Chapter Forty-Five: Make an Explosion
Like a small boat on the ocean
Sending big waves into motion
Like how a single word can make a heart open
I might only have one match but I can make an explosion
This is my fight song
Take back my life song
Prove I'm alright song
My power's turned on
Starting right now I'll be strong
I'll play my fight song
And I don't really care if nobody else believes
'Cause I've still got a lot of fight left in me
-Fight Song, by Rachel Platten
The arguing outside the hospital wing grew louder until the door opened with a bang, making Hermione and Draco both jump and grab for their wands.
Kingsley Shacklebolt then entered the hospital wing, followed by two Aurors Hermione didn't recognize and a murderous looking Minerva McGonagall.
"Minister, this isn't necessary!" McGonagall's tone took the octave Hermione had only been unfortunate to hear very few times in her young life. Each time had ended worse than the last.
"You know the law, Minerva, he broke his probation agreement," Kingsley's deep voice reasoned with her in a low rumble as they made their way to Draco at Hermione's bedside.
Hermione propped herself up, wincing at her bruised ribs. "What is going on here?"
"Draco Malfoy," one of the Aurors read from a piece of parchment he had pulled from an inside pocket of his traveling cloak. "You are hereby found guilty of violating your parol agreements and sentenced to resume your original full sentence at Azkaban Prison in its entirety, right to appeal to be determined at a later date.
Hermione cried out in alarm as slender gold straps appeared and cuffed Draco behind his back. He sent one panicked look to Hermione and then they both looked to McGonagall, who was glaring at the Auror who read the warrant.
"That is not necessary," McGonagall waved her hand and the gold bindings disintegrated, leaving Draco rubbing his wrists.
"That is not your call to make, Minerva," Kingsley said with an edge to his voice. The Auror who materialized them, however, did not make a move under McGonagall's watchful eye to re-materialize them.
"As long as you are on Hogwarts ground every call is mine to make, Minister," McGonagall said with more venom in her voice than Hermione remembered her using even with Umbridge. "If you recall, the ministry has absolutely no authority in Hogwarts as long as the Headmaster or Headmistress and or Deputy Head is in place, you signed the bill yourself."
Kingsley's expression clearly reflected that he was having second thoughts about that decision.
Hermione cleared her throat from her sitting position in the hospital bed and five pairs of eyes turned to her. "Why don't you explain why you think Draco has violated his probation?" she asked reasonably.
"We don't think," the same Auror spoke up again before Kingsley could. "And we do not have to explain ourselves to a Hogwarts student."
"How about explaining yourself to Hermione Granger then?" Draco couldn't help the small fissure of glee that rocked through his fright as he pointed out who this upshot Auror was actually sneering at. "I assume you've heard of her?"
Hermione was too furious to even care that Draco was taking some fun at the serious situation. Every nerve ending was at alert and she was ready to blast this unknown wizard into next Tuesday if he so much as took a step towards Draco.
The Auror finally took a good look at Hermione and gulped, recognizing her at last from the dozens of articles and press appearances she had been involved in, not to mention nearly every Ministry hearing or meeting since Voldement's fall.
"My apologies," he mumbled quickly. "I didn't realize-"
Hermione's frown grew even more pronounced as she interrupted his poor excuse for an apology. "Maybe you should just concentrate on being more considerate of everyone you speak to from now on," she suggested scathingly.
Draco shot Hermione an impressed look of surprise. Far be it form him to ever criticize someone for talking back to authority figures, but that was never really Hermione's game.
It was then that something startling occurred to Draco as he took in the company gathered around Hermione's hospital bed. Minister of Magic, Headmistress of Hogwarts, two obviously senior level Aurors, an ex Deatheater, and one of the saviors of all of their way of life. That Auror was not the authority figure here, Hermione was.
"Minister?" Hermione looked expectantly at Kingsley. "Draco has been with me all day. I can assure you he has not practiced any dark magic."
Hermione's tone was neutral, but Draco knew better. She was going to slap or hex someone and for once it wasn't going to be him.
"Our wand monitoring enchantments on his wand indicate he used a dark curse earlier today, specifically the Severing curse," Kingsley answered Hermione in the same measured tone.
