Disclaimer: Don't own. Kinda want to. But don't.

Fallen Angel

Ch. 6 – WalMart

After nearly twenty minutes of trying to figure out how to make the shower work, Harry finally managed to get the water to settle at a decent temperature. He had taken off his shirt and was just about to unfasten his pants when there was a knock on the door.

"Hey, Evans? Can I come in? I've got you a towel and a change of clothes." Harry opened the bathroom door to find Draco standing on the other side, aforementioned items in hand.

"Oh, thanks," he said, reaching for the pile of cloth. Draco handed it over, looking him over briefly and giving him a funny look.

"You haven't gotten in yet? You weren't waiting were you?" Draco asked. Harry shook his head.

"No. I just didn't know how to make it work. I don't know what I did exactly, but the water's warm now." Draco scratched the back of his head.

"Right. Guess you didn't have showers did you? Sorry, I kind of forgot about that." Harry shook his head and backed up.

"Don't worry about it," he said before smiling brightly. "You can just explain about the little knob things later. But I'd better hurry so we can go to the store." Draco nodded and stepped back from the door.

"Yeah. Come out to the living room when you're ready and we'll go." Harry smiled again.

"Okay." And with that he shut the door, turning back to the shower.

Draco only had to wait ten minutes after that before Harry was before him wearing his clothes and with dripping wet hair. Draco's clothes weren't quite as large on Harry as his previous clothes had been, but they still swallowed him. Of course, these particular clothing items weren't of the tailor made variety but were simply old and baggy clothes that were kept around for those lazy days when Draco didn't feel like moving, let alone dressing nicely.

"You're hair's wet," Draco stated as he walked toward the black haired boy.

"Yeah. It takes a while to dry," Harry replied, looking anywhere but at the approaching blonde. Draco stopped two feet or so from Harry and watched him carefully. He noticed the slightly fidgety behavior and he watched as the top of the black shirt dampened. After a few moments of silence Draco realized he had been staring at the outline of Harry's collarbone.

"Well, alright then," Draco said, berating himself for becoming transfixed by such a thing. He turned away from Harry and walked to the closet by the front door, Harry following behind. He opened the closet and pulled out the smallest jacket he had and tossed it to the awaiting boy. "Here," he said, tugging on his own jacket. "We don't want you to catch a cold. You meet Father tomorrow and any sign of illness would not be a good thing."

Harry nodded and put on the still too-large jacket. Draco sighed and made a mental note to feed the boy more seeing as how he looked emaciated. "Thanks."

"No problem." With that Draco led the way out the door and to his car, locking the front door behind them.

The car ride took about ten minutes and was largely uneventful due to the fact that Harry was staring out the window at the scenery and effectively ignoring Draco, who wasn't sure if this was intentional or not.

Finally they pulled into the parking lot of a very large store containing large quantities of people. Draco got out and had to open Harry's door and practically drag him into the building because the boy was gaping at the swarms of people.

"Wh-Where are we?" Draco looked back at the other boy who was clinging to his hand as if life depended on it. He looked fine but Draco was reminded suddenly of how fiercely Harry had held onto him while they had been on the horse.

"Are you afraid Evans?" Draco asked in what he hoped was a compassionate tone. Harry shook his head but moved closer to Draco as an overweight woman rushed past them.

"No. I just want to know where we are," Harry said in a stronger voice, never loosening his hold. Draco was tempted to extract his hand from the shorter boy's grasp but resisted, knowing he was really petrified.

"We are at the store. It's called WalMart." Normally Draco would go to a tailor for clothes, but those were for clothes for himself. For Harry, whom he'd only be taking care of for the next few days, department store items would do.

"Oh."

As they moved throughout the store Harry became more and more relaxed and eventually let go of Draco's hand. The blonde was startled by the sudden lack of pressure on said appendage and nearly grabbed back the smaller hand on reflex, but he quickly stopped himself.

They wandered around the store with Draco picking out clothes he thought would look good and would hopefully fit. He didn't want to spend hours at WalMart picking the perfect springtime wardrobe, so he hurriedly extracted select articles of clothing from the overflowing racks.

With this method Draco had everything Harry needed, from socks to shirts, in a record time of twenty minutes. They checked out and Harry babbled on and on about how it was entirely too much.

"Really Malfoy, you shouldn't have gotten all this," the raven-haired male said as the two walked out the front doors.

"Whatever," Draco responded, rolling his eyes. "It's not like I can't afford it."

"But that's not the point," Harry said in exasperation. "I told you, all I needed was a toothbrush." Draco stopped, causing Harry to run right into his back. "Ow. What'd we stop for?"

