At the age of two, a little house elf named Dobby became Draco's.

Delighted with his new friend, and to the horror of his parents, he grabs the house elf in a tight hug. The house elf immediately bursts into tears, causing him to pause before bursting into tears himself, but Draco didn't let go of his new friend even as his mother tugged him away.

His father sighs, and his mother giggles, but the next day there are several other children his age at his house. He makes many new friends, but when they all went home with their parents, Dobby is still the only one of his friends to stay.

It was one of the few things he still remembers, years later, especially when his mother constantly insists on reminding him of it. It isn't embarrassing, even though his father has always seen it to be, but they manage to hide it well enough for his father to never outright stop his friendship.

Dobby is as eager to meet Harry Potter as Draco is, himself, so when they meet the boy in Madam Malkin's while getting his robes for Hogwarts, Dobby rushes the boy before Draco manages to recognise the Potter Heir.

"Harry Potter, sir! Harry Potter!"

Harry looks startled, and Draco offers the seamstress an apologetic glance before hopping off the stool to pry Dobby away.

"Dobby! You can't just go attacking people!" Draco groaned, "I'm really sorry about my house elf. We're just really excited to meet Harry Potter. I've read tons about him."

The boy blinks. "Nice to meet you too?"

Madam Malkin tuts and leads Draco back to his stool, as his body is still with stunned disbelief, while another seamstress guides the other boy to the stool next to him.

"You really are Harry Potter, then?"

Harry looks noticeably uncomfortable. "Yeah, but please just call me 'Harry'. Everything is a bit overwhelming, and now I'm famous too. I'm not even sure what for."

Draco freezes. "You don't know? I'll teach you everything, then! Do you have an owl? I'll send you books on everything you need to know. If you don't, Dobby can bring it to you."

"Dobby will! Dobby will!"

"Are you sure? I wouldn't want to be a bother, especially since I don't even know your name yet," Harry begins, looking ridiculously grateful between the measuring tapes that fluttered around him.

"I'm Draco Malfoy, and we're friends now. So anything you don't know or understand, just ask, okay? I don't know where your guardians have been living – probably under a rock somewhere – to keep you so isolated. You haven't said if you have an owl or not yet, but that's okay! I can send the owl first so, even if you don't, we can still write letters until Hogwarts." Harry doesn't make an effort to stop his chattering, so Draco keeps going, interrupted occasionally by Dobby, until Harry jumps off the stool at the seamstress's urging.

Harry pays and turns to leave, but pauses near where Draco was being fitted. He looks conflicted, opening and closing his mouth a few times without any sound leaving, until finally:

"Thank you, Draco. And Dobby I'll see you at Hogwarts!"

With the smile Draco receives, he knows he's made another friend.

So when the Malfoy's leave for King's Cross Station, Draco makes sure to be a little late. With Dobby keeping an eye out, it isn't difficult to 'coincidentally' meet Harry and show him how to get onto the platform.

Written for:

Hogwarts:

Assignment 10: Woman's History – [Task 9] write about a small action having a butterfly effect

The Golden Snitch [Uagadou, Biloko]:

Through the Universe: [Kuiper Belt] (setting) Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions