Disclaimer: As usual, I don't own Harry Potter.

Chapter 5- The Death Eater Trials

The days passed very quickly and suddenly the trials were on the next day. Harry, Ron and Hermione were invited to defend Blaise, Draco and Theo, who were being judged in a group trial, because of their minimal crimes.

"I don't think we should do it" said Ron.

"Do what?" asked Harry.

"Defend the Deatheater ferret and his friends." Answered Ron.

"Are you crazy Ron? They risked their lives for our cause and we should just let them rot in Azkaban?" said an angry Hermione.

"Yeah, why not? It could be a payback for tormenting us all those years!" answered Ron.

"You would really let someone innocent be convicted to The Kiss just to pay them back for calling you names? Didn't you see how two of them killed their parents and one saved your sister? Are you really that daft?" she said and stormed out, not waiting for an answer.

"She is right you know. If you don't want to do it, it's fine but I am going. I won't let innocent people lose their souls and rot in hell." Said Harry and left, too.

"So guys, tomorrow is our trial. Anyone nervous?" asked Theo.

"No, Theo, our brains are above the clouds." Answered Blaise sarcastically.

"I'll take that as yes then… However someone's head is above the clouds." He said while looking at Draco who was looking at the ceiling.

"Who, Draco? He is like that since I woke up today. I don't think he slept at all. He is probably thinking about seeing Granger." Blaise told him.

"Where is she? Where is Hermione?" cried Draco suddenly and jumped off the bed.

"Relax, man, she's not here, but don't worry, you'll see her in 12 hours." It was 9 o' clock in the evening and the trial was at 9 o'clock the next day.

Draco grumbled. "Just let me sleep…"

"Sweet dreams Drake… dream of Granger and yourself sitting under a tree K-I-S…"

"SHUT UP THEO"

After that they all tried to sleep, because the next day was the big day. However neither the Gryffindors nor the Slytherins could sleep. Well, except Ron. No one can steal his sleep or his food. Fact.

The next morning everyone was quite anxious. Ron decided that he would go with Harry and Hermione at the Ministry, but he would not interfere at all. Draco, Theo and Blaise, despite being assured by Kingsley that he would do everything in his power to save them from prison, they couldn't help but feel apprehensive about the upcoming trial.

When the clock struck 8:45 Hermione, Harry and Ron flooed to the Ministry, Hermione and Harry feeling a flutter in their hearts, neither knowing why.

At 8:45, also, Kingsley went to the Slytherins and once again told them that everything would go well. Draco felt smug, because if everything went well today, then he would be able to begin a new life which might have Hermione in it. A man could dream. On the other hand, Theo didn't know why, but he couldn't stop thinking about Harry Potter.

Before anyone understood it the clocks struck 9:00 and the trial begun.

"Today, on the 17th of July 2011 at 9 o' clock, we have gathered here to judge and punish or clear three men from the offences they commited." Begun Rufus Scrimgeour.

"These men are the following: Draco Lucius Malfoy, born on 5th June 1993, 18 years old, Theodore Thomas Nott, born on 21st April 1993, 18 years old and Blaise Amadeus Zabini, born on 23rd January 1993, 18 years old." He continued. (a/n : remember they are supposed to be 18 in 2011)

"They have been accused of being deatheaters, of bearing the dark mark, of participating in muggle murders, participating in the intrusion of the deatheaters in Hogwarts castle of Witchcraft and Wizardry and the murder of Albus Dumbledore. We may now listen to their explanations. Mr Malfoy you may begin" he ended.

"Thank you Mr. Scrimgeour. To many of you I might be known as Draco Malfoy, rich prat - sorry for the word- , pureblood supporter, daddy's boy, the son of the Deatheater and later as a Deatheater. I will not say that I didn't support Voldemort, because I even have the Dark Mark to prove it , but I was forced to join him." Many people gasped at his name.

