Chapter Text
Of all the places Hermione Granger had thought she would be by the age of nineteen, sitting in front of the Wizengamot preparing to give a statement about and testify in favor of Draco Malfoy's release was not one of them. Though, to be fair, about this time last year she hadn't fully believed that she would make it to nineteen. Being on the run from the darkest Wizard in recent history with Harry Potter, that same dark Wizard's mortal enemy, tended to make one question whether one might survive to see their next birthday. So, in the grand scheme of things, Hermione supposed testifying to keep her childhood bully out of prison was not an entirely strange position to find herself in. She resented it, though.
She was cognizant enough to understand that her resentment was entirely due to and aimed at herself. The Death Eater trials had started less than a week after the Battle at Hogwarts and had stretched on for so long that Hermione had found herself swearing off attending or paying attention to any further proceeding. She would not testify against another Death Eater and watch them sneer and snarl at her, as if they weren't the animals in a cage. She had promised herself after Dolohov's trial that she wouldn't step foot in the Ministry of Magic ever again. The Wizengamot Chief Warlock, Elias Hodge, had chosen that trial - the trial of the man who left her viciously scarred at just sixteen years old, both physically and mentally - to brutally cross-examine Hermione until she had nearly been in tears. The Minister (bless the ground Kingsley walked on) had to interfere, after Harry had rushed out in the second hour of Hermione's cross-examination, to implore him to interrupt the questioning. She had walked out of the Ministry that day, swearing never to return. And, until now, she hadn't.
So here she was. About to tell that same body of wizened witches and warlocks why they should release Draco Malfoy. The decision to testify on his behalf was something that she had battled with since the announcement had come out that his trial had been scheduled. On the one hand, he had made his bed and he damn well could lay in it. He might not have murdered, tortured, or seriously maimed anyone, but he had certainly opened the door for or stood aside to allow others to do so and had caused numerous people pain. But, on the other, Hermione couldn't get a particularly potent image out of her head: an image of a terrified, in over his head, desperate boy the night of Dumbledore's death. It was the same look he'd had when he refused to identify she, Harry and Ron at the Manor. She had seen it again during the Battle, when he had taken his wand back from Harry before Apparating Zabini, Nott, Parkinson, Goyle, and his mother out of the war zone in a feat of magical strength that she was still rather impressed by. It had still been there when he'd reappeared back at Hogwarts, defying every expectation she'd had of him fleeing to safety, and calmly allowed Kingsley to lock him up in the Hogwarts dungeons. The image had haunted her for the last eight months, two of which had passed since Malfoy's trial date was announced, until she had given in, and signed on to provide a statement.
Looking around the nearly empty gallery of the Wizengamot High Chamber, Hermione frowned. The warlocks and witches were all seated along the High Bench at the front of the room. A raised witness box with a stiff-looking chair currently sat empty on the wall to the right of the High Bench. The cage for the accused was located in a sunken space in the center, the five meter area around the cage was empty. Then came the gallery in which Hermione currently sat. Row after row of bleacher-style seating, almost all of which were currently empty. She saw no barrister, either for the Wizengamot (what she thought of as the prosecutor) or for Malfoy. Surely the infamous Malfoy fortunes hadn't been so run dry that Malfoy couldn't afford a barrister? Even so, wasn't he entitled to defense counsel anyway? After a moment of quiet contemplation (and wondering if she had been watching one too many American legal dramas), Hermione recalled Harry telling her, after he had testified on Malfoy's behalf on the first day of his trial, that Malfoy had opted to forego legal counsel, against the urging of his mother. Speaking of his mother... Narcissa was the only person, other than Hermione, currently in the gallery. Hermione supposed that the charges against Malfoy (sedition, aiding and abetting murder, aiding and abetting kidnapping and imprisonment, aiding and abetting torture, the use of the Unforgivable curses, accessory to murder, and accessory to destruction of property) weren't sufficiently juicy enough to have the reporters circling, at least not at this point of his trial. She assumed that the press believed judgment against the young Malfoy was all but set in stone. He'd be found guilty, he'd go to prison for decades, and that was that.
