Author's note: This series follows the books but will include details from the movie series for drama. Please note that the major events of the story remain true to the series and will be summarized into small sections to help progress to the story's love interest. I do not want to be claimed for plagiarizing but the original story line is needed to explain the changes in character development.
M rating for sexual content anticipated to start in year 4.
Disclaimer: I own nothing of the Harry Potter series. Thank you to J.K. Rowling for bringing us the wonderful Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
The Doting Rival
Chapter 15
The Gryffindor team arrived in the Great Hall the next morning to enormous cheers and applause. Even the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw tables were cheering. Adelyn was fortunate to be wide awake with excitement, considering how her night had went. Like the last match, she placed her beloved Firebolt in the middle of the table to be safeguarded by the team. There were many students who had yet to see this striking broom and no one was willing to let it be tampered with now that the most important game of the season was at hand.
In between reminding each player their important tasks for the game ahead, Oliver Wood urged the team to eat well. He spoke with urgency, the threat of his final opportunity of victory hanging on each word. Adelyn noticed he didn't touch much food himself. Quidditch truly was the center of his world. She was determined to make him proud today.
Before long, they were entering the Quidditch field in their scarlet robes. "And here are the Gryffindors!" yelled Lee Jordan. "Potter, Bell, Johnson, Weasley -"
The commentary was drowned out by the boos from the Slytherin end. Though two thirds of the stadium wore the colors of Gryffindor, the opposing team had resounding volume. It was hard not to notice them. Even Professor Snape donned green and silver robes. This was the only time Adelyn could recall seeing him in anything besides black robes.
"And here come the Slytherin team, led by Captain Flint."
Adelyn noticed there had been some changes made to the team. The entire team was enormous, Draco being the shortest and youngest, like herself. That was ideal for the Seeker position. It seemed Flint was hoping to win with sheer brute this year.
"Captains, shake hands," said Madam Hooch.
Flint and Wood obliged her, grasping each other's hands so tightly it appeared they were determined to break the other's fingers.
"Mount your brooms!" continued Madam Hooch. "Three. . . two . . . one . . ."
With the sound of her whistle, the teams zoomed into the air. Adelyn's nerves left her as the wind blew her hair from her face. Adrenaline was now in its place as she glanced around in search of the Snitch.
"And it's Gryffindor in possession, Alicia Spinnet with the Quaffle heading for the Slytherin goal post, ARGH, no – intercepted by Warrington. Warrington of Slytherin bolting up the filed – WHAM – nice Bludger by Fred Weasley. Warrington drops the Quaffle. It's caught by Johnson, Gryffindor back in possession. Nice swerve! And SHE SCORES! TEN-ZERO TO GRYFFINDOR!"
Adelyn cheered from across observed from across the field. Angelina punched the air in triumph, soaring around the goal posts - "OUCH" - she was nearly thrown from her broom as Marcus Flint smashed into her.
"Sorry!" Flint said as the crowd jeered at him. "Sorry, didn't see her!" he replied.
In response, Fred chucked his Beater's club at the back of Flint's head, causing his nose to smash into his broom and bleed.
"That is quite enough!" shrieked Madam Hooch. She penalized each team for unprovoked attacks to their Chasers. But that was only the beginning.
Both teams were exceptionally physical compared to most games. Instead of grabbing Quaffles, they were grabbing heads. Instead of hitting Bludgers, clubs were hitting players. It was one of the dirtiest games Adelyn had ever played.
"THIRTY-ZERO, SCORE BY KATIE BELL OF GRYFFINDOR!"
Adelyn felt a huge jolt of excitement as she saw the Snitch shimmering at the foot of one of the Gryffindor goal posts. But she couldn't catch it yet if she wanted to win. They needed twenty more points first. She skimmed the field to find Draco nearing the posts, clearly not seeing the Snitch.
Faking a look of sudden concentration, Adelyn sped toward the Slytherin end. It worked. Draco took the bait and sped after her, clearly assuming she had spotted the Snitch.
WHOOSH.
One of the Bludgers, hit by the Slytherin Beater, Derrick, came streaking past Adelyn's right ear. Just as she swerved to the left -
WHOOSH.
A second Bludger grazed her left ear. The other Beater, Bole, was closing in.
Adelyn turned her Firebolt upward at the last second, hearing a distinct crunch as Bole and Derrick collided. She couldn't help but laugh at their karma.
"Idiots!" Draco seethed as he flew past them. "I was in pursuit of the Snitch!"
"Don't you mean, I was, Draco?" Adelyn taunted, turning her broom to face him. She was determined to keep him distracted as long as she could.
"And yet, you lost it," he pointed out.
Draco watched as Adelyn's smirk fell from her face. It had been a while since they teased each other. And it seemed he was winning this time. He was interrupted before he could continue -
"FLINT SCORES FOR SLYTHERIN. Gryffindor in the lead, thirty points to ten. Gryffindor in possession -"
Madame Hooch continued to throw out penalties as the game progressed. Bole hit Angelina with his club trying to claim he mistook her for a Bludger. George Weasley elbowed him in the face in retaliation.
The Snitch had disappeared again, but Draco was keeping a close tail on Adelyn. He knew she had the faster broom, so he had a better chance of getting the Snitch if he stayed close to her. It was just a bonus that she was an attractive opponent; the exertion gave her cheeks a pink flush and the wind blew the loose tendrils of hair around her face. Very attractive.
"What's wrong, Draco? Can't find the Snitch on your own?" Adelyn interrupted his thoughts.
Draco couldn't decide if he felt irritated or turned on. Maybe a bit of both. What did he want more? To win the Quidditch Cup? Or for Adelyn to continue instigating him? Not only did he find her addictively attractive, but he also had a strong desire to maintain her attention; he loved when she vied for his attention.
