Disclaimer: I don't own it.

Draco gets to go shopping!

The Other Way

It didn't take me too long to convince Ruth that I should take Draco out to Diagon Ally to get him a wand; she seemed to think a wand was a good idea. That it would give him some confidence back if he knew he could defend himself.

I let him know over lunch, when I ate half of his food to get him eating. But it wasn't until dinner time had rolled round that I realised we had a problem.

"You need clothes." I told him.

He nodded.

I thought about it, I didn't particularly want to go back to Harry's house to try and find some. "I could find some for you for tomorrow-but I suppose we should buy you some in town."

He nodded again.

"Ok, I'll be back in the morning. Sleep tonight or Ruth will have a fit in the morning." I said, leaving the room and flooing home.

The next morning I had scavenged out some clothes for Draco and taken them into work for him. They didn't fit him, but they were going to have to do until we got him some more.

We flooed to the Leakey Cauldron at around ten. I was hoping there wouldn't be too many people about this early in the morning. Draco was ok, up until we got into Diagon Ally. Then his eyes went wide and his breathing sped up. I hadn't considered what it would be like to go outside after being kept indoors for four years. He had probably developed a case of Agoraphobia.

I took hold of his arm, he didn't flinch away, instead he grabbed my arm tightly. I lead him quickly to Olivanders to get his wand. He relaxed once we got inside, he let go of me, so I dropped his arm. He shuffled away from me slightly.

"Sorry." I whispered. "I didn't realise it would be like that." I sighed.

He looked at me, shock and fear warring in his eyes, but Olivander shuffled out from behind some boxes before I had the chance to ask anything.

"What can I do for you gentlemen?"

"We're looking for a wand." I said, motioning to Draco.

"Ah, Mr. Malfoy. Ash and Dragon Heartstring-excellent for offensive spells. Well, we'll see what we can do for you."

I watched them try fifty wands before one finally r3eacted.

"Ebony, Dragon Heartstring-excellent for defensive spells. An interesting turnaround. Wouldn't you agree Mr. Malfoy?" Olivander asked him.

He nodded and pulled away.

I pulled out a bag of Galleons from my pocket; we had withdrawn it from Draco's bank yesterday afternoon. It was perfectly legal for us to this, so long as we could match up exactly to amount spent to the amount withdrawn.

I paid the thirteen Galleons for the wand (trust him to get the most expensive one) and went to the shop door, looking out. "Will you be ok to cross over to the robe shop?" I asked, turning to look at him.

Draco clutched his new wand like a child would a security blanket. He looked out and nodded slowly, glancing sideways at me. And I wondered why.

"Ok." I smiled and stepped out. He followed, staring round like he expected something to happen. I continued across the street to the robe shop quickly.

Again once we were inside he relaxed. I opened the bag of money I had. "You have about eighty Galleons left-go shop." I handed him the bag.

He accepted it, but didn't move. Finally I turned aside to have a look at the new Quiddich team robes. When I turned back a few minutes later he was browsing the racks with a practiced ease. It was something closer to the Malfoy I remembered, confident, at ease.

I made sure he didn't see me watching, I had the feeling he would revert back to scary, not normal, Draco.

Almost two hours later he had spent the rest of his money on clothes and we went back to the Leakey Cauldron and had lunch, I had some things to ask him, it would probably ruin the whole day, but I had finally realised that it was pure fear on his face every time we stepped outside. It wasn't the mindless panic of an Agoraphobic; it was the fear of someone who expected something bad to happen when he stepped outside.

I waited until we returned to the unit and he had packed away his things before I started, already feeling guilty for causing the pain yet to come.

"Draco." I said, drawing his attention to me. "Back in Diagon Ally-why were you so afraid?"

He froze.

"You don't have to answer." I told him. "But it might help me to help you better."

He stayed motionless for so long I was convinced he wasn't going to answer when he choked out. "I don't like small places."

I was about to prompt him when he continued.

"When I tried to leave Har-he locked me in a little room for a long time. When I was let out I wanted to be outside so badly, but he found out if I did and he put me back in the room. H. he… I didn't want to go back in there… please…"

I saw the flashback coming; his eyes had gone all glassy. He had curled up on the bed. I don't know why, but I went to sit beside him. "Draco, Draco. Its ok, he can't put you back in the room. Draco-"

I was very surprised when he latched onto me, like I was his last lifeline, whispering and pleading "Don't let him put me back in there-please!"

I stroked his back soothingly. So Draco was Claustrophobic and every time he had gone outside he was put in the place he hated most. No wonder he was frightened of going outside, he would probably associate it with small places for a long time to come.

He cried into my shoulder until he fell asleep.

Something connected between us then.

Whoo, another one up! Read and Review and enjoy.