Summary: ONE-SHOT. When Hermione is held at wand point in her office to create a magical contract that immediately frees two fugitive Death Eaters of their lifelong sentences, she manages to create a loophole...

Contract

I was working on the high-profile case of the Rowle family when the door suddenly broke open. Out of war habit I grabbed my wand that was lying on my desk right to my right hand and pointed it to the door. It could be Harry, Ron, Ginny or George playing some joke, but when my eyes flashed over two men who didn't look anything like Harry or Ron, I knew I was in trouble. In a flash my eyes moved to the two men that were now inside my office.

The first man I recognized immediately. Thorfinn Rowle was a huge and muscled man with blue eyes, blond hair and more importantly, a convicted participant as Death Eater in the Second Wizarding War. His Dark Mark was not faded, no, it seemed more prominent than I had ever seen on anyone else. I quickly looked at the second guy, who was one head smaller and had brown hair. His arms were covered by tall black robes but since all of it happened in a flash, I was too late.

"Petrificus Totalus!" the brown haired man yelled while the blonde yelled, "Expelliarmus!"

I felt my body stiffening and my wand being pulled out of my hand. The sensation of being under a freezing spell was more unpleasant than I had expected but I needed to focus on what was happening. If they wanted me dead, they would have done so already. So I was still of value for them, but how, that was what I needed to figure out.

Thorfinn Rowle shut the half broken door with a loud bang and sealed it with several blocking spells. Then I saw both of them moving forward, and the brown haired man looked all too familiar, but how? And then it hit me. It was Theodore's Nott's father, Mr. Nott. Someone who was also going to Azkaban for the rest of his life, if it were up to me at least.

Then, Mr. Nott took out a piece of parchment, with four points on it. Then, he pushed his wand against my throat and grinned evilly. If I could swallow, I would've.

"Alright, you filthy Mudblood! Since you are the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and only person who is able to file motions and change the law without needing to have it approved by the Minister of Magic, you are going to make us both a contract. In that contract you are going to write four things."

The blonde and brown haired man now both smiled evilly at each other before Mr. Nott, I thought his name was Warner, continued his claims.

"One. You declare all previous convictions from the both of us are not true and you will forbid the law practisers to ever convict us of something again for the rest of our lives. Two, in that contract you will state that no harm is to come to us in any way, and if there is, the one's hurting us will have to get a one-way trip to death within two hours after the inflicted harm. Three, all our frozen assets will be tripled and unfrozen by the ministry. And four, you will make this contract or motion or whatever un-undoable. What I mean to say is, no one will ever have to be able to undo this contract."

If I could, I would have swallowed. They were never going to get away with this! They couldn't possibly know about the loophole concerning convicts that made the head of the DMLE able to undo their sentence without ministry approval. And once a motion is filed for making a contract or motion not able to be done undone, the law wasn't able to arrest these convicts. Of course the ministry could send out hitman, but a law is a law and if the law isn't executed, this could endanger all other kinds of cases that built on this same foundation of undoing a motion. It would cause a riot even if the common wizard did agree with the ministry to kill the unauthorized free people.

"I'm going to undo the spell, if you are calling for help, don't bother, we murdered three people to get in here, and stunned the rest," Thorfinn Rowle said sly, moving his face so close to mine that his lips nearly touched my cheek.

The Freezing Spell was done undone and I could finally feel my limbs again. I moved really slowly to my desk, in hope to get my spare wand, which was at the bottom left drawer of my desk.

"Stop!" Nott yelled.

I stopped moving immediately.

"You are going to tell us where you keep your contract paper and then you are going to sign it just like I said," Nott hissed while pointing at the ink bottle and set of quills on my desk.

"My contract paper is in my top right drawer," I said slowly.

But Rowle wasn't as stupid as he looked, he used his wand to cast all kinds of lifting spells for booby-trap jinxes and alarm jinxes.

