Author's Note: Yes, yes, another project! I should be working on my Harry/Hermione story, but this idea came to me today during Christmas dinner, and I just had to write it or it'd bug me! XD

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and anything Harry Potter related rightfully belong to J.K. Rowling. However, some characters in here are my own.

A couple of quick notes : obviously a Harry Potter alternate universe. Sirius is still alive, and so is Dumbledore. None of the canon pairings (except Bill and Fleur, of course) happened. It's 6 years after Draco's seventh year at Hogwarts. Draco never became a Death Eater. Harry DID kill Voldemort, but much later than in the book. And of course, Voldemort's been dead for a long time, too. Oh yeah! And Cedric never died.

And now onto the story!

Chapter One: Settling in America

Draco Malfoy looked out of the window of the taxi and sighed distastefully. He scorned at all of the Muggles out and about, playing, laughing, dancing, even twerking ('what the fuck are those imbeciles doing?' Draco thought inwardly in disgust)! He was so glad he wasn't one of those filthy Muggles. He shook his head and looked away from the window. He sighed and ran a hand through his slicked back hair. He didn't want to be here. He didn't want to be in the United States. Even worse than the fact that he was in the States, he was in a pretty boring state. How could anyone live in Ohio? It was almost farming area! At least he was living in a nice big city close to Indiana. Not stuck in the middle. He hated being in the midde of anything. He looked at the buildings. 'What kind of name is 'Dayton?' he wondered to himself.

After a long time of driving, the taxi driver finally stopped in front of an apartment building. Draco looked up and sighed. It looked at least a hundred years old, it had vines growing up on the side of the red brick wall facing the end of the block. The paint looked faded in the front. And-was that an antique street lamp? Draco rolled his eyes. This was where he was going to be living at now? Pathetic. The taxi driver cleared his throat and held out his hand. Draco was confused at first, then blinked in realization. "Oh. Right, sorry," he mumbled, getting out the Muggle money and giving it to the driver. "Here you go."

He got out of the taxi cab and got his things out of the back seat and the trunk. He waved to the taxi driver as he sped away. He picked up his luggage (thankfully it wasn't that heavy. At least he was allowed to do some magic to make his luggage not heavy) and headed inside of the apartment complex. Draco snorted to himself. On the outside, the apartment building looked ancient, but on the inside it looked as modern as could be. He glanced around at the people and tried not to shudder at their...Muggleness.

Draco strolled to the front desk and was greeted by a young woman who looked like she would rather eat porcupines than be on her job. 'Yikes,' Draco thought to himself. 'Damn Muggles, don't know how to keep up appearances.' He cleared his throat and forced a sweet Malfoy smile. "Good afternoon, Miss. I'm just moving in today, and I've come to collect my key since I have paid beforehand for my room."

"Yeah, an' what's your name?" the woman asked, exhaling her cigarette smoke directly into Draco's face. He coughed, then tried not to strangle her as he composed himself. He smiled again.

"Malfoy. Draco Malfoy," he replied, showing her his identification card. The woman took it and told him to hold on a couple of minutes. She began to type information into her computer and finally gave Draco his card back, then she gave him his key. Room 402. Draco nodded and smiled at the woman and gave a discrete "thank you" before picking up his bags again and heading to the elevator to go to the fourth flour. He discovered in America the ground floor was actually the first floor. He had to get used to that if he was going to stay here for a while. He pressed the four button and waited patiently as the elevator descended up the shaft and finally stopped on the fourth floor. Draco looked around to make sure he was indeed on the correct floor, then he headed down the hall. He quickly caught sighed of room 402. He unlocked the door and stepped inside then locked the door after he came in with his bags.

The room was already furnished with the basics, such as a couch, bed, television, etc. Draco frowned. It wasn't anything like the mansions he was used to, but he couldn't complain yet. It looked like a homey little place-well, homey for a Muggle. There was a living room, bathroom, kitchen, and two bedrooms. He opened his suitcases and used a charm to make his items grow back to normal size, then used another charm to put them in their designated locations. Once his room was all settled for now, he took off the jacket to his suit and tossed it against a chair, and he laid on the bed. He turned on the television to use as background noise and turned the volume down a little.

He stared (more like glared) at the ceiling with contempt. He didn't want to be here. He wanted to be back in England, in his own warm bed in Malfoy Manor. But he couldn't. He wasn't able to. He knew he couldn't go back to his Manor.

Potter, that bloody Potter-he finally killed Voldemort, just a mere year ago. Draco should have been happy. Elated! Glad he didn't have to worry about his father's constant standards and lectures about the Dark Lord, and glad he didn't have to worry about being killed by Voldemort for resisting his power. But when Potty killed Voldemort at last ('About time he grew some balls and did something right,' Draco had thought, smirking slightly at his little comment), the Ministry of Magic was on a Death Eater hunt. They had gathered all of the Death Eaters and put them on trial. Those Death Eaters who did the most severe crimes and were practically Voldemort non-identical clones were put to death immediately. Those who were more scared of Voldemort or not as loyal or those who didn't commit such awful crimes as the higher ranking Death Eaters, they were sent to Azkaban and were demanded to be given the Dementors' Kiss immediately instead.

Lucius Malfoy, one of the higher ranking Death Eaters, basically Voldemort's loyal right-hand man, was not captured at first. He had escaped from the Ministry's angry members' clutches and fled to Hogwarts. He was too terrified for Draco's sake, so he came to Dumbledore. A cowardice thing, Draco admitted even to today, but he was still grateful of his father's cowardice.

