The Burrow was an odd scene when I arrived to say the least. My mum was crying hysterically in the living room. When she saw me, she ran up to me.
"How was she when you saw her? Do you think she'll ever be able to forgive us? I feel so terrible; at least she will be released." She rambled.
Ginny screamed from the corner and yelled through tears "how can you believe that she is innocent? Was I the only one at the trial? Don't you remember the evidence? She killed dad! Don't start with me Ron; Malfoy was obviously beating the veritaserum somehow. I'll never believe she is innocent. So if she is released, you aren't to go any where near her Harry!" She yelled the command at her new husband.
I couldn't believe how she was acting. We had just proved her best friend innocent, but Harry spoke first. "Ginny, Hermione is NOT guilty. She is being released and you can't tell me who to see, wife or not."
"I can't believe you are all falling for her tricks and lies again!" Ginny ran up to her room. Harry made to go up to, but mum stopped him.
"Harry, let her be, it's a lot to soak in. Truthfully, I think she is ashamed to see her after everything she said at the sentencing. I don't think that Hermione will be welcoming us back with open arms however. We betrayed her, not the other way around, I would have a hard time ever forgetting that." Mum walked into the kitchen and came back with a tray of firewhiskey. "I know what you're thinking, but we could all use a drink."
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The day of the hearing came and all the Weasleys except Ginny came to beg for forgiveness. With the press coverage, the courtroom was packed. The story was billed as War Hero Vindicated. Tonks accompanied Hermione into the courtroom. I saw that she had some fresh bruises and I vowed to kill those guards.
The judge spoke. "Miss Granger, it is with our sincerest apologies that we vacate your sentence today. You were a hero of the war and we refused to look beyond our noses for the truth." Hermione just stood there emotionless. "I won't prolong this with unnecessary formalities. You are hereby released from Azkaban prison and from this day forth will be known as innocent." The gavel dropped and the room cheered. The reporters swarmed her and Tonks helped her out of the courtroom and into the side chambers.
Harry and I were permitted to entered and saw that Hermione was being addressed by the Minister. He was telling her that her bank account had been seized, but it was to be restored including her reward money from the defeat of Voldemort. In addition she is going to receive a large compensation for the wrongful incarceration. Hermione didn't speak but nodded.
"Miss Granger, I know you probably want to get on with your life and Auror Tonks tells me that you plan to return to the Muggle world to start over." There was a grip on my heart to think she would be leaving us. "I ask that you stay for at least two weeks. We are planning a ceremony to reinstate your war medals and to give you the Order of Merlin, First Class." Hermione nodded and quietly consented to stay until after the ceremony.
She turned around and saw me and Harry. She had no expression and turned back to Tonks. I couldn't hear what they were saying but suddenly they were gone. They had apparated away.
"Minister, where was Hermione just taken?"
"No need to fear young man. We are paying for her to stay at the Leaky Cauldron until the ceremony. They went there to get her settled in."
With that, Harry and I were gone.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Hermione," Tonks said as they entered her room, "I don't think sorry is a strong enough word. If you need anything, just ask."
I nodded. I was so tired and wanted to take my first long hot bath in over a year. She continued talking however. "You will need to get clothes and some new things."
"I'll go to Muggle London tomorrow and get some. I want to be where I won't be recognized."
"I know you don't think you can ever forgive us, but I'd like you to try. Ron took it especially hard. He had a hard time coming to terms. I believe he has been seeing a counselor."
"How awful for him, he was able to talk about his feelings to a counselor while I couldn't talk at all." I turned at looked at Tonks straight in the eye. "I know you think I'm being unfair. One part of me understands everything. I wouldn't have believed me either with evidence like that. But on the other hand, I was their best friend that helped them defeat the darkest wizard of all time. How could they believe that I would feed information to the murderers of my parents? It was devastating hearing the things they said about me at sentencing. Ginny was intolerably cruel, but Ron's hurt just as much because I was so crazy in love with him. Can you blame me for being bitter? You don't have any idea what goes on in prison. I sometimes wished the dementors had been there to give me the kiss."
"Oh, Hermione." She grabbed and hugged me. "I'll leave you to get some rest."
"I know you'll probably tail me tomorrow, but if you don't mind, don't make it too obvious. I'd like to feel that I'm not being watched for the first time in a long time."
She smiled and left the room while I made for the tub.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tonks ran right into us as we were listening to their conversation outside the door. "Oh, hello. I think she wants to be alone guys." She said as we looked guilty.
We made our way downstairs and I said out loud to myself. "She loved me too."
Harry gave me a sympathetic smile, "it will all work out."
"How?"
"I have no idea. I was just trying to make you feel better."
Suddenly there was a pop. Ginny appeared and looked furious. "Harry!" She screamed. "What did I say to you? I don't want you around that conniving bitch. She is probably up there devising a way to murder you right now."
She and Harry began to argue rather loudly and suddenly I noticed Hermione at the steps. Ginny noticed too. "Don't you come anywhere near me, my husband or my family. I don't believe you are innocent for one second. Do what's best for everyone and get the hell out of here. I hate you and I wish you had died in that prison!"
Hermione looked shocked and her eyes were filled with tears. She sprinted back upstairs and I hastily followed. I caught her right outsider her door. "Don't listen to her. No one else feels that way."
"I do." She replied. "I wish I had died in there too." She broke lose and slammed the room door shut in my face.
I could hear her sobbing uncontrollably on the other side. It was heartbreaking. I tried to door to no success. "I won't abandon you again Hermione, do you hear me?" I don't know if she did, but it was true. I had to talk some sense into Ginny.