Disclaimer: Everything except the plot is from the mind of JK Rowling

1997 – April 18

"It's perfect Hermione." She had been fixing his tie every few minutes for the past hour.

"Right," Hermione replied, sticking her trembling hands into her pockets.

Apparently, the ministry wanted to get the Death Eater trials finished quickly and quietly after the war was over. They had had two and a half weeks to prepare and they flashed by.

Now, they sat outside the Wizengamot, waiting for Draco to be called. After what they did to Harry, Hermione had a right to be nervous about today. She had a feeling that they would be even worse to Draco considering the charges against him; kidnapping, use of unforgivables, murder.

"It will be alright," Draco assured her again, taking her hand in his.

"You keep saying that, but you don't know," she said quietly.

"I know, that no matter what happens today, you will be okay. You have lots of people who care about you – "

"It's not me I'm worried about!"

Draco flashed a small half smile. "It's sweet that you're worried about me, but I'm at peace with this. I did terrible things, and that's the truth. As long as you're alright, I've accepted what could happen."

"We talked about this!" Hermione told him urgently. "You didn't do those things; you were forced to do those things. You didn't have a choice!"

"Draco Malfoy," a voice called from the door.

Draco sighed. "I guess it's time."

"Draco! Tell me you understand! Do not give in to this!" she nearly shouted.

She was beginning to panic. If he went in there with this attitude, he would be headed straight for Azkaban! Ever since they had escaped the manor, Draco had held this outlook and she hated it, she hated what those monsters did to him. They broke him, broke his will. He had been so fragile and they were finally making progress that he deserved better than what he had, but they destroyed that. After he was forced to hurt her, Draco went right back to thinking he was unworthy.

"I'll try. I will say what we practiced," he assured her, giving her a light, quick kiss.

"I love you," she told him as he stood up to follow the woman into the room that would decide his fate.

"I love you too," he replied.

"Good luck, Draco," Lupin said from beside them, giving the boy a firm handshake.

"Thanks." Draco turned, and disappeared into the next room.

Hermione sat still, frozen in place except for the constant shaking that expressed just how scared she was. Lupin took Draco's vacated seat beside her.

"There's a difference between him and the other Death Eaters and they'll see that. It's hard to miss," he assured her.

"But what if they don't give him chance enough to see it?" she asked.

"Then we appeal," he said.

"Thank you." Hermione looked at him. "It means a lot that you came. I know it means a lot to Draco as well."

"Are you sure you don't want me to get Harry?"

Hermione took a deep breath. She wanted Harry there with her, she wanted that more than anything. But even though they had been at least cordial for the past few weeks, Harry was not a fan of Draco and she needed to have someone with her who knew beyond a doubt that Draco was not guilty.

"I'm sure."

The two sat in silence for several minutes.

"Hopefully they will call you in to testify soon. You are a smart girl Hermione, don't do anything to put yourself in danger here," he warned.

Hermione was tense and anxious for this all to be over. She couldn't sit still, constantly bouncing her knees in terrified anticipation.

What if Draco was falsely imprisoned? What if they refused to listen to anyone and only saw the mark on his arm? What if she never saw him again? Her mind wouldn't give these thoughts a rest.

It felt like hours before the door opened and she was called into the room.

Heart pounding, Hermione entered the Wizengamot . Draco sat in the center and there were people; a lot of people, staring at her.

Another chair was summoned and the minister began his questioning.

"State your full name for the record," he demanded.

"Hermione Jean Granger," she replied in as confident a voice as she could muster.

"How do you know this man?"

"He was a classmate at Hogwarts."

"Is it true that he kidnapped you?"

"Yes but – "

"Are you aware of any Death Eater tasks that he may have had?"

"Yes."

"Did he use the cruciatus curse on a muggle?" Hermione did not like how this was going. They weren't even giving her any time to speak, simply to answer yes or no questions!

"Yes but – "

"And did he kill said muggle using the killing curse?"

