Now this chapter explains a little bit more about the emotional side to Draco's escape

There might be some contradicting ideas... I'm doing some revision work, so review and tell me if you see something wrong. I'm trying to find them and fix them right now as we speak.

I hope you enjoy

Realities

Jake hadn't been asleep after all.

Who could sleep after THAT? Jake thought, and could not stop smiling.

Even after five months of living in America as Jacob M. Alexander, he still wasn't used to being called Jake. He had gone under the alias of Jacob Welsh since childhood; his mother created it for him so he could secretly learn about the muggle society. But he had never been called Jacob in person until his escape. Only his mother and Severus Snape knew of this alias. He changed his name to it and then his appearance upon his father's death. He named the reason for it as his attempt to forget and surpass his father. The Dark Lord had found that pathetic, deeming Draco weak. But Draco was glad, because to be underestimated was Draco's greatest advantage in survival. He had other reasons to change his name. He only wished that someday his dream would be achieved. He changed his last name upon his arrival in America in order to hide himself from any of his potential pursuers. He kept his first name though; Jacob had rooted itself within Draco Malfoy's heart a long time ago. With thousands of Jacobs around the country, he doubted that his name would show up on a search. He didn't even think that the Dark Lord would send someone to pursue him; he was "weak" and useless now. He didn't bother transfiguring himself again.

He missed his mother and his mentor. They had risked their lives to protect him since childhood; yet, all he had done to repay them was to run away and potentially kill them for good. He missed being called Draco.

Snap out of it Draco! You're Jake now. Forget about the past.

You're with Hermione now, that's all that matters

He still could not believe he made love to Hermione, his sworn enemy for the past six years. Only Hermione didn't know that, she still thought he was just an orphaned rich kid from Beverly Hills.

He never wanted to be her enemy, actually; but, being the pureblood that he was, he had to put up a show for the rest of his so-called "friends". He remembered the countless times he was beaten almost to death by his cruel father for questioning their position on muggle-borns and half-breeds or for questioning why they had to follow a half-breed if they hated its kind so much.

My father was stupid; he was too blinded by hate to see the depth of reality. The Dark Lord didn't kill him, his idiocy did.

Voldemort had slowly tortured Draco's father hours after hours as a punishment for Draco's inability to kill the headmaster. Draco had always followed his father around, as if he was trying so hard to follow his father's footsteps as a sign of great respect. Lucius Malfoy was arrogant enough to believe it. The Dark Lord, who despised children following the footsteps of their fathers, had laughed it off, calling Draco naïve. Voldemort thought torturing Draco's father would strike a nerve; but, something went wrong; the Dark Lord went too far, leaving Lucius dead.

If he wanted to strike a nerve, he should have tortured my mother.

Draco never seemed close to his mother around anyone. Even his own father had thought Draco cared nothing for her at all, but she was the only person in the world who ever meant something to him. That was the truth. It was his mother who stopped Lucius from beating Draco every night as a child. It was his mother who tended upon his wounds. It was his mother who held him with her cold, yet warm hands when he cried. It was his mother who taught him how to behave like a purebred, how to pretend. It was his mother who taught him compassion. It was his mother who introduced him to the muggle society through his alias. It was his mother who took him to Professor Snape for Occlumency lessons so his father would not find out that Draco did not want to follow his father's footsteps, the coward's footsteps.

For all I know, I was following Professor Snape's footsteps, learning Occlumency and Dark Arts and all that. Not Potions though, but that was never his specialty anyway. I suppose I can't do that now, I ran away from it like a coward. But, I suppose the silver-lining is that I don't have to hide my feelings anymore.

Draco turned his face to stare at Hermione. All he could see was her blonde hair. It had been brown, bushy, and dirty, Hermione's hair. But somewhere between their third and fourth year at Hogwarts, she started caring about what she looked like. With that in his memory, Draco covered his face with Hermione's soft, wavy hair.

Better than the first time I smelt it.

Draco and Hermione had a long history, not all filled with hatred. Though he never admitted it as Draco, he had always admired Hermione. He supposed it was her gift to always be honest and straightforward no matter what the consequences were. She always knew the difference between right and wrong like black and white and wielded the gray area like a goddess. All the battles they had during their Hogwarts years only confirmed one thing; he had a crush. He was also jealous. He was jealous of Ron too for that straightforwardness. They were both honest and straightforward; Draco had to hide his true nature. That was why he picked on them so much.

His hatred for Harry had been strange. At first, he believed that if he befriended Harry, he would finally be able to reveal his true nature to one true friend. But the situation they were put in foiled his plan; and, because of Harry's flat rejection, he was bitter toward him. Draco had long since gotten over that, but he could not simply like Harry; Harry was a Gryffindor. He began hating Harry again because he thought Harry would be the one to win Hermione's heart; Draco wanted Hermione. But, to everyone's surprise, Harry decided to become a cradle-robber by going after his best friend's sister, Ginny. Now, he didn't know what to feel about him.

Ron, the straightforward one, had Hermione for a while. Not anymore, Draco thought, I don't wanna think about why.

I thought it was the honest, brave men who always got the girl. In this case, the cowardly liar did; how ironic.

Draco let out a rare, warm smile and kissed Hermione's hair and turned his face toward the ceiling and stared at it for what seemed to be ages.

With that, Draco, disguised as Jake Alexander, reflected upon the amazing three months he had spent with Hermione and wondered what had happened to his mother and that kind old mentor named Severus Snape.

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