Quidditch
Draco grinned at him "Sure, I'll be right out," Harry left smiling. Draco's robes were soon finished and he joined Harry and Hagrid outside. Hagrid turned to face Draco with a smile, which froze when he got a good look.
"Hagrid, This is Draco Malfoy. He's going to Hogwarts this year too," Harry said cheerfully not seeing the look on Hagrid's face.
"Pleased to meet you," Draco nodded to him; he saw the look but ignored it. The polite greeting seemed to surprised Hagrid who stuttered in reply.
"Er... a pleasure," Hagrid was unsure how to react but offered Draco the other ice cream. Draco accepted politely. Hagrid stared at Draco unsure what to say but was saved the trouble by Draco's father. On leaving the bookshop, Lucius noticed his son and the huge form of Hagrid standing in the street. Lucius strode over to them with a frown gracing his aristocratic features and was about to comment on Draco's choice of company when his son spotted him and spoke up before he got the chance.
"Father, I'd like you to meet Harry Potter," he said indicating the boy beside him, partly hidden by Hagrid's girth. Lucius was surprised but of course hid it quickly.
"Mr. Potter, it is an honour to meet you, dear boy," though he still kept a high air about him Lucius did try to sound sincere. Harry was doubtful, but the way Mr. Malfoy was standing and Draco's grin told him, from this man it was high praise indeed. Then Lucius turned a cold look on Hagrid.
"Malfoy," Hagrid fairly ground out.
"Hagrid," Lucius had the uncanny ability of making his name sound like something he would scrape off the bottom of his shoe. Draco gave a look to Harry then shrugged apologetically. Harry gave a small worried smile back. Before the adults could finish their staring contest and get into the insulting stage, Draco spoke up again.
"Father, could we show Harry to the Quidditch shop? You said we could go there," Lucius looked away reluctantly to his son.
"I did say that didn't I. Very well. We shall have to meet your mother first." Lucius turned away down the street and pointedly ignored Hagrid from that point on.
Draco turned to Harry with a grin. Harry couldn't help but smile back. But something was bothering Harry, he asked Draco embarrassed "Er...Draco? What's Quidditch?"
Draco was so startled he stopped walking and Hagrid nearly stepped on him. When he had snapped out of his shock he exclaimed,
"My goodness! Where have you been living, under a rock? How could you not know about Quidditch?"
"Er, well... I've been staying with my aunt and uncle, there muggles." Harry explained, half defensive, half embarrassed.
"Oh, well that would be a good reason... Well! Quidditch is the game of the wizarding world," Draco started in immediately, happy to talk about a topic near and dear to his heart. "It's played on brooms with two teams of seven each. On each team are three chasers who pass around a ball about this big," Draco held his hands out in front of him, about a foot apart, "called a quaffle and try to put it through the goals on the other teams side of the pitch. The goals are fifty foot high hoops. Are you with me so far?"
"Uh, I think so, seven players, three chasers, a quaffle through the hoops... What do these hoops look like?" Harry asked, thinking distantly about basketball as they passed Eeylops Owl Emporium.
"There big upright hoops, looking somewhat like bubble blower rings, you know? There are three of them on each side. Each team has a keeper in front of the hoops to keep the other team from scoring,"
Harry nodded his understanding.
"Now, there are two more players called beaters who chase two balls called bludgers. The bludgers are about this big," again he held out his hands, a bit closer together, "The bludgers fly around trying to knock players off their brooms. It's the beaters who try to keep their teammates safe. They have bats to keep them away. And last and most certainly most, is the Seeker," Draco smiled dreamily. "That's the best position on the team. It's the seeker who has to catch the last ball called the Snitch. The Snitch is about this big," He held one hand out, his finger and thumb showing the size of something close to that of a walnut. "Only when the snitch is caught does the game end."
"That doesn't sound too hard. Why is the seeker so great?" Harry said.
Draco snorted, "Because the Snitch is incredibly fast and nearly impossible to see. You have to have incredible reflexes to play that position. I'd love to play seeker, but if not I'd settle for beater. That way I can have something to hit really hard and not get in trouble for," Draco snickered.
Harry gave him an odd look. Draco smiled innocently back. Harry laughed.
"You're a strange fellow, Draco." Harry said.
"Thank you. Thank you very much," Draco nodded, still smiling.
