Back at the manor Draco had bathed Hermione, getting the remaining blood from her hair, and her breathing was still stressed As he waved his wand over her and magically redressed he then picked her up and carried her into the bedroom; gently placing her head on the pillow as Ginny came into the room.

"Harry sent me to help, what's her status?" she asked sounding very much like a healer, it made Draco give a soft smile.

"Her breathing is soft, her eyes aren't moving, and her pulse is weak. She hasn't moved or twitched at all. I tried the reawakenment charm, but it didn't work. Her head wound was healed within a few moments of it happening but the shock on her body after the stunning charm must have compromised her body somehow, I know your training as a healer, is there anything you know that I don't?" he said, moving over to allow her to get a closer look at Hermione.

She looked small and weak on the bed. Her hair was combed and lay flat, still slightly damp along her pillow. Her body had never looked so fragile to Ginny, she had never seen her friend as weak or sick but as she looked down at her, it broke her heart. Ginny took out her want and held it over Hermione's head, she muttered a charm softly and a slight glowing light was bouncing between the wand and Hermione in short waves.

" she's alive, but she's unresponsive. We need a more advanced healer Draco, I've never woken someone from a coma like state before, it is easy enough for one with more skill." She said, moving Hermione's hair to better look at the back of her head " you did a good job healing her skull, I can tell that she hit hard, we are lucky you were with her, or she wouldn't have made it out of that house alive."

Draco stood when a knock was heard at the door, the healer was presented by an elf, and Draco led him into the room.

"Miss Weasley, it's nice to see you, is this girl in you care?" the healer asked, pulling his wand and an array of small potion bottles.

"Yes, she was hit by a stunning charm, and within moments after the charm she suffered a major head trauma. Draco healed the head wound, but couldn't get her to wake up. It's been about twenty minutes since the charm, and only a few moments after was the head wound. He's healed it well enough, her blood level is normal, and all vitals are present, weak but there. I'm not sure what to do. A magical coma isn't something we've covered yet." Ginny finished speaking, taking her place next to Draco allowing the healer more room to see Hermione.

He moved his wand the same way Ginny had done, his wand producing a greenish colored light. "Your correct Ginny, she is in a coma. But no need to worry, I can correct it." He said and muttered a quick charm. A glowing light passed from his wand into Hermione. The light was hovering just under her skin, and traveled up from her chest to her head, then pulsed back down stopping above her heart. It flashed gold, then red, then floated up out of her chest, and dissolved in a shower of glistening sparks settling all over her body. As soon as the last speck fell and touched her skin a soft sigh was heard in the silent room.

Draco went to the other side of the bed, grabbed her hand, and gently started to move the few strands of hair that had fallen across her face behind her ear "Hermione?" he asked in a strained whisper. "I'm here love, you're safe" he sat down on the bed, taking care not to touch her body, but also did so without removing his hand from hers.

"Draco…what happened?" she said, so softly he almost couldn't hear her. He kissed her forehead, and helped her sit up as she continued to awaken from her state.

"What do you remember my love?" he asked, as the healer checked her vitals again to make sure she was alright.

"The last thing I remember was talking with him…and then Ronald…"her eyebrows crinkled in a displeased way "did he stun me?" she asked in disbelief.

"My brother is an idiot. I don't know what he thought would happen by helping that muggle get to you. He told me that he stunned you, and you fell back and hit your head on the coffee table, by all rights he could have killed you. If Draco wasn't there to heal your head you would have. My brother doesn't even know any simple healing spells. He's going to be charged with attacking you." She said sitting on the end of the bed.

