This was written for Schermionie's The long wait challenge. My characters were Draco and Lee.
Thanks a lot Izabel Lightwood for having beta-read it!
It was Mullet's last game as a chaser for the Irish international team. And even if it was four hours before the match, the quidditch stadium in Ireland was full of people. Wizards from all across the continent, and possibly further were present.
Draco Malfoy looked at the crowd with disdain. Since the end of the war, the ministry hadn't saved him a seat in his lodge anymore. He had to buy the ticket now. When he arrived to the lodge F64, seat number 40, he realized that it was taken by a rather corpulent man. He approached the man, to inform him that it was his seat, but someone forestalled him.
"Excuse me sir, but it's my seat. Lodge F64, seat 40, it's here, on my ticket," the young black man said politely.
Draco knew his voice, he knew that man for sure, but he couldn't pinpoint his name. But he noticed that the man had the same seat as him as well.
"You're wrong, I'm F64, seat 40. I have my ticket to prove it," he said to the attention of the two other men.
"You don't have a seat with the minister, Malfoy?" asked the man he now recognized as Lee Jordan. "I guess you're not in the ministry's good graces anymore. But you know, people actually buy their tickets and I have this seat," Lee finished.
"Young men, you're both mistaken, it's my seat and I'll stay here. You can argue somewhere else," the man who had stolen their seat said.
Before they could argue, a hostess interrupted them.
"I'm Liza Tendrall, from the stadium organization," she introduced her. "I'm sorry, but it has been a problem with the tickets and some seats have been sold several times. The stadium company wants to apologize for the inconvenience, and if you may follow me, I'll give you other seats."
"I hope it'll be better seats, at least," snarled Draco Malfoy.
"I'll do everything I can according to the circumstances, Sir. But you'll both receive free tickets for the first game of Neil James, the new chaser," she added, smiling.
She accompanied them to an office at the top of the stadium.
"Wait here, please. I'll be back in a minute with your new spots. You can take a seat if you please."
The two men sat on the chairs without a word. They stayed, staring at the wall and without talking for twenty minutes, before Lee Jordan broke the silence.
"James is the new chaser, I wouldn't have thought about it." And he went on a rant about the team's new chaser. Lee paused, waiting for an answer from Malfoy's part. Draco Malfoy didn't say a word and continued zoning out. After two minutes of silence, Lee added :
"Are you dead or something Malfoy?"
Draco ignored him, again.
"I think Germany has a chance. They have the new firebolts 3.0, Ireland only has the old Firebolts. The speed is similar for the two models, but the stability-"
"Shut up! I didn't answer to your questions or remarks because I don't want to talk with you," Draco interrupted Lee.
The blond-haired wizard's day had been awful, and it was getting worse. First, he missed the portkey and had to apparate five miles away of the stadium and walk.
Then, there had been this problem with the seats and now, he had to wait in this room with the most talkative wizard of all England.
He was relieved when the young lady appeared again.
"I will guide you to your seats, please follow me."
The witch showed them two seats, next the one to the other, in a very good spot.
"Er, there is no way I'll seat with him! I don't care if it's in the high stands, but I don't want to seat with him!" Draco Malfoy almost yelled.
Lee Jordan sat without answering to the ex-slytherin. He really didn't care, he only wanted to watch the game.
"Sir, the only other seat we have is really high and not as good as the one you purchased," she said with caution to the angry man.
"I really don't care, it'll be better than here, I'm certain."
Without a word, she led him to the other free seat. It was indeed really high and at a very bad spot, Draco was regretting his decision.
When they arrived, the lodge was so noisy and full of people, he almost missed Jordan's voice. The only seat was next to blonde witch. A girl who probably wouldn't stop talking. He sat down with a sigh, that day wasn't his luckiest.
"Those people are loud!" she complained before casting a spell that encircled the other occupants of the lodge in bubble. The atmosphere was silent now. "It will be better to enjoy the game," she smiled to him. She was rather attractive, he noticed.
"Thank you, I'm Draco Malfoy, and you are...."
"Astoria Greengrass. Nice to meet you."
Well, maybe it was a lucky day in the end.
