Illusion

Green flash at sunset,
Young love recaptured,
Just an illusion,
Would it were true.

Ron watched Harry as he stared out the window and shook his head. "He's not worth this shit you know, he's just a piece of trash."

Harry shrugged, turning to look at his best friend. Yeah, but he's a good fuck."

"I can't imagine spending a few hundred galleons on a good fuck, Harry."

Harry smirked, leaning against a window. "Isn't that what the rich do with their whores? Spend money on them?"

"I still think you should leave him there to rot. This will put you in the Prophet again, and you really shouldn't have that at election, my friend."

"So it'll give them something to gossip about. I'm sure you could spin it around, after all, I'm spending quite a lot of money to bail my loving boyfriend out of jail. The things I go through for true love, eh." He clapped Ron on the back. "Let's go get the little shit out of there so I can scream at him for this mess."

**

"You know he's only using you, don't you?"

Draco moved the dragon meat steak off his eye long enough to register is was Blurry Hermione speaking to him before replacing the rancid meat. "I know,"

"So WHY the fuck do you stay around, Draco?"

Draco winced at her tone. "Not so loud, luv. Still hung over and the little bar fight last night didn't help." Hermione jerked the steak off Draco's face, throwing it across the room. Draco watched as the steak slid slowly down the wall. "Well that was a waste."

"These didn't come from a bar fight, Draconis Malfoy." Hermione said, poking his black eye and bloodied lip with her wand. Draco winced and went back to staring at the ceiling, trying to ignore her.

"Do you get some high from this, Draco? Some feeling of importance, being his little punching bag? Does it turn you on?"

Draco remained silent but a tear slipped down his bruised cheek. Hermione shook her head and conjured and ice pack. "He'll destroy you," she whispered, placing it on his face before heading for the door. She paused and looked back at him. "I don't know who you are. You're not Draco Malfoy. He would have killed Harry for even darling to hit him." She left with the slamming of the door and Draco's frame shuddered before blocking out her words.

**

Flashes smoked as the photographers captured the candidates as they shook hands for the last time before the election that night. Harry smiled with boyish charm at the current minister and Fudge gave back his own grandfatherly grin before dropping the boy's hand as fast as he could. He gestured to the podium and Harry bowed his head in acceptance before stepping up to the stand.

"Questions?" Ron called for his candidate, scanning the crowd. "Yes, from the Times."

Draco watched his boyfriend from the background, legs crossed, hiding his hand toying with a small rock. His eye hurt like a son of a bitch and itched with the charms covering the bruises. He tried not to squint, it wouldn't make his sight any better, but it was still an instinctive reaction. He blocked out most of the questions and Harry's awnsers, tuning in only when his name was mentioned. There was dead silence, which confused Draco, who had not heard the question.

"That question is out of b..." Ron said, only to be interrupted by Harry.

"No, Ron. I'll awnser it. He flashed the crowd a brilliant smile. "Yes, Draco was arrested last night. Not something we're proud of, of course, but these things happen. I've told him, repeatedly that violence doesn't solve anything but you know Malfoy's, they react violently when their love is threatened." He flashed Draco a loving smile that was as cold as the ice Draco longed to have on his face.

"A picture, Mr. Potter, of you and Mr. Malfoy. Our readers would love to see such a happy couple." A photographer called out and Harry's smile grew slightly more strained.

"Of course," he said and held out his hand to Draco.

Draco sat there for a moment, staring at that hand, Hermione's words speeding through his head. He looked up at Harry whose green eyes were boring into him, a hint of annoyance flashing in them. "I AM Draco Malfoy," he whispered before standing and clasping Harry's hand. He was pulled in close as Harry slipped an arm around his waist and he smiled lovingly up at Harry as the flashes went off again, blinding them.

**

TRAGEDY STRIKES ON ELECTION NIGHT

by Rita Skeeter

Aurors today responded to the house of Minister Harry Potter at the urging of a distress alarm where the body of Mr. Draco Malfoy laying in the study. Cause of death is unknown at the time of this article but sources at St. Mungo's suggest that strangulation or a blow to the head is the result due to bruising in both areas.

Witness report the sounds of fighting coming from the house, followed by Mr. Malfoy screaming for someone to get out. Minister Potter, who was at the Ministry of Magic at the time, disclosed to Aurors that the couple had been receiving death threats recently but thought it all harmless.

Signs of struggle were apparent and the Aurors are now searching for the person or person's unknown responsible for the death of Mr. Malfoy. They encourage anyone with details pertaining to this horrible crime to contact them via owl. You may remain anonymous. Minister Potter has also put up a 100,000 thousand Galleon reward for information pertaining to his lover's murder.

Minister Potter is currently staying at an undisclosed location while this matter is cleared up. We are sorry that such tragedy had to occur on the night, just hours after he became the new Minister of Magic.

Below the article was a picture of Harry smiling at the camera, his arm wrapped around Draco, who only had eyes for his lover.

Hermione set the paper down after carefully folding it back up. She licked her lips, running her hands through her hair before burying her face in her hands, trying not to cry. At least it was over now.