Adventurous Hearts Part 2: Nimue's Island

Chapter 15: Heartbreak









Lucius sat in the over large, uncomfortable chair in the center of the courtroom with Harry Potter on one side of him and his barrister on the other. Harry had already detailed the arrest as well as the violations of his probation and parole agreement, and now his barrister was arguing in his defense.





Things seemed to be going better for him given he had taken the time to have the minister informed of the situation, but laws were laws. He HAD violated his terms by leaving and not reporting in regularly as he was supposed to. He hated the idea of going back, but he would not regret going after her. Much as it hurt him to lose her to another, he was content with his decision to aid in her rescue.







“We have witnesses here to testify on the defendant’s behalf, Minister.” The barrister said. Lucius looked up to see Hermione enter the courtroom followed by Severus. She looked stunning, dressed in a long brown dress and boots, her hair pulled back from her face in a rather severe looking bun at her nape. She appeared to be all business though she did stop and send a tender smile his way. “Sir, I present Dr. Hermione Granger and Headmaster Severus Snape.”







“Good to see you both.” Kingsley said. “You both realize you are under a wizarding oath to tell the truth in this courtroom?”







“Yes, Minister.” They answered in unison.







“Very well, Dr. Granger, you may begin by telling the court how you know Mr. Malfoy.” Kingsley said, somewhat amazed to see her there speaking on his behalf since he knew she wasn’t exactly thrilled when he sent her to him for the Temple project.







“Thank you, Minister Shacklebolt.” She said, using her professional ‘lecture’ voice as she addressed the courtroom. “I have known Lucius Malfoy on a personal level for a few months now, though we were…acquainted…previously. He was on a list of potential parolees, a model prisoner who had served over half of his twenty year sentence. His expertise in death eater magic was beneficial to me and my team and led to the excavation of Morgana’s temple, the artifacts inside and the site itself are of great value to the ministry and the magical community. He and I became…close.” Kingsley knew the details already, minus their intimacy, but the others presiding over the case needed to be informed.







“How is it that you came to be stranded with him on the island?” Kingsley asked, watching her closely. He knew her well enough that he could see that she had genuine feelings for Lucius, as unlikely as they were.









“I went onto the island before my team to do an initial investigation of the site as it is my habit to do. I was not aware of the curse on the island however and soon found myself fighting off a herd of the walking dead.” She heard the startled gasps of the undersecretaries and continued. “My team was unable to come to shore and my assistant went to get Headmaster Snape from Hogwarts, he is my contact in case of emergency person.” She glanced over at Harry who was staring at her through narrowed eyes. “Lucius was there visiting at the time, when he heard I was in danger he felt obligated to assist Severus in my recovery.”









“Why did you not come back immediately when they located you?”









“I had been seriously injured, my shoulder dislocated. When they found me, hiding in a small castle on the island, they could not get me out safely until I was healed and they couldn’t do that without setting the shoulder, which required several potions that left me disoriented and groggy.” She said. “They could not make it back to the boat safely if they had to carry me, sir. The island’s wards are such that they can only be breached on the full moon, apparation is blocked. My injuries meant that we were trapped for the duration of the moon cycle.”









“Headmaster Snape, do you corroborate this story?” Kingsley asked.







“Yes, Minister Shacklebolt. I would not have been able to get to her had Lucius not had my back. He also aided in the healing and tending of her injuries over the first several days of our entrapment.” Severus said. “Over the course of the month he aided her in the documentation of the island as well as the search for information regarding the curse and the island in general, information that will be of great use and value to the ministry historians.”









“Mr. Malfoy, what have you to say for yourself?” Kingsley was curious as he watched the blond stand and straighten his robes.









“Minister, Secretaries, what they say is true. I overheard Dr. Granger’s predicament while visiting with Headmaster Snape. Given our recent…friendship…I could not sit back and do nothing while she was in danger. I did make certain to have her assistant send notification to you, as well as my son regarding the situation and my whereabouts. I did not expect to find myself once more trapped with Dr. Granger and out of contact, But Severus is correct that there was no way for us to get her safely back to the shore before the wards locked down. Her injuries were too severe.” Lucius looked over at Hermione, his stomach knotting at the sight of her. “I know that I violated the terms of our agreement, and I know that it means going back to Azkaban, but I would do it again to make certain she was safe.”









