That day's cleaning had lasted until the next day, it was so long - they'd been happy to scarper when the old man said they could, though... He'd offered them a job between them, and food, though he'd still said they'd have to sleep in the stupid store. "I want some guard dogs, and you two'll do just fine." He'd said curtly, with the ghost of a smile on his face. He was a hard man, and Harry on some level appreciated the ability to give something back to him. On another level, though, he was just sore.

They'd run instead, of course. Harry was certain that if they just kept going long enough, they'd manage London. He'd read in his history books that towns in England were generally no farther than 20 miles apart, and that was what one could manage in a good day. Oftener, they were just ten miles apart, as you could manage that and set up a cart with goods aplenty, afore it got truly dark.

Harry almost felt guilty when they got to the next town. This old shopkeep was a wizened old lady - the sort that Muggle children would whisper witch! about. She didn't seem like she was getting on as well as the other grocers had been, and she limped along like canes were going out of style.

Still, Harry thought, they needed to eat.

Draco played 'her' part to a T, and Harry scrambled with enough food. They hid under an embankment, scarfing down handpies - Draco held out one to the big black dog (who was starting to look nearly healthy) as the dog gobbled it down eagerly, his tail wagging like a metronome. "That was easy!" Draco exulted.

"Was it now, laddies?" The scottish brogue of that old lady entered their world.

Harry scrambled to his feet, his hands in helpless fists. Those were... those were bobbies behind her! His eyes shot to Draco, who didn't know any better.

Draco looked up, himself, and seemed to see something in the bearing of the Officers of the Law. "I'll go with you, sure, if only you've got a bit more milk?" And Draco Malfoy batted his eyelashes at them.

"Come along you," the bobby said, not crossly, and then another hauled Harry roughly to his feet.

"You get what you deserve," the old lady hissed at them, and Harry Potter rapidly felt any guilt disappearing from his belly.

[a/n: Da-da-duh! Leave a review. Next chapter's Snape.]