A Turn For The Better (Completed)

Forty seven

The seconds ticked on by, then minutes and all Shacklebolt seemed to be doing was dawdling about. It was as though he was unsure of what to do. We could only hope that he had at least some humanity left in him. Draco was pale, paler than usual, as was Cissa and I expected I was too.

"Well Mr. Malfoy, we have heard all we wish to hear from you. I will leave it to the Wizengamot to decide your fate." Said Shacklebolt as he nodded to his right. I would never forgive him if he sent Draco down.

The Wizengamot murmured between them. It was almost certain that they would declare Draco guilty. Why wouldn't they? They all hated the Malfoy's. They considered them as bad as Voldemort himself considering how well Lucius had served him. No doubt at some point, Draco may have bullied one of their kids, but that was childish stuff. What Draco was being charged with wasn't child's play. They may as well have told him that he was a murderer. Except that he wasn't, and they didn't know that, because they didn't know the real Draco Malfoy.

The murmuring began to die down, and my heart began to pound in my chest. This was it, this was the moment that they would ruin my life, our lives. I just couldn't understand how they could live with themselves if they carried through with what they were about to do, to take a young man's life away, either through incarceration or the other dreaded thing that I dare not think about.

A woman from the Wizengamot stepped to the front of the room. She was a tall thin woman, with a tiny nose and chocolate brown hair. I doubt she was too much older than me, early to mid-twenties I would presume. And I was very sure I would not forget her face, not if she said what I, and everybody else in the room, was quite certain she would say. She settled her eyes on mine. She almost looked sympathetic.

She cleared her throat and turned to Shacklebolt. I was trembling now, the tears had already started swelling up, the lump in my throat growing, constricting my breathing. I noticed Ginny looking how I felt, and behind me, Harry and Ron were unsettled. There was no need to even wonder how Cissa was feeling, she was worse than I. The three of us had a tight grip of each other's hands.

"We, the Wizengamot, have voted." Said the brunette. I glanced to Draco. He was holding onto the gate in front of him for support, he looked as though he was going to be sick. I shut my eyes. I knew what was coming next.

"We have decided, that Mr. Draco Malfoy," This part seemed to go on forever. Please just get it out! "Is not guilty." She finished.

My mind seemed to be in denial. I couldn't open my eyes. Was this actually all over? Was there really nothing to be worried about anymore? How could it go from being so intense, to being over? And my eyes were still shut, the room was silent.

"He's won. Draco's won, Hermione!" squealed Ginny from beside me. I looked to Draco. He was still very pale and sickly, but the relief on his face was evident. He was a free man. He caught my stare and smiled at me, and I returned it. I glanced at his mother, she had tears of joy rolling down her cheeks. Harry and Ron were high-fiving each other as though they had just won a bet.

"May I have silence please?" said Shacklebolt. The room that had begun to fill with cheers and quite a few boos, was silenced immediately. "Mr. Malfoy, I congratulate you on your victory, you will no longer be kept under surveillance, nor will Malfoy Manor. You are a free wizard, and you are now free to leave. Draco nodded his head at Shacklebolt as the Auror to his left removed the lock, and let him free.

The six of us made our way down to where Draco was waiting for us, and engulfed him as soon as we reached him. McGonagall was the first to congratulate Draco. "Congratulations Mr. Malfoy. I am very happy that you will be able to rejoin us at the school." she said with a small wink. "Thank you Professor." replied Draco. McGonagall nodded with a smile and went to wait outside the chamber.