“On the Run” is another story about reunion, a reunion between enemies. It is also my first ever, and also the last, fan-fiction about Dramione. It isn’t even really a kind of love story blossoming between them.
I don’t know why, but I have never ever shipped Draco/Hermione. To me, Hermione belongs to Ron and Ron only. That was one of those relationships I felt that J.K. Rowling did right. The others I felt was right were Remus/Tonks and Bill/Fleur. I hated Harry/Ginny and Harry/Cho.
Nevertheless, this came as an inspiration and it reflects that if ever Draco and Hermione were to move away from enemies, this is perhaps the furthest they can reach. Hope you enjoy it. 🙂
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Disclaimer: All names and characters are taken from J.K Rowling’s Harry Potter series. This story is purely for entertainment purposes and no copyright infringement is intended.
On the Run
Draco stood in the dark alley, staring at the street ahead of him. For the first time in his life, he stood in the middle of a Muggle town, dressed like a Muggle, without even a penny in his pockets. Nothing about him screamed that he was not like any ordinary person walking down the street, nothing except the wand in his pocket that did not belong to him.
The Second Wizarding War was over; his parents had fled, just like the rest of the Death Eaters had. They had set off together the night the Dark Lord was finished, but the pursuit of the Aurors had forced them to go separate ways. Draco had no idea where his parents were, or whether they were still alive. He could not step into any parts of the wizarding world without being caught and sent to the Wizengamot to await his sentence to befall upon him; not many people believed that he had become a Death Eater, but the mark upon his wrist spoke the truth, and Potter and his gang of friends would be ready to speak up against him. Potter was, after all, at the tower the night Dumbledore was killed.
Taking a deep breath, he took small steps forward, trying to force himself to adapt to his surroundings. He never dreamt that he had to live as one of them. Fragrance wafted from the bakery shop near his right, and children buzzed excitedly as they came out of a toy shop to his left. They chattered happily with one another, with friends and their family members. He could not remember when was the last time he had been able to talk to his parents, nor could he remember enjoying such times with Crabbe and Goyle. For the first time, he felt as though he had nothing in the world, nothing to remember his friends by. The last moments of Crabbe in the fire flashed past him, together with a surge of regret that he had been unable to save him. He stopped short in his tracks as he tried to shake the memory out of his mind, his eyes closed as he turned and walked back into the dark alley. The Room of Requirement, the cursed fire …
WHAM!
Draco staggered; his eyes flew open as he reached for the wand in his pocket, the side of his head pounding at where he was punched. But a pair of hands reached his before he could grip his wand tight and it fell out and rolled into a nearby drain.
“Wow! Look what we got here! Blondie! Where are you heading off to?”
“Get off me!” Draco struggled.
As his vision cleared, he saw a gang of six boys in front of him, holding what looked like the Beater’s bats. He had never really learnt how to dodge the Bludgers, much less dodge the bats if they were to come his way.
“Let go of me!” Draco yelled.
“Do you have some money? If you do, we’ll let you go.”
“No.”
The biggest of the six boys surveyed him carefully, then narrowed his eyes.
“Search him!”
The boy behind him gripped his hands even tighter as the five boys flocked towards him.
“GET OFF ME YOU FILTHY MUGGLES! I HAVE NOTHING!”
“What did you call us?” one of the boys demanded. He looked small, no more than thirteen, yet Draco never felt more helpless in front of a little boy.
“I said filthy muggle,” Draco spat at his face.
The boys burst into fits of laughter.
“What a name! HAHAHAHA!” the biggest boy guffawed. Then without a warning, he whacked Draco across his face again. It struck his nose and a loud crack whipped through the air. Blood surged out from his nostrils and dripped onto the floor.
“Get him!”
Punches rained upon Draco once more, but he could do nothing to stop them. No matter how much he struggled, no one came to help.
“IMPEDIMENTA!” came a voice nearby.
“Wha- WHAT? I CAN’T MOVE! WHO’S THAT?” one of boys gasped as he tried to move his arms. “Big D! Help me!”
Their panic calmed Draco.
“Get out of here. I’m counting to three,” the voice said. Draco could not see who his savior was, but the voice was strangely familiar.
“You’re… You’re one of… of… them!” the biggest boy stammered, backing into the dark alley.
“One…”
“You… you said… you said muggle earlier?”
“Two…”
“You… you’re…”
“THREE!”
“RUN!!!!!”
The boys scattered within a second, scrambling into the dark alley together with his friends, the biggest boy dragging his friend who had been jinxed. Draco stumbled towards the drain, reaching in to search for his wand.
“Accio wand!”
Draco watched as the wand flew out of the drain and into the hands of a silhouette, a girl with long, bushy hair.
“Oh, Granger, it’s you.”
“Your wand,” she scoffed as she tossed him his wand and turned to head off into the street.
“Granger!” Draco scrambled to his feet and ran after her. She did not stop, but he caught up with her and blocked her way.
“Do you… do you have…”
“You shouldn’t be here.”
“I can’t be anywhere else.”
There was a moment of awkward silence as Granger looked into the distance. A strong, loud, rumble came from his stomach.
“You’d think of bringing some money with you when you’re on the run,” she said. “Where are your parents?”
“We got separated. I couldn’t access Gringotts. All my money are with my parents.”
Granger scoffed at these words, but turned to look at him. For the first time, he noticed gentle kindness in her eyes.
“Come with me,” she said after a while. He followed her into the bakery where she bought some bread and gave it to him.
“These would last you a few days. Go somewhere else. Don’t stay in London.” She shoved some notes into his hands. “Here’s some money. Go somewhere, find a job.” She turned to leave.
“Where are you going?” Draco quickened his pace to follow.
“Diagon Alley,” she said. “School is starting, I’ve got books to buy.”
“You’re going back to Hogwarts?”
“Yes.”
There was a moment’s silence again, but Draco could not find anything to say. Whether it was a sense of dependency, or was it a moment of gratefulness, Draco did not know. But there was a curious longing for Granger to stay.
“Well, good luck then,” she said after a while. “Stay safe.”
Surprisingly, she flashed him a smile. A smile so different from the smirk she often gave him, a smile that strangely, drew him in.
On the Run © 2011 by Ms. Auby Sparksfield. All rights reserved.
Stories by Ms. Auby Sparksfield 