Disclaimer: Don't own it, unfortunately…..
Mak rocks, plain and simple.
Alright, I need to apologize for the delay. I did not mean to get so far behind in posting chapters. I moved to Denver, had to wipe my hard drive and I just got word back on my computer. So, the chapters should be updated regularly now. I hope you enjoy the chapter. Review, cause you know you want to.
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Chapter Thirteen
The Quidditch Match
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Michael and Alex were training three days a week for the upcoming Quidditch game against Slytherin. Alex had been steadily getting healthier; he had finally gained back the weight he lost. With Michael helping with his training he was building more stamina. After watching Slytherin play and sneaking a peak at their practices the Tituba Quidditch team knew Slytherin was well on their way to being better than Gryffindor.
The two boys had been seen running around the grounds, trying to beat each other at a six mile race. Draco had noticed their training schedule and had, of course, watched them a few times to see what they were doing. Watching them exercise and run, he decided he really wasn't into doing that much to win. It was a bit too undignified for him, so he just left them to it.
Draco may have felt working out was beneath him, but joking on Tituba was not. The week leading up to the game the teasing had increased ten fold. Both teams were in an almost constant verbal sparring match. It started out innocent enough, but, one day before the match curses flew.
Tituba had just finished an afternoon practice and were headed back to the castle. A group of Slytherins confronted them. Theodore Nott stood in their way with his arms crossed over his chest, surrounded by five other Slytherins. "You don't deserve to come here and win the house cup," Nott said.
"It's only November, there's a whole 'nother semester before that is decided." Michael said rolling his eyes.
"It doesn't matter, we're going to kill you in Quidditch tomorrow," a fourth year chipped in.
Alex came up beside Michael and said, "I don't think so, we're going to win tomorrow and win the house cup, just to rub it in your face. We only came here 'cuz we had to, but if we end up beating Slytherin then it will make being here so much better." He pushed past Nott and went along his way. The rest of the team followed, not looking back, or seeing Nott draw his wand. He was about to send a curse at them when his wand was blasted out of his hand by Samuel. He had stayed behind when the team left the pitch and he came out just in time to see the whole thing.
A third year Slytherin reacted to Samuel's spell by casting stupefy at him. He dodged it easily and was about to cast another curse when a stern voice silenced them. "What exactly is going on here?" Professor McGonagall asked.
Nott tried to play it off as a little disagreement but McGonagall saw right through it. "So that little blue light that almost hit me came out of nowhere?" Looking over all of the students present she added, "Ten points from both houses. Mr. Nott, I would like to speak with you."
He was about to argue the fact that Samuel threw the first curse but stopped when he saw the look on his professor's face. He hung his head saying, "Yes, Professor."
XXX
Excitement was at an all time high the morning of the final game of the term, Slytherin against the new house, Tituba. Everyone was anxious to see how the Americans would do against the Slytherin team. The Slytherins were still sore about their loss to Gryffindor and they made a vow to win anyway they could. There was no way they were ever going to go easy on the new team.
Slytherin scored the first goal very quickly. Titubaplayed very well together and scored twice on the Slytherins, out-maneuvering them, before they got their next goal. The Americans were playing great defense and the Slytherin chasers had to work exceptionally hard for that second goal. Tituba scored sixty more points, frustrating the Slytherin team even more. They started to get more aggressive, almost knocking Michael off his broom when they sent both bludgers at him. The Slytherin chasers were starting to get more physical hitting the opposing chasers every time they got the ball.
Draco and Alex were fighting for the snitch trying to make it as difficult for the other to grab it. The snitch had already appeared twice, each time ending with one of them getting banged up and losing the snitch. Alex flew away from Draco, trying to ignore the pain in his left arm, as he searched for the snitch. He rolled to his right when a bludger was sent his way. In his roll he spotted the snitch buzzing around the Gryffindor stand. He looked slightly at Draco, who was looking for the snitch in the opposite direction. Alex moved a few meters away from him before speeding towards the snitch.
Draco only turned around when he heard the crowd getting louder. He saw Alex flying toward the Gryffindor stand with a considerable distance between them. Having a slightly faster broom he gained on Alex as they flew behind the stadium after the snitch. The snitch quickly changed directions flying straight up the teachers stand, and Alex and Draco followed it.
The crowd was having a difficult time seeing what was going on with the race for the snitch and they were looking around trying to find the seekers, but they were no where to be found. Suddenly the two seekers flew right over the teachers stand in hot pursuit of the snitch. They came so close to the teachers that Flitwick's little hat flew off his head. The snitch zoomed toward the center of the pitch with Alex a hands length away from capturing it. He pushed his broom as much as he could, flying straight toward the other teachers stand. Reaching out his hand he closed in on the snitch, he tried to make a sharp stop but Draco couldn't stop as fast and crashed into Alex sending him off of his broom and straight into the teachers stand. Alex hit the railing on the stand with a loud thud and crumpled onto the floor of the stands, in front of the teachers. The impact with the floor knocked him out cold.
