Thanks, For Having My Back

In the weeks that followed the end of the war and the fall of the Dark Lord many of the Death Eaters who had managed to escape where caught and stood trial for their crimes most of whom received the highest punishment for their crimes life in prison as Kingsley had been made interim Minister of Magic and had promptly disbanded the dementors from their duties as Azkaban guards and had instead placed several dozen highly trained aurors in charge. Thus the highest punishment was no longer a dementors kiss but life in prison.

Harry and Draco where of course acquitted of their crimes, Harry for his use of the unforgivable curses while searching for the keys to the Dark Lords power. Draco who had been unofficially arrested and questioned was then acquitted for his part as an underage Death Eater and everything that had entailed ranging from torture to actually killing. Though as he'd explained during his questioning while under power of vertiserum and his Harry’s ever watchful eye his father had forced him into the life of a Death Eater. It was because of Draco that so many Death Eaters where caught so soon after the fall of the Dark Lord because he willingly gave up their names. Once released they then set about helping to make repairs to the school alongside others of the light and had taken what money he had in his keeping since all his family assets for the time being until the ministry could sort the matter and generously donated his remaining funds to the rebuilding of the school just as Harry had with portions of his own inheritance from both his parents and godfather.

Two months after the end of the war Harry and Draco both graduated with honors. To show her gratitude to Harry for killing the Dark Lord and Draco for saving Harry Professor McGonagall who also knew about their relationship let Harry and Draco receive their diploma's at the same time despite the alphabetic gap of their last names. The boys walked up, hand and hand smiling, as they received their diplomas. They then sat down to listen to Hermione who had been elected as class speaker for their graduation she had been tight lipped about the speech but had been working on it diligently between helping to rebuild the school and being a shoulder to cry on for Ron and others who’d lost many people dear to them in the final battle

“My fellow students and esteemed guests and families today I stand before you light of heart that our world is at last free of the tyranny of a dangerous man, however I nor any of us shouldn’t forget those whom we lost in the final battle on these very grounds not quiet eight weeks ago…”

The room was silent in painful reflection of the losses that everyone in that room had suffered one way or another as Hermione continued her speech

“…and though he had no choice in the matter and was destine for this greatness since the time he was one year old, I will however take the moment to thank my best friend one Harry Potter for all he’s done for our world as well as his boyfriend Draco whom as many of you know from the seven years we attended classes in these hallow halls I did not get along with, but who I now count as a close friend learning that his life was though different in the fact he was raised with money, it was not that different from others forced into a life that was not his own practically from the moment of his birth, trying to make those he counted as family proud of him and it was through his actions he came to understand the full impact of this war on those around him thus Draco and many others who were from Slytherine house turned against their own families and the stereotype of the house they had lived in for the past seven years to help us fight and win the war…”

She paused a moment letting her words sink in and give Draco a grateful smile and a nod of acknowledgment before she continued

“On a lighter note many of you here know me as a very studious student or as most of you have called me on one occasion or another a book worm but for your information in our 3rd year both Draco and Harry beat my scores in three of our five exams and Draco very nearly beat my score in ancient runes. Guess what I want is to say that as we take our next steps into the world starting in the next days and weeks is that no matter what happen here in these halls stand by your friends as they will always be there to get you through the hard times”

As the applause started Hermione beamed at Harry and Draco sitting together beaming at her as they held hands she looked at her boyfriend Ron his eyes were still slightly pink the last few weeks had been trying on him and his family with the death of his brother and several of his friends, he had needed her support which she gladly gave to help distract her own mind from the losses

After the final train ride to Kings Cross Station after graduation Harry and Draco bought a flat together in the out skirts of wizarding Surrey as had been there plan for some time now, and all though they were young they applied to the Auror’s Academy in hopes of starting to train early. Very soon after they were both unanimously accepted. Harry and Draco would then stand three months later at the Auror’s Academy graduation valedictorians for their exceeding expectations during training. Years later Harry and Draco would still laugh about this fact considering their histories before school and at Hogwarts, the former Death Eater and Death Eaters son, and savior of the wizarding world.

That night after the graduation ceremony Harry and Draco had a party with the Weasley's and Hermione and a few other friends as they sat and chatted. Draco watched Harry smiling and laughing at George’s jokes despite the loss of his twin not even six months ago George was taking life a day at a time and was slowly becoming himself again like he was tonight. As if Harry could sense Draco's looking at him he looked up and smiled at Draco, who softly smiled back as he ran a hand over the small bump in his pocket as he watched the gathering from the door separating the kitchen from the sitting area still not quite as comfortable with everyone in the room as his boyfriend was.

After Twenty minutes Draco cleared his throat and stood in the center of the room as it went silent Draco smiled

“First, let me thank everyone for coming tonight, I also want to thank you all for your support, especially you Harry you really had my back at training”

Harry smiled softly at those icey blue eyes that only hours before had been sapphire blue with need as Harry had made love to Draco, this thought bright spots to his cheeks at the memory which Draco noticed making him smile

“It was nothing Draco”

Harry said this as he stood up and kissed Draco, who after a moment pulled away smiling even more broadly as he took his hand from his pocket

“There was also another thing I wanted to ask you, I was wondering if you'd be willing to watch my back for the rest of our lives by marrying me?”

by that time Draco had got down on one knee and was holding open a snitch shaped box inside was an immaculate gold ring set with aquamarine and emerald stones Tears shimmered in Harry's own emerald eye's as he whispered

“Yes Draco”

Draco then slipped the ring on the fourth finger of Harry's left hand then took a second identical ring from his pocket placing it on his own left hand because Draco had always been a firm believer that two people planning to spend their lives together should show that promise from day one. He then stood to embrace Harry and slowly kissed him.

When they at last remembered their friends as their passion had started to build they turn to them receiving all there proud smiles and congratulations and nods of approval from Mr. and Mrs. Weasley as Harry had become like a son to them over the past seven years and Harry craved there approval in the things he did with his life.