Hermione sat up in the bed fully now. She took a deep breath and sighed "your parents must hate me, I'm ruining their family" she said to Ginny

"No, I popped home to let mum know what was going on. She told me to send her love, and to remind you that if he did attack you in any way that she's sorry she didn't raise him like that. My mum is more than pissed at him, I thought she would cry or scream but she didn't. She only asked how you were, you've been like a sister to me, and I've been in the dark for so long about this part of your life. But that's all over, they have him at the ministry, harry and Snape went with the taskforce to make sure he was locked up before the trial." She finished and looked at Draco "we should get Hermione there soon, the taskforce want this finished so they can enjoy the holiday you know; the one wizard was getting testy"

Draco helped Hermione to her feet "thank you sir, if her condition changes I'll send for you. Please leave a bill of service with one of the house elves on your way out. I can't thank you enough" he said as Hermione went to the wardrobe and started looking for something to wear for the trial.

"Anytime, Severus is an old friend, it's been wonderful to meet her. I am only sorry that it had to be like this. You've become a beautiful woman Hermione, I'm sure if lily were around she would be very proud of you."

Hermione seemed confused, how did this man know who she was. And as if he had read her thoughts he continued "oh don't worry, I was the healer who helped Severus and lily with your pregnancy, a tricky bit of magic Albus pulled there, and I normally wouldn't have done it, unmarried man with a woman carrying his baby married to his school age enemy….seemed like a muggle TV show, but I saw in them more love, for each other and for you even before they had met you." Hermione walked over and hugged the man.

"Thank you, I know you could have lost the ability to practice healing in the ministry found out, I only wish that they didn't have to send me away. but I understand why, I don't blame them." She said

"If you would like, I can stand witness for you my dear, the ministry has record of who you are, but after so many years the information is surely hidden deep I the department of mysteries, or at least it should have been. If any death eater had gotten hold of who your parents were, I'm sure only bad things would have come Severus's way." He said before he got to the door.

"Thank you sir, but that's not needed, the ministry won't need any witnesses to prove her birth, we have Severus for that. Thank you again, the elf will show you out." Draco said, at the same time an elf came into the room with a small tray of dried fruit and a bottle of water. She placed it on the table and bowed taking the old wizards hand as they left the room.

Hermione picked out a simple long sleeved tunic top, and jeans. "Thank you for cleaning me up, I don't know what I would have done if I had to clean blood out of my hair….it seems like a bad dream. That's easier to handle then really remembering it…and I'm okay with that. I'm going to change, I'll be right out" she said grabbing her clothes and walking towards the bathroom.

"Hermione, wait." Said Draco, but she stopped him

"I'm not going to cut, I've bleed enough today. I just want this over, im only changing. You can check my arms when I'm done." She said closing the door before he could follow or say anything else on the subject.

Hermione didn't feel the urge to cut, but felt a twinge of guilt that Draco had assumed she would, but it passed as fast as it had come. With her history with that action it wasn't Draco's fault that he thought she would. Hermione changed into her tunic and jeans, and took a moment to look in the mirror. She used a hair straightening potion, and her hair settled, straight and shiny framing her face. She put on a light coat of makeup, noticing how pale and sickly she looked. Once she was satisfied with how she looked, she went back into the bedroom. Harry and Severus had joined them, and were out in the sitting room in front of the fire.

"It started snowing again, I suggest we leave as soon as she's dressed and come back here. I can have the elves prepare dinner and we can be snowed in if you like. Harry you and Ginny are welcome at any time, I have enough space as you can see" Draco laughed.

"I'm ready" Hermione said walking into the room, she had knee high leather boots in hand, and a cloak over her arm. "Let's go watch the kiss of a lifetime." She gave an odd smile.

"Are you sure you're up for this? We can have him sent to Azkaban until you're ready." Severus asked placing a hand on her shoulder.

"No I'm ready, if I can't kill him myself; I want to be there when the kiss happens, if he has any soul left. If not perhaps some instant darkness powder and a misfired jinx might just do the trick." She said, giving another off color smile

"Hermione this isn't like you" said harry "are you sure you are all right?"

"Yes, I think for the first time since I found out I was a witch I am. I'm not a muggle born. I have strong magic in my blood. Its time I started to act like it. I'm not going all pureblood power crazy. But this muggle is not a friend to wizards, his life is meaningless. Not only that, but he took things from me that I can never get back. What type of monster could do that and be allowed to live? But alas he is muggle and human, I can't just kill him."

