Disclaimer: Much as I'd like to, I don't own Draco Malfoy, or any part of the magical world that J.K. Rowling has all the copyrights to ... please don't sue me. There are some parts of this story that are quotes from the book - it can't be helped - events are the same as in the book, but Draco's opinion of these events may vary from Harry's.
Author's Notes: I needed to do some re-writing, after reading OotP. I have made some minor changes to this chapter, mostly spelling and grammar.
LenaLovely12: When I get GoF out depends entirely on how many reviews I get - hint hint.
Logan: Um, the Dementor dreams weren't their worst fears, they were the fears most likely to drive them insane. Draco's worst fear is as the Boggart showed, Voldemort. Well, maybe whoever said it was "silvery stuff" didn't see it properly (I do remember, Harry heard a second-hand account of it).
angelkas: The Dementor was not lurking in the hallway - the Dementor was outside the castle - both the dorm Draco sleeps in and the girls' dorm for the same year are at the outside wall of the castle, at the end of their respective corridors, close enough for the Dementor to affect them. As for Theo's dream, he'd had the same nightmare before - he said so himself.
dragonsprincess: I think Theo was a bit preoccupied with his own nightmare to bother pestering Draco ... and I think he'll forget that Draco weaselled his way out of saying anything, what with the sleep-deprivation, and general chaos that is Theo's mind. Erm, Draco was in just as much danger as Pansy in that fire thing - he just managed to drag her out to safety at the same time as saving his own skin.
Akuma-sama: Um, yeah, it is a well-used quote, isn't it? Yes, Theo/Luna is scary - that's why I'm doing it! And Theo vs Umbitch is precisely why I can't wait to get to OotP!! *whines* it's gonna be ages, I have to do the whole of GoF, but I will get there eventually.
Starre: no ... regular coffee ... why on Earth would you ask that?
Caz Malfoy: Oh, I love Dementors, I can't wait to see them in the third movie ... then again, I thought the Basilisk was cute.
dstrbd child: Yeah, I based that off the song in that episode of Buffy.
A couple of Quidditch matches, and Flint earns Draco his second ever detention.
Chapter 14 - Ravenclaws and Firebolts
That weekend, we had our first match against Ravenclaw.
I spent the first half-hour of it engaging Cho Chang in an ethical and moral debate over the principals of what actually counted as cheating, while still looking out for the Snitch at the same time.
Then, as the announcer declared that Ravenclaw were leading one hundred and sixty to twenty, I spotted the Snitch at the far end of the pitch, while looking over Cho's shoulder - she was looking in my direction and didn't see it. "You're right - I am a sneaky evil git." I muttered, in answer to her previous comment, and then before she could answer, I was flying for the Snitch at my top speed - she couldn't keep up. I caught it, and we won, 170-160 ... close call, but what counts is we won.
"Didn't I mention, rotten in that list?" Cho asked me, as she caught up with me far too late.
I held up the Snitch triumphantly, "You might have." I said, grinning.
She held up one hand in defeat, "No need to rub it in my face." she replied calmly, "I'm not a sore loser like you can be."
"That really hurt." I said sarcastically.
"Well, face it, you're always moaning about Potter winning - it's almost like you care more about your rivalry with him than your real game-play." she said as we both flew in to land.
"You're right." I admitted, "But I'm still going to beat him."
"Whatever you say." she said coolly, waving her hand in a dismissive gesture that clearly told me she did not believe for a second that I could beat Potter.
That was cold.
* * *
I was sitting in the common room, minding my own business, when, "Malfoy - I've got a plan." oh, no - Marcus Flint, and the words 'I've got a plan' ... never a good combination - it usually means someone is going to get hurt ... quite possibly me.
"What might this plan be?" I asked, looking up from my Muggle Studies textbook to see what he wanted.
"We let the Dementors into Potter's next game, tomorrow, see if he can't get himself killed this time." he announced.
"Oh, yeah - smart move." I retorted sarcastically, "Why don't we book you a space in St Mungo's right now - you'll need it when they suck you dry for going near them."
