Draco shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Sweat was dripping down his forehead and his hands clenched the arm rests of his chair fiercely. He was on trial and it wasn't looking good. The Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot stared at him for many minutes and finally spoke.
"Are there any other testimonies on the defendants behalf?" he asked sternly.
"N-" the wizards words were cut short by the door to the court room flinging open. The very last people Draco would have expected to have hope in entered shyly; The Golden Trio. It almost sickened him how Granger and Weasley clung to Harry's side.
"Wait, please. We have evidence that needs to be taken into account." Harry said calmly. The head gave him an appraising look and then nodded his head.
"What can you contribute?"
"I have personal letters, photos, and testimony that Draco was not working for Voldemort for the majority of the war. He shiftednear end of seventh year, but everyone who can solidify this is deceased. I know from conversations with Draco Malfoy, Severus Snape, and Minerva McGonagall that this man is innocent of most of the charges against him. The photographs are mostly of Draco and Severus at the headquarters for the Order. There are also a few proving our relationship to be more than just a hoax to relieve Draco of punishment." Harry said this only blushing lightly. "He was devoted to our cause and to me for months and I can prove it." he approached the head's desk and placed an envelope on it. The head grabbed the envelope and shuffled through it's contents. He nodded and smirked as he went through the letters.
"He was a spy, along with Severus Snape? How can you expect us to overlook the evidence against him, just by your word?" the Chief Warlock said cautiously.
"How dare you!" Ron screamed. "You are accusing the least likely person to try to let a death eater free. I may not have enjoyed the git's company, but if Harry says he is innocent, then he is innocent." Hermione placed a cautionary hand on Ron's arm and he backed down.
"I know it is a lot to take in, but I have no reason to lie. Do not forget who you are talking to sir." Harry said politely. The Chief Warlock nodded and smiled.
"How did you come to obtain these photographs then? It doesn't look like they know what's going on." he started to shuffle through the many, many photographs.
"After Colin Creevey joined the order in our seventh year, he decided part of his contribution could be documenting our most important moments by photographing them. He spent a lot of time at headquarters and the result is a lot of pictures." Harry moved his hand to indicate the pile before them. "That is a small fraction." The judge nodded again.
"Well, I think we need some time to deliberate. We shall reconvene at two."
0o0
Later that night, Draco Malfoy walked out of the ministry building a free man. He couldn't believe it. There were so many thoughts rushing through his mind; so many feelings coursing through his body. He really didn't know how to react. Harry was at his right and Blaise was at his left.
"Would you like to go out with us and celebrate? We were planning on meeting a few people at the Three Broomsticks anyway." Harry offered. Draco glanced at Blaise, who nodded.
"I suppose." Draco said uneasily. The part that Harry had conveniently left out of his testimony was their rather nasty breakup. Just a few weeks before he was arrested, he found Harry with Ginny in a rather questionable position. Draco couldn't really be bitter anymore since he now owed this git his life. Harry had wanted to stay friends, if at all possible, and his actions in the courtroom must have been his best attempt at an apology.
Thethree entered the three broomsticks and saw a huge group of people huddled in one of the corners. Harry moved swiftly to Ginny's side. Draco and Blaise felt immensely out of place, but tried to smile. They took a seat across from Harry and Ginny. It was a lot easier to see the two together than he had thought it would be.
"So, where did all of those pictures really com from?" Draco asked Harry.
"Colin took them." Harry handed him the envelope that had saved his life. It felt odd to know that such a small object was his salvation. He opened it and looked through the pictures. As he got deeper and deeper into the stack, he grew confused. A lot of the pictures were just of him doing menial things. There was one of him staring out of the kitchen window. One of him walking down the infamous hallway in which Mrs. Black's portrait still hung. There was no denying they were all headquarters, except one. He had to do a double take. There was an image of him seated next to a body of water. It was easily discerned as the lake outside of Hogwarts. The picture had to be two years old and he was alone. What reason would any one have for taking such a picture? It didn't prove anything and he was not an ally to any of them at the point it was taken. He was utterly perplexed for a moment. He looked up and met knowing green eyes.
