A/N: Review!
It couldn't be possible. He had to be joking. Draco couldn't leave. There had to be some way that Harry could stop him, to calm him. He stood in the corner as the Slytherin packed his few possessions, shoving them into a bag in haste.
"Draco, please stop," Harry begged, holding his hands out, but Draco merely turned his back and continued emptying the room of his belongings. "Draco! You have to understand, I tried my best. I'm going to keep trying. I know what your father did in the war; I know exactly how hard he fought for our side after he turned. I will get him released. I will not stop fighting until I do. But you have to stay with me, Draco, I need you here!" The words he spoke tempted Draco, he could see that, but he refused to turn.
"What, you need me here to crack some stupid curses so you can live in a house that should not belong to you?" Draco spat, brushing an angry hand through his hair. "You need me here so that you can feel like you're helping the unfortunate Death Eater boy? Well I can tell you now, Potter; you will not be having any more help from me. H Harry shook.
"No, of course they aren't my reasons!" He didn't want to have to tell him, for fear that the old scorn was going to make its appearance, but as a grown man and the saviour of the Wizarding community, he decided he had to man up and face his fears. "I need you to stay because I've found that this house is only bearable when you're around. I've grown to like our morning conversations, our easy banter, and our comfortable silence. I didn't realise how lonely I felt before you were here, Draco, and I don't want to go back to that. You are my friend now, a friend I hold very close to my heart, and I don't want to lose that for anything." He was close to tears, but put an impassive mask on his face. He knew when Draco didn't say anything, didn't move, that he had lost. "If you want to leave, then go. I can't keep you here against your will. I know how much your father's release means to you and I know I failed you when I didn't manage. I'll continue fighting, but you can leave. I'm sorry, Draco." His tone was defeated, and he made his way down the stairs with an air of dejection, knowing that soon, he would be alone again. He had let Draco fall harder than he could have before, because the stupid act of befriending the Slytherin had lifted him up, given him hope. It was all gone now. It was all over.
He went to his room with a glass of firewhiskey, and slumped on the bed with a tight throat. He couldn't cry over Draco, he wouldn't. Just because his feelings were starting to surpass friendship after two months of being with the boy. Then he realised what he had to do.
"The Ministry!" He yelled as he stepped into the Floo, being enveloped in a swirl of green flames and transported smoothly to the office of the new Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shaklebolt. "Kingsley!" He greeted, sitting in the chair b in front of the man who, although a little shocked, didn't seem surprised to see him there.
"Harry," Shaklebolt inclined his head. "I presume you are here to contest the denial of Malfoy's release?" He asked, and Harry nodded, but before he could explain the Minister held up a hand. "Please. Now, I do not understand your reasons for protecting the man, but I shall explain mine for keeping him here; He is a menace to society, a murderer and a villain. I cannot recount to you the atrocious acts he committed in the War under the name of the Dark Lord. . It is simply unimaginable to let him roam the streets as a free man, when he could quite easily start another war." Harry was outraged.
"Do my memories mean nothing to the Ministry?" He yelled, getting to his feet. "I gave you proof that he was a spy! Penseive memories from Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape proving it too! I have shown you times where he rescued me from a Death Eater's curse while keeping his cover! You are no longer holding Snape's crimes against him; you gave him an Order of Merlin First Class, for God's sake! Why can't you do the same for Lucius before it is too late?" All his anger was drained. "Draco and Narcissa are stuck in their home like it was a prison because of the negative attitude of the public to them due to their reputation. Don't deny them their family life. Place him under house arrest! Community Service! Just… let a family be whole again. My family was destroyed and I can't see another innocent one destroyed too. Not if I can help it." He paused and sighed, bringing out his final card. "I will bring the Ministry down to get him out of there, Kingsley, something I do not want to do. But I will tear it apart if I have to. I will get the backing of the public because I am the Chosen One, and I will bring them down on you like you've never imagined. I didn't want to threaten you, Kingsley, really I didn't, but I will bring war to your doorstep over Lucius Malfoy and I can promise you that you will be on the losing side." With that, he left the office, and a dumbstruck Minister behind him.