Author's Note: Dang, this chapter turned out even longer than I was trying for! * is proud of herself * This is my first real chapter for this story, so please please read, review and enjoy!

Doomed

The courtroom was packed rather full in comparison with the last few weeks' trials. Of course, the last few weeks had consisted mostly of clearing the names of people who'd been under the Imperius Curse, or trials for sleazy characters like Mundungus who were given either a hefty fine or a light sentence in Azkaban.

Hermione fidgeted nervously in her seat. It was one thing to propose the idea to her old Transfiguration professor, but it was completely different and more terrifying to reveal her plan to a whole courtroom full of witches and wizards.

Hermione waved skittishly when her friends entered the court room, but did not get up from her bench. Harry noticed this and came over to sit next to her. "You alright, 'Mione?" he asked, placing an arm reassuringly around her shoulders.

The brunette exhaled deeply. "Yes, I'll be fine, Harry. I'm just nervous..." Hermione hadn't even told Harry about her plan for the Malfoys yet, preferring for some reason to keep it a surprise.

"You'll do great, Hermione." he smiled soothingly. "Just be strong and give those Malfoys the sentence they deserve." Seeing that the trial was about to commence, Harry stood up and went to leave, but Hermione called after him.

"Harry!"

"Yeah, 'Mione?" the Boy Who Lived turned and answered.

Hermione paused. "What do you think they deserve?" she asked, looking down at the files in her lap.

Harry paused, taken aback by the question. He walked back to his friend and stood in front of her, leaning against the railing that separated the onlookers from where the accused would soon be sitting. "Dunno, Hermione...that's a tough question. I know the other Death Eaters have testified that Mr. Malfoy was barely involved in Voldemort's plans after he failed to get the prophecy from me. And I know it's true that he spent the whole Battle of Hogwarts running around looking for his wife and son. And his wife died that night..." Harry sighed and pressed his hand to his temple. "I kind of feel like that was almost punishment enough.

"As for Draco, he never did manage to kill anyone, much to Voldemort's disappointment. I think deep down he's not quite as much of a badass as he always pretended to be. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see him taken down a few pegs, but I think Azkaban could be too brutal. What if wizarding prison destroys any chances of him becoming a new person?" Harry looked up and gave Hermione a weak smile. "I s'pose the best idea I could offer is just a light sentence, maybe only a couple months in Azkaban. Though that doesn't seem like the best idea..." He shrugged. "It's tricky. I'm glad I don't have your job!"

Hermione smiled. "Thanks, Harry. Now you'd best get to your seat before Ginny figures you're staying down here and gives it away." She laughed inwardly to herself as she watched her friend dash up the stairs. Now she was sure she would have at least one supporter of her new program.

The courtroom quieted as the two Malfoy men were led in in handcuffs. Lucius stood tall and proud, arrogant as always, although Hermione thought that she could see a hint of weariness in his eyes.

Draco, on the other hand, jerked around and sneered at his captors. Same old Draco, thought Hermione, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. As the men were seated and their cuffs replaced with the magical restraints, she gathered her things and stood up.

The courtroom was dead silent as Hermione approached the center of the room. The look on Draco Malfoy's face, thought Hermione, was priceless. The men had not been told that Hermione Granger would be their prosecutor. Hermione cleared her throat and began.

"Members of the Wizengamot and the Wizarding community, welcome. I am here today to lead the trial of Messrs Malfoy and Malfoy.

"As we all know, both of these men have been proven as Death Eaters. They both have long histories as pureblood supremacists, Muggle-haters, and casters of the Unforgivable curses, chiefly the Imperius Curse." There was a low murmur in the seated crowds, and the two men on trial deflated, seemingly resigned to a long sentence in Azkaban.

"However, testimonies provided over the past few months have shed some new light on these two." Hermione opened her first file and began explaining her findings to the court.

The older of the two Malfoys listened to the speech Hermione was giving with rapt attention. Was it just him, or was the Muggle-born girl he'd always hated actually defending him? He listened as she explained to the court his lack of involvement in the more detestable Death Eater activities over the last year of the Dark Lord's life. Lucius wondered idly why that had happened. He supposed that even after the Dark Lord had finished punishing him for his failure at the Ministry, he'd just not been in the mood for death and torture. He had often thought to himself that perhaps he had just gone soft.

He came out of his reverie as Granger was finishing up her explanation. He could tell she was building suspense until she finally revealed her plan. Lucius hoped the passionate young attorney would give him and his son a gentle sentence.

"...And so, if it pleases the Wizengamot, I'd like to propose a brand new method of punishment, the effectiveness of which will be tested by the Malfoys." The entire court was waiting with baited breath.

Hermione braced herself and calmly announced, "I'd like to sentence Messrs Malfoy and Malfoy to two years of life in the Muggle world with no connection to or assistance from the Wizarding world..." She paused. "And no wands."

Draco nearly fainted when Granger finished speaking. The room had gone eerily silent, and then, like the Great Hall at mealtime, had burst into hundreds of different voices talking, laughing, arguing about the proposal. I'm doomed... he thought to himself. He was both repulsed and terrified at the idea of living with no magic. Two years? How would he manage? Everything had always been done for him by house-elves. They folded his laundry, cooked his meals and even ran his bath water. He'd been born into a life of luxury and now it was over. All over.

Draco looked over at his father. Under the carefully groomed mane of pale blonde hair, his face had turned a rather unattractive shade of red. He looked like he was trying to hex the witch who had just destroyed all of his hopes and dreams. Draco remembered his father's fits of rage when Draco had gotten in trouble at school. Better hide the good china tonight, he thought to himself. Then he remembered that he probably wouldn't be returning to the manor and sighed sadly.

He could hear his old non-Slytherin schoolmates, especially the Weasleys and that damned Potter, in the crowd, laughing and applauding as the Wizengamot deliberated this new idea. He moaned to himself and hung his head.

A few hours later, the Malfoys were being loaded into a car by a group of Aurors, who took far too much delight in officially confiscating their wands. As Lucius sadly handed over his serpent-topped cane, he wondered if this was worth it. The Wizengamot had decided to give them a choice between two years in Muggle-land or three years in Azkaban. Lucius had been sure he could have made it through prison, but one look at his son had made up his mind for him. The boy was too frail emotionally after everything that had happened to him to make it through the horrors he would encounter in wizard prison.

Lucius grimaced and got into the car next to his son. Two years was a long time, he thought to himself. They had better have good alcohol in the Muggle world.

AN: To Muggle-land we go! Next chapter should be up in around a week, and of course I'll try to hurry even more if I get lots of reviews and alert adds! ^_^ if you'd like, could you please tell me which normal household object you think Draco and Lucius should encounter first? Ideas I like will be added to upcoming chapters! Thanks!