A/N: I have resolved to have shorter A/Ns from now on. At the start anyway. :P The previous one was wayyy too long. Sorry about that. :) Anyway. Thanks to ShadowsLight (Thank you so much for adding me to your favourites! :D), Cali (I'm feeling quite nervous now about your expectations! :) But thank you!), and Kenna Hijja (Long note to you at the bottom :D)! Oh, and Icicle for defending me! :D I'm sorry for not updating earlier, you'd have problems too if you had six past year exam papers to finish for school -curse curse- :D Anyway, on with the story.

Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns everything. :)

Draco's POV
***

''You've got a new Seeker? Where?'' said Oliver Wood, stepping forward curiously.

Hidden from the Gryffindor team's view up till then as I stood behind Marcus, I made my way to the front, unable to keep the triumphant smirk off of my face. The seven people dressed in crimson robes stared at me ¨C and I stared back at Potter, meeting the eyes that were bright with confusion and shock.

''Aren't you Lucius Malfoy's son?'' one of the Weasley twins asked me, his voice hinting that he felt something more than neutrality toward me ¨C something like detestation. I snorted inwardly; as if I cared what any Weasley thought. As Marcus started to explain how I had come to join the team, I continued to look intently at the owner of the pair of green eyes, which were peering out from behind Wood's back. Seeing the disbelief in them, I almost laughed out loud.

Of course, I had always wanted to join the house team ¨C I told Potter so the first time I saw him ¨C which was why I had suggested the idea of sponsoring the Slytherin team's brooms to Father. But part of me also wanted to prove that I could hold my own against Harry Potter, youngest Seeker in a century; that I could actually have a chance of beating him at Quidditch, the one thing that he seemed to really excel at.

And a tiny part of me wanted to get closer to him.

Oh, shit. I rested my head gently against the handle of my Nimbus Two Thousand and One for just a second, trying to ease the throbbing headache that suddenly came on, as we paraded our brooms in front of the Gryffindor team's noses.

Harry's POV
***

I was speechless. The whole team was, in fact, as we stared at the magnificent brooms held out by the Slytherins. I knew Malfoy's family was wealthy, but to this extent?

''Oh, look. A pitch invasion,'' said Marcus Flint, the Slytherin captain, looking beyond us to the side of the pitch.

''What's happening? Why aren't you playing? And what's he doing here?'' Ron said, scanning the length of Malfoy's Quidditch robes quizzically as he and Hermione came closer to the group.

''I'm the new Slytherin Seeker, Weasley. Everyone's just been admiring the brooms my father's bought our team.'' The look on Malfoy's face was unbearably arrogant, and I had to resist the strong urge to beating him over the head with my broomstick. Ron's jaw dropped as he stared at the brooms, his expression clearly screaming 'This is bloody VULGAR!'

''Good, aren't they? But perhaps the Gryffindor team will be able to raise some gold and get new brooms, too. You could raffle off those Cleansweep Fives, I expect a museum will bid for them,'' said Malfoy snidely, evidently thinking of how ''superior'' his family was compared to Ron's.

''At least no one on the Gryffindor team had to buy their way in. They got in on pure talent,'' said Hermione, looking at Malfoy coolly. At the expression on Malfoy's face I was torn between wanting to laugh and wanting to hug him. You had to give Hermione credit; she did have the most acerbic comebacks sometimes.

Did I say I wanted to hug him? Well, just a slip of the tongue. I don't. Ever.

Draco's POV
***

Granger's observation stung. There was a certain truth to it, I knew, but I never would have admitted it to myself. I had always prided myself on being able to fly quite well, and not joining the house team while Potter did in first year, even when he had never ridden a broomstick before ¨C well, her statement hit me where it hurt.

''No one asked your opinion, you filthy little Mudblood,'' I heard myself say venomously.

One moment, the two teams were staring at each other, and the next it seemed like half the Gryffindors had jumped on me. I saw red ¨C and it wasn't just because I was smarting from the comment; I could just make out the Weasley twins' hair and robes in a blur of red in front of my eyes. Ducking behind Marcus, I twisted here and there, trying to get out of the Weasleys' reach. I wasn't scared, of course ¨C me, Draco Malfoy, scared of a bunch of Muggle-lovers? ¨C I just didn't want to be injured for my first practice.

''You'll pay for that one, Malfoy!'' I heard someone shout, and when I turned in the direction of the voice, Weasley was pointing his wand at me, and I felt a most unfamiliar feeling ¨C fear.

Hurry up and stop him, Harry! I thought desperately, waiting for the spell to hit me.

Wait. Harry?

Harry's POV
***

Ron's spell backfired and he was thrown backwards as it hit him instead of Malfoy. I felt an inexplicable sense of relief all of a sudden.

''Ron! Ron! Are you all right?'' Hermione ran over to him. Ron belched out slugs in reply, and the Slytherin team promptly burst into maniacal laughter. I knelt down beside Ron, glaring at the Slytherins ¨C or rather, one in particular.

Malfoy was on the ground and he couldn't stop laughing. I was furious, of course, but at the same time I somehow couldn't tear my eyes away from his handso... er, ugly mug. It was one of the few times I had actually seen him laugh genuinely, and it was strangely... hypnotising. I shook my head hard, trying to clear my thoughts, and proceeded to give my full attention to Ron.

Well, I tried to, at least.

Draco's POV
***

Tears were coming to my eyes already, I was laughing so hard. Father's point that the Weasleys were a disgrace to the name of wizard had been proven. They couldn't even afford to give their son a decent wand! Talk about pathetic. But...

''We'd better get him to Hagrid's, it's nearest,'' Potter said to Granger. As I watched Potter and Granger help Weasley toward the gamekeeper's hut, as I watched him snap at the annoying first year, concern and anger mixed in his face, I couldn't help but look at Weasley belching slugs all over the place and think:

I wish it were me.

A/N: Okay, okay, I promise, after Part 2, just two more incidents after and then the ending. :D I've kinda decided how I want to do it. I think. Sorry, I know splitting chapters into parts is really infuriating, but I just couldn't resist this title! Anyway. I keep finding new scenes I want to put in! Actually, this fic is a total PWP isn't it. I mean, it's basically just a few scenes from the book compiled together with a little slash thrown in! :P But oh well, now I've started, I can't leave it dangling halfway. :)

To Kenna Hijja: Thanks for the feedback! I'll keep in mind the bit about expressing emotions more. :) Oh, and I actually put the rating as PG-13 just because of the idea of slash. :D Again, thanks very much for your help!

To Piper: Gee, thanks. You sure encouraged me a lot. Look, I don't mean to sound rude, but it's a slash story. If you find it insulting that Draco is gay or too soppy or whatever, you don't have to read the fic. I'm not going to flame your story just because you left that comment. The story's a disgrace, huh? Well, I guess our standards are pretty different, then. Sorry if I don't live up to yours.

Erm, that was a bit mean, wasn't it. But oh well, after that bit of anger-venting, I'm fine now. :D Well, you know the drill. :)