A/N: Thank you all so much for your continued support! I have a small warning for you: I'm moving to college in 11 days and am not sure when I'll be able to update. College is a new adventure for me and it may take a while to get adjusted. I'll have time to update on time next week but after that I'm not so sure. I hope to continue and finish this story soon and want you to know that I have every plan to do so. It just may take me a while.
Disclaimer: Harry Potter isn't mine.
Enjoy!
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Magique
Chapter 13: Devil Take the Hindmost
"They did what?!" Hermione asked, fuming with rage.
"They confiscated his invisibility cloak." Ron repeated glumly.
"So now there's not even a chance…" She trailed off.
Ron shook his head. "I'm sorry, Herms. You know that Sirius would get it back if he could but the Court-Ë®
"Would question his motives and his right as king if Harry got caught." She cut in sharply. "I know." Her tone softened. "He would do many things if the Court wasn't breathing down his neck. Gods, even when they're not here they're still screwing everything up!"
Angry tears began to well up in her eyes but she pushed them back. It was the day of her trial and Harry was supposed to have come down with Ron today in his invisibility cloak that he inherited from his father. It was to have been their one last meeting before she was to be tried in front of the Court. But the corrupt assembly seemed to find a way to take one of his most prized possessions until the end of the trial. The only reason they knew about the devise in the first place was because King James had used it to spy on enemies when he ruled. He had to clear it through the Court before being granted permission to use the cloak. It was common knowledge that he had passed it on to his son and now they saw fit to take it away.
Hermione and Ron were sitting on the stone floor, facing each other with serious expressions. He had come down every day at different increments to give her the latest updates and to check in on her. He was the official liaison for the Order who, after hearing of Hermione's current situation, had been hard at work trying to find a solution. She was blown away by the kindness that they were showing her but, unfortunately, kindness didn't find them answers. Even the members who had experience in the political aspects of Hogwarts didn't know what to make of her situation. All of the rules regarding dark magic had been rewritten after the war, it seemed. What they did know, though, was that Hermione had been set up and whoever had done it knew exactly what they were doing.
"It's not fair." Hermione breathed, pressing her forehead against the cool metal of her cell. "All we needed was five minutes…"
"Is that how long it takes?" Ron asked with a smirk.
Hermione looked up and reached to shove him through the bars, hiding a laugh. "Five minutes to talk, you swine."
"A swine, am I?" Ron asked, amused. "Well that's a new one."
"I've had time." Hermione said halfheartedly.
Ron frowned. "You still have some."
"Not much." She responded dully. "I have until noon and judging by the amount of times the clock has chimed, that's not far."
Ron looked meaningfully at her. "We're going to find-Ë®
"It's too late, Ron." Hermione said, her voice hallow. "All I have going for he is my innocence. After that, it's all up in the air."
"We're not going to let them hurt you."
"I know." She said, smiling softly.
Ron pursed his lips. Though the odds weren't in their favor, he knew that Hermione would easily slip the death sentence. After a day of research, they had learned that it was customary to use Veritaserum on all accused persons during a trial. There was no way the Court could escape that one. Harry especially had been relieved. Ron didn't think that his friend would have lived with himself if Hermione was to be executed in his name. But that still left the option of many different punishments for being accused of dark magic. The Court would not only judge Hermione's position, but her honor and moral decency.
Harry had been a walking ghost for days, not getting any sleep to the point where he became snippy with everyone the further they got from a solution. Ron didn't tell Hermione this because he knew she would only make herself sick with worry and guilt. He tried not to mention Harry at all for fear that she would become relined and distant. He kept their conversations comforting and professional, knowing that she appreciated the forwardness and ease of his visits. He also brought regular regards from his family and the Order, all telling her not to worry.
"Hey," He said, remembering something. "I got a letter from Ginny today. She sends her best and threatened to decapitate each member of the Court if they punished you. Thought that might cheer you up a bit"
Hermione genuinely smiled for the first time that day. "Good `ol Ginny. I take it she can't make it to the trial."
Ron shook his head. "She wants to but she is in the middle of some big project or another. She also mentioned something about maiming one of her professors for not deeming the trial important enough to skip a few lessons."
Hermione breathed a laugh through her nose. "Sounds like the countryside hasn't changed her."
"Unfortunately." Ron said, his nose scrunched up.
