Author's Note:
THIS IS IT! THE LAST CHAPTER! WOOHOO! I hope everyone likes it. I'm including the epilogue. Thanks for coming on the ride with me. I'm not sure if I'm going to write another full story, possibly a one shot...we'll see. ;-)
I would love reviews! I am trying to take into account where the readers want the story to go so please make suggestions! You can also check my original pieces on u/967214/p-m-e-black. My tumblr is .com. Feel free to message me. Thanks.
Chapter 23-
The astonished group filtered into the same courtroom Hermione had just been in previously. Kingsley ushered Draco to the defendant's seat and made his way back to his position high above the rest of the courtroom. Hermione sat in the audience closest to Draco, her parents next to her. Her mother held her hand gently as Hermione could feel herself begin to shake uncontrollably.
"Mr. Weasley, Mr. Potter...have a seat over here please." Kingsley remarked as he pointed toward the jury area. Both young men looked at the minister in confusion.
"I insist." He added and pointed toward their seats. Ron and Harry did as they were asked and sat next to each other away from the rest of the group. Draco's parents sat closer to Hermione's parents. Hermione glanced every once in awhile toward Lucius, unsure if the elder Malfoy was playing a well rehearsed trick on the rest of them.
"Mr. Malfoy...it has come to the ministry's attention that you were involved in many of the events that ultimately led up to the death of Hogwart's headmaster, Albus Dumbledore and the strike on Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry." Kingsley asked as he stared down at the young man in front of him. Hermione watched Draco visibly swallow.
"Yes." He answered dryly, his gray eyes slightly shifting toward Hermione as he gripped the sides of the interrogation chair.
"Did you, yourself kill Albus Dumbledore?" Kingsley asked, his dark features solemn. Harry visibly tensed at the mention of his beloved mentor
"No...I disarmed him while atop the astronomy tower...I was meant to kill him." Draco's voice cracked as he refused to meet the rest of the groups stares.
"I...I couldn't do it." He added, his eyes becoming slightly reddened around the rims, tears evidently building.
"Do you regret it?" Kinsley's voice became quieter. Hermione caught her breath in her throat waiting for his response.
"I regret everything I have done. I regret playing my part in his death...I regret allowing...bringing them into the school. I regret the part I have played." He mumbled, his platinum fringe coming loose from it's combed perfection as his head lowered.
"Mr. Malfoy...did you in fact locate Ms. Granger's parents and leave them at St. Mungo's for treatment?" Kinsley continued on, the scratch on his face slightly crinkling with every word he uttered.
"I...yes." Draco stammered.
"Why?"
Draco looked up to meet the minister's eyes than peered back at Hermione, his mouth slightly quivering.
"Because I love her." He replied, his eyebrows knitting together as he slightly smiled at her. Hermione could feel the hot tears streaming down her face as she saw the man she loved give her the greatest gift, his heart.
"Have you voluntarily come here today on your own volition Mr. Malfoy?"
"Yes...yes sir I have." Draco pulled his gaze from Hermione toward Kingsley.
"And are you prepared for the consequences of your actions?" Kingsley added as he straightened his stance.
"If I have to spend the rest of my life in Azkaban...so be it." Draco announced as he lifted his head with confidence.
"Mr. Weasley, Mr. Potter…" The dark man quickly turned his attention to the two gryffindor boys in the room. Hermione sat stiffly as she saw her best friends freeze with shock.
"I will give you one hour with Mr. Malfoy...and then I expect you to give me your decision." Kingsley declared. Ron and Harry looked nervous.
"Sir?" Ron's voice squeaked.
"Yes Mr. Weasley?" The dark man quirked an eyebrow at the red head.
"You...you can't be serious? You want Harry and I to decide...decide Malfoy's fate?" Ron looked as if he was going to faint. Harry sympathetically looked at Hermione.
"Yes Mr. Weasley. I will only take a unanimous decision." Ron gulped and glanced at Harry.
