They say time heals everything. But I'm still waiting.

"Miss Malfoy, if you do not stop talking you will be escourted out of the court room and not be able to testify later." The ministry guy said looking irritibly at her.

"Fine by me, because in my continuing to talk I can just do it now, now can't I?" she asked, tilting her head to the side just a little.

The ministry guy sighed at her. "FIne," He said. He really just wanted this hearing over and done with.

"Fine as in you'll let me continue to talk? Or fine as in you're going to make me leave now? I'm supposing the first, since no move has been made toward the second one," Nicole said.

"Just get it over with," The guy snapped at her. "So we can continue with this hearing."

Nicole gave him a fake smile. "Merci," she said. "Now as to why assuming I would have been safer at home is wrong. Well, if I had been home then my mother and I would have probably been killed by Voldemort and the Death Eaters."

"And," Vena cut in before the guy had a chance to say anything. "How would she have gotten home? I couldn't have taken her because then Voldemort," She rolled her eyes as people flinched. It really was ridiculous. "would have killed Nicole, her mother and myself."

"So you see," Nicole continued off what Vena had said, "it was truly best for everyone that I stayed with them. So, if you want to go and try to make something out of that," she shrugged, dismissing it. "Feel free to carry on now."

The guy kept asking questions which Vena answered, sometimes not answering them fully because if she answered parts it would be a mark against her. She didn't lie, she just didn't tell the full truth.

Once the questions were over, they skipped asking if anyone wanted to talk, figuring that Nic was the only person and she had already spoken. "And now," the ministry guy said, "we have reached the end of questioning. It is time to vote on the verdict."

Vena was worried now, worried as to what the verdiit was going to be. She didn't want to go to Azkaban.

The guy cleared his throat. "Raise your hand to cast the vote for the verdict you wish," he said. Then he continued on to say the choices, having people vote as he did so.

Vena watched the hands go into the air warily. Counting them quickly as they went up.

The guy also counted the hands. Then he frowned. "As surprising as I find this, the majority as voted the accused to be cleared."

Vena smiled slightly. Relieved. She looked pointedly at the chains again. "Are you going to take these off now? Because being stuck in a chair isn't what I'd call desireable."

"As much I'd rather leave them on," the guy said, showing his clear dislike of the verdict. Then he did this thing and the chains came loose.

"Lovely," Vena said standing up, she rubbed her hands over her wrists for a moment. "Is that all?" She asked cocking her head to the side and looking up at him.

"Yes, that's all," he said, getting up from his not so awesome chair. "Case dismissed." From where she was sitting, Nicole was smiling, but not quite grinning.

"Lovely," Vena said walking over to where Nicole and her mother was. She was happier then her expression was making out. "Shall we go?" Vena asked gesturing to the door with her head. She really wanted to get out of the ministry.

"That depends," Nicole said her expression blanking. "Can I give you a hug?"

Vena looked at Nicole for a moment and then smiled softly at her. "I suppose so,"

Nicole smiled a little and then gave Vena a hug. "Do I even need to tell you how worried I was?"

"Sorry," Vena said still smiling softly. "I didn't mean to get captured. Won't happen again."

Nicole smiled at her. "It better not happen again, or I will hex you with the worst thing I can possibly think of," she threatened, half meaning it half not meaning it.

"Which will probably get backfired back at yourself," Vena said then she frowned. "Dang, lost my wand at the battlefeild."