Chapter 49- Final Triumph
It had been over a month since the talent show. That night, Harry had almost wished he was straight again…but not quite.
He stood in the Gryffindor locker room, surveying his team. They were ready- that's all there was to it.
"Okay, guys. And girls," he amended. "You know the drill. We've practiced this hundreds of times. Also, for some of us, this is the last game we'll ever play at Hogwarts, and we want it to be one we'll remember fondly."
"So no pressure," Ginny called. Everyone laughed, releasing their tension.
Harry gave his team one more appraising look. "Let's win."
With that, they rose to step out onto the field. Before they emerged, Harry gave Ron a quick kiss on the cheek, and they wished each other luck.
************************************************************************
Draco looked over the Slytherin House team one more time. *Better than last year, I suppose,* he allowed. He knew, though, that he had chosen a good team, and they were good enough to win.
"All right," he said to them. He had practiced this speech hundreds of times, why was he suddenly nervous? Not about the speech, he supposed. "This is it, guys. This is my last game at Hogwarts, and it would be nice to end it on a winning note. More importantly, this is my last game against Gryffindor. They've won every year since I came to Hogwarts. We have to finally prove to them what Slytherin can do. Don't get distracted, stay focused on the game, and don't bother insulting the other team's players. It's never done anything for us before."
"Listen to him, men, he knows what he's talking about," Sagittus jested. "It's been his strategy for the past five years."
Draco gave him a sour look, then let his trademark Smirk take its place. "Most importantly for all of you, I picked you because you were the best, but if you don't perform to my satisfaction today- by that I mean winning- I might just let Snape know that I don't consider you fit to play on the team in coming years."
Most of the gazes faltered. Sagittus continued to stare straight at him. *He knows how good he is, the little bastard. But it's not him I'm worried about.*
"So just get out there and win the game. We can do this."
They all walked onto the field. As Draco stepped into the sunlight- the weather was perfect for Quidditch- he reminded himself to follow his own advice. Stay focused on the game, and try not to pay too much attention to Potter.
"Captains shake hands," Madame Hooch commanded. Harry stepped forward. They exchanged half-smiles at the gasps of the crowd. For the first time in as long as anyone could remember, the Gryffindor and Slytherin captains had not tried to break each other's hands. This was juicy gossip.
"Best team?" Harry suggested.
"Yeah," Draco agreed. "Good luck. You'll need it."
Harry laughed and rose into the sky. Not to be outdone, Draco mounted his Flashstorm and rose a few feet higher.
The Quaffle was up- the commentary started- and Draco heard none of it. He occasionally checked the scoreboard, but otherwise he did not care what was being said about the match. All he cared about was winning it.
The Snitch would not appear until later in the game, so Draco took the opportunity to observe both teams in action. They were both rather good, as he had known already. The scores were about even, and their performance was on a level as well. He could not help but admire the way Harry flew around giving directions to his teammates as he looked for the Snitch. Now that was multitasking.
He admired it, and almost sneered at the same time. It took a good flier and quick thinker to do both at once, but it would have been simpler if the other team members could figure it out on their own. That was how he had trained the Slytherin team, so he could be free to look for the Snitch.
The Quaffle switched from one end of the pitch to the other so often that Draco gave up following it. As he had told them, every time the Quaffle was in the Gryffindor zone, his Beaters aimed clear at Weasley. Harry caught on quickly.
"Andy- stay in our end, the Quaffle changes hands too much for you both to be flying everywhere! Brianna, you cover the rest!" Harry shouted to them. "Ginny, watch out!"
With Harry's warning, she managed to dodge the Bludger just in time, and passed the Quaffle off to what-was-his-name…Welcher?- who scored a moment later. Then his team took control. One of the Chasers weaved around the hoops, then streaked across the pitch. He swerved and shot a goal past Weasley.
Draco allowed himself a victory sound. He restrained himself from calling out to the Slytherin team, reminding himself that he was above that. Instead, he looked for Hermione in the crowd, and was somehow able to tell where she was before he saw her. He could tell, even from a distance, that her anxiety about the outcome of the match was for him by the smile she gave him. He blew her a kiss and turned back to the match.
Gryffindor was ten points up at sixty. They would have to pull ahead by at least thirty points if they were going to win the Cup. Draco sought Harry out, relieved to find that he had not already spotted the Snitch.
In a rare stroke of being useful, one of the Beaters managed to hit the Bludger in Finnigan's direction, and he was deemed unfit to play for the match. His ankle had been shattered by the blow. Draco, while he actually felt kind of sorry for the guy, was ecstatic to be one player up. This would speed up their victory.