"Dammit," Draco said quietly, having gone over what they bought quickly in his mind. "I forgot the toothbrush." He handed the three bags he was carrying to Harry and pulled out his keys. "Okay, you go to the car and I'll run back for the toothbrush. Do you remember what the car looks like?" Draco asked slowly.

"Yeah."

"Good. It's right down that row on the left," Draco said pointing to a row to the right of the doors. "It's near the end. Now, here are the keys." He held up the key ring in his hand. "All you have to do is press this button and the trunk opens." He pointed out a small button that said 'Trunk.' "Got that?"

Harry nodded, shifting the bags in his hand.

"Okay. Just put the bags in the trunk and close it. Then press the 'Unlock' button to unlock the doors and get in. Can you do that?" He asked, still talking slowly. Harry rolled his eyes and took the keys.

"I think I can manage." And with that he began walking away. Draco just blinked after him for a moment, almost smirking at the sarcasm he was sure that sentence had held, before hurrying back into the superstore.

He headed quickly to the hygiene section and scoured the shelves for a cheap and effective toothbrush. He had just reached for a generic Oral B brand brush when a sudden voice from behind startled him.

"My, my Draco. Buying Oral B toothbrushes from WalMart now? What has the world come to?" Draco turned around, toothbrush in hand, and smirked.

"An end apparently. Because that's the only way I'd shop at the same store as such a lowly and simple being as yourself, Ms. Granger." Hermione smiled at Draco and crossed her arms.

"'Lowly and simple?' I'd watch it if I were you, Mr. Malfoy. You never know what may end up in you mental evaluation should you…displease the assessor." Draco held back a snort.

"I'm so sure." Hermione just rolled her eyes.

"So, what brings you here? Oral Hygiene R' Us not good enough anymore?" Draco shook his head.

"I'm just getting some stuff for Evans." At Hermione's puzzled look Draco felt the need to explain. "The package father wanted. The one from Fallen Angel." Hermione nodded her head in understanding.

"Ah. That one," they began walking towards the checkout counters. "How is he doing? What's he like?"

"Well," Draco started, trying to think of how to describe his temporary charge. "He seems like a nice enough kid. He's tiny. Black hair, green eyes. Surprisingly enough he can read, and he knows about some stuff so I don't have to explain everything to him. He seems…bubbly I guess." He paused and Hermione took this opportunity to speak.

"I heard he worked in a bar?" Draco got into line with the brown haired woman behind him.

"Yeah. He was…a prostitute."

"What?" She asked in surprise. "How old is he?" Draco shrugged.

"Haven't got around to asking, really."

"Oh, Draco," Hermione said, shaking her head. "And he's 'bubbly?' After being used like that?" Draco answered as he placed a divider on the check out counter and put down the toothbrush.

"Yeah. Mostly. He does have this weird thing about needing to be touched by people he knows or something. But he hates being touched by strangers, which I found odd, considering what he did. And sometimes he…" Draco trailed off and Hermione looked at him curiously, laying out her own items.

"Sometimes he what? Come on, Draco, now I'm intrigued." Draco paid the man at the register and took his bag, waiting for Hermione.

"It's just, sometimes he gets…weird."

"'Weird?' Weird how?" she asked.

"He, well, it's like he goes into whore mode or something." Hermione just blinked at him. "It's hard to explain. One minute he's acting like he's five and being, y'know, bubbly, and the next he's looking at me like he wants to throw me against a wall and eat me. He practically attacked me in the closet at the hospital." Hermione took her change from the man and grabbed her stuff, walking to the door with Draco.

"I won't ask why you were in a closet in the hospital, but I will say that I look forward to talking with Mr. Evans. Should be interesting to say the least. I will be talking to him, right?" she asked as the exited the doors.

"Yeah. Monday if you're free."

"Of course. Anything for you. Call me Monday morning with the time. Goodbye Draco. I'm this way," she said, turning left and walking away.

"Bye, Hermione." With that Draco made his way to the location of his car hoping that Harry hadn't gotten lost. But as soon as the car came into sight he realized that Harry had most definitely not gotten lost.

"All you have to do is press this button and the trunk opens." Draco talked in a slow drawl and pointed to the button that said 'Trunk.' "Got that?" Harry got the distinct impression that the blonde thought he was incapable of understanding. It really wasn't that difficult, the buttons were labeled after all. So Harry just nodded.

"Okay. Just put the bags in the trunk and close it. Then press the 'Unlock' button to unlock the doors and get in. Can you do that?" Draco asked in that same slow voice. It was really rather annoying. Just because he didn't know that 'lady bugs' weren't deadly was no reason to assume he couldn't grasp such a simple concept as labeled button things. This in mind, Harry grabbed the keys and felt his eyes roll.

