Quidditch Camp

By Goten0040 and Pennilyn Novus

(Summary: Draco was elated to find out he was going to the most prestigious camps in the world, only to find Harry Potter would also be accompanying him. It turns out that working together is the LEAST of their worries.)

Chapter One

CONGRATULATIONS, YOU'VE BEEN INVITED TO QUIDDITCH CAMP

Draco read the words silently on the paper. He couldn't get past that top line. He just stared at it. He could feel something gnawing at the back of his neck, urging him to DO something. Maybe reading further down would be smart.

But he just couldn't get past that top line. He'd heard about the Quidditch Camp. It was taught for the best, by the best. In fact, most of the Quidditch stars he'd grown up watching went to the camp in the summer after their sixth or seventh year. And he'd been invited. He was one of the best.

Such a thought sent a rush of adrenaline through his veins and he found himself trembling with an excitement. He wanted to scream, laugh, run around, maybe even cry. But all he did was read that first line.

"Draco, what in the devil have you got there that's left you so speechless?" Severus' voice broke the silence. "I do believe you are supposed to be studying. For my exam." His voice was always so droll, it was hard to listen.

"P-professor Snape?..." Draco looked up and Snape appeared taken aback.

"By God, Malfoy. What has you so pale? You look like death."

"Th-they..." damn! Now he couldn't say it! He could feel it overwhelm him.

Snape reached over and snatched the letter, being as impatient as he was, and read over the lines, much quicker than Draco could have mustered. In a rare moment, a smile crept across Snape's face and he looked over the parchment, his charcoal eyes almost twinkling. Almost.

"Well, I believe you should take this to breakfast," he said.

Draco grabbed the parchment without a word and ran down the hallway. He ran so fast, he could have sworn he was going light-speed. His adrenaline was rushing through his veins, pumping his heart to an almost explosive rhythm. He burst through the doors of the Great Hall and rushed to his table.

"Crabbe, Goyle, Blaise, Pansy, all of you!" he said in a harsh whisper.

They all looked at him with strange expressions. Draco rolled out the parchment as if it were a treasure map.

His classmates leaned in closer, Pansy peering curiously over his shoulder. "Quidditch camp?" she asked, wrinkling her nose. "What is that?"

Crabbe and Goyle broke out into identical, idiotic grins. Blaise, on the other hand, whistled, clearly impressed.

Then, with a snarky, sideways smirk, he said, "Well, nobody can say you bought your way onto the Quidditch team now."

Draco laughed out loud, feeling absolutely giddy.

On the other side of the hall, Harry absently retrieved his post from Hedwig, who nibbled on his fingers affectionately. He fed her a bit of bacon from his plate and stared at the unfamiliar seal on the letter.

"Who's it from, Harry?" Hermione asked, unfolding the latest Daily Prophet.

"Dunno," he said. He cracked the seal and unfolded the note.

CONGRATULATIONS, YOU'VE BEEN INVITED TO QUIDDITCH CAMP

Harry almost spit out a mouthful of pumpkin juice. He quickly read the rest of the letter, ignoring Hermione, who was staring at him in concern.

"Quidditch Camp?" he choked out, his eyes wide.

"WHAT?" Ron yelped, pulling the letter from Harry's loose fingers. "Harry! This is incredible! They only invite the best of the best!" Ron gazed at the letter wistfully.

Harry swallowed hard, his elation dampened as he watched Ron surreptitiously glance up, searching for Pig. "Maybe they just haven't gotten to Keepers yet," he offered lamely, taking his letter back.

Ron snorted and slapped Harry on the back jovially. "They only invite the best, Harry. You're the best player in the school."

Harry grinned and examined his invitation again. He announced happily, "I'm to report to camp straight from King's Cross!"

"Brilliant!" Ron replied, grinning.

"Congratulations, Harry!" Hermione said. "You deserve to have some fun, for a change."

Ginny breezed up to the table, smelling lovely, as always. She plopped down between Harry and Ron, and looked around, taking in their smiling faces.

"Why's everyone so happy this morning?" she asked grumpily.

Harry smiled sympathetically at Ginny, who was exhausted from studying for her final exams. He proudly held out his letter, and with a quizzical glance at him, she took it and began to read. Her eyes grew wide and she looked back at Harry, looking awed.

"Harry, this is amazing!" She threw her arms around him and gave him a huge hug.

"Thanks, Ginny!" he said, thinking that Hermione was right. He did deserve to have some fun, for a change.

…

Draco, a bit jittery after his exciting morning, ate about two bites of toast and then spent the rest of breakfast staring happily into the distance. Then Dumbledore stood, and the Great Hall grew quiet. The food vanished from their plates as their eyes were cast upon the great figure of Hogwarts School. Draco knew what he was going to say.

"Teachers, students, staff," he announced in that voice that made him sound strong and noble (which Draco didn't believe), "I have an announcement to make."

That's right, Dumbledore. Give me glory. After all, I deserve it, Draco thought with a large grin.

"We have two students that will be going to the prestigious and very popular Quidditch Camp."

If the Hall could have been quieter, it would have. A hush fell around them all.

"Wait... two?!"

"Mr. Draco Malfoy... and Mr. Harry Potter."

"WHAT?!" Draco's grin vanished from his face and it paled significantly.

He turned his head silently towards Potter and found him staring back with probably the same look he had.

The Slytherins and Gryffindors shared an awkward moment, then jumped into a roar of applause... if anything, to keep them from killing each other.

…

Draco Malfoy?

Harry sat, stunned. He couldn't believe his luck; finally something good was happening to him, and now he had to share it with bloody Draco Malfoy.

