In-Laws

In-Laws

By: Tassana Burrfoot







Chapter Two





Three weeks later...





"Mr. Malfoy, you have a visitor," said the guard as he opened Draco's cell.



Draco got up from his bed and looked at the guard curiously. "Who?" he asked, though he wasn't surprised when the guard did not answer.



His arms and legs were shackled and he was led into the visitor's room. Once he was secured onto his seat, the guard allowed the visitor to enter. Draco's eyes narrowed as he glowered at the red-headed monstrosity. "Weasley," he sneered.



Ron Weasley said nothing at first, merely gazed at his former schoolmate. Then, his face crept into a disgusted snarl, "You look good in chains, Malfoy. Prison life suits you."



"What do you want, Weasley?" Draco growled. He knew not to test his chains. The shackles were held taunt by magic.



Weasley kept a calm facade. He wasn't in a hurry. He enjoyed watching his nemesis tied up. "I kissed her, you know," he stated, calmly. "Actually, she kissed me. It was a pretty good... No. It was a damn good kiss."



"It's not going to work," Draco told him. "I saw this kiss you're talking about. Hermione was under a lot of stress..."



Weasley's laugh cut Draco off. The sound was forced and mirthless, strained yet cruel. "Stress?" he chided. "Yes, I suppose so. But, you can't deny one thing, Malfoy; she enjoyed it. In fact, had you not come slithering back into her life like some worthless garner snake, she and I would be married now. We'd be married and she'd be happy. Instead, she's shacked up with your pureblood bitch of a mother pining over the loss of a toad who can't even satisfy her needs."



"Don't you dare insult my mother, you bastard!" Draco snarled, trying to stand. The chains kept him bound to the chair. "You know nothing. My mother and my WIFE will get me out and when they do..."



He stopped, but Weasley prodded, "You'll do what? Kill me? Go ahead and say it. I want to hear the words. Let them slip from your tongue, Malfoy."



But, Draco held his tongue. He knew then why Weasley had come. It was to goad him. Draco would not allow it to happen. Too much was at risk. His wife and mother were working too hard for him to screw up now.



"So, Malfoy, you have so much faith in your little wife... Have you seen her yet? Has she visited you?" Weasley asked. The question had caught Draco off guard, so Weasley was able to catch the answer on his pale, thinning face. "She hasn't. Neither has your mum, I'm sure. I don't blame them. They probably aren't even working on your case. Can't stand each other. Your mother hates Muggle-borns. You don't stand a chance of getting out of here."



Before Draco could respond, Weasley turned on his heel and left. Draco knew the boy had to be lying. But, still...





(II) (II)



Hermione growled in frustration. She glanced over the mounds of parchment as she tried to decide her next coarse of action. There was so much evidence to support her defense, especially since Narcissa had agreed to testify against her sister.



Hermione knew she was treading on thin ice. Were Bellatrix still alive, Narcissa would have refused. As it was, Narcissa wasn't comfortable proclaiming her own sister had put her under house arrest. Hermione had to do a lot of convincing.



"Dear, perhaps you should try for a spot of tea," her mother cooed gently, touching her daughter's arm.



"Your mother's right," her father said. "You haven't relaxed since we returned home."



"Longer, Mr. Granger," Ginny corrected, looking up from a law book. "I'm lucky if I can get her to eat, much less sleep. And we won't even discuss Mrs. Malfoy."



The Muggles passed each other concerned looks. Though they had been able to coax a bit of food to Hermione, Narcissa had refused everything. Even now, the thin blonde was pacing the length of the Grangers' fireplace.



Narcissa had agreed to stay with the Grangers while Hermione worked on the case. It was difficult for the pureblood, who knew nothing about Muggles, but she had found some comfort in the fact that she was given the same room her son had once slept in. Though she was civil to the Muggles, they could tell how much she was fighting her prejudices.



Hermione sighed, "I'm missing something. I know I'm missing something. Ginny, where is the list of charges?"



