A/N: Hello, all! Welcome to our drabble collection! These will often be of different AUs, and can vary wildly in length. Some may be AUs you're already acquainted with, whereas some, such as this one, may be new to you. This particular drabble is from what we call our String AU. Most (though not all) people have a string, a thread that ties their heart to the heart of their soulmate. Draco has been able to see these strings for as long as he can remember. Of course he can, being the child of two soulmates. But the case of his own love life... That's a little more difficult. ~Kas

It was a bit... Sweet, Draco supposed. He watched from afar, Harry reading a book on the chair in the common room, scarf wrapped tightly around him and what appeared to be multiple pairs of socks layering his feet. He looked like he was expecting to freeze to death and he was as close to the fire as he could get the chair to go without someone yelling at him over it. Draco wondered if Harry just liked being warm or if he was remembering the winter he went through last year. He saw Harry start to look up, and look around the room, and Draco felt... Warm? Maybe- Not quite.

It took a few moments to realize his hand was wrapped around the string once again and only a few moments more to see Harry was looking right at him with slightly narrowed eyes. Draco didn't move his hand, didn't react, only glanced to the fire. How could he be wearing so much, though, while still sitting so close to the fire? He must have been burning up. He saw, out of the corner of his eye, Harry look back down to his book and curling up even more in his chair as if he was honestly, actually cold. Strange thing, Harry Potter. Releasing the string, Draco looked around to be certain he wasn't being watched.

He took his wand out carefully and aimed it towards Harry, giving it a small flick to cast a low-level warming charm over at him. Harry seemed to slump into his chair at once, relaxing completely before he paused, sniffed the air, and then smiled at Draco. What on earth was that about? His soulmate was insane. That was the only explanation. It was to be expected, really-

Wait. Harry had mentioned once that magic had smells- Fuck. Was he able to sense magical signatures? Right. Alright. For once in his life, Draco Malfoy was going to take a risk. He walked over and sat down on a nearby couch, watching the fire and indirectly watching Harry. Of course. Why would he want to watch him?

"Thanks." Harry's voice was hardly any louder than a whisper and sounded as warm as the fire.

Draco frowned, glancing back to him again. "For what?"

"Dunno. Everything, I guess."

That startled Draco more than a bit, and he had to stop himself from speaking without thinking. But... But he had nothing to thank Draco for. And here Harry was claiming that Draco should be thanked for- For everything? No, he must have been mistaken. He must not have been thinking straight, or something.

"I can hear you overthinking, you know." Bloody Harry Potter. "Stop overthinking it."

"What? I'm not," he defended himself.

"You overthink everything, especially things like this, so just shut up and enjoy the nice fire."

"I don't understand how you can be wearing all of that," Draco finally huffed, crossing his arms. "You must be sweltering."

"'S a little cold, honestly." A little- He was cold under all of that? Bloody hell.

He scoffed, "You're cold?" As if to prove a point, Harry gave a sharp shudder before frowning at him and giving a huff. Draco frowned as well. "What?"

"Quit it."

"Quit what? What am I doing?"

"That- That tugging sensation I always get when you're around."

"Tugging-" Oh. Right. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, yes you do, otherwise you wouldn't have that smug smile on that you do some days."

"Smug smile? Oh, no. I don't smile. And smug is just so... Unseemly."

"It's smug. It's a smug smile and a smug face." It was far too fun to snark with Harry Potter.

"Mm. No. It's not." Oh. Look at that. He still hadn't let go.

"What are you even doing?" Harry was getting all huffy and tucking himself more into his blankets, glaring at him.

"Me? Doing? Nothing. I'm not doing anything."

"Just like you didn't use a warming charm on me, I bet."

Draco turned from him, hefting his legs up onto the seat beside him. "Why would I do that?"

"Because you care too much." Harry waited until he could catch his gaze, giving a smile. "The world's biggest secret, yeah? Draco Malfoy cares too much."

"Wh- What?!"

"You're only proving my point," he smirked. "And attracting attention."

"I don't- How dare you! You could not be farther from the truth!" He was sitting up properly now. "But that's not unusual, Harry Potter knowing nothing."

"I think I know some things." Harry was- He looked like he knew something that Draco didn't. "Thanks for the warming charm."

"I didn't!"