Flint visibly paled, "OK, then - why don't we ..." he paused as if thinking - it looked painful, and he failed to think of anything. "Well, have you got any better ideas?" he asked me, accusingly.
"Potter's not got a real broom - I say we sit back and enjoy the show." I replied coolly.
"He's got a new broom - rumour about the castle says it's good, but no one tells us what make." Flint replied in a dangerous note.
I shrugged, "That's not my problem, until our match."
"Oh, yes it is." Flint replied, "The league is close enough that this match will make a difference. We want him to lose this match as well."
I shrugged again, not much caring - how could we make a difference if we weren't even playing?
Crabbe suddenly spoke up from where he had been listening, "I have a cunning plan."
Flint and I both looked at him - I consciously checked his hair-colour again, "That'll be a first." I said simply.
Crabbe actually nodded in agreement with this statement, before continuing, "If we can't bring real Dementors to scare Potter, why not bring fake Dementors?"
"Surprisingly logical, for who's talking." I muttered, still watching him, expecting him to turn into someone else at any moment.
"And how do you propose we do that?" Flint asked.
"I dunno ... dress up as Dementors ourselves?" Crabbe asked, losing all semblance of intelligence with that statement.
"Sure, that's clever - let's all sign up for floor-scrubbing with Filch, for the rest of our school careers, right now and save all the trouble." I said sarcastically.
Flint, however, waved at me to shut the hell up, "No, it's a good idea, your cronie's come up with. It might work, too."
"You'll not catch me doing tha-"
"No one will catch us - we'll be gone before they can stop us." Flint interrupted. I was much more sceptical ... still, I wanted to keep my place on the team, so I had no choice but to play along with this STUPID idea. Of course, any idea of Crabbe's can't be worth the air he inhaled to say it with.
* * *
The next morning, Potter arrived at the Gryffindor table escorted by half the boys in his house - they all had smug looks on their faces. I glared at him for all of five second before it hit me - I shook my head, blinked, and looked back - nope, still there - he was carrying as Firebolt!!!
The git had a Firebolt!!!
Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs were all crowding round the Gryffindor table, effectively drooling. I couldn't quite believe it myself - maybe it just looked like a Firebolt. I had to see for myself.
"You two." I said, twisting Goyle's ear to wake him from the slack-jawed daze he was in, by the mere presence of the Firebolt, "Follow me." Crabbe and least, didn't need physical violence to make him move - they followed as I walked quickly over to the Gryffindor table, stopping to get a good look at the broom, as Bighead Boy rushed past me heading for the Ravenclaw table. It really was a Firebolt. Damn! "Sure you can handle that broom, Potter?" I asked, stepping forward, so I was standing right behind him and his Weasley - I could have reached out and touched the Firebolt, if I'd tried, but I didn't want to touch anything of his.
"Yeah, reckon so." Potter replied, looking round at me far too calmly.
I smirked, not taking my eyes off the broomstick - I wasn't jealous, honestly - no - I'd get a better one next year. Who am I kidding? I really wanted to steal that Firebolt, right there and then, but there was the small detail that all the teachers in the school were watching. "Got plenty of special features, hasn't it? Shame it doesn't come with a parachute - in case you get too near a Dementor."
"Pity you can't attach an extra arm to yours, Malfoy. Then it could catch the Snitch for you." Potter replied. Why they found that funny, I don't know ... then again, they are Gryffindors - their idea of humour always did elude me.
I returned to the Slytherin table, growling swear words, "It IS a bloody Firebolt. Lucky git." that's just the end of my rant - the rest needed to be censored.
"Looks like it's definitely our little plan, then?" Flint asked.
"Ha." I replied.
"No wonder they didn't let us know what make of broom it was - they wanted to keep their secret weapon secret." Flint continued, almost to himself.
"No duh." I mumbled, lashing out at him, in the fond hope of making him shut up.
"Watch it - you'll give me a black eye." he snapped.
"It might make you better looking, if it hides your face." I snarled.
