Hi, sorry for the delay, I just couldn't write this chapter! But here it is; I hope you enjoy it! On another note, 115 reviews!!!! I didn't think I'd ever get to 100! Thank you so much! Everyone who reviewed!!! *sends extra character of your choice plus what I give you below*
Anniacuru: my wonderful beta. Thank you. *sends Cai over with cat treats*
Obviations: thanks for trying to catch up the chapters, and reviewing them all! No worries, as far as I know, Voldemort won't rear his damn ugly head for a while, I think… *sends Harry straight from quidditch game*
Morbid Mind: *puts on gloves and attempts to fend off kitten hyper from cake.* thanks for the reviews! *sends Cai over to play with sooty*
Sammi: I like your rambling! Glad you like it. *sends Cai over with toy mouse*
Lady-Willowish: a new reviewer!!! Glad you love my story, thanks for reviewing! Cutcified? *sends your choice of Harry or Draco to you, honey covered of course!*
Fallen Angel 664: a new reviewer!!! Glad you liked the kitten thing, Draco is so cute!! Anyway, thanks for reviewing! *sends your choice of Harry or Draco to you, honey covered of course!*
KEY
An, poetry, prophesy
Draco thought
Harry thought
Stressed speech
Normal
~~~ scene or POV change
Chapter 17:
"I forgot about the bloody first game of the season!" He grabbed Silverflight and flew out the window to the quidditch pitch, to have to fly back to change. Cai looked at him reproachfully, as did Seamus. "Fine!" he shouted breathlessly, he picked her up and placed her in a basket he had conjured on the windowsill so that she could see the game. Cai began to purr and lick his hand. I'll take that as you wish me luck. He flew to the quidditch pitch a second time, but this time carrying Seamus on the back of the broom. He deposited Seamus at the stands and flew to Ron.
"Where've you been?" asked Ron exasperated.
"Changing" answered Harry breathlessly.
"Bloody hell, worse than a girl you are! I'll call for a delay." Harry thanked Ron and plomped himself on the grass. Ron returned from Hooch, "Ok team, intro time. This is so we know what to look for in taking care of the other players. I'm Ron, I'm keeper and my weaknesses include shots from above, so you beaters can help me there."
A wiry girl with long copper hair spoke up, "I'm Vicky, I'm a chaser, and my weak points are cheats and bludgers."
"We're up against both today." said the tall boy with brown eyes and black hair Harry knew from his class. Harry was very happy that it wasn't just Ron and him from the seventh on the team. The rest of the team laughed at the grim observation. "I'm Dean, I'm a beater, weak points include curses thrown at me during the game, and direct penalties.
"Call me Taz," an olive-skinned girl stepped into the middle, "beater. Weaknesses; I loose concentration in boring games."
"We'll do our best to entertain you, then." said the last two girls. One was fair, the other dark, yet they were unmistakeably related. "My name's Leslie, and this is Aileen, we're both chasers. Aileen never talks, I never stop. You could call those weak points."
They all looked at Harry expectantly, "Err, I'm Harry, I'm the seeker. My weak points include blinding headaches and evil dark lords." He saw the younger ones' faces, "It was a joke, sorry. I don't know of any weaknesses, except distraction, but I usually get through that, if I'm not injured." His team-mates looked at him dubiously, but they let it go. Ron began to talk tactics.
~~~
Across the pitch, it was another matter entirely. Draco was captain and was running the team like a garrison before warfare. "Those Griffins are good, but they're stupid. Play dirty if we need to, but don't play in the mud unnecessarily. Stand in line!" the team stood straight backed and blank faced. Draco continued, "Good. Now, Zabini, Moonhigh, direct those bludgers towards the Weasel while we have the Quaffle. He'll have to duck those and we will have a clear goal. Milson, Medlin, Foxtrot, did you hear that? Only go after goal if it's free or you're over the Weasel. A little birdie told me that he isn't terrific at saving from that angle." Blaise tittered at Draco's analogy; he had simply used a listening charm on the Gryffindor huddle. Draco glared at him and he shut up. "York? Can you handle the goal?" the Slytherin nodded. "Good. Everyone, do your best." It's up to me anyway. The green team walked to Hooch and the scarlet team, adrenaline surging, ready for a momentous game to start the season.
~~~
The stalls were filling up rapidly. The two houses enmity often made brilliant matches to watch. The two teams faced each other on the pitch. Above them, the commentator was getting ready. After Lee Jordan left, Slytherins petitioned for one from their own house. Dumbledore agreed and they appointed Lynne Hart.
