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Living with a Quidditch Star
Chapter Four: Surprise, surprise
Friday passed by, more or less uneventfully – I had loads of reading to do – but I looked forward to being invited to The Burrow tonight by Ginny and Harry.
Ron and Hermione would be there, too.
So I went for the fireplace on campus to floo directly to the Burrow.
When I arrived all the others were already there.
I said hello to all of them and made myself comfortable on a cosy sofa in the living room.
You could hear the bewitched pans clattering in the kitchen preparing our dinner.
With one wave of her wand Ginny lay the table and joined me on the sofa.
„So, Ally, how are you? Why did you leave so hastily yesterday? Don't tell me you left thanks to Malfoy?" she pestered me with questions.
„Uh, well, maybe." I stammered, truly happy that Ron entered the room.
„Dinner is served, ladies!" he said and bowed, we smiled at this sight and left for the kitchen with him.
Harry and Hermione were already sitting at the large table talking about their day at the Ministry.
When Ginny entered the kitchen she clapped her hands
„Break it up, guys! I don't want to hear more Ministry stories tonight – weekend's coming up, alright?"
Hermione smiled.
„Alright, alright, Ginny, we were done anyway! So what's for dinner tonight?"
„I thought you'd all agree to a nice lasagna with salad and maybe one or two glasses of red wine, wouldn't you?" Ginny said, looking at us.
No one complained.
Ginny waved her wand and the food was handed out, our glasses filled with red wine.
We ate in silence for a while.
„So, Ally," Hermione suddenly said „you were in quite a hurry yesterday. Does this have to do with you talking to the – almost (she glanced at Ron) – universally admired captain of the British National Quidditch Team, huh? "
She gave me a side glance, grinning.
I almost choked on the wine and blushed.
When I was able to speak again – all eyes set on me – I admitted that she might have a bit of a point there.
Everybody watched me curiously.
I went on telling them that I might – to Rons disapproval – even have some little crush on that guy.
„Awww, how sweet! And do you think Master Malfoy feels the same for you?" Ginny asked, also grinning.
„I don't know, but he asked me out for a date tonight - I objected." I replied, skipping the fact that I had got another invitation from Draco today – more precisely to a Quidditch Match next week.
The others glared at me.
„Well, at least, Rita Skeeter seems to know! " Harry chipped in.
Now my mouth fell open!
He flung the Daily Prophet on the table.
The frontpage – showing a large picture of Malfoy smiling flawlessly at the readers – said in huge letters
Has Malfoy caught his next „Snitch"?
Only two days after his breakup our Seeker already is in hot pursuit again ...
Who is the mysterious beauty that turned our Malfoy's head?
by Rita Skeeter
The Daily Prophet learned by a close friend of the star seeker, that he actually broke up with top model Sindy Mos after he met a girl he knows since his childhood again. The friend, who was present at that evening, also told us that Malfoy seemed struck by lightning when he met her. „This time it seems to be serious." his friend says.
Neither Mr. Malfoy himself nor his manager wanted to comment about this story. But we are sticking to it.
Read more on the inside
I suddenly wasn't hungry anymore.
How did that Skeeter woman find out? Who was that „friend"? And what would my parents say?
It was that moment when – with a loud crack – Marc apparated in The Burrow's kitchen.
His face was a mess – there was a large laceration at the corner of his mouth, his jaw-bone was bruised and he had a black eye.
His look startled me and I gasped.
The others looked startled too. He nodded to them.
„Marc, what..." I started.
„I'm sorry for the disturbance. Ally, come with me, please – father wants to talk to you...now!" he said – his voice sounding strange due to his swollen lip.
I said good bye and Marc took my hand.
The next moment it felt as if there was a rope around my waist pulling me off my feet at high speed. I felt like being squeezed through a narrow tube.
I came to my feet at my flat. My father was sitting on the nearby sofa, waiting for us.
In his hand he held the Daily Prophet. I swallowed dryly.
„So, what's this all about?" he asked in a calm voice.
„I don't know." I answered truthfully.
"Today Mr Malfoy and I spent our business lunch together. He asked me whether I would mind you visiting his next match. He mentioned you'd love to see it. Is this true?" he went on.
„Well, uhm..." I didn't know what to say. Why had Draco asked my father for a meeting?
„Actually, Mr Malfoy made his intentions very clear to me. It seemed to me he's looking for a serious relationship with a woman of his status. He knows that you would be a good match due to our family tree." my father jerked me out of his thoughts and gave me an answer to the question on my mind.
„But, father..." Marc chipped in.
„Silence, Marc, I want to give this a try." he cut in on Marc.
I looked at them – bewildered.
„Alessia, you may visit Mr Malfoy's match next Friday. He assured me that you'll be seated in his private box at the stadium. He even agreed to my further condition..." he grinned.
„What would that be?" Marc asked curiously.
„That she will be accompanied by..."
I gasped.
„you, Marc." he finished.
I looked at him sulkily while Marc sneered.
„I'll see the two of you for lunch on Sunday. Your mother is looking forward to it." With that he apparated and left Marc and me alone in the living room.
„You may be sure that I'll give Malfoy a hard time!" Marc said to me and apparated too.