Hermione swung her legs over the cot bed, stretching her limbs and trying to rub a knot out of her neck. The bed had been stiff, causing her muscles to ache this morning, but somehow she felt rested. It was as if she'd slept better than she had in years, calmed somehow by an outside presence. She looked down then at the stuffed bunny in her hand. Funny, she didn't remembering bringing it the previous night.

Suddenly, she remembered everything; the questions, the cell, leaving Rose behind. At the thought of Rose her head dropped to her knees and she wrapped her arms around her legs, ready to give in to a good cry.

"Hermione Granger?" a guard called. "You have guests."

The barred door swung open then and in walked Harry, Ginny, Arthur, Molly, Ron and Lavender. Hermione suppressed a groan at the sight of Lavender, though she supposed the girl would be the least of her worries that day. Ginny sat down next to Hermione on the cot and handed her a fresh cup of tea, and Hermione smiled in thanks.

"What's going to happen?" Hermione asked as Harry sat on a bench across from her.

"We're going into the formal trial soon. It'll be tough, but I know the presiding head. He should be fair."

Hermione nodded, noticing Harry looked like he hadn't slept in days. They all did actually, except maybe Lavender.

"Where's…"

"Rose is at home with Bill and Fleur," Ginny answered quickly, before Hermione could finish her question. Hermione let out a sigh of relief, and then eyed the group around her. She knew the tests they'd performed on her last night had something to do with Rose, but she wasn't sure how much was revealed.

"Hermione, we know," Harry said. Hermione's eyes darted up to his then, and she knew they were both thinking about the same thing.

"Yes, dear, they say there's something about Rose," Molly said delicately. "That perhaps you're not her mother."

Hermione took her time looking at each of them carefully, like a caged animal at a zoo might eye the intruders watching it from outside the glass. She shook her head softly no, telling them she wouldn't speak on the subject.

"Great, well I'm glad we got that all cleared up," Lavender said sarcastically. "You know, we are trying to help you Hermione."

"I can take care of myself, thanks." Hermione pulled her knees closer as she said it, knowing she was doing a poor job of convincing anyone of that fact. But she wouldn't take pity, least of all from Lavender Brown. She was Hermione Granger, for goodness sake. She helped kill Voldemort, she was the cleverest witch of her age. She'd lived three years with a burning secret and a mission that would have seen Lav-Lav collapse after one day. She could at least handle this.

"Mr. Ron," a high pitched male voice squeaked. Hermione looked up to see one of the officers who'd checked her in passing by her cell.

"Smidgehorn," Ron said distractedly.

"You know Mr. Ron, if you want to sleep here again, you just let me know," Smidgehorn continued. "I can at least get you a blanket and pillow, you must have been freezing sleeping on the floor like that."

"That won't be necessary Smidgehorn, thanks."

Hermione looked at Ron, confused. He had slept here? Outside her cell? All night? Ron was looking resolutely at the floor, the tips of his ears turning telltale red and his arms crossed tightly against his chest.

"You spent the night here?" Lavender said, half whisper and half hiss.

"Can we talk about this later?" Ron begged quietly. "In private?"

Lavender huffed and turned to leave the cell.

"I'll be in the trial room," she said loudly. "I'm sure you'll all be joining me in there soon." She stared pointedly at Ron as she turned on one heel and exited.

"The Wizengamot won't be so tough after her, huh?"

"Ginny," Ron shot back, "please?"

"What?" Ginny asked innocently. "Just trying to lighten the mood."

The group began readying themselves to leave as well. Molly and Arthur both hugged Hermione and told her to keep her chin up. Ginny embraced her tightly and whispered in her ear that they would all be out there for her, then left herself. Hermione turned finally to Ron and Harry, not sure what to say to them.

"It will be all right Hermione," Harry said, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Do you believe me?"

Hermione nodded as Harry hugged her, then she whispered in his ear.

"Remember…"

"I remember, protect Rose," Harry replied, letting her go. "But you've got to stop being so cryptic."

Harry left then with one backward glance at Hermione and Ron, left by themselves in the cell. It was the first time in three years they'd been alone together.

"I won't let anything happen to you, Hermione."

Hermione looked in his eyes and held her breath. His stare was so earnest, so sincere. She knew he meant it, and it killed her.

