Just an Ordinary Red Cord

The courtyard at Hogwarts was rarely this lively.

Several canopies of different colors lined the cloister, holly twining around their posts and silver bells hanging from their corners.

Students crowded around the stalls, laughter rising now and then before the commotion from magical toys elsewhere drew them away.

Harry had just come down the steps when a crystal fish swam past his face.

It flicked its transparent tail, circled a pointed hat, and drifted leisurely back toward a lamp.

The stallholder was explaining that, once purchased, it only needed a little magic replenished each day to swim around a room for a long time.

That was rather interesting.

Harry slowed, about to go over for a look, when he heard a familiar voice.

"Goyle! Crabbe! I said the stall on the left!"

"But, Miss, that one sells hats..."

"I can see that!"

He looked toward the voice, and sure enough, familiar platinum hair appeared among the crowd.

Draco stood between two stalls, having just put down a hat.

Goyle and Crabbe followed beside her, each carrying a paper bag. Apparently, they had already been browsing for a while.

The girl's haul was clearly less than satisfactory.

She had thought choosing something in person would be easier than fretting over a catalog.

But after looking through several stalls, she still had not found anything suitable.

What a nuisance.

Why did choosing a present for him take even more thought than choosing something for myself?!

Draco picked up a silver pendant and was about to examine the pattern on its back when a voice suddenly came from behind her.

"Draco?"

Her fingers paused. She turned, and sure enough, there was that black-haired boy.

"Potter?!"

They looked at each other and spoke almost simultaneously.

"What are you doing here?"

After a brief silence, Harry laughed first.

"I'm here to buy things."

Draco returned the pendant to its place and folded her arms. "Obviously, I know you're here to buy things!"

"Then why ask?"

"I..." The girl faltered, then lifted her chin. "I just wanted to see what sort of decent present someone with your taste could possibly pick out!"

"What about you?"

"Choosing presents too, of course."

"For whom?"

Draco had been ready to answer, but the words stopped at her lips.

Wait, I should be asking that question first.

She still did not know whether Potter had considered her at all. What if he had prepared something for everyone and left out only her?

The girl shifted her gaze to the stall, making her tone a little more casual.

"Speaking of which, who are you planning to get presents for?"

Harry looked at her.

"Ron, Hermione, and some other friends."

He paused briefly, then added, as though it had only occurred to him in passing, "You too, of course."

So he hadn't forgotten.

That little bit of displeasure in Draco's heart suddenly dissipated. She gave a soft huff, pressing down the corners of her mouth, which had just relaxed.

"At least you have some manners. I'm choosing presents for friends too."

"Really? Which friends?"

"Pansy, Daphne, and..."

The girl suddenly realized that her earlier question had come so readily, she had forgotten she might be asked the same thing.

"...some other people in Gryffindor."

Harry nodded thoughtfully.

"I see."

"What do you see?!"

"Nothing." He held back a laugh. "I just didn't expect Miss Malfoy to be so popular."

"Of course I am!"

The girl immediately regained her confidence, but Harry had already moved aside to make room for passing students.

"Then I won't disturb your present shopping."

With that, he turned toward the next stall.

Draco watched his retreating back, the self-assured expression on her face stiffening at once.

Wait, why was he leaving?

I haven't even found out what he's planning to give me!

The girl hurried after him, taking her place beside Harry again just as he stopped.

"Since you don't know how to choose presents, I suppose I can trouble myself to help you look."

"Don't you have things to buy too?"

"It's on the way!" Draco answered decisively. "We're browsing anyway. I'm just going the same way."

Harry watched her for a while, then finally smiled and nodded.

"All right. The same way."

Behind them, Goyle and Crabbe were still standing where they had been.

"Didn't Miss come specifically to choose a present for Potter?" Goyle asked quietly.

Crabbe looked at the two already standing side by side ahead and gave it serious thought.

"Now she can ask Potter directly what he likes."

The two girls exchanged a glance, suddenly both feeling that this seemed like quite a good method.

That's our Miss!

Miss Malfoy did indeed have very exacting taste.

Harry picked up an ornament, and she found it too ordinary.

When he switched to another, she frowned again, saying its gemstone was so large that wearing it would probably be heavier than carrying a textbook.

After several such exchanges, he looked back at the stall and could not help asking, "Then what do you think would be suitable?"

"That depends on who it's for, of course."

Draco answered as though it were only natural, but once she finished, she noticed Harry was looking at her.

She immediately looked away and picked up a silver necklace beside her.

"At least this is better than that last one."

The chain was fine, and its pendant was small and delicate. Harry examined it and nodded. "It is nice. Not so much unnecessary decoration."

So this was the sort he liked.

The girl silently took note. As she put the necklace back, she also glanced at several similar pieces beside it.

Farther along, Harry stopped again in front of a little compass.