"And welcome to a new year of Quidditch, beginning with old rivals Gryffindor and Slytherin! Let's introduce the teams; Gryffindor: keeper and captain: Ron Weasley, chasers: Victoria Kelly, Leslie and Aileen Irwin, beaters: Dean Thomas and Clara Topaz, and Seeker… Harry Potter." The burgundy stand erupted in cheers as the Gryffindor team made a lap of the pitch. The Slytherin stands looked at Harry's broom, awed at the distinctive silver shaft. Bloody Hell, It's just a broom! Harry thought, but knowing that that wasn't the case. Lynne continued, "and the Slytherin team; keeper: Leticia York, chasers: Silver Foxtrot, Laura Milson, Sammi Medlin, beaters: Jemima Moonhigh and Blaise Zabini. The seeker and captain of the Slytherins is… Draco Malfoy! Good luck!"
Muttering broke out in the Gryffindor stands; the most prominent word being, 'Biased!' Lynne heard, "two words to the red supporters, Pot and Kettle." At this Snape smirked at McGonagall's annoyed grimace, but she pursed her lips, not rising to the bait; she had better plans against him, involving a certain feline revelation…
Lynne carried on, "But on with the game." Madame Hooch blew the whistle and the fourteen players kicked off and the balls were freed. Draco and Harry rose above the other players managing to keep eye contact the entire time. It was broken however when Clara sent a bludger hurtling towards Draco. Harry's eyes widened enough for Draco to realise that something was wrong. He saw the black ball and managed to swerve out of the way. "Topaz tries to kill our, I mean Slytherin's seeker!" Clara saluted to Harry and flew back towards the action of the Quaffle. "Slytherin has the Quaffle! Flown superbly there by Silver Foxtrot, very elegantly too! Damn. Kelly has taken the Quaffle and is flying towards the goals. She throws, she… misses!!! Wait, Leslie has caught the rebound from the ball hitting the ring, and she scores. It's ten – nil to Gryffindor." A groan erupted from the Slytherin stands and rippled through the seats like a Mexican wave. The Gryffindors opted for jeers in their direction instead of the customary cheers.
Up in the air, Draco and Harry were scanning the pitch hoping for a glimpse of the snitch. It didn't show itself, however. Harry was watching the Slytherin chasers form a formidable triangle with Sammi Medlin clutching the Quaffle at the head. The beaters were flying below them. Draco smirked; his plan was going into action. Ron looked at them confusedly, but didn't have much time to think as Jemima Moonhigh sent a bludger hurtling towards his head. He ducked and immediately, Sammi scored.
Lynne's voice rang out, "Medlin has scored! 10 all! Brilliant teamwork shown here with the whole team participating in the drive! Well done!" as much as Harry detested the favouritism, he had to agree, they flew well. He flew over to console Ron, who snapped at him to continue looking for the snitch so that they could beat 'those bloody evil scheming gits' the Slytherins. Harry obeyed his captain.
The Gryffindor beaters Dean Thomas and Clara Topaz were having no fun whatsoever. Dean soon found out that Clara had quite a volatile temper, and spent most of his energy stopping her from attacking the Slytherin players directly with her bat. This took them out of the chasers' way most of the time.
Also, the sister chasers were squabbling; which was quite a feat to maintain if you did not speak. But they seemed to have an almost telepathic bond, and knew what the other one was going to think, or reply. Vicky was trying to get between the warring siblings while trying to intercept the passes above her head from the bored Slytherin chasers Silver Foxtrot and Laura Milson. Once their formation had got the score up to 70-10, they had become bored, and stopped torturing Ron, who by now was willing to get hit by the bludgers rather than let another in. Therefore, Leticia the Slytherin goal-keeper had flown over to Ron to taunt him instead.
To put it simply, the game had gone to the dogs. The anguished Gryffindor stand implored Harry to catch the elusive gold ball and McGonagall had to grit her teeth and imagine Snape's greasy face when she told him what the kitten told her.
~~~
It was all up to Harry and Draco to stop the prolonged torment the game was having on the spectators. They were anxious for a climatic finish. Lynne had gone to describing the different ways the houses took the game, and was now almost always the subject of the subtle muttering of the Gryffindors, which if she noticed, she would publicise to the ecstatic Slytherins.
Harry made a lap of the field, looking earnestly for the snitch. Draco had gone the other way and was skimming the grass at the bottom of the pitch.
Harry always waits for it to fly in front of his face, thought Draco. He wins when he sees it. But he never actually looks for it. Now, where do we end up flying? I always end up bruised, what do I hit? I hit the wooden supports of the spectator stands!
With this revelation, Draco went to the Ravenclaw stand and flew under the blue canvasses covering the supports. It wasn't there. One down… He flew to the Hufflepuff stand, unnoticed by Harry. It wasn't there. Two down… He went to the familiar green stand trying to stay inconspicuous to the commentator, but Lynne was too busy yelling at the chasers to actually play. Draco didn't see it there. And of course it has to be in the last place I choose to look! But as Draco left his house stands, a whoosh of air passed his left ear travelling upwards. What the..? he looked up and saw the misty trail the speeding snitch had left in its wake. He flew up quickly, trying very hard to avoid bumping into the wooden supports. Evidently, the snitch had worn itself out with boredom due to not being noticed. It slowed, and Draco easily caught it in his outstretched hand. Ha! He looked at the ball fluttering in his palm in vain and laughed; for once, he had won, he had beaten Potter!
