4.
THE YEAR DRACO CRIED FOR HELP
November 28th, 2004.
Hermione stifled a yawn. Being a lawyer could be incredibly dull work sometimes. In an effort to save her sanity, she had long ago perfected the art of speaking, whilst allowing her mind to focus on something else entirely.
Right then, she was thinking about home. Or rather, the home her and Ron were desperately trying to find. They'd only decided to finally move out of the Burrow three months previously but the task of buying a house had proven far more difficult that they'd originally anticipated. It wasn't the money of course, Ron was moving up in the Auror division and Hermione was a partner in the firm now. No, it was their tastes. Ron wanted something huge, modern, clean cut, or as Hermione liked to think of it: a grey box with windows and a door. Ron was strangely a bit of a minimalist. Hermione on the other hand wanted something Victorian and old, with high ceilings and French doors and picture windows…
"The weakness in his case lies in the deposition he made on August thirtieth…" she was saying to her assistant, without really listening to herself.
Mandy jotted down everything that came out of Hermione's mouth fiercely. The woman was only a year younger than Hermione, being twenty four, but she looked up to her with this sense of fervent admiration which was sometimes alarming. Nonetheless, Hermione trusted her implicitly. The girl was loyal and didn't take it personally when Hermione was short with her.
Many nights had seen them sitting up, drinking tea and talking in between doing bouts of work. Ultimately, Hermione was immensely grateful to have her around.
"Would you like me to make a copy of his case notes for the Wizengamot?" Mandy asked quickly when Hermione had finished speaking.
"Yes." she replied, "But leave out the section about circumstantial evidence. I don't want to give them any ideas."
"Can we do that?"
"If we couldn't, do you think I would have suggested it?" Hermione responded with a wry grin. Of course, Mandy was right to be circumspect because, really, what Hermione had just asked her to do was sort of against the law. But she'd learned very quickly that what the Ministry didn't know, wouldn't hurt them. And the Ministry knew very little about Hermione and Dawn's work. All they knew was that when they represented the Ministry, then the Ministry made a huge amount of gold. It was a mutually beneficial arrangement.
Though, this was more Dawn's area of expertise. Hermione was far more of a criminal and human rights lawyer than Dawn, who focused on corporate and environmental law. Together, they made a formidable team.
The case Hermione was dealing with that day was a stressful one. She had somehow found herself defending the owner of a bookshop on Knockturn Alley who insisted that his selling of dark texts was beneficial to the public in that he was 'letting people know what they were dealing with'. Of course, Hermione wisely encouraged him not to mention that when he was put before the Wizengamot.
What made it stressful was the fact that this man seemed almost intent to prove that he was guilty. In other words, he was trying to convince Hermione to attempt to convince the Wizengamot that their laws were wrong and he was in the right. For some strange reason, she did not think taking that line would work too well. But the man would not be persuaded no matter how much she insinuated, heavily hinted and outright told him he was going to end up not only without a bookshop, but also in Azkaban where she privately thought he quite rightly belonged.
Hermione leant back in her chair and sighed, "Right, so, we're done? Have the Ministry owled with the court date yet?"
"Not yet, would you like me to remind them?" ask Mandy, quill poised.
"Yeah, why not?" she propped her doc martin clad feet up on the desk and pulled a file towards her. "Any messages by the way?"
"Uh, yes." Mandy flipped a page on her note pad. "Your dress robes are ready at Madam Malkin's, I'll pick them up this afternoon… And the Auror department are sending some people over tomorrow to question you about the Dolohov case…"
Hermione rolled her eyes, "Oh, for fucks sake." Representing Antonin Dolohov was proving to be far more trouble than he was worth. He was one of those Death Eaters the Ministry seemed particularly keen to keep behind bars. "Which Aurors? Did it say?"
"No, it was quite vague."
Hermione smiled wryly and bent her head over the case file in her hands. "Naturally. Anything else?"
"Isobel's assistant flooed to confirm your lunch today."
"Did you confirm?" she asked, without looking up.
"Yes. But I said you might be a little late."
"Good."
"And you have a letter from Draco Malfoy."
Hermione's head snapped up. "What did it say?"
"I didn't read it." Mandy leant forward and presented Hermione with a rather skinny but tightly sealed scroll bearing the words: To Miss Hermione Granger from Draco Malfoy. PRIVATE.
"Right." Hermione said vaguely, taking the scroll, "Thanks Mandy, you can go to lunch now."
Her assistant left without another word and Hermione swiftly tore open the wax seal. Draco had never written to her before, certainly not at work. She couldn't possibly think why he would start now…
But only a cursory glance told her his reasons. It was a plea. A desperate plea.
Without so much as a second look at the letter, Hermione shot up off her chair and ran out of her office behind Mandy who was just about to walk out the door.
"Mandy! Get Draco here now! You can floo him at home. And cancel my lunch with Isobel. Tell her that if she wants to swing by here, that might be better." she said frantically before disappearing back into her office.
She hurriedly gathered the files that lay scattered about her desk up in one pile and shoved them unceremoniously into an obliging draw. With that done, she smoothed down her tee-shirt self consciously and moved over to the monumental bookcase that spanned the west wall of her office, beginning to pull out several books that she thought might help.
Hermione then restocked the tea tray beside her desk and resumed her seat, beginning to flick through the books in front of her.
Only minutes later, there was a knock on her office door. Without waiting for an answer, Mandy popped her head in and Hermione was alarmed to see that the younger woman looked quite distressed.
"Draco Malfoy is here for you."
"Send him in." Hermione responded shortly, standing up. Moments later, he strode into the office.
