Despite my incessant attempts at sobering up the night before, the morning of Saturday was harsh and unforgiving. After Malfoy left the girls lavatory, I had stuck my head below the faucet and drank until my stomach hurt. When I re-emerged into the common room he was gone, as well as half of the students. Goyle, Crabbe, and Warrington made sure to shout snide remarks about what had occurred in the privacy of the bathroom. Pansy only shot daggers of hatred in my direction.
I sat on the edge of my bed wincing at 6am. Hilda looked like she hadn't even moved from the night before - as though she might've drowned in her pillow. I cautiously poked my foot at her until she groaned and turned over.
After fixing my Quidditch uniform to look less tight as per Draco's concerns, I stepped out of the castle and into the frosty October air. There was a few inches of snow on the ground and icy air nipped at my cheeks instantly. I whirled the green scarf I had on around my lower face and began my warm up walk.
The journey was spent trying to recall bits and pieces of the night before. My memory was totally clear up until the last few shots Hilda and I had taken and then Malfoy had barged in. After that it was an odd mixture of Malfoy looking very angry and then us on the floor, something else happening, him bunching up my dress...and then. Nothing. Had we?
I scrunched up my face and sighed into the hangover.
"Wait up, Madeleine!" A light hearted voice called from behind me. I spun to see Harry hopping down the steps behind me and dressed in thick clothing. He reached me and smiled, waving his hand awkwardly.
"Hi. I heard that the Slytherin practice was today and I know...I don't know you that well...but, I know, Malfoy. He can be cruel. You're the only girl so, I thought I would come for some, uh, moral support." His round glasses began to fog with his rambling and he plucked them off his face to rub them with his jacket.
I grinned back at him, an odd sort of relief flooding over me, "Brilliant, as you English would say!"
"Are you ready?" He queried as we began walking slowly down side by side.
I squinted, "I believe, yes. I used to play in France. But, alas, I 'ad much of this gin substance..." I trailed off, my hand going to my forehead.
Harry's eyebrows shot up and he looked amused, "Had ourselves a little midnight fun in the Slytherin house, did we?" The question was airy, but a hint of curiosity suggested that he was wondering what kind of fun exactly. I swallowed, knowing exactly what kind of fun had happened.
Harry was handsome and kind, gentle, but strong. His warm soul beside mine felt comforting. He had a brightness is his walk and in his words, unlike Malfoy who was damp and heavy. And explicitly unavailable, I thought to myself, considering he was practically engaged to that Astoria girl.
"You know, you'll do great," he was saying with encouragement, his breath coming out as a white cloud, "Malfoy will make a fuss that I'm there but I don't care. Don't worry about that."
I smiled at him sweetly and felt his fingers brush against my glove momentarily.
We reached the bottom of the hill where a cluster of green robes and black brooms were waiting. Montague was the first to spot us as he was stretching in our direction, "Ah, look what the trolls dragged in." He sneered at Harry, baring his terribly maintained teeth.
Malfoy turned on his heal up the hill and his face contorted violently as though it were electronically programmed to change in a split second, "Seriously, Potter? You think my players need escorts to their practices?" He walked up to us and jabbed his gloved finger into Harry's shoulder. Harry stepped back once but stood strongly against it.
"Shut it, Malfoy. I don't give a damn about you. I'm here to support her, and then we're leaving right afterwards." He imbued confidence and bravery, but his voice had lowered several octaves and there was a hint of warning in it.
Malfoy had inched as close to Harry as possible, towering over him. They seemed to be having a staring competition but not in any way that suggested someone would laugh if they lost.
"Okay, come now. We 'ave to practice," I begged in my now seemingly tiny voice while reaching my arms straight between them and prying them apart.
Harry obliged instantly and walked away towards the stands, "Good luck." He lifted his arm slightly towards me and turned.
