Ex-Friends || A Drarry Story

One : Five

TW: Mentions of physical abuse

Rearing up, Harry flew higher, his speed increasing. On the ground below, he heard girls scream and gasp and Ron whooped.

Turning his broom sharply, he faced Malfoy, who looked stunned. "Give it here," he called, "or I'll knock you off that broom!"

"Oh, yeah?" sneered Malfoy. Harry's stomach began to churn, but he tried to ignore it. He wasn't intimidated. Why did he feel so. . .off? "Scared of heights, Potter?"

Somehow, Harry knew what to do; he leaned forward, grasping the handle of his broom tightly and it shot towards Malfoy like a javelin. Draco Malfoy only got out of the way just in time, exclaiming, "Woah!"

Harry heard Blaise Zabini call from the ground, "Just give it to him, Draco! Quit being a---"

"Shut up!" Draco called back, his silver eyes hard. Harry made a sharp about-face and held the broom steady. A few people were clapping.

"No Zabini up here to help you, Malfoy," said Harry.

The blonde seemed to come at the same realization as Harry. "Catch it if you can, then!" he shouted as he threw the Rememberall. The glass ball streaked to the ground.

As if in slow-motion, Harry watched it for only a moment. Leaning forward, he lowered the broom handle and, the next second, he was gathering speed in a steep dive, hearing girls scream from the ground rushing towards him, mingling in with the wind whistling with his ears.

He stretched out his hand and, at a foot from the ground, he caught it, hearing a collective cheer from the Gryffindors on the ground. Unfortunately, he fell off his broom, toppling to the ground, the Rememberall clutched tightly in his hand.

But Harry didn't have any time to celebrate before he heard, "HARRY POTTER!"  Harry turned, seeing Professor McGonagall running towards him and his heart sank faster than when he dived. He got to his feet, trembling. "Never---in all my time at Hogwarts---" She was near speechless, her mouth pursed in a very Aunt Petunia-ish way and her glasses flashed furiously. "How dare you---could have broken your neck---"

"It wasn't his fault, Professor---"

"Be quiet, Miss Patil---"

"But Mal---"

"That's enough, Mister Weasley." McGonagall turned sharply to Harry, who flinched on instinct. She gave him a once over before telling him, "Follow me, Potter."

As he left, Harry caught sight of Malfoy, Blaise Zabini, and Pansy Parkinson. Zabini was telling Draco off quietly while the blonde stood, his silver eyes on Harry. Striding in Professor McGonagall's wake, Harry's brain felt fuzzy and numb.

Surely, he was about to be expelled. He hadn't even been at Hogwarts a month and he was going to be kicked out. Harry wanted to say something to defend himself, but his voice didn't seem to be working.

Professor McGonagall swept along the corridor, her robes making a swishing sound. Harry had to jog to keep up.

Now he had done it. He'd be paying his bag soon. No more magic. No more Hagrid or Ron. What would the Dursleys even say when he turned up at their doorstep?