The First Snitch

By: Asagi Tsuki

Pairing: Harry/Draco

Summary: after the war ends, Harry doesn't become an Auror or a professional Quidditch player like everyone thought he would. However, one day he plays in Draco Malfoy's stead during the first game of the World Cup season, and is determined to catch the snitch, no matter what

Warning: possible OOCness, lack of British English, non-canon compliant

Disclaimer: obviously, Harry Potter is not written by me. If it were, it would be so lame, that this fandom would be non-existent. And I would be off writing another book instead of fanfics

A/N: inspired by the scene in Two Playboys on the Pitch by Professor McKitten where Harry is determined to catch the snitch even after he was injured badly, and hands the snitch to Draco before he disappears. However, this won't be the same, as I do not do plagiarism :P I hope that by mentioning my source of inspiration, no one will accuse me of it :3

The First Snitch of the Season

After the war had ended and all the eighth-year Hogwarts students graduated, Harry Potter shocked the whole Wizarding World by choosing to work behind the desk in the Ministry, helping Hermione around, and working part-time at the Weasley's joke shop. Everyone had thought he would be an Auror, or at least a professional Quidditch player, for being the youngest Seeker and all.

He shocked the world again when he admitted that he had been dating Draco Malfoy ever since their sixth year. The people had actually debated whether they would play for the same team or different teams if they chose to be professional players, and when Harry announced that he wouldn't be playing, everyone assumed it was because he wanted to give Draco a chance at playing, if they were on the same team, or winning, if they were on different teams.

Harry had gotten angry at the media and told them to stop bothering Draco about his decision to not play Quidditch professionally. He said Draco had tried to get him to do it, but he was the one who stubbornly refused. It was his own decision made because he was tired of fighting evil, and wanted to be more helpful to his friends.

And now, three years after that incident, Draco Malfoy sent in his resignation letter with no explanation on why he resigned, while Harry Potter stood in the stadium, trailing behind his teammates, his head held high and his grip on his broom tight. It was the first game of the World Cup and he was playing in Draco's stead as their country's Seeker.

The crowd began whispering in confusion as to why the Golden Boy had suddenly made an appearance. He followed the rest of the England team members to the middle of the pitch and stood there silently, determination shining in his eyes.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"Draco? Where are you going?" Harry asked as he looked up from his copy of a Muggle newspaper. Draco was walking past the living room, dressed in simple, casual clothes (he always said this was a bad influence from Harry, now that he doesn't care about his appearance as much as he used to).

"To the mall," Draco answered easily. "I have to do the grocery shopping, and then buy something for Mother's birthday gift."

When the war ended, Draco followed Harry to the Muggle world. They still had another flat in the Wizarding world, but the two of them stayed among the Muggles more often than not. At first Draco was so against the idea, but he later on learned to enjoy the brilliance of Muggle technology. He also came to love driving, so Harry bought him a new car every year—of course, he sold the old one.

"Can you go another time?" Harry asked. "I have a bad feeling."

Draco laughed. "What, you turned into a seer overnight? If I remember, you were quite hopeless at Divination."

"Draco, please," Harry said, frowning.

"I'll be alright, Harry," Draco said as he walked over to press a kiss on Harry's forehead. "I'll be careful, I promise. Alright?"

"But—"

"Shush, I'll buy you your favourite candy," Draco said with a patronizing smile. "Now I have to go. I really have to buy Mother's birthday gift. I'll see you later tonight."

He was out of their house before Harry could protest again. He gave a defeated sigh, and thought that maybe Draco was right, and that the bad feeling meant nothing.

Hours later, he was preparing dinner and wondering when Draco would come home. He knew Draco spent hours trying to search for the perfect gift for those he held dear, but he had been gone for six hours now.

His phone rang and Harry quickly rinsed his hands, wiped them with his apron and rushed to pick the phone up.

"Hello?"

"Is this Harry?"

"Yes, I am he. Is something wrong?"

"Do you know the owner of this phone?"

"Yes I do. What happened?"

"He crashed into an electric pole while swerving away so he didn't run into a boy who ran onto the road. He's currently treated in the emergency room of the local hospital, so please come over. We need to get a few more details from you if you'd please."

Harry felt his heart was caught in his throat. He then regretted his decision of letting Draco go and not just simply stupefying him so that he'd stay at home. Anything Draco would do in his anger was nothing compared to this.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

After the customary greeting between the captains and narrating of the rules by the referee, all the players got on their brooms and took flight. After ten seconds, the referee let loose the quaffles, bludgers and the snitch. The game started almost immediately, and Harry felt slightly bad for taking the thrill away from Draco.

The thrill of playing Quidditch that he hadn't felt in years. World-class games were different from the games they played at Hogwarts. Everyone was talented and fierce, and he knew he had to put in his best effort if he wanted to win.