Well. She intended to defy that expectation, come hell or high water. Hermione didn't have time for further contemplation as the Wizengamot was called to order and Malfoy, bound and gagged, was brought into the room and placed in the little cage before the High Bench. Several feet to her right, Narcissa's stoic expression fractured as she saw her son. For herself, Hermione was shocked, though she aimed to keep her face carefully neutral. She had not seen Malfoy since the Battle. He had looked thin then, but it was nothing compared to now. He was a waif. White-blonde hair filthy and matted, scruff dominating what she could see of the lower half of his face through the mask he was in. The only thing about him that seemed truly alive were his eyes. Bright and quicksilver, they scanned the room once, passing over his mother and pausing briefly on Hermione, before he was locked into the cage, facing the Wizengamot.
Chief Warlock Hodge tapped his wand once on the bench in front of him, activating a room-wide Sonorous, as he began. "The Wizengamot is now in session for day eight of the trial of Draco Malfoy. As we have every day since this proceeding began, can the Chief Secretary please read off the charges?"
Hermione glanced over as Percy stood, scroll in hand, and began reading through the charges Hermione had memorized. When he was done, Percy glanced up towards her with a reassuring smile. Though he had been unable to help her prepare her statement, given that he was intrinsically involved in the trial, he had been quietly encouraging over the last several days as she psyched herself up for her testimony.
"Thank you, Mr. Weasley. It is the Wizengamot's understanding that there is only one, final witness on the schedule for today." Hodge's dark gaze swept up from the papers in front of him, landing on Hermione with an irritated quirk of one brow before he continued. "As such, following the conclusion of testimony, Mr. Malfoy will be allowed ten minutes to speak in his own defense. The Wizengamot will then vote and the verdict will be read. Does the accused have any questions?" Hermione rolled her eyes (internally, of course). Even if he had questions it wasn't like he was free to speak them, not through the mask that she could tell, even from here, was digging into Malfoy's face. She shuddered, thinking how terribly uncomfortable he must be.
"Very well. Ms. Granger, please take a seat in the witness stand." Hermione rose on steady feet and, ignoring Narcissa's curious gaze, the heavy weight of Malfoy's stare, and the Wizengamot's clear interest, she strode to the witness box and took her seat, posture rigid. After being sworn in, she prepared herself mentally, calling on the scant bit of Occlumency she knew. She couldn't afford to get emotional. Malfoy couldn't afford it.
Junior Chief Hestia Lewis, who was slightly above and to Hermione's left, addressed her first. "Ms. Granger. Please allow me to state, on behalf of the Wizengamot, that we are pleased to see you back. It was our understanding that you would no longer be offering testimony against any Death Eater after Antonin Dolohov's trial." Hermione's eyes narrowed. Clearly, they had not been informed that she would be speaking on behalf of Malfoy and the bastards were likely salivating over the details they hoped she would divulge. But Hermione had been playing this game for months now, despite her self-imposed Ministry embargo, and she knew how to play her role.
"You are correct, Junior Chief Lewis. I did say that I would no longer be testifying against any charged or convicted Death Eater. However, I am not here to testify against Mr. Malfoy." The simple statement shouldn't have caused a shockwave to echo around the chamber, but it did. Malfoy, who had fixed his gaze on the wall behind the Chief Warlock when she had taken her seat, whipped his eyes (the only thing he was capable of moving in that God awful cage) towards her, brows lowered over suspicious eyes. Narcissa was openly regarding her with interest now and every member of the Wizengamot, save for Percy, had some mixture of incredulousness and outright hostility written collectively across their faces.
Hodge broke the lingering silence. "You are here, Ms. Granger, to testify in favor of Mr. Malfoy?"
"That is correct, Chief Warlock." She smiled at him, showing all her teeth. She supposed one might call it a leer.
"I do not understand." His face colored, a slight pink tinge she suspected would deepen to his signature purple before long.
