A/N: Just cuz I love all my readers and it fits with the season, here's a longer chapter for y'all. Happy Holidays from me!

Chapter 13

Rain Clouds

I was finally able to sleep when we arrived. The time difference threw me off, sending me into that sleepy realm they call "jet lag." I was glad that we had a day to adjust before our first scheduled museum. Or rather, I was relieved. Glad would not be the word I would have used for going to a museum.

Hermione was entranced by the different exhibits, telling me about the American government system and the various differences in them. I heard her without listening, as I was more interested in the large crowd following us as if Hermione was the guide. She blushed a beautiful shade of scarlet when I discreetly pointed this fact out.

On the third day of our trip, I convinced her to bypass the museums and just take a walk. The air was crisp, something left over from the spring. The tourists walking around weren't too bothersome, and the clouds had left for the day. All in all, it was a perfect day. When we stood on a bridge, overlooking the water, I wrapped my arms around her waist and planted a kiss on her neck. She had been strangely silent all day, not even muttering about this monument or that memorial. I took her hands in mine and she turned around, leaning against the railing of the bridge.

"What is it, love?" I asked her softly, meeting her strong gaze. She didn't answer for a moment, seeming to contemplate her words carefully.

"I don't know. I just see all of this and I think how much…how we're so lucky to even be alive. How everything is so fragile…do you understand?"

I could only nod. Her words brought that fateful night back to me and I loosened my grip on her hands. I stared past her at the glittering water and it turned into rain. In my mind, the sky darkened and lightening flashed overhead. I was in my element, the sounds of the Death Eaters filling my ears and giving me courage. I could see the others around me, my allies, facing against the older, more experienced men. The Aurors I had come to know so well ran past me, heading deeper into the woods. I followed them, not wanting to miss out on anything. A hand reached out to me and pulled me into a tree, knocking the breath from my lungs. Cruel eyes, so familiar in their hatred met my own. My father, behind the Death Eater's mask, sneered. I was vaguely aware of Hermione tugging on my sleeves before I shook the memory away.

"Hm?" I asked, guessing that she had said something while I wasn't paying attention.

"I asked if you were alright."

"Oh…I'm fine…" I answered her, perhaps a little too harshly. She sighed, her frustration with me now evident.

"No, Draco, you're not. Tell me where you were just then. And what had you so distracted on the plane…"

I opened my mouth, but shut it quickly, losing my courage. She didn't understand me. She would side with Potter, leaving me to feel like a silly little boy, lost in his own anger and vengeance. I stepped away from her, breaking her hold on my sleeve, to lean down over the other side of the bridge. Darkness was approaching and it brought storm clouds with it.

Moments later, I felt a hand around my waist and a head on my shoulder. I turned to her, enveloping her in my arms, trembling slightly. I regretted not killing my father that day. I regretted it now more than ever. For a while, I had been happy. I was slowly healing the wounds of my childhood, with the help of my one true love. And then, with only three short sentences, my world threatened to shatter. I would do everything in my power to protect this woman that I held, but I could not control her life. She would be out on her own, without me, during the days and for weekends, should the Ministry need her. She needed to be aware of the danger trailing her, the danger that I had brought upon her. I blamed myself entirely for this predicament, but it seemed there was nothing I could do about it. I couldn't live without her, so leaving wasn't an option. She would be in more danger without me anyway. So, I settled on simply telling her.

"There is something I need to tell you…" I started and then proceeded to explain about the note from my father and its implications. She didn't say anything for a moment, taking my hand in hers and walking away from the bridge. On the way back to the hotel, I told her about the note that I found, who it was from, and what it said. I kept my eyes to the ground, watching the stones under my feet. She said nothing while I talked, and the silence was comforting. I didn't think that I would be able to tell her, had she spoken.

When I finished, the silence stretched in front of us, no longer comforting, but suddenly uncomfortable.

"Why didn't you tell me before?" she finally asked when I opened the door to the hotel for her. I shrugged, running my hand through the top of my hair. It fell out of place, streaming in my eyes.

"I was afraid…" I confessed, ashamed. She stopped walking and turned to me.

"It's not as if he can just show up. He's wanted in both our world and the Muggle world." We reached the elevator and it opened for us as soon as she hit the button. Stepping inside, I reached down to embrace her.

"I know...I just worry…"

As the elevator went up to the top floor, the glass back revealed the sky outside. The storm clouds came overhead, bringing their torrent of wind and water. It pounded against the glass as we reached out floor and stepped away from it. The roar of the rain followed us all the way to our room and into the bedroom. There we were frozen in shock. Everything was in shambles. The sheets were slashed and all of our clothes were spread around, either completely burned or torn beyond recogonition. I clenched my fists at my sides and picked up a fallen lamp. With a cry of rage, I hurled it against the far wall, shattering it completely. As the broken pieces flew, so did my patience with my father's little game. He was humiliating me and I had taken it up until then. I was finished playing along.

"Draco…" Hermione's sweet voice interrupted my vengeful thoughts. I whirled on her, the anger apparent in my eyes and on my face.

