After Lily Potter finished her years at Hogwarts and moved out, Harry and Ginny moved to a muggle town outside of London. They had talked for a long time about getting out of the city and now that the children had places of their own the time seemed right.
They lived there quietly and without incident until a warm June Tuesday a few years later. On this particular day, Ginny had gone into London to do some shopping and Harry, who had a day off, was home alone. Since it was such a lovely day, he decided to take a walk. He dressed in a muggle suit so as not to stand out too much and set out.
As he walked through the town, he was overcome with a craving for the food at the local diner, so he stopped in and was greeted by Francine Davis, the diner's owner and a close friend of the Potters.
"How are you today, Harry?" she asked as she seated him in a table by the window.
"Just fine, Francine," Harry said with a smile.
"Where's your lovely wife today?"
"Shopping in London," he said as he opened his menu, though he wasn't sure why as he always got the same thing every time he ate here: A bowl of the vegetable soup, which as far as Harry was concerned, was the best soup in the world.
"The usual?" Francine asked as she poured him a glass of water.
Harry chuckled. "It's like you can read my mind," he said, handing her the menu.
"Well, I am magic," she said with a chuckle before turning and walking away.
Harry smiled to himself and took a sip of his water, watching the people walk by. He stopped mid-sip as a couple walked by the window. He had to do a double take, but he was right. Draco Malfoy and his wife Astoria had just walked by the window.
They didn't stop, which led Harry to believe that they hadn't seen him. Normally he would have just let them pass, but today, for reasons he couldn't explain, he felt a desire to follow them. He stood and began to make his way toward the door.
When he was about halfway to it, the window by which he had been sitting exploded, raining glass into the restaurant. As the patrons ducked under tables, Harry looked out the window and saw a figure in a dark robe and mask waving a wand and shooting spells in the direction Malfoy and his wife had gone.
Harry swore under his breath as he ran for the door. He and the other aurors had spent the last few years rounding up the few remaining death eaters and he had thought that they had caught them all. Apparently he was wrong. As he opened the door he reached into his coat and pulled out his wand.
Harry fought his way through the crowd that was scattering away from the fighting. He saw Draco Malfoy dueling with the death eater, trying to protect his wife. He seemed to be on the defensive and slipping quickly.
As Harry ran into the fray, Malfoy turned and looked at him, a surprised look creeping over his face. He glanced from Harry to Astoria and made a quick decision. He grabbed his wife's arm and pushed her toward Harry and out of danger.
The momentary distraction was all that the death eater needed. "AVADA KADAVRA!" he shouted. The green light hit Malfoy square in the chest and he collapsed, dead.
"NO!" Astoria shouted, fighting Harry and trying to get toward her husband. The death eater raised his wand again, pointing it at her.
Harry placed himself between Astoria and the death eater and waited to get a clear shot. "Expelliarmus!" he shouted and the death eater's wand flew into the air. The figure stopped in surprise and after staring at Harry for a moment, turned and began running away.
Harry chased after him and eventually got close enough to cast a spell. "Locomotor Mortis!" he shouted and the death eater collapsed, his legs locked together. Harry ran over to him as he tried to crawl away, rolled him over and pulled off his mask to reveal the laughing face of Gregory Goyle.
"Hello, Potter," the death eater said with a grin. "Having fun living among the muggles?"
"What are you doing here Goyle?" Harry asked, raising his wand so that it was an inch from the man's nose.
"Isn't it obvious? I'm here to kill a traitor. And to avenge a brother in arms. Vincent Crabbe was twice the man Malfoy ever was."
"How did you know Malfoy was here? I didn't even know until right before you attacked him."
"I followed him here from London. He and his wife were coming to visit you. God only knows why."
Harry took a deep breath as the reality of the situation sank in. Draco Malfoy was dead, and it had happened here in his hometown. Perhaps Astoria could provide some answers.
Before he could do anything, Harry heard someone calling his name. He turned and saw Ron Weasley hurrying over to them. "Are you okay, Harry?" Ron asked. "We got a notice that someone had used the killing curse and got here as quickly as we could."
"I'm fine," Harry said as he stood. "Here's your culprit." He pointed his wand at Goyle's legs and said "Finite Incantatem." The death eater scrambled to his feet and Harry grabbed the collar of his robe and shoved him toward Ron.
"Are you happy now?" Harry asked Goyle as Ron grabbed him. "You've killed a good man and put many innocent lives at risk."
Goyle let out a snort of derision. "I wish I could have drawn it out. It's not fair that he went quickly."
Harry shook his head. "Shut him up," he said to Ron, who was only too happy to oblige, casting a silencing charm on the death eater.
Ron then turned to Harry. "Draco Malfoy, a good man?" he asked. "Are you sure you didn't get hit on the head or something?"
Harry shook his head. "Where's Astoria?" he asked.
"Back there," Ron said motioning in the direction of the spot where the duel had taken place. Harry nodded and started to walk past his friend who stopped him. "Are you sure you're okay?" he asked.
"I'll find out," Harry said. He nodded toward Goyle. "Get this son-of-a-bitch to the Ministry and process him."
Ron looked at Harry a minute longer before nodding and apparating away.
Harry turned and walked back to where the other Aurors were working on getting statements from witnesses. They nodded at Harry and let him pass. He walked over to where Astoria was holding her husband's hand and knelt beside her.
"I'm sorry," he said. He wished he could say more, but he knew that nothing would help.
"Did you catch him?" she asked, not looking away from her husband.
Harry nodded. "He's been taken to the Ministry," he said.
She turned to Harry. "Do you know who it was?"
"Gregory Goyle. He said he was doing it to avenge the death of Vincent Crabbe."
"That was years ago," Astoria said. "Why now?"
"I don't know," Harry said. They were quiet for a moment before Harry said, "What were you doing here today?"
"We came to see you," Astoria said.
"Did he say why?"
Astoria shook her head. "I asked him, but he just kept saying it was personal. Something about what happened in school."
Harry sighed. It seemed he would never know exactly why Draco had wanted to see him. With a final "I'm sorry," and a sympathetic hand on Astoria's shoulder, Harry stood and began to make his way home.
When he walked in the door he was greeted by a worried Ginny. "Ron told me what happened," she said. "Are you okay?"
Harry looked at her and shook his head before walking over to the couch in the living room, sitting down, and beginning to cry. Ginny walked over to him and held him. Harry cried until he had no tears left and then he just sat there in his wife's arms.