"Who better than his own peers to make such an important determination." And with that the minister disapparated out of the courtroom. Hermione could feel every nerve in her body light on fire. She knew what was going to happen before Ron and Harry had even moved. Their hatred for Draco had been boiling for years. Ron's feelings were only intensified by his perception of betrayal. They would only need two second's to come to a conclusion. Now they had an hour to get out all of their pent up aggression toward the person they felt had helped cause all of the sorrow currently in their lives.
Hermione wrung her hands together until they felt raw. She hadn't even had a chance to say anything to Draco before Ron and Harry were down from their seats and either side of the blonde. Draco seemed unflappable, his head held high. He glanced at her and slightly nodded as the three left the courtroom.
That was the longest hour of Hermione's life. She sat next to her parents in silence. The two looked at their daughter with sympathy, her mother brushing her fingers against Hermione's forehead. The feeling of her mother's hand was comforting, like it had been when she was five and fell down and skinned her knee. She wished she could only do the same for Draco.
Mr. Weasley sat awkwardly a few feet from the Malfoys. Hermione peered at him. He smiled at her, very obviously uncomfortable.
Suddenly with a crack, Kingsley reappeared into the courtroom, the three young men along with him.
"Please have a seat." He said to the three. Ron and Harry sat back in the jury box while Draco sat back in the interrogation chair.
"Before we proceed, is there anything anyone would like to say?" Kingsley asked as he looked around the small group.
"Yes...I would." Lucius spoke up, his voice slightly cracking. Everyone turned their heads at the withered man.
"Draco...I...I want you to know...I am so...so proud of you. I...I…" Lucius couldn't seem to allow anything else out, his voice cutting off by emotion. Narcissa shook her head vehemently as she placed a handkerchief to her mouth to stifle her sobs.
"Ms. Granger?" Kingsley asked as he directed his attention to the young woman. With tears flooding down her face Hermione stood. She looked directly at the young blonde man. He looked so small and fragile, like a young boy. Hermione choked back the onslaught of tears that pushed against her eyes.
"I...I am so utterly amazed...and proud of you Draco. I cannot even express how I feel for you. I love you." Hermione allowed the tears to streak her cheeks as her mouth trembled. Draco sucked in a breath and gave her a small smile. He closed his eyes, taking it all in.
"What say you Mr. Weasley and Mr. Potter?" Kingsley waited for Hermione to sit down with a thud, her mother's arm immediately wrapping around her.
Both boys looked terrified. Harry stood first, light reflecting off his glasses shielding his eyes from Hermione's sight.
"I feel that Draco Malfoy...regrets his choices and wants to atone for his actions. What I have witnessed over the last few times I have seen him seems sufficient enough for me to believe he should be forgiven. I think...I feel he has paid for his actions." Harry said confidently and sat down, his face turned away from the rest.
"And you Mr. Weasley?"
Ron slowly stood up. Hermione was afraid to look at him.
"I hate Draco Malfoy." Ron said matter of factly. Everyone in the courtroom gasped except of course Draco. Draco just rolled his eyes.
"He has tortured Hermione, myself, my family, Harry and so many others. He is a coward and...well...he's a git! He is a spoiled, snotty little arse who gets whatever he wants. He throws it in everyone's face that he has connections and money...and now...well...he doesn't have those connections...or his money." Ron stood as straight as an arrow as he directed his speech toward the minister. Hermione knew where this was going and she sucked in a shaky breath.
"He...He has taken people that I love. Because of him my brother is dead, some of my friends are dead...Hermione...well...he took her too." Ron was getting choked up as he pursed his lips together tightly until they turned white.
He glanced at Hermione, a tear falling onto his freckled cheek.
"But...but I cannot do it to him. Hermione never really was mine...nor is she his. She is her own person and it is not my right to tell her who to love. I feel like Draco is different. He seems remorseful. I think he has done everything possible to try and make up for what he has done…" Ron continued. Hermione gasped her hand covering her mouth.
"I still hate him...he still is a git...but it's not my place to make him pay for his mistakes. He is doing that himself." Ron announced and sat down with an audible thud, his arms wrapping around himself protectively. Harry clapped a hand on his friends shoulder and slightly grinned.