Hermione rolled her eyes.
The dungeons remained quiet after that. The short-lived normal conversation had reached its end and the weight of the trial pressed down on their shoulders like an invisible anvil. The truth of the matter was that there was nothing else they could say. In just a few minutes, the clock would strike noon and the guard at the top of the stairs would come to escort her to the grand ballroom where the Court would be waiting. All they had to do now was wait. But the silence only strengthened the pressure that was squeezing Hermione's lower abdomen. Though there was nothing left to say, she needed conversation to take her mind off of the impending minutes.
"Say something." She said in a whisper.
"What do you want me to say?" Ron asked.
"Anything." She answered. "Talk about the weather. Tell me Fred and George's latest contraption. Anything."
Ron looked thoughtful for a moment while he searched for a topic. This may well be their last conversation - he had to make it count. He knew the perfect thing, but also knew it would be sore on them both; the perfect distraction.
"Remember the few weeks we were, you know, together?" He asked.
"Ron…" Hermione said warningly. He looked at her meaningfully and she sighed. "Yes."
"I just wanted to let you know that… that I told Harry."
Hermione's already tight stomach clenched into a painful knot that almost made her double over. "You what?"
"I told Harry the night before he came into your chambers." Ron said, relieved that she was reacting in such a way. At this rate, they wouldn't even hear the clock chime.
"Ron you - you had no right to tell him about that!"
"No right? Hermione, I had every right!" He shot back at her. "He deserved to know."
"That still doesn't mean you should have done it." She said quietly.
"Just because you wanted to keep it a secret from him doesn't mean that he shouldn't know. He would have found out eventually."
"How do you know that?" She asked icily.
He gave her a level glance. "It's one of the few secrets you've kept from him. You would have told him eventually." He wanted to add "especially now" at the end but knew that she got his meaning. If circumstances hadn't been compromised, he had no doubt that they would know each other inside and out, including their past affairs.
Hermione pursed her lips. She knew he was right but it still made her feel ill. It had been a long time ago and she almost forgot at times because she and Ron were so close now. It had been a mutual breakup after Harry had come back for them, though it was an impending one all the same. Hermione was wracked with guilt because she knew what they were doing had been wrong. Though at the time she didn't know exactly why but she had a feeling that Ron did. She thought they were betraying Harry - that she was betraying Harry. Of course, she hadn't truly accepted her feelings for him until recently or began recognizing them at all until after the war, but she knew that they had always been there.
It had always been Harry.
She locked eyes with Ron and knew that he was thinking the same thing. He spoke quietly. "I know what you're thinking and you're right. I knew you were in love with Harry back then but I was too selfish to end things because, well, I loved you too much." Hermione exhaled a long breath. "But after a while the guilt ate me up inside and I knew we had to stop because neither one of us was happy."
"I'm sorry, Ron." Hermione said. "I'm just as guilty as you are. I agreed to it to feel like I was worth something but just ended up feeling even emptier. I used you as much as you used me. There's no need to blame yourself and… and I'm sort of glad you told Harry before I could. The lack of bruises tells me that he didn't take it too hard."
"Oh he did." Ron said gloomily. "Just not physically. I can see him battling with it every day." He debated whether or not to go on, knowing that he would only worry Hermione. He knew that they didn't have much time, however, and that caused him to press forward. "He's a mess, Herms. He's worked the hardest out of any of us to save you and it kills him inside knowing that you're in here and he can't see you. I try to bring him news about you and he just stares at me blankly, knowing that I've seen you and he hasn't. He's a broken man without you."
Hermione felt tears well up behind her eyelids. She didn't expect anything less. She had been a mess without him, so why should he feel any different? A selfish thought, surely, but she knew it to be true on some level. Hearing about it from Ron made it all the more real. She wished she was there with him and that she had access to books so she could help. But she was useless down here, only serving as the fuel behind the machine.
"I-Ë®
"It's time."
Ron and Hermione both looked at the guard who sported a hard face. They exchanged sad looks and stood up, Ron moving to the side so the uniformed man could unlock the door. Hermione stepped forward and the guard yanked her arms so she stumbled forward.
"Hey watch it!" Ron said angrily. "She's still the Lady Hermione."
