The second match of the Quidditch season was taking place today—and Hermione, Theo and Harry were all attending the event to see Slytherin and Ravenclaw battle it out.
Hermione had spent the last several weeks in Malfoy's company on the days he was brewing his polyjuice and it would finally be done by this time next week. She had been simply amazed by his dedication to potions and noted that his obvious love of the discipline was more than just having Severus Snape as a godfather...Malfoy really seemed to be in his element.
She hasn't forgotten his words from that afternoon, nor her own feelings on the subject but true to her cautious nature, Hermione hadn't said nor done anything beyond just trying to get to know Malfoy better as a quasi-pseudo-friend. They had tons in common and they would often joke or laugh over the same things. But the biggest surprise had been how much Hermione's found herself looking forward to those afternoons. Once she'd decided to give a Malfoy a chance, she found that the wizard was really trying to change his old hateful habits.
Sally was his biggest fan by far. The little Gryffindor firstie and her group of friends could often be found staring at Malfoy and giggling to themselves over breakfast, lunch and dinner. Malfoy, if he noticed, played it rather cool but every once in a while he'd catch Sally's eye and wink at her playfully—causing the little witch to blush.
The two fifth year Slytherin boys had left Sally alone and the rest of Malfoy's house seemed to be on their best behavior.
Even some of the other Houses were starting to take notice of the changing demeanor amongst those wearing the green and silver. Ron had even commented on it when he'd noticed Zabini joking with Padma Patil and Micheal Corner one afternoon, saying that everyone was acting 'mental' and he was sure it was all some big ruse or another.
The day was perfect though, and once they'd reached the pitch, Theo gestured to the Slytherin stands.
"I'm going to go and sit with my House. You two want to join me?"
Harry shook his head. "Nah, I'm going to go sit with Luna in Ravenclaw."
Theo nodded and then turned to give Hermione his full attention. "What about you, Hermione?"
Sighing, Hermione shrugged. "I usually don't come to these things when Gryffindor isn't playing."
Both wizard's chuckled but Theo decided to take care and grabbed Hermione's hand, pulling her up into the Slytherin stands with him. Harry just waved at them in parting, heading towards the Ravenclaw area.
"You really hate Quidditch that much?" Theo asked in amusement and Hermione just side-eyed him with a shake of her head.
"I don't especially care for the game, or get why everyone is so obsessed with it but I can appreciate some of its finer points."
"Like Krum?"
That got a giggle and a nod from the witch. "Quidditch uniforms are rather fetching." She demurred with a wink.
"So you are a typical witch."
"Just because I can appreciate the male form in all its splendor doesn't mean I'm going to lose my rational mind just because a wizard happens to look good in his Quidditch garb."
"Whatever you say cousin."
They finally had reached the stands, and Theo led her to sit next to Daphne, Tracey Davis and Daphne's younger sister Astoria.
"Hey ladies."
"Theodore." Daphne smiled and nodded, her eyebrows then lifting in surprise as whom Theo had with him. "Hermione, welcome."
"Thanks." She nodded and sat down next to Daphne with Theo on her other side. "Apparently I've been appropriated as an honorary Slytherin today."
"Well, we should win this match fairly easily."
"I don't know about that," Hermione admitted slyly, "Cho is a fairly good Seeker."
"Doesn't matter," Tracey piped in, "Draco has been working our team like a wizard possessed. He's adamant they're going to win the Quidditch Cup this season."
Hermione just snorted out a guffaw, to the amused looks of those sitting there. "And Harry is just as obsessed. It's a miracle those two haven't managed to kill each other yet."
Everyone chuckled and nodded in agreement. A few more minutes of chit chat and then Hermione heard a voice speak up from behind her and to her left.
"They'll let anyone up here now?"
Turning to glance over her shoulder, Hermione rolled her eyes at the hateful looks being sent her way from Pansy, Olivia Shardlow and Millicent Bullstrode.
"Leave it be." Theo warned, his voice hard as ice. "My cousin is here as my guest."