Theo chose this moment to comment, "See - that is why everyone thinks you're-" I kicked him under the table, "Owwwww! What'd you do that for?"
"Because you were breathing again." I growled.
* * *
We were outside the Quidditch pitch, in the cool breeze, and weak sunlight, "This is a bad idea, Flint." I noted, watching as he strapped stilts to his ankles. Crabbe was doing the same.
"Nonsense - this'll work perfectly - you'll see." Flint said smirking.
I continued to glare at them, as Crabbe threw a cloak over himself, hiding his face completely. Flint did the same - at a distance, some people might be fooled, I guess. I then looked at Goyle, and back to the two 'masterminds' of this stupid plan. "It won't work."
"Don't be such a pessimist, Draco - come on - hurry up - the game's already started." Flint said.
Reluctantly, I climbed onto Goyle's shoulders, kicking him when he grabbed my legs too tightly, and then threw the cloak on - I felt like a prat. "This is a bad idea." I repeated, "And you, Goyle, smell like a troll."
"Thanks." Goyle replied. I glared at Flint - this was all his fault.
Flint then turned and led the way onto the pitch - the Two Twits trooped after him, bringing me along for the ride ... that's not funny - don't laugh. I had to keep kicking Goyle in the sides, by way of giving him directions, since he couldn't see where he was going. I looked up to see the two Seekers were both crossing the sky very fast. "They're already after the Snitch - we're too late." I said quietly, as Flint also looked up, "I told you this wouldn't work."
"He's not won yet." Flint replied.
At that point, Cho Chang spotted us, letting out a barely-audible-at-this-distance scream, which caught Potter's attention - Potter didn't even stop for breath - he pulled a wand out and sent a curse at us - something silvery-white, glowing - it looked like a horse or a stag or something like that. "RUN!" I shouted - Goyle promptly fell over. Crabbe panicked and tripped over us, and Flint fell over the hem of the cloak he was wearing.
I had said that this wouldn't work, hadn't I?
"Damn you! Damn all three of you to the seventh circle of hell!" I yelled.
"It was Crabbe's idea." Flint replied.
"No - it's your fault, you prat." I replied. I kicked Goyle a few times, for good measure, while trying to remove myself from the tangle of bodies and robes that really did smell like a pair of trolls.
"What an outrage!" oh, that's all I need - Professor McGonnaFlip's overly-stern voice was yelling at us, "I would have thought even you were above such nonsense, Mr Malfoy! Never have I seen such an unworthy trick! A low and cowardly attempt to sabotage the Gryffindor Seeker! Detention for all of you, and fifty points from Slytherin! I shall be speaking to Professor Dumbledore about this, make no mistake! Ah, here he comes now!" and sure enough she was joined by Professor Dumbledore.
Giving up entirely, on all reasonable attempts to get out of the damnable robe, I drew my wand and cast a severing charm on the sleeves, kicking my way away from Goyle, and standing up, wincing in pain from where Goyle's head had hit me - OUCH. "I'm never going to live this down, am I?" I asked.
"No, you most likely won't." Flint muttered.
"I told you it was a stupid idea." I repeated for the nth time.
McGonagall was fuming. Dumbledore watched me with interest, "Why did you do this, Mr Malfoy?" he asked, assuming I was the ringleader of this stunt.
"It was Flint's idea. I told him it was stupid." I replied.
"And yet, you went along with such a nefarious scheme?" McGonagall asked.
"Nefarious schemes, I wouldn't have objected to - this was just daft." I answered, "But I hardly had a choice -" at this I turned to Flint, "Mon Capitan." [A/N: The way Draco said that - think the way Q refers to Captain Picard in STTNG.]
Flint had the good sense to look sorry for himself.
At least we got away with as little punishment as we did. I was loath to do another detention, after the last one I'd experienced, but what choice did I have?
* * *
I heard that Black got into the castle that night. I heard this because Weasley-the-sidekick wouldn't stop telling everyone who'd listen how his terrified screaming had scared the escaped homicidal maniac away ... that and Longbottom got a Howler for being daft enough to lose the passwords to the Gryffindor common room. Wish I'd thought of nicking the passwords from Longbottom ... too late now - even he wouldn't make that mistake twice.
