There was another soft thud at the shop's door, followed by a skinny boy with curly black hair and round-framed glasses walking in. Her hair was disheveled as if it had never been properly tended to, while her glasses were slightly askew and seemed likely to slip off the bridge of her nose at any moment.

Madam Malkin poked her head out, her eyes lingering on the boy for a few seconds before quickly retracting back into the cubicle, her voice coming from there with a hint of busyness, ‘Looking for a Hogwarts uniform too, are you? Don’t worry, we have plenty here.’

‘But please wait a moment! I...I’ll help this young lady try on her clothes first!’ Busy as Madam Malkin was, she almost blurted it out until Draco gave her a slanted glare and she stiffly changed her address.

The boy who had stepped into the shop was oblivious, nodding his head blankly and standing still, not moving, but looking at Draco with curiosity.

Draco's gaze unintentionally met the boy’s, her emerald green eyes as clear and deep as the grass on a summer morning. The boy seemed to be drawn to Draco’s eyes as well, and the two just stared at each other for a few moments without a word, until they realized the other’s presence, and both looked away from each other with a bit of bashfulness.

The large storefront became more and more silent in the silent solitude of the two. And the more awkward it became in the glances that couldn’t help but drift away from each other. Eventually, Draco broke the silence, ‘So...are you going to Hogwarts too?’ She spoke softly and the boy’s head snapped around to look at her.

‘Yes... Are you...coming by yourself as well?’ There was a hint of curiosity in the boy’s voice, and it was then that Draco noticed her clothing. Unsure of where her taste came from, the boy was wearing an overly baggy top and her trousers had been rolled up thickly at the hem, making them look very shabby.

If it were normal, Draco would have frowned at the improper attire, unwilling to pay much attention to it. But strangely enough, there was something about the boy’s eyes and aura that made it impossible to hate. Perhaps it was the turquoise eyes that revealed a burning heart hidden underneath the ill-fitting clothes and dry, thin figure.

‘Dad's got some stuff going on at the Gringotts bank and Mum's next door helping with textbooks.’ Draco explained, searching for something to talk about with the boy. With a sudden flash of inspiration, she asked softly, ‘Have you ever played Quidditch? So many boys are interested in that new broom.’

‘No. What is it then?’ The boy’s answer was surprisingly simple, but it piqued Draco’s curiosity. She decided to test the waters a little further, ‘So do you have a house you want to be sorted into?’

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‘I don’t know.’ The boy shrugged and scratched the back of his head. It seemed that he was struggling to find a topic of conversation as well.

The boy suddenly thought of something and said excitedly.

‘Hey..! Do you know anyone at Hogwarts? That’s Hagrid. He works at Hogwarts and is the caretaker of the hunting grounds.’

Just then the glass window at the front of the shop was obscured by some large figure and the light in the shop suddenly dimmed. Draco frowned deeply.

‘I’ve heard of him. Why is he the one who accompanied you? Where’s your mum and dad?’ Draco pressed, and the boy’s face flickered with gloom, dodging the question.

‘They both passed away.’ The boy said softly.

‘Oh ...... I’m so sorry ......’ Draco’s heart was empty and she didn’t know how to reply but apologized softly. The two lapsed into silence once again, occasionally stealing glances at each other.

‘They...if you don’t want to talk about it more ......’ Draco struggled to speak, her heart racing. Her mother had told her that being able to maintain a conversation with strangers with grace was the basis of socializing for nobles. Usually, she always thought of it as an ability she was comfortable with, but for some reason, conversations always seemed to be stifled in the presence of boys.

‘They are both male and female wizards. But that’s all I know.’ The boy said and Draco could only nod. She dropped her heart and tried to voice the suspicions that had been going on within her mind just now, trying to change the subject.

‘I thought you didn’t come from a wizarding family.’

‘I sometimes wonder why wizards avoid muggles.’

‘And why, when muggles are oppressing us like this, our schools still have to accept children from muggle families.’ Draco spoke softly but was a little nervous to realize that the boy had no interest in such a topic.

‘Found! Found it! Darling! Would you please come over here?’ Madam Malkin’s voice interrupted the two. ‘This is a fabric made of silk mixed with fine wool! Use this to make you a robe that will never-’

Madam Malkin’s yell came and Draco stepped gingerly off the footstool. The boy looked out the door and seemed to decide to follow the man at the door named Hagrid for now and come back later.

‘So, I’ll see you at Hogwarts? Though I don’t know your name...’ the boy said before stepping out of the door towards Draco.

‘My name is ’ Draco opened her mouth, about to introduce herself, but somehow blushed a little at the boy’s sincere gaze. The hanging words just stopped in her chest, unable to make a sound.

The boy waited for a moment, then scratched his head again and broke into a smile. ‘I’m sorry, that seems a bit rude.’

The thin body seemed to blossom with cheerfulness. Draco couldn’t help but turn her head again, secretly annoyed at why her pale face steamed so easily. The door opened softly and the boy prepared to step out of the shop.

Draco turned sharply and couldn’t help but urge, ‘Be careful. I’ve heard that the man is rough, often drunk, and often casts magic indiscriminately.’

The well-intentioned admonition was rewarded with the boy stopping his pace violently.

‘Really? I think he’s friendly, smart, and dependable.’

The boy’s words were interspersed with the sound of the shop door slamming shut, conveying sudden anger.

The sudden consternation caused Draco to stand frozen in place in slight disbelief. And, of course, endured a few moments of anger that came with the aggravation. It took a long time before, in a complex state of mind, she murmured, ‘See you at Hogwarts. Strange and rude bloke.’