It's impossible. And yet, it seems that it makes perfect sense. Soulmates are usually opposites; why soulmates complement each other so well. But for Draco, its the worst thing that could possibly happen. He wanted a soulmate to treasure as much as the most prized possessions lying in Malfoy Manner. He didn't expect that he'd actually find his soulmate, and he certainly didn't expect to find his soulmate and be able to check off every box in his father's expectations for his to-be spouse and lover. And yet, he still wished for one. He wanted to do everything for them. He wanted to flatter them. He wanted to impress them. He wanted to buy them fancy things. But he couldn't do any of these things for Harry Potter, of all people.
Harry Potter was a lot of things. But he could be Draco's soulmate but never his lover. He would probably consider Draco someone to be hated, a rival, an enemy. Draco knew that he never really hated Potter, rather, he hated that he turned down his hand in friendship. But, it wasn't as if Draco could get close enough to Potter to propose a truce or friendship, simply for the sake of getting to know his soulmate. If he actually did get that chance, Draco vowed that he'd be kinder than he was before and, he wouldn't make fun of Potter's friend choices. 'One can wish...' He thought spitefully.
Sighing, he shook his head, and began to change into his robes. When he finished changing, he walked through the same door he entered from and his newfound soulmate just rushed through moments ago. Walking off the train, Draco looked for Pansy and Blaise. With no such luck, he sighed again and walked to the carriages. Finding an empty one, Draco settled into a seat.
Minutes later, a familiar voice welcomed him, "Hello Ferret."
"Evening Scarhead."
"Now, as much as I hate th..."
"Get to the point, Potter!" Draco snapped. Even though Harry was his soulmate, he couldn't stand to hear him babble. 'But it's kinda cute...' his unhelpful brain protested.
"As I was trying to say Malfoy, I don't want to be here."
"Then why the hell are you here." Sighing, resigned, Harry slumped downward and replied in a very defeated whisper.
"There are no more carriages with empty space. "
"So, what does that have to do with me? I'm sure someone would gladly give up their seat for their precious Golden Boy. And what of your friends? The Weasel and Mudblood? Or any of the Gryffindors." Draco sneered. 'So much for not insulting Potter's friends...'
"Don't call them that! You see, that's the problem. Every single carriage is full. I. Do. NOT. Have a choice. So, if you'll be a decent person- unlike your usual, prattish self- let me on this carriage." Draco let out a breath, faking annoyance.
"Fine. But only because I have no choice." And with those words the one and only Harry Potter extraordinaire climbs into the carriage, albeit clumsily, and throws himself into an empty seat- which happens to be the one right in front of Draco's. Amused, Draco can't help but smile at his soulmate's clumsiness. Potter turns and Draco replaces the smile with a scowl.
The carriage starts moving -an invisible force that Draco knows are Thestrals -pulling the carriage along towards the castle. An awkward silence spread until the castle came in view. Soon, the carriage slowed and stopped all together. Not wanting to be in Draco's presence anymore, Harry rushed away as soon as he could gather his things. Slowly following, Draco too exited the carriage and walked his way to the Great Hall.
When Draco reached the Great Hall, he wondered to the Slytherin Table and sat down between Theo Nott and Pansy- who was quite occupied kissing Blaise. Theo turned to him and smiled a smile little too brightly for any Slytherin.
"Draco, thank Merlin you're here! I've been dying with those two eating each other's faces..." Theo said, attempting to whisper but failing terribly. The corners of Draco's lips pulled up and he replied, not caring about who over-heard.
"Oh, believe me when I say I know. I was in the compartment with them and that was all they seemed to want to do...It got so bad that I just had to leave." Theo nodded sympathetically.
"So, I heard that you got stuck on a carriage with Potter. How was that?"
"Just bloody wonderful. Thank Merlin he stayed mute."
"Well...even if he did talk, I suspect that you'd either be insulting each other or you'd rant about 'how green his eyes are, how messy his hair is, how stupid his scar looks plastered on his forehead'." Theo imitated- trying not to laugh- causing Draco to scowl.
"I do not sound like that! And I certainly did NOT say that!" Theo just smirked and gave Draco a look of disbelief.
"Yeah, sure. Whatever you want to say. Hope your happy now."
"Immensely..."
Soon, first years came parading into the Great Hall to be sorted. The Sorting Hat sang its song, and then the sorting began. After, Dumbledore gave his annual speech, short as usual. Food appeared on the tables and people began to eat.
Draco plied food on to his plate, started to eat, and then the most peculiar thing happened. Draco had been looking down at his plate but he felt someone's stare boring into his head. He looked up, feeling burned and caught the eye of his soulmate staring at him with contempt. Draco sneered, turned his head so that he was looking at Theo- who had been watching the exchange with barely concealed laughter.
"What are you laughing about?" Draco demanded.
"Oh nothing..." Theo paused as Draco glared at him full force. "Oh fine! You two always are glaring at each other. That, or trying to snatch the other's attention. One could assume that you two are soulmates..." Draco blushed.
"What...why would anyone think that?!"
"You'd be surprised. Apparently, you two are shipped quite a lot. It's very popular, actually." Draco rested his head on the table and groaned.
"Yeah... and he definitely is not my soulmate with a damn Hungarian Horntail tooth over his right rib cage. And why did I just say that...?" His voice was muffled and soft but, Theo was still able to hear him. He was now sporting a look of shock.