A Bludger hit the Slytherin Keeper on the shoulder, but he shrugged it off and continued. *That's the right way,* Draco thought. *Don't let anything stop you.* It was then that he checked the score again.
It was eighty-ninety, Slytherin. *Yes.*
Sagittus intercepted a pass and shot the Quaffle through the center hoop. Draco cheered him, and he looked in his captain's direction. The Quaffle was flying toward the Slytherin end, and Sagittus chased after it.
And then he flew directly in front of Draco, circling long enough to say one thing. "If you're not careful, someone's going to get the Snitch right out from under you." He flew off.
Draco looked down discreetly. About five feet below him, the golden snitch hovered. He saw Harry turn and spot it in that moment. He made quick decision, did a flip in the air-
And his hand closed over the golden snitch. His head was spinning and his ears ringing. The crowd blurred as he sank to the ground. His team came in around him for a victory hug, then all but Draco turned to taunt the Gryffindors in true Slytherin style.
As for the captain, he only had one thought. *I won. I finally beat Harry Potter.*
When he had at last processed that thought, he realized that Hermione was pushing her way toward him through the crowd. Her smile extended from one ear to the other, and when she reached him, she threw her arms around him in a crushing hug.
"You did it! I'm so proud of you!"
"Traitor."
Hermione and Draco turned to see Ron and Harry standing next to them. Ron looked absolutely livid, glaring at Hermione, while Harry seemed almost amused. He held his hand out. Draco shook it, smiling. "I told you I would beat you one day."
"Took you long enough," Harry replied. "Come on, Ron. Showers."
After they left, Draco told Hermione quietly, "I hope that doesn't mean what I think it means."
She smiled widely. "Probably. But there's no reason for us to think about that. We do know how to have our own fun, don't we?"
Draco slipped an arm around her waist. "We certainly do. Hey, wait for me, I've got to change."
"No, leave it on. I've always thought these uniforms were rather attractive, actually. Anyway, it won't take you too long to get out of it, I assume."
"Not *too* long…" He was aware of the smirk growing as he thought of what could happen in their dorm.
Though what did happen was short of what he would have liked, it was a bit more than he had pictured…but he never told anyone the details of what they did.
End Chapter 49
It's a short chapter. So shoot me. I couldn't think of anything else. Nearing the end of seventh year now. Exciting, innit?
If you want more, you'll have to review! Review for read-my-other-fics confetti.
It had been over a month since the talent show. That night, Harry had almost wished he was straight again…but not quite.
He stood in the Gryffindor locker room, surveying his team. They were ready- that's all there was to it.
"Okay, guys. And girls," he amended. "You know the drill. We've practiced this hundreds of times. Also, for some of us, this is the last game we'll ever play at Hogwarts, and we want it to be one we'll remember fondly."
"So no pressure," Ginny called. Everyone laughed, releasing their tension.
Harry gave his team one more appraising look. "Let's win."
With that, they rose to step out onto the field. Before they emerged, Harry gave Ron a quick kiss on the cheek, and they wished each other luck.
************************************************************************
Draco looked over the Slytherin House team one more time. *Better than last year, I suppose,* he allowed. He knew, though, that he had chosen a good team, and they were good enough to win.
"All right," he said to them. He had practiced this speech hundreds of times, why was he suddenly nervous? Not about the speech, he supposed. "This is it, guys. This is my last game at Hogwarts, and it would be nice to end it on a winning note. More importantly, this is my last game against Gryffindor. They've won every year since I came to Hogwarts. We have to finally prove to them what Slytherin can do. Don't get distracted, stay focused on the game, and don't bother insulting the other team's players. It's never done anything for us before."
"Listen to him, men, he knows what he's talking about," Sagittus jested. "It's been his strategy for the past five years."
Draco gave him a sour look, then let his trademark Smirk take its place. "Most importantly for all of you, I picked you because you were the best, but if you don't perform to my satisfaction today- by that I mean winning- I might just let Snape know that I don't consider you fit to play on the team in coming years."
Most of the gazes faltered. Sagittus continued to stare straight at him. *He knows how good he is, the little bastard. But it's not him I'm worried about.*
"So just get out there and win the game. We can do this."
They all walked onto the field. As Draco stepped into the sunlight- the weather was perfect for Quidditch- he reminded himself to follow his own advice. Stay focused on the game, and try not to pay too much attention to Potter.
"Captains shake hands," Madame Hooch commanded. Harry stepped forward. They exchanged half-smiles at the gasps of the crowd. For the first time in as long as anyone could remember, the Gryffindor and Slytherin captains had not tried to break each other's hands. This was juicy gossip.
"Best team?" Harry suggested.
"Yeah," Draco agreed. "Good luck. You'll need it."
Harry laughed and rose into the sky. Not to be outdone, Draco mounted his Flashstorm and rose a few feet higher.
The Quaffle was up- the commentary started- and Draco heard none of it. He occasionally checked the scoreboard, but otherwise he did not care what was being said about the match. All he cared about was winning it.
The Snitch would not appear until later in the game, so Draco took the opportunity to observe both teams in action. They were both rather good, as he had known already. The scores were about even, and their performance was on a level as well. He could not help but admire the way Harry flew around giving directions to his teammates as he looked for the Snitch. Now that was multitasking.
He admired it, and almost sneered at the same time. It took a good flier and quick thinker to do both at once, but it would have been simpler if the other team members could figure it out on their own. That was how he had trained the Slytherin team, so he could be free to look for the Snitch.
The Quaffle switched from one end of the pitch to the other so often that Draco gave up following it. As he had told them, every time the Quaffle was in the Gryffindor zone, his Beaters aimed clear at Weasley. Harry caught on quickly.
"Andy- stay in our end, the Quaffle changes hands too much for you both to be flying everywhere! Brianna, you cover the rest!" Harry shouted to them. "Ginny, watch out!"
With Harry's warning, she managed to dodge the Bludger just in time, and passed the Quaffle off to what-was-his-name…Welcher?- who scored a moment later. Then his team took control. One of the Chasers weaved around the hoops, then streaked across the pitch. He swerved and shot a goal past Weasley.
Draco allowed himself a victory sound. He restrained himself from calling out to the Slytherin team, reminding himself that he was above that. Instead, he looked for Hermione in the crowd, and was somehow able to tell where she was before he saw her. He could tell, even from a distance, that her anxiety about the outcome of the match was for him by the smile she gave him. He blew her a kiss and turned back to the match.
Gryffindor was ten points up at sixty. They would have to pull ahead by at least thirty points if they were going to win the Cup. Draco sought Harry out, relieved to find that he had not already spotted the Snitch.
In a rare stroke of being useful, one of the Beaters managed to hit the Bludger in Finnigan's direction, and he was deemed unfit to play for the match. His ankle had been shattered by the blow. Draco, while he actually felt kind of sorry for the guy, was ecstatic to be one player up. This would speed up their victory.
A Bludger hit the Slytherin Keeper on the shoulder, but he shrugged it off and continued. *That's the right way,* Draco thought. *Don't let anything stop you.* It was then that he checked the score again.
It was eighty-ninety, Slytherin. *Yes.*
Sagittus intercepted a pass and shot the Quaffle through the center hoop. Draco cheered him, and he looked in his captain's direction. The Quaffle was flying toward the Slytherin end, and Sagittus chased after it.
And then he flew directly in front of Draco, circling long enough to say one thing. "If you're not careful, someone's going to get the Snitch right out from under you." He flew off.
Draco looked down discreetly. About five feet below him, the golden snitch hovered. He saw Harry turn and spot it in that moment. He made quick decision, did a flip in the air-
And his hand closed over the golden snitch. His head was spinning and his ears ringing. The crowd blurred as he sank to the ground. His team came in around him for a victory hug, then all but Draco turned to taunt the Gryffindors in true Slytherin style.
As for the captain, he only had one thought. *I won. I finally beat Harry Potter.*
When he had at last processed that thought, he realized that Hermione was pushing her way toward him through the crowd. Her smile extended from one ear to the other, and when she reached him, she threw her arms around him in a crushing hug.
"You did it! I'm so proud of you!"
"Traitor."
Hermione and Draco turned to see Ron and Harry standing next to them. Ron looked absolutely livid, glaring at Hermione, while Harry seemed almost amused. He held his hand out. Draco shook it, smiling. "I told you I would beat you one day."
"Took you long enough," Harry replied. "Come on, Ron. Showers."
After they left, Draco told Hermione quietly, "I hope that doesn't mean what I think it means."
She smiled widely. "Probably. But there's no reason for us to think about that. We do know how to have our own fun, don't we?"
Draco slipped an arm around her waist. "We certainly do. Hey, wait for me, I've got to change."
"No, leave it on. I've always thought these uniforms were rather attractive, actually. Anyway, it won't take you too long to get out of it, I assume."
"Not *too* long…" He was aware of the smirk growing as he thought of what could happen in their dorm.
Though what did happen was short of what he would have liked, it was a bit more than he had pictured…but he never told anyone the details of what they did.
End Chapter 49
It's a short chapter. So shoot me. I couldn't think of anything else. Nearing the end of seventh year now. Exciting, innit?
If you want more, you'll have to review! Review for read-my-other-fics confetti.