"Why is this picture in here?" he handed the picture to Harry, but he didn't even look at it.
"We don't know. Colin just handed me a stack of pictures before we left this morning and said that these would help you. I was going to ask you the same question."
"I have no idea. Are you sure Colin Creevey took it? It has to be at least two years old."
"Why don't you ask him." Harry said smugly. He pointed to the far corner where a small table was pushed. There were quite a few Gryffindors seated there. The blonde head stuck out amongst all of the brunets. Draco shifted again. He didn't know Creevey very well and this was an awkward situation. He rose unsteadily and walked to the table.
"Can I talk to you C-Colin?" he asked softly. The blonde's head shot in his direction and he reddened.
"Sure." he said shakily as he stood. They walked outside and Draco took a deep breath.
"I was w-wondering if you could explain this picture to me." he handed over the picture and Colin's eyes grew large.
"How did you get this?" he said quietly.
"It was in the stack you gave Harry. In fact, I don't understand a lot of those pictures." Draco said growing confident. Colin lowered his head and nodded.
"I took them at headquarters and this one was taken in my 5th year." He finally looked up and met Draco's eyes. He looked so scared and nervous.
"Why?" he asked, even though part of him already knew the answer.
"You had just been fighting with Harry and stormed out of the entrance hall. I followed you. I wanted to try to t-talk to you, but you were just-." he cut himself off. His face was contorted by concentration. "You just looked so peaceful, yet angry. It was an unusual contrast to what I was accustomed to and I couldn't help but photograph it." He hung his head again and waited for the onslaught of negative comments and insults that was bound to ensue any moment. But they never came. He looked up again and found Draco was looking at him thoughtfully.
Draco's mind was racing. A connection had just been made in his brain. It was not just the envelope that saved him, but Colin as well. The pictures weren't just pictures, but an expression of Colin's emotions and thoughts. He looked back down at the photo still in Colin's hand.
"Thank you," he said suddenly. Colin was obviously in shock. "Thank you for saving me. Your pictures are what really set me free," he said softly.
"Y-Your welcome." he replied. Colin handed the picture back to Draco, which brought him back to his original stream of thought.
"Why do you have so many pictures of me? Some of them are so pointless and trivial. Why bother taking a picture at those points?" Colin paled slightly.
"Those moments, they weren't trivial or pointless to me." he started shakily. "They reminded me that you were still human. That, no matter how you acted or what you said, you were on our side. That there was still hope." he paled even further and lowered his head.
Draco's head was spinning. There were few things this confession could mean, but he still had to ask. "Hope?" he said softly. Colin nodded.
"Hope that, someday, you would notice my existence. Hope that you would see me as more than some Gryffindor prat." He was no longer pale, but bright red. He shifted and started to walk back inside.
"Colin, wait." Draco put his hand on Colin's shoulder to keep him from leaving. "I don't understand a lot of this. I don't understand how you could want to know me after everything I have done, or how you could still hope for my attention when all I did was insult you."
"Even if you never saw me, I always saw you. I saw you when you spoke to Blaise and Parkinson. I knew that there was much more to you than any Gryffindor could understand, at that point anyway. I saw you sit by that lake during sixth year, trying to get through the task that Voldemort set out for you. Of course, I didn't know what you were doing at the time. I never doubted you because of those moments." Draco wasn't sure what to say. He had always been so sure he was alone when he let everything sink in. That one spot by the lake had been his safe haven. He finally removed his hand from Colin's shoulder and stepped back.
"I don't know what to say." he said quietly.
"Don't say anything. You don't owe me anything. I did what I did for my peace of mind, for you." They stood for a few moments in silence. Colin finally started towards the door again. Draco wasn't really sure what he was supposed to do, but letting Colin leave didn't feel right at this point.
"I don't know you," he said finally. "I don't know anything about you, except that you take fairly decent pictures and you used to be a Gryffindor." Colin stopped and turned around again. Draco smiled and took a step closer. "And that you used to have an outrageous crush on Harry," he said slyly.
