Project 137.43.M.D.

LVIX. | CONFESSIO IN IURE

LVIX.
CONFESSIO IN IURE
(confession before the court)

Hermione nibbled at her thumbnail when Draco went into the witness box. It was a silly habit that she had actually given up long ago and only picked up again after she had been made his Mentor. When she realized what she was doing, she lowered her hand in embarrassment. Then she watched Pansy's and Draco's fingers touch briefly as their paths crossed.

She swallowed, but firmly brushed aside her jealousy. It was inappropriate and, Merlin knew, definitely not the right moment.

Pansy left the courtroom with her head bowed and her stride brisk. Apparently she had no intention of attending Draco's questioning.

Hermione bit her lower lip. That was the moment when she should get up and leave the room as well. Draco had asked her to do just that, and actually she owed it to him to comply with at least this one request. But she felt like she had been charmed into her seat.

She felt his gaze on her as he sat down on the bench Pansy had occupied before him. The admonition in it was unmistakable. She knew that expression by now.

Get out of here, Granger.

And yet, even though his gray eyes were cold and sent shivers down her spine, Hermione stayed where she was, fully aware that she was once again betraying the trust they had tentatively rebuilt over the past few weeks.

"Mr. Malfoy, as announced in our letter, you will be given a dose of Veritaserum for the duration of the hearing. With the evidence memory lost, the Wizengamot deems this an appropriate method of interrogating you. If you consent to the procedure, you run the risk of involuntarily incriminating yourself, you know that?"

Draco nodded and Waters rose from her seat to bring him the small vial she was already holding.

"Excellent," she said happily as Draco uncorked the vial and downed the potion in one single gulp without hesitation.

Hermione sighed. She didn't know which was worse: that she was about to hear the whole truth from Draco himself for the first time, or that he was being forced into it with the help of a potion. Once again she felt guilty. He no longer had the opportunity to decide what details he would reveal to the Wizengamot and she was responsible for that, after all it had been her suggestion. But he had agreed, hadn't he? And Zabini had endorsed it, right? These thoughts calmed the emotions whirling inside her, if only for a moment.

"Please introduce yourself, Mr. Malfoy."

Waters sat back down in her seat.

"My name is Draco Lucius Malfoy. I was born on June 5th, 1980 in Essex. My parents are Lucius Malfoy and Narcissa Malfoy née Black. Both are dead. I attended Hogwarts for six years and was convicted on May 15, 1998 for using an Imperius Curse during the Battle of Hogwarts."

"That should do."

Waters waited patiently for the court clerk's quill to pause again.

Hermione held her breath. Reflexively, she reached out and grasped Harry's fingers. He gave her a quick side glance, then took her hand and squeezed it reassuringly.

"Mr. Malfoy, I'm going to ask you a few quick questions that you can answer briefly and precisely before we talk about the memory that was taken from you after your interrogation ten years ago. Please answer loud and clear. A nod or a shake of the head is insufficient."

Draco's face remained expressionless.

"Well, all right. Have you ever thought of yourself as a Death Eater, Mr. Malfoy?"