The guard acted like he didn't hear him and continued about his business. He pulled a pair of charmed handcuffs from his pocket and locked them around her wrists. She felt the cool metal press against her skin along with the soft hum of magic. She had seen these cuffs used before on previous prisoners. They were charmed to resist any magic so that the prisoner had no way to escape them. Not that Hermione had any intention to - it would only add to the number of things that Court had against her.
She allowed the guard to pull her forward roughly, Ron's protests following them up the stairs. She was thankful for his concern but knew that this was customary treatment to all who resided in the dungeons. Why should she be treated any different?
They reached the ground level and Hermione was hit with the bright rays of sunlight pouring in through the windows. Her eyes squinted at the change of surroundings. She had forgotten how much she missed the sunlight. She wished, however, her first glance of it in days would be under different circumstances.
She glanced behind her to see Ron was directly behind her. She smiled softly at him, silently thanking him for being here. She could barely feel the rough tugging of the guard ahead of her, knowing that she had her friend trailing behind. They reached the entrance hall and she could hear the crowd's building voices a few yards away in the grand ballroom. Her mouth went dry and she had a desperate want for Harry's warm hand in hers. He always knew the right moment to hold her hand.
She didn't have time to pout or stand in front of the double doors to gather up her courage. The guard in front of her continued to lead her through the entrance hall and directly into the grand ballroom. All at once the loud hum of conversation dulled and every pair of eyes turned to her. She searched desperately for a familiar face. Instantly, her eyes made Harry's and warmth spread through her body. But that warmth soon turned cold when she saw how tired and worn he looked. His skin was pale and he had familiar dark circles under his eyes. His smile, though, was warm and comforting and she returned it wholeheartedly.
Harry was surrounded by members of the Order and other familiar faces she had seen around the castle. She was sure she had spoken to all of them at one point. She recognized a few members of the cooking staff that she had run into while getting a midnight snack, a maid named Sally who had cleaned her chambers on multiple occasions, and two butlers that were brothers, Stephen and Alexander. They had always been so kind to her and she to them. Although she couldn't help but wondering if they were here in her defense or to see her brought to justice.
She also noticed that Clara and her mother were there, which didn't do much to lighten her mood.
The guard stopped and she looked forward to see that she was in front of a small raised platform. Directly ahead of that was a long table atop a similar platform, though this one was raised much higher. She guessed it was for intimidation purposes. She looked up and saw Sirius sitting in the middle, his formal occasion crown places atop his dark mop of hair. To his right and left were different members of the Court, most of them giving her looks with narrowed eyes and upturned noses. One smile from Sirius, though, made all the scowls disperse from her mind.
"Ms. Granger, take your place atop the defendant's platform." A court member she recognized as Xenophilius Lovegood said kindly. He was one of the few without a frown, though she thought it was because he was incapable. She had never seen the Ravenclaw representative without a dreamy expression which made him the most mysterious of the members. No one ever knew what his true emotion was.
She obliged the blonde's command and stepped onto the platform. There was a bar along the front side that reached just above her stomach. She gripped it with her cuffed hands and looked at the Court with what she hoped to be a stony expression. She couldn't show her fear. It would only give them a sick satisfaction.
"Hermione Jane Granger you are charged with the use of dark magic against Prince Harry James Potter. How do you plead?" Sirius asked, looking at her with a serious expression.
"Not guilty, your grace."
Sirius nodded, writing something down. After a moment, he looked up and spoke across the room. "Bring forth the Veritaserum."
Hermione heard footsteps behind her but refrained from looking. She kept her line of vision straight and only glanced down when she heard the footsteps stop in front of her. A small servant boy was carrying a velvet pillow with a glass goblet filled halfway with what seemed to be water.
"Please, drink the potion, Ms. Granger." Sirius said formally, gesturing to the goblet.
Hermione unclenched her fists from the bar and reached down to grasp the goblet in both hands. She put the glass to her lips and let her eyes flicker over to Harry. He was looking at her with a flicker of something in his eyes. That something made her stomach well up with warmth and she removed her eyes from his, drinking the liquid in the cup. It tasted sweet in her mouth and she gulped the entire amount. After she finished, she set the cut back down on the pillow and stared each one of the Court members in the eye.
"Ms. Granger, did you use dark magic on Prince Harry?" Sirius asked.
"No." She said quickly.
