Please comment and let me know what you think!

This one's a really long chapter and I'm posting it in parts so I have more time to edit and work around a plot hole that popped up. I'm fairly certain I took care of it but please let me know if you notice something amiss. :)

Thank you for reading!

The effect was instantaneous, Hermione's wand grew hot as she fought to maintain the charm that was on the verge of collapse, her feet sliding forward on the smooth stone floor. She figured Kinglsey would have tried to keep the charm up since dropping it would release the dementors again. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Harry widen his shield charm to include Ron. The moment the latter had connected the fang to the wall of the charm there had been a blinding flash of light that had forced her back a few steps and then blackness. The torches lining the walls had all flickered out of existence. The only lights in the room were the slight dusky glow from the Helerean charm itself and Blaise's lit wand tip.

She was trying to make eye contact with either Harry or Ron, She needed to tell she was going to drop the charm- whatever was going to happen would happen when she stopped funneling her magic through to it.

Her arm hurt, she could feel beads of sweat collecting on her forehead. Her vision was starting to blur. She could hear her heart pounding in her ears, the blood was rushing to her head.

She could feel herself getting light headed- she spun wildly in an effort to let Harry and Ron know that she was going to drop the charm. She doubted she would be able to react quick enough to protect herself from the backlash if the Room wasn't able to.

All she could do was hope that Harry or Ron had correctly interpreted her weird little spin and wave as she was pulled closer and closer to the center of the room.

She closed her eyes in an effort to relieve some of the pain in her head. It didn't help. One she counted to herself, as she prepared to stop pushing her magic through her wand, two, her wand was shaking with the effort it was taking to hold this charm up against the attack from the basilisk fang, three!

She heard Ron's voice call out her name and Harry yell 'Protego!' as she fell backwards into the darkness.

****

It was surreal in Draco's opinion, watching Granger fall backwards onto the hard stone floor, by the light of Blaise's lit wand, it all seemed as though it was happening in slow motion. The moment she hit the floor Potter had dropped the shield charm and Weasley had tossed a small object at him before rushing across the room to Granger's side.

Draco saw Harry fumble slightly with whatever Ron had tossed at him and suddenly the room was flooded with light from a blue-white orb that hung in the air above them.

He walked a few paces behind Potter and Blaise as the other two made their way over to where Wesley was kneeling over Granger.

He watched with mild disinterest as Weasley pulled out his wand and muttered 'Eneverate!', pointing it at Granger's limp body.

The brown haired witch groaned slightly before rolling to her side and pushing herself up to her knees. She only wasted a second to push her hair out of her face before saying, "I'm gonna need to see your lots' memories, and then compare them to Blaise's," she paused, nodding in the direction of the former Slytherin, "need to see if this is similar to what just happened here, that flash would be pretty indicative-" She had opened her mouth to keep talking but Ron cut her off.

"Merlin, calm down 'Mione," The red haired man said, "are you alright? You just passed out, we ought to take you to St. Mungo's,"

Again Granger shook her head impatiently, "I'm fine Ron, I'm fine, I think I only passed out from exertion, listen, Cassie and I really ought to check Blaise's memory- just make sure we're going about this the right way,"

"Hermione, you've got to slow down, explain this to the rest of us would you?" Ron said with a small laugh.

Harry held out his arm and pulled her to her feet, "Right well, the basilisk fang didn't really break the charm did it? You were still able to maintain it, right?"

"Yeah," Hermione said, nodding at him in thanks, "But it was fighting me, if I kept it up- like I imagine Kingsley tried to- it might have killed me,"

"Right so I should get back to-" Ron started but was cut off by Malfoy who had his brow furrowed.

"-Hang on- I thought you said this happened because of a training exercise- why was the head of the auror department involved in a training exercise?"

Hermione let out an exasperated sigh, clearly annoyed at the interruption, Ron made a comment about how he had been right and they should have obliviated Malfoy when Harry stepped in and spoke, "No, Ron," he said with a pointed look, "Look, Malfoy, you weren't supposed to know that- and you agreed that you wouldn't say anything- so don't. If you don't think that you'll be able to keep your mouth shut I am sure I can get one of the cubicles in the auror department converted and you can spend the remainder of this investigation there."

Malfoy took a quick step backwards, holding his hands up in surrender, "'Won't say a word," He said in what he hoped was a non confrontational voice. The last thing he needed was to be forced to live with a bunch of aurors on top of everything that was already going on in his life.

Harry nodded and turned back to Hermione, "You'll need a pensieve if you want to go through our memories, ask McGonanagall if you can use the one up in her office, if that's not alright with her we'll have to head back to the ministry. Take Cassie, Ron, and Blaise and see if you can put any of these pieces together. I'll make sure Malfoy gets back home alright and meet you back here."

And just like that- their little group dispersed.

Draco had been about to say that he didn't need an escort home but the moment the others had left Potter said, "I have a few more things I wanted to say to you, I'll walk with you till the apparition point in Hogsmeade."