Its needle was shaped like a feather and turned slowly with the surrounding air currents.

When the stallholder blocked one side with a hand, it immediately swung around. Harry watched intently, asking several questions in succession about the function of the magical markings underneath.

Draco stood beside him without hurrying him.

Sure enough, that idiot always had a special amount of patience for things he could puzzle over.

"Malfoy, if you were choosing a present for someone who likes flying, what do you think would be suitable?"

Draco's steps slowed slightly.

Someone who liked flying?

Of course she did!

But why was Potter asking her, of all people? Could it be...

The girl hurriedly reined in her thoughts and pretended to study the goods on the stall.

"That depends on their skill level. Ordinary maintenance supplies are generally useful. If they're particularly talented, you should choose more specialized equipment, or books about flying techniques."

"What if they're already very good at flying?"

"Of course-"

She suddenly stopped.

Harry turned his head, seemingly waiting for her to continue, and the girl's ears slowly grew warm.

"I mean, of course I know that can happen!"

"Mm, I'm listening."

Why did this idiot have to look at her so attentively?!

Draco could only raise her chin a little higher and continue explaining. "Then you have to choose something they truly like. Good flyers are more particular about equipment too. If you buy something at random, they might not have any use for it."

Harry considered this and nodded. "That makes sense."

A little satisfaction immediately rose in the girl's heart.

But immediately afterward, she worried she had been too vague. What if Potter really followed her advice and chose the wrong thing in the end?

She looked at him again and added solemnly, "Anyway, don't give them anything strange."

"Don't worry. I'll give it careful thought."

Harry agreed with a smile, but his gaze moved away from the flying supplies.

The things were all good, but however much he browsed, he still felt something was missing.

When they reached the other end of the cloister, a small stall caught Harry's attention.

The stallholder was a traveling wizard from the East. Several pieces of jade lay in a wooden tray, with intricately woven knots hanging beside them.

Draco took an interest in a jade pendant and picked it up to examine it, but Harry's gaze settled on the Red String on the wooden rack.

The color was clear and pure, the knots neatly woven, with no gemstones and only fine tassels at the ends.

Harry's fingers paused beside the wooden rack, then he glanced at the girl beside him.

She was looking down at the pendant. A strand of golden hair slipped over her shoulder, and she casually brushed it aside.

He suddenly felt that bright touch of red seemed to suit her very well.

"Could I have a look at this?"

The stallholder followed his pointing finger, smiled, and took one down to hold out to him.

"A little ornament from the East. I happened to acquire a few on my travels. I thought the weaving was quite pretty, so I put them out together."

Harry took the Red String, gently brushing his fingertips over its knots.

"As for any special significance it might have, I'm not sure," the stallholder said with a smile. "But it should look quite nice as a decoration."

Harry did not reply, but the corners of his mouth rose a little despite himself.

"I'll take this."

The vivid red and those familiar woven patterns reminded him of his previous life.

Actually... it didn't have any special meaning.

He had simply happened to see it, found it familiar and pretty, and wanted to buy it.

That was all.

By the time Draco turned around, he had already paid. The girl looked at the little paper package in his hand, then at his face.

"Potter, what did you buy?"

"An ordinary Red String."

"Who's it for?"

Harry raised his eyes and met her gaze. She had asked quickly, then immediately lifted her chin, as though she were merely asking in passing.

"A friend."

"A friend?" Draco repeated. "You certainly have a lot of friends today."

"Am I not allowed to give my friends presents?"

"Of course you are."

The girl folded her arms and looked back at the stall, but suddenly felt rather uncomfortable inside.

After all those questions, now that he'd actually bought something, he wouldn't explain properly.

Damn it, just how many friends did this idiot have?!

"It's not as though I care, anyway."

Harry looked at her profile and finally stopped teasing her. He opened the paper package and held the Red String out before the girl.

"All right. It's for you."

Draco froze.

She looked at the Red String, then up at Harry, forgetting even the next sentence she had already prepared.

"...For me?"

"Yes." Harry nodded. "Didn't I say earlier that you were included in my presents too?"

The girl slowly held out her hand, and the fine Red String settled into her palm.

The tassels at the end swayed gently in the breeze. She held them down with her fingertips and, for a long while, did not put it away.

So he was picking something out for me just now.

Harry had still been smiling, but when she suddenly fell quiet, he grew a little uncomfortable too.

Then the girl suddenly looked up.

"Wait, red?!"

She looked at her palm, then at him.

"Potter, you're not expecting me to wear Gryffindor colors, are you?!"

Harry: "..."

You gave me a fright, Miss Malfoy. So that was what you were thinking about?!

"It's not Gryffindor." He rubbed the tip of his nose and explained again. "This is... a kind of lucky knot from the East. It symbolizes good luck, and safety too."

Draco eyed him suspiciously.

"How do you know?"

"I saw it in a book once."

