After the punch

1. The World Cup

On the ground, between all the shabby, little tents, stood a big matte black, classy tent. Outside everyone was cheering, singing and drinking. Inside everything was black, dark and there was a strange mood. The pretty, classy, high-class woman looked serious and behind her eyes was a slight sign of worry. The tall, blonde teenage boy looked worried too, although his expression changed whenever the smirking, proud man looked over at him. They had almost finished eating their dinner and the tall blonde haired man stood up.

"Well, I better go and make sure everyone's prepared for the fun plans of tonight. I'll be back 5 minutes before the show starts, make sure to see it, it'll cheer you up." He smiled a devilish smile and disappeared through the doors of the tent in a quick motion.

Worry immediately overtook the woman's features and she turned to her son. "Draco, I'm only gonna tell you this one more time. Please warn them, your father knows her and her blood. You know what would happen if he saw her tonight, she would be his next victim." She explained to the young boy who rolled his eyes at her advice.

"Why would I? They're not my friends. I don't care what happens to them." Draco scolded, turning his back to Narcissa. "Don't try to convince me, it's a waste of your breath."

Narcissa's look softened and she put a hand on her sons shoulder. "Draco, I know you're not friends. But do you really want to see your classmates be tortured by your own father, knowing that you could've prevented that from happening with just one sentence?" She asked.

Draco closed his eyes in response and sighed, "Why would I warn them, it's not like they would do the same for me."

The woman raised one eyebrow. "Who screamed at a teacher to take you to the hospital wing when you were attacked by a hippogriff?" She reasoned, making Draco finally turn to her.

"The same girl, who broke my nose by punching me. I think I don't owe her any favours anymore." Draco sneered, with an obstinate look on his face.

Narcissa shook her head, "You want that young girl to be sexually harassed by your father? She may have saved your life when she said to take you to the hospital wing. I had expected better from you." She said, making Draco feel guilty.

"I saved her in our second year with that page about basilisks." Draco tried to reason with his mother, but with one glance at her, he knew he would never succeed. "I'll try to warn them, but not too obvious, they may think I'm gonna start being nice to them."

Narcissa smiled, "It wouldn't hurt if you tried being nicer to them in general, but thank you. I'd hate to see a fourteen year old girl up there, humiliated and for no good reason."

"I'm doing it already, you don't have to try to convince me anymore." Draco sighed and Narcissa chuckled.

---

Soon enough the "fun" as his father called it, had begun. He had quickly retrieved into the woods and had to remind himself of the promise he had made to his mother. He searched for the Gryffindors and quickly caught sight of Ron's flaming red hair and Hermione's huge bush, accompanied by someone with messy black hair. It had to be them. So he moved a little closer to them and leaned against a tree, arms folded. If he was going to do this, it had to be in his style.

Within a second Ron had tripped and was lying on the ground. Draco truly didn't want their attention, but once again reminded himself of his mom. He formed his mouth into a smirk and spoke, "Well, with feet that size, hard not to." He had clearly caught the trio's attention as they turned sharply.

"Malfoy, you can go shove that cocky smirk, along with your insults and rotten personality up where the sun doesn't shine." The Weasley boy told Draco, which he simply saw as funny, since the redhead didn't exactly look intimidating.

"Language, Weasley," He said, and quickly remembered why he had came there. "Hadn't you better be hurrying along, now? You wouldn't like her spotted, would you?" He nodded at Hermione as he thought about what he had just done. Yes, he had succeeded in warning her, but not sounding like he cared. He had done what his mother had asked him to and he didn't lower his own standards.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Granger said boldly.

She really had to make him repeat it, stupid Granger. "Granger, they're after muggles," he tried to explain. "D'you want to be showing off your knickers in mid-air," Remember, you don't care. He thought to himself, and to make that clear he added, "Because if you do, hang around... They're moving this way, and it would give us all a laugh." Nailed it.

"Hermione's a witch." Potter told him, causing Draco to mentally slap himself for how stupid they were acting, how could they not get it?

"Have it your own way, Potter" He grinned, just to make his point of not caring about it. "If you think they can't spot a" He had to prove his point, "Mudblood, stay where you are." He couldn't make it a more obvious warning, why were they too stupid to understand him.

"You watch your mouth!" Weasley snapped and took a threatening step towards Draco, but got held back by Hermione, who quickly shot Draco a look that told him that she knew what he was up to.

"Never mind, Ron." She mumbled.

After a short conversation between Draco and Harry, Hermione spoke again, "Oh come on, let's go and find the others." She shot him a disgusted look, but as soon as Harry and Ron couldn't see her anymore it softened a bit.

"Keep that big bushy head down, Granger" Draco sneered, Granger couldn't think he cared.

"Come on." Hermione said and the trio disappeared into the woods.

Draco was quite proud of his accomplishment. He had warned her, but hadn't been too obvious and he had shown that he didn't care for her at all. The trio had gone further away from the fight and the death eaters and Draco had succeeded in getting Hermione safer, as his mum had requested.