He didn't come.

And with a wave of relief, she realized — Kreacher might be with Draco. The master of Grimmauld Place. Tears threatened to spill down her cheeks, and she leaned against the wall, drawing labored breaths until she was able to Occlude her feelings away. When her shelves were steady, she headed upstairs.

Grimmauld Place had a small library where she located a few books on Magical Law. But by mid-afternoon, she was aching for more sources. She Apparated to one of London's owleries and sent off several notes — one to Ginny, apologizing for not returning to the Burrow, explaining Lucius's trial and why she had to defend him, and promising to see her soon; a few to several Magical Libraries, requesting books on law; and one to the Justice Tribunal, requesting a copy of their new laws and the transcripts for the trials that had taken place over the past week.

In the morning, when she woke covered in borrowed law texts, but with no response from the Tribunal, she wasn't surprised.

She cast a few glamours and left Grimmauld on Saturday morning to grab groceries and a copy of the Prophet. When she flipped through the pages, she found her own face on page 11 with the headline, HERMIONE GRANGER, OF SOUND MIND?

The paper almost slipped from her fingers. Her vision blurred as she read it — just a few lines. It suggested that she had been at St. Mungo's for injuries to the head, and that the Healers had disagreed about the decision to discharge her. The tip had been provided by an anonymous source at the hospital.

They were trying to discredit her.

After nearly setting it aflame in her anger, Hermione channeled her fury into her preparation. She read her new books from front to back. Four owls later, she received a letter from the Tribunal confirming that she'd be given access to a Pensieve that could project memories to the court. And for the first time, she felt hopeful.

On the morning of the trial, she rolled her eyes at herself in the mirror as she changed clothes for the third time. The girls had left behind piles of clothes, but Daphne's fit her best. She put on the crispest blouse she could find, Lucius's taunting ringing in her ears.

When she arrived at the Ministry Atrium half an hour early, she found a crowd already forming, hoping for a good view.

She had a written statement memorized as an opening. She had her memories in vials, ready to submit them to evidence. Eyes dragged over her, and whispers floated in her direction. Heading to a far corner, she took several minutes to Occlude, blocking out the rising noise of the crowd. When she finally opened her eyes, she found the Atrium filled to the very back.

Hundreds had turned out for Lucius Malfoy's sentencing.

She breathed deep into her still waters as she walked to the center of it all, standing to the side until General Pierre opened up the floor to her.