Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

Chapter 8

The sound of the cell door being opened startled Draco out of his sleep. The dim light from the hallway burned his eyes that were accustomed to the never-ending darkness of his cell. He squinted at the tall figure in the doorway.

"Mr. Malfoy, it's time for your trial," said the man. He walked over to him and pulled him up from the floor roughly. "Let's go." As soon as he stepped out into the hallway, he felt chains around his wrists and ankles. The man moved to his left side and they began walking down the hallway towards the exit.

Has is been three months already? He asked himself. I'll get to see my mother, my mum. This break from his new reality, his isolation and emotional torture, was his coming up for air, being able to breathe again. The hallway had almost reached its end when he saw the sunlight beaming in through a window at the end. He picked up the pace of his last few steps until he stopped right in front of the window. He reached his hand out and placed it in the sunlight beaming through the window. He felt a knot form in his chest but soon felt the push from the man on his left. Tears were forming in his eyes while the man led him through a door across from the window.

The man gave no warning when he grabbed Draco's shoulder and apparated them both away. Draco felt the unpleasant feeling of apparation that nearly made him sick. Once Draco took in his new surroundings, he wondered where he was. The room he was in had only a chair in the far corner that Draco was led to. The man who had accompanied him was suddenly gone.

After only a moment, another man apparated into the room. Draco recognized him as a ministry worker.

"Mr. Malfoy," he began, "I'm Mr. Shepard. I'll be accompanying you to your trial today. You will be seated and asked a few questions before giving your account on the incidents in question. There will be a few others giving their testimonies and then the Wizengamot will give their judgement. Understand?" Draco nodded. "Any questions?"

"When will I get to see my mother?" he said in a low raspy voice.

"You are not allowed to have any contact with any other person. If your trial goes in your favor, you'll be free afterwards. If not, you will not be allowed to see her until you serve your sentence completely." Draco nodded slowly. So he wouldn't even be able to hug his mother during the trial. He wondered how she had been doing those three months alone.

After Shepard checked his pocket-watch about a dozen times, he walked up to Draco and pulled him up. "Let's go young Mr. Malfoy." They walked through the door on the other side of the room. Draco immediately panicked when he entered the courtroom. He wasn't prepared for the mob of reporters asking him questions or the constant flash of cameras. It was overwhelming. He felt his chest tighten and he began to hyperventilate. He wasn't used to people anymore. And it surprised him that he actually missed the isolation of his cell. His eyes scanned the room for his mother, but the rush of people in front of him made it impossible to see the audience.

"Harry, is that- is that Malfoy?" Ginny asked incredulously. Harry and Hermione looked in the direction Ginny was pointing. Hermione gasped and Harry cursed. The man they saw looked nothing like the arrogant man they used to know. He eyes were bloodshot and empty. His dirty and untamed hair was slightly longer, reaching just beneath his chin. The clothes he wore were dirty and stained and looked a few sizes too big.

"Did they give him those clothes or-"

"No, Ginny, that's what he was wearing when he turned himself in," said Harry. "Were they starving him?" He paused. "How can he have lost so much of himself in such a short time?" he whispered barely audible to Hermione and Ginny.

"He's so broken," said Hermione.

Draco was led to the seat in the middle of the courtroom, facing the entire Wizengamot. Minister of Magic Kingsley Shacklebolt sat in the highest chair and called for silence. "Let's get on with this. Mr. Malfoy, can you state your full name and age."

"Draco Lucius Malfoy, 18 years old."

"You came to us and confessed to using Unforgivable curses over the period of two years, providing a passageway to allow Death Eaters into Hogwarts, and the attempted murder of Albus Dumbledore, Katie Bell, and Ronald Weasley. How do you plea?"

"I am guilty of all charges, sir."

"Do you have anything else to add?"

"No, sir." There were murmurs all around the courtroom. Everyone had expected Draco to at the very least try to shorten his sentence; however, they did not expect his indifference.

"Very well. May I call upon Mister Harry Potter to come forward, please." Draco looked shocked. Surely, Potter would put him away in Azkaban for the rest of his life. Harry walked down from the audience stands and took a seat next to Draco. He looked to his left to the man in chains. "Are you alright, Malfoy?"

