Unforgettable Memories (Dramione Fanfic)

9. Bringing it Home

When Draco walked into his mother's house in the late evening she hugged him tightly and immediately pushed him into a chair;

"I didn't believe a word your father said. Tell me where you've been." 

"Babysitting Blaise," Draco sighed.

"Again? Will he survive?" she asked concern on her face

"This time he will if he stays off the drugs." 

"You don't sound hopeful." She said squinting her eyes, watching her son carefully.

"It's always hard to tell with him but enough about that. You look wonderful Mother when are you going to look old? I'm starting to look old." Draco said with a playful gleam in his eye.

"One can only earn the rewards of good clean living if one practices it. Something which you aren't exactly familiar with." She teased.

Draco grinned. His smiles and laughter came naturally in his mother's company. "I'm better now Mother. Between training with Yuri and the demands of my films, I hardly have time most days to get my own food, much less indulge. I'm disgustingly healthy." 

"Have you found someone?" She asked hopefully

"I haven't really been with anyone after Pansy."

"I never understood why you ended it but you seemed happier when you did."

"She screamed at me in the wee hours of the morning, often during the day and always after a few drinks." 'Plus she wasn't Hermione' he thought in his head.

"Goodness, it's a wonder you didn't turn deaf."

"A little ringing sometimes nothing too uncomfortable." He laughed

"Did she try therapy?"

"I suggested it once and she broke all the glassware on the table." Draco winced as he remembered it. 

"Well, it's good to have you home. After a good night's rest, you should be ready for the race tomorrow."

"No  guests to entertain later?"

"I put it off. Wherever you were coming from I knew you would be tired."

"How did you know?"

"Your father was always a charmer darling but never a good liar." 

The house was filled to the brim the next morning, Food and drink were endless. Draco socialized with everyone.  Narcissa knew her only child well enough to know that he felt uneasy and she allowed him to sneak off to the stables to see Yuri's preparation. The obedient horse had arrived two days before and was well-rested and content, unlike his master.

Prizes had been going up in the last few years; horseback riding was becoming a growing sport and the crowds were larger. The $500,000 cash prize was a good way to earn a living but money hadn't changed the real thrill of the Hunt's Cup. The prize that few were riding today was a mere $15,000. The real feat was the course and Draco was up and ready for the unique challenge.

  He wished that he was less tired and that he had another day to rest after the sleepless nights in Lyon. His heavy sighs and energy alerted Yuri that more than luck was needed in this race as the moved to the starting post.

"You've got some good shoes, saddle and reins today big guy. Just carry me through and I'll stay on one way or another," Draco whispered in his ear patting the horse's neck and he neighed in response

"The weather isn't that bad now but it did rain. Let's hope we lose a few people to that eh?"

Yuri already had a strategy in his head. Get out in front and hold the position. It was a favourite of his as he loved to be in the lead. They gun race began and he bolted from the starting line. He shortened his strides to move faster and jumped cleanly when it came to the hurdles. The other riders followed through the first two jumps but it was the third that took its toll.  It knocked out four horses cutting half the competition. At the tenth, two more horses went down in a struggling mess. By now both Yuri and Draco had loosened up and the beast's ears perked up, his strides became longer as the raced to the finish line.

"All the way big guy. Let's take it." Yuri dug his hooves into the earth and cruised down the track. 

"Show off," Draco laughed but let the horse do as he pleased.

Their winning time was the second-fastest ever recorded on the track. An amateur rider attained the Cup for the first time. Draco grinned as he raised the trophy in the air. He had finally taken it and was bringing it home.