"Nah. The view is just better from here." Draco gave her mischievous smirk. The way she leaned forward on her broom gave him a prominent view of her lower assets.
For a moment, Adelyn was shocked. She had not expected such a remark from Draco Malfoy. Is he talking about my ass? A blush crept across her cheeks.
"Well, how about now?" Adelyn took off down the field. Draco followed suite, keeping close behind.
Angelina scored again. Fifty-ten. Fred and George were preemptively swooping around her in anticipation of any Slytherins trying to exact revenge. Bole and Derrick took advantage of their absence near the Gryffindor goal posts to aim both Bludgers at Wood. They caught him in the stomach, one after the other, winding him completely.
Madame Hooch was beside herself at this point in the game. "YOU DO NOT ATTACH THE KEEPER UNLESS THE QUAFFLE IS WITHIN THE SCORING AREA!" she shrieked. "Slytherin penalty!"
Moments later, Katie scored. Sixty-ten. The Gryffindor crowd was screaming above the commentary. Adelyn knew if she caught the Snitch now, the Cup was theirs. She soared high above the field, urgently searching for her prey.
And then she saw it. Sparkling twenty feet above her.
She put on a huge burst of speed, laying herself as flat against the Firebolt as she could. She stretched out her hand as she approached, but suddenly, the Firebolt was slowing down. She looked down to find Draco had grabbed hold of the Firebolt's tail and was pulling her back.
"Draco -"
Adelyn was fuming. She had a sudden desire to punch him, if only she could reach. But that was irrelevant. Draco had achieved what he desired. The Snitch had disappeared.
"Penalty! Penalty to Slytherin. I have never seen such tactics!" Madame Hooch exasperated.
"Definitely worth it." Draco had a full grin on his face. Had it not been a Quidditch match, Adelyn would have been able to appreciate it.
"Oh! It is ON!" Adelyn changed tactics, letting her competitiveness consume her. She was now marking Draco.
"Angelina Johnson has the Quaffle for Gryffindor." Lee Jordan was on the edge of his seat commenting. "SHE SCORES! SHE SCORES! Gryffindor leads by eighty points to twenty!"
Suddenly, Draco started diving. There below, a few feet above the grass, was the Snitch. It only took a few seconds for Adelyn to catch up with him. She was so close to him, her knees kept hitting his.
"Get off it, Adelyn!" Draco's frustration was taking over his earlier allure.
"Not so fun, is it?" Adelyn mocked. Have a taste of your own medicine.
The pair plummeted toward the grass. Adelyn urged her broom faster. "Go, go, go!"
She threw herself forward. She took both hands off her broom, one to knock Draco's arm out of the way and the other to -
"YES!"
Adelyn pulled out of the dive, raising her right hand high into the air, the tiny golden ball in her fist. The crowd erupted wildly in cheers.
Wood sped across the field and seized Adelyn around the neck, sobbing into her shoulder. Adelyn felt two heavy thumps as Fred and Geroge joined the embrace.
"Bloody brilliant, Adelyn!" Fred roared.
Draco felt another wave of defeat as he saw Fred pull her closer. It was bad enough knowing he just lost the Quidditch Cup. He couldn't watch another guy hanging all over Adelyn. He sped off towards his team.
Angelina, Alicia, and Katie joined the rest of the team in the tangle of an embrace. They slowly sank to the ground. The crowd of students had spilled onto the field and the band rang out a song of triumph. Dumbledore stood amongst the crowd waiting with the enormous Quidditch Cup.
As Adelyn took her turn lifting the Cup into the air, she felt as though she could produce the largest Patronus in the world.
Adelyn couldn't remember the last time she was in such high spirits. With Quidditch practices over for the year, she was able to relish the euphoria with the three consecutive days of partying in the Common Room. It seemed everyone was overcome with the excitement as there was barely any room to move around each other. No one wanted it to end. Except Percy, of course. He wore the exhaustion of responsibility on his face prominently.
On the third evening, Adelyn was relaxing by the fireplace with the rest of the Quidditch team celebrating Oliver Wood's successful final year as Captain. As the group shared stories, a young first year excitedly approached with a large bouquet of white roses.
"Uh - excuse me, Adelyn?" the young girl pipped up. "These just arrived for you." She set the flowers down on the side table before walking away.
"Ohhhhhh! Adelyn, who are they from?" Katie inquired.
Fred looked through the blossoms as he was closest. "There's no card."
Adelyn leaned in taking in the scent, a smile creeping on her face.
"Someone has a secret admirer!" Angelina said in a sing-song voice.
"What?" Adelyn looked in her direction.
"She's right, Adelyn," Katie chimed in. "A bouquet of thirteen signifies a secret admirer."
"AND. . . they're white." Angelina continued, "Purity, reverence. Much more than an admirer." She nudged Adelyn with her elbow.
"Adelyn, have you been hiding that you have a boyfriend?" Alicia was now very curious.
"What? No!" Adelyn began to blush.
"Come on! You can tell us," Katie coaxed.
"Honestly! There is nothing to tell. "Adelyn began closing her body in on itself. She was suddenly very embarrassed.
"Of course, she has an admirer! Probably more than one," Fred swept in-between Angelina and Adelyn on the couch. "After all, she is the best Seeker Hogwarts has seen in decades!" He wrapped an arm around her and gave her a hearty squeeze.
Luckily, this got everyone back to the previous topic. Adelyn mouthed "thank you" to Fred, appreciative of him changing the subject. He winked at her in reply.
She was unable to focus much after that, however. She kept staring at the roses, recalling the last time she had received this exact bouquet. Madame Pomfrey had said then it was a secret admirer. Is it from the same guy? Adelyn spent the rest of the evening pondering who it could be.