"You don't get it, Hermione. You don't! You see this! This was him. My father, Hermione! He's ruining my life now, much as your precious Potter did for seven years…and more!" I brushed past her, heading out the door again. Not bothering with the elevator, I practically flew down the stairs and out the door of the hotel. I was instantly soaked by the falling rainwater, but I could hardly feel it. There was a rage inside of me that could only compare to the one I felt when I saw Potter standing over my mother's dead body.

I ignored the stares I received as I pushed through the dry crowds of people holding umbrellas. They meant nothing to me. I just wanted to get away from the source of my shame.

After an hour of just walking, the rain had calmed down to a faint drizzle and my anger had slowly trickled away. Now…I was simply lost. And in what looked like the bad part of town. Night had fallen completely and the only light came from either covered bonfires or the occasional lighter flash. I turned around, attempting to retrace my steps. I tried not to show my fear, for I didn't have my wand with me and I legally could not Apperate in front of so many Muggles. So, I was stuck with walking. Five minutes into my walk back, I was grabbed roughly and slammed me against the wall. I closed my eyes in pain and shock.

"What we got here, boys? A pretty little man, all dressed up and nowhere to go. Why you all wet, huh? Didja forget your umbrella this mornin'?" I heard the guttural laughter of three men and I forced my eyes open. They were all watching me with greedy smiles on their faces. They were all dressed in loose clothing, chains falling from their jeans and cigarettes dangling from their lips. My attacker had my arms pinned above me and I could feel the bricks of the building I was pressed on dig into my wrists.

"What do you want?" I asked them, gritting my teeth against the pounding in my temples. My attacker raised a bushy eyebrow and laughed.

"Oh…a little English snob. Well, Sir…why don't you share your wealth there, huh? Or do we have to force it out of you? After all…" He sneered at me and he was so close, I almost gagged on his foul breath. "Us Americans did beat your asses like a thousand years ago…"

If I hadn't been in the situation, the whole thing would have seemed very funny. But I suppressed a laugh and struggled against his hold on me. In reward, he turned me around and bent my arms behind me, his laughing never stopping once.

"C'mon, Tommy…let's beat him now and get it over with. It's cold out here, damnit!" the boy to my right complained. My attacker put his hand to my cheek and pushed my harder into the wall.

"Alright, alright…just make sure you get the money too…" He let me go, and for a moment, I actually believed that they were going to let me go. Then the one who spoke to Tommy lunged at me, throwing a punch into my stomach. I grunted and doubled over, falling to the ground as I tried to catch my breath. Once down, I was free game. Their boots kicked at me and I curled up in a protective ball. As if sensing my pain, the rain picked up again and the drops fell around me. They laughed amongst themselves and paused in their beating. I clenched my bloody hands and attempted to stand up. The one named Tommy gripped my shoulders tightly and threw me against the wall again. He started to kick at me again, but a figure appeared in the shadows of the far alley.

"Hey…get that one, guys!" he ordered, but they didn't take two steps before a green light flashed and they were on the ground, dead. Tommy watched this with wide eyes and shook his head, running away, leaving the bodies of his dead friends behind. I struggled to stand again, feeling the completeness of my humiliation. Three Muggles…and I failed. I spat out the blood from my mouth and glanced to my rescuer. But he had disappeared already. I staggered out of the alley and leaned back against a wall before a man hurried to me.

"Hey man…you alright? Oh God, come with me…"

Only half aware of my surroundings, I blindly followed him to his apartment. It was warm in there and I was grateful for the fire inside.

"Come on…sit here. I'll go get you some...um...medicine. It should make you feel better in no time." He bustled off somewhere, and I sat down on the couch, not caring at the moment that my wet clothes were soaking through the fabric I was sitting on.

He returned with a small mug of steaming liquid and I took it from his gratefully, taking a sip. Surprised to discover what it was, I glanced at him. He looked a little nervous as he gathered up clothes from the floor to take them to a back room.

"Did you make this yourself?" I asked him and he nodded a little, coming back and shutting the door to that room behind him.

"It's good…I haven't met many who can make Septasepsum without somehow burning the clovers…" He froze, looking me over.

"Are you…?"

"My name is Draco Malfoy. I graduated from Hogwarts two years ago." He instantly relaxed and sat down beside me on the couch.

"I'm Alex Harper. I went to the school here for a while…But I couldn't pass so they kicked me out and broke my wand. Now, I just make potions…the only thing I'm good at."

I nodded and finished the rest of the healing potion, feeling much better.

"Well, Alex…can you get me back to my hotel? My wife is probably worried sick about me…" He smiled and nodded as well.

"Sure! I'll call you a taxi. Are you sure that you're alright? The Muggles around here are horrible. Especially to a wizard without a wand…" He gave me a questioning look and I shrugged.

"Left it back at the hotel…" I explained and he nodded, standing up to use the phone. When he returned, I was pacing the living room, planning on what I was going to tell Hermione when I returned to the hotel. Judging by the clock on the wall, I had been gone for over and hour and a half. And I was wet, bloody and generally ragged looking. This would not end well…I told myself.