Taste

The sound of water dripping from the old pipe was all he could focus on as he stared at the brick ceiling. He wasn't sure how long it had been, as he had no concept of time. He closed his eyes and focused on the drip drip drip of the water. His cell was charmed to keep out any sound from surrounding rooms and hallways, there could have been others screaming and he would have never known.

He knew it was his fault he was here, not standing up for himself when Potter blamed him for the whole war and got him thrown in. Everyone had gone to that "trial", where no one spoke except Harry Potter and Minister Shacklebolt. They threw him in there without another thought. The only face he hadn't seen that day was the bushy-haired girl he believed hated him.

He wasn't fazed when he heard the cell door open, it was probably another guard dropping off spoiled food and water. He opened his eyes when he listened to a figure in front of him clear their throat. He pushed himself up as he stared at the figure before him. He wasn't sure who she was or why she was there, but she was.

He stared at her as she began to speak, "Mr. Malfoy, I'm here to take you for your trial." His brows furrowed as he listened to her words, didn't he already have a "trial"? "I had a trial. Why do you think I'm in here?" He scoffed before laying back again, staring at the ceiling before he heard her speaking, "Well, Miss Granger got you another. Now come on." 

He thought he heard the name wrong. There was no way Granger was the one that got him a second trial, he must have just misheard. He sighed before getting up, stretching his arms before following the lady out. He watched as she placed her hand on his shoulder before apparating them both to The Ministry, placing him in a cell as she stood outside of it. "Your trial will start in ten minutes. I'm not sure who has come to see the trial, but you will have a few visitors beforehand. I'll see you inside Mr. Malfoy."

He sat on the ground as he leaned his head back, soaking up the sunlight he hadn't seen in years. He quickly lifted his head as he heard the smooth, feminine voice he grew up loving, the voice of his mother. He sat up, staring at her as he just watched her lips move, he wasn't sure what she was saying but all he knew was that he missed his mother. His eyes darted toward the corner of the room as he saw three of his best friends, Pansy Parkinson, Theodore Nott, and Blaise Zabini. 

He couldn't remember the last time he had seen them all. The war happened and he stayed in his manor until a few ministry workers came to take him and his father, his mother was placed on house arrest and he and his father were placed into cells until their trial. During the trial, they were yelled at and just thrown into cells. 

He was placed into a cell at the ministry as he waited to be taken to Azkaban, he remembered the yelling of his name with some vial comment after. He wished he got to see his mother one last time, it was the one thing he wanted.

Now here she was. He moved closer to the bars, leaning into his mother's touch as she placed a hand on his cheek. He closed his eyes as he finally heard what she had been saying, the shock leaving his body as he listened to her. She repeated many times how much she missed her and how much she begged for this day. 

He stood up as his friends walked over, thinking his ears were playing tricks on him as Theodore spoke, "Hermione's got everything she needs for the trial, you're going to be free." Draco sat down on the floor again and closed his eyes. "I didn't think I would ever hear that word again." 

He let out a slight laugh, leaning his head back and opening his eyes. "Who's my lawyer though?" He turned towards his friends and mother before Blaise spoke up, "We told you, Hermione Granger." Draco furrowed his brows as he looked at him, "you're joking?" He watched as they shook their heads, he turned towards the wall slightly as his mind raced.

*****

Hermione had been working on this case for what felt like years, and it was. She started about a month after the original trial when she received a letter from Narcissa Malfoy, pleading with her to try and help. Everyone knew she had been studying law after the war, she had been for a year and then received the letter. 

She wasn't with Ron anymore after their disastrous wedding that she ran from before it had even started. She'd gotten too many letters from Harry and Ginny after that she'd gotten a letter from Ronald, a heartbreaking letter repeatedly asking what he had done, how he could fix it, and why she did it. 

Except he hadn't done anything wrong, he couldn't fix it, and she didn't completely know why she had done it. But she knew she couldn't marry him. She'd had a crush on him for almost as long as she'd known him. It just didn't feel right anymore, she felt more of a brotherly love for him than a romantic love. She didn't feel right marrying him, feeling his mother force a hairpiece in that held the veil, her bun was too tight, her dress was itchy, and the flowers kept making her sneeze.

She waited for Molly to go into the ceremony, waiting for everyone else to leave before she left. She ran until she reached her family home, she had bought it after the war to hopefully bring her parents back. She left the veil and hairpiece along the road, practically ripping off the dress as she tossed it to the ground.

That had been the most relieved she'd been in years, a few weeks later she found her calling, law. Seven months later she read about Draco's trial and how he had gotten thrown into Azkaban. She hadn't been talking to any of her old friends, she never knew about it. She read about how his father would be placed on a death trial, and his mother on house arrest. 

She pushed the paper away focusing back on her studies, she graduated from the wizarding law schools three months later, shocked after reading her name in the paper the next day. She'd received more letters from Harry and Ginny, and a short letter from Ronald saying he was happy for her, revealing he had gotten married a month before. 

She was happy for him, she didn't feel any form of jealousy or remorse after learning this. Only happiness for him. 

Two months later Hermione received a letter from Narcissa, begging her to help her son. She thought about it for a week before responding, agreeing to help. The next day she received a letter, thanking her repeatedly while giving her as much information as she could. 

