𝐃𝐑𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐘 𝐅𝐄𝐒𝐓 2008

One-Winged Angels

Author: _pinkchocolate
Pairing(s): Harry/Draco
Rating: NC-17
Summary: As punishment for his crimes during the war, Draco must live in an isolated cabin in the Forbidden Forest until he can rescue fifty unicorn foals.
Warnings: Unicorns, some language, boy smexin', and a questionable, non-cracky take on the prompt.
Word count: 22,500

"We are each of us angels with only wing, and we can only fly by embracing one another."

-         Luciano de Crescenzo

Three days after his eighteenth birthday, Draco Malfoy found himself wedged between his father and mother in the pit of the Ministry's oldest and most imposing courtroom. A row of Dementors hovered a few feet behind them, sucking in rattling breaths loud enough to drown out segments of the prosecutor's monotonous rambling, but Draco paid them no mind; he was capable of compartmentalising his feelings to the point where he could keep his head without too much effort in the presence of Dementors. At the moment, he was more concerned with the fact that Harry Potter was standing between his family and the Wizengamot, trying to convince the court to spare their lives.

Draco mentally rewound the past month, trying to figure out when everything had gone pear shaped.

The war had ended in the early hours of Saturday, May 2nd. Twelve hours later, Potter had approached Draco in the Great Hall and silently handed back his wand. Yes, Draco decided, recalling the tired smile Potter had offered him before disappearing into the crowd. That's it.

Two days later, Draco had received a note from Potter requesting a private meeting between the two of them after Snape's funeral. He had not responded.

Snape had been buried at dusk on Friday. Only a handful of people had attended; the rest, as per Potter's request, had been ejected from the funeral site by on-hand Hit Wizards for attempting to spit on Snape's gravestone. Before a small crowd of reluctant Hogwarts staff and frightened Slytherin students, Potter had declared that Snape had epitomised the concept of a flawed hero. Even the Slytherins had exchanged doubtful looks at this.

An hour after the end of the funeral, Potter had pulled Draco aside and told him, in low, hurried tones, that he would attend Draco's trial once the date was determined.

"I'll save you and your family," he'd said. "I owe it to your mother."

Potter had then walked away without another word.

The Ministry had spent the next three weeks juggling the tasks of counting the dead, rounding up ex-Death Eaters, and reassuring the frantic public. Draco and his parents had considered escaping in all the confusion, but, weary of running, they'd rejected the idea in hopes that their complacency combined with Potter's influence would convince the Wizengamot to spare them.

Now they were finally about to find out if they'd made the right choice in staying.

"...approximately four hundred unicorns inhabiting the Forbidden Forest at this moment. You must gain the trust of fifty unicorns and bring them to Hogwarts' groundkeeper so that we may transfer them to a safer location. If you can do that, we will set you and your family free. Do you accept this punishment?"

The ensuing silence penetrated the stupor Draco had fallen into. He sat up a little straighter, hoping the trial was finally over. Potter had certainly taken his sweet time providing the necessary evidence.