Red Lion [2] // Harry Potter// Draco Malfoy

A Firebolt!

CHAPTER THIRTEEN: A Firebolt!

We were fuming, and they were smug.

We were on the field, hovering in the starting positions – I sat up fixing the white strings on the blue robes before slipping my fingers into the gloves.
Robb was glaring at Oliver Wood across the pitch, as a house, we never had an issue with Gryffindor till about now.

Madam Hooch kicked the box, the two Bludgers flying into the air followed by the golden snitch that circled Cho and Harry's heads twice.
"Let the game, begin."

I flew into the scrimmage, knocking the Quaffle out of Katie Bell's reach into the hands of Roger. For us to even have a shot of winning, we need to up the score now, fifteen or more goals before Harry catching the snitch.

We bounce the Quaffle between us, going over the heads of the Gryffindor chasers' heads – in the scoring area, Robb kept flying; throwing the ball too high for Roger to catch and drop in from behind
"What a move from Chasers Robert and Roger Davis-  ten points to Ravenclaw."

"Caw! Caw! Ravenclaw!
The rulers of the air.
We'll win this, for sure!
We'll win this, we swear!

Caw! Caw! Ravenclaw!
The rulers of the skies;
Defying physics laws,
as we soar and fly high!

Caw! Caw! Ravenclaw!
The rulers of the mind.
We'll fly until we're sore.
We're the best of our kind!"

"Angelina Johnson makes a pass to Katie – No, Ravenclaw Chaser Celyn Longbottom intercepts."

With the Quaffle under my arm, I weaved through the pitch; twirling to avoid the Bludgers. Sitting up, I threw the Quaffle towards the hoops. Wood stretched his arm out, blocking the Quaffle – throwing it back to Alicia Spinnet.

From the corner of my eye, I saw a Bludger coming towards me, tumbling to the right; it missed me by an inch. I threw the Quaffle over to Roger; in the pass it got intercepted by Alicia Spinnet.

"Ten points to Gryffindor! Making the score ten all."

Bell flew near me, throwing short passes to Johnson and Spinnet; flying above them, I took my foot off the broom stirrups kicking the Quaffle away. As they had no one marking our players Robb took the Quaffle. Darting through the Bludgers that where being hit his way by Fred and George; taking a shot earning another ten points to Ravenclaw.
Cho looked down at me unsure, I nodded to her before I ducked my head to dodge an incoming Bludger.

Gryffindor closed the gap making the score eighty to thirty, the Gryffindor bias in the school was stupid.

We knew we would lose but we were going to keep trying.

I flew passed the Slytherin Section, giving a little salute to Blaise and Malfoy as I passed. Opposite them, Dean, Seamus and Neville healed a Gryffindor banner but having subtle Ravenclaw strips in the corners. Cho's new tactic was to guard Harry rather than scan the whole pitch by herself.

"Another ten points to Ravenclaw – the score at the one-hour thirty-minute mark is eighty, thirty to Gryffindor."

With the Quaffle in my position, I flew around the raised turrets towards the Gryffindor Goalposts.

"Expecto Patronum."

Crossing passed Harry there was this bright white light that got bigger around me till I was consumed in light. Soon the white light turned red, four blurry faces around me – a malicious cackle filled my ears that were once the cheering crowds

"Ahh!" I screamed, coving my eyes from my bright light, letting go of the quaffle.

Unable to see, I tried to fall gently to the grass, but I had no idea where I was. Panic set in as every time I opened my eyes it was black – my body started twitching slightly till I lost grip of my broom handle.

"Harry Potter has caught the snitch! Thank Merlin we had him and that Broom!" Lee yelled in the blackness," What the Hell!"

"Celyn!" Adrian yelled.

My back hit the ground winding me entirely; it felt like I was drowning, my head hurt like hell as if something was breaking.

"What the fuck was that Wood!" Robb yelled.
"I'm sorry, I thought I saw something," Harry spoke apologetically.

When it stopped, I looked up at Harry's blurry figure," its...Fine."

The outline of Adrian's face came into view," Cel?"
"Cel!" Neville yelled.
I grabbed on to his arm weakly as I tried to sit up," Don't tell Gran."
"I won't if they won't." He said wrapping an arm around me in support.

"Miss Longbottom?" Madam Hooch spoke with Madam Pomfrey insight," What happened up there?"
Harry stepped forward," I saw some dementor, cast a spell and she got caught in it."
I waved it off as I stood up withheld from Neville and Seamus," I don't like you right now."
"I'll make it up to you."
I nodded." Yes you bloody will."
Madam Pomfrey called up a stretcher," I want to observe you overnight, it was a powerful spell to be caught up in."

Neville and Seamus helped put me on the stretcher, my head resting on a small square white pillow.  Looking around at the people on the pitch, Wood and Robb were in a heated convocation with Professor McGonagall and Flitwick; a lot of gesturing and angry handwaving going on.
In the crowds, my eyes met with a familiar pair of grey ones; he looked remorseful, a black cloak in his hands.

Madam Pomfrey apparated us to the Hospital Wing where she set me on a bed; a glass of water and something to change into.
At the foot of the bed  I folded up my quidditch uniform, changing into the white cotton shorts and a tank top.
"You have a very emotional visitor." Madam Pomfrey smiled," and it's not the person."

Peering around the corner, Malfoy walked in with his hands in his pockets – Drizella walking beside him her tail and ears down, her eyes scanning each bed till she saw me. Bounding over, she jumped up; checking I was ok.
"I'm ok Driz." I laughed patting a space on the bed," Calm down."

Malfoy sort of smiled," I told Hadleigh I would drop her around whilst the made you a bag up. Robb is trying to get a rematch but it's not looking that way."
I nodded sitting on the bed with my legs outstretched," Thanks for bringing her, I'd be lonely without her here."
He looked out, his eyebrows creased – reach down he touched the fabric around my ankle," You still wear it?"
I flexed my foot from side to side," Yep, it's a bit worn but I haven't actually taken it off."

He ran a hand threw his ungelled hair," I'm sorry."
"For what?"
He sighed," I thought it would be funny to scare Potter so he would fall off his firebolt – we had no idea he knew that spell."
I nodded slowly," I forgive you, Draco."
"Why?"
I shrugged," Because if he did fall it would've been funny later on and we could've won."
He creased his eyebrows but relaxed," That's one way to look at it."

I gestured to space next to Drizella, he sat with on leg on the bed and the other hanging off the side as we talked; he relaxed so much, it was like he was a different person.
Hadleigh, Isabelle, Anthony, Michael and the team came later on in the evening when Draco had to leave, they stayed around till Madam Pomfrey kicked them out by their ears.
Cho left a card on the bedside table as Hadleigh  dropped an overnight bag near the footlocker.
Drizella fell as sleep, making the Matron letting her stay the night.
Curling up in the bed, it took a while for me to drift off – that mechanical laugh still ringing in my ears like a bad memory.