Chapter Text
Draco‘s POV:
– Summer 1986 Malfoy Manor –
„Time to go to bed, Draco!“ Narcissa ruffled gently through Draco‘s hair while smiling gently.
„But I‘m already 6 years old, I‘m old enough to stay up longer!“ Draco pouted a bit, obviously not wanting to go to bed already.
Draco always had a strong will, knowing what he wanted — and especially if he didn‘t want something, he always made sure to let the others know.
„But the story is so thrilling, I really want to—“ the little boy protested, looking rather dissatisfied at the book he was holding in his hands.
„You really do come after your father, you really do know what you want.“ Narcissa laughed out a bit and took Draco‘s hand.
„How about I tell you another really nice story in return?“ smiling at him.
Draco‘s eyes lit up in curiosity, and the anger in his face started to calm down. „Hmm… What is the story about?“
„Lay down in your bed and I will start to tell you the story.“ Narcissa raised one eyebrow, gesturing with her hand for her son to lay into his bed.
Draco didn‘t wait a minute and tugged himself into the blanket of his bed, showing his mother an expectant gaze.
„Well…“ Narcissa started slowly and sat down at the corner of Draco‘s bed.
„Did you know that when two souls are meant to find each other, destiny wants to help them? So it connects these two persons with an invisible red string that is tied to their pinky fingers.“
Draco shook his head slightly, his interest already piqued in the story.
„An ancient tale says that everyone has their fated partner, and once the red string is formed, it‘s almost like a spell is cast — it forms all kinds of possibilities to bring these persons together, even if they live in different countries. Fate will always find its way.“ Narcissa smiled at Draco, while gently stroking his hair.
She continued „It is said that being with your fated partner is the most amazing feeling in the world. It just feels right — it feels like coming home after a long day.“
Draco already got really tired listening to his mother telling this story in her soft, soothing voice. He really didn‘t want to fall asleep. He fought the urge to fall asleep. Especially when he had just realized something.
„Ohh… so that are these red strings that I‘ve been seeing at the pinky fingers of everyone?“ Draco‘s gaze was filled with curiosity.
„You can… see them?“ Narcissa‘s voice sounded slightly unsure.
„So the story is real!“ Draco‘s face lit up, his voice sounded really excited.
„Well… most people can‘t see them, though. But they will definitely feel it when they meet their destined partner.“ Her voice was still filled with surprise.
„But why is Dad‘s string connected to another person?“ Draco‘s face was filled with confusion.
Shock spread all throughout Narcissa’s face, she gasped slightly, mumbling quietly to herself „I always knew it…“
The shock then turned into sadness.
She gently stroked Draco‘s hair. „I think it‘s better if you don‘t tell anyone about being able to see these strings.“ Her face still looked slightly pained.Narcissa then got up from the bed and left Draco to fall asleep.
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– 1. September 1998, Malfoy Manor –
Draco woke up in his room at the Malfoy Manor, it was already September — which meant it was time to return to Hogwarts for his 8th year after the war. He had received the letter from Hogwarts a few weeks before with the invitation to graduate properly.
He knew he had to get up soon and get ready to catch the Hogwarts Express, but right now he just lay in his bed, feeling very troubled to get up.
His head was filled with last night‘s dream. It made him thoughtful.
He dreamt about the time when he used to be a little kid and his mum had told him the story of the red string of fate for the first time — a moment that twisted and turned his life eternally. After understanding what he could see, his life would never be the same again.
The dream also made old, long-forgotten feelings come up to the surface.Feelings he had been meaning to bury in the depth of his heart.
Guilt started to rush through his veins, making it hard to breathe evenly.
After all this time, Draco still felt very much responsible for the divorce of his parents.
If he had just never told his mum what he could see. Maybe his parents would still be together and he would have saved his mum from going through a very depressive episode.
After this incident, the boy had sworn to himself to never mention his ability to someone else — as it only brought chaos to the lives of people.
But just because he didn‘t tell his surroundings, it didn‘t mean that he wouldn‘t observe.
Especially throughout his previous years at Hogwarts, he would watch people get into relationships — their strings not connected — only to see those people breaking up after some time, to find the right person.
And while being in a relationship with a person that wasn‘t meant for one, the relationship wouldn‘t be fulfilling. There always would be this lingering feeling of something missing… of something not being quite right. After some time, even some challenges would arrive in their lives.
Draco lifted one of his hands into the air and let the rays of the morning sun fall between his fingers.He looked at his pinky finger closely.
„Still a cut string. Well, I guess love was never meant for me anyways…“
All this time, his red string of fate had been cut, never once was it connected. Usually, the string connects in early childhood, as both parties involved in the connection have to be born. And mostly, the age gap isn‘t too big.
So naturally, Draco gave up hope. Even if his fated partner were to be born now, there would be an age gap of 18 years, which was sheer impossible.
He felt neglected by fate.
But at least he wasn‘t the only person whom fate seemed to have overlooked.
