HP: She married Malfoy after becoming an exchange student.

When I returned to my cellar room after training, it was already evening. The fire in the fireplace was burning brightly, making the room dry and warm, a world apart from the damp and cold sports field outside.

Draco carefully leaned the Nimbus 2001 against the corner of the wall, his fingers tracing the smooth handle, his face still tinged with the excitement of flight and a hint of lingering pride. He unbuttoned his team uniform and casually remarked, "Today wasn't bad, even though those red-haired weasels messed things up at the beginning. Flint said next Saturday..."

no respond.

Draco looked up. Elias sat in a chair by the fireplace, reading, the firelight illuminating his profile. The pages were still; a quiet density hung in the air. Draco's heart skipped a beat.

Elias closed the book and stared at him silently for a few seconds.

"Draco." The voice was steady.

Draco's fingertips curled slightly.

"This afternoon," Elias asked, "what was your first reaction when Weasley's wand was pointed at you?"

"Of course he'll embarrass himself." Draco raised his chin.

Elias nodded without objecting. He leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees, a normal posture for conversation.

“What I was thinking was,” he said, slowing his pace and tightening his jaw slightly, “what would happen if it didn’t backfire, if it actually shot something out and hit your broom, or you yourself.”

Draco's Adam's apple bobbed.

"You can throw away a broken broom, but you can't throw away a person." Elias looked at him, his voice lowering slightly. "You're more important than those things."

Draco froze, captivated by the unusual weight in his words and the unwavering gaze in his eyes. He stopped sweeping. The only sound in the dormitory was the crackling of the fireplace.

Elias said no more, took a small mithril box from the pocket inside his robe, placed it on the low table between the two of them, and pushed it over.

"Press here," he pointed to an embedded, lustrous gem on the side, "It will deploy a shield strong enough to theoretically block most curses until the professor arrives." Elias looked up, meeting Draco's gaze, and spoke slowly and clearly, "If things get worse, and the shield doesn't hold, or you determine you must leave immediately—"

He leaned forward slightly, his silver-gray eyes appearing unfathomable in the glow of the firelight.

"Hold onto the gem and silently say my name in your heart. It will take you away from where you are, wherever I am." He looked at Draco and said, word by word, "directly to me."

Draco's heart raced as he reached for the small box. The metal was warm against his palm. He clenched it, and when he looked up, Malfoy's arrogance vanished, leaving only a stubborn softness.

"……knew."

Elias watched as Draco accepted the gift, the thin layer of ice in his eyes gradually melting away, returning to its usual deep calm. He didn't continue the topic of safety education; he didn't want Draco to be unhappy.

It doesn't matter if Draco isn't paying attention or if there's danger; he'll help him.

"It's getting late." He stood up. "Tomorrow is Potions class. If you don't want to be used as a negative example of 'Sleepy Beans' by Professor Snape, you'd better not be late."

Draco, clutching the still-warm silver box, watched Elias's retreating figure as he walked towards his bed, unusually docile: "...Mm."

The fire continued to burn quietly.

Risk still lurks in the shadows of the castle, but from now on, Draco will no longer be alone.