Woo here's the next chapter guys! Enjoy!

Chapter 3

The battle going on inside of my head has reach World War III status. For the past year all I have thought about, dreamt about, and lived for was putting this man in jail. The man who almost got my best friend killed my second year, who has terrorized the Weasley family for much longer, and who's name still makes my blood run cold.

Lucius Malfoy.

And now, my sworn enemy has come to me, asking for me to give him a deal? Give him a chance to show he has changed? And I agreed?

I take a second and lean into the cold black wall of the corridor, only to fling around and punch the wall my back had previously occupied. Ridiculous! Malfoy isn't even my friend! Ugh! I pinch the bridge of my nose and pace up and down the corridor. I've already made the deal with Malfoy. I can't go back on it now. With all the bravery of a Gryffindor that I have left, I clench my jaw, straighten my back, and head towards to looming door of the court room… And my certain doom.

oOoOoOo

The room has all the appeal of a blast-ended skrewt. It's cold, dark, and musty smelling. Before the last year of Death Eater trials and the year of Muggle-born trials before that, these rooms were rarely used, and so, they were rarely cleaned more than a sweep of the cob webs and dust. Today the room is full of the whole Wizengamot, a whole branch of wizards and witches from the Ministry's Law branch, and a few onlookers, including Malfoy and his mother, Narcissa.

I don't make eye contact with anyone but the Minister as I walk in, taking my seat on his left side. I shuffle my work and look at all of my wasted time, notes, and dedication. But then it occurs to me that I will still be able to use these in a month's time when we're back here. And with an extra note of clarification that he can't, won't, and will never change.

With a small smirk I look to the middle of the room at the large black, steel cage that will momentarily hold Lucius Malfoy. He belongs in there for the rest of his life as far as I am concerned.

As the top of Lucius' head of bright blond hair begins to rise out of the floor I take a moment and look over at the other two Malfoy's and two bright steel blue eyes locked onto mine. It was only now that I noticed the calm determination in them. And the slight nervousness. Did he really think I was going to go back on my word? Once a Gryffindor, always a Gryffindor! I'm not a sneaky little Slytherin, building people's hopes up just to tear them down.

I tear my eyes away from his and bear down on the man before me, and a spark of irritation ignites me. Here before me stands a man who killed and tortured helpless people without so much as a flinch. And even after this year, he still stands dignified, proud, and flawless. Not a single scratch on his worthless body.

I feel sick.

The Minister stands up beside me, "Lucius Abraxas Malfoy. You are called here today to face your crimes as follows; Following He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named as a known Death Eater, torturing muggles, torturing wizards, murder in the first, second, and third degree of muggles and wizards, attack on ministry employees, and the unlawful transfer of high-level secured information to enemies. How do you plead?"

My stomach turns again as I take a deep breath. Standing up I turn towards the minister and he looks at me quizzically.

"Minister, Lucius Malfoy has agreed to a deal in which he will plead guilty, upon being allowed to stay on house arrest while transferring information about the whereabouts of the last four Death Eaters," I whisper into his ear.

The alarm on his face makes me want to take it all back.

"Are you sure about this Ms. Granger?" He whispers back. The skin on his ears turns a deep red and for a moment my heart skips a beat and I forget where I am.

"Pay attention, 'Mione." Harry's voice is like a wisp of air beside me and I refocus.

"Yes I am sure. I have agreed upon the conditions with his family and they assure me that should we not have the Death Eaters in custody by the end of the month, and we have not seen a change in Lucius for the better by said time, Lucius will be sentenced to Azkaban." If his eyes crossed anymore he'd fall over, I'm certain of it.

"Very well," He sighs deeply at me, and I sit back down hastily. "Once again, Lucius Abraxas Malfoy. How do you plead?"

Silence. Long, interrupted silence. And I know the word is stuck in the back of his throat like a muggle fry that just will not go down. But he keeps his composure. And straightening his back he proclaims himself guilty.