Lucius begged Dumbledore to protect Draco. Even though Draco had graduated a few years previously, Dumbledore agreed. As powerful as the old fart was, Draco knew that Dumbledore's word wouldn't be enough to clear the Malfoy name. It was hard to persuade the Ministry when it came to Death Eaters. If the Ministry of Magic ever found out that Draco, even though wasn't a Death Eater, was training to become a Death Eater (unwillingly of course), they would put him in the same category as Lucius and put him to death with his father. Draco still cringed of the idea even to this day.

For six months, Lucius evaded the Ministry to set up a plan with Dumbledore and Serverus Snape. The headmaster and the Potions teacher would do everything they could to protect Draco. Lucius came up with the location ('Great idea, father,' Draco had thought sarcastically now that he was here) where basic witches and wizards were less likely to inhabit, let alone Ministry members. He picked the United States, where the Malfoy name wasn't well-known, if at all, and he, Dumbledore, and Snape built an account for Draco in the United States, so he could still keep all his money. Of course, sacrifices had to be made. Draco couldn't be permitted to live in a mansion or anything fancy of the sort. That topped with a huge bank account and with the name 'Malfoy' would surely raise some eyebrows, especially some eyebrows of any undercover Ministry agents.

After much planning, it was all set. The country, city, apartment...everything. All was left was to tell Draco and Draco would be on his way to a better life. Being a stuck up spoiled Malfoy Prince, he didn't take the news well enough, but he agreed to it just so he could save his own tailfeather. Lucius pulled Draco to the side after the meeting and was crying. Draco realized it was the first time his father ever showed emotion in his direction. Draco swallowed uneasily, realizing how afraid his father was of the Ministry of Magic. His words and goodbyes came out shakey, though he kept trying to control his voice. He put his hands on his son's shoulders and looked at him strongly.

"Now Draco," Lucius said, his emotions getting the better of him, "I'm sorry I've been unfeeling towards you and your mother all these years. Being under Voldemort's wing made me think I was invincible and that emotions were for the weak and pathetic. Now I see it's true. I'm weak now, and so all of my emotion is coming out." He bit his lip, tears threatening to spill over again. He gulped again. "I haven't always been the best and most understanding father, I realize this. I'm sorry I forced you to train to become a Death Eater...I should have respected that you were too scared to, but Voldemort's power made me feel too significant and superior that I didn't consider your emotions at all..."

"Father, don't..." Draco said coolly, not showing any emotion whatsoever. "You've been a great father. Don't blame yourself for anything."

Lucius struggled to keep eye contact. "I'm sorry I'm being overly emotional, my son. Tonight will be the last time you see me, then I'm going to turn myself in."

"Father...why are you turning yourself in if you're afraid of being executed?"

"I would rather have this immediately than keep on running. The fear every day of the chance I may get caught that day is more extreme than getting turned in immediately. Please understand..."

"...I suppose I do, father. Whatever feels right to you."

"I told your mother about all of this, and she is all the way in another country, deep in isolation and hiding. She wants you to know she loves you dearly, Draco."

"..."

"Lucius," Snape called, folding his arms, obviously trying not to react sadly to this situation, "it's nearly time Draco gets on his flight to the United States. Do hurry up with this goodbye." He went back into the headmaster's office, giving Lucius and Draco a few minutes' more privacy.

Lucius sighed and looked at Draco again, his eyes fierce again and strong. His grip on Draco's shoulders tightened just slightly. "Draco, it will pain me to never see you again, but we must do this. I'm so sorry for putting you and your mother through all of this. Just know, son, that I love you so much. You're my world, the best thing that's ever happened to me since I married Narcissa. Goodbye, Draco. I love you." He let his son go and he started walking away slowly, his head low. Draco stared after his father, and Lucius turned around to give Draco one last look. "Draco, no matter what happens, don't...don't make the same mistakes as I did." With that, he Apparated away.

Draco appeared calm and unaffected, but on the inside he was devastated. He loved his father, even if he was a cold man most of the time. He would miss him dearly. Draco looked up as Snape exited Dumbledore's office and looked down at Draco. "Are you ready, Draco?" Snape asked the younger Malfoy. Draco bit his lip gently and nodded. Snape nodded and took Draco away so he could start his new life.

Draco opened his eyes after his flashback. He sighed. He was still staring at the ceiling. Snape had told him before they parted that Dumbledore told everyone that Draco had died and his body was instantly taken away. Draco was slightly glad his father came to Dumbledore for help, or else he really would have been dead at this very moment. He hated feeling grateful for that old wimp. But he was safe for now, so he didn't worry. Draco looked at the time on the thing Muggles called an alarm clock. It was 8:30 at night. Draco got up and went to his bathroom to shower. It was a nice long shower that took him almost an hour to finish. He finally stepped out, put on his pyjamas, and then crawled back in bed. He put his attention back on the television. It was pretty entertaining, he hated to admit. He smirked. "Well, Muggles certainly know how to make something entertaining." After three hours of television, Draco became tired, so he turned off the television and pulled the covers up to his chin as he stared at the dark ceiling again, the city noises down below distracting him. He groaned and cast a simple charm to make his room keep noises out completely. He finally fell asleep, having black and empty dreams.

A/N: There was my first chapter! I hope you liked it! At first, I didn't know what state or city to use, so I just resorted to my proud Buckeye state. *heroic pose*

As for the scene where Lucius (damn, I keep typing "Luvius") and Draco departed, I hope it wasn't too terrible. I wanted to show Lucius's bottled up fear. When Voldemort's in power, Lucius figured he shouldn't show emotion ever, and now that Voldemort is dead, his fear and sadness and stuff that was once bottled up it all came out in his final goodbye. And he begged for Dumbledore's help because, well, he wanted his son safe! So, sorry for you hardcore badass!Lucius fans, I just wanted to show a softer side of the jerk. No D/G yet, but I promise it will come in the next chapter or two.

Please review! :3