Chapter 20
The Wizengamot chose not to question Edward Roebuck further and the minister called the end to testimony for the day. The next day was Hermione’s turn to testify. As the Weasleys and Edith eat dinner at the Burrow and discuss the next day the biggest question still was Veritaserum.
George asked, over dessert, “Is there still a chance they’ll vote for Veritaserum? I mean, Beaumont was the ring leader of this and he’s been outed as a wannabe Death Eater, who is going to go along with him now?”
Edith sighs, “Logically, I agree with you George. But there are other, pure blood, conservative members who want to know the same things as Beaumont. At this point, we can just hope for the best.”
After dessert, Edith asked Hermione to walk with her in the garden. “Hermione, I know we have gone over your testimony and I know you are ready. Tonight, I just want you to relax, snog that boyfriend of yours and get a good night’s sleep. You’re ready. I know it.”
Hermione nodded and smiled, “I feel ready Edith. And you’ve done such an amazing job defending me. Thank you so much.”
“It’s been my pleasure, Hermione, and we’re almost done. Just hang in there a little while longer.”
“I can, I know I can.” Edith patted Hermione’s arms gently as they walked in silence enjoying the quite of the garden.
“This is such a peaceful place,” Edith said, “You are lucky to have the Weasleys which I know you know.”
Hermione, misty eyed, agreed, “I know I am. I just hope I get to see my parents again.”
“You will, Hermione, I believe that.”
“But will they forgive me?” The biggest questions always hanging over Hermione. “Even if I am found innocent, even if I reverse the spells perfectly, my parents will hate that I used magic on them.”
Edith nodded, “I know what you mean, Hermione. After finding out I was witch, my parents were terrified of my magic for years. It started to pull us apart and I think it happens to more Muggleborns than most people realize. When I could prove to them that I only use magic for good, they came around but it was a process. I don’t know your parents, Hermione, but give them a chance. Let them have their feelings, let them be angry if they need to but I believe they will come around. And if you need help, I’ll talk to them. Or even my parents would talk to them. But in the end, I have no doubt they love you more than anything and they won’t want to lose you.”
During Edith’s response tears started to fall from Hermione’s eyes and Edith hugged Hermione, like a big sister. “I’ll help any way I can.” Hermione nodded.
“Thank you.”
Ron saw Edith hug Hermione and worried that something was wrong. But as the women started to walk back towards the kitchen door, with Edith’s arm around Hermione’s shoulders he saw they were smiling and his tension eased a bit.
When they entered the kitchen, the women smiled at him and Edith gently placed Hermione in his arms.
“Remember what I said about tonight and I’ll see you in the morning.” Edith said her goodbyes to the other Weasley’s and exited via the floo.
Ron and Hermione stayed in the kitchen, “You ok, love?” Ron asked.
She smiled at him, “Yes, I’m ok.”
“So what did Edith say about tonight?” He asked lightly.
She giggled, “She said I should relax, snog you and get a good night’s sleep.”
“Well,” Ron smirked, “If your solicitor recommends a snog, we really should follow her suggestions. She’s been brilliant thus far.”
He wrapped his arms around her waist and nuzzled her ear making her smile. “You know me, I follow the rules.”
He grabbed her hand and led her up the stairs and even though everyone in the lounge saw them sneak away, no one commented on it.
***
The next morning, Edith led Hermione through the press crowded in the Atrium with the help of Ron. After Ron’s testimony, news of their relationship was all over the press and he insisted on being by her side on this of all days.
The room seem more crowded than any other day, people obviously interested to hear from the accused. Harry and the Weasleys made sure to sit close enough so they could be in Hermione’s eye line which she was thankful for. Edith squeezed Hermione’s hand and said, “You’re ready.”
Hermione nodded and when the Minister called her name, she walked to the witness chair with more confidence than she actually felt. It was now or never.
Edith asked Hermione many of the same questions she asked her in their initial interview. Why did she use Memoria Impedimentum Sempiterne? When did she learn it was illegal? Why use that spell when Oblivate could have been enough? Hermione answered the questions honestly and tried to control her emotions without seeming stiff. She hoped she was doing a good job.
“Hermione,” Edith asked, “Why didn’t you go with your parents? You have maintained many times in this testimony that you love and respect your parents so why not go with them? The wizarding world, for all intents and purposes, hated you so why not escape with them?”
