Wow. I can't believe I got this far in the story. No, this isn't the last chapter, you'll get an epilogue. I just wanted to thank my beta for being patient and fantastic ~ sticksrouge11 ~ and to everyone who reviewed & continues to review my stories, THANKS!
CHAPTER 10 The Verdict
Ginny began her story with being taken from the dungeon. "Draco thought I might have information about the Order. I could tell him nothing, and he kept me in his quarters, I guess hoping I would tell him something."
"What did you do there?" Amelia Bones asked.
"Mostly I cleaned."
"Did Mr. Malfoy ever rape you?"
"No," she shook her head fiercely. "Never."
"Did he ever torture you?"
Ginny paused. "Yes. At first."
"I understand that this is hard for you, but please, elaborate."
"A lot of the prisoners had Crucio used on them, but it was never used on me. He, he hit me. And kicked me once." She felt tears spring forward, and out of the corner of her eye, watched as Hermione brought her hand to her mouth.
"Go on," Dumbledore's steady voice reassured her.
"He was ordered," Ginny's voice cracked, "to rape me, but he didn't. After a while, and I don't know how long it was, but after a while he became nicer to me. He didn't make me clean, didn't hit me. We talked. I felt like . . . I felt like I had a friend."
Ginny could feel the eyes of every wizard and witch in the stand staring at her with a mixture of sympathy and disbelief. She glanced up and watched as the eyes of the Wizengamot swiveled towards Dumbledore, who nodded. "She is correct."
"Who ordered him to rape you?" Amelia asked.
Ginny hesitated, not wanting her family to know, but mostly, not wanting Narcissa to know.
"Ms. Weasley?"
"His father," she whispered. "Lucius Malfoy."
Ginny had never heard of felt a silence that was so loud and heavy.
"And why didn't he obey him?"
"I don't know. I never asked."
"Did you ever see Mr. Malfoy kill anyone?" Amelia asked.
Ginny nodded. "Marcus Flint."
"And why did he kill him?"
"Flint was going to," she paused, fighting down nausea. "Flint said he was going to rape me."
"And Mr. Malfoy stopped him?"
"Yes. Flint said he was going to do what he wanted to do, and Draco used Avada Kedavra."
"Did you ever see him torture anyone?"
"No. I never saw Draco torture anyone."
"Did you ever see him rape anyone?"
"No, never." She glanced up and saw Ron's flushed face staring at her.
"But he was a follower of He Who Must Not Be Named? He was the head of the prison, and you saw none of these things?"
"I don't know what he did when I was not with him, but I never saw him do any of those things," she defended him.
"And Ms. Longbottom, what of her?"
"Draco let her leave. She went to stay with his mother. A lot of . . . really bad things happened to her. The Death Eaters wanted to get a hold of Neville, so they . . . tortured her a lot. Draco erased a lot of her memories before he sent her."
"And in your opinion," Amelia asked, "why would Mr. Malfoy do this for her?"
"I don't know," Ginny quaked, wishing the floor would open up and swallow her. Now her family knew that Marcus Flint had tried to rape her, that Draco had tossed her body against a wall, that Draco had kept her in submission, and Draco's boot had given her the small white scar on her mouth. "I asked him to and he did."
"Why would he do that for you?"
"I don't know. We became friends. When he told me that it wasn't safe for me anymore, I begged him not to send me back to the dungeons, and he said he'd send me somewhere safe. And he did. I went to stay with Luna and Narcissa."
There was a heavy pause, and then Dumbledore spoke up. "Ms. Weasley is giving you the correct account. She did allow me to search her memories, and there was no evidence of them being modified or erased. Mr. Malfoy also looked after her brother, Percy Weasley, as much as he could, at Ginny's request." Dumbledore looked straight ahead and continued. "While there is no doubt that Mr. Malfoy, as he says, is guilty, I do believe that he changed. Ms. Weasley and Ms. Longbottom are proof of that."
"What caused you to change, Mr. Malfoy?" Amelia asked.
"I love her," Draco said clearly. "I didn't want anything to happen to her."
Ginny felt as though her very bones had melted from her body. He loved her. He did. She wanted to laugh and cry and scream.
"Very well," Amelia Bones said, glancing at Draco. He sat still in his chair, the chains clasped around his arms, staring blankly ahead. "The Wizengamot will convene in one hour to give the verdict."
The courtroom immediately became noisy and Ginny jumped from her chair and knelt in front of Draco. "Are you okay?"
"Not really," he replied, surprising her.
"The Veritaserum has not worn off," Dumbledore reminded her gently.
"I love you," she whispered, as two Auror's came forward to escort him from the room.
"I love you too."
Ginny bit her lower lip and let the tears spill from her eyes. She was afraid to face her family, afraid for them to know what had really happened to her while in prison. She turned to leave, but her mum was there, scooping her into her arms.
"It's going to be alright, baby," she told Ginny, her voice tight. "It will be fine."
"What if they don't let him off? What will I do?"
"Harry and Ron have a large say so in the verdict. They'll do what's right."
"But did you see Ron? He looked like he was going to explode."
"He didn't know honey. He didn't know those things."
"Mum?" Ginny looked at her mother.
"Yes dear?"
"If he does get pardoned, can you forgive him?"
Mrs. Weasley remained silent.
"Because I already did."
Her mum reached out her hand and traced the tiny scar on Ginny's lip. "I'll do my best."
"We're going to get a quick bite to eat, Gin," George told her, stepping up. "Come with us."
"I'll stay here," she shook her head.
"You should go dear," her mum insisted. "It's after 1, and you hardly ate at breakfast."
Ginny apparated with her brothers to the Leaky Cauldron, where they picked up several sandwiches. The twins were unusually quiet and for once, Ginny was grateful.
"You okay?" Fred asked, squeezing her hand as they waited for their order.
"No," she said flatly.
"Gin . . ."
"I don't really want to talk about it anymore."
"Can I ask you just one thing?"
"Sure," she answered wearily.
"Why are you doing this to yourself?"
"Because I love him."
"But I don't . . . why?"
"That's two questions."
"Why then," George joined the conversation.
"I don't know. Why do you love Katie? And why do you love Angelina? I don't know why, but I know I do."
The hour passed treacherously slow, and when the Wizengamot finally filed back in, Ginny nearly fainted with anticipation. She watched as Draco was brought in and Narcissa squeezed her hand.
Amelia Bones cleared her throat and stood to her feet. "After listening to the testimonies given, and speaking with our Auror's, we are ready to vote. All those in favor of a guilty verdict, raise your hand."
Ginny closed her eyes. She couldn't bear to look. Narcissa's grip on her hand tightened.
"All those in favor of a not guilty verdict, please raise your hand."
Her grip increased.
"Very well. Draco Malfoy although you are by no means innocent, you are hereby cleared of all charges."
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