"Oh, go on, Harry," Ron said enthusiastically as the seventh year Gryffindors began to crowd around them. "You'll probably hardly see him."

"That's right," said Ginny, her face shining happily. "I bet he'll get kicked out after they realize he's rubbish."

"Yeah," Harry responded, his excitement winning out again. "You're right. This is going to be brilliant!"

Ron's response was lost amid the rush of admirers, who swarmed around Harry to congratulate him. Harry couldn't help it; he glanced over at the Slytherin table and saw a similar horde surrounding his pale rival. Malfoy wouldn't last a week.

He lost track of how many hands he shook, and his shoulders began to ache from all the enthusiastic pats on the back, but when Ron and Ginny finally extricated him from the excited mass, he realized that he needed to get ready. He only had a week to pack, after all. But Ron and Ginny would have none of that.

"Come on, Harry," Ginny said, pulling him towards the front door of the castle. "Let's go practice some of those killer moves of yours."

With a somewhat silly grin, Harry let them drag him down to the Quidditch pitch.

…

It could have been anyone but Potter, Draco thought as he folded a shirt and placed it in his trunk. His eyes fell upon his window as an owl flew in, a letter attached to its leg.

"'Ello what's this?" he murmured, approaching it. He hadn't been expecting another letter.

Noting the green and silver seal, he knew it was from his father.

Draco:

I have received the news of your Quidditch camp priorities over the summer and have also received information that you shall be sharing this experience with Harry Potter. I have explained this to the Dark Lord and we believe that this would be a good time to get information on the Potter boy. I will be expecting letters during the summer.

Your Father,
Lucius Malfoy

Draco sighed. Figures. His father never even congratulated him. Just put more work on his back. He sighed. There was no point in feeling bad about it. He was still going to Quidditch camp. The thought made his blood bubble excitedly.

"Forget Potter. Forget Dad. I'm still one of the best!" he said to himself, latching his trunk shut. A grin grew wide on his face and he chuckled at his success.

He glanced out the open window, his ears prickling to the sound of laughter. Potter and his friends were having fun on the Quidditch pitch.

"You just wait, Potter. I'll show you up." He closed the window violently and gave himself his signature Malfoy smirk in the mirror

…

The sun was setting when Harry landed on the ground, laughing and worn out from perfecting his Wronski Feint. Ron landed beside him and collapsed on the ground, staring up at the deepening shades of the sky.

"I'm beat!" he groaned. "And hungry!"

"No wonder," Ginny said as she landed gracefully. "It must be time for dinner."

Harry gave Ron a hand up, and looked over at the stands, spying Hermione as she packed up her books and parchment. She joined them a moment later, and they all headed back for the castle.

"Think you're ready, Harry?" Ginny asked.

With a smile, Harry tightened his grip on his broom. He was getting one summer to do what he loved best, one summer to fly and dive and swoop, and most importantly, one summer away from the war. Even if he had to put up with Draco Malfoy's presence, he figured he'd never been more ready for anything in his life, and said so.

"Watch your back around Malfoy, mate," Ron said lowly to him. "I know he's a spineless little git, but he could try to cause trouble for you."

Harry nodded in acknowledgement and gave his friend a pat on the back. "I'm not worried about Malfoy. It's the trainers I have to worry about!"

Ron slapped his back in return. "Well, we've got all week to whip you into shape. Maybe Hermione can draw us up a practice schedule."

Harry rolled his eyes and shot a sideways glance at Hermione, becoming alarmed when she dug into her bag and retrieved a crisp piece of parchment.

"Already taken care of!" she announced cheerily, passing the parchment to Ron.

Harry stared at her for a matter of moments until the situation grew awkward and Hermione put it away, just for the time being.

"Um... I wonder how it works. The camp is so secretive sometimes," Ginny broke the silence.

"They have to keep it secret to protect their sacred teachings!" Ron exclaimed.

"Puh-lease, Ron. It's not a religion," Hermione said flatly.

"Yeah, tell that to the stadiums of Quidditch fans," Ron replied bitterly.

Harry broke between them to say something when Dumbledore called him over, right outside the Great Hall.

"Hello, Harry," he said with twinkling eyes. "I saw your practice sessions went well. I don't want to keep you from dinner, but will you and Mr. Malfoy please accompany me in my office afterwards?"

"Oh... sir. You know, I don't speak much to Malfoy," Harry said, scratching the back of his head.

"You should learn to," he said with a smile on his face. "After dinner, Harry. Don't be late!"

He turned and went into the Great Hall, magnificent robes fluttering behind him.

"What on earth did he mean by that?" Harry thought curiously.

Dinner fell upon the Great Hall in a large blast of clinking forks and plates and speech. Harry took it in with warmth, knowing how wonderful the food would taste after his late workout. He took a step toward his table when someone shoved past him, nearly knocking him into Neville's soup.

"Hey!" he yelled in retort.

He stared as he watched Malfoy rush to the table, grab some bread, and head back out of the hall without a word to anyone.

"H-hey... hey, wait!" He grabbed Malfoy's sleeve.

Malfoy whirled on him with a piece of bread halfway stuffed in his mouth.

"What the hell do you want?" he asked, muffled by bread, face disgusted.

"Dumbledore wants to see us after dinner."

Draco swallowed the piece he was chewing on and ran a hand through his hair. "Whatever."

"That's it?"

Draco whirled on him again. "Let me put this into words you understand since you obviously haven't gotten it in the past few years we've known each other. GO A-WAY." And he rushed out.

"Sheesh, he seems even ruder than usual considering he ran into me..."

"Oh blow him, Harry. Let's get some food," Ron said, patting him on the shoulder.