"I'm unsure what might be confusing for you, Chief Warlock. Mr. Malfoy is accused of several crimes and faces thirty years in prison. He has had several witnesses testify, either in his favor or against him. I am merely one more who will be offering testimony."
"In his favor."
"Yes, Chief Warlock."
Hodge was glaring at her over the rim of his glasses, mouth set in a frown. He sat back with his arms crossed and nodded towards her. "Very well, Ms. Granger. I understand you have prepared a statement, though, clearly, no-one on this panel was provided with a copy. You may proceed." Hermione smiled at the hostility in Hodge's tone. She had very purposefully "lost" every letter from the Wizengamot requesting a copy of her statement.
"Thank you, Chief Warlock. As this panel knows, my name is Hermione Granger. I fought alongside countless others against Voldemort and his Death Eaters. I witnessed, first hand, what he and his followers were capable of. I know from experience how heartless, brutal, and unforgiving they were. I have seen Dark Marks sunk so deeply into forearms that you would think they reached to the bone. I have been spectator to callous acts of hatred, to gleeful acts of terrorism, and to insane acts of violence. All of these in the name of or on behalf of Voldemort. What I have not seen, what I have never seen, is Draco Malfoy instigate, of his own free will, any action that could or should be attributed to his supposed support of Voldemort. Specifically -"
"You provided an oath and were sworn in immediately before offering your statement, were you not, Ms. Granger?" Hodge interrupted her, as she knew he would.
"Yes, Chief Warlock."
"And part of that oath was to tell the truth, correct?"
"Of course, Chief Warlock." She smiled again, knowing that her apparent laissez faire attitude would enrage him more than if she herself were to become angry, to show any frustration.
The grin he gave her was so condescending it took everything in her body not to chuck her shoe at him. "And yet you just lied."
"That is not correct, Chief Warlock."
"Do explain, Ms. Granger, how offering testimony that Mr. Malfoy did not instigate any action in the name of Voldemort is anything but a lie."
"Certainly. I did not offer any testimony that Mr. Malfoy did not instigate any act in the name of Voldemort."
"Ms. Granger, you just -"
"My testimony, Chief Warlock, was that he did not instigate any act of his own free will." She cocked her head to one side with a sweet smile. "The distinction is rather important, both in form and in substance, Chief Warlock. Surely you would not want to have my sworn testimony misrepresented?" She waited one beat, then two, and watched as the pink tinge slowly gave way to a flush of red, creeping up the old man's neck with carefully concealed glee.
"As I was saying, Mr. Malfoy was under the age of majority throughout the entirety of the events of our Sixth year. Specifically, each and every act he committed while a student at Hogwarts, until July of that year, which was when he turned 17, was as a minor. By this Court's own rule of law, a minor cannot be held responsible for acts committed while ostensibly under the care of an appropriate, of age, witch or wizard. Any act committed while such a person is a minor is considered to be one condoned by, and the responsibility of, the primary parent of the minor. This includes purposeful acts, as well as accidental."
"That law was enacted to keep parents of underage witches and wizards, those who have not yet reached an age to possess a wand, from allowing their children to run rampant with their magic." The red flush was now creeping up Hodge's jawline.
"Excuse me, Chief Warlock, but that is not what the law says." Hermione shuffled through the folder of papers she had brought with her, though this was mostly for show. She knew the law forwards and backwards. "Per the language of the opinion in Wizengamot versus Catalee Higgs, 'a minor is one who has not reached the age of majority.' That opinion goes on to hold that 'any magical act committed by a minor while in the custody or control of a parent or suitable guardian, who is of age, will not be attributable to the minor, but to that minor's primary parent or suitable appointed guardian.' Age of majority is identified as seventeen years old." Hermione set the paper down, fixing faux-innocent eyes on Hodge, who was now turning a distressing shade of purple. "This opinion was written by you less than three years ago, was it not, Chief Warlock?"
"I do not answer your questions, Ms. Granger. You answer ours."