Hermione took a deep breath. “I considered it. The tides were turning against Muggleborns and I thought that if this world doesn’t want me, maybe I should go with my parents,” She looked at Ron and saw surprise on his face as she never told him or Harry she ever considered it. “But then I remembered my friends in this world who have always supported me. My friends and mentors who made me feel like I belonged. I remembered I loved this world and wanted to fight for it. And most importantly I wanted to fight for Harry; I made a promise to Harry and Ron and I needed to keep it. And in order to do that, I needed to protect my parents. Protect them from Voldemort and his followers and protect them from grief. If I couldn’t be with them, I needed to protect them.”
“Hermione, did you think you’d die during the war?”
Hermione took a deep breath, trying to keep the tears at bay, “I thought there was a very good chance. As Ron said in his testimony, we knew we needed to protect Harry and the odds were definitely against us.”
“And you didn’t want your parents to mourn you?”
She dared a glance at Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, both with tears in their eyes but smiles on their faces. “I desperately wanted to spare them the pain.”
Edith nodded, “Of course. Do you plan to retrieve your parents?”
“Absolutely!” Hermione said with maybe a bit too much excitement. “I can’t wait to see my parents again. I miss them terribly.”
“And I am sure they will be thrilled to see their daughter again.” She smiled. “That is all, Minister.”
“Thank you, Ms. Cumberland. Now I open questioning to the members of the Wizengamot.”
Shockingly, no one spoke up right away, her testimony having touched them. But then a voice called, a female member who Hermione learned was Abigail Stone. “I, for one, would like to know the nature of this “mission” from Dumbledore that caused Ms. Granger to harm her parents and hide.”
“Mrs. Stone, the nature of the mission has been explained by myself and Ronald Weasley; we needed to keep Harry Potter safe so he could defeat Voldemort.”
“Ms. Granger,” Stone replied with distrust in her tone, “That sounds like a simplified answer.”
“Maybe it does but it is the truth.”
Stone huffed but didn’t respond. Another Wizengamot member chimed in, Holly Knickerbocker, Hermione knew she had a personal relationship with the memory spell she used.
“Ms. Granger, you may know that in the first war, my father was the victim of the Memoria Impedimentum Sempiterne curse. I was removed from his memory and the coward who used it on my father died weeks later, so it could never be reversed. They did this to him because he dared to support Dumbledore. Though it broke my heart, I was proud of him for standing up for what was right not what was easy. So, I must ask this important question. Ms. Granger, did you use Memoria Impedimentum Sempiterne on your parents because they didn’t approve of your decision to leave school and go on a secret mission with your best friend and boyfriend?”
“Absolutely not.” Hermione answered.
“Did your parents insist you come with them into hiding and in anger and frustration did you turn your magic on them?”
“Of course not.”
“You did this to keep them safe?”
“Yes. I love and respect my parents and I would never hurt them. And I would never use my magic on them in anger.”
Knickerbocker nodded. Charles Beaumont had enough of this pandering to Granger and spoke up.
“Ms. Granger, your parents did not have a subscription to the Daily Prophet so how did they stay up to date on the goings on in the Wizarding World? Especially with such a well-known daughter?”
“They did during my early years at Hogwarts but, well, I suggested they stop after the lies they wrote about Sirius Black. And they agreed.”
“That is quite convenient, isn’t it? In your fourth year didn’t Rita Skeeter expose your very, shall we say, dramatic personal life. I’m sure your parents wouldn’t like reading about their daughter’s relationships with famous wizards while enjoying morning tea.”
Hermione tried not show her annoyance on her face, “My parents know me and they know any stories like that were nonsense, which they were.”
“No, Ms. Granger, your parents knew you, now they don’t know you exist.”
“Minister, is that necessary?” Edith interrupted.
“Mr. Beaumont,”
“Yes, yes, I’ll move on. So were your parents ignorant of the state of our world or did you tell them?”
“I will not deny that I did keep the extent of the problems in our world from my parents.”
“If you loved and respected your parents as much as you claimed, why would you keep this from them? Didn’t they deserve to know what was happening? Or did you think they weren’t smart enough to understand?”