"I think I can manage." And with that he set off to find the car.

As he passed the first car on the row he wondered why Draco found him so lacking in the intelligence area. It was insulting to be spoken to like a disobedient and simple child. But then Harry saw the birds. They were pecking around the parking lot, searching for stray crumbs and Harry found himself mesmerized. He watched them hop around and chirp at one another and suddenly Draco seemed unimportant.

He smiled happily, forgetting about how Draco had talked to him, and pondered more happy thoughts. He thought about the birds and how they must be happy to find the discarded hot dog bun. He thought of how Ms. Molly had taught him all about birds and other animals.

He also thought about how shiny and smooth the cars looked and how big some of them were. It was as he looked at the steel frames he passed that he finally caught sight of the sleek black one he was looking for. It was indeed near the end of the row, having only a few cars surrounding it.

He shook his head to rid it of any stray thoughts before pressing the trunk button and watching in mild awe as the trunk swung open. He put the bags in and straightened to pull down the trunk when a sudden voice halted his progress.

"Aren't you a cute one?"

He turned around slowly and saw a young female leaning against one of the cars across the row. She looked about Eva's age, 16 or so, and was wearing a dangerously short skirt and an alarmingly tight shirt. Her blonde hair was hanging free around her face and her eyes were outlined with a thick line of black.

Harry watched the girl carefully as she pushed herself off the vehicle behind her and started walking slowly towards him. He was confused as to why she was talking to him in the first place. He didn't know this girl. What did she want?

He started to inch away timidly, halted quickly by the car behind him, when a thought suddenly struck. Malfoy. Malfoy must have set this up. That's why he left him alone. It all made sense. This girl was his next job.

Harry smirked, finally being back in familiar territory. If the girl was here for a good time he'd show her a good time. After all, she did pay for it.

"How long you got?" Harry asked her smoothly in the voice he used for his clients. It was the standard first question. Find out how long they paid for and find out how long you had to get the job done.

The girl stopped walking when he spoke, looking slightly surprised. She looked him up and down slowly before smiling sweetly and replying, "How ever long you need, baby."

Harry's smirk grew. So Malfoy had found an all-nighter. Harry reached up and shut the trunk before sitting on top of the cool metal and beckoning the girl over. She came quickly, standing between his legs as he sat, and he pulled her into a kiss. She melted into him quickly and wrapped her arms around his neck.

He nibbled gently on her lower lip as something Malfoy had said entered his mind. Malfoy's father. He'd sent for him, didn't want him tainted. Mr. Malfoy had sent to have him taken out of his prostitute life and brought here. Why, then, had Malfoy arranged for this girl to be a customer?

Harry tried to come up with an answer while continuing with his exploration of the girl's mouth. She was now clinging to him, forcefully pushing herself closer and making sounds in the back of her throat. He pulled out the keys and pressed the unlock button without removing himself from his target. Sliding off the car he pulled the girl closer to him and maneuvered to the side of the vehicle, tugging open the first door he came to.

Pushing the girl back onto the back seat, which would serve nicely as a makeshift bed, Harry came to the conclusion that this was a test. He was being tested to see if he was good enough to be used by the Malfoys. If he failed he'd be sent back to that room. That tiny room. Anywhere was better than that place, even if he still had to sleep with people for the profit of his owners.

Harry resigned himself to the fact that he was just a toy, a fuck doll, no matter where he went as he slid his hand under the girl's too tight shirt. He felt her arch into his touch and he began kissing his way down her jaw. With the all-nighters he had to take his time, make them beg for it.

She had reached up and buried her hands in his hair as he made his way to her sensitive neck. She moaned again and he bit down on her tender flesh. He was about to slide her shirt off when he felt an arm grab him by the waist and drag him from the car.

"What the fuck are you doing!" He looked up to see a very pissed off Draco Malfoy. Malfoy glared at him for a moment before turning to the girl that was now sitting up on the edge of the back seat. "Get out of my car," he said dangerously. The girl frowned.

"But we-"

"Now!" Draco practically shouted, tightening his hold on Harry's waist. Harry just watched him in confusion. Wasn't that what he wanted? For him to sleep with that girl?

Harry didn't have time to ponder these thoughts as the girl raced off and Draco slammed the door shut. Before another word was spoken the blonde had thrown Harry into the passenger's seat and gone around to the driver's side. He started the car and turned to Harry who just stared back. They sat, unmoving, in silence for several moments before Draco spoke.

"What were you doing Evans?" he asked in the same tone he'd used on the girl. Harry just stared. He didn't know anymore what he had been doing. He thought he'd been doing what Malfoy had wanted, but apparently that was not the case. He had done something wrong. Something very, very wrong. A part of him wanted to defend himself, stand up for what he'd done, but a larger part of him was scared and confused and didn't know what to do.

