The characters and canon situations in the following story belong solely to JK Rowling. I am not making any money from the publishing or writing of this story.
This is the rest of what should have been all of Chapter 16. Sorry I broke it into two parts. ________________________________________________________________________
It seemed as if it had been only a few minutes before that they had adjourned to the waiting room for lunch. The clerk of court had delivered the take out that Monica had arranged to be sent. The carton had been opened but the food was left untouched. Neither Hermione nor Charlie had an appetite and Monica spent the time reviewing her strategy for dealing with Percy's testimony. He was scheduled to take the witness chair directly after lunch.
Hermione shuttered at the thought that she would have to sit quietly and watch that monster tell lies about her to the entire world. Her imagination was in high gear contemplating the various scenarios that he would present.
Charlie's hand did not leave hers as together they walked back past a seated Percy and resume their previous places. Percy made a huge production of turning as whispering to his counsel as they walked by. Once Hermione was seated he turned and grinned at her. His eyes danced over her body as he smirked with self confidence. Hermione felt dirty and nauseous.
Once the trial was called back into session, Percy took his place in the witness chair. Monica took careful and copious notes as Percy's counsel asked questions about his service to the Ministry and dedication to his marriage. Hermione stared straight ahead, focusing on a dirt smudge slightly above and to the right of the monster's head. She remained calm and refused to give him the satisfaction of reacting to his lies.
The counsel rested and turned the questioning over to Monica. Hermione's head snapped around to look at her best friend, she could have sworn she heard her say, "Your mine now you monster."
Hermione smiled as she watched Monica ask similar easy questions of Percy, making him relax and boost his ego. He leaned back in the chair looking for all the world as if he did not worry. Hermione watched Monica carefully cultivate that attitude in Percy, one of being carefree and easy going. Hermione realized that Monica, the shrewdest legal mind in England, was simply leading the git into the noose. He would hang himself.
"Mr. Weasley, Percy," Monica looked delighted that he smiled at her, "if I may. How would you explain the evidence of repeated brutal beatings and torture found on your wife?"
"Torture? I think not counsel." Percy's face was beaming as Monica appeared to basking in his approval. "What you must understand is that Hermione is very …um…let's just say she is very 'high-strung'. She simply needs a firm hand to help her understand her place as my wife."
"Her place as your wife? Dear Mr. Weasley, what ever could you mean by that?" Monica had the patience of a black widow spider simply wait for the prey to enter the web.
"My position in the Ministry necessitates as certain role of authority, an understanding of who is in control. Hermione needed help comprehending her place." Percy smiled as he gazed out at the audience and with a wink he continued, "It was our 'little game' if you will…I am sure most married couple will agree that adjustments take time and discipline."
Monica turned and made a point of checking her notes before continuing. "Mr. Wea…Percy, yes I would like to clarify a couple of points if you do not mind."
Percy crossed his legs making himself more comfortable. He appeared to be enjoying his moment in the spotlight everyone was hanging on his every word. "Of course."
"You mentioned your 'little game' when you spoke about the abuse endured by your wife. You said and I quote, 'Hermione needed help comprehending her place.'
"Yes, she did and I quite frankly think the little mink enjoyed her 'punishments' as much as I did!" Percy was smiling at Hermione.
Monica cleared her throat in an attempt to draw Percy's attention back to her. "Getting back to her place, Mr. Wesley, what exactly is her place?"
Percy had not turned to face Monica; rather he looked at the judges and with the air of someone sharing a well known fact among men. "You know how it is wives need to know their place." He gave the three male judges a conspiratorial shrug.
Monica asked her question again to the distracted Percy. "What exactly is Hermione's place?"
Percy was getting aggravated the questions were repetitive and he was losing his audience. Snapping he turned to look at Monica. "At my feet groveling like an animal of course."
"Thank you Mr. Weasley, no more questions." Monica turned to face Hermione. She looked at the dark green folder in front of Hermione and raised her eyebrow as if to ask a question.
Hermione nodded slightly and pushed the folder toward Monica.
The Chief Judge was trying to restore order to the court room after Percy's outburst. "We will recess for deliberation before rendering a verdict." The judges began to push back their chairs to stand.
Monica walked toward the bench and loudly called for their attention. "Your honor there is another matter that will require your deliberation."
The judges looked surprised but let Monica continue. "Hermione Granger Wesley would like to petition the court for an annulment of her marriage to Percy Weasley."
The Chief Judge looked down at Monica and then at both Hermione and Percy. "Don't you mean divorce?"
Monica shook her head. "No, your honor my client requests an annulment."
"On what grounds?" The judge was clearly baffled.
"On the ground that the marriage was never consummated." Monica clarified.
The uproar in the court room was deafening. Percy flew out of the witness chair and toward Hermione. "You filthy whore, you slut!" His hands were balled into fists as he tried to get to her.
Charlie's wand was in his brother's face before the git could reach Hermione. Charlie spoke very softly. "Don't you dare…please just give me a reason…just any excuse."
The court guards grabbed Percy and shoved him back into his seat. Percy looked demented. His eyes flashed with an insane fury, his hands were clutching the arms of the chair so tightly all color had left his skin. He looked like a trapped animal ready to pounce.
"Order, order!" The Chief Judge was banging his gavel and looking frantic to maintain some sense of decorum in his court room. The guards manhandled the more unruly spectators out and turned back to deal with the rest.
"Order!" This last command got the room's attention and a hushed silence replaced the pandemonium. "Now Mrs. Weasley," the Chief Judge was addressing Monica, "that is a difficult accusation to prove."
Monica handed the clerk of court the green folder. "If it would please the court, this folder contains a report from the healer at St. Mungo's verifying that in fact Hermione Granger Weasley remains a virgin."
The room exploded in chaos for the second or third time that day. Guards were quickly escorting the worst offenders out and squelching the outbursts of the remaining spectators.
Percy went rigid. His face showed his complete humiliation. The wizarding world now knew his dirty little secret, he wasn't a man; he was nothing.
Hermione focused on the table in front of her. She was embarrassed but she had lived through this so far and was determined to make it the rest of the way. She was following the pattern of the grain of wood on the table top when she felt Monica's and on her shoulder. Looking up at her friend she realized the Chief Judge was talking to her.
"Mrs. Weasley, Mrs. Hermione Weasley."
Hermione took a second and then responded, "Yes, your honor?"
"Mrs. Weasley, it is your testimony that your marriage to Percy Weasley was never consummated?" A pin could have been heard hitting the floor as the room waited for her response.
Hermione raised her head and straitening her posture she looked at Percy and then directly at the judges. "Yes, your honor."
"Very well then, we will recess and deliberate. You will be notified when we have reached our verdict." With that the judges filed out of the courtroom.
Monica placed herself between Hermione and the deathly glares of Percy. Hermione's hand reached over the back of her chair to be met by Charlie's. "Now what do we do?" she asked Monica.
Monica too a deep breath, "Now we wait."