It was around seven thirty when Harry arrived home from work ready to surprise his husband Draco with a chinese take away, one of draco's guilty pleasures.
Harry made it inside after almost dropping the food trying to turn the key with a grin spread across his face, looking forward to the night ahead of him where they'd watch old sitcoms until heading off to bed.
That was until he saw Draco sitting on the couch, head in his hands and short pieces of white hair bunched up in his fingers.
Harry's smile quickly faded and he slowly put the bags on the floor, not taking his eyes off of Draco.
"Hey, What's wrong. what happened?" He asked in a soft yet concerned tone as he made his way to sit next to Draco, placing a hand lightly on his shoulder.
Draco lifted his head, that's when Harry noticed the red rimmed and glassy eyes, he'd been crying.
"Th..they're putting me on trial again Harry. They said something about new evidence" He said shaking his head as new tears formed in his eyes and he looked to the floor again.
Harry's heart dropped. "What new evidence? They know everything!" He began to sound angry and Draco winced slightly so Harry knew to bring his voice down. "When is it?" He asked, trying to think rationally.
"In a couple of weeks I think". Draco sounded tired as though he was beginning to wonder if the war could ever truly be put behind him.
"Jesus christ it was ten years ago. We were kids for crying out loud. How can they do this so long after" Harry ranted to himself more than anything before Draco interrupted sharply.
"-Well they are!" He looked Harry in the eye. "There's nothing we can do" He said and stood, swiftly leaving to go into the bedroom, slamming the door behind him.
Harry sat for a moment to collect his thoughts. Everything had been sorted ten years ago, Draco was found not guilty and they carried on their lives the way they were meant to.
He got up slowly, picking up the takeaway that was left on the floor and went to the bedroom, knocking softly on the door. After getting no reply, Harry saw fit to push the door open and silently signalled to the bags of chinese food in his hands. A small yet sad smile ghosted over Draco's features.
—Two weeks later—
Harry placed his hands on Draco's shoulders, squeezing once and then resting his chin on one to look at Draco in the mirror.
He was fumbling nervously with his tie. "Here let me do that" Harry whispered before reaching in front of him and fixing the sleek black tie. "It's all going to be fine, alright?" Harry said, placing one hand on Draco's cheek to turn his face towards him.
Harry refused to show how worried he really was and kissed Draco firmly. Draco simply sighed. He wanted desperately to believe Harry but he knows how much people want him locked away and he knew they'd never stop trying.
The car journey to court was silent and tense but it was worse as they entered a full court room. They had to go in separately, Draco was escorted by guards and was shocked when they placed metal cuffs around his wrists but yet he said nothing.
Everyone stood after an "All rise" was echoed throughout the building. "We're gathered in court regarding the death of Gregory Goyle".
Over the course of the past couple of weeks, Draco and Harry both had to speak with many lawyers so they knew the reason for the trial yet it still seemed ridiculous to try and pin it on Draco. After all, it really wasn't his fault.
There were arguments to say that the death was unrelated to the battle and seeing as Draco is labelled a death eater, it was now being dragged to court.
More talking went on for a few minutes until it was the prosecution's time to put forth the evidence.
A man with a long face and small eyes rose and began speaking. "A witness, Mr Vincent Crabbe, has recently come forward with a report to say that Mr Malfoy had started the fire with the intent of killing Mr Goyle. He says-" The man started to read from a piece of paper, "-Goyle had wanted to kill Harry and so Draco turned on him instead. He started the fire using a spell I didn't know and pushed Goyle into it before escaping the room with Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley. I managed to escape on my own". The man put the piece of paper back down and sat.
Draco's lawyer, a shorter and more plump woman, stood. "The defence is that Mr Goyle had caused the fire as a result of a dispute between himself and Ronald Weasley. Mr Malfoy was merely a witness to the crime. We have 3 reports from Mr Potter, Mrs Ganger-Weasley and Mr Weasley to confirm this.
One witness is here today to share what happened".
Harry knew now that he was to stand up and tell the court his story. The sound of turning heads echoed in his ears and he cleared his throat as he stood, wishing he'd brought a bottle of water.
"Um.. I'm Harry Potter and I was present at the time of Gregory Goyle's death-" He lifted his sheet of paper and began reading his previous report. "-Me, Hermione and Ron were in the room of requirement as the battle was happening. Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle found us and Goyle kept telling Malfoy to kill me. Ron and Goyle got into a dispute and ran off to the other side of the room. I could no longer see them. A few moments later, Ron was running back to me, Crabbe and Malfoy saying that Goyle had started a big fire.-" Harry continued to read from his report, his hands and voice shaking slightly from nervousness. Once he had finished reading, defence asked some questions. "What was your relationship to Mr Malfoy at the time?" She asked.
Harry answered, "I wasn't exactly a fan of him then and he wasn't a fan of me".