"In the beginning of my school life, I believed all this bullshit – sorry again for the word – about pureblood superiority, but only for the first year. I saw that a muggleborn was, is the brightest witch of our age and started questioning these beliefs. By the end of the fifth year I had stopped believing in this nonsense for a while, but could not show it to the world, because I was afraid of more of my father's severe punishments. However that year my father disappointed Lord Voldemort, by neither capturing Harry Potter at the Department of Mysteries nor bringing him some prophesy that he wanted." A lot of people gasped again.

"So, in order to "redeem" my family's name Lord Voldemort initiated me in the deatheaters and gave me the mission of killing professor Dumbledore, threatening that if I failed he would kill my family and myself. I couldn't help but try to accomplish this mission because I was afraid for mine and my parents' lives. Just last year, I managed to bring the deatheaters in the castle, but could not kill him. After that I lived at Malfoy Manor for almost a year, but I never took part in muggle murders. My mother and Severus Snape persuaded Him that I was still just a child. Anyway, when the right time came I made the right choice and helped to kill Voldemort. I also don't feel the least bit sorry about killing my father. When we were in the battle he was just another deatheater. Thank you for listening to me." He concluded.

"Thank you Mr. Malfoy. We move forward to Mr. Nott. You may begin."

"Thank you sir. I, too, was forced to join Voldemort, but not by Voldemort himself. My father crucioed me many times and I only joined Him when he threatened me with death. So I do bare the dark mark. When I was in school I believed the "blood superiority" thing, but I never showed it to muggleborns and halfbloods. I did not participate in the intrusion of the deatheaters in Hogwarts and neither in Dumbledore's death, because I only joined his forces last Christmas. However, I participated in one muggle murder with other deatheaters and it was the worst thing I had ever seen. I don't believe in blood superiority anymore, because as you know, a muggleborn is the brightest witch of her age and a halfblood defeated the darkest wizard of all times, who was also a halfblood. In the end I, too, made the right decision and joined the forces of good. That is all I had to say. Thank you." Said Theo.

"Thank you Mr Nott. Mr Zabini, you may begin."

" Thank you sir. Just like Draco and Theo, I was forced to join Voldemort with the same way Theo was. I never believed in pureblood superiority and I paid for it. I did not participate in the intrusion of the deatheaters in Hogwarts and neither in Dumbledore's death, but I joined Him right after by force. And when I say force, I mean the cruciatus curse. I also took part in a few muggle murders, but I never enjoyed them and neither commited the crime myself. I, just like Theo and Draco, made the right decision in the final battle and joined Harry Potter. I am, also, guilty as charged about bearing the dark mark." Said Blaise last.

"Thank you Mr. Zabini. Now in the defendants' defense we have 2 war heroes. Miss Hermione Jean Granger, born on the 19th of September 1993, age 17 and Mr. Harry James Potter, born on the 31st of July 1993, age 17. Miss Granger, you may begin."

At the sound of their names the crowd erupted in cheers and claps and whistles.

"SILENCE" shouted Scrimgeour and it was silent.

"Miss Granger you may begin"

"Thank you. I don't have much to say. I firmly believe that these three men here are innocent. They may have had a lot of prejudices in their younger years, but they don't anymore. Had it not been for Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Nott and Mr. Zabini, it's possible that we wouldn't have won the war. Also I remember Mr. Malfoy, when he was given the task of killing Dumbledore. He was very depressed, always ate and slept very little, his grades dropping radically. About Mr. Nott and Mr. Zabini, I remember them returning to school after Christmas and Easter breaks bruised and somehow depressed, so that shows that they really were tortured for not hating or not showing that they hate muggleborns. Last but not least I state that the three of them are innocent, because, even if it was in the last moment, they were brave enough to defy Voldemort" by now many reporters had passed out from hearing Voldemort's name too many times "and kill family members in order to fight for our side. The good side. That's all. Thank you."

"Well, Miss Granger. Your speech was very enlightening. Last but definitely not least, Mr. Potter you may begin."

Theo was mentally kicking himself right now for thinking that Harry Potter had a cute butt.

Draco found Hermione's outfit and tone of voice very hot and was struggling not to have a hard-on in the middle of the courtroom.

Blaise found Ginny among the onlookers flashing him an encouraging smile and his heart melted instantly.