No, he had to win. He couldn't—must not lose.

He had to catch the snitch.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Harry rushed to the hospital where Draco was treated and contacted both Narcissa and Lucius on the way. He was seated in front of the emergency room where Draco was treated. Although the doctors continuously told him not to worry because his chance of survival was high—apparently the mother of the boy had immediately called for an ambulance, he couldn't help but worry.

When the elder Malfoys arrived, Narcissa was crying while Lucius stood tall beside her, his expression stern but worry lines were on his forehead, and Harry could see that his mask was so close to slipping.

"How is he, Harry?" Narcissa asked through her sobs, her voice muffled through the handkerchief she held over her nose and mouth.

"The doctors said his chance of survival is still quite high," Harry said uneasily.

Narcissa simply nodded and took a seat beside him. Lucius paced around for a bit before finally sitting down as well. Harry bit his lip, then he stood up.

"Where are you going dear?" Narcissa asked, but stopped short when Harry suddenly turned to face them, and sank into his knees and bowed in front of them, his forehead touching the floor in front of their feet. "Harry? What are you doing?"

"I'm sorry," Harry said, and it was only when he saw the growing pool of tears under him that he realized he finally cried. "I'm sorry. I told him there might be something bad happening if he went out today, but I let him go. I'm sorry."

"Oh, Harry, dearest, it's not your fault," Narcissa said as she got up from her seat and kneeled beside Harry, pulling the young man up, but Harry refused to budge.

"No, it is my fault," Harry continued. "That day, when I came to the Manor to ask your permission to court him, I promised that I would protect him with my life. Now look what I have done!"

"Potter," Lucius spoke, but Harry still kept his head low, too ashamed to face the parents of his fiancé. "I forgive you. She forgives you. I'm sure he forgives you too."

Harry swallowed the lump in his throat and finally looked up, staring at Lucius and Narcissa. He sobbed and Narcissa took out another handkerchief from her pocket and wiped Harry's tears away.

"He is strong, isn't he?" Harry choked out. "He will survive, won't he?"

"Of course, honey," Narcissa said as she smiled at Harry, her eyes red and swollen just like his own. "He will never leave us. He loves us too much."

"Yeah," Harry said finally, a forced grin on his face. "He loves us too much."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

The current score was 70-40 in Bulgaria's favour. It was still only fifteen minutes into the game, however, so Harry wasn't too worried. He trusted in the other members, and his job was to only worry about the snitch.

He saw a flash of gold to his right, and began racing towards it. His teammates noticed it, and the beaters followed him to try and deflect any bludgers sent his way.

However, just as he was only five feet away from the snitch, it suddenly disappeared again, and the commentator mentioned it with disappointment in his voice.

Harry gritted his teeth as he skidded into a halt, and began looking for it again.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

When the doctors came out of the emergency room and said that Draco would be transferred to a normal room, and then they were allowed to see him, they all let sighs of relief and visibly relaxed, now that the threat of Draco's death had passed.

In half an hour, they were all standing around Draco's bed. Snape had joined them after he collected the necessary potions, and gave Draco a blood-replenishing potion as well as a rejuvenating potion.

"Draco?" Harry called when he saw Draco's eyes blinking open. "Draco, can you hear me?"

"Harry?" Draco croaked out as he looked up, then coughed. Lucius helped him up while Narcissa held a glass of water to his lips and helped him drink. "Harry?" he tried again.

"Yes, Draco, it's me," Harry said as he reached out to hold Draco's left hand, and silently, tears began falling down from his eyes again. "I'm so sorry, Draco."

Tears fell from Draco's eyes as well. "You noticed, didn't you?" he asked, squeezing Harry's hand as if it was a lifeline.

"Yeah."

"Who else is here, Harry?"

It was then that the three adults realized that Draco had gone blind.

The next day, a signed resignation letter was sent from Draco to his team, without telling them the reason why he quitted.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

The second time Harry saw the snitch, he sped towards it as quickly as he could. He didn't want it to disappear right before his eyes again. However, the beaters on his team didn't have time to catch up to him, and just before he caught the snitch, a bludger hit him on the side, and he fell off his broom.

The England team's healers quickly cast spells to slow his descent, and when he reached the bottom safely, Hermione, who had trained to become a Healer since two years ago, summoned his broom from where it still was up above, then went to see him.

"Your ribs are broken," Cho, who had become a Healer for a Quidditch team, said as she inspected the injury. "Your arm is broken too. Your left lung is collapsed, and it's only by miracle that your heart is alright."

"Come on Harry," Hermione said as she levitated him. "We'll have to treat your injury properly."

Harry gasped and winced in pain. "Can you," he paused to wheeze, "can you make it quick? I have to get back in the game."

Cho raised an eyebrow at him. "Are you serious?" she asked. "With this kind of injury, you're lucky you're not dead yet. A piece of your broken rib has nearly pierced your heart, and all you can think about is winning a game?"