"Let me explain!"

"Yes or no Miss Granger!" he yelled back.

"It was more complicated – "

"If you say anything more off topic you will be held in contempt! Answer the question!"

"No – "

"No, he did not kill the muggle?"

"He did but it –"

"Is the muggle dead or isn't he Miss Granger?"

"Yes, but Draco – "

"Thank-you Miss Granger, that is all!"

"But you never let me speak! I haven't told you anything!"

"You have told us plenty. Now, your time here is finished so if you could please leave the room."

"But Draco isn't guilty!" she shouted, close to tears.

"That is enough Miss Granger! Leave now, or you will be forcefully removed!"

Leaving the room, she felt as though the world was moving in slow motion but moving far too quickly at the same time. It was horrible and she knew exactly what was going to happen. Draco was going to Azkaban.

She felt it in her heart, a painful, stabbing sensation, as though she had been pierced through with a sword or dagger. Nothing could prepare her for the helplessness she now experienced. They just wanted to clean the wizarding world of any possible connections to Voldemort and Draco was about to pay the price.

"I take it did not go well," Lupin said.

All Hermione could do was shake her head as a single tear ran down her cheek. She sat down beside him again and he pulled her into a hug.

"If this goes badly we will appeal. We won't let him go down without a fight," he told her.

She nodded against him. She wouldn't let Draco go down without a fight.

Draco sat, stunned by what just happened. Hermione tried, she really did, but the Wizengamot was already convinced of his guilt. They had been before he had even entered the room.

"We have heard the evidence. Let us vote," the minister announced. "Voting guilty, raise your hand."

Draco watched as all around him, hands began to raise, and he saw his freedom coming to an end.

"Draco Lucius Malfoy. You have been found guilty to the charges of kidnapping, the use of unforgivable curses, and murder. The sentence of such heinous crimes is life imprisonment in Azkaban."

Draco's blood ran cold. He was going to die in a cell in that soul destroying prison. It was done. He really shouldn't have expected anything different, he was a Death Eater after all, and he had committed those crimes. But that didn't prevent the despair from rising within him.

He was never going to see Hermione again.

Draco felt numb as if it was all a dream. But it wasn't a dream and he knew it. His sentence to life in Azkaban was real. Too real.

Among the crowd of the Wizengamot, one woman stood. "Permission to speak minister?" she asked in a strong and confident sounding voice.

She demanded attention and was not going to be denied. She reminded Draco a lot of Hermione. Maybe there was hope for him yet.

The minister's eyes narrowed at her. "Granted," he stated slowly.

"Shouldn't we be completely certain of his involvement and intentions before sentencing a seventeen-year-old boy to life in Azkaban?"

"I thought we were certain! There is no doubt that he committed these crimes!"

"Then it wouldn't be a problem to double check," she said.

"What are you suggesting?"

"Memories. True and unmodified memories. If he agrees to give them, they will prove for certain what his intentions were," she explained. "I'm sure they will simply clarify your claim of guilt," she added in an obvious attempt to please the minister.

He turned to Draco. "Provide the memories –

"From one day before, to one day after the crimes allegedly occurred." Everyone stared at the woman, who now glared back at the crowd as she returned to her seat.

"Fine," the minister agreed. "Provide the memories and we will reconsider. You will now be guilty unless proven innocent."

"I need to gain permission to release the memories," Draco said quickly. "They aren't completely mine to give. Hermione Granger was with me during that time. I can't give them to you without discussing this with her first."

"I have never in my life been this lenient to a Death Eater!" the minister turned to glare at the woman who had spoken up. "You have five minutes. If you have not re-entered by then, you will face the dementor's kiss, understood!?"

"Understood sir!"

Hermione paced the hall, walking nervously up and down, ignoring Lupin's plea to sit down. Walking kept the fear from eating her alive, it kept her sane.

She spun around quickly as she heard the door open.

"Draco!" she cried, running into his arms. "What happened?"