Seriously, now, how can someone have this kind of thoughts in the middle of the courtroom? Anyway…

"I don't have much to say either." Harry began. "I remember having my suspicions that Malfoy was a deatheater before the intrusion. However, as Hermione mentioned, he wasn't a happy person that year. He was miserable. The night Dumbledore died, I was there, on the Astronomy tower, stunned and hidden under my invisibility cloak. I saw that Malfoy tried to avoid killing him and didn't want to do it, even though his parents' lives depended on it. And in the end he didn't do it. Also, when Hermione, Ron and I were captured and brought in Malfoy Manor he said he didn't recognize us, even though he did. And then in the final battle he took our side and even killed his father and Voldemort's last horcrux, Nagini, his snake. As for Nott and Zabini, I, too, remember them returning after holidays battered and bruised. They never showed their hatred towards muggleborns or me as the rest of the Slythrins did. Last but not lest, the day we were at Malfoy Manor, when Ron and I escaped the dungeons I remember them being in chains and in a very bad state, after probably being crucioed.

In my opinion, these men here, are war heroes and just because they are branded with the Dark Mark for life, we should not judge them for that, but for their acts when it mattered. They probably deserve an Order of Merlin and the respect of the wizarding community more than many people. Thank you for listening." He concluded.

"Another very enlightening speech. Thank you Mr. Potter. Please give us a few minutes for me and the Wizengamot to decicde." Scrimgeour said and cast a silencing charm around them.

After a few long minutes full of tension in the room, Scrimgeour lifted the charm and spoke.

"The Wizengamot has come to a decision. Having taken into consideration the facts that were spoken, after truth serum was unknowingly administered, both to the accused and their defenders, we decided that Mr Malfoy, Mr Nott and Mr Zabini are cleared of all charges, except for bearing the Dark Mark. Their punishment will be a fee of 2 million galleons each. To some this fee may seem extravagant, but we are aware of the fact that their fortunes are estimated to be over 500 billion galleons each." (a/n : I have dreams people, don't judge ;) )

Everybody was speechless. Slowly, smiles rose on the faces of the three Slytherins.

The wizengamot stood and left and so did everyone else. Harry and Hermione made to go, but Zabini's voice held them back.

"Hey, Potter, Granger? Thanks. A lot. Without you we would probably be rotting in Azkaban for life"

"Your welcome Zabini." Said Harry.

"Hey guys, will you go back to school in September?" asked Hermione.

The Slytherins looked at her with amused looks.

"The bookworm asks about school? How original!" snorted Theo amused.

"Shut up Nott. Yeah we are. Are you?" said Draco.

"I don't know about Ron and Harry but I am." Said Hermione

"Me and Ginny too, we don't know, though about Ron. He didn't like much the idea." Added Harry.

"On that note, how are things with you and Weaslette?" asked Blaise seemingly uninterested, but waiting his answer anxiously.

"What things? Me and Ginny broke it off a long time ago. We don't really match. We are better off as friends." He answered and Blaise couldn't hide a small smile and Theo felt an inexplicable flutter.

"Well that was unexpected." Said Draco. " I assume that the same does not stand for you and Weasel, Granger?" he asked, but hoping she would say they broke up.

"Not exactly. We really fight a lot and if he keeps his stance against me I might break up with him. However we are still together." She answered and then added a little flushed: "Damn truth serum. I said too much. Gahh… Harry let's go. Miss Weasley will be waiting."

"We were happy to have a civilized conversation with you, but we really have to go. Miss Weasly will kill us. So I guess we'll see you at school?" Harry asked and threw a glance towards Theo.

"Yeah you will." He answered.

"Bye, then" said Harry not wanting to go.

"Yes, bye, let's go Harry, move!" said Hermione still flustered and pulled him towards the exit.

That day really went well for the Slytherins. They had smiles on their faces and little flutters in their hearts. They couldn't wait for September 1st.

Author's Note: I am terribly sory for the long wait, but I hope this chapter makes up for it! Please rate and review!

Kisses

Draco's Wife