I had indeed used an alarm jinx that as soon as someone other than myself opened my right bottom drawer, the spell would activate and send an alarm to my friends' house and my own. Unfortunately for me, he had just undone that alarm-warn spell.

Thorfinn took out the contract paper while Nott pushed his wand further onto my throat, hurting me.

"Start writing!" Nott shouted in my ear.

As they ordered, I started writing seeing no single way out of this situation at this point. I wrote down all the points they wanted me to, specifying it all that there were no single loopholes in the whole contract. That was at least, until I came to the signing part. The past few months I had sometimes needed to sign a motion or law twice because the first time I had accidentally signed the laws with my own, maiden name. Logically, I had gotten used to signing with my maiden name, but since I was married four months ago, I had added my husband's name. Funny enough I had never thought I would be the girl to take over or add her husband's name, being all free-fought, strong and independent, but I loved him. I loved him with all my heart, so I decided to make him a deal, adding his name to mine. And that was also the name that needed to be on the contract to be magically binding.

Our wedding ceremony had been small and we kept it out of the press, just because we both hated the press. I had wondered if the Daily Prophet even knew I was dating at all, let alone be married, but nevertheless, this could be my loophole! I just had to sign my old, maiden name. I could still bust them that way! I needed it to work, it had to.

While making the contract, I knew that if I didn't fight them, they would get suspicious. I had to act like I was desperate and sure of myself as well, and that was just what I was going to do when the time was right.

When I was done with the contract, except for signing it, I pushed it forward over my desk, while Nott still pushed his wand hard in the side of my throat. Rowle took it from the desk and started reading. This was a perfect time for me to act brave and desperate.

"As soon as I sign it, it will be magically filed. It will be effective immediately, but I have to beg you not to do it! We can negotiate a shorter sentence, please!" I begged, making sure that despair in my voice sounded through, but not too much for them to get suspicious.

"Shut up, you filthy excuse for a rat!" Nott shouted before taking the papers from Rowle to check all the four points that he had brought on his little piece of parchment.

It was silent for about three minutes when Nott checked the piece of parchment and the two contracts twice.

"It seems good, Rowle. Now it is time for the Veritaserum," Nott said while gesturing Rowle to take something out of his robes.

Now, it was done. Now they were going to get away with it. In real despair now, I fought Rowle when he grabbed my jaw and poured in the like water-looking and tasteless potion. I fought swallowing it but as soon as Rowle punched me in the ribs I gasped for air and accidentally swallowed.

"You will never get away with this!" I shouted angrily.

Now, Nott pushed his wand threateningly back against the side of my throat and looked at me with crazy eyes. I wasn't going to show them my pain.

"Tell me. Once you sign the contract it will be filed magically and it will be of effect immediately, like you said?" Nott hissed.

I kept my mouth closed and moved away from the wand Nott was holding against me.

"Answer the question bitch or it is Cruciatus for you! I heard my friend Bellatrix had some fun with you, you filthy MUDBLOOD!" Nott now shouted in such a deranged manner that I was now completely convinced that he was crazy. I unwillingly thought back of being tortured by that monster and I couldn't, didn't want to live through that again.

I felt hopelessness fill my body. I didn't know what else to do…

"Crucio!" Nott yelled.

The pain was immediately too much, I felt my eyes closing and quickly losing consciousness.

I didn't know how much time had passed, but I woke up after a hard punch in my face.

"Answer the question, or we are going to torture you together! Once you sign those two contracts they will be filed magically and will be of effect immediately?!"

Nott threateningly held up his wand and saliva had dripped out of his mouth when he'd shouted to me.

Holding onto hope that I could use the loophole, I answered honestly, obliged by the Veritaserum, "Yes."

"Did you make any loopholes in the contract?"

"No." I made sure to look defeated when I answered and just that moment a few tears fell out of my eyes from my silent crying over the immense pain I had just felt.

Rowle began laughing maniacally and soon Nott joined in. Both their eyes stood crazy victorious and then Nott pushed his wand back into the side of my throat.