Hermione had to fight the urge to gasp in horror. Never had she seen him look more wretched. His skin was pallid and blotchy with high red spots on his cheek bones and deep blue bags under his eyes which were puffy and blood shot. The only semi presentable aspect of his appearance was his suit and even that looked crumple and dirty upon closer inspection.
"Why didn't you come to me sooner?" she said by way of a greeting, gesturing for him to sit down.
He collapsed into the chair opposite hers and when he spoke, his voice was cracked and broken. "I didn't know it was this bad."
Hermione sat down and looked at him shrewdly. "Tell me everything."
"She was supposed to come out at the end of March, about six months ago. But they started talking about some… appeals process. I was worried at first but then all her letters kept saying everything was fine until… until…" his face crumpled and great, fat tears began to roll down his cheeks, "Until I got this. Yesterday."
Draco leant forward and handed Hermione a letter, smoothed flat and stained occasionally where his tears had made the ink run. She read…
My Dearest son,
It seems that there has been a slight complication with my release date. I'm going to get straight to the point. They've pushed it back twenty five years.
I don't know anything, before you ask. All I was told was that there was another trial and more anonymous testimony by not one but five individuals. They're saying I killed Charity Burbage. I've been tried and found guilty.
I'm so sorry. I don't know what to do. The Gringotts accounts are all in your father's name. I don't have the money for a lawyer.
There is one ray of hope, however. They're telling me that you will now be allowed to visit as I have been deemed a 'permanent resident'.
I am so looking forward to being able to see you again, Draco. I know this seems bad, but please try not to do anything silly. Everything will be alright. It really isn't that bad in here ultimately. The guards are nice to me and I very much like my new mind healer. I know I have to thank Hermione for her. So if you see her, please tell her from me that my life would be so much harder if she was not the intelligent witch she is. Even if she is a muggleborn.
I love you sweetheart.
Be safe.
Be strong.
Sincerely,
Narcissa Malfoy
Hermione gently placed the letter down on the desk for fear that if she held onto it any longer, her anger would cause her to crumple it into dust. When she spoke, her voice shook with rage.
"They sentenced her to twenty five years in prison in a trial she did not even attend?!" she growled, more to herself than to Draco.
"I don't know what to do." he said desperately. "I didn't know who else to come to."
Hermione leant back in her chair and narrowed her eyes. "What are you trying to say?"
Draco looked at her, his hopelessness wrought in every line on his face. "I need you Hermione."
She did not immediately reply. For some reason, though she knew she would represent him, had known the moment he showed her the letter from Narcissa, she wanted him to beg. It was cruel, heartless and she was ashamed. But something about the way he'd come here, casually assuming she'd help, pissed her off.
Eventually she cleared her throat. "I have a heavy case load already, Draco."
"I would pay you!" he rasped quickly, looking fraught.
"I know you would." she responded, looking him straight in the eye.
"Please, Hermione. Please."
At hearing those words, hearing him give her exactly what she'd wanted, she was instantly filled with remorse. She leant forward and took up the letter again, her eyes flicking over the parchment. She could hear Narcissa's panic, her desperation and her feigned strength in the words. Hermione sighed.
"MANDY!"
Hermione's assistant burst through the door seconds later, notepad already poised in her hand.
"Yes, miss Granger?"
"I want you to get in contact with the Ministry, find out who presided over the most recent trial of Narcissa Malfoy. And I don't care who you have to threaten. I want to know who provided the anonymous testimony. In fact, floo the Minister's office as well. Tell Kingsley I want a word."
Mandy scrawled all this down on her pad, her quill moving lightning fast across the page. She then disappeared through the office door without another word.
"How was it that you didn't hear about this?" Hermione asked Draco. He did, after all, work in the Auror department…
"I've been on assignment for the last three weeks in Australia." he responded haltingly, the relief that she seemed to have agreed to represent his mother clear in his voice. The fact that she did not know this, was evidence to how little the two of them spoke anymore.
Hermione shook her head in disgust, "So they waited until you were out of the office, out of the country even, to make their move…"
"What do you mean 'they'?" he looked wary.
She laughed softly and leant forward, "Draco, think about this logically. Who deals with Azkaban's inmates? Aurors. Who attends the trials of these prisoners to act as guards? Aurors. Who transports them to and from these proceedings? Aurors. Something is going on here. I do not understand how not only you but Harry, Ron, Blaise and Bo were all kept in the dark surrounding this case. Actually…" Hermione leapt out of her seat and moved over to the fire. She took up a handful of floo powder, threw it into the grate, stuck her head into the green flames and said clearly, "Number twelve, Grimauld place."
Her head spun as is was transported out of her office before the newly refurbished kitchen of Harry and Ginny Potter's house whirled into view. Ginny was sitting at the old wooden kitchen table. She looked like she was waiting for something already.
"Hermione!" she cried, crashing to her knees in front of the grate, clearly distressed.
"You've heard from Harry?" Hermione deduced quickly.
Ginny nodded, "He just flooed! None of them knew a thing! They only just found out! Harry thinks there's something going on with some of the more higher up Aurors. But they can't find Draco! He's not at home!" the younger woman ranted, bordering on hysteria.
"It's alright, he's here with me." Hermione said quickly. "Where's Harry now?"
"Still at the office." Ginny replied, looking relieved. "They're trying to find out who gave the testimony but everyone's being very tight lipped. He thinks it came from some of the other prisoners though."
"Right. Thanks Ginny. I've got to go, but let Harry know we're working on it from our end. If he finds out anything, tell him to bring it to me immediately. He's not to tell anyone else. None of the other Aurors."