Theo's blue eyes pierced the witches with a warning, letting them know that Hermione was under his protection...the protection of House Nott. If they wanted to try something untoward, Theo had no doubt Hermione could take care of herself but a offer of protection wasn't something that anyone in Slytherin would easily dismiss and by the looks on the faces of those around them...they understood it too.
Pansy's face pinched and Shardlow just looked like she was going to be ill but Millicent glared angrily.
"I didn't take you as a traitor to your own House, Nott."
Theo scoffed. "Don't be daft, Millie. You know the importance of family just like we all do. Family comes before House loyalty and while I suppose it doesn't mean as much to some," Theo's voice was dripping with disdain as he returned the glare of the hefty witch, "My Father would be most displeased should I not show my cousin the deference she deserves."
Hermione placed a hand on Theo's arm and squeezed it softly as she spoke silently into his mind. "Not worth it Theo. They're just embittered witches."
"True enough." His voice replied under his breath, and he turned back around, dismissing the conversation for the time being.
A few more moments of causal conversation passed, before the teams were announced and Hermione watched as both Ravenclaw and Slytherin flew out onto the field. She immediately noticed Cho Chang, the captain of the Ravenclaw team, wave her hand to her players as they moved into their proper positions, while Malfoy flew with his teammates over to the far side of the pitch and looked to be giving them some last minute instructions before they too, took their rightful spots hovering above the playing pitch.
When his gaze caught her's, he lifted an eyebrow and smirked as if he was amused to see her sitting in the Slytherin stands but the connection was fleeting, as Madam Hooch blew her whistle and everyone edged forward for the start of the game.
At the second blow of the whistle, Madam Hooch released the quaffle into the air, the snitch and bludger speeding away and the game began in earnest.
Slytherin had a formidable team this year as it was comprised of sixth and seventh year's only. Malfoy was the Seeker of course, Zabini a chaser along with Urquhart, Crabbe and Goyle were both the beaters and Vaisey had moved from the Chaser position this year to Keeper, taking Miles Bletchley's post after the Slytherin Keeper had graduated this past June.
Hermione watched with interest (or as much as she could feign being forced to watch Quidditch) but at least Theo was thoughtful and took his time to explain a few things to her, here and there. At one point Crabbe sent to bludger towards one of the Chasers on the Ravenclaw team and nearly knocked the wizard off his broom...and in the ensuing drama, Hermione noticed the snitch hovering near the Ravenclaw goal post.
Malfoy must've seen it too, for he moved in that direction...Cho following him closely. When he got to the lowest hoop, he shot up vertically and came under the Ravenclaw Keeper, nearly knocking him off his broom too, and then he turned a sharp 90 degrees towards the Ravenclaw stands—the snitch also moving in that direction.
Then the snitch banked down hard towards the ground, with both Malfoy and Cho following...neck in neck. Cho was the first to pull up about fifteen feet from the ground, but Malfoy flattened his body along his broom and did a sideways turn almost six feet off the ground, and as soon as Hermione saw his hand come out...he crashed into the pitch...and everyone was shouting and pointing at the blonde as he fisted his hand to his chest trying desperately to catch his breath—as the game raged on above him.
Then he lifted his right hand...snitch firmly within his grasp and the whistle blew for the final time.
"Slytherin Wins!"
Everyone in their vicinity started to cheer like mad, while Hermione clapped and rolled her eyes but inside she was genuinely concerned about Malfoy.
What in Merlin's name was he thinking?
"Do you think he's hurt?" She murmured to Theo and her cousin just chuckled.
"If he is, he probably couldn't care less seeing that Slytherin won the match."
They moved down the stands, watching all the rest of the snakes cheering and high-fiving each other like they'd won the game themselves.
Over the railing on the way down, she noticed Madam Hooch levitating Malfoy and taking him most likely to the infirmary to be checked over.
Theo noticed too and once they'd found Harry again, the three of them plus Luna made their way back inside the castle.
"That was a good game." Harry's expression was surprised but there was a tinge of worry too.
Obviously Slytherin played much better than he'd expected them too.
"They've been practicing hard." Theo replied, giving Harry a mischievous grin.
"I do hope Draco is okay." Luna's angelic voice mumbled as she skipped along next to Harry, her expression clearly concerned for the Slytherin Seeker.
