[𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞] Draco Malfoy x Reader

PART FIFTEEN [𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡]

A/N:

Real life be getting in the way of me these days! You're all so lovely for being super patient with this next part ;_; thank you guys <3

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My face drained from colour as I realised that had happened. It hadn't sunk in yet, and Draco's eyes caught mine from his position on the table. He was not happy. Not only did a girl take his position, but a Mudblood too. The Filthy Mudblood Queen. I smiled smugly, staring straight back into his scowl before I caught his neighbour's eyes, Theo. My smile dropped, my heart sank and I turned back to my friends.

"Y/n! You've done it," Pansy beamed pulling me in for a hug.

"We knew you would," Daphne beamed at me over the applause.

It took a moment to realise that I couldn't hear her and that there was actual applause. Applause of acceptance. Something I'd not felt since I'd came to Hogwarts. I wanted to smile and be happy, to take in feeling somewhat okay for a moment but his eyes pulled every happy emotion in that moment. Why did he have to do that? Take my moment so secretly from me. He knew looking at me with those god damn eyes would do this. He knew.

"Earth to Y/n?!" A hand was waving in front of my face, pulling me from my daze.

"I knew it too. I mean, who actually thought Draco could compete with me?" I laughed. Me. I really thought he would get it. I guess I was wrong.

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The weeks passed quickly since that moment. Draco and I both attended practice three times a week and it was arranged that we would essentially be taking turns as the seeker due to us being first years. Draco didn't accept having to share the position with me, and even Lucius Malfoy himself had made a visit to the school, but Dumbledore would not budge. Lucius did not want us precious son to have to share a position with wretched, undeserving beings like myself. It was brilliant really, and Draco's anger seemed to die down after that since even Daddy couldn't fix his issue for him. As usual, I avoided Theo at all costs. He didn't make an effort to see me around, and when he did see me it was a scowl. How could I like a boy this much but have him treat me the way he did?

As the weather grew colder, it became more difficult to keep control of my broom. When flying, I'd not accounted for any wind, and it was becoming a problem. All eyes would be on me, and I was starting to feel the pressure as our first game crept closer. To add more pressure, it was against Gryffindor and I was to be the seeker for this match. I couldn't help but second guess my want and need to be flying all the time. As much as I loved it, and I loved the idea that it was completely opposite to what I was doing a year ago, I had a slight regret of wanting to join the Quidditch team.

"Draco has been in a foul mood since your last practice. Care to share why?" My best friend questioned, dropping her books onto the table in the library. I lifted my eyes from our Transfiguration homework and smirked.

"Well, I was actually chosen to be the seeker for our match tomorrow," I grinned.

"You've held this back from us for two days now? Y/n Granger, why didn't you tell at least me?" Pansy squealed.

"Miss. Parkinson, quiet." The librarian shushed her from across the room. Pansy's eyes almost rolled into the back of her head.

"I'm just nervous, and Daphne has been in her own little world with whichever boy she is talking to, and then you have been-"

"Nothing, Y/n. I've been doing nothing but waiting for some good news from you! Daphne has always been boy crazy so that's nothing new, but this - this is so exciting. You're a first year and you're going to represent Slytherin as our seeker for our first match against no other than Gryffindor!" She pushed her hands and sleeves to her mouth in order to not squeal again.

"I mean, I know you're right but it's so intense with Draco lately. He's not even made any effort to even be mean, it's just so much pressure to perform.

"You'll do fine, Granger. Trust me. You're a Mudblood in Slytherin. If you can do that and survive, you can do anything," she smiled before pulling me into the biggest squeeze imaginable.

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The next morning the sun was shining and the weather felt calm for a change. We'd had some last minute practice before the match and I couldn't shake the aching that I had in the pit of my stomach. It was like a ball of evergrowing dread and I wasn't quite sure why I had the feeling that something bad was going to happen.

I'd actively avoided my friends after practice and hung around the Quidditch pitch waiting. I didn't think that I could stomach being around others before the match. I couldn't shake the pressure and that bad feeling. As the hours passed, more of the team joined me in the tent and got changed into our quidditch gear.

