things, but, stick with me, please."

Hermione laughed, "Did you think I would leave you?"

Draco pressed harder against her, groaning his answer that sounded like a huff of laughter at the end.

"I could never," Hermione insisted. "You're just too good a man." He kissed her then, and she liked the taste of kindness on him. He was sweet, and caring, and she thought maybe, just maybe, she could share that. Even for the people who might not deserve it.

Theodore Nott Jr. was charged with coercion, banditry, laundering, and tax evasion. Gabrielle sat stoically amongst the women on the second row, Fleur and Bill behind her like sentinels. Draco looked handsome in his court robes, regal almost. She seldom saw his hair so neat now, as her fingers were often its undoing.

At the end of it, Hermione must have been completely in her own head. She stood to wait for Draco as everyone filed out around her, Draco remained speaking with the Wizengamot panel, and suddenly, Theodore Nott Jr. was speaking to her. Like they were friends.

Everyone could hear him.

"Hermione, you know this is a huge misunderstanding-" There was a flash of purple and Theo slumped, a sly smile on his face even as he lost consciousness.

"Draco, no!" Hermione saw it for what it was. He wanted a reaction out of Draco, his proposed parole officer. If just to show bias against him to have Draco removed, to have his evidence seen as planted. Hermione ran to Theo and ran a diagnostic on him. He was stunned, but ennervate didn't revive him.

Draco stood unmoving, his wand limp in his hand as he watched Hermione help the Healers.

"Mr Malfoy." Hermione finally looked up from Theo and saw Kingsley approach Draco who blinked, his face dazed, like he was as shocked as anyone at what he had done. "After that display, in order to keep Mr Nott's trial valid, we will need to remove you from the case."

"I'm sorry." Draco looked at Hermione, his eyes begging for forgiveness. She wasn't sure how she felt yet about it all, she knew he was smarter than he just demonstrated, but he was hot headed when it came to her. Protective. And after what Theordore had done to him in the past, she was certain he acted on instinct. "Of course, Minister."

"I'll do it." Harry's voice echoed slightly. Hermione stood finally as Theo was taken away, floating as if on an invisible gurney. Harry had just broken away from a group of men and women, all Hermione recognised as part of the Wizengamot. "I can take over whatever duties were Malfoy's, it's not a problem."

"Potter, with your responsibilities-" Kingsley sighed as he looked between the two men, Draco looking grateful, Harry looking stern.

"I can do it. He's laundered money, far less dangerous than the people I've encountered over the years Kingsley." He nodded at Draco who seemed to want to melt into Hermione but dared not approach her. "You can trust I won't let Malfoy interfere and Nott will be monitored and sentenced to the best of our ability."

"I'm overjoyed to see everyone getting along so well." Kingsley said deadpanned. Hermione couldn't hide her smile, and Kinglsey saw it. He spared her a small one of his own before he nodded at Harry and glared a little at Draco. "Consider it approved. I want the paperwork done by the end of the week for the transfer of care."

"Yes, Minister." Draco said immediately.

Hermione filtered out into the corridor and waited only a moment before Draco joined her.

"What were you thinking!" Hermione asked with more surprise than reprimandation.

"I'm sorry!" Draco dragged his hand through his hair, sounding like the words were losing meaning after saying them so repetitively. "I heard him trying to speak to you when he has no right-"

"What did you hit him with?" Hermione tiptoed and kissed him to shut him up. She could feel the too fast beat of his heart against her breasts where they pressed against him.

"I was aiming for stunning, but I think I might have put him to sleep…" Draco allowed her to hold his hand, he was cold against her warm palms and she brushed her thumb against his skin. "I mean, I wasn't going to hurt him. Not really."

"I'd congratulate you on that if it weren't such a stupid thing to do in front of everyone. " Hermione opened her eyes wide to emphasis her point, but she was still smiling widely. She couldn't say why. "Lunch?"

"Merlin, yes." Draco squeezed her hand and she bumped her shoulder into his. "I'm famished."