Malfoy however had apparently grown roots into the ground. His arm snapped up and grasped mine pulling me closer, his face looked callous, "We can't have Potter at our practices. He's on the enemy team, your enemy team," His blue eyes glittered in the morning sun as he leaned towards me, "Don't, let it happen, again. Keep your pathetic relationship to yourself."
"Likewise," I spat. His eyes flashed with surprise.
He dropped my hand like it was diseased and walked back to the group.
The practice itself was hardly as rough as I'd expected. Malfoy had evidently spoken with the other boys about strict professionalism, meaning none of the bullying I was prepared for actually occurred. I only missed one goal, preventing a total of nine shots from the acting chasers before Malfoy caught the golden snitch. Although I had bizarre methods of getting the job done, no one seemed to object to my broom tricks. At one point I dropped behind the center ring, grabbed the top of the ring and swung through, effectively smashing the oncoming bludger back into Warrington who nearly toppled off his broom. Harry had screamed out loud at this achievement, clapping obnoxiously while the only other person in the stands, Snape, had scowled at him.
When we were back on the ground I untied my braids and my blonde waves unfurled in the now bright sun. I felt the boys eyeing me with mixed feelings as they loosened their tight boots.
Malfoy's hand clamped down on my shoulder, and he spun me around, smirking, "I want to see that hoop move in our first game. My father says the Hollyhead Harpies usually scout early on in the season. They typically pick girls. Something to think about." He studied my face for a second before he noticed Harry approaching, rolled his eyes and left.
"Absolutely phenomenal! I don't think I've ever seen a girl play like that!" Harry's hands were on his head and his eyes wide. He hugged me tightly and I heard Warrington fake a retching sound in the background.
I pulled back holding one arm with the other sheepishly and bit my lip, "Thanks, 'arry." I shrugged, "I need to get changed though before we actually leave for 'ogsmeade. Want to meet me in an 'our at de gate?"
"Yeah, that sounds great." He smiled and left up the path while we cleaned up.
When the last bludger had been strapped into the chest, Malfoy pulled out the snitch from his robes and looked up at its shiny exoskeleton before gracefully locking it in, "Okay, you're all dismissed."
I grabbed my broom. "Not you, Desrosiers. You're helping me carry up the trunk." I turned to him and he had a crooked grin on his face, "Rite of Passage, newbie."
"Sure," I shrugged, and strapped my golden broom across my back. I grabbed one side while he took the other. The snow crunched under our boots as we lugged the heavy chest up the hill.
"Do you think he knows?" Malfoy's beguiling tone cut through the noise of our heavy breathing.
"What?" I groaned, rebalancing my fingers in my handle, "Who knows what?"
He grinned sideways at me, "Harry. Does he know about our little, moments?" I didn't say anything, just stared ahead at each coming step.
"Oh come on," He kept going in a snide voice. I sensed he was enjoying me being chained to carrying a chest up a giant hill with him, "Would be hilarious wouldn't it, if someone were to let that information slip. I'd pay $100 galleons just to see his reaction."
"Can't we just lift, uh, levitate it?" I gestured at the trunk, trying to remember the English term for the charm.
"Yeah, sure we could. But it's newbies job to carry it at least once with the Captain. You didn't answer my question." He pulled backwards on the trunk and I looked down the hill, appalled at my arm being yanked so hard.
"Obviously, no, 'arry is unaware," I said in a strained voice, "is Astoria aware?" I retorted.
He looked mesmerized with my discomfort and shrugged, "Sure tell her, see if I care. Perhaps it would remove her repugnant companionship from my future." His eyes looked up at me stained with cruelty.
"Why don't you remove de girl yourself?" I asked, dropping my side of the trunk causing Malfoy's arm to jerk down towards the ground. He let the trunk slide a few feet on its own with a growl, "Just go be miserable on your own." I said.
"You wouldn't know anything about that kind of commitment would you?" He strode up to me so fast I took a step back to avoid an imminent collision, "You wouldn't understand what my bloodline commands from a single heir to a pure blood estate." His hands wrapped around my shoulders in an unfriendly manner.