Hermione started on the case a few days later, taking two years to gather as much information as she good, in those two years she fought with Harry multiple times as he told her Malfoy got what he deserved and he needed to just stay where he was. She continuously ignored him, fighting to get another trial before Minister Shacklebot finally agreed. 

She remembered the look on Harry's face when he heard the news, he was so unbelievably pissed at her, saying that if she did this he would never forgive her. She never quite knew why Harry hated Draco so much, other than the torment during school. But now they were adults, yes Draco had a mark on his arm that deemed him a death eater, but had he ever actually hurt anybody or worse, killed someone?

While yes no one knew who did what during the war, but they all did. She knows how many people she killed during the war and it still haunted her, but everyone had at least one. 

Today was when everything she learned during her law school days would come into hand. It wouldn't be her first case, she's had a few small ones throughout the years, but this was the one that mattered. 

Hermione had been sitting in a small office for an hour, occasionally being met by Narcissa, Blaise, Theodore, or Pansy. While the last three weren't as polite as Narcissa had been, they were equally grateful to her for helping their friend. She'd met with them each individually and them all together in a group. She took statements from their last year at Hogwarts, along with statements from before then.

She looked up when one of the Ministry workers walked into the office, she had been going over notes for the past hour. "We brought him, the trial will start in about ten minutes, Potter and Shacklebot want you there while the Wizengamot finishes getting ready." Hermione listened to her before nodding and thanking her, gathering her things before walking out of the small office. 

She walked down the hallway to the elevator, stepping in as she waited to be taken to the basement. She walked off once she was there and walked down the long hallway to The Department of Magical Law. 

She took a breath before opening the door and walking inside, being met with an instant glare from Harry. She walked to a small bench in the front where she knew no one would sit, setting her papers down before turning to the two. She listened as Shacklebot went over the legal proceedings, feeling Harry's eyes burn into her cheek as she tried to ignore him. 

She nodded as Shacklebot spoke again, "The Wizengamot will be coming in shortly, press and viewers will come in after, and then Malfoy will be escorted in. Mr. Potter will start and you will end Miss Granger. You'll be sitting there as you wait," she watched as he motioned towards the small bench her papers were placed on, turning back to him as he continued, "During the recess, you will each be allowed a conversation with Mr. Malfoy, while Potters turn Miss Granger will be allowed in the room to watch."

Hermione nodded as Harry began to say something about how that wasn't fair before she cut him off, "I would like to ask that Mr. Potter not bring up anything from years one through five of our time at Hogwarts like has previously. Nothing that happened then has anything to do with what happened after, as Mr. Malfoy had no part." She nodded once Shacklebot agreed before stating the Wizengamot would be inside in the next few moments.

She nodded before walking to the small bench, sitting down as she looked at the chair in the middle of the room, looking down at her shoes after, cursing herself for not wearing better suitable shoes for today. She had decided to wear something that would make her seem professional, a black pair of trousers with a white vest and black heels She wished she had worn her Mary Janes instead.

She watched as people began to fill the courtroom, watching the viewers and press walk in shortly after as a camera was flashed at her multiple times. She made eye contact with Ronald, looking to his side where his wife, Lavender Weasley, was standing. This was the first time she had seen him in years, and it felt like there was a weight lifted off her chest, 

She smiled as she saw Narcissa, slightly waving as she mouthed a thank you. Hermione nodded before turning to her papers as she organized them slightly. She looked up as Shacklebot asked everyone to stand, casting a charm to put a makeshift shield around the viewers. They could still hear, they were just now out of harm's way. 

She turned towards the door as a few guards walked in before Draco had. His hands and feet were in shackles as everyone just stared, instant flashes from the cameras going off.

She turned back to the Minister before they were told to sit again, she sat down crossing her legs as her eyes found Narcissa, giving her a slight nod before Harry started on a long spiel of how Malfoy was the worst person to exist, he caused the war, and he should have never been let out. Hermione rolled her eyes as she leaned back against the wall behind her, listening to Harry before quickly lifting her head as Harry stated, "I knew from day one that this man would do something as horrid as this, from day one when he bullied my friends and me, including his lawyer, Hermione Granger."

She scoffed as Harry turned to her before she stood up, looking at him and then at Shacklebot. "Excuse me, minister, I'm very sorry for interrupting but I thought we had agreed not to bring up anything previous to our sixth year at school. Because if we are, then I believe I might just win this case." She smiled before turning back to Harry, yes she might be a bit overconfident, but she had plenty to say from their earlier years at school.

She sat back down as Shacklebot reminded Harry that he shouldn't bring it up. She had refused to make eye contact with Draco since he walked into the room, how was she even supposed to look at him? With pity? Joy? Sadness? She had no clue.

She messed with her hands as Harry spoke, rambling about the same things over and over to "make his point". She yawned a few times before his ramble ended after three hours, Shacklebot called a recess and Malfoy was taken out before everyone else was allowed to leave. She walked towards the room they kept him in, knocking before opening the door as she finally looked at him.

"It's nice to see you Malfoy." She spoke softly, sitting down in a chair across from him as he spoke, his voice seemed drained to her somehow, "Wish I could say the same, Granger."