A Match Made In Hell
Disclaimer: All but the original characters and storylines are JK Rowling's, although I do dearly wish Draco was mine.
...
I can't win, I can't reign, I will never win this game
Without you,
I am lost, I am vain, I will never be the same
Without you.
Without You - David Guetta
...
Chapter 10 - The Show Must Go On
Draco Malfoy had thought it a good idea to come see his son in his first Triwizard task. He hadn't anticipated being quite this stressed.
When the Parkinson girl had said that Albus Potter 'wanted' his son, and that apparently they'd had some sort of relationship, Draco had nearly fell off his seat in surprise. He was more shocked by that than the revelation that there was an imposter in the Triwizard Tournament. This was Hogwarts, after all.
But Hogwarts or not, nothing could have prepared him, or any father, for the sight of his own son throwing himself in front of a Memory Modification spell, and his scream of horror had been one of the many that filled the air at Hogwarts when the scene was broadcasted to the school.
.-.
As Scorpius collided with Albus, and knocked them both to the ground, Albus wasn't even aware he was screaming Scorpius's name, until a hand clamped over his mouth.
He blinked, and saw Scorpius frowning at him, dishevelled but seemingly unhurt.
"Scor!" Albus exclaimed. "How are you... feeling? Do you... remember me?"
"'Course I do, you prat!" Scorpius snorted, climbing to his feet.
"The spell must have missed me. Thank god. I'll give that little shit Parkinson hell." he added darkly, noticing she'd ran off.
He was thrown when Albus thrust him into a tight hug. He found he enjoyed it.
"I'm fine, Albus. Seriously." he restrained from rolling his eyes.
"I can't believe you did that for me. And... you know I didn't really break up with you, right?" Albus whispered into his ear. Scorpius chuckled.
"I know. Should we talk about it later though..? We are in the middle of a task, Potter."
"Oh! Yeah!" Albus broke away, red faced.
"I'll see you when we're done."
Scorpius winked at him. "That's what they all say." he said cheekily, and strode off into the forest, leaving a flushed and dazed Albus behind.
.-.
"Walking is no use, you must use magical power..." Albus recited for the dozenth time.
I must have to use the skies to leave, he realised. He glanced around the trees, as if hoping to see a broomstick there. His eyes fell upon a log instead, and a plan began to form in his mind. He may not have a broomstick, but he could still fashion one...
"Engorgio." he muttered, pointing his wand at the log. It swelled to a size that could easily hold Albus.
"Wingardium Leviosa."
The log now hovered a few feet off the ground.
"Mansio." he whispered finally. The log was now suspended in air without his wand.
He clambered aboard the log, praying to God this would work. The thickness and size of it felt alien to Albus compared to a thin broomstick handle.
He kicked off from the ground, and soared high into the sky. The minute he was up high, the forest instantly shrank; before it had seemed to go on for miles, but he watched as before his eyes, it returned to its normal size.
He awkwardly flew the log to the edge of the forest, and in the direction of the Quidditch pitch, where faint cheers could be heard, getting louder and louder, until they were almost deafening.
As he flew over the top of the stands, into the pitch, he smiled triumphantly as he saw one of the screens transform from a picture to himself, to the number 'one'. He had come first!
He couldn't help but do celebratory laps around the Quidditch pitch, to many cheers and whoops.
.-.
Meanwhile, Scorpius too had figured out the key was to fly, but he was truly stumped as to how to do it. He gazed up at an eagle circling the sky, envious of her wings and ability. For the first time in history, a Malfoy wished he owned Hippogriff.
Then Scorpius recalled some of the new NEWT magic Professor McGonagall had been teaching them. It was a branch of Transfiguration called Analgamation. It was to take two separate objects and simultaneously transfigure them into one thing.
They hadn't done animal Analgamation yet, but Scorpius desperately hoped it wasn't that different. He stupefied the eagle and levitated it in front of him, as he went in search of the brown, regal horse had spotted earlier.
Once he had found it, he placed the unconscious eagle on the horses back, conscious of how stupid he would look if anyone saw him right then. He stepped back and pointed his wand at the pair.
"Jugonomo!" he shouted, and watched as a golden circle enveloped the two, growing brighter and brighter until Scorpius could no longer look at it.
When he opened his eyes again, he grinned to see a Hippogriff stamping its feet and braying softly. He bowed deeply, keeping in mind the warnings his father had given him about Hippogriffs.
The memory made Scorpius grin broadly when he imagined the look on his father's face when he told him he had flew a Hippogriff over the Forbidden Forest.
With that thought in mind, Scorpius clambered on the Hippogriff's back, and started on the same path Albus had taken half an hour earlier.
.-.
Albus watched the ticking clock anxiously. It was 11:59:37. He could see the growing shape of Scorpius approaching, but if he didn't enter the Quidditch Pitch in the next twenty three seconds, he wouldn't qualify.
"Come on, Scorpius." he growled anxiously. He held his breath as the clock reached 11:59:50. The crowd fell silent.
Ten seconds. Scorpius still looked to be a thousand metres away.
Nine seconds.
Eight seconds.
Seven seconds. Albus began waving his arms insistently, signalling for Scorpius to hurry up.
Five seconds. Scorpius seemed to understand. He kicked the Hippogriff who bellowed in pain, and sped up.
Three seconds. So close- only a hundred metres-!
Two seconds.
One second. 11:59:59. Scorpius burst over the top of the wooden Quidditch Pitch. There was a moment's silence, before the stadium imploded with cheers.
Albus grinned broadly, jumping up and down with everyone else. Scorpius did not do a victory lap, like Albus, but flew the Hippogriff down to touch down straight away, his eyes opening in shock as he looked at the clock.
His eyes connected with Albus's and no one else's, as he slid off the Hippogriff's back and ran over to him, stopping a foot away.
"Did I make it?" he asked breathlessly. His normally ivory skin was tinted red, and his pale blond hair stuck up in all directions. His wide eyes watched Albus hopefully.
Albus looked sadly at him, with no trace of a smile of amusement. Scorpius's face sagged in disappointment.
"Of course you did, you prat!" Albus beamed.
Scorpius growled dangerously. "You little shit!" and launched himself at Albus.
A dozen teachers who had been watching the interaction anxiously, in fear of a famous Potter-Malfoy fight, rushed forward as the boys collapsed to the ground, but froze, staggered as the boys laughed helplessly at each other.
And Draco Malfoy could not believe his own eyes.
Wahey, some Draco Malfoy! I just couldn't write a fanfiction without him in their somewhere - and speaking of which I've just published a completed Drarry oneshot, it's kind of sad and sweet, and it's called Wonderwall.
Shameful plug, I know, but if you could read it I would be really happy as I personally loved writing it. If any reviews on it are half as lovely as the ones are here (keep them up!) then I'll be very happy :)