A bit AU, time frame: unknown. feel free to imagine.
standard disclaimer applied. I want to find a beta for this, but I don't know how (lame excuse, i know...)
Just Say Yes.
Slytherin vs. Gryffindor Quidditch House Cup
Both captains spilling orders and instructions. Both are seekers for their own teams. An old rivalry between the two houses intensified in these grave hours. Draco Malfoy has an ambition of his own. His father was there for him. He should win this game and make him proud.
Beating potter this time would be a great icing on the cake.
That tiny gold ball fly around him, as if tease him mercilessly. Something in his guts tells him he could take that damn ball and win this game.
Merlin's beard, I deserve this. Please. For once, let me have it.
And so it was, Draco malfoy does something he never does before. He dives to harry potter as if want to crash into him. But no, it was never his intention. He sees the tiny gold speck above Harry's head. Said owner of the head didn't even realize that the snitch was above him. So Draco dives like he never dives before and run for the kill. It was happening fast, even when he grabbed the snitch, harry didn't realize anything. He flew pass harry as if he was just chasing some wind and not at all show the judge that he has the snitch already.
I have it. I have it. Thank Merlin.
At that very moment, he feels like he owns the world in his hand. For the snitch was always what he ever wanted. With it, he can have his father's affection again. Just a pad on a shoulder and a "I'm proud of you, son" and maybe embossed this very first snitch he catch with his name and someday tell his children about his historical save in slytherin history. He watches around the quidditch pit, his friends, other students, the professors, unknowing Gryffindor even that worthless mudblood Hermione Granger smiles at him. Wait…smile? No way. Did she see it? Did she see that he already catch the snitch? Hell frozen over, she even give him a two thumps up. But anyone else didn't seem to notice, they keep on cheering for the game, to find the snitch.
Well, granger did appreciate a good game, then.
And he smirks at her. That same smug smirk that he always give Hermione granger because he thinks he's better than her.
Once again, he looks around for the right moment to announce that he got the snitch. He's looking for his father, expecting his face smiling at him just like granger did.
But that moment never did come, for his father did nothing of the sort. His eyes were glued to a business magazine.
Not even a glimpse of knowledge, he does not even see his son dive for the snitch. Not a fucking glimpse to the game his son is playing.
It was then that Draco malfoy starts asking his priorities. There will be no pads on shoulder or even a smile that says how much his father's proud. No embossed snitch forever. A feel of worthlessness start creeping into his bone. He's looking at the snitch in his hand, struggling to be freed.
I guess that's it then. Only granger as my witness.
Automatically his eyes searching for the only person that sees that he got the snitch. The only damn person who admits his winning and even smile at that. The only person he brutally mocked and hurt, the only person he won't be looking for appraisal or approval. Just granger. For a second he remembers her smile and her half frozen fingers pointing the two thumbs up for him. And for that damn second he imprinted her smile and her stupid fingers as the most beautiful things in his pathetic life. And he laughs a little ironic laughs. Granger and beautiful didn't fit in a same line. But it did. It did, damn it!
There, as if by divine intervention, he sees that brown muddy eyes of Hermione granger. Her face shows mixed confused and curiosity, like trying to figure why he didn't announce his winning. But then he looks again for his father, secretly praying that this time he did notice something. Still nothing, Lucius malfoy only watch his pocket watch and look bored out of his mind.
Damn you, father!
All the while, Hermione granger follows his eyes to Lucius malfoy and instantly understands what happen on Draco Malfoy's eyes. Brown and grey meet again. This time Draco looks at her looking at him with pity in her eyes.
I don't need your pity, mudblood!
His world just a stupid one. And so he let go of the snitch.
He let go of the snitch slowly, opening his finger so that it won't be trapped in his palm. That snitch didn't just fly from his hand. It floats a little while like asking him, if he's sure to let it go.
Away.
Once the snitch flew, Draco knows that that chance won't come again. He saw potter fly towards him with determination in his face. Just like his face moment before he catches the snitch. Ever the boy wonder, potter catches the snitch easily from his side. And instantly yell how he catches the snitch.
And the crowds went hysteric. For Draco malfoy, it feels like flying in a moving picture where he can sees the movement but not the voice. He feels the feeling of having a chance and blows it up. He's defeated. Perfectly numb. And what better moment to look at his defeated son, did Lucius malfoy send his glare to Draco.
Fucking perfect.
His life can't be worse than this, right? Right?
Looking for a justification, his eyes went looking for Hermione granger. And when he sees her. He knows how his life can definitely be worse than this. She looks at him not with confusion, not with sick smugness or bitterness. She looks at him like she's disappointed with him. Like she's challenging him to explain why he did that? Why he did let go of the snitch.
And that look was even hurting than his father's glare.
Draco knew it's because his father didn't see how he catch the snitch or smile to him or give him a thumb up. It was because Hermione fucking granger did all that. Her smiles repeatedly plays in his mind, he wanted to believe that she smiled because she's proud of him for catching the snitch and for a game well done. And her two half frozen thumbs that should have never be out of their comforter only to give him that. Her mortal enemy!
Draco Malfoy learns how it feels to be a biggest loser that day.
Not because of his father, or the non-existent pad on the shoulder. Not because he let go of the snitch and give potter the opportunity to win again. Not because he let down his team and housemates.
It's because Draco malfoy learn that Hermione granger's smile to him was in vain.
a/n: i just came up with this. i know tons of mistakes are there for all of you to see. but i can't help it. it's write or regret. "Just say yes" was a title of Snow Patrol's song. I actually did meant this for a longer story. I have the beginning and i have the ending, but i didn't have the in-betweens so it's kinda hard for me to write more. the scene with draco letting go the snitch was actually inspired by someone in fanfiction (i forget the name or the title of the story, all credit for her/him). review would be very much appreciated!