HOW TO BE A HEARTBREAKER | draco malfoy ✔️

24. slytherin vs gryffindor

HOW TO BE A HEARTBREAKER

SLYTHERIN VS GRYFFINDOR 

(MONDAY 13TH APRIL 1998)

April rolled around fast— quicker than any of the Slytherin Quidditch team would have preferred. The warmer weather was slowly starting to defront Hogwarts, but it rained nearly every single day. Unfortunately for Crabbe and Goyle, Quidditch practice continued every single night in the wet weather. Draco was actually more than furious when one of them suggested to cancel practice when it stormed one evening.

They played in the sun, they played in the rain, the thunder and lightning, the cold mornings, the even colder nights... When Rowan wasn't studying for the upcoming NEWTs, she was living and breathing Quidditch. However, she and Draco still managed to reserve the last two Sunday mornings for meeting with Narcissa.

Rowan loved her, and she was quite sure the feeling was mutual. Yesterday, Narcissa had come from her daily bath, her black and white hair still dripping. Rowan couldn't believe the woman could look even frailer than she did– but somehow she managed. Rowan had plaited Narcissa's hair for her, taking time to brush it dry as they talked with Draco about nothing and everything.

"I really would like to come and see your Quidditch match, Draco," Narcissa had pleaded, giving her son a longing look. "It's your last one. I'm sure I'd be allowed considering your father is a part of the school board."

"Mother, you need to rest," Draco insisted. "If the weather keeps on as it has been... It's just not a good idea."

Rowan felt awful for Narcissa. She thought about her all of the time. And Draco and even Lucius, too. She thought about how hard it must be for the three of them. They all loved each other so much (Rowan detected a tension between the father and son but thought it was best not to bring up) and the anticipation of Narcissa soon leaving must be the most awful thing in the world.

Rowan couldn't imagine it. She supposed she was lucky to never have met her mother. And if something were to ever happen to her father then Rowan couldn't see herself giving a fuck.

However, more optimistically, Draco was letting Rowan have a say in what happened at Quidditch practices. It was almost as if they were co-captains of the team. A lot of the time, when they were alone and probably could be doing better things with their time, they spent it talking strategy and weaknesses.

The team were playing better. Rowan leant Blaise and Clay a few books she swore by about Chasing, and she'd seen them pouring over the copies in the common room on several occasions. Watching the team fly about and cheer each other on (but also call each other out, rather brutally, on mistakes) was one of the best feelings in the world.

Slytherins were known for their ambition. They were known for achieving great things and stopping at nothing to reach success. A lot of the time, they were notorious for stepping on each other's toes because of this. Most Slytherins had the built-in drive of wanting to be the best of the best, of wanting to land on top.

Finally, it felt like people were playing as a team and working together. It wasn't just for themselves. Rowan didn't think there was anything more powerful than a group of ambitious, cunning individuals with the same end goal.

Gryffindor's bravery and courage could only get them so far, after all.

"Whilst I am pleased to see you are taking the house games so seriously..." Professor Snape eyed the team as they trudged into the school, all dripping rain water and covered in mud, brooms trailing puddles behind them. "I think the eldest of you should be prioritising the NEWTs coming up soon."