“My parents are both brilliant.” Hermione responded sharply and then took a deep breath to restore her composure. “In retrospect, I should have been honest with them. But at the time I feared they would pull me out of Hogwarts. And I’ve never been happier and belonged more than when I was at Hogwarts and I didn’t want to leave. So, I decided not to share the truth with them and keep my correspondence to my grades which was always important to them. I won’t try to justify my decision because I know it was wrong. But I do love and respect my parents, I always have.”
Beaumont glanced at other members of Wizengamot, saw little outrage on their faces and he knew if he didn’t push for Veritaserum he would never get what he wanted. And what he needed was the attention back on the actions of the Golden Trio and off of his.
“Minister, I would like to call for a vote for the use Veritaserum. I believe there is more information that Ms. Granger with the help of her solicitor is evading. If we knew what the Dumbledore mission truly was, I think we would learn that her cursing her parents was much more calculated and conniving and less about love and respect.”
Hermione looked at Edith but the calm face she was showing calmed Hermione immediately.
“Alright Mr. Beaumont, show of hands for all in favor of the use of Veritaserum on the defendant?” Beaumont’s arm shot up but only 6 other members raised their hands, far from the majority needed. Ron sighed with relief and looked at Harry who was doing the same.
“Veritaserum denied. Are there any other questions for the defendant?”
Beaumont seethed but already knew it was over. No one spoke up so the Minister announced that Hermione was free to return to seat next to his solicitor.
“Any more witnesses, Ms. Cumberland?”
“No sir.”
“Alright, the Wizengamot will retire and discuss. Please do not leave the Ministry unless you hear from us.” With that he stood and the other members followed, leaving the chamber.
Ron walked to Hermione and hugged her, “You did an amazing job, love. Really.”
She smiled and melted into the hug. Harry and the Weasleys joined them.
“I suggest we wait in my office,” Mr. Weasley, “Who knows how long we’ll have to wait.”
Mr. Weasley guided the group to hid office and Mrs. Weasley pulled out snacks for everyone. Though everyone kept telling Hermione she did an amazing job she could not shake the feeling that she’ll still be found guilty. Ron could feel Hermione’s body tense and he pulled her closer.
“You ok?” He asked.
“I just can’t shake the feeling that it’s not going to go my way.”
“Why? It all went really well.”
“I know but I just can’t shake this feeling.”
Ron gripped Hermione’s elbow and led her into the hall outside his father’s office. “It’s ok to be nervous, love. You’ve been through so much and the emotions are running high. But know this, no matter what happens, you have me. And the two of us together is strong enough to handle anything.” She smiled up at him, with tears swimming in her eyes. She was amazed, again, that she was lucky enough to find a friend and a boyfriend who loved her this much.
“Thank you, Ron,” she said as she hugged him and buried her face into chest. “I don’t know what I would have done without you. And I don’t just mean over the last few weeks; since that troll in the bathroom, I don’t know what I would have done without you.”
He stroked her hair and kissed the top of her head, “Oh, Hermione, you would have been fine. But, if you’ll have me, you won’t ever need to know life without me.” It was a bold proclamation; sure they had been friends since they were eleven and they held feelings beyond friendship for years. But, in reality, they had only been together a matter of weeks. Ron, though, did not regret what he said, he believed every word.
She looked up at him with a smile, “You have me, Ron. You’ve always had me.” He cupped her cheek and leaned down capturing her lips. It was soft and gentle to start but soon the anxieties of the day seemed to melt away as the kiss deepened. Ron gently pushed Hermione toward the closest wall as her hand ran through his hair, never breaking their kiss.
Then someone cleared their throat, “Really Ronald,” Percy scolded, “In the hall?”
Hermione avoided Percy’s eyes but Ron simply smirked. Percy wanted to be annoyed at his brother’s behavior but he just couldn’t. He was proud of Ron and how he had matured so he simply rolled his eyes and said, “The verdict is in. We need to head back down.”
“Already?” Hermione said, “It’s been just over an hour.” Percy simply nodded.
“Is that a good or bad sign, Percy?” Ron asked.
“It’s hard to say,” Percy replied and returned to the rest of the family.
“Ron,” she pleaded, grabbing his wrist, “What if this is the last time I see you as a free woman?”
Ron leaned her against the wall again and kissed her. It was a mixture of urgency, fear, lust but most importantly love.
“You have me, never forget that.”
“I love you, Ronald Weasley.”
“And I love you Hermione Granger, always.” He took her hand and led her back into her father’s office, their entire future hanging in the balance.