"Sign it now!"

I didn't pick up the quill. Instead I gave them one defiant look of bravery despite the tears that were moving down my face in small drops.

"No! I will not let you get away with this!" I shouted back fiercely, while my spine was ready to give out any time.

"Do you want to die, Mudblood?" Nott brought his face next to my ear and then grabbed me by my throat, chocking me.

I fought to get loose of his grip, actually once hitting him on the head. That caused Rowle to jump forward and petrify me again.

Once the freezing spell was made undone, after a discussion of about 5 minutes between them, Nott had given me such a hard blow to the head, I felt myself slipping out and back of consciousness so fast that I had barely managed to stay in my seat.

"Sign the contracts, NOW!" Nott shouted and I knew it was now or never.

I had done my best to stall them, for the aurors to show up, but it was done. I had two choices and decided for the one that could save the whole wizarding world a new hell. So I picked up the quill, dipped it in ink provokingly slow and signed my name under both contracts. I had a choice, and this was my decision.

Hermione Granger

Then the contracts copied themselves, like signed contracts usually do. One pair of the copies vanished into nothingness and the original copies stayed on the desk untouched.

"Is it done now?" Rowle asked me, with a hint of surprise in his voice.

I figured he thought all of this went too easy.

"Yes," I answered.

"Good! Now you are going to come with us, you are our hostage. STAND UP!" Nott shouted once more, while urging Rowle to pick up the documents and hand it to me. I held the documents while I rose to my feet slowly, still being dizzy from the attacks on my body and mind.

Nott now pushed his wand against my back, poking it so hard that it would definitely bruise.

Rowle opened the door and Nott pushed me forward roughly. I nearly collapsed because the high heels I was wearing didn't help with being dizzy.

"Nott! Rowle! Wands where I can see them! NOW!" I heard Harry's voice yell from the hallway.

"Don't think so, Potter! If you hurt one of us, your MUDBLOOD IS DEAD!" Nott shouted frantically, followed by a slightly nervous, evil laugh.

"It is the risk I will take!" Harry shouted.

I stopped myself from grinning, because confusing the enemy in hostage situations could result in two things, the enemy going crazy and killing them out of pure fear, or making them more alert and lose their confidence. And both had the same result, adrenaline would rise in both their bodies, making them less able to calm down.

"We have a contract that says that if anyone hurts us, they will have to be killed within the next two hours. Bound by law and not reversible."

A silence.

"Is this true, Hermione?" I heard Ron's voice shout now.

The sound of Harry's and Ron's voice gave me newfound strength and hope. Maybe I wasn't going to die after all.

"Yes!" I shouted back, still under the influence of the Veritaserum.

Nott silently pushed his wand in my back and quietly ordered me to step forward. Rowle held his wand against my throat and wrapped his free arm around the back of my neck.

We arrived at the corner I knew Harry, Ron and probably others would be and suddenly Nott pushed me around the corner. Rowle's hand and wand had never left my neck and neither did Nott's wand in my back.

Then I stood eye to eye with, Harry, Ron, Trevor, Gunther, Paulette and Yasmin all with wands drawn.

"Harry, Ron. I am under influence of Veritaserum and I have already hurt Warner Nott here, by slapping him on his forehead. I am now bound by the motion of law .a and b. to be killed within two hours," I stated as if repeating a normal law.

"Do not speak my name you filthy Mudblood!" Nott shouted and bruised my back again.

Tears sprung in my eyes and when I regained by balance, my eye's met Ron's who immediately looked down. I dived to the ground when Rowle's grip around my neck loosened.

It all happened within a millisecond.

"Stupefy! Stupefy! Protego!"

"Stupefy!"

"Crucio!"

"Expelliarmus!"

"Stupefy!"

"Petrificus To-!"

"Expelliarmus!"