"Are you going to represent Draco and Narcissa?"
"Yes. I'll send him over once we're done. Talk to you later Ginny."
Hermione abruptly withdrew her head from the fire and moved back to her desk. She immediately told Draco everything Ginny had told her.
He looked shell shocked and beaten. "I don't understand it… Why would anyone do something like this?"
"People are fucked." Hermione responded shortly by way of comforting him. "Mandy!"
Her assistant appeared at the door again instantly.
"Progress?" Hermione snapped.
"The Minister's assistant says he's busy. Apparently there are problems in the Auror department. The whole place is in uproar."
Hermione assumed that this was most likely because of Harry, Ron, Blaise and Bo. "And the testimony?"
Mandy looked a little put out and threw a nervous glance at Draco, "I flooed your contact but he says it's the first he's heard about it but he'll see what he can do and… um…" she shifted uncomfortably, looking down at her shoes.
"What? What is it?" Hermione demanded.
"He said that his memory might be more cooperative if you had dinner with him." Mandy replied, looking as if she wanted very much to be out of the firing line.
Hermione glared at her assistant, trying to resist the urge to shoot the messenger. "You can tell Cormack to shove his dinner up his ass and the next time he propositions me, I'll start digging through his trust fund files again." she responded through gritted teeth.
Mandy nodded, smiling admiringly at her boss and made to leave but Hermione stopped her. "Oh and I need you to contact Susan Bones at St Mungos. Tell I need to see her. Tell her it's urgent. Then come back. I have a letter I need you to send."
Mandy nodded and disappeared.
"Why Susan?" asked Draco, who was looking a little dazed at Hermione's furious flight into action.
Hermione pulled a quill, ink bottle and parchment across the desk towards her, "She's one of the mind healers attending to the prisoners in Azkaban. She may know something. Help yourself to some tea, I just need to write this."
She bent over the parchment, her brow furrowed and began to write furiously.
Mr Dolohov,
It has come to my attention that you have recently given anonymous testimony against one Narcissa Malfoy resulting in the lengthening of her original five year sentence to twenty five years.
I'm sure you can understand that as a professional with a reputation to uphold, I must end our correspondence and, consequently, our professional relationship as I feel your testimony was false and misleading.
To put it simply, I cannot defend a liar.
Regards,
Hermione Granger
She rolled the parchment up, sealed it and addressed it before setting it on the desk.
"What's that?" asked Draco, eying the scroll with trepidation as he set a cup of tea in front of Hermione.
She grinned smugly, "A letter to Antonin Dolohov, one of my clients, saying that I no longer wish to represent him since he gave testimony against your mother."
Draco looked confused, "But you don't know if he testified against her!"
Her smug grin widened, "No, I don't. But if he did, he will most likely retract it after he receives this, which will make all the other statements given look weaker. Hopefully it will make him angry enough to make sure your father has a few sleepless nights too."
"And if he didn't?" he asked.
She shrugged, "I'm the best defence lawyer in the country Draco. If he did not, he may well provide me with some names in return for the renewal of our business relationship… And still give your father a few sleepless nights for losing him his lawyer. Either way, I've just put him in a rather desperate situation. And you can trust any Slytherin to put his own safety above any loyalty he might have to someone else."
Hermione did not mean this as a jibe. She was nowhere near that passive aggressive. But Draco looked uncomfortable nonetheless.
"How can you be so sure it was any of the Death Eaters?" he asked after a few moments of tense silence.
"Ginny said Harry thinks the testimony came from inside Azkaban. He would not have said that if he didn't have some kind of proof." she answered, "And besides, Lucius did it before, what's stopping him doing it again?"
"You really think my father has something to do with this?" asked Draco, looking pained.
Hermione nodded firmly, "I do. Very much so."
"Why would he do that though?!" Draco demanded, his voice rising and Hermione was reminded of the last time they had a conversation like this. "Why would he want to fuck with her like that?!"
Hermione shrugged. "Why did he do it last time? Out of spite. Because he is a vengeful, cruel sub human who has nothing better to do than make sure he continues to torture his wife and son from the cell in Azkaban where he belongs."
Draco looked furious at this statement, but Hermione was not his lover anymore, she didn't have to pander to him. She narrowed her eyes. "Remember who you're talking to here, Draco, before you reprimand me. I am your lawyer. You can either let me do my job, or you can leave."
He seemed to teeter on the verge of speech for a moment before his lips became a thin, hard line, as if he was being forced to swallow something that didn't taste very nice.
At that moment, Mandy reappeared, walking over to Hermione's desk and taking the letter addressed to Dolohov. "Miss Granger, Isobel's here. And Susan Bones is on her way."
"Thanks Mandy, show her in."
Isobel strode into the office a moment later, her heels clacking on the shiny floorboards. She looked between Hermione and Draco for a moment before moving to put her hand on Draco's shoulder and look down at him with an expression of deep concern.
"Are you alright?"
He nodded, seeming overcome with emotions and incapable of speech. Isobel turned her eyes to Hermione. "What's being done about this?"
Hermione grinned at her friend, "Enough. If all goes to plan, I will find out who has given this anonymous testimony, threaten them until they retract their statements and then represent Narcissa in court to make sure the sentence is revoked."
"How hopeful are you that this will work?"
"Very. They don't have a leg to stand on. Especially as there is something suspicious going on in the Auror division. They won't want me to dig too deeply, I don't think. I'll make sure a court date is set within the week. She'll be out in two, max." she pulled fresh sheets of parchment towards her in order to begin making notes on the case. "For now, Draco, I'd like you to bring me any letters your mother has sent you within the last year, alright?"
