Broken

Golden Snitch

June

It was the third week of June and the Hogwarts exams had finally finished. Draco had spent most of the weekend sleeping and training for the Quidditch tournament.

Hermione sidled into the Quidditch stands, carrying Hugo. Rose and Scorpius followed. Scorpius wore his replica Slytherin robes, and Rose was stubbornly decked in yellow.

Draco had been horrified when Rose announced she would be supporting 'the yellow team'. He was even more shocked when Scorpius joined hands with her as she danced, singing 'Huffapuff! Fuffafuff!'. He accused Hermione of letting Rose corrupt his son, and told her to fix it. She just laughed.

'Allo there, Hermione!' A voice boomed behind her.

'Haggid!' Rose shrieked. 'Haggid, dis my fwiend Squawk. Squawk, dis Haggid.'

Scorpius looked nervously up, far up, at Hagrid.

'Hello,' he whispered, offering his hand to Hagrid. 'I'm Scorpius.'

'Well hello Scorpius,' Hagrid smiled, his giant hand engulfing Scorpius' tiny one. 'I'm Hagrid, it's lovely to meet you.'

'Nice-a meet you,' Scorpius smiled, weakly.

'That's never Malfoy's son,' Hagrid whispered incredulously to Hermione. 'Is it?!'

Hermione smiled, but her reply was lost as the crowd roared. The Gryffindor and Slytherin teams strode onto the pitch.

'Welcome to the first Old Boys Tournament!' Lee Jordan cried, back as commentator by popular demand. 'The name itself is misleading, a term borrowed from Muggle university sports teams. We have mixed teams of men and women today. As you know, the tournament will last for one week. The first six days will have each alumni team playing each other, then the final day will be a match against the winners of this year's Quidditch Cup - Gryffindor!'

The Gryffindor students in the stands cheered. Hermione grinned, proud of her old house.

'The first match is between Gryffindor and Slytherin,' Lee continued. 'There may be a lot less inter-house animosity these days, but these Hogwarts graduates don't seem to have got that owl, so it's best to get it out of the way before it turns ugly...'

'Jordan...' Headmistress McGonagall sighed.

'Sorry, professor! Captaining Gryffindor we have Oliver Wood, recently retired from Puddlemere United!' The crowd cheered and clapped. 'Captaining Slytherin we have Adrian Pucey!'

Hermione remembered Adrian from Hogwarts. He had been notable for being one of very few Slytherins who played fairly. Draco had told her that was why Adrian was voted team captain for the tournament.

'A very strong team for Gryffindor, with three previous Quidditch captains, two of which went on to play professionally-'

'Jordan!'

Hermione laughed, enjoying Lee's comically biased and distractable commentary. She felt the years drop away, and could almost imagine she was a student again.

'Aaaaand they're off! Angelina Weasley takes possession of the quaffle, passing to Ginny Potter...'

It was a fast-paced game, with Gryffindor soon pulling ahead.

Draco circled the stadium, searching for the golden snitch. He could see Harry across the pitch, doing the same.

'Angelina scores! Gryffindor are winning sixty to ten!'

Draco groaned. Slytherin were being flattened.

It was humiliating. Draco hated that Scorpius and Hermione were watching them lose so horrifically. Soon it wouldn't matter if he caught the snitch, Gryffindor could still win.

'Another goal for Gryffindor, by Holyhead Harpies chaser and Daily Prophet sports correspondent, Ginny Potter!'

Draco had to catch the snitch before Harry. It was a matter of pride, beating Potter.

A bludger hurtled past him. Draco narrowly dodged it, venting his frustrations by making a rude gesture at the Gryffindor beater. The young woman smirked back at him.

Suddenly, Draco's attention was caught by a glint of gold. The snitch was dancing below the beater.

He dived towards it, the woman shooting out of his way. The snitch darted out of reach.

Draco heard the crowd react and knew Harry was speeding towards him. Not taking his eyes off the snitch, Draco stretched out his hand, still plummeting downwards.

He leaned forwards, ignoring the grass rushing closer. His broom wobbled as he stretched, groaning with the effort.

Draco's hand clenched around the snitch. He felt the wings beat against his fist, and frantically tried to pull his broom out of the dive.

Hermione's hands were over her mouth, her eyes wide as she watched. The audience gasped as Draco crunched into the ground at speed.

'DADDY!'

Hermione thrust Hugo at Hagrid, Rose already sobbing into his shoulder. She shoved through the crowd, elbowing people aside as she chased after the streak of green.

Scorpius was running across the pitch, his robes billowing. Hermione leaped over the barrier, twisting her ankle as she landed. Hobbling, she raced across the grass.

Draco lay in a crumpled heap, his arm and leg bent at horrible angles. The snitch was still clutched in his hand.

Madam Pomfrey reached them, trainee matron Hannah Abbot at her elbow. Between them they conjured a stretcher and levitated Draco onto it. Scorpius held Hermione tightly as he howled.

Hermione saw Ginny and Teddy both running to them.

'Ginny, look after Rose and Hugo. They're with Hagrid in the stands. I can't leave Scorpius...'

'Of course, go!' Ginny looked worriedly at the little boy, sobbing in Hermione's arms.

'I'll come with you,' Teddy offered, his hair tipped with white-blonde in worry. He carried Scorpius as Hermione limped beside them, hurrying to the hospital wing.