He nodded and turned to the other members of the Court. "I think we can call this trial-Ë®
"Not so fast, your highness."
A movement on the left side of the table caught her eye. A Court reprehensive from Hufflepuff who she didn't know the name of held one of her special handkerchiefs in his hand. It was white with her initials sewn in baby blue thread and was one of the only things she had left of her mother. She had it in her pocket the night they were murdered.
"Ms. Granger, does this have any meaning to you?"
"Yes." She responded automatically
"What is it?"
"A handkerchief my mother gave me."
"And why was this found underneath the Prince's pillow four mornings ago?"
"I don't know."
"Surely if this has any importance for you, it wouldn't be anywhere but in your own chambers?" One of the Slytherin representatives, Lucius Malfoy, asked condescendingly.
"It was in the laundry." Hermione said easily. "Not all handkerchiefs can stay clean all the time."
"You could have used a spell to clean it." Malfoy said matter-of-factly. "A simple spell such as that can't be far from your extensive repertoire?"
"My parents were Muggles." Hermione answered. "I tried cleaning it with spells but it just didn't feel right. I wanted to honor them and wash it delicately with all of my other clothing I send down there."
"Are the laundry maids aware of this?" Amos Diggory, a Hufflepuff representative asked.
"Yes."
"Then it seems clear that we should be questioning the laundry maids and not Ms. Granger at this time." Sirius said. "She clearly does not know anything about the dark magic used on Harry and is just as much of a victim as he."
"But we must question why she was used as a pawn in this scheme, your grace." A Ravenclaw representative Hermione didn't recognize said. "Why would the culprit try to blame Ms. Granger?"
"She is one of Prince Harry's closest friends." Sirius said, looking at Hermione meaningfully. "It would not be unheard of if an attack was blamed on her or Lord Weasley for that matter."
"Love enchantments are tricky things, your highness." The same Ravenclaw representative said. "Most do not work unless there are actual feelings involved with one of the parties. Whoever committed this crime targeted Ms. Granger for a reason."
His gaze fell on her and she stiffened. His cool gray eyes observed her for a moment before speaking. "What are your feelings for Prince Harry, Ms. Granger?"
All eyes were on her once more and the sting of Veritaserum opened her mouth and spilled out the answer. "He is one of my oldest and dearest friends, your grace."
"Do you love him?"
"Of course."
"Are you in love with him?" He asked pointedly.
She felt sweat seep down the back of her neck. She tried to bite her tongue but it was numb with the effects of the potion. She couldn't admit that! Not in front of the entire Court!
Not in front of Harry. Not like this.
Her mouth trembled and her fighting soon proved to be unsuccessful. She opened her mouth and answered as if she had planned the words all along. "With all my heart."
There was a collective gasp throughout the room. Whispers began to circulate and Hermione couldn't resist the urge to look over at Harry. He was looking at her with an open mouth. Though she knew that it wasn't news to him it was still a very inconvenient place to hear it said, especially if they had not admitted it to one another.
"Silence!" Malfoy called, banging his fist on the table.
The room quieted and Sirius spoke before any other member of the Court could intervene. "Clearly, the perpetrator knew what they were doing when they targeted Ms. Granger. The fault is not her own."
"I agree." Xenophilius Lovegood said, twirling a medallion he was wearing around his neck.
"I second." Amos Diggory said, raising a hand for effect.
Hermione felt relief begin to spread in her muscles. She tried not to let it affect her stance, though she desperately wanted to sink to the ground and let out a long breath. She knew that more than half the Court remained. Even though three of the members expressed their want for her release, it didn't mean they all did.
"I have to disagree." Malfoy said. Hermione narrowed her eyes at the slimy Slytherin as he began to elaborate. "Ms. Granger is innocent by all accounts, yes, but now her true feelings have been put forth in front of the entire Court. Her feelings could easily be channeled for use once again and we would be forced to question her right to the title of Lady if she poses such a threat to both herself and the Prince."
"That's codswallop!" A voice she recognized to be Ron's yelled from the audience.
"You will not speak out of term, Mr. Weasley. You may have a title but you are still not a member of this delegation." The nameless Ravenclaw said coolly. He turned back to Malfoy. "Continue, Lucius."