Draco, strangely, looked uncomfortable at this and did not seem to be able to meet her eye. "Is that really necessary?"
"Extremely. I need to know what Narcissa's view on all this had been. Your mother may have mentioned something that you haven't noticed that might be useful to her case. I need all the information I can get. All of it." she insisted, not really understanding his reluctance.
After a moment, he nodded vaguely and Hermione looked back to Isobel.
"Would you mind taking him to Harry and Ginny's? She's waiting for him and I think he needs to be with friends right now. And I have a lot of work to do."
"Sure." Isobel responded.
Hermione bent over her notes as the two of them left the office. The moment she was truly alone though, her face fell into her hands.
Her and Draco were not friends. After Harry's wedding over a year ago, they'd dropped that pretence all together. For that's what it had been, three years of the two of them dancing around each other, pretending to like each other, pretending to be ok with each other. Sure, he still came by, still hung out with Harry and Ron, but she didn't speak to him. They'd not spoken more than polite greetings to each other in a long, long time. She liked it better that way, felt freer when she was treating him as nothing more than an ex boyfriend rather than a friend.
Nobody spoke to her about him either. Not even Ron. Which still made her feel mildly embarrassed, seeing as it was just further evidence that everyone knew what was going on.
It was a conversation with Dawn that had ultimately inspired her to make the shift in her mind.
"Breakups are messy," her mentor had said, "Pretending otherwise is like standing in the rain and insisting you're not wet."
After that, Hermione had treated Draco with polite coldness and felt better for it.
But now, here he was. Begging her. Needing her. And he was right, really, he did need her. No one else did her job as well as she did. She was still the same annoying know it all she was in school after all, except now she was using her powers for good.
To some degree, she was capable of seeing him as nothing more than a new client. But there was still all the history, all the feelings, blah blah blah, to consider. She was bored by the endless cycle. Didn't stop it being there though.
Hermione finally took up her quill and began to jot down notes, things that Draco had said, important points in Narcissa's letter, her own theories, and what she'd learnt from Ginny.
After a few moments, Mandy announced Susan who entered the office and sat down at Hermione's behest, still clad in her St Mungos uniform.
"Is this about Narcissa Malfoy?" asked the other woman immediately.
Hermione chuckled, "Is there no one who doesn't know about this already?"
Susan grinned and said pointedly, "Not really. The hospital is abuzz."
"Hmm." Hermione said curiously, absentmindedly twirling her quill in her fingers, "I can understand the Ministry being abuzz… But why would the hospital be?"
Susan gave her a shrewd look and said airily, "Did I say that? I have no recollection of it."
Hermione knew instantly what was going to take place then. Susan could not tell her anything solid or answer any direct questions. But there was a reason Hermione was a lawyer after all…
"Might it be," she said, leaning forward, "and this is just a wild guess, might it be because the people who gave the anonymous testimony against an innocent woman were in fact imprisoned Death Eaters? Perhaps even clients of your colleagues? Or yourself?"
What Hermione was really asking Susan was whether or not the people who'd given anonymous testimony were Death Eaters and her own clients. She needed it confirmed, at least in her own mind.
Susan looked nonchalant, "You know I can't give you information about my clients, Hermione."
Translation: yes.
Hermione waved her hand in acknowledgment. "Oh, of course, of course. I understand entirely. I myself am under the same oath, aren't I?" she busied herself making the two of them tea. "Tell me though, I forget, do you work with the male inmates or the females?"
Again, the question was indirect, the real meaning being: Were the Death Eaters in question male or female?
"I have been known to work with both, but most recently, I've been working exclusively with the males." Susan replied pointedly.
Hermione smiled and set a cup of tea down in front of her friend. "I thought as much. Does it not get stressful though, offering support to all of those high ranking Death Eaters? Knowing the sort of things they've done? Knowing they were in Voldemort's inner circle?"
The real question: are these Death Eaters high ranking or irrelevant? Which ones do I need to be investigating?
"Oh, I don't have to deal with many of those prisoners. Just one in fact. Now, I can't name names of course, but he is proving very difficult to deal with. He has so many issues with resentment. Seems he is capable of holding a grudge forever. The others are… thugs mostly. Only interested in furthering their own influence."
Translation: Lucius Malfoy. Who holds a grudge longer than humanly possible. His accomplices being only minor Death Eater's who'll follow his lead blindly. Likely men like Crabbe and Goyle Sr.
Hermione had all she needed.
"Thank for your help." she said brightly.
Susan winked, "No problem. I'm sorry I couldn't give you more information. And let me know how it goes, yeah?"
Hermione nodded and showed Susan to the door.
Late that night, Hermione sat hunched over her desk, fresh paperwork scattered across the wooden surface consisting of everything she had managed to convince the Ministry to release to her regarding Narcissa Malfoy's imprisonment and the reasons behind it. The information about her first trial, the one that had resulted in her initial five year sentence, was fairly extensive. The notes on her behaviour and life in Azkaban was less so. But the one thing she had been able to find next to nothing on was the trail held most recently. She had acquired nothing more than a single sheet that told her what date the trail had been held on, what the charges were and the sentence that had been laid down. And this was only after she had flooed to Cormack's office and threatened him personally.
The night outside the windows was dark and cold. She worked from the light of her fireplace and a single candle. Her back ached and her hand cramped but she would not leave her post. Not until she had sorted through everything, gotten it properly categorised in her mind.
