Pairing: Dramione
Chapter 17:
Hermione's POV:
It's cloudy. I've always heard that when you wake up on a day destined to be terrible, the weather is the opposite. Like when you have to go a funeral, the sky is sunny. Today, the weather matches my mood. I'm scared. I'm scared of losing my daughter. I "wake up" at eight and by wake up I mean get out of bed. I haven't slept all night. I walk into Autumn's room and see her sleepy peacefully in her crib. I sit in the rocking chair and just watch her for a while. I hope they decide I'm best fit for her instead of Gabriel. Around eight thirty Autumn stirs and I get her ready. I hold onto every detail in case this'll be the last time I see her. She smiles at me and I blink back tears. At nine thirty the two of us are ready to leave and I take Autumn to Harry and Ginny's.
When I walk in they take Autumn from me and tell me to go do what I have to do. I nod and apparate to the Wizengamot. I enter the lobby and take the elevator up to the Floor of Trials. The elevator makes a stop and Draco Malfoy walks in. My heart stops. He sees me and although he doesn't smile his eyes light up. We ride in awkward silence until he breaks it.
"Is today the Trial?" he asks, a quiver in his voice.
"Yes." He stares straight ahead.
"Listen, Hermione I want to—"but then the elevator stops on my floor. I mumble out a good-bye, not wanting to be late for the trial. I step out onto my floor and the elevator closes behind me. I look back for a second and then walk forward. There's a small hallway with a few chairs that goes into the Trial room. I see Gabriel sitting in one of the chairs and it takes all of my willpower to sit in the chair a few down from there. A few minutes later a woman comes up to him and I realize that's his lawyer. She looks at me and back at Gabriel. Finally someone comes in and asks for Gabriel and his lawyer to walk into the room. They both get up and walk into the next room. After twenty minutes of me pacing the hall they call me in.
As I walk in I see Gabriel and his lawyer sitting on the side and other people from the ministry sitting around the room. Kingsley Shacklebolt is sitting higher up on his own chair at the front of the room. I sit in the chair in the center of the room and the questioning starts.
"How old were you when you got pregnant?" someone from the ministry asks. I answer nineteen and proceeded to the next question.
"Was sex that produced this child consensual?" I stifle back the memory of Gabriel raping me.
"No, Gabriel raped me." Next they asked how long after the rape I found out I was pregnant and I said two months.
"Did you tell Gabriel that you were pregnant?"
"No. I didn't know if I was going to give her away or not. When I decided to keep her, I didn't want her to be raised by a rapist?"
"Why didn't you come forth after you were raped? Why did you wait almost a year and a half for a trial?" someone else asks.
I clear my throat before I start talking. "I was embarrassed. I didn't want anyone to know. When I found out I was pregnant I was scared. However, I did keep something from that night. In my purse, I have all of the clothes I wore the night he raped me." I hear Gabriel shift behind me and I flinch. Kingsley orders someone to obtain the evidence from my purse. They come back a moment later with a bag with my clothes in it. After several moments of silence Kingsley breaks it.
"I have come to a decision. I find Gabriel Mason Lebeaunt…"
A/N: Cliff hanger! You'll have to wait until the next chapter to see what happens! I know, I'm cruel… anyway I hope you liked it. We're almost done with the story, just a few more chapters.
MalfoyTwin: Well, what'd you think so far? No, no Hermione kicks his arse scene; but what did you think of the trial so far?
AliceGI: I don't know… you'll just have to wait one more chapter