Harry glanced at the knot, his tone turning a little more earnest.

"Anyway, it's a blessing. I hope you stay safe and sound, and have a little more good luck too."

Draco had been about to ask more, but at those words, she suddenly fell quiet.

The silver bells at the corner of the awning rang softly. She lowered her head and touched the knot, gathering the thin strands that had nearly come loose back into place.

"My luck has always been very good."

"Then have a little more."

Harry answered so naturally that the girl found herself at a loss for words instead.

She could only draw her gaze back, carefully return the Red String to its paper wrapping, and fold it along the original creases.

"Since you're being so sincere, I suppose I'll reluctantly accept it."

"Then should I thank you for your generosity?"

"Of course. You should feel honored! Pote!"

Harry smiled and nodded without arguing.

But as he watched her carefully put away the paper package, that little private hope in his heart slowly turned into happiness too.

At least, she probably liked this gift.

Draco browsed the next few stalls with considerably lighter steps than before.

She still commented on the goods, and still complained that Harry spent too long examining them.

But whenever he fell a few steps behind, she would stop, wait until he reached her side, then pretend that something had just happened to catch her eye.

They browsed their way along until the girl stopped in front of a wooden box.

Inside was a silver feather brooch, its feather long and slender, its markings carved with great clarity. A small green gemstone was set in the center, looking clear and bright beneath the light.

Draco studied it for a moment, then instinctively turned toward the person beside her.

Harry was looking down at another box, the lights above the stall reflected in the green eyes behind his glasses.

This color... The girl's gaze lingered for a moment.

"Potter, what do you think of this?"

Harry followed her pointing finger and gave it a serious look.

"It's quite pretty."

"Just pretty?"

Draco picked up the brooch and turned it to another angle, seemingly very eager for him to look a little longer.

So Harry examined it more closely and added with a smile, "The feather is very finely made, and it isn't overdone. It should look lovely pinned to a robe."

The girl's eyes brightened slightly.

"At least you have some taste."

Harry smiled. Just then, the crystal fish beside them swam past, and he turned toward another stall.

Curious, he went closer and asked a few questions about how exactly the little things kept moving.

Draco immediately handed the brooch to the stallholder and asked in a lowered voice for it to be wrapped.

By the time Harry turned back, she was already standing where she had been.

"What did you just buy?"

"Nothing. I was only looking."

The girl answered quickly, then felt that she had not sounded natural enough, so she lifted her chin and urged him to keep moving.

Harry's gaze lingered on her face for a moment. He had an inkling of something, but did not press her.

He had his own secrets too. Besides, seeing how hard she was trying to keep a straight face, he feared the young miss would get angry again if he kept asking.

Draco secretly breathed a sigh of relief. She had finally found a gift.

Walking beside her, Harry let his gaze drift back to the glass dome behind them once more.

Inside the transparent dome, crystal fish swam slowly around the light.

What if it were a Christmas tree instead, with a forest and silver bells beside it?

The scene in the winter garden suddenly grew clear again.

Star Lanterns shone overhead, the girl drove her sleigh through the treetops, and fine snow rose from the ground, drifting bit by bit toward the sky through the golden light.

A definite thought suddenly formed in Harry's mind.

On Christmas Day, he wanted to give her something else.

By the time they left the market, the sky had already darkened.

The lamps at the stalls lit up one after another, their warm light spreading over the stone paving and falling on the hems of passing students' robes.

Goyle and Crabbe were waiting at the agreed spot. Seeing the young miss return, they immediately came forward.

After asking what they had bought, Draco prepared to head back.

When they reached the fork beside the Moving Staircases, the girl finally stopped and lifted her chin again.

"All right, Potter. Today's shopping time is over."

"Thank you for your guidance, Miss Malfoy." Harry smiled at her. "It really helped a lot."

"As long as you know." She shifted the little package to her other hand. "Next time you choose something, you should learn to be a little more careful too."

"All right. See you at Christmas, then, Draco."

Draco's movements paused briefly, then she quickly turned her face away.

"Hmph. Who knows?"

She led her two followers off in the other direction, but after walking some distance, she could not resist looking back.

Harry was still standing there. When he saw her look over, the boy raised his hand and waved at her.

Draco immediately turned back, her steps a little faster than before.

How pitiful, Potter.

Just like a puppy watching its owner walk away, still reluctant to leave.

The girl could not help pressing her lips together.

...Actually, he's even a little cute.

It even gave her the urge to pat his head and comfort the poor little puppy.

Wait!

Draco's cheeks instantly flushed scarlet.

What on earth was she thinking?!

Potter wasn't a puppy! Much less someone whose head she could just casually pat!

The girl shook her head hard, as though that could shake all those jumbled thoughts out of her mind.

It must be because Christmas was coming.

Yes, that had to be it!

She quickened her pace again, leaving both her followers far behind.