Ron made a move as if he were going to embrace her then thought better of it, instead reaching out to grasp one of her hands in his own. He caressed her fingers slowly, back and forth. It was the first time he'd touched her since she'd been back, and it was intoxicating. But it wasn't enough. She wanted to fling herself at him, wrap her arms around him and bury her head into his chest. She wanted to sob to him, beg him never to let her go, plead with him to do whatever it took to keep them together.

"Ron," she said instead, removing her fingers from his hand. "Leave me alone."

●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●

Harry looked up from his seat in the stands as soon as the chamber doors opened. All the members of the Wizengamot and Mr. Trottle were already seated in the top space, and the only one left to enter was Hermione. Sure enough, there she was, being led in by a guard and looking defiant. Her chin stuck up in the air and he was reminded of a bossy little eleven-year-old. Still, all her strength aside, Harry saw fear in her eyes.

Hermione was brought to the center podium, where the guard took out a binding device and locked her hands to the podium.

"Is that really necessary?" Ginny huffed from his left. To his right, Ron stood tall and unflinching, his hands gripping the low guard rail in front of them as if he might rip it off.

"Please state your name for the record," Mr. Trottle called out loudly.

"Hermione Granger," she responded in a clear voice. The sound was small to Harry and he thought not for the first time that day how young she still was, and how much she had faced so far.

"Do you understand the charges brought against you?"

"No, I most certainly do not," Hermione responded, indignant. Mr. Trottle looked taken aback. He wasn't used to trouble this early in.

"What is the source of your confusion, miss?"

"There are no grounds for my holding here," Hermione replied, her chin still out. "There's no proof to anything I've been accused of, and I've not even been afforded council in order to defend myself."

"If you've done nothing wrong," Mr. Trottle said. "Why would you need council?"

Hermione narrowed her eyes at the man, as if he'd just asked a very idiotic question.

"I need council, sir, to properly defend myself against these untrue allegations. I've not been part of the magical world for some time and I haven't been given the proper materials regarding any new legislation."

"Why don't we just proceed with the questioning, and if we come to a bit you don't understand we'll see if I can't explain it to you."

Harry snorted. From the looks Hermione was throwing the Wizengamot, he had a feeling they'd be the ones get an explaining-to shortly.

"I understand you wiped the memory of one Ronald Weasley on 3 June, 1998. Is that correct?"

"No, that is not correct." Mr. Trottle looked surprised. "I did not wipe his complete memory, I removed certain details and used a fidelius charm to keep aspects of my personal life a secret."

"Yes, and can you tell me precisely why you did this?"

"I was an overwhelmed young girl, ill equipped to face challenges before me," Hermione said crisp and clearly, almost as if it were a practiced speech. "It was an immature decision, but I assure you not one motivated by malice."

"It's all right, she's doing okay," Ron whispered, looking almost hopeful, even though Hermione's words were basically describing how she had run away from him. Harry shook his head at his friend, he didn't think they were out of the woods just yet.

"And can you tell me the nature of your relationship with the young child known as Rose?"

"I'm her mother." Hermione's tone was final, as if not willing to speak further on the subject.

"Yes, but our tests show that not to be the case."

"I'm her mother," Hermione reiterated. "Your tests are wrong."

"If that's so, why didn't you have her accounted for in the national wizarding registry upon her birth?" Trottle looked triumphant here, thinking he'd caught her in a corner she couldn't escape from.

"My daughter's father is a muggle and I've lived as a muggle for three years, with no intention of returning to magic," Hermione said slowly, her face set. Ron let out a breath and looked down at his hands.

"My child has displayed no aptitude for magic whatsoever," Hermione continued. "For all intents and purposes, she is a muggle."

Trottle paused here, studying his gavel as if taking in all the facts he'd just heard. He gave Hermione a long, hard look, then leaned forward to speak again.

"It's a very nice story, Miss Granger, but unfortunately I'm not buying into it." Trottle motioned toward a man in the back and the officer stepped forward, carrying a small bottle on a silver tray. Harry watched Hermione study the tray, and could tell the exact moment she realized what was in that bottle.

"Harry," Ginny said urgently, pulling on his sleeve. "They won't… they couldn't."

Harry looked down as the man with the bottle got closer to Hermione. Next to him, Ron shifted, moving his hand closer to where his wand rested in his pocket.

"You can't use veritaserum on me," Hermione said in a grave voice.