Draco watched in horror as Alex fell into the box. He flew to the stand and dismounted his broom. He could do nothing but stand there and stare at him lying motionless in the teachers' box while the professors quickly tried to see if he was alright. Draco looked up at his Godfather with an agonizing look on his face. "I-I didn't mean t-to…."
He was cut off as his Godfather looked up from his kneeling position next to Alex. "We know Draco. It was an accident."
The Headmaster laid a hand on Draco's trembling shoulder. "Mr. Malfoy, would you please go to the hospital wing and notify Poppy that Mr. Barneo is on his way." He nodded dumbly as he watched Alex; still motionless but in Professor Snape's arms. Draco mounted his broom and flew to the school.
XXX
Severus sat in the stands watching the match get more physical every minute. He saw his godson and assistant fighting desperately for the snitch, but losing it just as quickly as they got a peek at it. He knew his godson was a good player, but watching Alex fly he knew Draco would be very lucky if he got the snitch.
As Alex started to speed toward the snitch Severus knew it would be only a matter of minutes before the game was over. They disappeared for a few minutes, but he noticed them flying over the other teacher's box. They were coming straight for his box and he had an odd feeling that something bad was about to happen. As Alex caught the snitch he was momentarily happy, getting ready to clap. He didn't get the chance as he watched Draco knock him off his broom and into the railing.
It took him a moment to realize what happen as he sat staring at the limp body lying on the ground three bleachers below him. He was knocked into action when Minerva bumped his shoulder on the way to help the boy. Minerva and Professor Sprout turned him over to lie on his back and check him for any bleeding. Severus knelt down next to Alex and put his hand on his neck to check for a pulse.
He heard Draco say that it had been an accident and he comforted him as best he could. Standing up he asked Minerva to move over. He picked up Alex and started down the stands to get him to the hospital wing as quickly as possible.
XXX
Poppy was ready and waiting for Alex to arrive. She knew it must have been bad if Draco Malfoy was shaking, scared. The hospital wing doors burst open with Severus stalking in, Alex in his arms, followed closely by the headmaster and deputy headmistress. "Lay him here Severus." Severus nodded his head and laid the boy on the bed Poppy motioned toward. The three teachers just stood there looking at the boy before Poppy literally pushed them out of the hospital wing. "Headmaster, bring in anymore students who are injured. If you could put them in beds and make them comfortable until I can get to them I would appreciate it." Albus nodded his head as the door closed practically in his face.
Outside the hospital wing doors stood eleven people each worried about the boy lying in the hospital bed on the other side of the door. Draco felt horrible that he had hurt Alex. He hadn't meant too and he hoped he would be better. I practially kill the boy and I'm hoping he still talks to me! Who am I kidding? He will most likely never speak to me again. He thought miserably.
Hermione was being held by Ron, her head on his shoulder and his arms wrapped around her. She shrieked when she saw him fly off his broom. The teachers stand was so high up that she couldn't see where he went, but she figured it was bad since he wasn't up and moving. Her cheeks were stained with tears and she couldn't stop shivering. Silently praying he would be alright, she realized how much she had come to care for him in the few weeks since he arrived.
Harry and Ron wanted to be there for Hermione, knowing she wasn't taking it too well. Of course, they also wanted to find out what happened to their friend. They were thinking similar thoughts, centered on Draco, and how they would make him pay for what he did to their friend. They had come to accept Alex when they finally realized that he was going to be a part of Hermione's life at school.
Alex's teammates, minus Alyse and Jacob who were both injured, waited nervously for the hospital wing doors to open with news. Michael was pacing the floor breathing erratically. Albus and Minerva were trying to calm the team with encouraging words saying Alex would be alright and he would be up in no time.
Severus was leaning against the wall with a calm cool expression on his face. Inside he was worried. Alex didn't move an inch the entire time he carried him to the hospital wing and he was barely breathing. For a moment he thought he had stopped breathing and that scared him more than anything. He suppressed that thought quickly because he didn't want to feel that emotion anymore; he hadn't felt like that since his wife and child had died.
He didn't get a chance to think more on it because the doors opened and Poppy walked out. She addressed the solemn group, "He's asleep right now, but he should be up in a few hours." Looking at the students she added. "You can come back in the morning to visit him." They silently nodded and left. The three teachers waited for more information on their student. "He has a hairline fracture in his left arm, which I believe he acquired during the game. On his right side his hip is bruised and he broke four ribs. He also sustained a concussion. If you want you can see him, but don't wake him up, his body needs to heal."
They followed the medi-witch into the hospital wing. She started to tend to the other students while the three adults walked towards the bed containing an unconscious Alex. He was lying with a white sheet over his chest. His left arm was on top of the sheet in a sling and he had a bandage wrapped around his head where he crashed into the ground.
Albus and Minerva were gazing at him, as if making sure he would be alright. Once they were satisfied they left the ward, leaving Severus standing there. He took a step toward the bed and brought his hand up to Alex's forehead. He was about to wipe away the sweat on his brow when a noise stopped him. Remembering where he was, and realizing what he was about to do, he simply turned around and left the ward in a hurry. He had a lot to think about, all of which centered on the sleeping boy in the hospital wing.