We stared at each other for a few moments before he let go of his grip. "Wingardium Leviosa" he commanded and the abandoned trunk levitated obediently, "Get out of my sight." He yelled and I turned and fled up the pathway for a few meters before ripping my broom off of my back mid run and taking off.
I didn't waste anytime changing into my Hogsmeade outfit. Grabbing a bag, I fled the Slytherin common room. I fought back the urge to cry even though I couldn't quite explain it. Maybe it was the obvious pain in Malfoy's eyes when he was explaining his marital and family cage. He seemed so angry and alone, and I knew I'd only made it worse. At least before I'd started making plays at him he seemed to have accepted his fate with some sense of calm.
Even though it would be hard now that we had broken the physical seal, I made myself a promise to try and leave it alone. He didn't need me making it any harder by getting in the way. He'd made that painfully clear that day.
Harry, Ron, Luna, Hermione and Neville stood at the gate pacing and chatting when I reached it. They all gave me faint smiles and we headed off, Harry walking closely to me. I still felt a deep sadness in my heart as the group made their way down towards the small village on foot. It was as though Malfoy had spread his sadness to my own heart when he'd grabbed me earlier.
"Saw someone with your name at the Herbology Competition this week," Neville's voice cut through my deep concentration and I returned to reality, "Looked like you too."
"My brother, Éduin," I smiled back. "We're both keen on dat subject but 'e's, er, stronger."
"You could make a great healer with that kind of thinking," Hermione gazed at me wistfully.
Ron sighed, "Or cook."
"No Ronald, that's ridiculous," Hermione rolled her eyes, "Herbs as a food source and Herbology as a faction of magical study are broadly tiered."
Harry snickered and Ron huffed, "Right, of course. That's what I meant."
"I agree with Hermione..." Luna's singsong voice floated in the air, giving no one a direct sense of whom she was speaking to, "I think you'd be a great healer. You've already begun; someone in your life has latched onto you for healing," She turned to face me, "That is, if you'll let them."
In the village I didn't say much as usual. My mind was preoccupied with Luna's words. The streets were loud and crowded, people jamming into each other as they fought to gain access to small, quaint shops. Harry took me by the hand to guide me, "I'll bring you to my favorite shop, you'll love it."
I let him eagerly name everything we passed, the light in his eyes shown. He was in love with the wizarding world in all aspects, that much could be deducted.
"Here - Quantum Quidditch." He grinned up at the giant hovering snitch, slowly rotating at an angle like a planet above the shop, "It's fairly new - all kinds of crazy stuff."
I beamed at him.
"Right, c'mon," he waited for me to enter the shop first.
It was surprisingly bright for a Wizarding shop. My jaw dropped. There was everything Quidditch related; the latest brooms circling in vertical displays, gloves, uniforms, goggles, fan jerseys, bludgers and snitches, cases for equipment. Even candy shaped like snitches on lollipop sticks, squirming to fly away in their glass case.
"And these," Harry had my hand again bringing me over to a display, "Are what you should get for your game." He pointed at a case with white gloves floating in the center. They were so bright I felt compelled to narrow my eyes slightly.
"They look - alike to de clouds," I pointed upwards to the ceiling pointlessly, "So beautiful."
"I know," Harry paused, hovering on my face, "But not just beautiful. Practical. See they're magnetic. They keep you glued to your broom so no one can knock you off. It's genius!"
I was impressed needless to say. I put my hands on the glass and peered at all the details. They were exquisite, dragonshide or something of equal caliber, but I couldn't justify the price.
"Thank you, for bringing me to see," I squeezed his hand.
"Yeah, of course," he nodded. I could see he had something else on his mind too, but then he suddenly squinted over my shoulder inquisitorially.
I turned but saw nothing unusual, in the shops or the busy street. "I thought I saw...nothing. It's nothing." Harry said, with a hollow voice.