"Of course, Chief Warlock. Allow me to correct my mistake. I know that you wrote this opinion, as it is signed 'Junior Chief Warlock, E. Hodge, all sitting warlocks and witches concurring.' Forgive me, Chief Warlock, I am not a member of the Wizengamot and am unstudied in the intricacies of this panel's administrative practices," she certainly was not, but that was neither here nor there, "but 'all concurring' seems to indicate that every sitting witch and wizard on the Wizengamot panel approved the language and the definitions provided within the opinion."
Nobody spoke. It seemed as though nobody was breathing. Malfoy was staring hard in her direction, the crinkle in between his eyes the only clue as to his feelings. She didn't know him well enough to interpret the look, and so ignored him to continue addressing the Wizengamot.
"Therefore, per this panel's own law, any act committed by Mr. Malfoy before the age of seventeen were acts not of his own free will. Or, at the very least, ones that cannot be attributed to him in terms of fault or responsibility. This precedent, in conjunction with the fact that it has been stipulated to by this panel that Mr. Malfoy was acting out of pure self preservation, both for himself and his mother, necessitates that the specific charges of use of an Unforgiveable curse, accessory to the murder of Albus Dumbledore, and accessory to destruction of property be dropped in their entirety."
Lewis, for the first time since addressing Hermione at the start of her testimony, was the next to speak. "While this might be true of the charge for use of an Unforgivable, the accessory charges include acts committed after Mr. Malfoy turned seventeen, Ms. Granger."
"There has been no evidence of any kind offered that suggests, let alone proves, that Mr. Malfoy was an accessory to murder or destruction of property."
"He was at the Battle of Hogwarts, was he not?" This was from Augustus Pickley, a stout middle-aged man who looked as though he bathed in hair gel and Ogden's.
"Yes, Mr. Pickley. However, were this panel to charge each individual who was at the Battle with destruction of property, you would never get another vacation. Members of the Order, myself included, took part in the Battle and caused at least some of the damage to the Castle and grounds. I have not been charged with destruction of property, nor has any other Order member. Nor, if my memory serves me," (it did) "has any other Death Eater that has otherwise been convicted by this panel."
"Malfoy Manor, an ancient home, was also partially, if not wholly destroyed." Pickley countered.
"'Malfoy' is right in the name, Mr. Pickley. Should the Malfoy family wish to lodge a complaint against Mr. Malfoy for destruction of property that is their right, however no such charge has been made. Mrs. Malfoy is just over there, I'm sure you could check with her to verify that."
Pickley didn't bother glancing at Narcissa, but continued to watch Hermione out of beady eyes. "Very well, Ms. Granger. Assuming arguendo that the accessory charges and the use of an Unforgivable charge are, as you are essentially saying, moot, there remains the charges of sedition and aiding and abetting to murder, torture, kidnapping and imprisonment."
"Yes, Ms. Granger. Mr. Malfoy was very much of the age of majority when Mr. Olivander and Ms. Lovegood were kidnapped and held in Malfoy Manor against their will. Mr. Malfoy was certainly over the age of majority when Charity Burbage was murdered in Malfoy Manor. And Mr. Malfoy was certainly over the age of seventeen when he committed acts of sedition against this Ministry." Hodge's voice boomed unnecessarily loudly as he slammed a hand on the Bench before him. Hermione willed herself not to wince. Loud noises tended to startle her still. "This farce of a statement will end."
"Excuse me, Chief Warlock, but I am entitled to finish my statement. And I would like to correct the three specific errors in the listing of remaining charges."
Before Hodge could open his mouth, Secretary Leonna Burbage addressed Hermione with fire in her eyes. "Please do explain, Ms. Granger, how aiding and abetting the murder of Charity Burbage is excusable." Hermione supposed she should have been expecting this. Leonna was Charity's aunt, after all.
"You will never hear me say that the murder of Professor Burbage is excusable, Secretary Burbage. It would be a lie. According to the statement provided by Pius Thicknesse before he was subjected to the dementor's kiss last month, Bellatrix Lestrange was responsible for the capture and torture of Professor Burbage. She, according to the statements previously provided in this and other trials, acted alone and in an effort to, and I'm quoting Thicknesse's testimony now, 'stay within the Dark Lord's good graces following the abysmal failures of both Lucius and Draco Malfoy.'" She held up the bound copy of Thicknesse's trial transcript, in the event she was asked to produce the statement. "Furthermore, Professor Burbage was murdered by Voldemort personally before... I'm sorry Secretary Burbage, I do not have to continue." She noted with real regret that Leonna had tears in her eyes.
