R U N N I N G

F A T H E R - Draco's POV

"Unbreak the broken
Unsay these spoken words
Find hope in the hopeless
Pull me out of the train wreck"

I heard someone's throat clearing and my blood ran cold. I knew that sound anywhere. Lucius Malfoy was not a man that you confused with anyone else.

"My, my Draco. Is this why I sent you to boarding school? Do I pay as much as I do, to have you sitting around, kissing some piece of ass instead of studying and applying all your time to your classes?" he asked, his voice hinting at irritation as he glared at Hermione.

I looked down in shame, "F-Father! I didn't expect to see you here! Hermione and I were just taking a break from our reading. We've been studying all day nonstop for some tests we have coming up. I apologize for my behavior" I choked out as I looked down ashamed. I knew Hermione was watching the interaction carefully.

"Come along Draco. We need to speak. The girl stays here. Move." he told me coldly. I was glad he hadn't tried to talk to her.

I looked over at Hermione, "I'll collect your books and wait for you in the common room. We'll talk later" she whispered to me as she slipped off my lap quickly.

I nodded slightly and walked away with my father, leaving her alone.

I walked behind him for what seemed an eternity before we found ourselves in an empty classroom.

He pushed me in, "Are you out of your fucking mind Draco? What did I tell you when you first came here? I told you not fuck around and focus on your marks! Do I need to pull you out of this school? I'll gladly send you to the all-boys one in America if you want!" he asked loudly.

I stood frozen not knowing what to say as I stared at him, fear coursing through me.

"Answer me boy!" he yelled as he smacked me across the face. I could feel the sting on my cheek immediately and knew Hermione would question me about what had happened.

"N-No, sir. I apologize. I d-do not w-want to go to an all-b-boys school in America" I stuttered out nervously.

Lucius glared at me, "You will be breaking up with the infernal girl and I mean immediately. The moment you walk out of this classroom, that's the first thing you'll be doing! If I catch you with her again, I will be bringing you home and beating you bloody. Is that understood?" he said through gritted teeth.

"F-Father, please. Her mother is a lawyer as well and her father is a surgeon. She comes from a good family. Please don't make me leave her" I tried to plead with him.

Lucius' eyes shone brighter with rage.

His fist connected with my eye and I could feel it swelling, "Oh Draco. I don't give a fuck about what kind of family she's from. I just don't want to condemn the girl to being forced to be with you. Can you imagine? Stuck for the rest of her life with a bloody idiot. No, can't have that for her. No one deserves that punishment" he responded.

I felt as if he had punched me in the stomach and ripped my heart out, "Please father. Granger is my-"

"Granger? As in the daughter of Monica Granger? Owner of Granger Law?" he cut me off, suddenly interested in Hermione.

I nodded silently, "Well, it seems you're not as big as an idiot as I thought you were. We've been trying to merge with them for years. This could be what Malfoy & Riddle needs. Listen to me you idiot boy, you will continue to court the stupid girl. You will be pleasant and polite. At graduation, you will ask her to marry you, and I swear by Merlin's beard Draco, you better hope and pray she says yes. Do not fail me boy or you will face severe consequences. Have I made myself clear?" he asked, holding me by the shirt.

Again, I nodded silently, "Now then, what I originally came to talk to you about. Your mother is ill. The doctors gave her until next December. So if she doesn't text you much, yes I know about the phone she got you, now you know why. You may spend the entire summer with her once school is out and I will not force you to work at the law firm over the break. Now get out of my sight, and don't fuck things up with the Granger girl" he commanded.

I nodded numbly as I left the room. The minute I knew I was far enough, I broke into a sprint and made my way to our common room, my tears blurring the way.

When I made my way inside, I could see Hermione pacing back and forth on the carpet in front of the sofa. Her beautiful, sun-kissed coffee eyes met my teary gray ones and I just broke down as sobs racked my body.

I took three more steps and fell to my knees, "Dray what happened?! What did he do to you? Talk to me love!" she asked me as she dashed to my side.

I wrapped my arms around her torso and buried my face into her shirt crying, "Come on baby. Let's go to my dormitory. It's okay love. I'm here" she told me gently.

I felt her pull on me so I could stand. I followed her to her bedroom and she sat me down on the edge of her bed. I pulled her to me again and buried my face in her shirt to keep crying. I could feel her stroking back and my hair just like I would do to her when she cried. I cried harder knowing my mother would never get to know the extent of how much I loved the girl comforting me.

After crying for a while, my breathing finally calmed down enough to speak, "My mother... is dying 'Mi" was all I could manage before a fresh wave of tears surfaced and threatened to spill down my face once again.

She stroked my cheeks lovingly, "Oh baby. I'm so sorry Dray. Is there anything I can do love?" she asked me, worry lacing her tone.

I shook my head. There was nothing she could do. It's not like she had a magic wand that she could wave so everything could be fixed.

"Baby what happened to your face? Your eye is swollen and your cheek is very red. Did... Did he hit you?" she asked me carefully.

Without thinking, I closed my eyes and I nodded silently, "WHAT?! Draco look at me!" she told me, holding my chin up towards her.

I looked up at her, "Why did he hit you love? Tell me the truth" she asked me. I could tell she was angry and was trying to contain her temper for my sake.

I sighed, "He wanted me to break up with you and I basically had to beg him to let me stay with you. He says I'm not worthy of you, and that no matter how good of a family you have, you shouldn't be punished by having to spend your time with an idiot like me..." I answered her honestly.

She stared at me silently. I could see the wheels in her head turning as she processed what I said, "There's more love. As I begged him to let me keep seeing you, I called you by your last name and he was interested. He said he'd been trying to merge your mom's law firm with his for years and this was the perfect opportunity. He said I could stay with you but that he wants me to ask you to marry me at graduation. He said if I didn't convince you to say yes, there'd be consequences for me" I explained to her.

She looked at me, still silent, "Hermione, love? You going to say something?" I asked her, staring at the floor.

I could see the wheels in her head turning again. Her mouth opened and closed several times as she looked for the correct response, "Draco, first of all, we can't get married straight out of school. Second, if my mother hasn't merged her practice with Malfoy & Riddle, it's for a reason. Third, I think we should run away together" she finally responded, her eyes wide with shock.

My head whipped up to look at her, "Run away? You want to run away? How Hermione? How do you plan on us running away? Wherever we go, our parents will find us. What exactly are you proposing?" I questioned her.

She looked at me confidently, "I have a plan. It's going to involve lots of planning and waiting, possibly even lying, but it'll work, and we'll be free of both of our families! We can do this Draco. We can get away from it all" she responded excitedly.

I waited for her to explain.