"I was quite finished, your grace, but thank you for the sentiment." He said, nodding at the Ravenclaw politely. "All I propose is that it should be taken into account that Ms. Granger is a viable threat, though not through her own doing. Measurements should be taken to rid her from the kingdom."
"Your concerns are touching, your highness, truly." Sirius said, though Hermione could sense mocking in his tone. "But any number of the Prince's past or future suitors could pose an equal threat, even the future queen of Gryffindor. I do not see reason to punish only Ms. Granger."
"I do not see a ring upon her finger." Malfoy said, gesturing to Hermione. "A ring and title of queen offers many protections from such things. But since Ms. Granger has neither, it should be said that she will continue to pose a threat."
"Are you suggesting that the Prince should propose to her for her protection?" Sirius asked.
"I am suggesting no such thing." Malfoy said. "Who am I to forcefully marry two young people?"
"I wouldn't put it past you. Arranged marriages are common in Slytherin." Sirius said with a deep frown.
Lucius nodded. "That they are. I mean no harm in saying that Ms. Granger's position is compromised and it is of no fault of her own. The heart wants what the heart wants." He looked at her with a fake smile and she glared at him.
"Enough of this nonsense." The other Slytherin representative said. "Let's put it to a private vote."
"I agree." The nameless Hufflepuff representative said. "This requires further private discussion."
Sirius sighed tiredly but nodded. "This trial will hold until the Court returns with its final verdict."
With that said, each member of the court left their seats and disappeared into a room behind the raised platform. Before Sirius left, however, he shot Hermione a quick wink, letting her know that he was going to keep fighting for her.
The room buzzed with voices as soon as the Court dispersed. Hermione saw two guards come to sand on either side of the podium and she sighed in frustration. She turned around and saw Harry looking at the guards in distaste. He wanted to see her. But now was more dangerous than ever when they brought up new accusations that Hermione had never even thought of. She had never once, not in her hours of deep thought, expected her feelings for Harry to be twisted against her.
It seemed that the Order didn't either, because they were all in deep conversations with each other. Ron h made his way over to Harry and looked to be trying to comfort him. It didn't seem to be working as the deep line of worry never left Harry's forehead.
Hermione's eyes met his and he tried to smile for her - tried to convey that everything was going to be okay. But Hermione could see that he was only trying because even he didn't know what was going to happen. Sure, they both hoped everything would turn out okay, but there wasn't a certainty. And in a situation like this, certainty was the fine line between hope and hopelessness.
The half hour that the Court was absent was the longest of Hermione's life. With no one to talk to, she spent the time observing the grand ballroom and the people within it. Harry and Ron never parted from one another, or more like Ron didn't let anyone come within an inch of Harry. Not even Clara was allowed into their conversation, something that made Hermione happier than it should. Elizabeth kept mostly to herself but engaged in light conversation with the people around her, a polite smile never leaving her delicate features.
When the Court returned, all conversation halted immediately. Each of their faces were frustratingly passive. They all took their seats except for Sirius, who had the burden of delivering the verdict. The king of the kingdom always did. He looked around the room, and then settled for looking at Hermione. She couldn't read his expression from her position, another unfortunate effect of the Court's raised platform.
"We, the high Court of Hogwarts find the defendant, Hermione Jane Granger, innocent on the charge of dark magic." Relief spread through Hermione's body but was soon put to a halt when Sirius continued to speak. "But the threat posed by her relationship to Prince Harry is too poignant to ignore. The proper action, as chosen by the Court by vote, hereby sentences Ms. Granger to be banished from the kingdom of Gryffindor indefinitely."
Hermione's blood ran cold.
"NO!"
Harry's voice carried through the hall in a deafening scream. Hermione turned to see him making his way through the crowd to get to her. Just as she made a move to follow his lead, one of the guards on the side of her podium grabbed her and kept her from running to him. The other followed suit so that one of each was hooked onto her elbows.
"Seize him, he's obviously still enchanted!" An unknown voice shouted in Harry's direction.
Harry was only a few feet away from her when two guards grabbed him. They both struggled against the guards and screams of protest began to well up in Hermione's throat.
"HARRY!"
"HERMIONE!"
Harry tried pulling away from the guards and began to shake them off. Hermione struggled similarly until they were within inches of each other. Hermione took this as her chance, knowing that this may be the last time she was this close to him. She used all of her strength to lean into him and whispered in his ear.
"I love you."
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