Eight year old Draco Malfoy was in love. The realization hit him one night. His mother was telling him the story of Harry Potter again. He could recite it by heart at this point. Of course he didn't care about the scary dark lord part, he wanted to know what Harry Potter's favorite color was.
"Draco darling, mummy doesn't know Harry's favorite color or his favorite food. Perhaps we could start a different story?" His mother asked, as she wrapped her shawl tighter around her shoulders.
"But Mother, I need to know!"
"And why do you need to know so bad?" His Father's voice came from the doorway. Draco thought about it as he looked back and forth between his Mother and Father. Why did it matter? He didn't even know the other boy in real life and why did that thought hurt his chest? Thinking harder than he ever had in his eight years of life, the answer struck him like lighting. He was in love! It was so simple! Turning to face to his parents, he stood on his bed and declared "Because I'm going to marry Harry Potter!"
~~~~~~
Eight year old Harry Potter was a freak. Well that's what his aunt said anyway. He never did his chores right and no one liked him. His family didn't like him, his teachers didn't like him and he didn't have any friends. He had resolved himself to being lonely years ago. He was better off alone. It was fine that his Aunt would rather kiss a rat then give him a hug. It didn't bother him at all. Harry was also pretty good at lying to himself. Why didn't anyone like him? He tried being nice to everyone and he couldn't help that his glasses were always broken or that his clothes were too big. Turning to his Aunt as he helped her make breakfast, he asked "Aunt Petunia, how do I make friends?"
"Friends? Listen here boy, only normal people make friends. No one wants to be friends with a freak" His Aunt had snapped, her face inches from his own.
"No one will ever like you"
~~~~~~
Eleven year old Draco Malfoy was bouncing in his seat. The house elves had outdone themselves with breakfast and he made a note to thank them. Every time he thanked the house elves, his Father's face scrunched up like he bit into a lemon. Draco secretly thought it was hilarious so he made sure to do it often.
"Draco, please stop bouncing in the chair, it's going to break in half!" His Mother reprimanded but her smile gave away her amusement.
"Darling, don't encourage him." His Father sighed as he put the morning paper down.
"When we go to Diagon Alley, you must be on your best behavior an-"
"Yes yes yes Father, I know! Don't sully the Malfoy name blah blah blah, can we leave soon?" He cut his Father off. His Father shared a look with Mother and he heard him mutter "I blame you for this" as they all gathered around the floo. The sound of his Mother's laughter faded as the flames snatched him away. Draco hadn't told his parents but the reason for his excitement besides the obvious was the chance that he would meet his beloved. He had been patiently waiting for his eleventh birthday so he could finally meet Harry Potter. He knew he still might have to wait until Hogwarts to see him but he wished every night that it would be sooner.
"Draco?" His father asked as he waved a hand in front of his face. Blinking his thoughts away, he answered "Yes, Father?"
"Are you ready to actually start shopping?"
Scowling down at his feet, he muttered "yes" and let his mother lead him down the Alley.
"First we will get your supplies Draco and then you will get fitted for your robes. Your Father and I need to go to Knockturn and buy a few things so you will need to go by yourself. Do you think you can do that? If not, mummy can stay with you"
"Mooooother, I am not a child anymore. Of course I can go get my school robes by myself." He sniffed, offended that his mother thought him incapable of doing something so simple.
"Alright alright, let's get the supplies first and then you can go show us what an adult you are" the sarcasm in his Mother's voice made him snicker as his Father sighed again at his family's antics.
~~~~~~
Eleven year old Harry Potter was having a crazy morning. A giant had broken down their door, called him a wizard and had given his cousin a pig tail. He couldn't have realized how weirder it was going to get.
"So my parents were murdered and now I have to go to some magic school?" He asked Hagrid as they walked from the train station. He watched Hagrid flinch at his question but he still answered it.
"Yer parents were good people 'Arry. They loved ya so much! Yer gonna love Hogwarts. Yer gonna learn so much magic!"
Harry was still rather suspicious of this man. Sure his eyes were kind and he hadn't called him a freak yet but Harry knew by now not to trust adults. They were always kind at first and then the other shoe would drop and their true colors were revealed. Hagrid guided him into a dingy looking pub and Harry tried not to picture Aunt Petunia's face if she saw this "establishment".
"Hello there Hagrid! Want your usual?" A balding man tending the bar asked as they passed by.
"Not today, Tom!" Hagrid answered back. They exited the pub's back door to reveal a brick wall.
"Watch closely 'Arry"
Hagrid tapped his umbrella on five different bricks and he felt his mouth fall open as a world of color danced across his eyes. It was almost eyewaterng trying to look at everything at once. There were people selling trinkets on the streets while other children weaved through the crowd.