"Sectumsempra?" Hermione asked with confusion. This wasn't the response she was expecting. "I used it tonight as well. It's a dangerous curse, but it's not classified as dark. No one knew it existed until recently." She left out the part about how it was used first on Draco by none other than Harry Potter.
"It has recently been reclassified to be included on the official Dark Magics Reporting Scale," The Auror who had yet to speak explained for Kingsley. "Right before Christmas, as a matter of fact. The announcement went out in the Prophet as per protocol when announcing new additions to the Scale."
"We were not even in the county then," Hermione narrowed her eyes at the Minister of Magic. "Surly there's a grace period?"
"Not while one is on probation for war crimes, Miss Granger," Kingsley said with a finality that welcomed no argument. He turned to McGonagall. "We'll be taking Mr. Malfoy now, Minerva."
"No!" Hermione started to argue. "What is my punishment for using it, then? You can't expect any witch or wizard to adhere to a law they don't know about. What is the real meaning of- ahh!" Hermione went to get out of the bed and then clutched at her side. She hadn't had time to get a potion for the pain and her ribs were throbbing a sharp pain she could feel down the length of her body.
"Hermione, it's okay," Draco put his hand gently on her arm and eased her back into her sitting position. It pained him that she was hurting herself because of him. "Perhaps I should have known better than to use such a dangerous spell."
"No," Hermione growled in frustration and stared up at Kingsley, someone she trusted. "Using the spell was my idea. I know exactly what spells are considered dark and the list has not been updated since 1987! This is wrong. I know that and they know that." The betrayal left her almost breathless.
Kingsley had the decency to look ashamed. "It is the law, Miss Granger. You are not on probation. You may use it as long as it is not on another person."
Hermione protested again at the expense of her bruised ribs and Draco put up his hands to stop her. She looked at him expectantly but he didn't immediately speak.
Draco looked at the waiting escorts that would take him back to Azkaban and the other shoe he had been waiting for to drop thumped in his head like a death march. He knew it had been too good to last. He was grateful for it anyway.
"It's no more than I deserve," he told her with a small smile. "I'll be alright, I always am."
Without another word he kissed her gently on the lips, trying to pour as much of the love he felt for her into it. He didn't know if he would get the chance to do it again. Draco then straightened up and looked Kingsley in the eye and nodded, handing himself over to whatever fate decided.
As soon as the door clicked shut behind the Minister's entourage Hermione was easing herself out of bed and reaching for her clothes.
"Miss Granger, Hermione," McGonagall admonished gently. "You need to rest."
"I just need something for the pain, nothing is broken," Hermione said as she slipped behind a privacy screen and began dressing.
"Hermione, really, I must insist..."
Hermione had finished dressing, taking care to slip her jumper gently over her bandaged chest. She felt like she needed to crawl out of her skin, crawl out of this hurt body that was doing her no favors.
"I need to get to Harry's," Hermione stopped gathering her things and turned to McGonagall, her eyes furious and blazing . "Professor, I won't let them throw him back in Azkaban longer than I can help it. What is Kingsley playing at?"
McGonagall sighed. "He's in a difficult situation," she admitted. "He needs examples to be made that no further Deatheater activity will be tolerated in the slightest."
"This was the opposite of Deatheater activity!" Hermione protested. "How is protecting a muggle-born anything close to the Deatheater agenda?"
"Kingsley and the Ministry doesn't see it that way," McGonagall rubbed her temples tiredly. "They see a young man who dabbled too far once and will surely be persuaded to dabble again."
"They just want to use him," Hermione's hands were balled at her sides and the last time she was this angry was when she realized Draco had paid her Hogwarts tuition.
"Yes," McGonagall confirmed.
"I can't let that happen," Hermione looked around the hospital room. "If they throw Draco back into Azkaban for doing something he didn't even know was illegal, doing something to protect a friend, then Kingsley is no better than his predecessors. Is Kingsley really just the same as the other two Ministers we've dealt with? Ministry agenda first, human decency second? We worked too hard and lost too much to let the Ministry sink into corruption again. How could he?"
"I agree, Miss Granger, but what do you suppose to do?" McGonagall had to try very hard not to smile now, the fire in Hermione's eyes was the spark she had been missing.
"I need the copy of Magical Law from the library," Hermione told her. "The record of all the trials and court proceedings. If there's a loophole in there I can find it to force them to let him go."