"So, are you subtly hinting that Potter, the Gryffindor Golden Boy, is the soulmate to you, Draco Malfoy, Ice Prince Of Slytherin?" Draco groaned again but, reluctantly nodded. He peaked a look up and saw Theo with a gleeful expression plastered on his face.
"My ship...my OTP... it's actually true...It's real. DRARRY IS REAL!!!!!"
"Shut up, Theo! And what the hell is Drarry?" Draco demanded.
Lowering his voice, Theo responded. "Drarry is the relationship between you and Harry. Drarry is the combination of your first names thus the 'Dra' from your name and 'rry' in Harry's name. There's also a Harco but that's usually the ship when Harry tops..." Theo continued to rant and Draco let him. Draco smirked.
"So, Drarry is the ship where I top?" Eyes gleaming with mischief. Theo nodded enthusiastically. "I like this ship even more now..." Draco suddenly got serious. "You have to keep quite about this. Promise me. You won't like the consequences if you spill this secret."
"Of course! I won't do ANYTHING to ruin the chances of my OTP getting together." Theo said fiercely. Draco nodded and went back to his food that was now cold. He place a warming charm on the food and then preceded to eat, trying-and failing- to not laugh at Theo's starstruck looks when he exchanged glances between Draco and Harry. Dinner slowly finished and then the food disappeared and Dumbledore was dismissing the Houses to leave to go to their respective dorms and common rooms.
Draco got up with Theo right behind him. Draco caught the angry green glare of his soulmate and gave a half smile. Potter blushed and Draco turned the smile to a smirk. He turned away and faced Theo, who had been watching the exchange with an inquisitive gleam in his eyes. He studied Draco's face and said,
"Now,I know that Malfoys don't show physical affection. But unless my eyes have deceived me, you just smiled at Harry Potter. And from what my limited knowledge about what Malfoys do and don't do tells me is, Malfoys do not smile." Draco glared.
"Shut up, Theo!" Theo did as was asked of him but not before adding,
"I'm just saying..." Draco ignored him and strode to the Slytherin dorms, his robes billowing behind him in such a fashion that his godfather, Severus, would be jealous of.
Three weeks passed. Nothing happened. There were the many assignments given from his classes and the Quidditch season starting up, but there was nothing going on. The only remnant of something that could be marked down as eventful would be the many times he and Potter had engaged in their usual verbal spars and Longbottem blowing up his potion everytime they brewed anything in Potions class causing the Gryffindor house to loose quite a lot of points.
Today,well tonight, was different. Professor Sinstra had promised a 'surprise' that would help prepare her students for their OWL's at the end of the year.
Unfortunately, this meant that she was pairing her students with another member of a different house and forcing them to work together. As she read of the list of names, Draco paid little attention to what she was saying, mostly to avoid hearing all the complaints about one's partners. He really just wasn't up for drama this late.
"Pansy Parkinson and Ron Weasley,"A groan.
"Dean Thomas and Blaise Zabini," A muffled complaint.
"Seamus Finnigan and Theadore Nott," An exasperated sigh and some more groans of displeasure. Draco zoned out again until he heard his name.
"Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter,"And with those words the whole room erupted into chaos.
"He can't be stuck with the FERRET!" An angry red-headed weasel shouted.
"Yeah! And I don't want to be stuck with Goyle!" The color girl screeched. "NONE OF US WANT TO BE PAIRED UP WITH THE SNAKES!" There was a roar from the Gryffindors. Pansy spoke up, enraged.
"Like we want to be stuck with YOU!" The other Slytherins hissed their approval. Draco, however stayed quiet. There was Granger, Theo, Longbottem too. There were more people who shouted something before a silencing charm was placed upon the room. A clear, cold voice cut through the room.
"This is a FIFTH YEAR class. And most of you are acting like a bunch of First Years, if not worse. Because too, many of you were involved, I will take one hundred points from each house. But, because Ms. Granger, Mr. Longbottem, Mr. Nott, and Mr. Malfoy were silent, I will award each of them twenty points for not engaging in," she made a gesture around the room with her hand, "whatever this is." The professor composed herself and removed the silencing charm. Everyone took their seats and faced Sinstra. She spoke again, in a pinched voice.
"You and your partner will be picking a constellation and researching it. Your parchment will need the location, how and why the constellation is named as such, what the constellation's name means..." Draco zoned out. He really didn't care. His name was a freaking constellation that he knew all about so he didn't care to listen. When he came to, class was over so, without sparing a glance at anyone, Draco picked up his bag and walked towards the door. He was stopped when he felt someone's hand around his left-forearm, and saw his soulmate, and now, partner looking at him in distaste. Potter dragged him through the door and into an empty hallway that was just around the corner. He spoke in a low, harsh tone.
"I hate this."
"Yes, Potter. I can see that. Can you let go of my arm now?" Potter blushed, confused,then looked down. He released Draco's arm and seemed to be expecting Draco to have an outburst. Draco didn't and kept his demeanor calm and indifferent, as if trying to tame a wild beast and speaking too loud would frighten the creature. Except, Draco's calmness seemed to make Potter suspicious.
"Yeah, well..." Potter looked over Draco's shoulder and then roughly brushed past him, leaving Draco confused. He shrugged and slinked back to the Slytherin dorms to try to get some well deserved sleep.