Applause and cheer ring out through the room. They all thought this was going to be a long battle, like it was for the others who all pleaded to not being guilty. One more down, four more to go, they think. Narcissa leans over and quietly sobs on her son's shoulder and my eyes narrow at him. How could he make a life-altering decision like this without his mother? And if he did, was it without his father's consent also?

I want to shrink down in my chair as the Minister yells for everyone to silence down and sit.

"Very well. Mr. Malfoy your sentence will be determined in the next court session dated for one month from today, May third. Court is dismissed." My knees are wobbly so I remain seated for the interim of everyone making a mad dash for the doors. Lucius is slowly lowered back into the floor and Malfoy and Narcissa remain seated down below. I lock eye contact with him one last time, just long enough to catch his slight nod, before gathering my notes, nodding at my assistant, and leave the room.

oOoOoOo

After I left the courtroom I headed straight to my office to write up the deal and finalize it. Seven hours later I found myself still at the desk, another fresh cup of coffee sitting next to me, and several discarded pieces of parchment overflowing the three trash cans in my office. Each version was just wrong, ranging from the first word to the last paragraph. Wrong, wrong, wrong! This whole situation is just wrong!

I crumple up my most recent parchment and toss it halfheartedly to the trash, not bothering to transport it the rest of the way when it lands in the middle of the dark green carpet. I then proceed to drop my head onto the desk and moan loudly.

I can't write this paper because I don't believe in it. I don't trust it. And I don't even know if it has even been agreed upon between all three Malfoy's, which leaves me in a rather rough situation. I don't like rough situations. Besides the ones that Harry and Ron used to get me into when we were kids, I never had them because nothing was ever rough unless I made it that way. Take third year for example; I chose to take an inordinate amount of classes and run myself ragged. I was not talked into doing so and I certainly wasn't made to.

As such, I make my own choices. Which inevitably wind up being bad and ending me up in a place that I don't want to be: Like, in my office at two in the morning.

I'm pulled from my thoughts when I notice a soft tapping on my window. Turning I see a handsome grey-horned owl standing there with a scroll conveniently wrapped in a green ribbon. Rolling my eyes I walk over to let the owl in, who just juts hit leg out to me. After taking the scroll I offer him a treat which he quickly turns his head from before flying off.

Apparently even the Malfoy's pets are rude. Sitting down at my desk I open the scroll and start on my next cup of coffee.

Granger,

My father requests that you stop by tomorrow for lunch at the manor at 1 pm in order to go over the details of his deal and sentence. As it is a brunch at our manor he requests that you do not dress in your ordinary drab clothing.

I quickly glance down at my pencil skirt and white blouse with a small outcry. I do not dress in "drab clothing!" My choice of attire is strictly professional as it should be. It takes me a moment to deep breathing to not set the damn paper on fire before I begin reading.

We will be seated in the garden. Our house elf, Parsley, will be expecting you and will lead you to us.

Please do not be late,

D. Malfoy

Don't be late? Seriously! That man sure knows how to push my buttons! And what is he doing sending me an owl to my office at two in the morning? What if I wasn't here?

"Of course you would be here." Harry's voice is accompanied by his and Ron's laughter. "Where else would you be? Anyone who knows anything about you wouldn't have to even guess where you would be right now."

"Ha-ha, Harry. So funny." I say strictly, rolling my eyes.

"He's right 'Mione. How many times did we used to come down and find you still sitting in the common room pouring over your books or homework at three of four in the morning? Some things never change." They're both practically doubled over now in laughter, and the very slight twitch of a smile it brings to my lips make my heart break one-thousand times.

Blinking rapidly I clear the tears threatening to fall, and begin to pack up my bags. They're right, some things never change. But then again, some things do. And the fact that I will be having lunch tomorrow at the one building in Britain that only has horrific memories for me is a sure sign of that. I leave the office and lock up, the sound of their laughter ringing in my ears. I seriously need to get some sleep, or I know, I'll never make it.

End chapter 3. Yay! I like it a lot. Now starts the fun part. I will admit the story I have planned out is going to be a good deal longer than I thought, especially with how amazingly short my chapters have been lately… Oh wells.

RxR please! I love input!