"I-I, well, I thought that I was supposed to-"

"Supposed to what?" Draco said, interrupting Harry's soft confession. "Supposed to sleep with the first thing that throws itself at you? Well, you were wrong! Sluts like that are all over the place, looking for an easy lay. You can't have sex with all of them, and you aren't going to do it with any of them. I thought I told you that father wants you undamaged. Who knows what you could get from a tramp like that?"

But Draco stopped and looked out the windshield as if he'd suddenly remembered something important. Harry didn't really care what it was the blonde remembered, he was still processing what had been said. He wasn't supposed to sleep with anyone. Malfoy hadn't set up the girl. The girl was just looking for someone to fuck. Malfoy said she was just a tramp. A dirty tramp. Who slept with anyone.

"Is that what you think I am?" Harry asked, startling Draco out of his thoughts.

"What?" Draco asked, looking at him.

"Is that what you think I am? A tramp? A diseased slut?" Harry asked again, looking at Malfoy blankly. If the bastard thought he was a whore he'd show him just how whorish he could be. With that Harry leaded forward and tugged on Draco's collar, bringing their lips crashing together.

Draco stayed frozen beneath him as Harry moved his lips slowly, determined to make the blonde want him, need him – the dirty little whore. He felt the other slowly relax and brought his tongue out to lap softly at the pink lips in front of his. As soon as he made contact however, Draco seemed to snap out of whatever daze he was in and push Harry back forcefully.

"Stop it," he said harshly, holding Harry by the shoulders. Draco looked at his face for a moment before sighing heavily. "I don't want to go through this again." With that he dragged Harry into his chest and held on tight. "What did I tell you about the hugging thing? I don't like it, so stop doing this. This is the second time and it's getting rather tiresome. I don't think you're dirty, or a slut, or any of that. I know you didn't have a choice in the matter."

Harry felt the tension leave his body as he listened to Draco's words. Maybe Malfoy didn't think he was worthless.

"I also don't know why you kissed that girl," Harry tensed again, "but I'm sure you had a reason. I'm not going to try to molest you, nor do I think you want me to. So stop trying to seduce me and just go back to normal.

Harry felt like laughing. Of course Malfoy hadn't taken money from that girl. The blonde didn't want to test him, didn't want to make him into a sex object. He'd said as much on many occasions. For right now Harry was free, Malfoy wasn't the one who would put him in a cage. Malfoy had rescued him from the Saloon. It was all okay.

When Draco finally let Harry go the raven-haired boy smiled up at him happily and put on his seat belt.

"Okay Malfoy, let's go see Bennie." Harry watched as something close to relief swept over Malfoy's face before it was replaced by that same bored look he usually wore. Harry was struck suddenly by the image of Draco's face as it had been in the closet earlier that morning, full of desire. Harry quickly pushed the thought away. That was nothing that concerned him. He just wanted to go see Bennie and pet her some more.

"Alright," Draco said. "Let's go."

And they drove out of the Wal Mart parking lot, leaving behind the whole thing as just another memory to hopefully be forgotten.

Hermione put her bags into the passenger's seat as she slid the key into the ignition. She let out a large breath and rested her head on the steering wheel, thinking over Draco's words.

Lucius may not have considered the possibility of mental trauma to Harry Evans, but that certainly did not mean that she hadn't. Granted, she hadn't been privy to knowledge of the kind of life he led, and in many respects she still hadn't. She had been more prepared for the 'I've just been relocated from the olden times town and now I don't know how to cope properly' scenario. The type of thing Draco described, depending on the circumstances that brought about such behavior, that…that was an entirely different matter.

Hermione sighed again and lifted her head.

Mr. Evans would likely have to have time to readjust to existence outside his old life, which would mean Lucius' plans would have to be put on hold.

She felt her lips turn into a wry smile at the thought as she backed out of her parking space.

Lucius was anything but a patient man. News of any type of delay would not go over well, but it was her job to make sure that no unnecessary damage befell the newest acquisition of Malfoy Inc. That being as it were, if what Draco said was accurate, Lucius was going to have to wait anywhere from days to months before he could begin his project. But she had to admit, even she was curious, and a bit excited, at what they could achieve with a specimen such as Harry Evans.

Hermione stopped suddenly as a teenage girl ran in front of her car. The girl looked dazed and her minuscule shirt was pushed part way up her stomach. As the girl disappeared Hermione shook her head.

Kids these days.

And with that thought Hermione Granger drove away from WalMart hoping that Lucius wouldn't be too angry at the postponement of his little experiment.