"Nervous, Mudblood?" Draco said as he pushed his way into the tent.

"What's it got to do with you?!" I furrowed my brow at the blonde haired boy.

"Easy, kids. We'll be fine. Being the godly keeper that I am, I'll make sure nothing is scored making it an easy job for you Granger," Miles Bletchley laughed ruffling the top of my hair. His other hand moved over to Draco's head then anticipated when he saw the layers of gel on his slicked back hair.

"Yeah, easy Draco," I mimicked back to Draco rolling my eyes. He opened his mouth to respond but was interrupted by Marcus Flint coughing loudly and waving us all over.

"Now, they've moved the start of the season by a couple of weeks so we've not had as much time to practice as we'd like to but I have every bit of faith in all of you. Granger, keep your eye on bludgers, and look out for that golden gobstopper in the sky. Set your sights on that and we will bring home the sweet, sweet victory," Flint smirked. "It's Gryffindor so it's not a hard task. Get yourselves out there and lets win team." he roared above the increasingly loud cheers.

"Mr Malfoy, make your way to the stands as we can't have you camping in here all match," Madam Hooch said ushering him out. "Are you all ready?" We each nodded.

I slowed down my breathing as we walked to the edge of the tent facing the inner pitch and mounted my broom. This was it. I was about to make my debut as a seeker and hopefully win the game. The ball in my stomach had now turned to a knot and the pain was becoming unbearable but I couldn't stop now. There was a slight breeze now rippling the material on the tent, and as the tent flaps were pulled back allowing the October sun air to blind us. One after one, we kicked off into the Saturday afternoon air.

"Debuting as their new seeker. The first first year in Hogwart's history to make it onto a Quidditch Team, Y/n Granger!" Lee Jordan announced into the microphone as i flew around the pitch. I felt awkward to say the least, but waved as everyone cheered.

"I want a clean match, which means no funny business. Looking at you Mr Flint," Madam Hooch pointed to. "Ready," she paused looking up at both teams, "and you're off!" Her voice boomed as she threw the quaffle in the air.

It was chaos instantly. I didn't know what to do. None of our practice matches were this chaotic. I found myself hovering above the rest of the players watching the game, the snitch not in sight. As the game went on, my confidence grew - not because I was doing anything, but because Gryffindor's seeker looked just as clueless as I did and we were up by 30 points. I found myself scanning the pitch, looking for that golden glint until I caught a grey set of eyes staring at me coldly. His face motionless, brow furrowed and I felt them piercing me from across the pitch. The sickly feeling that I had forgotten about came back instantly and I felt a sharp pain stabbing at my insides. I needed to catch the snitch, not just for Slytherin, and not just to beat Gryffindor, but to prove myself. I needed to prove myself to Draco of all people because I couldn't handle the failure in front of him. Right beside him I could see Theo too. I couldn't fail infront of him either, despite everything that had happened I still felt something for him. That was when it happened. He was cheering and looked in my direction and held my gaze. His eyes stared into mine with that warm smile that I remember.

"Granger!" I heard a shout over the cheers.

I spun around on my broom and caught that shine. The golden snitch was yards in front of me. I swallowed hard and leaned forward on my broom speeding straight towards it's glistening wings. It darted lower and I dived, Gryffindor's seeker on my heels. Wisps of hair tickled my ears as my speed increased, getting closer to the ground. The cheers roared as the both of us followed the snitch, weaving in and out of the stands. Any pain that I had felt had disappeared and I was fueled by adrenaline. Maybe I could actually do it? I was starting to believe that I was right for seeker and that I could really win this.

The snitched swerved lower to the beams that held the wooden stands together and I was struggling to manoeuvre between them when it caught me. My cloak had gotten caught on a beam and I was pulled back off of my broom and hit the ground hard. The cheers stopped and I could hear more chaos from the stands. The booming in my head was unbearable and the pain in my stomach was excruciating. A whistle blew and Madam Hooch ran over to me. I couldn't quite make her out because it was just so bright. My eyes stung against the light and I squeezed them closed. I couldn't bear it. 

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