Hermione knew what she had to do. She couldn't let herself drown in self-pity, she had to get to work. As soon as the next day she packed the uneaten dinner from yesterday`s dinner and went to where the Azkaban prisoners waiting for trial were supposed to be held. She asked the guards to see her husband, postponing telling Draco`s name out loud for as long as possible, but she still in the end had to admit that he was her husband, so, naturally, she wasn`t allowed to see him, and the food she was ready to give him had soon gone cold.
The next day also brought no victories – she tried to bribe the prison guards firstly to at least look at Draco, to see if he was alright, and when that didn't work she demanded to see the head of the prison but she was denied in all ways possible. She tried to tell everyone she saw there that Draco would be unable to live in the presence of Dementors for long, and if any of them cared for at least the livelyhood of their prisoners, they must make sure the Dementors don't hurt him too bad. One of the guards then msut've felt some type of empathy for her, because he was quick to assure her, "Ma'am, you mustn't worry, there are no Dementors in Azkaban anymore; all of them left soon after He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named lost."
Nobody yet dared to speak about the war being over, nobody dared to say Voldemort's name out loud, and nobody either wanted to admit the High Reeve Draco Malfoy was the one who killed Voldemort and brought all that hell to the end, or the people simply didn't know how exactly the war ended. However, the knowledge that Dementors were not hurting Draco brought Hermione at least some comfort.
Even though everyday she was met with the same blank faces of the prison guards, the same denials to meet her loved one, the same refusals to let her speak to higher-ups, Hermione still visited Azkaban every day. A whole week full of disappointment and resentment passed this way. Hermione tried out everything, she wanted nothing more but to at least catch a glimpse of Draco and see how he was bearing his new existence. She knew he was strong and resilient, she had so much faith in him, and she believed he was going to be alright no matter what, but she still worried excessively. Was he eating well? Where was he sleeping? If the Dementors no longer guarded Azkaban, what were the new guards like? Were they treating Draco well? Was he being interrogated by Aurors? Was he being forced to tell them all that happened? There were more questions than answers, and Hermione couldn't bear to be with those dark thoughts any longer.
She was surprised to see Luna on her way out of the Azkaban one late evening; Luna was coming in right as Hermione head out. They were both startled to bump into one another.
"Luna… What are you doing here?" Hermione asked.
"Hermione… I came here to see Blaise… He's awaiting trial…" Luna answered.
"Draco, too. Did you get to meet Blaise?"
Luna nodded, "Yeah, we had a meeting with his lawyer."
"Lawyer… That's right, that's what Draco needs!" Hermione exclaimed. "They're not letting me see him, but I'm sure if he had a lawyer, everything would run a lot smoother…"
Luna looked around, then took Hermione's hand in hers. "Let's go to my place. I'll make you some tea."
Luna's home was a shabby one-room flat in downtown London. It was small and a bit untidy, but still quite cozy. Luna gave Hermione a giant mug of greenish tea which Hermione knew better than to drink, so she only pretended to sip it slowly.
Hermione explained all that happened to her and Draco since they last met. Luna, in turn, told her what happened to Blaise – that they were staying here after the incident at the Department of Mysteries, lying low. They heard the news of Voldemort's death on a radio one night and decided to go straight to the Ministry to get Blaise pardoned – that's when he was detained.
"He was trying to tell them he did nothing wrong, that he was playing a double agent, but no one listened. They told us Blaise will have to wait for a trial just like every other Death Eater. Even though he's not a Death Eater, not really… That's when I decided to get him a lawyer. Louis Everett, I heard good things about him, he won many impossible cases, and he assured us this situation is nothing he hadn't seen before."
"Oh, Luna, I need a lawyer for Draco, too, could you give me Mr. Everett's contacts?" Hermione asked.
Luna gave her a pitying look. "Oh, Hermione… I'm sorry, but I don't think I can do that…"
"Why not?"
"You see, Louis Everett doesn't do actual murder cases, he only defends those who were wrongly accused… Besides, it wouldn't make Blaise look good if his lawyer was the same as the High Reeve's…" Hermione's heart fell when she realized the implication of Luna's words – Draco was an actual murderer, a real Death Eater, not a play-pretend one, and he doesn't deserve the redemption that Blaise is to acquire. "You understand that, I'm sure…"
"Of course." Hermione did understand that, rationally, but it didn't hurt any less because of it. "Although perhaps… Perhaps you still know a good lawyer that could help me out?" she added sheepishly.
