just for you (years 5-7)

chapter 52

by the time my brain registers that he's there an decides i should start walking back out of the pitch, he's already noticed me.

he stares at me for a second, before stopping to put on his gear and picking up his broom.

"i— um. i didn't see anyone on the sign up sheet, sorry." he says awkwardly, his eyes moving to the exit behind me.

"oh, oh! no, i didn't— sign up." i stammer, cursing at myself in my mind. "spur of the moment— kind of thing— um— you know, i should— go—" i mumble, turning around and starting to walk out of the pitch.

"no— no that's fine. i flew with zabini yesterday, you go ahead," draco says from behind me.

"you were here first, draco, it's fine— i'll come back later..." i sigh over my shoulder, staring to walk a bit faster.

"no! stay!" he insists, suddenly his voice a lot nearer than before.

"draco—!"

"we're going to have to get used to being around each other, y/l/n. i mean— we've still got classes and practice. so— stay."

i turn to find him staring back at me, eyebrows raises expectedly.

he continues when i don't answer, "i'll go if you want me to—"

"no, it's— fine," i sigh, running my hand through my hair. "you're right. we have to get used to— this." i gesture between us, meeting his eyes nervously.

he nods slowly, moving to look absently around the empty pitch.

"okay, well— i'm going to... go. to fly." he says cautiously, starting to back away.

"right— me too." i nod, watching as he turns and walks back to where he left his things at the center of the pitch.

the purpose of coming here was to de-stress. to just fly around and let everything go.

now i feel even more tense then before.

draco finishes suiting up and then leans down, searching through his bag until he pulls out his broom polish.

i'm still standing on the outskirts of the pitch, trying to figure out what i should do.

he finishes prepping and then mounts his broom, flying up into the air without giving me another glance.

so it seems we're just going to pretend the other isn't there.

great.

i watch him do some laps around the pitch for a moment before i turn my back, reaching into my own bag and putting on some of my padding. i dig through my bag to find my own polish— prep my broom, tie up my hair, and then look back out to the pitch.

he's currently looping in and out of the goalposts— being a complete show off.

i smirk and roll my eyes, walking over to the center of the pitch to take off.

"y/l/n!" draco suddenly shouts as i get closer to his things, hovering up above me.

i look up to him and furrow my brow, leading him to continue. "could you get my snitch out of my bag? since you're down there." he points down to his things.

"uh— sure," i nod, earning a thankful smile from him.

i walk over to his bag, trying to work out what he's playing at. it's got to be some kind of angle— right? unless he's just— ugh, i don't know.

"so... what?" i shout up to him as i finally find the snitch amongst his things, "are you fine with being friends now?"

he laughs, "no. if we were friends we would be talking about how pissed i am that my girlfriend broke up with me. but we aren't. so, you're just tossing me a snitch because it's convenient— it's really not some grand gesture, y/l/n."