There was another boy at Hogwarts who didn‘t seem to be favoured by destiny.
It was Harry, the famous Harry Potter.
Maybe it even was one of the initial reasons why Draco took an interest in Harry — as he was different too.
Harry was the first person Draco had ever met who didn‘t have a red string at all.
His pinky finger was completely empty.
„Well, there are people who have it worse than me, I guess…“ Draco thought to himself.
The moment Draco watched Harry going into a relationship with Ginny, he knew that this connection wouldn‘t last.
Ginny‘s red string had always been connected to Dean Thomas.
Only after a short time he would see the dissatisfaction in Ginny‘s face, it was obvious that she felt that the connection was lacking something.
And don‘t get me started on Harry.
Harry‘s love was always doomed to fail, not having a fated partner at all.
When Draco met Harry for the first time as a kid, he felt really curious as to why the other boy had no red string at all.
He tried to befriend him, but was rejected on the spot in front of the whole school.It really didn‘t sit well with him — after all, he was a Malfoy and had his pride.
Especially as a young boy, Draco had trouble controlling his anger, not being sure how to handle his emotions.
With his family being broken, not feeling understood by his surroundings, his mother going through a rough depressive episode — just how on earth could he have handled that rejection well?
So he started to mock Harry and his friends instead, trying to get any reaction out of Harry. He still felt very interested in Harry but just knew that he didn‘t stand a chance to become his friend.
The mocking turned into competition after a while. Draco tried his best to somehow be a part of Harry‘s orbit. To matter to him in some sense, even if it was in a negative sense.
Seeing Harry in a world of chaos brought some kind of peace to Draco.
As Draco grew older, he started to realize something.
His initial fascination toward him had changed — it turned into some kind of obsession. Always wanting to know what was going on in Harry‘s life.
Especially when it came to the love department.
It was the moment when Draco realized that he had started to harbour feelings for Harry.
He would watch Harry from afar all those years at Hogwarts.
But Draco knew that his love never stood a chance — as his own string was cut and Harry didn‘t have any string at all.
This love was doomed to fail.
In his head, he would nevertheless imagine himself with Harry, despite knowing that it was sheer impossible.
Draco shook his head for a moment. His thoughts went into a thought spiral, and he knew he really had to get up if he wanted to make it to the Hogwarts Express on time.
So he finally got up from his bed to get ready.
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– Hogwarts: Start of the 8th Year –
Draco had just arrived at Hogwarts and was walking through the corridor on his way to the 8th year common room when he noticed a tingling sensation on the pinky finger of his right hand.
The tingling sensation turned into a pulling feeling. As if someone was pulling him in a certain direction.
As if something was tied tightly to his pinky finger and a strong force was pulling on it.
A strong force like two magnets pulling on each other.
Draco‘s eyes opened wide in surprise.
The moment he had been waiting for all his life had finally happened.
He looked down at his hand.
His red string of fate had finally been connected to another person.
He lifted his head immediately and started to turn his head around in the direction the string was leading him.
He followed the direction of the string. His pace started to speed up.
Just like his walking speed quickened, his heart rate got quicker and quicker with every step he took.
The distance got shorter, he could already feel it — the connection to this person was quite strong.It almost felt like electricity started to run through his veins, making it hard to breathe.
His heart stopped for a moment. It felt like it had dropped for good.
Out of all possibilities, how by Merlin‘s beard could this be the outcome?
Draco was huffing heavily, feeling very out of breath, only to meet Harry standing at the end of the string.
Harry‘s eyes opened wide in surprise, as if he felt something too. He looked straight at Draco, his gaze felt intense.
Draco froze on the spot. He felt like he had just been hit by a bus. He needed some time to process everything.
The strength of his hands seemed to have left his body as he dropped the books he was holding. They fell to the ground.
So he simply stood there, looking shocked at Harry, with his books still lying on the floor.
Harry started to come closer to Draco; it almost seemed like his body moved on its own — almost like he was in a trance.
Harry‘s face looked puzzled, as if he didn‘t know what was going on just now.
Harry was now standing right in front of Draco.
„I think you dropped your stuff.“ Harry bent down and collected the books from the ground.
Draco still stood there, looking at Harry like he had just been hit by Petrificus Totalus.
„Here you go.“ Harry put the books into the hands of the shocked boy.
Just in the moment their hands touched for a brief moment, something switched — something changed in Harry‘s facial expression.
Harry bit his lips, almost like he tried to control his emotions.
„Ahnn…“ Harry let out a small moan.
Had he just heard right? Did Harry just moan after touching Draco‘s hand?
If Draco didn‘t look shocked before, he looked even more shocked right now.But this also applied to Harry.
The moment realization hit Harry, he instinctively covered his mouth in surprise and his face lit up red in embarrassment.
Harry didn‘t say another word and quickly started to run away from Draco.
Good thing that they were alone in that corridor and no one had noticed this incident.
And there Draco was, still standing at the same spot, feeling very confused.
„What on earth…?“ he mumbled quietly to himself.