"Err- right- yeah," was all Draco could stutter out as he followed Potter out of the room of requirement and into the hall outside, where Neville was still waiting.

"Thanks Neville," Harry said quickly with a tired sort of sigh.

"Course Harry," Neville said with a small smile, "I'll still see you next weekend right?"

"Yeah," Harry responded, "Gin's excited, she'll be happy to see you,"

Neville smiled in response, bid Harry good night, nodded once in Draco's direction and left.

Harry gestured for Malfoy to lead them out onto the grounds and down the path to Hogsmeade as he fell into step beside him.

"So- err- what's next weekend?" Draco asked after a few moments of uncomfortable silence.

Harry shot him a weird look before answering, "Ron's birthday,"

That small interaction had done nothing to end the awkward silence and the two continued to walk in silence. Draco noticed Potter fidgeting with that same device that Weasley had given him. Draco was debating whether or not to ask about the little hand held contraption. On the one hand it was going to be a very long walk till they got to the point he could apparate home without splinching himself, on the other hand he would be lowering his pride yet again and voluntarily initiating a conversation with Potter.

He really wasn't good with long uncomfortable silences, they made him anxious and agitated, something he supposed was left over from living in the same house as Lord Voldemort.

Before he could come to a decision though, Potter spoke for him. "Listen Malfoy, I've been speaking to the head of the defense inquisitors department, about your father's case, and I know that this isn't what you want to hear, and I know it isn't fair, and well... there's really no delicate way to put this so I'm just going to say it," Potter was rambling now, but all Draco could do was listen, a strange sense of dread settling in the pit of his stomach, Harry continued, "No one's on your side," Harry took a deep breath before continuing, "I've tried to get your defense inquisitor changed to someone who might actually defend Lucius but- err- well, there-" Potter stumbled over the end of his sentence.

"There's no one that will," Draco offered with a resigned sort of sigh.

"No," Harry said quietly, "everyone in that department I've spoken to can only see this one way. They only see what he did and they see what they can use the law to punish him with."

Draco let out a small sigh, strolling forward, "Well that doesn't really matter though does it?" He asked with air of someone who was desperately hanging onto false hope, "If Granger and I can find a good case, with good precedent, then it's up to the Wizengamot isn't it? Up to the judge?"

Harry scratched the back of his head  before answering, "Ye-yes. Legally you are allowed to make a case on your father's behalf to the full Wizengamot, it's just, well you've got to understand your father isn't the most popular person in any crowd right now,"

"So even if we find a case it won't matter?" Draco asked, dejection settling in his stomach again.

"I didn't say that," Harry amended quickly but Draco interrupted him before he could continue.

"So you're just telling me not to get my hopes up?!" Draco shouted. He could feel his anger rising now. These people were supposed to be right, they were supposed to be just, and unbiased. For Merlin's sake they had all determined that the kiss was inhumans- all he was doing was asking them to obey their own laws.

Harry took a deep breath, stopping dead in his tracks and said, "I get it Malfoy, it's not fair," He took another breath, pulling his cloak closer around himself, "forget fair- it's not right," he sounded genuinely angry now, "I know- for Merlin's sake- I understand! I've been the ministry's enemy more than once,"

Harry took another breath before continuing, "All I'm saying is that your fight isn't going to be over even after you find a good case with precedent, you'll basically be representing your father by yourself. I just- you deserve to know what you're in for,"

Draco took another deep breath, "Do you think this is hopeless? Just tell me the truth here Potter, just be honest with me,"

They had reached the edge of the apparition wards and Harry had stopped walking, he was looking at Draco with an unreadable expression. "It's a fight worth fighting, Malfoy," He looked as though he was about to turn around and walk back up to the castle but he changed his mind at the last second and said, "Look, I- I don't really know what to say to you here. I just-- I just want you to know that Ron, Hermione, Ginny and I know that you're in the right with this. And putting our past and our history aside- we're trying- really."

All Draco could muster in response to that was a small nod, he wasn't sure what Potter expected him to say.

"And thank you," Harry continues, "for helping out tonight,"

Draco nodded at him again- his throat still tight.

As Draco made to pull his wand out to apparate- Harry spoke again, "Hermione's good at this sort of thing, and she usually gets what she wants. I'd say that's enough reason to hold onto a little hope,"

Draco let the words wash over him- he didn't want to think about Hermione's involvement until he had been given enough time to reflect on their argument from earlier. He had questions for her and in his mind she owed him answers. So he changed the direction of the conversation- dragged it away from Hermione and to Potter himself.

"Is there anything you can say for him or do for him at the trial?" Malfoy asked.

Harry seemed slightly taken aback at the question but he only hesitated for a few seconds before answering, "I'll speak- say the kiss is inhumane- if Hermione thinks it'll help." Once again Potter looked like he wanted to say something else but he was holding himself back.

Draco waited and when Harry remained silent he nodded at the other man again and spun on the spot- disappearing with a loud crack- leaving the boy who lived standing on the edge of the main road in Hogsmeade on an chilly February night.