Draco flew out of the stand and flew to the green clad spectators. Hovering in front of Lynne, he displayed the prize for all to see. Lynne was in mid sentence, "not a very nice thing to say, Franklin. You should Draco! Slytherin has finally beaten Gryffindor! 220 to 10!!! Malfoy has caught the snitch and I didn't even notice. Hell, Potter didn't even notice!!! He is still flying around his pathetic team, looking for it! Ha! Well take that, you bunch of sanctimonious ba…"
"That is quite enough, miss Hart!" McGonagall almost yelled, summoning the megaphone to the teachers' stand. "Ten points from Slytherin for foul language, or the attempted use of it!" Snape had riled her up enough for her to almost expose the news now, but luckily for Harry and Draco, she had more sense.
The students filed out of the stands chattering loudly. Ron flew out of goal and commenced yelling at the warring sisters and Taz. He even went as far as throwing the chasers off the team. Harry and Dean tried to console him until he turned on them too, "Don't say a bloody thing! That was the WORST thing I have EVER seen! And Harry… Where were you when the bloody ferret caught that thing? Aren't you supposed to MARK him? Well? Leave me alone, I'm going to pin up a sign for chaser tryouts." With that, he flew off, still muttering loudly about cursing Malfoy off the face of the Earth. Dean shrugged his shoulders, and flew off to intercept Taz. On the ground, Seamus was trying to calm Ron down. You'd think that after 7 years, he would know that it is best to just leave him to calm down?
Harry scanned the crowd of cheering students in green robes looking for Draco. He saw the platinum blonde hair standing out from the other black and brown. He descended and walked to him trying to ignore the taunts of the Slytherins. "Malfoy, I'd just like to say, that, well, good game up there."
Draco turned from his admirers and faced the humiliated Gryffindor. Noble lot, you griffins are; congratulating me… "Thank you for the compliment, but if you're here to worship me, get in line." He replied. The crowd laughed, and Harry's face began to match his robes. "But," Draco continued, "that wasn't a good game, it wasn't a game at all." He paused at the confused objecting noises coming from the crowd. "Your team" he sneered, "was non existent. Next time you fly against us, make sure you're not the only marginally decent flyer there. You're dismissed; go stop your Weasel from killing himself. You would think that he would be used to failure and disappointment by now, all the practice he has got…" Draco turned from Harry and Harry stormed off. Ok, next time, forget the politeness.
Draco watched him leave in the corner of his eye. Harry had forsaken the doors entirely and flew directly to his room in the north tower. After his entrance through the window, he collapsed unceremoniously onto the bed. Sensing his anger and disappointment, Cai snuggled up to him. Harry smiled, stroking her soft back. How can I be angry with a cat like you? It was like this, that the boy who lost spectacularly to his 'worst enemies' at a game which he was supposed to be a master of, fell asleep, thinking fondly about the human form of the purring kitten.
~~~
"Well that was a magnificent beginning to the Quidditch year, a pattern I hope of which will continue. Don't you think so Minerva?" Snape was gloating. He had a good reason though; Slytherin hadn't beaten Gryffindor in many years.
"I suppose, Severus, but I doubt that it will continue like that," replied McGonagall, getting ready to relish the moment. She had even set a trap for the ostentatious Potions master…
"Oh and why do you think that? I think that a lead of 210 points is a good thing to keep up. The team is relishing the lead; I don't think they will give it up any time soon."
"But how do people successfully fight each other when their animosity has evaporated?" asked McGonagall.
"Whatever do you mean? I am happy to say that our houses remain rivals."
"But our seekers?"
"Malfoy and Potter? Their petty battles are still ongoing."
"Yes, but the setting has changed."
"To where?" asked a confused Snape.
"The bedroom." McGonagall almost laughed when she saw his bewildered face.
"What on Earth do you mean?" Snape spluttered.
"Why, that they have become lovers!"
Severus choked for a moment at these words, until he composed himself, repeating in his head the mantra, 'she is lying, and this is absurd.' "On what authority do you know this?"
"Draco himself told me; or at least, his inner thought manifestation." This time, she couldn't hold back her laughter at the face of her esteemed colleague. He looked like he would almost throw up, and marched off towards the dungeons, probably to have a very stiff drink. McGonagall turned also, a grin gracing her features. She opened a door to the only classroom in the corridor she was in and let the crimson clad student out. "Did you get that?" she asked him, for once letting a childish excitement get to her.
"Yes, Professor McGonagall," he said, shocked from the conversation he had heard. He handed her the camera in his hands.
Professor McGonagall waltzed off humming a cheerful tune, "Good job, Creevey, 10 points to Gryffindor."