Broken

Final Match

Rose yawned noisily, leaning heavily against her cousin Victoire. Scorpius was sat on Teddy's lap, his eyelids fluttering drowsily. They were all sleepy after staying up late watching Disney films the night before. Hermione and Fleur sat between Victoire and Teddy, creating a barrier between Rose and Scorpius. Tensions were running high ahead of the match between Slytherin and Gryffindor, and the two children had already been scolded twice for fighting.

The crowds jumped to their feet, cheering as the two teams jogged onto the pitch. The rain had stopped, but the ground was still muddy and dark clouds hung overhead. Adrian Pucey and Oliver Wood shook hands briskly as Madam Hooch's voice boomed across the field, reminding the teams of the behaviour expected of them. The quaffle was launched into the air, and the teams kicked off with a splatter.

Harry and Draco steered their brooms above the others, both keeping a keen eye out for the golden snitch as they circled the field. Hermione's insides twisted as she watched them, her loyalties torn between the two Seekers. She wrapped her arms around Hugo, burying her face in his squishy embrace to hide her confusion. He gurgled happily and tugged her hair, his fingers twisting in her curls. Wincing, Hermione disentangled her hair from her son's pudgy grasp before turning back to the game.

Angelina raced across the pitch, passing the quaffle to Ginny as a Slytherin Chaser pulled alongside her. Harry cheered and blew a kiss to his wife as she scored a goal. Hermione saw Draco sneer at them.

The Slytherin Chasers snatched the quaffle and swooped towards the goal-posts. Oliver swerved and dived towards the ball, snatching it out of the air.

'Yes!' His wife cheered, applauding him enthusiastically.

Draco dived, weaving between the players towards a flicker of gold. Harry was close behind him. A Gryffindor Beater launched a bludger at Draco, forcing him to change course. Harry pulled his broom up quickly, avoiding a collison. When they were both back on track, the snitch had disappeared. Draco pounded his broom-handle in frustration.

*****

Both teams were playing well, their passes smooth and their moves in sync with each other. The scores remained close, neither team gaining an advantage. Hermione could see the tension in Draco's face as he flew past their seats, his eyes feverishly scanning the field.

A roll of thunder boomed overhead, startling Hugo. He began to cry, tears mixing with the rain as the heavens opened. Hermione and Fleur quickly pulled out their wands, conjuring umbrellas to protect themselves and the children from the weather. A flash of lightning lit up the pitch, striking a tree deep in the Forbidden Forest.

'Zis is not safe,' Fleur muttered, frowning in disapproval.

The players were a blur of red and green. Their figures were hazy in the torrential rain, distinguishable only in the bright forks of lightning. Hermione could hear Teddy soothing Scorpius, whose fingers were digging into his cousin's arm. Rose had her hands over her eyes, peeking through her fingers as her family played overhead. Lee's commentary was lost in the cracks of thunder.

'One of them better catch the snitch soon,' George said, his arms around his two worried-looking children. 'At this point, I don't even care which one.'

'How can they even see it in this?!' Hermione exclaimed, peering through rain-splattered binoculars.

Thunder shook the stands, followed immediately by a sharp crack of lightning. Rose whimpered and flung herself at her mother. Scorpius crawled across to them, his face whiter than usual. Teddy took her wand-umbrella so her hands were free to hug all three children close. Rose's brown hand slipped into Scorpius's pale one, squeezing it tight.

Two figures streaked overhead, one red and one green. Neck and neck, they raced towards the Gryffindor goal-posts. A flicker of lightning lit up Harry, as he waved the golden snitch triumphantly in the air.

The two teams sank to the ground, hurrying off the pitch as the crowds rushed out of the stands.

*****

The rain-soaked Gryffindor and Slytherin teams entered the Great Hall to tumultuous applause. Hermione examined the mud-splattered faces of the figures in green, noticing a slender, blonde figure was missing from the ranks.

'Where Daddy?' Scorpius asked, tugging Adrian's robes as he walked past.

'He's just taking a minute,' he told the little boy. 'I'm sure he'll be here soon, ok?'

'Fleur, could you watch the kids for a while? I'll go check on him, ok Scorpius?'

'I come?'

'Non, mon cher, you stay 'ere.' Fleur instructed, patting his hand.

*****

Hermione found Draco sat in the quidditch stands, rain pouring down his face. His robes were soaked until they were almost black. He blinked dazedly as she held the umbrella above his head, finally noticing her arrival.

'I just want to be alone for a minute,' he said pointedly.

'I get that. But there's no use catching your death while you're at it.'

Hermione sat in silence, staring out across the pitch with him. The rain began to ease, and the umbrella disappeared. With a flick of her wrist, Hermione conjured a jar of blue flames. She set it between them, the colour flickering on their faces and the warmth washing over them.

'I just...wanted Slytherin to win at something for once. Properly. Because we earned it, not because we cheated.'

'I know.'

'Should've known it'd never happen. Not against Saint Potter and the Dream Team. We never stood a chance. The bad guys never get their happy ending!'

'This isn't a storybook, and you're not the bad guys.'

Draco snorted derisively.

'Tell that to the world. I really wanted to show Scorpius that...it's not a bad thing. To be a Slytherin. And a Malfoy. I wanted him to have something to hang on to, when all the world tells him otherwise.'

'He has that,' Hermione said softly, wrapping his hand in hers. 'Every day, you show him that. You're an amazing father and you work so hard to make a better world for him. All these precious moments with you, that's what he'll remember. Not whether or not you won some game.'

'It's not just some game!' Draco protested.

'I know,' Hermione laughed. 'And he's loved watching it with you. He's completely hooked. But right now he's worried about his daddy, so how about you go reassure him that you're ok?'

'Alright,' Draco sighed, heaving himself up from the seat.

He pitched forwards slightly, his legs having seized up from sitting too long. Hermione's hand shot out and steadied him.

'Thank you,' he smiled, tilting her chin up towards him. 'For everything.'

The rain started again, but they were too lost in the taste of each other to notice.