Tainted Love - Drarry

Chapter Twenty

Draco 

"The jury has voted. The verdict decided today by the Wizengamot in accordance with the viable laws of the wizarding world is that Draco Malfoy is found to be...." 

...

"...not guilty. However, he will need to pay a fine of ten thousan galleons by the end of next week." 

I had completely tuned out the Minister after "not guilty". I was free! I wasn't going to rot in prison for the rest of my life! OH I wouldn't be able to describe the overwhelming joy that filled by body even if I wanted to. As soon as the announcement was made, I shot up from my chair with the biggest grin on my face. Everyone in our party was whooping and hollering and cheering. 

I was finally free. For good.  

As soon as I was out of my seat, I was immediately pulled by the arm into someone's chest and before I could catch my breath, an intoxicating pair of lips crashed onto mine. I melted like butter into Harry's kiss. It was full of joy and relief and passion, and was just overall wonderful. But when were Harry's kisses anything but wonderful? 

Finally, after a while we broke apart, completely disregarding the world around us. Harry leaned his forehead on mine with his eyes still closed, a huge smile gracing his sun-shining face. 

"I'm so proud of you Draco. So, so proud," he whispered. 

"I couldn't have done it without you, Sunshine." The nickname came out before I even had time think. But instead of being thrown off, Harry's smile only grew wider. 

"I love it," he chuckled breathlessly. I laughed along with him and pecked him one last time on the lips before pulling away and examining the room. Everyone was beginning to file out, and the team was packing up their belongings. Ron was having a conversation with Lavender, who had tagged along to witness the trial, and Pansy and Hermione were flirting amongst themselves in the corner. 

Wait. Flirting? Since when did this happen? I mean it was painfully obvious that the two girls were in love with each other. Even Hermione, who had a boyfriend for Salazar's sake wasn't very subtle. However Ron nor Hermione had talked to one another all that much today. 

Maybe this was what Pansy was so uncomfortable talking to me about in the field a couple of weeks ago. 

No matter. I would just grill her later today. But now was the time to celebrate. I packed up the rest of my things as did Harry and we began to walk out of the court room. Hermione and Harry exchanged a knowing smile with one another before he slung his arm around my back and rested his head on my shoulder. 

CLEARLY the little prat knew something that I did not. But I'd rather hear what was going on straight from the horses mouth than his. 

McGonagal and the rest of the team decided they would go back to Hogwarts while the five of us, as well as Lavender Brown (why exactly was she associating with us?) went to Three Broomsticks for a pint of butter beer. We all walked in and plopped into a booth in the back. Me, Harry and Ron on one side, and Hermione, Pansy and Lavender on the other. How sexist. 

"So are you beyond relieved, Draco?" Hermione asked after we were settled. 

"How the bloody hell could I not be?" Everyone chuckled. 

"See, I knew 'bloody' would catch on one of these days," Ron piped up. 

"Don't count on it going any further than that," said Lavender. 

After our little exchange, everyone seemed to break off into their own conversations. Soon enough, we had ordered our drinks and few appetizers to satisfy our hunger...well, Ron's hunger. That boy was a ravenous beast. It was quite a joyous occasion really. It was as if a huge weight had not only been lifted off of my shoulders, but everyone else's as well. In the last couple of weeks that we spent preparing for the trial, everyone was tense and on edge. But that just showed me that everyone at this table cared out me. And I couldn't be more grateful for that.