At that moment, Mandy appeared at her side with a cup of tea and half a sandwich. Hermione took them both, smiling gratefully at her assistant.
"Dawn's just left." Mandy told her, "She said that if you needed any help you can floo her. Doesn't matter what time." the younger woman then dropped a pile of dog eared letters, tied together with string, on Hermione's desk. "And these came from Draco. Letters from his mother."
Hermione resisted the urge to sigh. More work.
"Thanks Mandy. You can go home now."
"Are you sure?" her assistant looked concerned.
Hermione nodded and smiled, "Positive. I won't need anything else."
Mandy laid a hand briefly on Hermione's shoulder before departing the office.
Hermione dragged the pile of letters towards her and pulled open the tie that held them together. She was happy to note, as she began to flick through them, that he'd already ordered them by date. This made her work easier.
She picked up the first, dated at September 19th 2003, two weeks after Harry and Ginny's wedding, and sat back in her chair, propping her feet up on her desk and seizing the sandwich.
Draco,
I know very well that you would not want to hear this but you are so your father's son. You feel bad, Draco. Admit that and be done. Don't do what he did, pretend that you are fine, that your actions are justifiable. I know you well and I know that you already do lend them reason, I can hear it in the way you write about her…
Hermione's stomach clenched and it was with a sense of masochistic recklessness that she read on.
But you're better than that. Better than blaming everyone else for your own bad choices. That was your mistake last time, was it not?
I love you,
Narcissa
It was a shock to her, hearing Narcissa speak with such reason and maturity. She hadn't expected it for some reason. There was something about the letter, about the advice it gave and the way it was written that oddly reminded Hermione of herself.
She seized the next one on the pile, dated September 23rd 2003, only days after the last.
Draco,
I'm sorry I upset you, son.
I will not attempt to deny that I am disappointed by the misdeeds you so freely admit to committing at Harry and Ginny's wedding. But what saddens me most is your inability to take responsibility!
Where is your remorse, Draco?
Love,
Narcissa
The next letter, Hermione noticed, was not written until October 19th.
Draco,
First, I want you to know that I'm so happy to hear from you.
But I will not have our relationship ransomed over whether or not I tell you what you want to hear, do you understand me? I may be imprisoned but I am still your mother. Treat me thus.
Moving on. Have you heard from her? Have you apologised?
I love you,
Narcissa
Hermione sincerely wished she'd never asked this of Draco. She didn't want to read anymore, but the pile of letters sat in front of her on the desk, beckoning to her. Narcissa had not yet named names, perhaps Hermione was just being paranoid. Perhaps the 'her' Narcissa spoke of was someone else.
The next letter broke Hermione's spirit entirely.
Draco,
I am so sorry to hear that you feel the friendship is broken. But perhaps this is what is best for Hermione. If you have not yet heard from her then it seems she does not want to have any further contact with you. But I urge you Draco, if you so desperately wish to speak to her, perhaps you should be the one to make contact? Swallow your pride. If nothing else, write her a letter.
I remember well our correspondence from your last year at Hogwarts. The way you described her then made it sound like you trusted her. And she trusted you, she cared for you. I promise that has not gone away, it's just damaged. I feel as if I know her. And I think she would listen.
Love,
Narcissa
And the next…
Draco,
You know what's best, my son. Just remember this was your choice.
Narcissa
It struck Hermione then what she had missed in the letter Draco had given her earlier that day. She was so overcome with rage at Narcissa's ill treatment that she hadn't registered it properly, but his mother had called Hermione by name, even spoken as if she was familiar with her.
The only conclusion that she could come to was that Draco spoke about her more than she would have thought.
Draco,
I have not heard from you in a while. I am lonely. I had a dream last night that you and I were…
Hermione glanced up suddenly as the flames in her fireplace glowed a virulent green. She stood and made her way over to the grate when suddenly, Harry's face appeared.
"How's it going?" he asked instantly.
Hermione shrugged noncommittally. "Alright. Can you see the mountain of paperwork on my desk?"
He grimaced. "Yep."
She wanted to tell him about the things she'd read, tell him how it was affecting her. A year ago she'd made the choice not to remain closed about her feelings around Draco any longer and Harry and Isobel had both become her most trusted confidants on the subject. And it had helped quite a bit, didn't make her feel so alone or so crazy. But this was different. This was work.
"What's up?" she asked instead, swallowing all the words that could have come pouring forth from her at that moment.
"Come to my place." he responded. "Everyone's here. You've done enough work for tonight."
Hermione glanced at her watch. "It's only eleven o'clock. I've got another four hours before my brain begins to feel the effects of sleep deprivation… I've got too much work to do Harry."
"Come on!" he insisted, "This is stupid, Hermione. What's so urgent that you can't leave it til the morning?"
"You, Ron and I are going to see Kingsley tomorrow morning. I need all the information I can get before then."
Harry looked confused and wary, "We're what?"
"Going to see Kingsley." she replied matter-of-factly in a tone that brooked no argument.
He grinned, "Should I even ask?"
Hermione returned his smile and shook her head.
After a few more vague words were exchanged, Harry was gone and Hermione returned reluctantly to her desk.
The brief conversation with her friend, no matter how commonplace, had allowed her the break she'd need to clear her head somewhat. She decided there and then that she would read the rest of the letters with a purely professional eye and would remain emotionally detached to their content. Unless she hit upon something useful.
For hours, Hermione poured over the letters, each as useless as the last. Her name was mentioned with less frequency as she read on, only the occasional enquiry on Narcissa's part of Hermione's wellbeing.