Draco looked up to him school nemesis. A sudden wave of gratitude hit him. Did he actually ask me if I'm okay? Does he- Does he actually care? "Noinsults or remarks, Potter?"

Harry didn't answer; he looked at Draco and saw all the pain in his eyes. He felt sorry for the blond. But he couldn't tell him that.

"State your full name and age."

"Harry James Potter, 17, sir."

"And what is it you have to say about Mister Malfoy?"

"Well I-" He paused. "I don't believe Malfoy should be in Azkaban."

Draco's mouth fell open. What the bloody hell is going on?

"And why is that, Mr. Potter? Is it not true that you and Mr. Malfoy have had a rivalry in school since your first year?"

"Yes, that's true. But I don't think he ever had a chance. He might have been a right git at school. But even I have to admit, with the father he had, he would have never had the chance to be anything other than what he was." He paused. "I remember seeing him in school during our sixth year, how sick, pale and skinny he looked. I won't lie and say that what he's done is not bad, but under the circumstances, I think it's forgivable."

"Elaborate, if you will."

"He only did those things to try to keep his family safe. If he hadn't, his family would have been subject to Voldemort's wrath."

"Everyone risked being hurt by you-know-who, Mr. Potter," said the witch sitting to Kingsley's left, "We didn't all take that course of action."

"Did you have Voldemort living in your house? Malfoy tried to save us!"

"And how's that?"

"Hermione, Ron, and I were captured by snatchers in March. We were taken to the Malfoy Manor. I had been hit with a Stinging Hex so my face was swollen. Bellatrix asked Malfoy to identify us. He knew it was me. Even with my face like that, after six years of knowing each other, he knew it was me. And he seemed hesitant on identifying Ron and Hermione, too."

"Is there anything else you'd like to add to your testimony, Mr. Potter?"

"If Malfoy's worst enemy can forgive him, why can't you?" With that, he stood up and walked back to his seat next to his wife and best friend.

"May I please have Ginerva Weasley come forward?"

Ginny strode forward with all the confidence she could muster. She knew what she was going to say, and was sure that even Harry would be surprised at her revelation.

"State your full name and age."

"Ginerva Molly Potter, sir. Age 16."

"What is it you have to say?"

"It's no secret that my family has never gotten along with the Malfoys. But during the Final Battle, I was dueling with a Death Eater, he'd taken my wand and was getting ready to attack me, when Malfoy came along." She took a moment to steady her voice. "He disarmed the Death Eater and gave me my wand back." There was another moment of whispering across the courtroom. Ginny looked back at Harry and saw the shock on his face. "He told me to go home. He said 'Enough innocent blood has been spilled, Weasley, please, just go home.'"

"Anything else to add, Mrs. Potter?"

"No sir."

"Very well, you may go." Ginny wasted no time in getting back to her seat next to her husband, who was still in shock.

After a few of the Hogwarts professors gave their accounts on what they knew Draco had done, his mother took her turn in the witness's seat. Draco looked at her carefully and smiled. She actually looked better. She was even a little tan. His pain disappeared, although for just a moment, because her happiness was all that mattered to him.

"State your name please."

"Narcissa Malfoy."

"Go ahead, Mrs. Malfoy."

"My son is my pride. He has always done his best to protect me, and our family. I know he hasn't been a saint, but he's no demon. He's just a boy who at a very young age had to take the responsibility of protecting those he loved. He was tortured for me. He risked his life for me. He tainted his soul for me!" Tears were streaming down her face. "He doesn't deserve any more punishment. Despite what he believes about himself, he's not evil. He's my son. My pride and joy. Please, let me take him home."

"Anything else, Mrs. Malfoy?" asked Kingsley. She shook her head. "Very well." She stood up and turned back to Draco.

"Everything will be fine, son."

"Thank you, mother." They smiled at each other before she walked away and took her seat in the audience.

"Next, may Ronald Weasley please come forward?" Harry, Hermione, and Ginny looked bewildered.

"Oh, no," whispered Ginny. "This isn't going to be good, is it, Harry?"

"Damn," was all he could respond.

A/N:

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