"Alright there 'Arry?" Hagrid was watching him, his eyes crinkling in concern. Straightening his shoulders, he nodded his head and followed Hagrid through the doorway. The large man easily cut through the crowd and Harry followed closely behind. They ended up stopping in front of a marble building. There were fierce looking creatures standing guard outside. They had spears in hand and armor encasing them. Hagrid motioned to the sign posted outside the doors. Harry read it quickly, impressed with how well the poem got their point across. You robbed these goblins and they would make sure it was the last thing you ever did. They went inside and the opulence of the bank made Harry shudder at how long it must take to clean.
"Next!" One of the tellers barked out, their face set in a frown. Hagrid began rummaging around his pockets, mumbling to himself.
"Here it is!" He held a small gold key and handed it to the goblin. "Young 'Arry's vault key"
"Why do you have my key?" Harry asked before he could stop himself. He apparently had a bank account in this freak bank and no one had bothered to tell him. His Aunt and Uncle always told him how much of a burden he was and yet, he had his own money! The teller and Hagrid looked at him.
"Well Dumbledore actually had yer key! He was keeping it safe fer ya!"
"Well I want it back."
Hagrid shifted his feet back and forth as he looked at him.
"Well it is yer key 'Arry. Of course yer gonna get it back"
After the goblin examined the key, he handed it over to Harry. He quickly put it in his pocket. The teller called something out in a language Harry didn't understand and another goblin appeared.
"Griphook, show Mr. Potter to his vault"
"Yes sir"
After a rather intense cart ride, Harry was staring at the inside of his vault. It was filled with money. Why did he only have access to it now? He could have bought himself clothes or birthday presents or food! He had been dependent on his horrid relatives all this time and he had gold collecting dust in some underground cave. Harry quickly took a couple of deep breaths before he did something freakish.
Griphook stated "this is your personal vault. It will be able to cover your school supplies and any other necessities until you turn seventeen. Once you are of age, you will be able to access the main Potter vault and all of the heirlooms inside"
"Heirlooms?"
Griphook fixed him with an odd look "yes Heir Potter, heirlooms. Jewelry, books, the family grimoire etc" Harry didn't understand just what a grimoire was but he wasn't about to ask. It seemed to be something he should have already known and Heir Potter? that sounded like something you called royalty and Harry was far from that. Unless you counted his resemblance to Cinderella before the Prince part. He walked into his vault and started putting coins in his bag that Griphook provided. When he was done, Griphook closed his vault and they joined Hagrid in the cart. A quick trip and they were back to the surface. Thanking Griphook, Harry and Hagrid left the bank. Once outside Hagrid started swaying slightly, looking quite queasy.
"'Arry, I might go take a rest at the Cauldron, if ye don't mind?"
"Actually Mr. Hagrid, I think I'll be able to get my supplies on my own"
"On yer own? Are ye sure about that?" Hagrid was looking him over again, unsure what to do.
"Yes sir. I'm used to doing things on my own" Hagrid was still frowning but he eventually agreed. Harry was feeling rather relieved to see the giant man go. He had been kind to him but Harry got twitchy around adults. He knew how the interaction would end and he wanted to part ways before Hagrid showed him what every adult in Harry's life had shown him. Dislike. Anger. Disgust. It used to bother him quite a lot but he had learned to ignore the looks and the whispers. Looking down at his supply list, he decided he should probably go get his school robes first.
~~~~~~
Draco was standing still waiting for the seamstress to finish his measurements. All of his lessons had prepared him for useless things like this or how to greet someone higher in status than him. He was bored. His parents had told him to wait outside the shop when he was done but he couldn't help but feel antsy. Almost like something was going to happen. The bell chimed as the door was pushed open to reveal a boy around his age. His clothes hung off his frame and his black curls stuck out in every direction. Before he could look away, the boy looked up and he felt his breath catch. Two bright green eyes glanced at him from under his lashes and Draco felt his heart stop. This was it! He could feel it in his bones. This is what he had been waiting for.
"Hogwarts, dear?" Madame Malkin asked.
"Yes ma'am" the other boy answered softly.
"Well hop on up and I'll start in a moment!" He quickly got on the stool right next to Draco as Madam Malkin bustled away.
"My name is Draco, what's yours?" He blurted out before he could stop himself. He could feel his face turning red from embarrassment. The other boy turned and blinked at him before answering
"Harry. Harry Potter" Draco could feel a smile stretching across his face. He knew it! He had finally found him. The other boy continued to look at him.
"Hello Harry, please marry me!"