"No. Keep going." Hermione had to give the woman credit for staying mostly composed.
"Certainly. My point is, again per this panel's own laws, the accused must have specific intent to facilitate the commission of another's crime. By all accounts, the Malfoy family, including Draco Malfoy, were blacklisted by other Death Eaters after Professor Dumbledore's death at Professor Snape's hand. They were not, according to the testimony provided by Lucius Malfoy, Antonin Dolohov, and Alecto Carrow, consulted or otherwise allowed to participate in any Death Eater mission until Narcissa Malfoy was instructed to check whether Harry had died in the woods. Furthermore, Mr. Malfoy did not participate in the death of Professor Burbage. He was, unfortunately, a witness to her tragic death. This does not make him guilty for her murder by extension."
"Be that as it may -"
"Respectfully, Chief Warlock, this may go faster if you allow me to just finish my statement."
Hodge closed his eyes and made a visible effort to settle himself. The worrying color in his face, however, remained. "Go on, Ms. Granger."
"The same arguments regarding the remaining aiding and abetting charges apply. Mr. Malfoy did not participate, facilitate, or engage in any torture, murder, kidnapping, or imprisonment. Both Mr. Ollivander and Luna have testified to this. Their kidnapping, torture, and imprisonment was done in his home. This does not, in and of itself, signal intent, knowledge, or approval, particularly when you consider that the Lord of Malfoy Manor was not Mr. Malfoy but was, at all relevant times, Lucius Malfoy. As far as the remaining charge of sedition is concerned I will simply say that as of the Summer of 1997 there was no Ministry of Magic for which Mr. Malfoy could have committed sedition against, as Voldemort had full control of the Ministry at that time. Furthermore, the crime of sedition was abolished by this panel in 1848, which begs the question why such an allegation is being made against Mr. Malfoy." Hermione took a deep breath before moving into what was, arguably, the worst part of her statement. The emotional appeal. She was ass at emotions.
"Regardless of the legality of charging someone with a crime that has been abolished in Wizarding Great Britain for roughly 150 years, and as I said when I began my statement, I know how heartless, callous, and brutal Death Eaters can be. I saw it and experienced it first hand." Unconsciously, her hand moved to hover over her forearm, where still tender and inflamed skin was hidden by the long sleeve of her dress robes. "Malfoy, while perhaps misguided and misled by his father, who he should have been able to trust, isn't any of those things. It is evident in the way that he damned his soul for the sake of his mother's life when the Mark was forced on him. It is evident in the way that he refused to commit murder, refused to participate in the torture of those unable to protect themselves, and refused to engage in any meaningful way at the final battle. It is evident in the way that he refused to identify us to Bellatrix, even when both she and Voldemort subjected him to the Cruciatus Curse, as Narcissa testified. You only have to look at his arm to know that he never did any of it on his own free will. His Mark is raised, red, and raw." She didn't know this first hand, but had had Harry sneak her a picture of Malfoy's mugshots before she had agreed to testify. "You can pull any Death Eater from Azkaban right now and see how a Mark that was truly accepted, truly wanted, looks. And you can see how different it is for Draco Malfoy. He is not what they wanted him to be, and he is not what you want him to be. To contemplate putting a teenager in prison for thirty years for charges that are, at best murky and, at worst outright contrary to all applicable law, is heinous in the extreme. Draco Malfoy is not his father. He is not his aunt, or his uncles or any of their friends. He was a child soldier on the wrong side of a war and he should not be punished for the acts he was forced to do in order to save his life and the lives of the people he loves."
"Like you, Ms. Granger?" Hestia Lewis was regarding Hermione out of twinkling eyes, hands steepled in front of her chin. The interruption was so unexpected, the question so strange following her last statement, that Hermione didn't immediately register the implication behind the question.
