Chapter Two: Runaway
When Draco had first met Granger in their first year, he might not have believed that she would really call the Ministry and report his whereabouts. But she was, after all, obsessed with rules, and after numerous hexes, punches, and insults, he knew better than to doubt Granger would do as she said she was going to.
As soon as she had turned her back he had grabbed his small bag and ran off as fast as he could. He had to get out of New York City- tonight. He couldn't be found. If the Ministry found him…he didn't even want to know what would happen. And what if theyfound him before the Ministry found him? What would happen to him then? If the Ministry found him, he'd go to Azkaban. If they found him, he'd probably be tortured and killed.
He shuddered as he kept running. It wasn't the "Malfoy way" to run away from problems. But it was his only option. He'd never been good at fighting his own battles. He had always hid behind his money, his blood, and his family and none of that would help him now.
He was too worn and tired. He just had to keep running.
Why the hell was Granger here anyways? What was she doing an ocean away from Hogwarts? He hadn't expected to meet anyone he knew. He wasn't expecting anyone to know him, or to be able to report him. But he should've guessed that no plan could be perfect. He just didn't expect it to completely fall apart.
He finally realized that he had no idea where he was going, but he had no time to stop and figure it out. How fast could owls travel? That was certainly a useless fact Granger would know.
He couldn't be found by anyone. He just wanted to melt away into the crowd and be forgotten forever.
Well, he had lived too carelessly and now he had both sides after him. He had betrayed them both and both wanted him dead and out of the way. He had no friends, no one he could turn to. No one had ever liked him much at school, but he had at least been respected and left alone by all but the "Golden Trio". Now everyone hated him, and no one would care the least bit if he were hit by a killing curse right now.
He had always found a way to blame everyone else for his problems, but he couldn't even try to find blame in anyone but himself. Yes, he had tried hating his father for putting the Mark on him. Yes, he had tried hating his mother for never standing up to his father. But he knew, in the end, he would still have at least his dysfunctional family if he had been stronger.
He felt a sharp pain in his stomach as he ran into someone on the crowded sidewalk. "Watch where you're going!" The businessman shoved him away, and he fell into the black marble wall of a building.
He leaned his head back against the wall, breathing heavily, and closing his eyes, as if somehow this would make everything a dream.
He no longer had the strength to push himself back up.