"Maybe we should go check on him?" Theo offered kindly, and Luna smiled and nodded while both Harry and Hermione grinned at the two of them.
Harry caught her eye and nudged his chin in their general direction as he mouthed, "They're cute together."
Hermione smiled and nodded, following Theo and Luna as they made their way to the infirmary.
Once there, Luna meandered inside, not worried in the least that the other Slytherin Quidditch Players might not want her there. But it didn't seem an issue as Draco smiled warmly at the younger witch and said kindly, "Hey Luna."
"Hello Draco," her voice had that dreamy Luna quality as her bright blue eyes considered the blonde wizard. "That was a very interesting way to catch the snitch."
Draco chuckled, then winced as he gripped his chest in pain with his right hand. "Well, I fractured a few ribs and shattered my left arm but I'll be good as new in a day or two."
Blaise and Vaisey just shook their heads while Crabbe and Goyle didn't know what to say.
Theo came over and sat down next to his dorm-mate and grinned. "Nice job."
"Thanks Theo." Draco's gaze then locked with Hermione and he winked before seeing Potter standing just behind her.
"Potter."
"Malfoy." Harry smirked. "That was quite the crash."
"At least I caught the snitch."
Harry nodded, his expression amused. "Heal up. You won't win so easily against Gryffindor."
Draco snorted and rolled his eyes. "Piss off Potter," Draco's sneer wasn't serious, but Hermione's could tell that the Slytherin was both amused and irritated by his nemesis being there.
"Sure, Malfoy." Harry turned to leave and then said, "You coming Mione?"
"I'll be down in a bit Harry."
Harry just hummed but didn't reply as he walked out of the infirmary. He was followed after a few moments by the Slytherin Quidditch Team and then Luna said her goodbyes.
Theo stood up and moved over towards his cousin. "You want to head the the library?"
"I'll be there soon, Theo. I want to ask Malfoy a question."
If Theo was concerned, he didn't show it as he nodded and left quietly. Once he was gone, Hermione moved over and sat down in the chair next to Draco's bed...her expression wary.
"That was reckless Malfoy." Her voice reminded Draco of how she'd often reprimand Weasley and Potter for doing something ridiculously harebrained.
"Nonsense," he quipped back with a smirk of his own, "I'm a little banged up, but nothing that a good nights sleep and some skelegro won't fix just fine." His face softened a bit and his voice lowered a fraction as he asked, "Are you worried about me, Princess?"
Hermione huffed and folded her arms over her chest defiantly. "No! I just think it's ridiculous how you all play that game without a thought for your safety and well-being."
"It's fun." He bit back with a grin and Hermione groaned at how ridiculous this all was.
Madame Pomfrey came over at that moment with a bottle of skelegro and a sleeping drought.
"Here you go Mr. Malfoy."
Draco's lips thinned as he eyed the skelegro distastefully, causing Hermione to chuckle softly.
"No big deal, right Malfoy?"
"Shut it witch." He groused but held out his right hand for the tonic, taking a small sniff of it before he put it to his lips and forced himself to swallow it down. His entire body shuddered in revulsion at how nasty the potion tasted and he took the sleeping drought with a nod of thanks, swallowing it too before he handed the vials back to the Medi Witch.
"Thank you, Madame Pomfrey."
The older witch's expression registered surprise for a split second, then her face softened as she said kindly, "You're very welcome Mr. Malfoy. Get some rest if you can."
He nodded and watched the Medi Witch leave him alone with Hermione.
"You should head down and meet Theo, before he comes searching for you again."
"I'll be fine, Malfoy." Hermione's voice started to sound like it was coming from far away and he smiled widely.
"Thank you for coming and watching the match today." He said, his voice tired and slurring slightly and Hermione just shook her head and gazed at him softly.
"Go to sleep Malfoy. Sweet dreams."
Hermione stood up to leave and stopped cold when she heard Malfoy say faintly, right before he succumbed to slumber, "s'ways good. Dreams of you."
Her expression was shocked and she stared down into the relaxed face of Malfoy, who looked peaceful and utterly adorable...and she shook her head clear.
He wasn't referring to her?
Was he?