The Blonde Boy
He bit his lip, edging into the shop. His senses were overwhelmed, his mind becoming fuzzy. He was stiff and unsure of all the attention he got. He closed the door with a soft snick. He was used to being quiet, blending into the background.
"Hello?" He called out.
A blonde boy turned towards him with wide eyes. He grinned, showing off his white teeth. "Hello, are you going to Hogwarts, too?"
He smiled and approached the blonde boy. "Yea," he shrugged. "I guess I am." He was relieved. Maybe he could escape the Dursleys ... a tiny hope this Hogwarts was.
"It's going to be fun." He winced when the lady pricked him. He frowned down, but the excitement of making a new friend rode over the slight pain. "I'm going to be in Slytherin. I know it. Every Malfoy was a Slytherin for generations." He puffed his little chest, his gray eyes gleaming silver like the lingering light as the sun set.
He was pretty.
"Malfoy?" He asked softly. He cocked his head. His head was in a tizzy with all the new terms. He was excited. Who wouldn't? After years of living a dry, monotonous life, he discovered he was a wizard.
"The Malfoy family is pureblood, meaning our blood isn't ..." He frowned, suddenly unsure of how to proceed. He was taught from a very young age to be proud of who he was, but the hunched boy before him made him doubt himself. Well, at least not to be blunt. "Never mind, it isn't important. Are you Muggleborn?"
"Muggle?"
Draco grinned, hopping off the stool. "It means non-wizard."
Harry frowned and stepped on the stool. He was swathed in black robes. Emerald eyes glanced in the mirror, admiring how the cloth was becoming a robe.
"My parents were wizards." He gave a hesitant smile in the mirror to the blonde boy. "If that's what you meant."
They were in a comfortable silence. Draco looked out the window, looking for his parents, but his eyes wandered back to the boy. His hair was messy, and his eyes were bright behind those hideous glasses. His shoulders were tense, so he decided to break the silence and get him to be comfortable.
"I can't wait to learn more about magic. My parents convinced my godfather to tutor me, but it still won't measure to the standards of Hogwarts. Right now, they are shopping for my other supplies," Draco rambled on, nervous. He had his friends from childbirth, but his heart tugged at him to make friends with the small boy in front of him. To not let the boy slip through his fingers.
"What are the other houses?"
"You really don't know anything," Draco murmured. He shook his head. "It doesn't matter, though! I can teach you. There is Slytherin, the best house in Hogwarts, and attributed to ambition and cunning."
Harry rolled his eyes. He couldn't prevent the grin tugging at his lips. Draco giggled.
"There is Ravenclaw, a house known for its studiousness. There is Gryffindor, legendary for its brashness and courageousness, and then there is Hufflepuff, loyal to a fault and hardworking."
Harry exhaled, his heart hammering. "I want to be in Slytherin or Hufflepuff," he breathed out. His eyes were shining and glowing. Draco watched the light shimmer in its cool depths, veiling them in warmth.
Harry enjoyed sitting next to the blonde boy. He suddenly looked at him, into the gray eyes.
"I'm Harry, by the way," he held out his hand and beamed. "Harry Potter."
Draco paused, shocked, but the politeness in him covered it. "Draco Malfoy, nice to meet you." He shook the calloused, tan hand. His senses flooded with warm sunlight. He muffled his gasp, and he choked out, "Are you shopping with anyone?"
"Um, there was Hagrid. He came to deliver my Hogwarts letter." Harry curled inwards. His hair fell into his eyes. "I don't know where he is."
Draco frowned, not liking how alone Harry was. It was downright horrific. It was easy to tell that Harry was overwhelmed and frightened.
"I can ask my parents to let you shop with us. I'm sure they wouldn't mind helping you."
A drawling voice asked, "We wouldn't mind what, Draco?"
"Papa!" Draco whirled around, dragging Harry before his parents. "This is Harry Potter," he smiled. "These are my parents, Lucius and Narcissa. He's basically alone, and he isn't sure what to do. He grew up with Muggles," he wrinkled his nose.
