Unforeseen Bonds || Draco Malfoy

✭30✭

Draco's POV

The locker room roared as I entered. Cheers erupted from some of the other Slytherins as well as patting me on the back. Looking for a spot to get changed as were my other teammates, I found one toward the back side of the locker room. Blaise and Graham were talking while stretching nearby, as well as Miles, planning out possible strategies, with Marcus—our best chaser. I set my things down, as I began getting in my jersey, when Theo slid into the spot next to me.

"Yo man, you're excited to beat Gryffindors arse?" He smirked. "All you have to do is beat 'golden boy' to the snitch. Me and Marcus can get the points."

"Yeah, yeah. Don't get your panties up in a notch, we'll beat them." He eyed me up and down before shrugging.

"This game will determine if we win the finals!" He stated loudly, causing some of my other teammates to cheer. "Oh, and since you're here..." Theo lowered his voice, making sure no one was listening in. "Do you know what's been going on with Nitara? Miles has been bothering me and Blaise trying to figure out what happened." I almost choked on the water I was drinking, but managed to swallow it down.

"No, I don't. What's she doing...?"

"She just has been avoiding everyone. Haven't you seen her? The night on Valentines when she waved us off, and you went to find her, me and Blaise haven't seen her the same after. Did you ever end up finding her?"

I felt like rolling my eyes, the last thing I wanted to do was talk about Nitara. "No, I couldn't find her. Pretty sure she ran off to Cho or something." I state coldly. "Let's not worry about this now though, we have a game to win."

Time passed as we prepared for the match, and soon everyone was ready. We stood by the door, waiting for our team to be called out.

"And now I would like to welcome the Slytherins!" the announcer's voice boomed through the stadium. One by one, our names were called, and we exited the locker room, mounting our brooms and ascending into the air.

As the game was about to begin, my eyes scanned the crowd much like I did in our last match. When her shiny, raven-black hair came into view, my gaze lingered on Nitara, even though she didn't stay long in my line of sight. She was wearing the Quidditch jersey Miles had gifted her, but something seemed off. She looked tired, her face pale under the stadium lights, and even from this distance, I could tell she was fatigued. My eyes narrowed as I noticed an arm draped around her shoulder.

A confused look flickered across my face, but as my gaze darted away from Nitara's face, it landed on the brunette Ravenclaw beside her. Anger surged through me like wildfire, and I had to resist the urge to drop off my broom right then and there to confront him.

What the fuck is he doing with her?!

Before I could act on my impulse, the game started. Bludgers whizzed past me, tearing my attention away and forcing me to focus on the match. But the image of Nitara and Ryder together festered in my mind, sending waves of jealousy and rage that clouded my thoughts.

. ┊⋆ ┊ . ┊⋆ ┊.

""Harry Potter caught the Snitch?!" The crowd erupted, but this time, it was mostly the stands draped in green that cheered the loudest. Despite Potter's success, the Slytherins had played so brilliantly that we still emerged victorious, securing the win through sheer skill and teamwork. As I dismounted my broom, we all gathered in a massive group hug, our faces lit up with grins and laughter, savouring the sweet taste of victory.

A part of me was slightly disappointed by yet another loss to Potter in the race for the Snitch, but the overwhelming pride in how well we had played pushed those thoughts aside. We were the champions, and that was all that mattered.

After the game, exhaustion settled in, and we agreed to hold our victory party tomorrow. We were all too drained from today's match to celebrate properly.

"We did it, Malfoy! We won the finals!" Miles cheered, throwing an arm around me as we walked back towards the changing room. I couldn't help but smirk, the satisfaction of our triumph still fresh in my mind. Once inside, I quickly showered and changed back into my robes, eager to get some rest. It was only Saturday, which meant we had the whole weekend ahead of us to celebrate and enjoy the win.

As we made our way back through the corridors, green banners and balloons filled the halls, a testament to our victory. My teammates and I exchanged looks of awe and amusement.

"How do you think they managed to do this?!" Theo exclaimed, clearly impressed.

"It's a wizarding school, Theo," I replied with a laugh, patting him on the back. "I'm heading back to the dorm to rest. The plan for Hogsmeade tomorrow is still on?" He nodded, and we parted ways.

As I descended the steps to the dungeons, the noise of the Quidditch game faded into a distant memory. The corridors were quiet, the excitement of the day slipping away as I approached the solitude of my dorm. Entering the room I shared with Blaise, I reached for some sweatpants and a hoodie, eager to change into something more comfortable. As I walked in, I was greeted by the piercing yellow eyes of Ulysses, my family's Eurasian Eagle owl, perched ominously on the dresser.

"Again?" I muttered, rolling my eyes as I took the letter from the bird's talons. Ulysses flew off without a sound, leaving me alone with the unwelcome message. Part of me wanted to tear the letter to shreds, to toss it into the rubbish bin and forget about it, but I knew better. With a heavy sigh, I sat down on my bed and opened my top drawer, where three similar, matte black envelopes lay waiting.

Draco,

Draco Malfoy,

Son,

Draco,

Each letter started the same way, the cold formality of my father's words pressing down on me like a weight. As I scanned through the parchment, the messages blurred together, practically identical.

I have been sent on a mission to retrieve the prophecy.

Don't disappoint me.

I expect you to keep your grades immaculate.

Stay away from Nitara.

Narcissa wishes you good luck in the Quidditch final.

If he catches you with that Hyde girl...

I rolled my eyes, tossing the letters back into the drawer, their ominous warnings a familiar, unwelcome presence in my life. Lying back on my bed, I tried to push the thoughts from my mind, but they swirled around me, dark and heavy, until fatigue finally began to take hold. As I drifted off to sleep, the lingering annoyance slowly faded, replaced by a deep, inevitable dread.

He, my father, Lucius Malfoy, is the reason I have to distance myself from the only girl who has ever made feel like I'm worth something, and now is controlling my school life, and quidditch?!

The victory on the field, once so sweet, now felt hollow, overshadowed by the looming darkness on the horizon. And as the weight of my father's expectations settled over me like a suffocating shroud, I couldn't shake the feeling.