Chapter 29

It was the day of Lucius’ trial. ‘Hermione can you maybe, please want to go with me? I don’t know if I can do this without you.’ Hermione heard Draco’s voice in her head. He asked her that a few nights ago, he had been looking at her with a sad face and Hermione had nodded. ‘Are you ready to go?’ Hermione asked walking into their common room. ‘I think so.’ Draco said. ‘Let’s go then.’ Hermione said and she grabbed Draco’s hand. They walked out of their common room and thanked Professor Snape after he wished them good luck. They arrived a later at the Ministry of Magic, where it was really crowded. Hermione and Draco walked to the spot where they would meet Narcissa. Narcissa was looking around and she looked relieved when she saw Draco and Hermione coming towards her. ‘Thank you for coming.’ Narcissa said to Hermione after she let her son go and gave Hermione a hug. ‘No problem.’ Hermione said with a small smile. It meant a lot for Narcissa that Hermione had come with Draco. Just for the moral support. ‘Did you write to Andromeda?’ Draco asked. ‘Well actually Andromeda had send me a letter first.’ Narcissa said with a small smile. ‘Really?’ Hermione asked. ‘Yes.’ She said. ‘That’s great.’ Hermione said smiling. Then the door behind them opened and revealed a lot of wizards and witches who looked professional sitting in the room. Narcissa, Draco and Hermione walked in and sat down in the family section. The wizards and witches looked up with faces of surprise when they saw Hermione sitting down next to Draco. Hermione saw Percy sitting and Percy greeted her with a small smile and a quick nod. Hermione did the same and then turned to Draco who looked terrible. ‘Are you okay?’ Hermione asked, though she already knew the answer. ‘I’m fine.’ Draco said. ‘The trial of Lucius Malfoy will begin when Mister Malfoy is in here.’ Kingsley said. Hermione looked up and Kingsley smiled at her. Hermione gave him a smile back and Kingsley went on. ‘For your own protection please conjure a patronus, just for your own safety.’ Kingsley said. The wizards and witches got their wands out and conjured a patronus. ‘Hermione, dear can you maybe conjure your patronus?’ Narcissa asked. ‘Oh yeah of course.’ Hermione said getting her own wand. ‘Expecto patronum.’ Hermione said thinking of her happiest memory. The otter came out of her wand and stayed close by them. Narcissa thanked her and Draco looked with a small smile at the otter. ‘I can learn you to do that.’ Hermione said softly to Draco. Draco looked at Hermione and smiled. ‘I don’t think I can do that.’ Draco said. ‘Of course, I’ll help you.’ Hermione said with a smile and then the doors opened. It became immediately cold, the happiness slipped away and Hermione got goose bumps. Then the Dementors brought Lucius in. They sat Lucius down in the chair with the chains and the chains immediately locked him, so he couldn’t go anywhere. Lucius looked horrible. Lucius’ eyes flickered up to the family section and gave Narcissa a small smile, but then he saw Draco sitting next to Hermione and he held her hand. Lucius fast looked away with widened eyes and Kingsley began. After the trial was over and Lucius got sentenced to the Dementors kiss, Narcissa, Draco and Hermione made their way to the room where they could talk to Lucius for the last time, before he would become a vegetable. ‘You can go first.’ Draco said to his mother. Narcissa nodded and looked at the door before them. The auror that was standing next to it opened it and let Narcissa in. Narcissa took a deep breath in and out before she stepped into the room. ‘How are you feeling?’ Hermione asked softly turning to Draco. Draco sighed and looked down. ‘I don’t know.’ Draco said. ‘It’s okay to be sad, he’s still your father.’ Hermione said. Draco looked up and gave Hermione a small smile before pulling her into a tight hug. ‘Thank you.’ Draco said. ‘For what?’ Hermione asked confused. ‘For being there for me.’ Draco said and he gave her a kiss on her lips. ‘You would do the same for me.’ Hermione said smiling. It took a few minutes before Narcissa came out of the room. On her cheeks were still tears and she walked over to Hermione and Draco after she wiped them fast away. ‘You can go.’ Narcissa said softly. ‘I’ll be right here if you need me.’ Hermione said softly and she let go of Draco. Draco nodded, gave Hermione one last kiss and then walked towards the door. The auror opened the door again and Draco walked in. Hermione sighed softly and then turned to Narcissa. ‘Are you okay?’ Hermione asked worried. ‘Yeah I’m okay.’ Narcissa said. ‘I just don’t know why I’m feeling like this. He’s an awful man, I’m not supposed to feel like this.’ Narcissa said softly, ‘Of course you’re supposed to feel like this, he’s your husband and you still love him despite what he did.’ Hermione said. ‘Why?’ Narcissa said more to herself then to Hermione. ‘You can’t really chose who you fall in love with, can you?’ Hermione said. ‘I mean look at Draco and me, who would’ve thought that we would end up together?’ Hermione said with a small smile. Narcissa looked at Hermione and nodded smiling while a tear rolled down her cheek. ‘Thank you Hermione for being there for Draco and me.’ Narcissa said as she grabbed Hermione’s hand with both of her hands. ‘No problem.’ Hermione said smiling. Narcissa nodded and squeezed in Hermione’s hand before letting her go. Then the door opened again and Draco walked out of the room, but his nose was bleeding now. ‘Oh my gosh Draco! What happened?’ Hermione asked shocked running towards Draco. ‘I er- got in a little fight with my father…’ Draco said. ‘You did what?’ Narcissa, who had come over to them, asked. ‘He insulted Hermione when I said he had to stop.’ Draco said. ‘And I kind of lost my temper.’ Draco said. Hermione looked with widened eyes at Draco and fixed Draco’s nose, that was broken. There was a cracking sound and his nose came back in his normal position. ‘OUCH!’ Draco said. ‘Sorry.’ Hermione said putting her wand back in her pocket. ‘And your father?’ Narcissa asked carefully. ‘You don’t want to know.’ Draco said. ‘Shall we go?’ Draco asked. Hermione and Narcissa nodded and they walked away. ‘Do you want me to come home for a while?’ Draco asked. ‘No, no just go back to school.’ Narcissa said. ‘Are you sure?’ Draco asked. ‘Yes, don’t worry about me.’ Narcissa said and she gave her son a hug. Then she gave Hermione a hug and Hermione and Draco went back to Hogwarts. They walked into their common room and let themselves fall on the couch. ‘Do you want something to eat?’ Hermione asked. Draco shook his head. ‘Are you sure, I’m going to get something for myself, so it’s no problem…’ Hermione started. ‘No I’m good.’ Draco said. ‘I think I’m going to bed.’ Draco said and he stood up. ‘Oh okay.’ Hermione said. ‘I’ll come as fast as I can.’ Hermione said. Draco gave her a small smile and kissed her forehead after he stood up. Draco walked to his room and Hermione walked to the portrait hole. ‘And?’ Snape asked when he saw it was only Hermione who walked away. Hermione turned around and looked up at Snape. ‘Sentenced to the Dementors kiss.’ Hermione said. ‘And what about the blood on Mister Malfoy’s shirt?’ Snape asked. ‘Oh er- they fought….’ Hermione said. Snape’s eyes widened and then went back to their normal size. ‘I’m going to get something, bit hungry okay?’ Hermione said. Snape nodded and Hermione walked down the stairs. She walked to the kitchen and when she passed a corner she almost bumped into someone. ‘Oh sorry.’ Hermione said and when she looked up she saw it was Harry. ‘Oh hi Harry.’ Hermione said with a small smile. ‘Hi Hermione, how did the trial go?’ Harry asked. ‘Lucius has been sentenced to the Dementors kiss.’ Hermione said. ‘Oh great, I er- mean really?’ Harry recovered himself fast. ‘Don’t worry, I’m thinking the same way about it, but it’s of course hard for Draco and his mother.’ Hermione said. ‘Draco’s father and Narcissa’s husband practically died.’ Hermione said. Harry nodded understanding. ‘What were you going to do?’ Harry asked. ‘Oh I was just on my way to the kitchen to get some dinner.’ Hermione said. ‘Didn’t Draco want anything then?’ Harry asked. ‘No he went to bed.’ Hermione said. ‘Shall I walk with you?’ Harry asked. ‘Yeah sure.’ Hermione said with a small smile. Harry and Hermione walked further to the kitchen and when they got there Honey came immediately to them. ‘Good evening Miss Granger and Mister Potter.’ Honey said. ‘Can Honey do something for Miss Granger and Mister Potter?’ Honey asked. ‘Hello Honey, yeah can you maybe get me something to eat?’ Hermione asked. ‘Of course Honey can.’ Honey said and she ran away. Hermione and Harry sat down behind the table. ‘How are you?’ Harry asked. ‘I’m fine.’ Hermione said with a small smile. ‘Are you sure?’ Harry asked. ‘Yeah, yeah don’t worry.’ Hermione said. ‘Can I do anything for you?’ Harry asked. ‘No not really.’ Hermione said. ‘Did we got homework today?’ Hermione asked. Harry laughed. ‘What?’ Hermione asked. ‘You’re just back from a trial and you’re asking for homework.’ Harry said laughing. Hermione rolled her eyes laughing. ‘But did we got any?’ Hermione asked. ‘Yeah, you need to write an essay for potions.’ Harry said. ‘I’ll show tomorrow what you have to do.’ Harry said. ‘Okay thanks.’ Hermione said and then Honey appeared with a plate filled with food. ‘Thank you Honey.’ Hermione said smiling. ‘That is no problem.’ Honey said. ‘Did I miss something else?’ Hermione asked and she put a piece of chicken in her mouth. ‘No not really.’ Harry said. After Hermione finished her dinner she and Harry went away after thanking Honey one more time. ‘How is spew going by the way?’ Harry asked smirking. ‘Potter! It’s not spew it’s S.P.E.W!’ Hermione said. Harry laughed and Hermione rolled her eyes and then started to laugh. ‘Dude! Not funny.’ Hermione said laughing. ‘It kind of is.’ Harry said laughing. ‘For Merlin’s sake!’ Hermione said laughing and she slapped Harry jokingly on his arm.