"I - I'm sorry? What?"
"I'm asking you if Malfoy saved you because he loves you? I suppose I am wondering if there is a relationship here that we all had been previously unaware of, which would explain your rather impassioned defense of Mr. Malfoy, as well as how you know the intimate details of his Mark." She waved her hand between a caged Malfoy and Hermione, still on the witness stand.
By all rights, Hermione's jaw should have been on the floor. She was so flabbergasted, so bewildered as to how Lewis had come to that particular conclusion that she simply gaped, open mouthed, at her for several moments while her brain went into overdrive, trying to sort through it all. Any person with access to Ministry files could have seen Malfoy's scar. And it wasn't in any sort of "intimate" location. What the hell sort of game was she playing? While Hermione's mind raced, Lewis took her silence for an admission and continued, now with a cautious note in her voice. But it wasn't Hermione she was addressing any longer.
"I believe, fellow Wizengamot members, that we should proceed with all due care. It is one thing to sentence a person to Azkaban on these specific charges. It is quite another thing to send Hermione Granger's partner to Azkaban on the evidence we have."
"Hestia -" Hodge began with a growl, clearly not appreciating the apparent dissension in his ranks.
"I am not offering my verdict yet, Elias. I am merely stating that if there is a relationship here, it needs to be considered carefully."
Hermione, who had used the brief back and forth to get her thoughts in order, considered the Junior Chief Justice's words. She knew that there was the very real risk, despite her testimony and Harry's testimony, that Malfoy would end up in Azkaban. The evidence against him, the collective memories of the wizarding world, and Malfoy's lack of speaking in his own defense was... not great, all things considered. He would go to prison. Perhaps not for thirty years, but for some period of time. He had already been there nearly eight months and looked like a ghost. There was no telling how another extended stent would effect him. Hermione had walked into the courtroom intent on keeping Malfoy out of Azkaban, and she had been prepared to use every weapon in her proverbial arsenal to achieve that goal. But she hadn't considered this. Although she despised the moniker, she was the Golden Girl. The Brains of the Golden Trio. One of Harry Potter's closest and most trusted friends and allies. Exceptionally close to the sitting Minister for Magic and powerful in her own right. If her name, her fame, and the fear that she would somehow retaliate against the Wizengamot for sending her... boyfriend? Ugh. Her boyfriend to prison on the evidence they had... well she could probably work with that. A fake relationship, in the grand scheme of things, was nothing, really. Lying to them, and winning, would damn near be a pleasure.
She glanced briefly over at the Malfoys. The son was glaring daggers at her while his mother was looking at her out of wide, pleading eyes. The look on Narcissa's face was clear: do whatever you have to. Hermione gave her a slight nod before narrowing her eyes menacingly at the caged Malfoy, silently willing him to just go with it, before turning her eyes to Percy, who nodded once without quite meeting her eyes. She took a deep breath before interrupting the continued bickering of the Wizengamot.
"Yes, Junior Chief Lewis." She sent a prayer to Merlin, asking not to be caught in the lie.
The bickering stopped at once as all eyes turned to her. Lewis addressed her after only a moment's hesitation. "Excuse me, Ms. Granger?"
"In response to your last question. Yes, I believe Mr. Malfoy did not identify us, did not actively or willingly participate in any of the crimes alleged against him because, at least in part, of his feelings for me. We... I - well, we had been seeing each other, you see. Before the war. Secretly, of course. Given... given everything" The words tasted like acid and she was sure the glare Malfoy had leveled at her was burning a hold through her skull.
Hodge scoffed audibly before speaking. "Do you seriously expect us to believe that you, Hermione Granger, and that boy there," he pointed a thick finger in Malfoy's direction, "were in a secret relationship at Hogwarts?"
"I do not expect you to believe anything, Chief Justice. I am merely responding truthfully to questions asked of me, per the oath I gave when I sat in this chair." She half expected a bolt of lightening to strike her down for the blatant lie.
