Disclaimer: Anything you recognize belongs to the lovely Ms. Rowling. I am merely borrowing it.

CHAPTER TWO

Draco flooed into the Headmistress' office on the day of Astoria's first Quidditch match of the New Year. He had only had the one meeting with her, three weeks previously. He remembered her invitation, however, and when he hadn't had any pressing business that Saturday, he had impulsively decided to attend.

"Mr. Malfoy," McGonagall said tersely. He nodded, keeping an aloof expression on his face. "I take it you are here for the Quidditch match?" He nodded again, feeling slightly awkward standing in front of the portraits of all the heads, including the one he had conspired to kill.

"Very well, Mr. Malfoy. We are just waiting for a few other people, then we will head down to the pitch. You will sit in the professors' section of the stands, unless…unless you have someone you want to sit with?" She looked at him doubtfully.

He bristled. "No, thank you. The professors' stands are quite all right."

She nodded, and then they were standing there again. He shifted, shoving his hands in his pockets. Finally, the fire flared, and two people tumbled out of the fire.

"Ouch- sorry, Ginny- hello, professor," Harry Potter puffed as he pulled himself to his feet. "No matter how many times I do it, I can't seem to stick the landing." He reached down and helped his wife up. Turning, he saw Draco.

"Malfoy," he said tensely.

"Potter," Draco drawled, shifting back into his self-sure self now that he had someone here who was even more uncomfortable than he was.

"Hello, Draco," Ginny said, inserting herself between the two men.

"Mrs. Potter," Draco nodded respectfully to Harry's wife. He had learned the hard way not to go around insulting others' wives. A little head poked out of some contraption Ginny was carrying on her front. Draco almost jumped, but regained his composure just in time.

"And who is this?" he asked civilly. Potter moved toward his child, acting as if Draco was going to kidnap the toddler.

Ginny put a hand on Harry's arm. "This is James Sirius Potter," she said, stroking her little boy's unruly hair.

Draco raised his eyebrows. "I see he inherited your head, Potter." He winced as soon as it came out of his mouth. Was that polite? he asked himself apprehensively.

Contrary to his expectations, Harry laughed, a new light in his eyes as he looked at his son. "That he did," he chuckled.

"Ahem," McGonagall coughed to get their attention. "The game will be starting shortly- should we begin walking?"

"Yes, of course," Harry said. "Lead the way, Professor."

They set off, McGonagall ahead of them, Draco keeping pace with Harry and Ginny. As they walked, he snuck peeks at the little family out of the corner of his eye. That is what my mother wants for me, he thought. Harry put an arm around Ginny, kissing the top of her head. No, Draco thought suddenly. That is what I want for me.

They emerged through a door into the professors' private stands, Draco allowing Harry and Ginny to go before him. McGonagall and the Potters found seats separately. Draco just stood there, feeling wildly out of place, not knowing where exactly to sit. The Slytherins huddled in a stand to his left, looking slightly subdued compared to the wildly screaming Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, and Ravenclaws. He saw that they were isolated from the other houses, who seemed to jeer at them as much as they did at each other. His brow furrowed. It was too bad Astoria was going to school in that environment…Draco came to the conclusion that he was right to be here for Astoria, who was playing despite the Slytherins' position.

He started when he heard his name being called.

"Malfoy!" Potter called. He gestured to a seat next to him and his family. "Come sit."

Feeling a twinge at being accepted by the Chosen One, he headed to the seat.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"…Elijah Cor, Seeker!" The cheers were deafening as the last Ravenclaw player entered the field. Draco noticed the Slytherins stand, and stiffen slightly, as the announcer began to call out their players. All the Slytherins cheered, making noise for their players, trying to compensate for the silence from the other houses.

"This isn't right," Harry muttered.

"What do you want to do, force the little brats to cheer for the relatives of Death Eaters?" Draco said harshly. Harry looked at him, slightly surprised by such a strong reaction. Then he remembered what Draco hid under his left sleeve. He nodded abruptly. It wasn't fair. But Draco was right.

"…Astoria Greengrass, Seeker!" The Slytherins were losing their voices and fortitude by the time Astoria came out, the cheers quieter than they had been for the others. Draco sneered, a mischievous gleam finding its way into his eye as he catcalled at the attractive girl.

Harry looked at him, surprised and a bit disgusted.

"You know that girl?" Ginny asked disapprovingly. Draco almost blushed, realizing the inappropriateness of his action.

"She's who I'm here to see," Draco said. Ginny nodded, an aha! look in her eyes. Harry smiled and shook his head.

Draco smiled to himself, replaying Astoria's surprised and pleased look when she saw him as the game started.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Astoria looked at the stands, surprised, as someone catcalled at her. Usually the Slytherins had lost interest in cheering by the time she came out. As she scanned the stands, she noticed three extra figures in the professors' stands. One was staring at her, a grin on his face.

She felt a smile of her own break out as she realized who it was. Draco had come! It was irrational that she was so excited to see him…she had only seen him once. The invitation wasn't something she had thought about; by all accounts, Draco only ever left the house with his mother or on business. She had written the visit down in her 'suitor diary', and filed it away to the back of her mind. She had been sure it was just another one of her mother's random pairings, one that wouldn't lead to anything. She had been disappointed- during their conversation she had become certain that he wouldn't only think of her as a trophy wife with no brains. But she hadn't heard from him at all afterwards, and she had thought that was the end of it. He was here, and so many possibilities opened up to her.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Harry and Ginny rushed the field after the game was over, heading over to the Slytherin team. Slytherin had won, but barely. Harry seemed to want to make up for the lack of cheers by enthusiasm for the team. Draco stood at the bottom of the stands, hands deep in the pockets of his coat.

"Hey."

He turned. Astoria stood behind him, holding her broomstick loosely in a hand. He smiled and walked toward her.

"Hey."

They stood there, neither sure what to say.

"You came," Astoria said, gesturing to his body.

He looked down. "Yeah, I did."

"So, um…we won…" Astoria trailed off.

"Yeah," Draco nodded. Their combined discomfort was so thick in the air it could be cut by a knife.

"Astoria!" Astoria's friend, Grace, motioned for her to come to the locker room to change.

Astoria looked back at Draco. "I should…go…"

Draco nodded. She pivoted slowly. "Wait," he said huskily. She pivoted back around.

He shifted uncertainly. "My offer of flying together- it still stands…"

Astoria beamed. "I would love to take you up on it."

With that, she followed her teammates to the locker room.

Draco stood for a moment, looking around at the normal, school scene. No Dementors, crazy professors…After a moment, he turned and began walking to the gate.

A/N: Read and Review :)