A/N - Hello to any and all readers. This is my first attempt at ff, though I've written original stories for years I recently was bit by the HP FF bug. I apologize in advance for any grammatical errors. I tried editing it myself as I went looking at the beta page and it was a bit overwhelming. There are quite possibly several examples of the bane of my writing existence ROWC, run-ons with comma but I've tried to eliminate them. I have also tried to delete the double spaces between sentences (old habits are hard to break) :) As this is my first ff I'd love reviews and I won't even ask you to be kind but I will ask you to be please be constructive and if anyone is willing to be a beta for me please let me know. I also apologize in advance for any particularly poor usage of British slang. I'm an American doing the best I can.
A/N 2 - First posted this over a year ago and am finally going through updating and editing an typos. Reviews are still welcomed and appreciated as new readers find this story especially as it's still a work in progress. Enjoy!
Story will be epilogue compliant though not compliant with some of the things the great JKR has since released about the lives of her characters after the war.
Mainly a Harry/Draco friendship story with possibility of Drarry in the future, begins with Harry/Ginny
Prologue (one year post Battle of Hogwarts)
Hermione was the first one to say it. "They're really sort of two sides of the same coin you know." This lead to outraged gasps and shouts from everyone sitting at the table. Everyone but Harry himself that is. He'd opened his mouth to object then closed it again. If Hermione had said it, it was something she had put some thought into and as she was so rarely wrong maybe it was a thought worth some consideration, though that wouldn't happen in this room, with this crowd.
It all started when Harry announced to the others that he planned on testifying on Draco's behalf at his trial before the Wizengamot. Ron turned a shade of red not usually seen outside of a boiled lobster and began stammering so much no one could understand a word other than "that prat?" and other much less complimentary things never said in earshot of a child or a parent. Ginny asked him if he'd lost his mind. Neville just shook his head. Only Hermione and Luna seemed to understand, though Luna was questionable. Then Hermione uttered those words that would ring through Harry's head for years to come. And all hell really broke loose!
"Bloody Hell Hermione you have to be kidding me."
"Hermione you have absolutely lost it!"
"Harry and Draco have nothing in common! Nothing! What in bloody blue blazes would make you think they do."
"I must say it's nice to not be the one looked at as if I'm crazy for a change."
Hermione attempted to explain that she meant they were both put in the position to fight on their respective sides by the adults in their life. She stressed that neither had really made choices of their own. No one but Harry was listening however. Everyone else continued to yell, whinge, and glower. Well again except for Luna who began to hum and wave Wrackspurts out of the air around everyone else.
Harry refused to listen to the protests. He arrived at the hearing in his Auror robes. He hoped that this outward sign of his chosen career would help the wizards of Wizengamot listen to his testimony along with the fact that he was the "Boy Who Lived", the "Chosen One", and the "Boy Who Died and Lived Again". The look of shock on Draco's face when he stood to present himself as a witness for the defense rather than the prosecution had Harry stifling a chuckle. This was most certainly not the time or place to laugh. Naturally Draco would never have considered this possibility. He hated Harry, had for years and would assume Harry hated him as he had since they were eleven. He'd likely be mortified if he knew that the truth was Harry pitied him, felt for him, actually empathized with Draco's situation. Draco seemed to have never thought of anyone but himself and his parents and their safety and yet with that in mind he hadn't identified Harry when the Snatchers had taken he, Ron, and Hermione to Malfoy Manor.
Harry spoke about the night Dumbledore died, all he had learned of Malfoy's ever more desperate attempts to follow Voldemort's orders to kill Dumbledore to save his own life. He spoke of finding Malfoy in the boy's lavatory earlier that year crying and confiding in Moaning Myrtle. He shared what happened at the Manor, and in the Room of Requirement when Malfoy insisted Crabbe and Goyle not kill him. Adding that Malfoy drug an unconscious Goyle through the room trying to save his friend from the Fiendfyre. He offered to allow the members of the Wizengamot to view his memories of each of these events through a Pensieve holding up a vial filled with silver liquid and offering it to the Chief Warlock who wave it away. Finally he ended his testimony with one last statement.
"Draco has been a bully for years, anyone not a member of Slytherin house during our years at Hogwarts will testify to that. He may have been a Death Eater, though I find it highly doubtful that he volunteered to become one of his own free will. Even if he believes he did I think there is more than enough proof that it was under coercion. He may have been plotting to kill Dumbledore. He was not Imperiused and has never claimed to be, however I truly believe everything he did in the service of Voldemort was done under duress in the attempt to save his own life and that of his parents, because he was not given a true choice. His supposed choicce was serve or die and might I remind you he was an underage wizard at the time. I believe this so strongly that not only am I here to speak to you I have brought along Draco's wand that I took from him in that fight at Malfoy Manor. I've brought it along to return to him as I think that he can be trusted to no longer use it for malfeasant purposes. Please keep in mind that Draco Malfoy has never attempted to deny nor excuse his involvement with Lord Voldemort and the Death Eaters, rather he has turned himself in for this trial and punishment as you see fit. This also speaks to his change in character." With that he had placed Draco's wand on the desk of the Chief Warlock and turned to face Draco sitting in a chair much like the one he himself had sat in four years ago.
"Draco I never thanked you for not outing me to your aunt and I should have. I have no idea why you denied knowing it was me but it was that that allowed us to escape so thank you. I also never thanked you for trying to stop your friends from killing me, no matter your reason I still say thank you."
Ron remained disgusted that Harry spoke on Malfoy's behalf, but decided it was in his best interest to say no more when Hermione also chose to testify. Ginny didn't agree with Harry's decision either but knew she had to let it go as there was no way to change what had already been done. It didn't stop her from brooding over it though.
Harry had sat through the entire trial, watching as Draco spoke on his own behalf recounting the same tales Harry himself had told as well as many others including the death of Charity Burbage, His pride seemed to be slipping and the practiced arrogance was completely missing. When he was given his sentence of house arrest for a period of four years, twice the amount of time he had spent in the service of Voldemort he appeared relieved. The look of sheer happiness when he was handed back his wand was only momentary, quickly replaced by a blank face which seemed the closest he could come to his formerly haughty look. As he left the room he stopped momentarily in front of Harry, looking at his wand again, nodded and said "Potter" with a complete lack of contempt for the first time in his life, looking only for a moment that he might say more before beginning to walk away and once again stopping. "Granger" he uttered barely above a whisper this time with only half a nod, then he finally strode away with what little pride he could muster.
Malfoy's reaction further infuriated but Ron and Ginny, his lack of gratitude had them more convinced than ever that he hadn't changed a bit, but in private conversations Harry and Hermione decided that this was the best they could expect. That nod and acknowledgment was Malfoy's only way of showing gratitude to Harry without debasing himself further than he already had. His pride might not show on the surface but it was born and bred in him, all the way to the bone.
"Only time will tell if he will return to his old ways," Hermione lamented.
Harry thought he detected a change, though four years of house arrest with his mother and then his father once he was released from Azkaban could leave Draco more bitter than ever. Chances were they would never know as they certainly were not in the same social circles. There really was no reason they would ever cross paths again.