Drarry - It Was All Just a Game (REWRITE - MATURE VERSION)

CHAPTER 35 - SLIPPING AWAY

TW: suicidal ideation
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"Hey, there he is," Dean grinned as Harry walked into the Great Hall wearing most of his Quidditch uniform. The rest of his gear was stuffed in his pockets. "The best Seeker in the entire school." The rest of the team cheered and playfully shoved him.

Ron, next to him, looked sick to his stomach, and Harry gave him a pat on the back.

"Sleep well, Harry," Seamus asked as Harry hooked a leg around the bench and attended to his plate.

"Ha," Harry responded. "I can never sleep before the first game of the season. Don't worry, though. I've got enough adrenaline in me to last."

"Feeling ready," Dean asked. He sat entirely close to Dean. It reminded Harry of what he wanted to do with Draco. "On your game?"

"Always," Harry snickered, half joking, half not. "I can't wait to kick arse this year. I've been waiting so long to play since Umbridge."

"Easy match?"

If there was one thing anyone ever needed to know about Harry, it was that he loved Quidditch.

Plus,  the match was against Slytherin, meaning Draco was the opposing seeker. Harry knew how to get inside Draco's head. He just had to make sure he looked into his eyes long enough and smiled sweetly a few times, and the match would be Gryffindor's to take. Since Lucius was in Azkaban, he wouldn't have to worry about Draco and him getting into a fight.

And he'd get to see Draco in his uniform. Draco's arse looked nice in his uniform. It was going to be a great day.

Until it wasn't.

Harry spoke, "I don't think it'll be that easy, but I definitely think we can take them down. I heard Malfoy's been practicing in his spare time. But our team is strong and we've set up some new plays that will really--"

"What? Malfoy?" Seamus furrowed his brows. "Malfoy's not playing this year."

"What?" Harry almost laughed. "Yes, he is." How dare you tell me what my boyfriend is or isn't doing?

"No..." They all stared at him, confused, and he mirrored their confusion back to them.

Dean interjected. "He took a year off, said studies were important to him. At least, that's what I overheard from Theo Nott during Herbology."

"That's not right," Harry trailed. Harry didn't take Herbology; he wouldn't have been there.

"All his teammates hate him for it. They got into a huge fight in the dormitories or something. I dunno. It's what I heard."

"A fight? He never told me about a fight." Harry gritted his teeth.

"Why would he tell you that," Dean asked.

Harry opened his mouth and then closed it.

"I think he's being a lazy sod," Seamus laughed. "Or maybe he's just a sore loser after you guys almost knocked him out last year."

Harry looked at Hermione in desperation, and then back at the team. He didn't know what else to do. "He said he's been having practices."

"When," Dean asked.

"Oh, just... boasting about it in the hall. His normal arrogance, I suppose," Harry swallowed. Dates. Draco avoided coming to dates because he was practicing.

"Anyway," Seamus said, not thinking twice, "their new seeker is a third year, heard she's rubbish. I wouldn't be too nervous, Ron."

Ron still looked as pale as a ghost. He gave a half-hearted nod and then stared back at his food. It wasn't his fault he was so uptight, given last year's incident. Mrs. Weasley threatened to keep him off the team if he got involved in something like that again.