Downfall || Draco Malfoy x Fem!Reader

7) Quidditch

I laugh as I tell Cho and Eth what had happened the next morning. How I saved them and how we all settled that we were officially friends on the walk back towards our dorms. They seem impressed, though I can see a look of slight frustration on Cho's face.

"What's up?" I ask her once we're alone. Eth had run upstairs to grab his wand, having forgotten it on his nightstand.

"It's just...you ran off without telling us what was going on and then put yourself in danger for people you don't even talk to." She doesn't meet my eyes, as if she realizes her emotions aren't reasonable.

"Someone had to do something! They could have died!" I groan and fold my arms and, after a moment, she sighs.

"I know, I know." She pushes some hair behind her ear, and straightens up. "I'm sorry."

I nod and calm some, but internally I wonder if she is just a little bit irrational. Eth joins us a moment later and we make our way to the Great Hall.

When we arrive, they start towards our table, but stop when they realize I'd paused at the doorway. They glance back at me quizzically.

"I'll be right back." Before waiting for a response, I make my way to the Gryffindor table.

As I approach Harry, Ron, and Hermione, I hear Ron and Hermione trying to get Harry to eat something.

"They're right, you know." Ron jumps when I stop behind him.

"Would you quit doing that!?" He hisses when he looks up at me. Hermione waves in greeting, while Harry offers a weak smile.

Just as I'm about to speak, Snape walks up. He once-overs me, sneering, but says nothing, instead turning to Harry.

"Good luck today, Potter. Then again, now that you've proven yourself against a troll, a little game of Quidditch should be easy work for you...even if it is against Slytherin." With another sneer, he walks off without waiting for a response, limping.

"That explains the blood." Harry states in awe, watching Snape walk away. I turn towards his voice and away from the retreating Snape.

"Blood?" Hermione asks, at the same time I question with "What blood?".

Forgetting I'm standing there, or rather ignoring the fact that I am, Harry explains. "Listen, last night, I'm guessing Snape let the troll in as a diversion so he could try and get past that three headed dog. But, he got himself bitten, that's why he's limping." He leans towards the other two, his voice just barely above a whisper.

"But why would anyone go near that dog?" Hermione questions.

I frown. "What dog?" I fold my arms, my eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

Ron jumps again at my voice, gives me a dirty look, and then exchanges glances with the others. I watch the silent communication between them, the questioning of whether they should tell me. Harry sighs.

"You aren't to tell anyone. Even..." He glances towards Cho and Eth, nodding slightly to indicate he's referring to them.

"Swear on Merlin." I meet his eyes, determined to show he can trust me.

Hermione quickly summarizes what had happened with the dog. My eyes widen in shock as I listen.

"That's bloody insanity." I mumble, but then look at Harry. "So what about Snape and this thing?"

Harry continues his thought process. "The day I was at Gringotts, Hagrid took something out of one of the vaults. He said it was Hogwarts' business, very secret."

I silently question why he'd gone to Gringotts with Hagrid, but quickly refocus on the conversation, listening as Harry continues.

"That's what the dog's guarding. That's what Snape wants." He emphasizes slightly.

Any continued conversation is interrupted by a snow owl flying through the Great Hall, carrying a large, very long parcel. It drops it onto the table. I stare at it in shock, quickly realizing it's a broom.

"Bit early for mail, isn't it?" Hermione muses, curiosity playing on her features.

"But I-I never get mail." Harry stares at it in awe.

"Let's open it." Ron declares and they open it quickly.

"It's a broomstick!" Harry's awe just grows. I internally roll my eyes, disbelieving how dull Harry apparently could be.

As Ron explains the quality of the broomstick, his awe mirroring Harry's, I take the opportunity to offer a quick goodbye that they don't hear, and go to sit with Cho and Eth. I quickly eat breakfast, knowing it's almost time for the Quidditch match to start.

A few moments later, I've settled beside Cho, whose eyes are sparkling with excitement, and Eth, whose expression is one of slight excitement, in the Ravenclaw section of the bleachers.

"Hello, and welcome to Hogwart's first Quidditch game of the season! Today's game: Slytherin versus Gryffindor!!!" The kid broadcasting exclaims into the microphone.

The teams fly onto the field, Harry and the Slytherin seeker highest.

"The players take their positions as Madam Hooch steps out onto the field to begin the game." The kid dictates. I glance at each of the team's members. Slytherin looks like they're ready to kill.

"Now, I want a nice clean game...from all of you." Madam Hooch declares, looking pointedly at Slytherin, kicks the trunk, and the bludgers fly out.

"The bludgers are up...followed by the Golden Snitch. Remember, the snitch is worth 150 points. The seeker who catches the Snitch ends the game." I frown. I don't understand why the Snitch is worth so many points. It seemed unfair.

Madam Hooch releases the Quaffle, the broadcaster announces it, and the game begins. I watch carefully, focused on trying to find the Snitch and watching the way Harry plays. There's always something to learn from the way someone plays Quidditch, it's just a matter of what. Xeno taught me that.

About halfway through the game, Slytherin starts to be bloody gits on the field. I sigh heavily, my eyes furrowing in worry.

"The Gryffindors are going to get hurt!" Cho yells worriedly as one of the Gryffindor catchers falls off her broom. She grips my arm tightly. I wince from the pain, but don't pull away.

Suddenly Harry zooms through the air, his sights set on something in front of him. I realize it must be the snitch. But my eyes widen as Harry suddenly is dangling from his broom by one hand, Cho's hand tightening on my arm. I feel Eth tense up beside me.

There's a commotion where the professors are sitting and I look over. Snape is frantically trying to beat out a fire off his cape. I couldn't help but wonder how a wizarding school Quidditch game could be more dangerous than a professional one.

Harry climbs back onto his broom and takes off after the Snitch again. After some back and forth, I watch as Harry stands on his broom, and falls off it. I shake my head, wondering why and how someone who has apparently never ridden a broom before not only makes the Gryffindor Quidditch team and has the audacity to stand on his broom mid flight.

A moment later, Harry literally throws up the Snitch and Gryffindor wins.

"That was insane!" Cho exclaims, finally letting go of my arm. I know I'll have a bruise there.

"It was certainly eventful." Eth mumbles, exchanging a wary look with me. I know he's thinking along the same lines as me.

We shuffle off the bleachers with the rest of the Ravenclaws and head back to our dorm, chatting about the game and listening to the heavy chatter of the students around us doing the same.