"I can have a house elf deliver it to Mr. Potter's if that is your destination," McGonagall agreed easily. "But do you think it will be as simple as all that?"
"Maybe Draco's been wearing off on me," Hermione said grimly. "I'll make sure it will be or I swear to Merlin I will bring down the entire Ministry trying."
Fifteen minutes later Hermione was stepping out of Harry's fireplace and looking around the room. A chessboard was set up haphazard in the middle of the sitting room and Harry and Ron were both standing beside it, looking at Hermione warily. With the partygoers having all left for the evening, it appeared Harry and Ron were enjoying one last round of Butterbeer and Wizard's Chess before finally turning in for the night.
Harry first was shocked at Hermione's expression. He remembered that haunted look only too well, but this time it was different. His friend looked almost ferocious, her stance when she caught her footing was that of a caged animal.
"Hermione, what's wrong?" Harry asked in alarm. "A Hogwarts house elf just popped in and dropped off a huge book and said it was from McGonagall, then vanished."
"It's Draco," Hermione sagged and clutched her side.
Harry and Ron ran over to steady her and guided her to a couch.
"Hermione what happened?" Ron asked as they lowered her to a sitting position.
"The Maliceptor came back," Hermione took a deep breath and paused, collecting her thoughts.
"I thought if we could tag team it we might have a chance, considering we're the catalyst of the emotion. We tried, but it didn't work. The same thing happened as last time, whatever the Maliceptor is made of was sliced apart and turned to smoke, but it doesn't seem to truly get destroyed. Draco was able to gain his footing when the thing blasted away again, but I hit my side against a table. Nothing is broken, just bruised."
"Then what's wrong with Malfoy?" Ron asked, much to his own surprise.
"The Ministry took him," Hermione drew herself up and furrowed her brow, remembering the Ministry officials and Kingsley's betrayal. "It's wrong! I thought if we both used Sectumsempra together the Maliceptor might fall. It didn't work. He brought me to the hospital wing and Madam Pomfrey bandaged me up. She was about to give me a potion for the pain when Kingsley and two older Aurors burst through the hospital wing doors followed by McGonagall." Hermione took a breath. "They said that Sectumsempra was recently added to the list of dark magic, but I just used it last month! No one said anything then! I used it tonight and they told me that because I wasn't on probation I could use it if it wasn't to hurt anyone." Hermione paused and then continued her tirade, more furious than before. "Then this Auror Kingsley had with him told us it was just added before Christmas. How could either of have known? I used the same spell at the same time and they didn't even blink at me. Kingsley just took him!" Hermione was so furious Ron looked over to Harry warily. "They took him back to Azkaban," she said with a whisper.
"Did Pomfrey send you off with the pain potion?" Ron asked practically when she was sagged a little and he and Harry sat on either side of her on the couch.
"Yes, ugh, here," Hermione pulled out a small vial from her beaded purse. "But I can't take it, I need to find a loophole in this arsed law."
Harry took the vial from Hermione and looked at it after fetching the large tome from the chair the elf had dropped it on.
"How about this," Harry handed the huge book to Hermione gently. "Take a tiny sip of the potion, just to take the edge off," he added when Hermione began protesting. "Malfoy-Draco wouldn't want to know you were in pain. Take a sip and read through the laws. I have a stack of Prophets from the last month Ron and I can go through and see when the law came to effect. I'm sure we can make an argument, maybe extenuating circumstances that can get him out. Only the Unforgivables are considered off limits when it comes to self-defense. Obviously he hasn't been reading the Prophet after his father just died. Kingsley would know that, he is a reasonable man."
"You didn't see him, Harry," Hermione gently twisted off the cork of her pain potion. She was already skimming through the laws in her lap as she took the tinniest sip of potion. "That wasn't the Kingsley we knew."
"You mean Imperious Curse?" Ron asked sharply as he took a stack of papers from Harry.
"No," Hermione shook her head sadly. "Even worse. It was completely on his own accord and he even looked guilty doing it. He knew he was wrong. He arrested Draco as a Deatheater because he needs to parade Draco around. It's like they were just waiting for him to mess up, they- wait!"
Hermione had been flipping through the large book she had pulled onto her lap. Harry and Ron waited for a few moments before Harry cleared his throat.