"Oh but I can," Trottle replied merrily. "As you mentioned, you're not up to date on wizard law. Following the Great War, we enacted some special regulations for those thought to be co-conspirators to death eaters."

"We should have got Kingsley involved," Harry said quickly to the group around him. "I didn't realize how serious it had gotten."

Harry inwardly cursed himself. He should have been prepared for this. But he had no idea the amount of trouble Hermione was in. He knew anyone suspected of working with Shraxen and Willigsbee had been placed under extreme suspicion, true. But obviously Hermione had nothing to do with them, surely anyone could see that.

The pair had been under watch since the Ministry caught wind that they'd confiscated a certain Prophecy 472, one of the last known prophecies in existence. The prophecy spoke of a trio, and at first the investigating council believed it to regard Harry, Ron and some third, unidentified person. Of course, that was during the time when no one remembered Hermione existed. They would have certainly assumed it regarded her as well if anyone had remembered. Except even that wouldn't have made sense, as further research into the writing of the prophecy revealed the third party to be a child of some sort…

Harry froze, every nerve in his body standing on end.

"They can't give that to her." But it was too late. Harry watched in horror as a struggling Hermione was forcibly made to drink three drops of the potent veritaserum. Harry could almost feel the blood drain from his face. Hermione choked several times and gripped the podium in front of her, her head hung down.

"Now," Trottle said smugly. "Why don't we try this again."

Hermione glared back at him, her mouth clamped shut, as if she could forcibly will the words to stay inside her.

"The child we have been speaking of, what is her name?"

Hermione paused only half a second before responding, "Rose Weasley."

Hermione closed her eyes as several members of the public, who knew the name Weasley so well, gasped throughout the room.

"Is she a muggle?"

Hermione clearly struggled to keep her mouth closed, before blurting out "No."

Trottle looked pleased, settling himself farther back in his chair to get comfortable.

"Did you give birth to her?"

Hermione's eyes closed even tighter and her knuckles turned white on the podium as she struggled to stay quiet.

"No," she gasped finally, breathing hard from the exertion. Trottle looked intrigued and sat forward once more.

"So you've kidnapped her?"

"No, no I haven't, I swear," Hermione said desperately. Trottle looked on Hermione suspiciously, then his face settled in a more sinister expression.

"What do you know of two death eaters by the names of Jefferson Shraxen and Damius Willigsbee?"

"They were two followers of Tom Riddle, they performed heinous crimes, and they haven't been caught to date." Hermione said, gulping in air now that she could speak on a different subject.

"Indeed. And do you know anything about Prophecy 472?"

"I've heard of it," Hermione said, almost whispering.

"What's Prophecy 472?" Ginny asked Harry, worry across her face. Harry just shook his head and looked back to Hermione.

"That's interesting, Miss Granger," Trottle continued. "Very few have heard of this particular prophecy before. Is it possible this has anything to do with your little obliviating charm?"

"Yes." Hermione's answer was firm, though she immediately looked down after replying. Trottle leaned down low from his perch, clearly readying himself for the kill. He paused for dramatic flourish, making sure all eyes in the room were watching. He needn't have bothered, none of the spectators dared move an inch as they looked on in rapt attention.

"Why exactly did you obliviate Mr. Weasley?" Trottle asked finally.

Ron leaned forward next to Harry, craning his neck out to hear better. In fact, Harry could sense four sets of Weasley eyes now more focused following that question. Hermione struggled longer this time, trying to keep the words down. After three whole seconds, she replied, "I was told to."

"By who, Miss Granger?"

Hermione fought this time harder than the last, placing her forehead to the podium, looking as if she were trying to bite her tongue off rather than speak.

"Harry Potter," she called out at last, before falling to her knees. Her body shook from the experience and her hands and arms were still propped above her, cuffed to the top of the podium. There was a sudden spark of conversation throughout the room as the crowd reacted to the salacious news.

Somewhere behind him, Harry heard Lavender remark, "I can't believe Harry did that!" Harry turned quickly to Ron, who looked like he was considering whether or not to punch him. Harry shook his head viciously, trying to convey that he hadn't done this awful thing. Of course he hadn't, what would ever make him do such a.....he would never betray…

"Oh my God," Harry said suddenly, quietly looking to Ron and Ginny. "I know what she's done."