"You were in a relationship with Draco Malfoy?"
"Yes."
"When did this relationship begin?"
"April of Fourth year." The date was pulled out of her ass. She had no idea what she would say if they asked her the circumstances. What was in April? Easter? Sure.
"And you kept this relationship a secret, from everyone?"
"Yes."
"Why would you do that?"
"Other than the obvious fact that my best friends would have had simultaneous aneurysms, you mean? Well, things were starting to look quite dark, Harry was convinced Voldemort was getting stronger (a suspicion that turned out to be correct, of course), and Mr. Malfoy's parents would have been... very displeased to learn of our relationship."
"When did your relationship come to an end?"
"It did not."
"Now, Ms. Granger, be serious. You are telling this panel that you were in a relationship with Mr. Malfoy during the year in which he actively attempted to commit murder and did, in fact, commit atrocious crimes against your House mate, Katie Bell; your best friend, Ron Weasley; and Madame Rosmerta? That you maintained a relationship with him while you were forced into hiding because of his overlord?"
"I won't answer either of those questions, Chief Warlock. As I have previously stated, the allegations of his acts during Sixth year are the responsibility of his primary parent and/or his chosen guardian at Hogwarts. Furthermore, I did not say we maintained a relationship while I was on the run. We did not end things, though over eighteen months apart was not easy."
"Who would the acts of his Sixth year be attributable to then, Ms. Granger?" She breathed a sigh of relief that they were moving past the whole secret relationship during a war thing.
"Well, Chief Warlock, as I am not a member of your esteemed panel I could not offer an opinion on who should be at fault. However, given that Mr. Malfoy was under the age of majority I would assume his primary parent, Mr. Lucius Malfoy, would bear some responsibility. Or, since many of the alleged acts were on Hogwarts grounds I would look towards Professor Snape as his head of house. Or Professor Dumbledore as head of the school. Though, as they are both deceased that may be a touch difficult. Perhaps the Board of Governors?"
"That's quite enough cheek from you, Ms. Granger."
"I am merely responding to your question, Chief Warlock."
Hestia interrupted the increasingly tense exchange. "This is certainly something that we will consider, Ms. Granger. But you must understand that a teenaged dalliance will not -"
"It was not a dalliance. He proposed before he took the Mark. I said yes." Fuck. Double fuck. Triple fuck shit damn where had that come from? The Wizengamot erupted, previously silent members coming to their feet and gesticulating wildly between Hodge and Lewis, or between Hermione and Malfoy. Percy was one of the only ones who stayed in his seat. He was looking at Hermione with a mix of respect and reproach - a rather odd combination to witness. Hermione merely shook her head and waited for the panel to remember themselves. When several minutes passed and the arguments on the High Bench still raged, Hermione chanced a glance over at the Malfoys. The blonde man was staring at her with so much thinly veiled loathing Hermione felt smothered by it while the mother was staring at her in open wonder. There was no reason for the Wizengamot to accept this. What sort of people, children, no less, got engaged at sixteen years old? She wasn't even entirely sure when Malfoy had taken his mark. Would he have still been fifteen? She was in such deep, deep, shit.
"Enough!" Hodge's loud voice, accompanied by a series of bangs from the end of his wand that caused Hermione to flinch back violently in her seat, silenced the chamber and everyone in it. "The Wizengamot will take a brief recess to consider this new information. The witness will step into the witness room. Those in the gallery shall remain. The accused will be sent to holding." Another sharp bang echoed around the chamber and Malfoy's cage began to lower into the ground. The last thing she saw of him was his glittering, rage-filled eyes and the top of his shaggy head before the ground swallowed him. She stood, on legs significantly more shaky than they had been when she'd taken the stand, and proceeded into the little room behind the witness stand. Once safely inside, she ensured the door was firmly closed before closing her eyes and steadily began beating her head against it.
"Stupid. Stupid. Idiot. Dumbass. Absolute. Fucking. Pillock." She leaned her forehead against the door, sliding down until she was on her knees. How the fuck was she going to get out of this bloody mess?