"I don't have long," he told her.

"I don't understand."

"They want the memories of that night and both a day before and after."

Hermione was still confused. Earlier, they wouldn't even let her finish a sentence and now they want to take the time to review memories?

"They found me guilty Hermione," he started to explain. "They wanted to sentence me to life in Azkaban but someone stood up and said it was wrong."

The rest of his life. Her eyes went wide. "Draco," she whispered, tears starting to spill over.

"Hey, it's not over yet. But I wanted to get your permission to show them the memories since –

"It's the snowy day we had our walk and our rather intimate time on the bathroom floor," she finished, understanding why he didn't want to just show them. "I don't care about the memories. Sure, they won't just be ours anymore, but I don't care about that. I care about you Draco. We can make new memories that are just ours. But I don't want to lose you."

"Alright," he gave her a one last squeeze before pulling away. "I have to get back inside."

She watched again as he walked away, the next time to be seen, possibly in chains.

Hermione slumped down onto the bench, head in her hands.

"Oh gosh," she whispered.

"Hermione, it will work out. This is a good thing," Lupin assured her, resting a hand on her shoulder.

She took a deep breath. "All they'll see is that he did, in fact commit the crimes. Life in Azkaban? He's just a boy," she said, bewildered by the judgement.

Lupin took a deep breath beside her. "He is of age and the sentence for even using an unforgivable curse is life imprisonment. But he didn't do it of his own free will and they will see that. They are giving him a chance."

"At least one person in that room has a moral standard," Hermione agreed.

The waiting was agony; pure torture. Surely they will see the truth, see who Draco really is. He is not a monster, not a criminal, but a scared boy who did everything in his power to protect her. But Hermione can't stop the feeling from spreading dread through her heart that they won't.

That snowy day was the first time Hermione really saw who the real Draco Malfoy was. It was the first time she saw his genuine smile; the first time she had seen him truly laugh. Such a contrast from that night. That night when she held him as he sobbed. He had taken a life and it ripped a piece of him away. It was not the actions of a ruthless murderer, but a boy with a conscience who did what he was forced to do to survive.

It seemed as though the events occurred so long ago. But the past is haunting and has the potential to completely destroy any hope of a future.

These thoughts consumed her mind as she sat there, the minutes passing as though hours.

Life in Azkaban.

Life in Azkaban.

Draco didn't deserve it. He wouldn't hold up in that place. Hermione knew that wasn't where he belonged and that being there would completely destroy him.

After what seemed like forever, it was finally over. Hermione's head snapped up towards the door that had just reopened. Draco walked through with a slight smile on his lips. She slapped a hand over her mouth in delighted shock.

He wasn't in chains, he wasn't being guarded, he wasn't being moved immediately to his cell.

"Magical probation," he said, coming over to her.

"No Azkaban?" she asked.

He pulled her up into a tight embrace.

"No Azkaban," he whispered.

The tears she had been attempting to hold back all day broke loose as though a dam exploded and she sobbed against him.

"It's alright," he said softly. "And this time, I know for sure it is."

Lupin gave him a relieved pat on the back. "Let's go home."

Author's Note:

Hey! I hope you all had amazing weeks. This story is winding down and I think I'll have one more for you next week. It has ben quite the journey and went by quite a bit faster than I thought it would.

Thanks to 4fanci, SkylarRose2, and TheLastEcho for your reviews! I really appreciate them!

I do want to apologize if my writing quality has gone down over the past few chapters. I didn't think the new story would make a difference in this one, but I've never written multiple stories at once before and writing one in first person and one in third person gets kind of confusing. Maybe eventually I will come back to this one and re-edit but for now, I'm sorry if I've disappointed in my writing quality over the past few weeks.

Thank-you everyone for reading, favouriting, following, reviewing and I hope you have a really great week.

Update on the last chapter: I want to spend my time on this one and finish this story well so unfortunately I won't be posting today. Hopefully I'll have it done fore next week.