"Avada Ke-"

I hadn't seen anything. I had closed my eyes immediately when I dived to the floor. I had heard shouting, all people casting protective and attacking spells and I had felt nothing, just a hard clap onto the floor. As soon as I felt warm, soft hands around my body I opened my now tearing, because of the pain, eyes.

"Prisoners secured?" Harry asked loud and clear.

"Secured," two voices I didn't recognize sounded simultaneously.

"Smithers and Heron, check for more," Harry ordered.

I now looked into Ron's eyes, who seemed so incredibly worried I immediately felt guilty.

"Hermione, talk to me. Are you alright?" Ron asked quickly.

"No."

I was surprised of my own answer, when I suddenly remembered the Veritaserum.

"Hermione, were there anymore intruders? Other than Nott, Rowle and Goyle?" Harry asked, still sounding completely alert and business-like.

"No others, but I didn't see Goyle…"

"Goyle was already dead in the hallway. So there were no others in your office?" Harry asked again.

"No," I answered.

"CLEAR!" Harry shouted and suddenly I heard a massive number of footsteps coming our way.

"Hermione, tell me about the motion. We will break the law if we have to. No one will kill you, I promise. I won't let that happen!" Ron said while meanwhile starting to heal my visible injuries.

"I made a loophole," I said, smiling melancholically.

Ron's grin couldn't be wider and now Harry plumped down next to me.

"Are you serious, Hermione?" Harry asked while placing his hand gently under my head to hold it up for me.

"OUT OF MY WAY!" I heard a voice yell so angry that I nearly relived the whole Nott-manner.

But then I recognized the voice. My husband's voice.

I raised my hand with the documents in it, slightly and Ron took it out of my hands.

"Hermione, please tell me the loophole now," Harry urged, it sounded like he was questioning my mental clarity in this injured state.

"I didn't sign my whole name. I signed…"

"Hermione Granger," Ron added while looking at the contract in his hand.

"Yes, so?" Harry asked.

"My full name is Hermione Malfoy-Granger. Without the 'Malfoy', it isn't a legal document."

"You truly are brilliant," Harry said while still holding my head up just slightly.

"Potter, Weasley, what have you done to my wife?!" Draco's voice sounded so venomous that I could almost smile at his reaction, but now the adrenaline was working out, the pain was worse than before and I was already slipping into unconsciousness again.

"Harry, don't let me…"

I slowly opened my eyes. It took a few seconds for the blurry and vague to become clear, and when it did, I nearly burst out laughing.

I stared into a really, really, really furious face of Draco Malfoy.

"Have you any idea how worried I was? You were in that office for 45 minutes, Hermione. I was losing my mind! I immediately called 'your boys' as you call them and they didn't even know! I mean how bad is that? It is their fucking JOB!" he paused to take a deep breath and continued, "I am so glad that I had put an alarm-warn spell on your door! You will resign that function immediately, do you hear me, Hermione? I was going crazy! I nearly hexed that stupid Potter and Weasley because they weren't doing anything and you were still in there and I was worried sick! Promise me you will resign, promise me, because I cannot lose you, do you understand? I cannot live without you!" he shouted with red-hot cheeks and slamming his fist into the air.

I ignored the sore back, ribs and head and looked into my husband's eyes, which were filled with despair, true and utter despair. And that same second the look in his eyes changed and he quickly sat on the edge of my hospital bed and softly took my hand, caressing it gently, changing his complete demeanour.

Then, tears started forming in his eyes and I saw the past worry streaming down his cheeks. He moved forward just a little bit and whispered, "I am so sorry, honey. I was just so worried. I don't know what to do if I would ever lose you..."

"You are not going to lose me. And I am under the influence of Veritaserum, so I am speaking the truth," I said softly, squeezing his hand.

"But do you promise to quit your job?" Draco asked, whining now.

"No," I said and sent him a huge smile.

"Salazar, witch, whatever must I do with you?" Draco asked, half serious and half kidding.

"Love me, hold me and never let me go."

"A Malfoy never does," he sent me a smile so full of love that I had to smile back. I had no other choice.