She mentioned the appeals process Draco had been talking about but as he'd said, she seemed fairly confidant. Narcissa Malfoy was a surprisingly patient woman.
It wasn't until almost two thirty in the morning that she finally found something useful. Something incredibly useful.
It was a letter from Narcissa, the first after a six week long gap that was dated at being written mere days after the trial that had decided her conviction of murder and only three days before her letter to Draco breaking the news.
Draco,
I apologise, this will be a quick letter. I have only had the chance now because there is a woman on duty who is kind to me. The other guards have not been letting me write to you. I do not understand why. They have only told me that you are away on assignment and are unreachable. There is something strange happening. I have just spent three days in isolation in my cell. They would not tell me why I was not allowed out.
Where are you son?
I tried to write to Hermione. Initially, they told me that I could not send letters to those who were not immediate family. I have never heard of this rule and I have written to others before… But then they agreed and let me send the letter though Hermione has not yet replied and it has been weeks.
I'm scared, Draco. Please write back as soon as you can.
I love you,
Mum
This was the gold nugget Hermione had been waiting for. This was proof of mistreatment. They'd stopped Narcissa writing to her own son, put her in isolation and what's more, stopped her making contact with a lawyer. For Hermione had not received any letter from Narcissa.
She had them now.
November 29th, 2004
The Ministry of Magic atrium was always a little intimidating to Hermione. It was like an underground city, huge and spacious and full of echoing voices. She could never shake the feeling that it was all going to fall in on her, metaphorically or physically. And her tiredness was not making any of these feelings less potent that morning.
Harry and Ron met her by the lift.
"How are you?" asked Ron immediately, looking concerned. She had not come home the night before and the floor next to her desk was not the most comfortable place to sleep.
"Ready." she replied with an air of almost demented determination, getting into the lift with the expectation that they would follow her. "Are you coming or what?"
Harry and Ron exchanged wary looks before stepping in after her. Hermione pressed the button and the doors clanged shut.
"Where are we going exactly?" asked Ron.
"To see Kingsley."
"And why do we have to come?"
"Because there is corruption in the Ministry and I want him to do something about it. If I go alone, I'm just a lawyer. If it's all three of us, we're the Golden Trio. Understand?"
The boys shared another look. They'd had to become used to Hermione being like this since she'd started work for Dawn, and even more so since she'd become a lawyer in her own right. Hermione was different at work than she was at home. At home, she was their Hermione, the one they'd grown up with. At work she was a force to be reckoned with.
They reached level one quickly and Hermione immediately strode out of the lift and down the corridor, Harry and Ron in tow.
Mandy had not been wrong when she'd said the Ministry was in uproar. It was always busy, but that day there was a frantic air to the way people were bustling up and down the halls. Yes. Something was definitely afoot.
The three of them arrived in the foyer that led to Kingsley's office. His assistant Patrick looked up in surprise when they entered.
"I told Mandy the Minister couldn't see you today." he spluttered.
"And Mandy told me. Yet, here I am. Mind letting him know?" Hermione responded.
The boy stood and disappeared into his boss's office with a indignant glance in her direction.
"You're so sexy when you're like this." said Ron lowly, chuckling. Hermione glared at him. Harry groaned.
A moment later, Patrick returned, plastering a false smile across his face.
"He'll see you now."
"Oh, good. Thank you." Hermione responded as if this information was surprising. Though she knew, they all knew, she would have gone into that office regardless of whether she'd been given permission.
She strode forwards.
Kingsley sat behind his huge mahogany desk looking distinctly stressed.
"Why am I not surprised to see you three?" he said by way of greeting, "What can I do for you?"
Hermione sat down. "What are you offering?"
The Minister pulled off his reading glasses and rubbed his eyes. "I don't have time for games, Hermione. Just tell me why you're here."
"On the 21st of November a trial was held to determine whether or not Narcissa Malfoy murdered Charity Burbage. I'm sure you're aware of it."
He sighed. "If I wasn't, I'd be rather behind the times. What is your involvement?"
"I'm her lawyer." Hermione responded with a challenging smile.
Kingsley looked even more stressed at that, "Oh lord."
"Yes. So. I'd like a full scale enquiry to be launched into this matter." she said abruptly.
"And why ever would I do that?" asked the Minister wearily.
"Because five prisoners from Azkaban, the most notable being her husband Lucius Malfoy, came forward six months ago on March 8th and provided anonymous testimony against her, proclaiming that she had murdered Charity Burbage."
Kingsley cut across her then, "Four, not five. One has been recently withdrawn."
Hermione nodded, barely containing her smile. She made a mental note to write a letter to Antonin Dolohov when she returned to the office.
"My point remains the same. This case, rather strangely, was not at any point in the intervening time, brought up to her son Draco Malfoy who, if he'd known, might have not only provided her with an adequate defence lawyer, but also testified that she was not Ms Burbage's murderer. A knowledge he has because he was there the night she died and saw Voldemort perform the killing curse." she took a minute to allow this information to sink in before she spoke again, "What I want to know is how this information was concealed from Mr Malfoy and his closest friends, all of whom work in the Auror department, and why it was concealed at all."
"How is it that you know so much?"
Hermione grinned, "I'm good at my job, Minister."
The Minister shrugged, "So Draco didn't know about the trial… Perhaps it was not brought up to him because it was a conflict of interest."