Kingsley inhaled sharply; shocked at what he saw when Lucius and Hermione met each others gaze. They were in love. Lucius Malfoy was in love with a muggleborn witch and the heroine of the war was in love with a death eater. He adjourned court to deliberate, he and the Secretaries retreating to his chambers for discussion.









Hermione walked over to Lucius and laid her hand on his forearm.







“Are you alright?” She asked. He looked at her, wanting so much to hold her.









“As good as can be expected.” He said. “You look…beautiful.” She blushed slightly and smiled.









“I need to talk to you.” She said.









“I will put you on the visitor list.” He said.









“Don’t think that way…” She was cut off when Harry grabbed her arm and pulled her aside.









“What do you think you are doing?” He asked through gritted teeth.







“Telling the court why Lucius violated his probation, hoping that they will understand and be merciful.” She said, wondering where the boy she once knew had gone.







“He is a death eater, Mione, a criminal! He should never have been released to begin with.”









“He is changed, Harry, you don’t know him…”









“Oh but you do, you know him very well don’t you? It’s disgusting is what it is, the way you look at him. It was bad enough that you have been spreading your legs for Snape all these years, but Malfoy? How could you betray me that way, betray the cause we fought for?” He asked.









“It has nothing to do with you, Harry. My personal life does not concern you….”









“You are wrong, it does concern me when you are playing whore to every death eater you meet, who’s next, Draco?”







“That’s enough, Potter.” Severus said, his voice pitched low in warning. “Do not insult her again.”







“He’s right, let her go and never speak to her that way again.” Lucius said, coming to stand beside Severus.









“What are you going to do, you are on your way back to prison, Malfoy.”







“Then I will act in his stead.” Draco stepped from behind Harry, making his presence known for the first time.







“Nice, Hermione, you have your own little death eater army behind you. You should just call yourself the Dark Lady and be done with it.” He let go of her with a shove, sending her back into Lucius who steadied her with his hands on her shoulders. Harry sneered, his lips curled in disgust as he turned his back on her.







“Are you okay?” He asked softly. She turned into him, her arms going around his waist as she laid her cheek against his chest.







“Yes, thank you.” She said. “Lucius, I need to tell you…”









“All rise for the Minister of Magic and Secretaries!” The stepped apart and returned to the center of the courtroom as the ministry officials filed in.







“We have reached a decision.” Kingsley announced. “Lucius Malfoy, step forward please.” Lucius did as he was instructed, the familiar feeling of dread washing over him. “We have determined your reasons for violating your probation to have been noble. You put yourself and your freedom in jeopardy for the well being of another and for that reason I am willing to give you another chance. However, you will now check in twice monthly with your probation officer for the next year. Do not make the mistake of thinking this will become habit, Mr. Malfoy. Your slippery past makes me more inclined to rule in favor of revocation of parole, but I can not ignore Dr. Granger’s testimony. She would not argue on your behalf did she not believe in you.”









“Thank you, Minister.” Lucius said, the tension leaving his body in a rush.









“Go on now, enjoy your freedom.” Kingsley said. “And Hermione…try to stay out of trouble.” He said, shaking his head. She simply smiled and rushed to Lucius’s side.









“I told you it would work out.” She said softly.









“Thanks to you.” He said. “I appreciate you testifying on my behalf.”









“Of course, Lucius, you deserve it.” She said, her brow furrowing as she became aware of how distant he was. “Lucius?”







“I’m sure I will be seeing you around, Hermione.” He said softly, nudging her chin with his thumb before he turned and left the courtroom with his son.







“Father, what are you doing? I thought she was what you wanted?” Draco stared at his father as they walked away.







“She is, but her heart belongs to another.” He said softly. Draco looked back over his shoulder to see Hermione standing in the doorway, a heartbroken expression on her face.





If her heart belonged to another, then why was she crying, staring after Lucius as though her entire world were walking away from her?





To be Continued…



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And of course this is not the end…there is one more installment to this tale that must be told…will they ever figure it out? Will they find a way to get beyond their own insecurities and make a go of it? Find out in Merlin’s Tomb…coming soon!