Hi, everyone! I am so so so sorry I haven't written in so long. My life has been incredibly busy lately, but I'm trying to get back into writing again. I hope you enjoy this chapter! As always, I own nothing from the HP universe. Thanks for reading, and any reviews/constructive criticism are always welcome :)
Chapter 7:
Hermione sat high in the quidditch stadium to watch the tryouts. She wasn't alone; most of Gryffindor House who wasn't trying out was out there with her cheering. Some students from other houses were out there too; she suspected they were there to scope out their competition for the season.
"Fancy seeing you out here, Granger. There's no more Potter or Weasel for you to watch anymore." Hermione looked up at Malfoy and rolled her eyes. "Can I help you, Malfoy?"
He sat down propping his feet on the edge of the stadium box.
"No, I don't mind you sitting here. Thank you so much for asking…" she muttered.
"You don't own these seats, Granger. I can sit where I well please."
"You can, I just don't understand why of the hundreds of other seats you choose to sit here."
"There's a good view of the tryouts here, and I need to see my competition before the season starts."
"Your competition? You're playing again?"
He shrugged, "I tried out on Wednesday and was chosen for seeker again, if that answers your question."
"Well, good for you I guess. You're going to have time for that along with classes and Head Boy duties?"
"Aw, Granger, it's almost like you care."
"You have such a big sense of self-importance, Malfoy."
He laughed and leaned back in his seat, "It'll be a good distraction, and something fun to do. First match of the season is against you Gryffindorks. I'm assuming you'll be there to cheer on your lovely lions?"
Hermione laughed, "Oh I'll be there, I wouldn't miss an opportunity to see Slytherin flattened."
Malfoy made a face at her before he shook his head and ran a hand through his hair. It was no longer sleeked back like it used to be, but looked rather windswept. She looked more closely at him and noticed that he looked shabbier in general. He had faint circles under his eyes and his skin seemed paler than usual.
"Little Weasley isn't half bad," he noted as he watched the tryouts.
"Of course not, she's been playing with her brothers for years. It's not like they went easy on her just because she was the youngest." They watched as Ginny zoomed around on Harry's firebolt.
"A firebolt? Is that Potter's?"
Hermione laughed, "Yes, he lent it to her for the year."
"Well that's not fair."
She looked at him incredulously. "Says the boy who asked his father to buy the entire Slytherin team brand new brooms second year and bought his position on the team!"
He shrugged, "Still not fair." He cocked his head and raised an eyebrow, "and my father didn't buy my position on the team this year. I earned it myself, thank you very much. I've been practicing."
"Really? Well, good for you. You're finally starting to act like a normal student, it only took 8 years."
Malfoy tried to retort but his words were drowned in a roaring cheer that echoed from the Gryffindor fans, and Hermione looked down at the pitch. Ginny was standing in front of 6 players and handing each of them scarlet robes. She turned and with her new team waved to the crowd of students. Then she beckoned for the team to follow her to the locker rooms. The crowd began to leave and trudge back up to the castle. Hermione stood and was surprised to see Malfoy still looking over the pitch.
"Staying here for the night?" she asked. He looked up at her and shook his head. "No, Granger, just waiting."
"Waiting for what?"
"Everyone to leave, I need to practice."
"You aren't coming to dinner?"
He rolled his eyes, "I'll eat later, mother." He pulled out his wand and twirled it before flicking it and saying "accio broom". The last few people were leaving the stadium now and Hermione looked for the sign of his broom flying towards them. She spotted it as it came toward hurtling toward them.
"Shouldn't you be leaving now, Granger? It's dark out, and it's getting cold."
"Aw, Malfoy, it's almost like you care." She retorted, mimicking him from earlier. He made a face at her and shrugged. He then stood up and held his hand out as his broom flew neatly into it. "You can stay or leave, Granger. That's up to you, but I really need to get going with my practice."
"Where's the rest of your team?"
"This is more of a private practice. I'll be the only one here tonight."
"Alright, well I'll see you in class tomorrow. Don't forget that we have a prefects meeting tomorrow night since we couldn't have it tonight."
Malfoy rolled his eyes. "Don't worry, Granger. You do know that I help plan these meetings with you right?"
Hermione shook her head in exasperation, "Goodnight, Malfoy."
Malfoy nodded, "Goodnight, Granger." He mounted his broom and kicked off into the sky.
Draco looked back at Granger as she walked down the stairs of the pitch. He sighed and shook his head. He urged his broom forward to the end of the pitch and came to a stop in the air. He hung in the sky watching the last hints of daylight disappear. The moon was hardly there; just a thin silver crescent illuminated the sky with faint light.
Draco turned toward the forest and shot over the trees. He had lied to Granger. There would be no practice for him tonight. He just needed a chance to fly. He loved the feeling of soaring through the sky almost weightless. It was as if all of his problems and worries were still stuck on the ground frowning at him and waiting for him to land so they could drag him down again. He decided his problems could wait.
He spent hours flying all over the grounds and around the highest towers. Finally he landed in the astronomy tower. He sat down with his broom across his lap. He looked at his watch and saw that it was close to midnight. His stomach growled gently and he ignored it.
He stood and banished his broom back to his trunk in his dormitory. He took one last look at the sky before turning away and walking down the stairs. He came to a stop in front of a familiar corridor. He closed his eyes and concentrated, I need a place to relax. I need a place where no one will find me. He opened his eyes and saw a large wooden door that hadn't been there previously. Smiling slightly he gripped the handle and pushed the door open.
The Room of Requirement opened up to room that was lit with a bright fireplace and candles that were mounted on the wall. Bookshelves lined the wall opposite to the fireplace while a large window took up the wall across from the door. Plush dark green sofas and chairs complimented dark mahogany furniture. Overall, the room reminded him of a smaller and more cozy Slytherin common room. He walked over to the shelves to scan the titles that were there. He saw plenty of wizarding fiction as well as textbooks and nonfiction titles. He plucked a fiction novel from the wall. He smiled sadly as he looked at it.
To be honest, he hadn't read any lighthearted books in years. His father stomped that out of him when he was young, and insisted that no self-respecting Malfoy gentleman would read such childish rubbish. Draco remembered crying as his father took his favorite books and threw them into the fireplace. His mother stood behind Draco as he watched with silent tears creating tracks down his face. "It's for the best, Draco," his father told him, "it's time for you to grow up and learn how to be a Malfoy gentleman." He was only 10 years old when that happened.
Draco held the book gently in his hands and carried it to the sofa nearest the fireplace. With slow, deliberate movements he opened the book and traced his fingertips across the cover. His mother read this to him when he was a child, and he would sit on her lap and giggle as she read in different voices for each character. He smiled and began to read The Tales of Beedle the Bard.
When he finished he walked to the shelves and pulled another fiction title, this time one he had never read. It looked more like a book for adult readers instead of children. He returned to the couch and began to read.
He was about halfway through the book when he looked up, wincing as his neck cramped. He looked out the window and saw the sun starting to poke up through the horizon. Ah shit, I should go back to the common room before everyone wakes up.