"Well then do something about it!" Ron said loudly, his voice lost in the sea of commotion going on in the trial hall. Down below, Trottle banged his gavel to demand silence. The room dropped to a hush once more and when satisfied he had his attention back, Trottle continued.

"Do you mean to tell me Harry Potter, savior of the wizarding world, told you to obliviate and tamper with the mind of his dearest friend?"

"Yes," Hermione said, still on her knees.

"And what would possess him to do such a thing?"

"It was important," Hermione replied, looking at Trottle now.

"Why?"

"Something bad would have happened."

Harry inwardly cheered, realizing Hermione was coming up with circular answers, replies that were technically true but didn't give anything away. Not even Hermione would be able to keep that forever, though.

"Yes, obviously," Trottle shouted, getting frustrated. "And what bad thing would have happened?"

Hermione flushed for a second, shoving her head far down to rest on her knees, before her head sprang up again, tears finally escaping her eyes.

"Someone would have died!" she shouted back at last. She shook back and forth while on her knees, trying to claw her way out of the bonds on her wrists. Finding no escape there she frantically searched the crowd, turning her face up to look for one person.

"Harry!" she sobbed miserably.

Harry was out of his seat in an instant. He hopped over the railing as if it were a low fence, then jumped over a second railing under that. Landing with both feet securely on the ground of the main floor, he rushed to the center podium and gathered Hermione up in his arms. Her body wracked with sobs and she buried her face in his neck.

"Potter, what is the meaning of this?" Mr. Trottle asked, banging his gavel several more times to regain order. Harry pulled Hermione away from him to look at her, great big tear tracks already taking shape on her cheeks and her whole face was red.

"Help me," she whispered quietly enough for only him to hear. He nodded in understanding and turned to the Wizengamot.

"Mr. Trottle, I know this is unorthodox, but this woman is my friend. This whole trial began when I initiated a mission to track her down. Considering my record with the department and the fact we've already given her veritaserum and know she can't lie, would you consider letting me complete the questioning?"

Trottle raised a skeptical eyebrow at Harry, looking unconvinced.

"Please sir," Harry said. "I think I can get the information we need out of her."

Trottle waved his hand in response, giving Harry the all clear to continue. Harry looked back at Hermione who was still trembling on the ground. He pointed a wand in her direction, conjuring up a chair.

"Can we get this removed, please?" he called out loudly, indicating the chain still around his friend's wrists. As he helped Hermione into the chair a guard came near and removed the cuff. Hermione rubbed her wrists and smiled at Harry appreciatively.

"It'll be okay," he whispered in her ear. She nodded in response, finally ready to trust him. She had no other options.

"Hermione," Harry said loudly so the whole room could hear him. "Is Rose Weasley your child?"

"Yes," Hermione replied strongly.

"Are you in cahoots with Shraxen and Willigsbee?"

"No," Hermione replied, louder this time.

"Did I ask you to obliviate Ron Weasley so that he might be harmed?"

"No."

"Would it be dangerous to reveal any more at this time?"

"Yes."

"Would it, in fact, put into danger those that you are trying so desperately to protect?"

"Yes," Hermione said with a sob, closing her eyes as she spoke and placing fingers to her forehead. Harry turned to look at her as he asked his next question.

"Hermione, would you ever do a thing to harm any member of the Weasley family?"

Hermione looked back at him, tears slowly falling down her face, and said passionately, "No."

Harry nodded at her and gave a terse smile, trying to convey to her that this was the end, she no longer needed to carry this alone. Turning slowly back to the Wizengamot, he addressed them once more.

"Mr. Trottle, obviously it would be dangerous to continue questioning at this time, the veritaserum doesn't lie. Seeing as how this deals with the Shraxen and Willigsbee case, a case I am currently heading, and taking into account my relationship with the accused, I ask you to release her to my care until further note."

Trottle paused with his gavel in the air, trying to consider the gravity of the situation. Finally, he let the gavel drop, nodding at Harry to take his friend away.

"I'll want a full update in a few days' time, Potter," he said as he gathered his things and released the rest of the Wizengamot. "Don't forget."

Harry watched as the officials left and the spectators bustled out the exits. He walked over to Hermione and looped one arm through hers, helping her stand.

"What now?" she asked, worried.

"We go home to the burrow," he said tersely. "We have a lot to discuss."

A/N: Thanks for reading and please vote and comment!