"Did Mr Malfoy express any hatred towards Mr Goyle?"
"No".
"What was Mr Malfoy's reaction to Goyle's death?"
"He was upset to say the least. He'd known him all his life. They were friends."
"Thank you Mr Potter, you may sit" The woman said and Harry nodded once before sitting back down.
The man speaking against Draco stood again and said, "I'd like to ask Mr Malfoy some questions". To this, Draco, still seated high on his own close to where the judge sat, nodded.
"Mr Potter claims that you 'weren't fans of each other', would you agree?"-he asked.
"Yes" Draco replied simply.
"So I ask why was it that in the previous court cases, Mr Potter claims that you 'saved his life' months before the battle?"
Draco hesitated, looking around nervously, "Just because I didn't like him, doesn't mean I wished him dead".
"When Mr Goyle and Mr Weasley supposedly ran off, what happened between you and Mr Potter?"
"Harry went off in search of something" Draco sounded unsure, as though he could hardly remember himself despite the events playing out time after time in his nightmares.
"Yes and how long after the battle did you and Mr Potter get into a relationship?"
"I..I don't know a few months after". Draco was getting more and more nervous and it was showing. He rubbed his sweaty hands together as the prosecution continued.
"That's not very long is it?" The man asked though he allowed no time for Draco to answer as he continued speaking. "You see, your honour, what really happened was when Mr Goyle began pressuring Mr Malfoy into killing Harry Potter, Mr Malfoy's feelings for Harry stopped him. Mr Malfoy then turned on Mr Goyle. He used a spell to start a fire and pushed Mr Goyle into it. Killing him. He had turned on a friend out of anger for what he was being told to do. Mr Malfoy is only using the battle as an excuse for his unforgivable actions-" He was interrupted by Harry shouting,
"No. That's not what happened there are other witnesses"
"-and where are they Mr Potter?" The man shot harshly. Harry was silenced in shock.
Draco looked to Harry in desperation as prosecution kept speaking. He had tears in his eyes and could see that they were losing.
"-Draco Malfoy is a cold blooded killer. His best friend of over 15 years is now dead and he must be punished. Mr Potter's defence is not reliable due to the nature of his relationship to the criminal and so it cannot be taken into account. Your honour, prosecution asks for the maximum sentence for Draco Malfoy-"
Draco let out a weak sob and Harry shifted anxiously in his seat. This couldn't be happening.
"He is a death eater who didn't care who he had to kill to get to the top. Once he lost the war he realised that he'd be a target of abuse and used his relationship with Mr Potter to, for want of a better phrase, pull wool over the public's eyes-"
"That's not true", Draco's voice was weak and almost inaudible.
"-but I ask the court to see past his manipulative ways and let justice be served", he looked back to the judge, "Thank you".
A few silent tears trailed down Draco's face as people began leaving the court room in wait for the verdict. Harry was sat with his head in his hands. When he finally stood up to leave he refused to make eye contact with Draco, he couldn't bare to see the look on his face.
—
After a wait which seemed to have taken years for Harry and Draco, everyone began to crowd back into the court room.
Shuffling was heard for a few minutes and Harry found his previous seat. Letting out a long breath as he looked around briefly.
"I feel no need to extend the waiting time any longer. How does the jury find the defendant?" The judge boomed. A lanky woman stood and there was a long pause.
Harry could hear his heartbeat in his ears, every passing second felt like nails on a chalkboard and his palms were damp with nerves. Draco felt exactly the same.
"Guilty".
Time stopped. There was talking but Harry and Draco seemed unaware of it as their eyes found each others. Harry's heart seemed to have almost leaped straight out of his mouth and Draco almost collapsed there and then. "I sentence Draco Malfoy to 25 years in Azkaban" the judge roared.
"No!" Harry found his voice and shouted. He stood sharply and clasped the wooden barrier in front of his seat. "You can't do this! He didn't do anything!" Harry sobbed.
Two guards grabbed Draco by the arms, he didn't even seem to notice them as they began dragging him away.
Harry ran towards him.
"You can't speak to him, sorry." One of the guards put their hands on Harry's heaving chest.
His green eyes shot daggers at the guard. "My husband is being taken away for 25 years, I'm going to speak to him right now", Harry's voice was low and unwavering. The man looked away, accepting it.
Harry held Draco in a death grip, burying his face into Draco's neck and holding his head. Draco couldn't hug back due to the hand cuffs but he held Harry's collar desperately, never wanting to let go, and cried.
"I'll wait for you" Harry sobbed. "I promise I'll be there to take you home and we'll watch the simpsons and it'll all be okay" His shoulders shook from crying and he let go of Draco only to grab his face and kiss him like he never has before. It was a goodbye kiss. "I'll always love you'".
"I'll always love you too" Draco whimpered before he was once again being dragged away by the two strong men.
Harry felt as though he might die.