"Well...Mr. Malfoy. It seems that the two people that have disliked you the most are vouching for you. Do you have anything to say?" Kingsley asked as he eyeballed the stiff blonde. Draco sat silently, no emotion on his face. By the looks of it he seemed unreadable. Hermione searched his face, hoping for any sign.
"To be honest...I have my dignity minister. I don't need, nor do I want Potter or Weasley's affirmation of my intentions. They don't mean anything to me. Just like Weasley hates me, I'm not exactly fond of him either. And Potter, don't get me started on him. The only opinion that matters to me is sitting right there." Draco replied frostily and turned his attention to Hermione. Hermione's amber eyes went wide in shock.
"Ms. Graner?" Kingsley slightly grinned.
"Y-Yes?" Hermione answered.
"Do you feel that Mr. Malfoy has repented?"
"Sir...I...I feel he has...but…" Hermione began to say. She chewed on her bottom lip as she stared at everyone's confused expressions. Only Draco could sense the wheels in her head were turning.
"I feel he could do for some time possibly volunteering...maybe with the muggle population. His family as well." Hermione said confidently, straightening her jacket. She side glanced Draco who was smiling devilishly at her.
"Really? Interesting. And you Mr. Malfoy...do you agree to those terms?" Kingsley turned toward Draco.
"As long as Ms. Granger is there to help me...yes." Draco grinned.
"Alright. In this matter the ministry has decided that Mr. Draco Malfoy and his parents will be ordered to perform no less than 100 hours of service with a muggle charity under Ms. Granger's charge. Everyone is dismissed." Kingsley announced and disapparated once again.
Hermione practically threw herself from her seat toward Draco, her arms enveloping him in a tight embrace.
"I know that was payback for everything." He whispered into her ear as he nuzzled her neck.
"Would you rather sit in a cell?" Hermione laughed.
"Only if you were my jailer." He laughed back and pressed his mouth to hers in a searing kiss.
As Hermione and Draco walked out of the courtroom Hermione noticed a small figure walking toward them.
"Daisy?" Hermione yelled. She ran to the small elf and hugged her. Daisy looked confused and glanced at Draco. Draco smiled at her.
"Miss remembers Daisy?" Daisy asked as she hugged Hermione back.
"Yes...yes I do Daisy!" Hermione cried.
"I am so glad to see you." Hermione added. Daisy looked back up at Draco and grinned. Her grin slowly faded when she saw Lucius and Narcissa come up behind him.
"It's okay Daisy...really it is." Hermione tried to calm the little elf before she made a rash decision.
"I know Miss. Daisy brought Master and the rest here." Daisy answered, her large eyes staring into Hermione's.
"You...you did?" Draco cut in.
"Yes...Daisy could tell something was wrong with Master. I found him hiding out in Diagon Alley with the others. Daisy saw the others use Unforgivables on Master. They had to be brought in." Daisy slightly grinned.
"You...You are amazing!" Hermione laughed again, wrapping the little elf up in her arms. Daisy gently patted Hermione on the shoulder.
"You took them all on yourself?" Draco was in awe at the elf's resilience. His gray eyes widened as he looked the elf up and down. How could something so small and unarmed take on numerous wizards alone?
"Yes Master…" Daisy began to say.
"Daisy...I am no longer your master. I am your friend. Please remember that." Draco grinned.
"Always." Daisy smiled back.
"I cannot thank you enough Daisy." Lucius interrupted. He knelt down and offered his hand to Daisy. Daisy looked at him skeptically.
"It's alright Daisy...really." Hermione touched her on the shoulder reassuringly. Daisy nodded and looked back at the elder Malfoy.
Hermione stood up next to Draco, her hand sliding into his. The couple watched as the small elf pressed her palm against the pureblood slytherin's. They were no longer master and servant. They were equals. Much like Hermione and Draco's blood were shadows in their lives, Daisy and Lucius were also more than what they were before.