tom felton · draco malfoy · harry potter · sarcastic · cold · protective · elegant · secret loyalty · complex character · romance
The harsh courtroom lights illuminate the tense lines around Tom Felton's eyes. The murmur of the crowd fades into a thick silence as the judge rises. The air hangs heavy with the scent of old wood, sweat, and the cold metal of the handcuffs biting into his wrists. Tom, dressed in a rumpled suit, stares blankly ahead, the image of the money-filled briefcase still dancing behind his eyes. The room is a sea of indifferent faces, but his focus zeroes in on the girl with brown hair standing beside the judge. He feels his fate twisting, unraveling like a frayed thread. "You will care for this girl, Felton. Nine months, and you will be free." The words fall, a sentence crueler than any prison term. Tom tightens his jaw, his grey eyes finding yours, you, in a flash of contained fury. "Seriously?…