It had been almost half an hour before I woke up to find the apartment empty, empty of my father.
The pain in my body was terrible, I tried standing up but it hurt so much I felt like screaming out loud. But I didn't, I bit back the pain and made my way down and out to the streets, there was only one place I could think of going.
I limped slowly down the street, tears streaming down my face as I whimpered in pain with every step.
When I found myself outside Weasleys shop I dropped down on the ground with a cry.
The door opened and I heard a gasp.
A tall man with red hair sat down beside me and put an arm around my shoulder. I looked at him and saw that it was George and his eyes were full of worry and compassion.
"Oi! Fred!! Come out here, help me take him inside!" He yelled.
Soon Fred came out and they both helped me inside the shop and into a backroom where they had a sofa. They let me lay down in the sofa before Fred left to watch the shop while George kneeled by the sofa, looking right at me with soft eyes.
"Draco, what happened? Who hurt you like this?" He asked, his voice full of concern.
I lowered my eyes to the floor and swallowed hard before replying.
"My father..." I said in almost a whisper.
George's eyes went wide and he looked horror struck.
"Lucius is out of Azkaban and beating up on his own son? Do you know why?"
I looked him in the eyes and felt tears starting yet again to stream down my face. I had to swallow even harder and take a few shaky breaths before I was able to speak again.
"He was angry with me for dumping Pansy, and moving out, and not acting like a true Malfoy. He wanted me to join the death eaters but I refused, that's when he started to beat me..."
I sobbed a little after I said that and looked shyly at him once again.
George looked like he was somewhat in shock and his eyes locked with mine and I could see the warmth in them, the concern. My heart skipped a beat and I sighed.
"I am glad to hear you are on the right side of things, but it is not safe for you to go back to your apartment if your father is on the warpath with you. Tell you what, come stay with Fred and me until we can figure out what to do about this."
My mouth dropped at this and I starred at him in wonderment. Did he really say I could live with them for a while, was he really going to open up his home to me, Draco Malfoy?!
Apparently yes since he was now talking with Fred about me staying.
I couldn't help but smile a little to myself.
After a few minutes he came up to me again with his wand out. I looked at him a little puzzled and he just smiled and said.
"Don't worry, I'm just going to do some healing charms on you so you will feel better."
I relaxed and let him get to it.
He pointed his wand at me and said a few words and then repeated them while moving the wand all over my body so he could heal everything.
I smiled as I felt the pain slowly vanish from my body, and the cuts mend themselves.
I had to give it to him, he sure knew his way with healing charms.
As he stood up I suddenly felt an urge to ask him.
"George, how come you are being so nice to me? After all I have done...during our time at school."
He looked at me and raised his eyebrow a little and a small grin could be shown on his lips.
"Well, Draco, I don't hold grudges, I can see you are not the same little boy you were back then. I always try to give people at least 2 chances. And to tell you the truth, I have always felt that there were more to you than what you led on. Besides, seeing how badly hurt you were from your own father, the way your eyes looked out there in the streets, that told me more than anything that you needed to be given a chance."
At these words I sat up in the sofa and smiled at George, and he smiled back.
"Thank you George, this is very kind of you and I can assure you that I am not the same person I once was...to much has changed."
"Well then Draco, let me take you to our place now, we can apparate from there later to get some of your stuff. I think you need to rest for a bit after what you have been through today."
With that he led me out of the shop and towards his and Fred's apartment.
It didn't take long before we were there.
They had a really nice apartment I must admit.
I looked around as George waved his arms about as to show me his home.
He then led me to the sofa.
"This is gonna be your bed for a while. I hope it will due." He said, looking at me a little funny. I knew that look, he thought about what I had been used to up until now.
I just shrugged and looked at him.
"It'll due."
With that he hurried and got me a pillow and a blanket and showed me where everything was.
I just nodded in silence.
"Ok, I think you know your way around now, and I have to get back to the shop, be sure to rest and me and Fred will be back later tonight." He smiled at me with a smile that could melt stone and my heart began to race once again.
"I'll be fine, see you tonight!"
I stood there and looked at the door for a few moments after he left.
This felt surreal. I, Draco Malfoy, was going to live for a while with the guy I had had the most fantasies about. A smile graced my face as I went and lay down for a while on the sofa.