He was clutching his side so tight that his hand was numb, yet he seemed to have not noticed. His breath was rigid, and if it were up to him he would still be running. Yet his body seemed to not be cooperating with him anymore.

Draco Malfoy fell to the ground on a muggle sidewalk. "No…." he thought, his instinct for survival sinking with him. He was going to surely die here if he just stopped, He'd be found, there was no choice, he MUST get up…..

And yet, he found himself slumped over, still breathing harder than ever, his blonde hair falling elegantly into his face.

"….I… no….."

He opened his mouth, in an attempt to form words, his jaw aching in retaliation.

"…help…." It came out as a raspy whisper.

And suddenly, the dim street lights, which had been his only source of comfort, went dim.

Draco Malfoy hadn't asked for help in 9 years…

--

The car Harry was in finally pulled up to number 4, Privet Drive after what seemed many hours. It looked just the same as it always did, the flowers and the lawn looking too perfect, a normal little home for a normal little family.

Well, almost normal, he thought.

Harry went around to the back of the car and started to unload his trunk; the Dursley family, predictably went on inside without offering help. He smirked; the filthy bastards, in a few weeks time he would never have to see them again.

As he walked inside, after opening the door for himself (this alone was a feat, for he had all of things plus Hedwig with him) he distinctively hear his Uncle say something along the lines of "Get the paper, boy." He ignored him spectacularly.

And that was about as exciting as the day was, Harry merely unpacked his things within an hour, and lay down on his bed, suddenly exhausted.

Everyone seemed to be taken away from him, everything he cared about, anyways. He had already lost his parents, his godfather, who was the next best thing to a parent, and now, now he had lost the only one he had ever thought could help him…. Soon enough, he thought miserably, he would have nothing to lose…

He felt guilty for having Hermione and Ron help him. He knew that they were getting into unlimited danger, and all just for him... but he found himself unable to deny their help, he felt so comforted to know he was not COMPLETELEY alone… though that was inevitably come, the prophecy would have to come true someday…

Harry rolled over onto his stomach, burying his face into his pillow. How would he cope if he lost one of them? If he lost BOTH of them? While he told himself it would not happen, surely not, he found himself much more fearful that he had ever been… And then there was the prospect of Ginny... if someone had found out they had been together, she could possibly be in greater danger than anyone…. But no, surely not, he told himself again…. And yet….

After all, he had been sure Sirius could not have been gone. He thought he was sure his godfather could simply laugh at death and walk away…

He fell into an uneasy rest, full of dreams of he and Ginny, enjoying a lovely summer's day together on the beach, when a great, black dog came bounding up to them…. Ginny laughed and pet him, Harry smiled…. the sunset turned the most lovely shade of pink, and later, when Harry would awake, he would find that his pillow was rather tear-stained.

--

"… Oh, the poor dear… We couldn't just LEAVE him there, honey…"

"I never said we should have. I said we should have called the police. But no, it was you and you're 'He doesn't need the police right now, he needs a warm bed and food, the 'poor dear'…honestly, woman…"

Draco opened his eyes slightly, his surroundings seemed very unrecognizable. Though that could be due to the blurriness, he told himself.

"I know, I can't help it, I- Oh, look Henry, I think he's coming around!"

Draco heard a very motherly voice say. A very plump, old looking woman came hurrying over to him, she must have been in her 60's or so, with white hair that was neatly tied into a bun, wearing what appeared to be a home-made , pink sweater with hearts on it. Behind her stood a very strict looking old man, in a business suit, looking as though he just got home from work. He seemed to be the woman's own age.

"Are you alright, honey? Are you hurt?" She asked kindly, sitting on the edge of the bed he had been laid in.

Before responding, Draco took a moment to look over his surroundings. He appeared to be in a little boy's room; the wallpaper was blue with racecars all over it, there was a small clock in the shape of some muggle thought up superhero whom Draco did not know, and the headboard had various action figures and stuffed animals that were expertly arranged. It was oddly clean and dust free; Draco got the distinct impression that no one had used this room anymore.

He turned his head to face her; she had many smile wrinkles and stunning green eyes.

"I'm okay, thanks… how did I get here?"

She smiled. "My husband and I were driving home, he had just gotten off work, and I was at the grocery store, so he came and got me… we only have one car, you see… and I thought, It's such a lovely evening, let's take the scenic route! And it was a good thing we did, because we saw you lying on the side of the road… we thought you… well, we weren't optimistic, but you were still breathing and seemed fine, so we brought you back here…."

She patted Draco on the shoulder, before standing up. "Well, what you need now is some nice, hot soup, we'll have plenty of time for talking later…." And she gave him one last smile before leaving the room.

The man that stood behind her gave him a slightly contemptuous look before leaving himself, not saying a word.

Draco propped himself up on his elbows, only to find that he was still shaking. What would have happened if these muggles had not found him, he thought….

He rubbed his eyes. He knew very well he could not stay here, not for more than a night. It would be far too dangerous.

But that was no excuse to pass up a free meal and bed for a night, that would be foolish. I'll regain some strength first, he thought, and then I'll leave when they're unaware…

But leave to where?

He would have to be an outcast, live among the muggles and filth… It was an intolerable thought, living as a poor muggle, but he could see no alternative. There was no way he could possibly go back to Voldemort now, now that he had fled. And they were sure to be looking for him now…

And the terror of it all came crashing down, and though he knew it already, the real dread did not hit until now…

I was not supposed to live through last night…

Those dementors were not just meant for his mother…. He beautiful mother who never did anything…. Hi mother, who was both faithful and devoted to her husband ad the Dark Lord… But she was Lucius's wife and his mother, so she had to be killed not foe what SHE had done, but for whom she was, who she was close to…

For revenge…

Draco laid back down again; his head now pounding almost as bad as it had been the night he ran from Potter.

He wanted to sleep, he wanted not to think, but there was no escape from it… most of all, he wanted his mother by his side to soothe away his fears, to tell him she loved him…. To simply be with him would mean everything…

But she would spend forever, he thought tragically, worse than dead, an empty shell...

Eventually, the room around him blurred.

--

Well… theres chap 3. r and r!