Lucius' eyebrows rose as he glanced down at the boy before him. He was tiny, drowning in much too big clothing. His eyes were covered with mended glasses, as they skittered around, not looking at the people before him. He sighed and nodded.
Narcissa grinned and held out her hand. Harry stared at it with longing, unsure of what he was to do. Draco grasped his Mother's other hand and gestured towards the waiting hand. Harry slipped his own into the warm hand. He glanced up into the blue eyes framed delicately with blonde curls.
His heart thumped. He wondered if this was what it was like to have a mother.
"Harry, dear, what other supplies do you need?"
He shrugged and ducked. He went to slip out of her grasp, but Narcissa's hand tightened around his own.
"I got my ... robes and some money."
Narcissa gave a look to her husband. Lucius gave a slight incline. "Let's get your books and other classroom materials first, then we can get your's and Draco's wands together." Harry nodded and grinned at his friend.
"'Arry!" A booming voice echoed through Diagon Alley. "Whatcha doin' wit' tho' people?"
Harry gave a tiny grin from the comfort of Narcissa's side. "Hagrid, this is Draco Malfoy and his parents. They offered to help me shop, because I didn't know where you were," he trailed off uncertainly.
Hagrid glowered at the Malfoy family. Dumbledore was going to be angry. "Tho' people are not any good, 'Arry. We mus' be goin'."
Lucius pursed his lips and drew to his full height. He squared his shoulders and glared at the beastly man before him.
"Are you the escort for Harry?" He placed his hand on the boy's shoulder.
"What'sh it to ya?"
Lucius sniffed daintily. "What escort would consume alcohol on the job?" He hissed. "I will be inquiring on why you were sent, and not a professor of Hogwarts. Good day, Hagrid."
He pushed his family before him, leaving behind Hagrid. He shook his head. "Beastly man," he murmured. "Harry, why was that man sent to deliver your letter?"
He shrugged. "I don't know."
Lucius glanced at his wife and flickered his eyes to Harry. She nodded and resumed to tell Harry of the wizard world. It was ghastly the amount of knowledge, or lack thereof, Harry had of his heritage.
Draco leaned into his Mama's side, as he listened to her tell Harry of the Potters. He saw his green eyes were gleaming with happiness. He smiled and closed his eyes. His heart thrummed with the contentment of protecting his mate.
He stiffened. His eyes wide. He gazed at Harry. He ignored his parents, and he looked into the worried, green eyes. He grinned slowly, letting his happiness shine through.
"Papa, can you cast a privacy spell, please?"
Lucius did so with a nod. For good measure he also cast an obscuring charm, to hinder gossiping fiends.
"Harry, did you feel anything special when you saw me?"
Narcissa squeezed her son's shoulder in support. Lucius gave his son a nod.
Poor Harry was huddled inside a circle of excited Malfoys. He shrugged. "I don't know ... it was easy to talk to you?"
Draco beamed.
"Can I tell you what a veela is?"
"A veela?"
"It is a magical creature, of which Purebloods would often intermix their blood with to strengthen the line. We, Malfoys, have done it often, in the past. Most of the time, we only inherit the unique coloring, like my Grandpapa and Grandmama.
I am a veela. I will get my magical inheritance when I am fifteen."
Harry grinned. "Okay."
"A veela only has one mate, Harry."
"Okay."
"You're my mate?"
"..."
"Okay?"
Draco grasped Harry's hand, letting his scent wash over him. "You don't have to accept this, but I will never be with another person. I won't force you to be with me, Harry, but I will always wait for you."
Harry gazed into the serious, eleven year old's face. He glanced at his parents. Lucius had his arm wrapped around Narcissa. His gray eyes flashed with an unearthly light.
"I don't have to decide right now?" He asked in a small voice.
Draco grinned, cradling his mate's hand in his own. "No, you don't, Harry. We can start as friends and learn more about each other."
Emerald met silver.
Harry was unsure of this whole business. He found out he was a wizard and a mate of this veela thing in one day. He gave a soft smile.
"Friends? Friends will be a good start."
