Draco silently paced back and forth in the hallway where his team waited for Blaise. He glanced out at the pitch where Hogwarts students and teachers were gathering to watch the biggest game of the Quidditch season. He wished for a small moment that he could be one of those students who were just enjoying the sunshine, ignorant to what was happening inside the castle.
He looked away and shook those thoughts from his head, angry with himself for thinking them.
Don't be weak, Draco. He scolded himself.
He took a deep breath, and began counting down the seconds in his head until Harry and Ron would be coming around the corner, ready to pick a fight with him like they were in first year once again.
They better not be late. Draco thought.
However, Harry and Ron were right on time. They turned the corner, engaged in a fake conversation, but stopped in their tracks when they spotted the Slytherin Quidditch team.
"What are you still doing in the castle, Malfoy?" Harry asked suspiciously. "Shouldn't you be down at the pitch getting readt to lose?"
"It's really none of your business what we're doing, Potter." He stood up taller so that he was at his full height. "And, if I'm not mistaken, you're still here too."
"We don't need to explain ourselves to you, Ferret." Ron spat. Draco had to admit that the Weasel was a good actor, but then it crossed his mind that he may not actually be acting, and that his hate for Malfoy might now have fully disappeared. Although Harry was civil with Draco, he guessed that Ron still had his doubts.
"Well, you better get going, Scarhead. Wouldn't want you to lose any time warming up for the match. You'll need all the help you can get." Draco said smugly, and even though he was pretending, he couldn't help but think it was a little bit true.
If we were really going to play today, Potter and his team would be slaughtered.
Harry rolled his eyes at Malfoy's smug smirk. "I'll guess we'll see, won't we Malfoy?"
Draco nodded. Harry and Ron made to walk around the Slytherins, but, just like Draco had predicted, Theodore Nott stepped in their path. He had known that Theo wouldn't be able to resist picking a fight with Harry when their were no teachers around; he knew that Theo would want to take advantage of the situation.
"You better be careful out there." Theo said with heavy sarcasm. "Wouldn't want the Chosen One to get hurt, would we?"
"Is that a threat, Nott?"
He smiled menacingly. "It sure is."
Draco stepped forward. "Stop it, Nott. Potter isn't worth it."
Theo didn't move. Harry pulled out his wand subtly, and Ron followed.
"Get out of my way, Nott."
"Make me, Potter."
Blaise returned at this moment, right on time with his gloves in one hand and his wand drawn in the other, but no one noticed; everyone's eyes were glued to Harry and Theo. Draco internally thanked his best friend for his punctuality, and continued with his act.
Draco grabbed Theo's shoulder roughly. "Stop this. We have a match to focus on, Nott. We'll settle this on the field like we always do."
He shrugged out of Draco's grip. "I don't give a damn about the Quidditch game." He pulled out his wand. "I just want Potter to pay."
Everyone stepped back when Theo pulled out wand, and Draco heard a few of his teammates gasp. He pointed it at Harry, who pointed his back in Theo's face. Ron stood slightly behind him with his wand pointed at Theo too, while Blaise silently melted into the small group that surrounded Harry and Theo.
"What are you going to do, Theo?" Harry asked. "You gonna kill me?"
Theo cocked his head. "I just might."
Draco pulled out his wand now. "Theo, knock it off!"
"Don't tell me what to do, Draco! You work for me, remember?" He glanced at Draco before turning his attention back to Harry. "I call the shots, not you."
The Slytherin team exchanged looks of confusion at Theo's words, and Draco held up his wand and pointed it at Theo, but he just smiled.
"You want to keep her safe, don't you?" He asked. Draco knew he was talking about Hermione, and nodded stiffly. "Then get your wand out of my face and back me up."
Draco, Blaise, Ron and Harry all looked at Theo at the same time, surprise evident on each one of their faces. After all the brainstorming and all of the late night planning, not one of them had thought about what would happen if Theo asked for Draco's help.
I can't believe we didn't think of this. Draco thought angrily. Hermione, where the hell are you?!