* * *
End of chapter 14
Author's Notes: I needed to do some re-writing, after reading OotP. I have made some minor changes to this chapter, mostly spelling and grammar.
LenaLovely12: When I get GoF out depends entirely on how many reviews I get - hint hint.
Logan: Um, the Dementor dreams weren't their worst fears, they were the fears most likely to drive them insane. Draco's worst fear is as the Boggart showed, Voldemort. Well, maybe whoever said it was "silvery stuff" didn't see it properly (I do remember, Harry heard a second-hand account of it).
angelkas: The Dementor was not lurking in the hallway - the Dementor was outside the castle - both the dorm Draco sleeps in and the girls' dorm for the same year are at the outside wall of the castle, at the end of their respective corridors, close enough for the Dementor to affect them. As for Theo's dream, he'd had the same nightmare before - he said so himself.
dragonsprincess: I think Theo was a bit preoccupied with his own nightmare to bother pestering Draco ... and I think he'll forget that Draco weaselled his way out of saying anything, what with the sleep-deprivation, and general chaos that is Theo's mind. Erm, Draco was in just as much danger as Pansy in that fire thing - he just managed to drag her out to safety at the same time as saving his own skin.
Akuma-sama: Um, yeah, it is a well-used quote, isn't it? Yes, Theo/Luna is scary - that's why I'm doing it! And Theo vs Umbitch is precisely why I can't wait to get to OotP!! *whines* it's gonna be ages, I have to do the whole of GoF, but I will get there eventually.
Starre: no ... regular coffee ... why on Earth would you ask that?
Caz Malfoy: Oh, I love Dementors, I can't wait to see them in the third movie ... then again, I thought the Basilisk was cute.
dstrbd child: Yeah, I based that off the song in that episode of Buffy.
A couple of Quidditch matches, and Flint earns Draco his second ever detention.
Chapter 14 - Ravenclaws and Firebolts
That weekend, we had our first match against Ravenclaw.
I spent the first half-hour of it engaging Cho Chang in an ethical and moral debate over the principals of what actually counted as cheating, while still looking out for the Snitch at the same time.
Then, as the announcer declared that Ravenclaw were leading one hundred and sixty to twenty, I spotted the Snitch at the far end of the pitch, while looking over Cho's shoulder - she was looking in my direction and didn't see it. "You're right - I am a sneaky evil git." I muttered, in answer to her previous comment, and then before she could answer, I was flying for the Snitch at my top speed - she couldn't keep up. I caught it, and we won, 170-160 ... close call, but what counts is we won.
"Didn't I mention, rotten in that list?" Cho asked me, as she caught up with me far too late.
I held up the Snitch triumphantly, "You might have." I said, grinning.
She held up one hand in defeat, "No need to rub it in my face." she replied calmly, "I'm not a sore loser like you can be."
"That really hurt." I said sarcastically.
"Well, face it, you're always moaning about Potter winning - it's almost like you care more about your rivalry with him than your real game-play." she said as we both flew in to land.
"You're right." I admitted, "But I'm still going to beat him."
"Whatever you say." she said coolly, waving her hand in a dismissive gesture that clearly told me she did not believe for a second that I could beat Potter.
That was cold.
* * *
I was sitting in the common room, minding my own business, when, "Malfoy - I've got a plan." oh, no - Marcus Flint, and the words 'I've got a plan' ... never a good combination - it usually means someone is going to get hurt ... quite possibly me.
"What might this plan be?" I asked, looking up from my Muggle Studies textbook to see what he wanted.
"We let the Dementors into Potter's next game, tomorrow, see if he can't get himself killed this time." he announced.
"Oh, yeah - smart move." I retorted sarcastically, "Why don't we book you a space in St Mungo's right now - you'll need it when they suck you dry for going near them."
Flint visibly paled, "OK, then - why don't we ..." he paused as if thinking - it looked painful, and he failed to think of anything. "Well, have you got any better ideas?" he asked me, accusingly.