Luna smiled slightly. "I think I might know someone."
Amita Sanghvi was a woman of a lot of words and impeccable fashion taste. She was a delightful combination of bubbly energy, quick wit, and sharp intellect. Hermione guessed the witch couldn't be more than thirty. Luna organized their meeting in a small muggle coffee shop where neither of them could be recognized, and Sanghvi's smile when she first saw Hermione was infectious. She wore a smart lavender pantsuit that looked so professional in the setting they were in, but the moment they started talking Hermione immediately relaxed.
"Oh, Merlin, Ms. Granger, you have no idea what a pleasure it is to finally meet you!" she exclaimed after they'd ordered their coffees and sat down at one of the tables facing the window. "Luna told me so much about you, for a moment I couldn't even believe that the brightest witch of her age might need my help! I hope you are not in any trouble personally? I can't imagine why would you, not now, after the war is over…"
"Well, Ms. Sanghvi, I must say my situation is indeed quite complicated. I'm in no trouble myself, but… my husband is. Has Luna told you anything at all?"
Sanghvi's face shone with surprise. She shook her head. "I wasn't aware you were married."
Hermione took a deep breath, ready to get this over with – this woman will either agree to help her or will curse her to hell.
"My husband is Draco Malfoy. You might be familiar with his other title that he was assigned to during the past few years – High Reeve…"
She saw Sanghvi's face turn ashen, noticed her smile falling. "Oh…"
"Yes, as I said, my situation is quite complicated, but Luna told me you would agree to help me, so I had to ask. Of course, I understand if you find this inquiry completely unprofessional, and for that I am very sorry, I'll understand if you refuse to be a part of this—"
With that Sanghvi's face regained color, her eyes widening with excited shine. "Oh, no Ms. Granger, I wasn't going to refuse, quite the opposite!" She smiled devilishly. "I love a good challenge! The fact you're married to the High Reeve only surprised me a bit, that's all. I am curious as to how it happened, because all the newspapers are framing you as the one and only hero in this story now that the Golden trio is gone – I'm sorry if it's still a sensitive topic."
Hermione was so surprised by this semi-excited outburst she didn't even get the time or space to get saddened by the words. "Oh, no, don't worry…"
"What I'm trying to say is that you're a hero, and Draco Malfoy if the High Reeve, which seems like a very unlikely couple, but of course, who am I to judge, it's interesting, that's all!"
"Well, Draco and I—" Hermione began only to be immediately cut off once more.
"Oh no, you don't have to tell me anything, only what will help us win this case, Ms. Granger! I don't need to know anything else."
"Does that—does that mean you're going to help me, Ms. Sanghvi?" Hermione asked, honestly shocked for once.
Sanghvi nodded, smiling kindly. "I will. To help Hermione Granger is an honor. And please, call me, Amita."
"Okay, Amita," Hermione said, trying out the name on her tongue. She liked this woman and her energy already. "Thank you so much for being so understanding. You can call me Hermione."
"It's my job to be understanding, Hermione. Now, I only need to clarify what exactly my job is here. You need me to clear Draco Malfoy's name of all charges?"
"Well, that would be the ultimate goal. I'm aware that might not be possible—"
"Have a little faith in me, Hermione, I'm good at what I do."
"I'm sure you are, Amita, but the first thing we need to deal with is prison guardianship... I haven't seen Draco since he was detained, and that happened more than two weeks ago… they haven't allowed me to see him or bring him anything… I'm very worried…"
"Oh, don't worry," Amita smiled, her eyes glinting mischievously. "Now that I'm here, all doors of Azkaban will be open for you."
The relief that flooded Hermione's heart when she saw Draco for the first time again was indistinguishable and incomparable to anything else. He was sitting in a room that was all hard cement walls and messily made wooden tables, he was handcuffed to one of the tables, but when Hermione saw him, she gasped and rushed to hug him.
"Draco!" she exclaimed.
She finally released him after long seconds of holding him close, reveling in the feeling of his flesh touching hers, then she looked him up and down, searching for any signs of maltreatment. His face was paler than usual, the shadows under his eyes deeper, his face blank of expression, but his body was still strong and solid, and he didn't look much changed.
"Oh, Draco, how are you?" Hermione asked when he didn't say anything.
When he didn't answer for a few minutes, Hermione thought he was going to ignore her, but then he said, "Getting what I deserve."
"Oh, Draco, don't say that. I'm going to get you out of here," Hermione was keen on reassuring him.