"It's not a game!" Harry protested, then coughed and wheezed again. "It's a very important game."

"Why?" Hermione asked. "Does this have to do with Draco's sudden resignation?" she continued. She was still peeved at the fact that none of the two had told her what happened.

Harry fell silent, and Hermione sighed.

"Fine," she said. "I can't promise the process will go smoothly or painlessly, but if you want quick, you have to bear with the pain."

"Alright," Harry agreed. "How long?"

"Ten minutes," Hermione said sternly. "Cho, hold him down so he doesn't move."

The game continued with England's reserve Seeker as the Healers made quick work on Harry, while he wished that the Bulgaria's Seeker wouldn't catch the snitch before he got back up in the air.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

The accident had been kept a secret, and only those who were present at the hospital that day knew what happened. The loss of Draco's sight was because of the trauma and even Madame Pomfrey said that she couldn't do anything to restore his sight. The only way he could regain his sight was if they found a suitable donor.

Harry had wanted to ask if he could donate his eyes to Draco, but the entire Malfoy family was against it. Draco didn't want him to regain his sight if that meant Harry would be blind. Narcissa agreed and said they would just have to wait for a suitable donor. Lucius had lodged a form requesting for it, and they would only have to wait for the notification from the hospital.

A month before the World Cup season began, Draco asked Harry to play for England.

"I know you don't want to play professionally, but please? For me?"

Harry sighed as he tightened his hold around the slighter man. "Yes, Draco, I will," he said. "You know I can't say no to you."

Draco smiled and reached up a hand to touch Harry's face. He traced it until he found Harry's lips, and kissed him.

"They've found a suitable donor," Draco said softly as he rested his head on Harry's shoulders. "An elderly gentleman died from lung cancer, but his eyes were still good. Even at his age he still had perfect vision."

"That's great!" Harry exclaimed. "When is the operation?"

"The evening of the first World Cup game, the one against Bulgaria," Draco answered, then fell silent.

"Draco?" Harry asked. "What's wrong, baby?"

"I'm..." Draco trailed off. "I'm scared, Harry."

"Oh Draco," Harry murmured as he buried his face in the white blond hair. "It's alright to be scared. But they're very good at what they're doing. Those doctors saved your life, remember?"

"Yeah, but I'm still scared," Draco said, his body trembling slightly. "What if it's unsuccessful? What if it doesn't suit me after all? What if I'm blinded for life?"

"Then I'll be here for you, always, and I'll be your eyes," Harry said softly, pressing kisses on Draco's face. "I need you to be strong, Draco. Believe that it will go smoothly, and it will."

"I... I can't make any promises," Draco said. "But I'll try."

"Good. Now let's get some rest, shall we?"

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

As Hermione had promised, the healing process took slightly less than ten minutes. Also, as she had promised, the process was very painful. As soon as the process started, Harry had asked them to cast a silencing spell on him, and Hermione did, albeit reluctantly.

"There, you're good as new," Hermione said, tucking her wand away. "Just try to be careful."

"I promise," Harry agreed.

The match was paused again as Harry got back into the game, and the opposing team was surprised to see him back in the game so soon while his teammates cheered.

The third time he saw the snitch, he finally caught it. Maybe the saying the third's time the charm was true, after all.

The England supporters cheered like crazy as he held the golden ball in his fist proudly. England won the game against Bulgaria with a score of 220-110.

After the announcement was made, Harry had gone to the referee and asked him if he could bring the winning snitch back home. The referee looked surprised and dubious, but he had begged and finally he let them take it with him.

The grin on his face was so wide it could have split his face in two. He ran out of the stadium into the nearest Apparition point, and apparated to their flat, where Draco was, waiting for his parents and Snape to come before they would all go to the hospital and wait until the surgery was done.

The doctors had tried to calm him down, saying it wasn't a major surgery and that he would be alright. However, it did little to calm Draco's nerves and the day of the surgery he nearly had a breakdown.

"Draco!"

"Harry?" Draco asked. "Has the match ended?"

"Yeah," Harry answered, then walked closer and sat beside him. "Draco, give me your hand?"

Draco frowned in confusion, but did as asked, and Harry put the snitch on Draco's palm. He gasped in surprise, and instinctively wrapped his fingers around the small golden ball.

"Feels good, doesn't it?" Harry asked, whispering into Draco's ear. "To feel the snitch in your hand again. Think, Draco. You can do this again when your sight is restored. You just have to be strong and trust the doctors."

Draco's lips quirked into a smile at Harry's choice of words. He hadn't said 'if', but rather 'when'.

"Can I keep this?" Draco asked. "As a good luck charm."

Harry laughed, and kissed Draco deeply. "Of course you can. I won it for you. The first snitch of the World Cup's season."

