Life Goes On - Chapter 1

Life Goes On

~*Disclaimer:  I don't own any of these characters.  They all belong to J.K. Rowling, the story's mine. 

A.N. This is a sequel to Behind Closed Doors.  You should read it before you read this because you'll probably eventually get it if you haven't read Behind Closed Doors, but it may take a while.  Oh yeah and if you're not much of a fan of Draco Malfoy, you probably won't like it.

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Chapter 1: Live With It

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The pain in his arm was nothing compared to that in his heart.

Draco held his upper right arm as he sat on a bench in Knockturn Alley.  He wasn't actually sure where he was in Knockturn Alley, all he knew was that it was really dark, he still had Darcy (his rat) and he would never be able to go home again.  After how he had run away, how he had escaped, he would never have the heart to go back home, enter hell once again.

He ripped the bottom of his robes off and wrapped them around his wound.  He cringed slightly as he tightened it and tucked it in around the other side.

Draco lay down on the bench and started to sob weakly.  He had no money on him; all he had were the clothes on his back, Darcy, his wand and…his wallet!  He did have money after all, although he'd have to wait until morning to go shopping. He tried to sleep but found himself wide-awake for which seemed for over two hours.

He hardly slept the whole night.  Waking after two minutes of sleep was not much fun.  The last time he woke, the sun was rising.  He probably only had 45 minutes of sleep, all night in total.  Although that made sense, he had only escaped from the Malfoy Manor at around half past one in the morning.

The sun had now completely risen.  Draco saw that Darcy was asleep on his bad arm.  Draco picked him up and placed him on his bench next to him.  He groaned slightly at the pain in his arm as he sat upright.  He put Darcy in his pocket and walked towards Diagon Alley.

When he reached Diagon Alley, it was really busy.  Kids were running around everywhere.  Draco recognised many of the kids as Hogwarts students.  Of course!  It was a week before the next semester started.  The people were probably purchasing last minute school gear. 

Draco sat down outside of Flourish & Blotts.  He held his arm and pulled out his wallet.  There was 2 galleons, 12 sickles and 5 bronze knuts in the zip part.  He also found a piece of paper, written on it was the family account number for Gringotts.  He remembered the time when he had found out the account number, he had taken 2 knuts from the vault and this ended up with a big beating.  Lucius had given him a large bruise on his stomach; he had punched him when he found out.  Draco shuddered at the thought, he //had// to get some money from the vault, otherwise he could get a job, earn some money, maybe even buy himself…

… "Well, well, well.  Is this rich, powerful Malfoy, begging?" laughed a red headed boy, none other than Ron Weasley.

"You can't talk, Weasley," snarled Draco, "You've had to beg all of your life!"

Ron went red in the face.  That had done it.  He lunged at Draco and punched his wound.  Draco cried out in pain and started to cry, again.

"Ron!  Don't be mean!" Ginny ran towards the two boys.  She was fourteen, a year younger than the others.  She stopped before Draco, "Malfoy?"

Draco put his hands over his pale face, "Yes."

"Are you hurt?" cried Ginny.

"I don't believe you Ginny," Ron fumed, "After all of the stuff he's said to us about our family!  You're going to help him!"

Ginny ignored Ron as he stormed off back to join his red-haired family.  Ginny touched his bandaged arm.

"What happened?" she ogled at him.

Draco looked up, revealing his tear-stained face and his black eye, "N…n…nothing."

Ginny looked at him, shocked to see him crying and to see the big black circle around his eye.  She didn't want to make him upset so she said, "Fine, I won't force you to tell me.  But, you do need to get fixed up."

Ginny took out her wand and pointed it at his arm, she muttered something then tapped it.  The pain in Draco's arm was instantly gone and so was the black mark around his eye.

"Wha…what the hell?  How did you do that?"

Ginny just smiled and changed the subject, "Are you staying in the Leaky Cauldron for the rest of the holidays or something?"

That gave Draco an idea, "Yes, well I'm going to."

"I'll come and visit you sometime, to see how you're going, you know."

"Sure, see you 'round, I guess."

Ginny strutted off, her burgundy robes swishing in the wind.  She was growing up, she now had a good figure, rather than her usual puppy fat.  She used to be cute, now she looked more sophisticated, mature.

Draco switched his gaze back to his arm.  The pain was gone, completely.  She was a great with her wand! 

Thanks to Ginny, Draco headed for the Leaky Cauldron.  He asked for a room and introduced himself as 'Josh Spellman,' he couldn't risk his father finding him again.  He entered his room.  It was grand, all white and gold.  Draco sat in front of the dresser and looked into the mirror.  Behind him he could see a magnificent four-poster bed.  Draco made his way to the bed.  He lay down and fell asleep as soon as his head touched the pillow.

He awoke the next morning at 3:00pm and got out of bed.  He went into the en-suite and had a shower he came out with a towel around himself.  Then he realised that he had no clean robes to wear.  Draco dressed in his ripped robes and purchased two 'Leaky Cauldron Robes' from the lobby/bar.  He returned to his room to change then went back to the bar.

At the bar there was a red-haired, pretty girl in Muggle clothing arguing with the man behind the bar, "There //should// be a Draco Malfoy here!" She was saying.  Draco quickly went up to her.

"Dra…" she squeaked, but before she could finish, Draco put his hand over her mouth.  He pulled her up to his room and closed the door behind them.

"What was that about, Draco?"

"Well…" Draco began.

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^.~ You like?  Read the next chapter then!