"That's a fair point. But I still believe the inquiry should go ahead." she cleared her throat and began laying out pieces of paper on Kingsley's desk, each backing up the facts as she told them to him. "You see, there's this law. Cumbersome thing it is too. I'm not sure if you're familiar with section 81 of the National Charter of Wizarding Rights? No? Well in essence, it specifically says that it is illegal for a trial to be held if the defendant is not present. Furthermore, it is illegal for a sentence to be passed if the defendant is not present. Narcissa Malfoy was most certainly not present at the trial that decided she would be charged with the murder of Charity Burbage and she was most certainly not present when they sentenced her to twenty five further years in Azkaban. Furthermore," Hermione set the final piece of parchment down on his desk, Narcissa's letter, "She was wrongfully prevented from communicating with her son and her lawyer."
Kingsley gave her a long look and then said, as if testing the waters, "If I just say the sentence is void, will you be satisfied?"
She tilted her head to the side and smiled sympathetically, "That's a start, but no. I want a another trial within the next five days. I want a full list of those Death Eaters who testified. I want Narcissa to be legally divorced from her husband and his accounts transferred into her name as alimony, damages for the grief he has caused her. And I want the enquiry. Your Auror department is corrupt Kingsley. If it isn't dealt with, you can no longer rely on Dawn's legal services nor mine."
Threatening the Minister had not been Hermione's preferred choice of action but when she had spoken with her mentor that morning, Dawn had insisted on it.
Nonetheless, Kingsley did look angry. "And what if I choose not to take this matter any further?"
Hermione was about to answer but Harry cut across her. "Then you would be no better that Scrimgeour or Fudge. I won't stand behind a Minister who would rather put his hands over his ears and pretend nothing is happening than confront corruption and bigotry." he growled.
"Me neither." said Ron then, seriously, "And I think I can safely say most of your Auror department would agree."
Hermione leant forward, hoping to act as a voice of reason, "Think about this Kingsley. You need the tovarasi. Harry, Ron, Blaise, Draco and Bo are the best Aurors you have, Isobel will be head of the department of International Magical Cooperation within the year, Eli is potions master at Hogwarts and head of Hufflepuff house, Juliet is partner in Weasley's Wizard Wheezes which is the most successful business on Diagon Alley, Ginny is a nationally revered quidditch player for the Holyhead Harpies, Susan and Padma are both head healers in their respective fields at St Mungos, Luna's partner Dean is one of the most widely read journalists at the Daily Prophet and I'm the best defence lawyer in the country. Do you really want all of us working against you?" her voice was calm and level throughout her entire speech, but the threat was there.
McGonagall had known what she was doing when she hired Teodora all those years ago, and Teodora had known what she was doing when she enforced the bonds of the tovarasi. Their experiment had worked. Ten people, their partner's, their families, all connected and all ready to defend one another.
After a moment, Kingsley smiled indulgently. "You, Hermione, are Dumbledore's creature through and through."
"I'm not sure I agree, but I'll take that as a compliment." she responded.
"I meant it as one." the Minister looked at her shrewdly for a moment before he waved his hand dismissively, "Very well. I will grant the requests that are within my power to grant, Hermione. Though I cannot release the names of the people who gave their statements and I cannot grant Mrs Malfoy a divorce. That is for the court to decide. To everything else though, you have my support. I do hope our working relationship will not continue to be this… rocky. We did fight on the same side once, remember?"
"I remember." she said, her heart beating furiously with her triumph.
December 4th, 2004.
The date had been set shortly after her meeting with the Minister and only days later, Hermione escorted her client to her trial.
It was one like any other that Hermione had already attended. She walked in, cajoled, manipulated, twisted words and made sure, by the end of it, that every single person present believed her version of the truth was the only version. Of course, the only thing that differed in this particular case, was that she really believed in Narcissa's innocence. Something that did not happen often.
And every time she looked up into the rows of benches that surrounded her while she spoke, she saw Draco's face, saw his desperation and it infected her. She would pay any amount of money to never see that look on his face again.
He had been almost crippled with his distress despite Hermione's smug confidence for days, up until the Wizengamot had actually granted Narcissa her freedom, her divorce and her alimony. Nothing Hermione had said to him seemed to have any affect at all. He was focused on his frantic worry, afflicted with tunnel vision.
But though seeing him like that upset her, and she wished she could do something to change it, a tiny part of Hermione's heart was pleased by it. To see Draco loving someone so totally like that, as if the beating of his heart relied entirely on their happiness to continue, was comforting. Draco was so closed, he'd always been like that, and seeing him raw again was refreshing. It had been such a long time since she'd witnessed it.
Hermione had known all along that she'd be able to get Narcissa off. There had never been a doubt in her mind. Even if she hadn't been able to collect the evidence she had, it still would not have been hard. Whoever had organised the conviction of Narcissa had not done a particularly good job. They seemed to have been relying almost entirely on the hope that no one on the outside would even notice. Oh, how that had backfired.
There had been a party after the trial that Ginny and Harry had agreed to host and the tovarasi had organised.
Hermione would never forget as long as she lived, the look on Narcissa's face when she was welcomed into the home of Harry Potter. When her welcome was warm, jovial and affectionate. When she got to see the small crowd of people there only to celebrate her freedom, people who were glad to see her.
That look made Hermione think that perhaps Draco wasn't the only abandoned one in his family, not the only one who needed love and care, not the only one who needed to hear the words.
As the night progressed, Hermione got to see a new side to Draco. In the context of his mother's company, he smiled more and there was something childlike about his demeanour. Hermione knew this was not just something that was taking place because of their recent reunion, no, there was a feeling of familiarity to it, like that's how they'd always been together.
The only thing changed was that fresh sense of freedom that hung around the pair. Hermione got the feeling that that must have been the first time in Draco's twenty five years of life, that the two of them had been able to speak openly, without fear of saying the wrong thing or who would overhear.