Draco looked at her "you surprise and thrill me with how much strength is in you. Come, let's get this over with, there is a port key on the table.

The small group didn't say much more about what Hermione had said, instead they silently got up, went to the portkey and as it began to glow they all felt the hooking feeling as it pulled them to the ministry of magic.

They all took a moment to get steady on their feet. Once the group was ready a ministry witch was waiting for them.

"My name is Sue Colt, I'll be the one representing you for the trial. You don't really need council but it was suggested to run all basic standards because of the nature of this trial. Just think of it a muggle vs. witch trial. Hasn't been one like this in" she thought for a moment " well I don't think I have ever seen a case like this" she said as she lead the way down to the court room.

Snape walked in front of Hermione, and talked in a hushed tone with Harry on the way to the trial. Hermione couldn't hear the words that they were saying but she could tell it was about what was going to happen in the court room.

"Don't worry Hun, I'll be there the whole time. And if anything happens Severus and I will act. That's what he is talking to Harry about. If the ruling says that he will walk free we are going to fill the room with instant darkness powder, and kill him. Of course it is only a backup plan we shouldn't need to do that" Draco said as he walked next to her with his fingers laced in her.

She walked with a slight shake to her knees. She was very nervous and wanted this to be over as soon as possible.

Hermione's mind drifted from her feet moving in front of her to what life was going to be like once this man, no monster, was going to pay for hurting her so badly. As her mind continued to float away she began to think of life with Draco. His family left him more money than he could possibly need. And now she too had a vault that had been sealed since last lily had entered it. Tomorrow we should she thought.

Before she knew it they were seated inside a dark old room. Ronald and Mr. Granger were sitting in the center of the room, their hands in chains. Upon hearing her name she was forced back into the room.

"What?" she asked not paying attention.

"I asked if you were alright to stand and testify against both men" asked an older wizard sitting in a judge's stand.

She stood up "I am sir. I am prepared to allow you to view the memories of what has happened to me. I'd rather not have to relive it by talking about it sir. You see this man" she says, pointing to the muggle. "This man has been violently abusing me by beating me, and forcing me to do things to him. As well as sexually abusing me. You want proof? Here's the proof" she said as she tossed a vial of silvery swirled liquid at the judge.

"You understand that we have to view these and test them to make sure they haven't been altered?" he said, handing it to the witch next to him, who opened the vial and waved her wand over it, nothing happened.

"These aren't fixed sir, they are as it happened. Shall we view them?" she asked as she tipped them into a penseve.

They watched as they stuck their faces into the bowl. Within moments the witch pulled her face back, and the judge soon after.

"Thank you for stepping forward Hermione, this man will never do these things to you again. All those in favor of a full sentence please raise your wands." He looked to the left and right of him. All those on the stand beside him had their wands raised. "So be it. This muggle will be given the kiss, and then executed by the wand." He said as the muggle man started to scream and struggle.

A dementor came into the room, and began to pull his soul out. "Hermione, you're free." Ginny said, giving Hermione's hand a reassuring squeeze.

"No, not yet. His soul is gone, but he still has a beating heart. It's not over until he is dead." She said, so coldly it scared Draco a bit, but it passed as she held his hand.

"It is almost over love, and then we can go for a nice long trail ride. The horses will love the new snow." Draco whispered to her.

The group left the room when all was said and done. Ronald was sent for a six month sentence in Azkaban. And the small groups were back in the manor drinking tea in the library.

"Harry and I are going to let you and Draco have a quiet evening, we have some last minute Christmas shopping to get done. We'll see you tomorrow night for dinner right?"

"of course, tell molly that we will be over by four" said Hermione, and her and Draco were curled under a blanket in front of the fire. She put her head on his chest and let out a peaceful sigh. This Christmas was going to very different.