"Potter's not got a real broom - I say we sit back and enjoy the show." I replied coolly.
"He's got a new broom - rumour about the castle says it's good, but no one tells us what make." Flint replied in a dangerous note.
I shrugged, "That's not my problem, until our match."
"Oh, yes it is." Flint replied, "The league is close enough that this match will make a difference. We want him to lose this match as well."
I shrugged again, not much caring - how could we make a difference if we weren't even playing?
Crabbe suddenly spoke up from where he had been listening, "I have a cunning plan."
Flint and I both looked at him - I consciously checked his hair-colour again, "That'll be a first." I said simply.
Crabbe actually nodded in agreement with this statement, before continuing, "If we can't bring real Dementors to scare Potter, why not bring fake Dementors?"
"Surprisingly logical, for who's talking." I muttered, still watching him, expecting him to turn into someone else at any moment.
"And how do you propose we do that?" Flint asked.
"I dunno ... dress up as Dementors ourselves?" Crabbe asked, losing all semblance of intelligence with that statement.
"Sure, that's clever - let's all sign up for floor-scrubbing with Filch, for the rest of our school careers, right now and save all the trouble." I said sarcastically.
Flint, however, waved at me to shut the hell up, "No, it's a good idea, your cronie's come up with. It might work, too."
"You'll not catch me doing tha-"
"No one will catch us - we'll be gone before they can stop us." Flint interrupted. I was much more sceptical ... still, I wanted to keep my place on the team, so I had no choice but to play along with this STUPID idea. Of course, any idea of Crabbe's can't be worth the air he inhaled to say it with.
* * *
The next morning, Potter arrived at the Gryffindor table escorted by half the boys in his house - they all had smug looks on their faces. I glared at him for all of five second before it hit me - I shook my head, blinked, and looked back - nope, still there - he was carrying as Firebolt!!!
The git had a Firebolt!!!
Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs were all crowding round the Gryffindor table, effectively drooling. I couldn't quite believe it myself - maybe it just looked like a Firebolt. I had to see for myself.
"You two." I said, twisting Goyle's ear to wake him from the slack-jawed daze he was in, by the mere presence of the Firebolt, "Follow me." Crabbe and least, didn't need physical violence to make him move - they followed as I walked quickly over to the Gryffindor table, stopping to get a good look at the broom, as Bighead Boy rushed past me heading for the Ravenclaw table. It really was a Firebolt. Damn! "Sure you can handle that broom, Potter?" I asked, stepping forward, so I was standing right behind him and his Weasley - I could have reached out and touched the Firebolt, if I'd tried, but I didn't want to touch anything of his.
"Yeah, reckon so." Potter replied, looking round at me far too calmly.
I smirked, not taking my eyes off the broomstick - I wasn't jealous, honestly - no - I'd get a better one next year. Who am I kidding? I really wanted to steal that Firebolt, right there and then, but there was the small detail that all the teachers in the school were watching. "Got plenty of special features, hasn't it? Shame it doesn't come with a parachute - in case you get too near a Dementor."
"Pity you can't attach an extra arm to yours, Malfoy. Then it could catch the Snitch for you." Potter replied. Why they found that funny, I don't know ... then again, they are Gryffindors - their idea of humour always did elude me.
I returned to the Slytherin table, growling swear words, "It IS a bloody Firebolt. Lucky git." that's just the end of my rant - the rest needed to be censored.
"Looks like it's definitely our little plan, then?" Flint asked.
"Ha." I replied.
"No wonder they didn't let us know what make of broom it was - they wanted to keep their secret weapon secret." Flint continued, almost to himself.
"No duh." I mumbled, lashing out at him, in the fond hope of making him shut up.
"Watch it - you'll give me a black eye." he snapped.
"It might make you better looking, if it hides your face." I snarled.
Theo chose this moment to comment, "See - that is why everyone thinks you're-" I kicked him under the table, "Owwwww! What'd you do that for?"
"Because you were breathing again." I growled.