Narcissa was, on the whole, an intelligent, pensive sort of woman. She spoke little, but when she did, her words held a huge amount of weight. She never said something without meaning it. Hermione liked her.
The only thing that really spoke ill of her character was the fact that she spoke quite openly with Ginny, Ron, Blaise, Luna and Isobel; was marginally awkward with Harry, Padma, Bo and Susan. But her words were short with Juliet, Dean and Eli and strained with Hermione.
It took Hermione some time to notice this over the course of the night and the conclusion she drew eventually, irked her. It seemed as if Narcissa was easy going with the purebloods, only slightly self-conscious with the halfbloods and downright uncomfortable with the muggleborns.
At first, Hermione was offended by this and wanted to say something. But then, she realised who she was dealing with. Narcissa was who she was. She wasn't like Draco, who'd spent most of his life surrounded by people of various blood statuses, no matter how badly he treated them. It had been a long, long time since Narcissa had been at Hogwarts, a long time since she'd had to mix with muggleborns. Considering the life she'd led, who she'd been married to, she was actually doing rather well.
Strangely, Hermione had not had a proper conversation with Draco's mother at any point, short of the one they'd had at the trial in the presence of the Wizengamot when Hermione had questioned her.
It wasn't until late that night, when the party was only just beginning to wind down and everyone present had had maybe one too many firewhiskys, that this changed.
She'd been feeling unsteady on her feet and light headed, overcome slightly by the constant laughter and chatter that was echoing through the drawing room of number twelve, Grimauld place as the tovarasi attempted to fill Narcissa in on everything that had taken place in the world since her incarceration.
So Hermione had slipped out, tip toeing down to the kitchen for a moment of quiet and some desperately needed tea.
She thought she was alone with her thoughts until the kitchen door had clicked closed behind her.
Hermione wheeled around to find Narcissa standing there, hands folded demurely in front of her, looking uncomfortable.
"Would you like a cup of tea?" Hermione asked, at a loss for anything else to say.
"Thank you." the older woman said shortly.
Hermione busied herself preparing two cups and setting the kettle on the stove to boil. She then took a seat at the old wooden table, gesturing for Narcissa to join her and after only a brief moment of hesitation, she did.
"How do you feel?" asked Hermione with a tight smile.
"I as if I am trapped in a nice but rather bemusing dream." answered the older woman wearily.
"That's understandable. I thought perhaps the party might be a bit much…"
"Oh, it's not the party. I don't think I've heard real laughter in many years, every time I've heard it tonight I feel as if I have been walking through a desert all this time and only just found an oasis." Narcissa responded, smiling weakly, "It's just being here. Seeing Draco as he is now. I've never seen him so happy. It's such a blessing not to look at him now and see his father's scowl."
Hermione laughed, "I think I have to agree with that. After all, it was the only expression he gave to me for a long time."
Rather than joining Hermione in her laughter, Narcissa only looked saddened by this. "I'm sorry about Draco. It was as much my fault as Lucius's that he turned out the way he did."
Hermione smiled kindly, compassion for this sad, mistreated woman filling her heart, "He changed though, didn't he? He hasn't called me a mudblood in years and years. He didn't turn out that badly… in the end…"
"I am not only talking about his pureblood prejudices, Hermione." the older woman responded lowly, with a meaningful look.
Hermione felt her face burn red as her understanding finally caught up, "Oh… uh… well that's all… it's over now… so…"
Narcissa nodded in understanding. "And a part of me is saddened by that."
That comment hung in the air then, silence settling between the two women. Hermione had no idea how to respond to it in the slightest. Her mind was fogged with the alcohol. She only felt confused.
"Do you remember the first time we met?" asked Narcissa suddenly, after a moment.
Hermione grinned in response, "Oh yes. Madam Malkin's just before sixth year. I think you called me scum?"
"I did, didn't I? What you must have thought of me…"
They sat in silence again for a moment as the kettle boiled, before Hermione spoke again, her voice quiet. "I want you to know… I don't actually expect you to be different. I know those old prejudices are still there, I know you still think of me as less than a pureblood somehow. I can't imagine how confused you must feel."
Narcissa frowned, avoiding Hermione's gaze, "I will not deny it. I think you less of a witch. But I do not think you less of a human any longer. You've proved yourself quite capable of being human. It is confusing, Hermione. I feel… connected with you. But I find it hard to respect you."
Hermione nodded, "I understand. I have my own prejudices too. I'm not offended. I think we'll both come to an understanding eventually. We'll figure it out. Until then though, I'd like to consider you a friend, if that's alright."
"That is quite alright. I would consider you the same, I think. I cannot war with my feelings after all. And my feelings are that you are a part of my life now, and a good part at that."
After that, they did not speak again, nor did they hug or smile. They simply made tea together and rejoined the party. Hermione Granger and Narcissa Black.
A/N Oh god, these chapters just keep getting longer and longer don't they?
Now, I want to say, before I get any long winded reviews about how the legal side of this chapter didn't make sense, I'm well aware lol. For one, I'm not a lawyer and two, this is the Harry Potter universe, I can make up any laws I want haha. In the end, I tried my best and ultimately I so love writing Hermione as this bad ass who takes no shit. It's so refreshing after Victim of the Fall where her lack of self esteem and self assurance often hindered her progress. Sorry for making her so arrogant too, but I really couldn't resist :D
Anyway, where are all my reviewers! Tell me what you think guys! I want to know whether I'm just talking to dead air here lol.
xx
Desdemona