HP: She married Malfoy after becoming an exchange student.

As soon as the Hogwarts Express whistle sounded, steam billowed into a white cloud on the platform.

Draco hopped down the steps, his boots crunching over the broken ice.

Someone tugged at the suitcase behind him, and Elias's voice followed: "Slow down."

As the two walked toward the exit, Draco's backpack strap slipped down to his elbow, and Elias reached out to help him lift it.

Draco flinched as his fingertips brushed against the side of his neck, as if burned by a spark from the fireplace. A moon moth was perched on his collar, its wings folded into silvery-gray threads, trembling gently with his heartbeat.

"It does recognize its master." Elias touched the moth's wing with his fingertip. The moon moth didn't move, but instead burrowed into Draco's neck.

Draco slapped his hand away: "You're the one who needs to say it."

"Draco".

Narcissa's voice emerged from the mist. She stood beside the carriage, her light green cloak damp with a thin layer of snow.

His gaze lingered on their shoulders, which were very close together, for a few seconds before he smiled and asked, "Are you freezing?"

Draco was about to walk over when his wrist was gently tugged. Elias handed him a glove, his own, dark gray, the fingertips worn soft: "You left yours in the carriage."

Draco took it, his fingertips touching the warmth inside. Just as he was about to say, "Who wants yours?", he heard Lucius cough behind him.

"Mr. Malfoy," Elias nodded.

"This moon moth is quite rare; it doesn't look like a common species." Lucius was toying with his cane, the snake's head gleaming coldly in the snow.

"A specialty of the Norwegian Black Forest," Elias said, dodging a running student.

Lucius suddenly raised his hand, the shadow of his cane falling at their feet: "I heard that your dragon blood business in Northern Europe has been getting a lot of trouble from the Ministry of Magic lately?" He spoke in a flat tone, as if he were talking about the weather, but his gaze was fixed on Elias's face.

Elias paused slightly, then smiled. "We just reached an agreement with the Ministry of Magic last week, exchanging three cartloads of Norway spruce for the charter. Mr. Malfoy has extensive connections at the Ministry, so he must know that timber is more useful than Galleons for handling these kinds of matters."

Lucius's eyebrows twitched almost imperceptibly, and he tapped his cane lightly on the ground: "Spruce is a good thing; my estate's greenhouses are in dire need of a batch."

"Have the butler send two cartloads over later," Elias replied naturally. "Consider it the owl feather deal that Mr. Shermalfoy mentioned last time."

Lucius remained noncommittal.

Even before Elias enrolled at Hogwarts, the head of the Malfoy family intended for him to take over some of the family affairs, and Lucius clearly wanted to "test" this young heir. The owl feather business was a test by the Malfoy family.

Draco was completely unaware of all of the above. Interestingly, both sides tacitly remained silent about their "rivalry."

Draco listened from the side, wanting nothing more than to call for Merlin. Dragon's blood? Spruce? These words, like the ingredients in Potions class, swirled in his ears, but he couldn't piece together their complete meaning.

He only saw his father's lips curve upwards for the first time, and Elias tapping his fingertips as he spoke, his posture not like chatting, but more like calculating a divination chart.

The moon moth suddenly flew up from his shoulder and circled between the two people talking. Draco reached out to catch it, but was stopped in his tracks by Lucius's gaze.

"Stand still, Little Dragon." Lucius's voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable authority.

Draco reluctantly withdrew his hand, shrank behind Narcissa, rested his chin on the fluffy scarf, and unconsciously rubbed his gloved hand against his cheek.

The fuzzy fabric of the gloves brushed against his nose, carrying a familiar, cool scent. Draco then remembered that the gloves belonged to Elias.

"Planning to go back to Germany for the holidays?" This was Lucius's question.

"Yes," Elias replied, "I need to go to Berlin first to take care of some things."

…………

The conversation between the two continued.

Draco listened to the probing back and forth, thinking how troublesome these people were! It was much more interesting to listen to Goyle and the others talking about the latest Chocolate Frog in the train carriage.

As the carriage started moving, Draco lifted the curtain and saw Elias still standing there, covered in snow.

The Moon Moth flew off Draco's shoulder, heading straight for Elias, covering him in scales before flying back, satisfied.

"That boy," Lucius began, looking out at the snow-covered forest, "is more composed than his father was in his youth."

Draco didn't reply. He looked down at the gloves on his hands and suddenly noticed a tiny six-pointed star embroidered on his palm, like a curled-up leaf.

He pulled out a small silver box from his pocket—it contained food for the moon moths, which Elias had given him the night before. On the bottom of the box was a line of small writing: - Let it lead you home to me

The snow outside the car window was falling heavier and heavier. Draco clutched the silver box in his hand, the warmth from his gloves slowly seeping into his fingertips, making him a little sleepy.

Draco, half-asleep, thought to himself, "When I get back to the manor, I'll definitely write to Elias and ask if dragon's blood and spruce together can make something even worse than Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans!"