Ginny pulled out the two scrolls of parchment which listed all the charges brought up against Lucius and Draco. She sighed as she handed them over to her friend for the thousandth time.



Just then, the fireplace roared with green flame. Narcissa stepped back. "Lovegood," she greeted tightly.



"Hello, Mrs. Malfoy," the girl returned merrily as she stepped out of the fireplace and dusted off her robes. "Harry is right behind me."



Sure enough, Harry appeared amidst green flame. He jumped out of the fireplace not bothering to dust himself off. He mumbled a half-arsed greeting to Narcissa as he made his way into the kitchen, where Hermione and Ginny were. He handed Hermione a small scroll. "We are royally screwed," he told her.



Worried, Hermione broke the parchment seal and read the contents. She suddenly screamed in outrage, causing those at the table to look up in surprise. Narcissa ran into the kitchen with Luna behind her.



"What's wrong?" Mrs. Granger asked, concern written on her face.



"That stupid prat! I hate him!" Hermione snarled as she shoved the parchment into her mother's hands.



Mrs. Granger took the parchment and read aloud:



"Dear Mrs. Hermione Malfoy,



We regret to inform you that Mr. Ronald Weasley has refused to drop his charges on Mr. Draco Malfoy. Also, he has urged us to push back the trial date due to the fact that he will not be in town.



Since Mr. Weasley is part of the prosecuting attorney, we must ask that you respect his wishes. Furthermore, he has informed us that Miss Katherine Bell wishes to press charges against Mr. Draco Malfoy for attempted murder.



Mr. Draco Malfoy's court date will be on the thirteenth of August, in the year 1999.



In regards to Mr. Lucius Malfoy, we regret to inform you that his court date is currently pending. Once we have found an appropriate date, we will let you know.



Again, we apologize for this inconvience.





Sincerely,

Kingsley Shacklebolt

Minister of Magic"





Silence reigned supreme in the quaint house. Hermione could not bear to look at her mother-in-law. Draco's trial had been pushed back and another charge had been added to his list of crimes. Lucius' trial had been put on hold.



"We will win this, Hermione," Ginny assured, breaking the silence that threatened to smother them. "We have a trial date for Draco. That's a good thing. It gives you something to focus on. In the meantime, Luna and I will take over Lucius' case. We'll get him a trial date, I promise."



Hermione felt herself fall back into her seat. "I can't ask you to take over a whole case," she said, staring hopelessly at the law books which seemed to be failing her.



"You're not asking," the red-head pointed out. "I'm offering. Luna knows more about Lucius' crimes than we do. I'll work with her. Together we can form something solid and substantial. As for you, I want you to focus on Draco. You and Harry bring Draco home."



Hermione nodded even though she could feel the tears cascading from her cheeks. "It feels so hopeless..."



"Don't talk like that," Harry gently scolded. "You're a Gryffindor. You helped me defeat Voldemort. There's no way I'm letting you give up on this. In all the years I've known you, you've never been a quitter. I won't let you quit now."



"You aren't seriously considering quitting?" Narcissa gasped, her voice hitching as tears filled her eyes.



Hermione finally looked up into the woman's pale blue eyes. She saw the fear and sorrow the woman had for her husband and son. She noticed the etched lines, dark circles, and sullen skin of a woman who had not eaten or slept in weeks. And there, deep within the pits of the woman's blue orbs, Hermione saw him.



The brunette Gryffindor found a new strength within herself and within the depth of the love that woman held for the two most important men in her life. "I won't give up," Hermione promised, taking Narcissa's hand in hers. "I won't."

---

Author's Note: Just to let everyone know, I'm going to try to update at least once a week if not more often until this story is completely posted.



Also, I didn't do it in my previous chapters, but I would like to give a specially warm thank you to my beta, Ms. Ameeyah G. She's such a delightful help, I don't know where I'd be without her. Thanks, sweets!

All of you should thank her as well, because without her, I probably never would've gotten around to typing up this story. (It sat forever in my notebook on my cedar chest.)