"They were waiting," Hermione finally said when she flipped through one more page in a chapter. "There's nothing here about arresting someone for a Dark Magic until it has been circulated for a year. There's even a claus that states that the Defense Against the Dark Arts class needs to announce if there has been an addition. As a student, you're not held accountable to reading the Prophet, you learn about it in class. Have you found the announcement in the papers yet?"
"Just wait," Ron told her as he and Harry poured through the government section of two months worth of Prophets.
"Here!" Harry said triumphantly as he pulled the innards of a thick Sunday edition out and folded it backward in his lap.
An addition to the Dark Magics Reporting Scale, effective immediately, is that of the now-curse Sectumsempra. This curse will cause the victim to experience excruciating pain by way of knife-like cuts to the targeted area. The general population is to be aware of this curse, and perhaps only use it for gardening purposes.
"Gardening purposes," Hermione said weakly. "They published a lethal curse to the general public with a warning that it should only be used to prune roses."
"This...wasn't a coincidence," Ron said softly. "Harry used that curse years ago, sorry mate, but it's not like they just stumbled across it recently. If they were ever going to reclassify it then they would have after that, uh, bathroom incident."
Hermione felt the cool relief of the pain medication working its way in her rib cage. "No, Ron. This is sabotage."
"Sabotage of what?" Ron asked her as he folded his papers and handed them back to Harry.
"Sabotage of what we tried to fix!" Hermione's ribs didn't hurt anymore, but there was a pleasant buzzing feeling in the back of her head that warned her to be careful with her words. "Don't you see? The Ministry set him up for this!"
Ron looked like he wanted to argue, but he couldn't. Harry was busy folding the article about that fateful spell to tear it out. Hermione was furiously flipping back through the pages of the book in her lap.
"There's nothing here about laws that came into effect after a probation sentence," Hermione said quietly from the couch. "It's completely unprecedented. They haven't added any laws to the scale in years, and even before the last one was added it was decades in-between each addition. Normally they only added dangerous spells that were created unexpectedly, probably just like Snape created his without specifically meaning to. According to this text there is no example of someone being on probation and using a spell on the scale that was added to the scale during the probationary period."
"So what you're saying it," Harry said softly. "He was set up as an example."
Hermione looked at the book in front of her as she wrapped her arms around herself. "They had to know," she finally said. "They had to know that spell was going to be used again. I told you, Harry, I used it the last time it attacked us. It would't be that far of a stretch to figure out it would be used again by a former Deatheater. It was the only thing that worked. I tried every defensive spell I know. McGonagall probably even told Kingsley about it to keep him up to speed for courtesy's sake."
"So Kingsley, or someone in his position, laid the framework for this to become law?" Ron asked incredulously.
"Seems to be that way," Harry said miserably. "How could they?"
"Politics?" Hermione asked sadly. "McGonagall said as much. She said Kingsley was in a bad position. But how do you justify sending an innocent man to prison?"
"You don't," Ron said with more venom than Hermione and Harry were used to hearing, especially for Malfoy. "You wait until you can make something up to punish them with. Is this the Ministry we fought for?"
"What if it is?" Harry asked quietly. "What if these people are just like the last? A different regime, of course, but what if the politics haven't changed? What if they wanted to jump on the first thing that made them look good?"
"It's like how Fudge wouldn't listen to reason about Sirius," Harry added. "He had so much tunnel vision with letting the public know that the Ministry was on top of things that he didn't care about the truth."
Hermione closed the book in front of her, having learned all she needed. She finally took the rest of the pain medication and knew she would be asleep with her ribs healed within minutes. "If that's the case, then they have no idea." Hermione stated with deadly calm and fell back against the cushions on the couch then. "If this is a fight they really want," Hermione's head began to nod. "Then they are getting another war. I'm going to win."
(A/N) This is my favorite chapter. I love Hermione here and I was just incredibly excited as I wrote it. I'm working on the next chapter, it's pretty dark but I think you will also enjoy it! Don't get too used to these quick updates, I'm not sure how long I can keep it up. I'm about to wash myself into a rewatch of The Vampire Diaries black hole (DELENAAAAA) and I tend to get sucked into the black hole that is Netflix. I'm super pumped to finish the next chapter and the fallout that is Hermione Granger. What is your favorite Hermione moment? (Cannon or this fic can apply! =)