"Oh that ended in fifth ye-" he stopped himself and blushed.
"That's what I thought." Draco said confidently. "Look, I don't know you, but I would like to. I owe you my freedom, the least I can do is give you a chance." Colin's face lit up.
"Do you want to have dinner with me tonight?" Colin asked shyly.
"Sure." They both walked back into the pub and dodged the looks from their friends as they sat in a booth together.
0o0
Six months later
"Draco!" someone screamed. There was silence except the heavy breathing of two people. They lay still, obviously exhausted.
"That was incredible," Colin said as he turned over and kissed Draco. All Draco could do was nod. Who could have known that underneath that shy exterior and those naïve blue eyes, Colin Creevey was every thing but.
Several hours later Colin woke up.
"Shit. Draco, wake up! We are going to be late and Hermione will be completely unbearable." He shook his boyfriend. "Draco," he said loudly. The blonde shifted and opened his eyes. He turned to look at the clock and shot out of bed. They dressed quickly and made for the fireplace.
They walked into a room lined with photographs and paintings. Hermione rushed over to them.
"You two are late," she said bossily.
"We over slept." Colin said.
"Well, the presentation starts in five minutes. There are two chairs in the second row that have your names on them. I have to go track down Ginny and Harry, so I will see you later."
Five minutes later, the room was full of people and press. Flashes were going off every other second and a man was standing at a podium at the front.
"Thank you all for joining us today. It gives me great pleasure to open such an exhibit and I won't keep you from it much longer. First though, I must announce the winners of the three main categories. The winners' pieces with remain in this gallery and the winners will receive 1,000 galleons, along with a full-page article in the critically acclaimed, Art and Photography. In the category of over all best painting, the winner is Jennifer Bryant for her piece, shattered flower." There was a round of applause from the audience. A middle-aged women walked to the stage and accepted her prize. "In the category of overall best sculpture, the winner is Gaston Renning for his piece, radiating night." A tall, younger man stood from the audience as they applauded. He accepted his prize and stood next to the other finalist. "And finally, the winner of best over all photograph is Colin Creevey for his piece, broken soul." The audience applauded politely and Colin stood. He kissed Draco before heading to the podium.
After the ceremony was finished, the guests were allowed to walk through the gallery. Colin was congratulated multiple times through out the night. Finally, the two men found themselves in front of the prize-winning photograph. It showed Draco seated by the lake. His hair was blowing in the slight breeze and his face was contorted in disbelief and anger and hurt. There was a stone in his hand that he was about to throw and the lake had ripples where other stones had obviously landed. All of this was shrouded in orange and red. The sun was just beyond the lake and it's rays covered every inch of the picture. Draco sighed and wrapped his arms around the shorter man in front of him.
"Where it all began." he said softly. Colin smiled and nodded. He turned around in Draco's arms and kissed him again. As they broke apart, Colin whispered something Draco couldn't hear. "What was that?" Colin looked up shyly and Draco had a flashback to the first day they spoke.
"I said, I love you." Colin blushed and tried to pull out of his boyfriend's arms. Neither of them had ever said anything about commitment or love before. They had an extremely open relationship, but Colin couldn't stand it any longer. He turned around again and closed his eyes. Draco still hadn't said anything and all he could dowas stare at his picture. Suddenly, Draco spun him around and kissed him fiercely.
"I love you, too," he whispered into Colin's ear and kissed his neck. Colin smiled and pulled his boyfriend closer. "You are the only one I want to be with Colin," he whispered just as softly. Their eyes met and Colin saw nothing but sincerity reflecting. He didn't need to say anything back. It wasn't really a time for words and everything he needed to know what written in the blues and silvers of Draco's eyes.
A/N: Hello everyone! This was inspired by one of my other stories. I got the idea for the pairing there, but this is completely different from their relationship in And They Lived. I hope you liked it. A huge thanks to my beta PinkElephant42! Review... please.