The week after I blew up at those Slytherins was… Hectic, to say the least. Apparently, the dam of strangers asking me questions had burst, because I was doing nothing but fucking dodging. Even Ron and Hermione had confronted me - word travels fast at Hogwarts. And I… Told them the truth. If randos in the hallways were gonna keep pestering me about my relationship with Draco, I was gonna keep disappointing them. But I couldn't lie to my friends - not anymore, at least. Apparently, falling love had loosened some hold I'd kept on my truth, because I didn't even swear Ron and Hermione to secrecy. So by the end of the week, everyone knew.

I didn't give a fuck. Truly, I didn't. I started holding Draco's hand in the hallways, and even though his palms went sweaty as hell, I held on for dear life. Nothing could tear me away from him. And I knew I was just as much his security as he was mine, because he held my hand just as tightly. Hectic, yes, but not unbearable. What were they gonna do to the Boy Who Lived?

The end of that week finally rolled around, and I actually found Draco in the Room that night instead of the other way around. A weird deja vu came over me as I walked in on him pacing, but it wasn't mine. It was like…

"Hey," he began, hands wringing before him as he halted his pacing.

"Hey yourself," I smirked as I closed the door behind me and stepped up to press a kiss to his lips. He eased into me for several minutes as our mouths whispered our affection against each other.

"Harry," he finally began as he tore himself from my lips. I frowned up at him as he seemed to steel himself. "It…" He swallowed, eyes flashing down to my lips. "It's become fairly obvious what… Well, you know… I-it's not exactly a secret anymore, so…"

He paused for so long, I asked. "Yes?"

Draco's jaw clenched, and he took a deep inhale. "My retrial is in a month."

My eyes went wide. Long enough to draw tears, which I blinked away. "What?"

His brow cinched in a grimace, and my mouth went dry. "My… R-retrial." He swallowed and stepped out of my grasp to pace. "The Ministry has a six-month retrial process for first-time offenders. And… Since I'm, y'know…" He cast me a rueful smile, and my jaw tensed. Draco cleared his throat as he continued pacing. "A-anyway, I thought… Well, maybe it'd… B-benefit me if…" Finally, he paused and faced me. "If you were there."

"Of course," I answered instinctively. A sad smile faltered on Draco's face as I closed the distance between us and took his biceps. "Draco, I'll… I'd do anything for you, you know that."

His brow knit as he cast his gaze down at his shoes, and nodded. "I know. I just… God, I feel so stupid…"

After all we'd been through, all we meant to each other, I could only surmise he felt stupid for being hesitant to ask for my help. When he knew he had it already. I sighed.

"You are. A right idiot, in fact." We huffed a laugh together. "But you're my idiot. And I will absolutely defend you in court. Hey."

Draco lifted his moist eyes to mine, and I took his face in my hands. A smile pulled at my lips as I studied his expression.

"I don't deserve-"

"Draco," I interrupted, eyebrows flicking up severely as I leveled my gaze with his. "Say it."

I saw his Adam's apple bob as he braced himself, but with fluttering eyelashes, he uttered, "I love you."

Pure sunlight burst through me, like it always did when he said those words, and I couldn't keep the grin off my face. Couldn't stop myself from kissing him like he'd die if I didn't. And he gulped down my kiss just as eagerly. Christ, I'll never get enough of this.

I couldn't really predict what Harry would deliver next in bed, but I was never disappointed. As fucked up as our encounters began, sex with someone I loved, and who loved me was… Better than I ever could've anticipated. And the resulting bliss swaddled me like a warm bath as we laid, gasping for air, side-by-side in bed.

"So," Harry eventually gasped, bending one arm behind his head as he turned it to look at me. "What… What exactly is a retrial?"

I swallowed in the hopes of wetting my dry mouth, and twisted onto my side to face him. "It's… Basically like a progress report. How've I been faring, have I been following the rules and whatnot."

He hummed. Sniffed. "So… Nothing too major, right? I mean… You have been a good boy, haven't you, Draco?"

The corner of his lips lifted suggestively, and I snorted at the implication. "Of course, Mister Potter. Best behavior."

We chuckled together, and he rolled onto his side to mirror me. "So… We have nothing to worry about, right?"

My smile faltered, and I buried my face slightly into the pillow. To be honest, I was fucking terrified. The Wizengamot had it out for me the moment the Minister had allowed me to return to school. They didn't trust me, and why should they? They'd sentenced my father to Azkaban. They'd be fools not to be wary of me.

With nothing but a sigh, Harry gathered me into his arms. His chin rested on top of my head as I breathed in the sex-drenched smell of him. Our limbs were sticking together slightly, but there was nowhere I'd rather have been.

"They'll listen to you, I'm sure," I breathed against his collarbone. And mirrored the deep breath he took.

"They'll have to. Whatever they throw at us, I know we can handle it." His grip around me tightened slightly, and I suppressed a shudder at the thought of whatever they could throw at us.

"Yeah," I croaked. And cleared my throat. "I… I love you, Harry."

For some reason, it felt like a goodbye, and my throat tightened. He only pressed a kiss to the top of my head and stroked my back.

"I love you, too, Draco."