Draco grinned widely and wound his arms around Harry's neck, pulling him down for a deep kiss again, although it was slightly sloppy at first.

"Draco, it's time," Narcissa said as she walked into the living room, and smiled when she saw Harry there. "Hello Harry. You can rest up a bit before joining us there if you'd like. The match earlier must be hard on you."

"Why?" Draco asked.

"Nothing, dear," Narcissa said, stroking Draco's hair gently. "Just know that you have a very devoted lover."

Harry went together to the hospital with them, and the doctors allowed Draco to bring the snitch, which they said was a very peculiar looking golden ball, into the operating theatre, as long as they sterilized it first.

The surgery ended in two hours, and the doctor said they would open the bandage tomorrow noon. They were advised to return home for the night and return tomorrow, but up to two people were allowed to stay in his room in the hospital to keep him company.

Harry had suggested that the elder Malfoys stay there, and said he had something to do before he returned the next day. Snape also left and said he would make some potions to help accelerate Draco's recovery.

The next morning they were gathered in Draco's room. At exactly noon, a doctor came to open his bandages and check how his eyes were. He could see, but it was still so blurry, so the doctor told him to take a rest and try again when he woke up. Snape had come in and given him the potion before he fell asleep.

The next time Draco opened his eyes, he could see much clearer. Well, what was to be expected from a Potions Master like his godfather? He smiled at the thought, then lifted his hand up. He was still holding onto the snitch that Harry had won for him.

"Draco?"

"Harry," Draco said, looking at his lover of five years, going to six years. "Hey."

"Hey you too," Harry said with a smile, then sat on a stool beside Draco's bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Much better now," Draco admitted. "I can see."

Harry's smile widened. "I knew you could do it."

"It was all thanks to you," Draco said, then stared at the snitch again. "Thank you, Harry."

"Well, what am I supposed to do? Turn a blind eye on you?"

"Harry..."

"Sorry, sorry, it was just an expression," Harry said quickly.

"It better be," Draco said as he scowled, but then laughed. "Ah, you're still easy to tease."

Harry groaned.

"Where are my parents?" Draco asked, sitting up on his bed.

"Out to buy dinner for you," Harry answered, then his expression turned solemn.

"Harry?"

"Draco," he started. "I have a question for you. A very important question."

"What is it?" Draco asked nervously. Harry wasn't usually this serious, even when he was asking serious questions. "You're scaring me, Harry. What is it?"

"Draco Lucius Malfoy," Harry started, reaching out to hold Draco's hand. "You scared me half to death when you got into the accident. I told you to stay but did you listen to me? Then you made me cry my eyes out and beg for forgiveness in front of your parents. You made me nearly tear my hair out and cry myself blind when you have gone blind. You caused a double uproar when you signed in the resignation letter and asked me to fill your place. You made me want to win the first game so badly that I didn't mind the healing that had hurt so much, like I was hit by three Cruciatus curses at the same time."

"Harry—"

"But you know what?" Harry cut him off. "I don't mind. I don't mind at all. Because you make my heart swell so much that it threatened to explode whenever you look and smile at me. You make me content, you make me happy. For the first time in my life, I knew joy, because of you. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me in my life, and I will never ever forgive you if you walk out of my life."

"Oh Harry—"

"So my question is this," Harry said, his tone softening. He then reached into his pocket and took out a small velvet box. Draco's eyes widened and his jaw dropped when he saw it, and tears began welling at the corner of his eyes when Harry opened it, revealing a couple ring. "Will you marry me?"

"Yes, Harry, yes!" Draco shouted as he threw himself onto Harry, and laughed as he buried his face into the crook of his neck, letting his tears flow freely, as they were tears of joy.

"What's happening here?" Lucius asked as he walked into the room, but when Narcissa saw the ring in the still opened box in Harry's hand, she pulled her husband out of the room to give the boys some privacy.

Later that night, after dinner shared with Narcissa, who was practically bubbling in glee because Harry had finally popped the question, and Lucius, who had accepted Harry into the family with a small smile, causing the younger man to nearly keel over from a heart attack, Harry and Draco lay on the hospital bed, cuddled up close together due to the lack of space.

"Draco?"

"Yes Harry?"

"Next time I tell you not to do something, you are not to do it. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, of course. Anything to make you happy."

"You've already made me happy just by being there. It doesn't make me happy. It makes me feel calm."

"You're such a Hufflepuff. But alright, anything to make you calm."

"That's my boy."

End of Story

And that's it :D hope you enjoyed it, even in the slightest. Do leave a comment if you do, because I'm a comment whore :P

Personally, I love the second flashback scene, dunno why :P I just found it touching that Harry would stoop that low to apologize to the elder Malfoys for not taking better care of Draco, while it really wasn't his fault

Crappy ending? I seriously don't know how to end this. What do you think?