* * *
We were outside the Quidditch pitch, in the cool breeze, and weak sunlight, "This is a bad idea, Flint." I noted, watching as he strapped stilts to his ankles. Crabbe was doing the same.
"Nonsense - this'll work perfectly - you'll see." Flint said smirking.
I continued to glare at them, as Crabbe threw a cloak over himself, hiding his face completely. Flint did the same - at a distance, some people might be fooled, I guess. I then looked at Goyle, and back to the two 'masterminds' of this stupid plan. "It won't work."
"Don't be such a pessimist, Draco - come on - hurry up - the game's already started." Flint said.
Reluctantly, I climbed onto Goyle's shoulders, kicking him when he grabbed my legs too tightly, and then threw the cloak on - I felt like a prat. "This is a bad idea." I repeated, "And you, Goyle, smell like a troll."
"Thanks." Goyle replied. I glared at Flint - this was all his fault.
Flint then turned and led the way onto the pitch - the Two Twits trooped after him, bringing me along for the ride ... that's not funny - don't laugh. I had to keep kicking Goyle in the sides, by way of giving him directions, since he couldn't see where he was going. I looked up to see the two Seekers were both crossing the sky very fast. "They're already after the Snitch - we're too late." I said quietly, as Flint also looked up, "I told you this wouldn't work."
"He's not won yet." Flint replied.
At that point, Cho Chang spotted us, letting out a barely-audible-at-this-distance scream, which caught Potter's attention - Potter didn't even stop for breath - he pulled a wand out and sent a curse at us - something silvery-white, glowing - it looked like a horse or a stag or something like that. "RUN!" I shouted - Goyle promptly fell over. Crabbe panicked and tripped over us, and Flint fell over the hem of the cloak he was wearing.
I had said that this wouldn't work, hadn't I?
"Damn you! Damn all three of you to the seventh circle of hell!" I yelled.
"It was Crabbe's idea." Flint replied.
"No - it's your fault, you prat." I replied. I kicked Goyle a few times, for good measure, while trying to remove myself from the tangle of bodies and robes that really did smell like a pair of trolls.
"What an outrage!" oh, that's all I need - Professor McGonnaFlip's overly-stern voice was yelling at us, "I would have thought even you were above such nonsense, Mr Malfoy! Never have I seen such an unworthy trick! A low and cowardly attempt to sabotage the Gryffindor Seeker! Detention for all of you, and fifty points from Slytherin! I shall be speaking to Professor Dumbledore about this, make no mistake! Ah, here he comes now!" and sure enough she was joined by Professor Dumbledore.
Giving up entirely, on all reasonable attempts to get out of the damnable robe, I drew my wand and cast a severing charm on the sleeves, kicking my way away from Goyle, and standing up, wincing in pain from where Goyle's head had hit me - OUCH. "I'm never going to live this down, am I?" I asked.
"No, you most likely won't." Flint muttered.
"I told you it was a stupid idea." I repeated for the nth time.
McGonagall was fuming. Dumbledore watched me with interest, "Why did you do this, Mr Malfoy?" he asked, assuming I was the ringleader of this stunt.
"It was Flint's idea. I told him it was stupid." I replied.
"And yet, you went along with such a nefarious scheme?" McGonagall asked.
"Nefarious schemes, I wouldn't have objected to - this was just daft." I answered, "But I hardly had a choice -" at this I turned to Flint, "Mon Capitan." [A/N: The way Draco said that - think the way Q refers to Captain Picard in STTNG.]
Flint had the good sense to look sorry for himself.
At least we got away with as little punishment as we did. I was loath to do another detention, after the last one I'd experienced, but what choice did I have?
* * *
I heard that Black got into the castle that night. I heard this because Weasley-the-sidekick wouldn't stop telling everyone who'd listen how his terrified screaming had scared the escaped homicidal maniac away ... that and Longbottom got a Howler for being daft enough to lose the passwords to the Gryffindor common room. Wish I'd thought of nicking the passwords from Longbottom ... too late now - even he wouldn't make that mistake twice.
* * *
End of chapter 14