Chapter 9

Disclaimer: Harry Potter etc still belongs to JK Rowling, plot still belongs to me.

Author's Note: Well, this chapter should be more sensible, as it's back to formalities. I'll try to make it interesting anyway.

Harry spent Thursday and Friday grinning like the cat that got the cream. He managed to pretend that it was because the Quidditch season would be starting soon, but really it was all down to Draco. He had never known this side of him existed. They had planned another tryst for Saturday evening, but this was not certain to go ahead, due to Quidditch trials and large amounts of homework.

The Quidditch trials were certainly something for Harry to look forward to. He had been banned from Quidditch for almost all of his fifth year at Hogwarts, after he had gone for Malfoy at the end of the first match of the season. This was a disconcerting thing to think about. He could not connect the cold, cruel Malfoy with the warm, gentle Draco he was just getting to know. In any case, there was no room for mercy. As the new captain of the Gryffindor team, Harry knew he could not let his personal feelings get in the way of Gryffindor winning the Quidditch cup. As captain, and of course as Seeker, he had a duty to his team and to his house.

The thoughts running through Draco's mind were identical. As Slytherin's new Quidditch captain, he was now Harry's opposite number. It wouldn't be easy, but he had to see Harry as just another opponent.

It was very early on Saturday morning when Harry got up. He dressed, picked up his Firebolt and headed straight for the Quidditch pitch. He had not flown in a long time, and wanted a little practice time to himself before the trials started. The trials would definitely take a while, as the Gryffindor team needed three new Chasers, and preferably two new Beaters – Kirke and Sloper were by no means up to scratch, this was a widely accepted fact.

When he reached the changing rooms, Harry donned his Quidditch robes, went out onto the pitch, mounted his Firebolt and kicked off from the ground. As he soared into the air, he realised just how little difference his break from flying had made. It came as naturally as ever, which was a definite relief.

He tested out a few moves, starting with the terrifying Wronski Feint, and having several goes at perfecting the Sloth Grip Roll, which he had never got on well with. After he had finished, he flew up and down the length of the pitch a few times before noticing that someone was in the stands, watching him. He recognised the blond hair, even from this altitude. He landed and climbed up to where Draco was sitting, settling himself next to him.

"Hi," Harry said quietly.

"Hi. I suppose you're going to ask me what I'm doing here?" Draco grinned, then held up his hands in mock defeat. "I admit it, I'm spying on behalf of my team..."

"Oh, shut up," Harry told him good-naturedly.

"So, when are any of the others turning up?" Draco asked.

"Not for a while, I just wanted some time to practise on my own."

"Sorry to interrupt then," Draco said sincerely.

Harry shrugged. "I don't mind." He shuffled slightly closer to Draco. "There's no one else I'd rather interrupt my training for."

"Training? You don't even need training! You've caught the bloody Snitch with a broken arm before!"

Harry smiled. "Always room for improvement. Are we still on for tonight?"

"If you can get away. Won't your friends notice?"

"No," Harry replied, unable to hide the trace of bitterness in his voice. "They're so wrapped up in each other they barely notice me at all."

"Harry," Draco said gently, "they're in love."

"So?" Harry said. "WE don't feel the need to stare mushily at each other 24 hours a day..." He trailed off as he realised what he had just said.

Draco didn't seem to mind though; he just smiled and hugged him. "They'll start noticing you again sooner or later, Harry. You're their best friend, they won't forget that."

This made Harry feel a little better. The two of them remained sitting in the stands together for a while, but all too soon, Draco stood up to leave.

"The others'll be arriving soon," he explained. "It'd look really suspicious if I was here and you weren't trying to get rid of me."

"OK," Harry said. "See you later if we can get away. I'll try but I can't promise I'll be there."

"I'll be there anyway," Draco told him with a smile, and walked away.

The Quidditch trials went surprisingly well. Harry was still a little nervous about the captaincy, but he managed to handle it. The team did need extensive rebuilding, he knew that. This did not bother him, as he considered time playing Quidditch time well spent. His only complaint was that it was time he could be spending with Draco.

By lunchtime, Harry was starving. It was tiring, hungry work, as he and Ron were the only remaining members of the previous year's original team. They had one new Chaser, for definite. Ginny had said, the year before, that when Harry came back as Seeker she would try out as a Chaser. She had done so, and been accepted immediately. This meant, Harry had realised, that all but two of the Weasley siblings had played Quidditch for Gryffindor at some point; Charlie as Seeker, Fred and George as Beaters, Ron as Keeper and Ginny as Seeker and now as Chaser. This left Bill and Percy who, as the more academic two of the seven siblings, had passed on Quidditch, instead both attaining the position of Head Boy.

This still left four positions on the team that needed to be filled that afternoon.

"You know, if you'd quit last year like you wanted to, I'd be really up a creek now," Harry said to Ron as they walked back up to the castle for lunch.

"Yeah well, I couldn't just give in to the Slytherins like that, could I?" Ron replied. "Malfoy would have had a field day!"

Harry only just managed to hide his blush at the mention of Draco.

It was a long afternoon. Eventually though, Harry was satisfied with the team. As the small group of tired-looking, broomstick-carrying people trooped off the pitch and across the grounds towards the castle, he picked up a roll of parchment and a quill and began to write down the names.

Chasers: Ginny Weasley, Natalie McDonald, Euan Abercrombie

Beaters: Timothy Jenkins, Jack Hansen

Keeper: Ron Weasley

Seeker: Harry Potter (captain)

When he finished writing, Harry looked at the list with a smile on his face. This was a good team. They needed some training together, but the talent was there. He was beginning to understand how it had felt for Oliver Wood and Angelina Johnson, the two captains that had preceded him. It felt strange to be one of the oldest players (Ron being the oldest on the team).

He looked across the pitch, still smiling. This was where he belonged. He was captain of what could – would – be a damn good team. He knew that they could beat the other teams with a bit of training. The first match of the season was Gryffindor against Slytherin, and Harry knew they had it in them to kick Malfoy's sorry ass. Merlin, he had to stop thinking about Malfoy's ass.

Author's Note: Full marks to anyone who noticed that I picked half the team from the few names JKR's given us in the Sorting Ceremonies. The Beaters are named in honour of people I know. Well, now you know there will be Quidditch later. Hope the ending isn't too lame.