He showed no emotions and didn't acknowledge her words in any way, only his eyes slid to the person behind her. "Who is this?" he asked a question but there was little true interest in his voice as if he had already made peace with his destiny.
"This is your lawyer," Hermione said.
Amita stepped forward, that signature smile already plastered on her face. She reached out her hand, greeting Draco, but he didn't take it.
"Mr. Malfoy, my name is Amita Sanghvi, and I must say I'm a very good lawyer—" Amita began.
"I don't need a lawyer," he mumbled.
"So, you want to… stay here in Azkaban?" Amita asked him.
"That's where I'm to be," was all Draco said.
"No, it's not!" Hermione interrupted. "You're to be at home, with me."
Draco looked up at her. "And where is my home, Granger? I thought I told you very clearly that you need to distance yourself away from me. Stop trying to reach me. Stop trying to get to meet me. And stop trying to put a sodding lawyer on my head. You need to go and live your life, that's what you deserve."
Hermione looked at him, feeling tears gather in her eyes. "You're my life, Draco. I am your home. What I deserve is to get you out of here and have you by my side. That's all I want."
He looked at her, his gray eyes darkening as if he was trying to read her mind. Hermione waited. Then instead of answering he looked at Amita. "What is your plan?"
Amita stood up straighter, that same excited glint back in her eyes. "Firstly, I will ask you a few questions related to what you're accused of so that I know what situation we're in. Hermione told me some things, but I will need to hear it from you." Draco listened attentively and nodded. "Then I will try to assess your act in the war, and we will try to come up with a story."
Draco nodded slowly once more.
He told her a short story of what happened starting with his sixth year at Hogwarts and most of what happened from that point on. Amita was writing it all down in her black notebook, and when Draco was finished, she looked at them both. "So far, this is what I'm getting – you two are very in love. We will approach the trial from a 'lover birds amidst war' type of angle. This is what gets people in their feels. You, Draco – may I call you Draco – you did everything for Hermione, you wanted to protect from the horrors of the war, putting it all instead on your own shoulders. And you, Hermione, you loved him ever since you were kids, but the war brought you closer as two people of the opposite battling sides."
This is the story they built bit by bit for the next two weeks up until the trial was about to start. The three of them would meet in that same cement room in the dungeons of Azkaban with Draco handcuffed to a table or a chair at all times while he and Hermione told Amita all that was important about their story and she added more details to the tale they were going to tell. Even though Draco no longer refused to talk and even retold memories on his own accord, he still seemed to be mostly detached from this whole plan as if he didn't believe it could help him in any way.
"I cannot promise you this will work for sure," Amita told them. "But I believe it can do lots of good. Now, tell me more about the last time you were at Hogwarts, when Alastor Moody and Severus Snape were killed."
Hermione explained the night while Draco added details, although half-willingly.
Amita was deep in thought for more than a quarter of an hour after that.
"This event is our biggest qualm," she said at last. "There were lots of witnesses, and they are our greatest issue."
"Yes," Draco said. "But there's nothing you can do about witnesses except killing them all, but that's what I'm here for anyway."
"Actually, I think I can deal with it," Hermione said, and when both Draco and Amita looked at her disbelievingly, she explained, "I mean, Obliviation is quite a difficult spell, but I have mastered it through the years, so I know for sure it'll work."
Draco cocked one eyebrow. "Did you just suggest obliviating the all the witnesses that were there the night Voldemort attacked Hogwarts a second time?"
Hermione shrugged. "Yeah, why not. We don't have another choice."
Amita frowned, but started nodding eagerly the more Hermione spoke. "Yes, yes, that's brilliant! Of course, you shouldn't obliviate all the witnesses because it would be too easy to track it back to you, but a few of the vital ones suffering short term memory loss wouldn't be too far-fetched. The most important thing is for you to do it quietly and bring no attention to yourself."
"Trust me," Hermione said. "No one will know. There were only members of the Order there that night. I'll use the list I wrote you." And then she told Amita about the list Draco asked her to write down when they married.
The two women looked at one another, washed by the sense of mutual understanding. It was Draco who looked at them like they were crazy.
"I thought you shouldn't encourage my wife to commit more crimes to get me out of Azkaban," he pointed out.
Amita only waved her hand dismissively. "A bit of manipulation never hurt anybody."
Hermione was beginning to fall in love with their lawyer more and more every day.
The next day, she was ready to get to work.