The Gryffindor Malfoy

Chapter 3

Summary: Carina watches the Gryffindor quidditch practice. Draco and she have a disagreement.

At the weekend I wake up to the sound of someone walking through the dormitory. I open my eyes reluctantly, annoyed at having woken up early on a Saturday. I look at the window next to my bed and see that it's barely dawn. I turn round to see who is responsible for waking me up, when I see Lydia already dressed to go out.

"Where are you going at this time of day on Saturday?" I ask, my voice still hoarse from sleep.

"Today will be the Gryffindor team's first Quidditch practice." Lydia says. "My sister Angelina is a chaser. She invited me to watch."

I take a deep breath, still sleepy. I look around, Beatrice and Amber still seem to be asleep, and strangely Ginny's bed is empty. Perhaps she's also left early to watch the training session, since the Weasley twins are also on the team. 

"Would you like to come with me?" Lydia invites me.

I scratch my eyes, trying to shake off the sleepiness. "Why not?" I say. "I'm already awake, and I don't think I can go back to sleep."

I get ready as quickly and quietly as possible so as not to wake the other two, and then Lydia and I leave the dormitory, go down to the common room, and leave to go to the school's Quidditch pitch. When we get there we meet Ron and Hermione.

Lydia greets them and then sits down next to Ron and the two of them start chatting about their siblings, while I end up sitting next to Hermione, who looks at me with a curious, worried look, probably from last night. I never thought that someone from the golden trio would worry about a Malfoy.

"It could have been worse." I answer before she asks me what I know she would ask.

Harry and the others from the team soon enter the field, making the four of us pay attention to them.

"Aren't you finished yet?" Ron calls, surprised.

"Haven't even started," says Harry. "Wood's been teaching us new moves."

Harry gets on his broom and flies off. Then the four of us start to hear a strange noise. "What's that noise?" I ask after turning to Ron, Hermione and Lydia.

The four of us are looking for the source of the noise when we spot Colin Creevey, one of the boys from my year, with a camera in his hand, taking pictures of Harry.

When I turn back towards the pitch, I see more people. The Slytherin team with brooms in hand. "Oh, no..."

The other three turn round to see the reason for my reaction. Soon afterwards Wood and the others from the Gryffindor team dive to the ground with their brooms, having also spotted the Slytherins.

It's when they get closer that I can make out the people walking with them, apart from the Slytherin players. Pansy Parkinson, the girl who's had a crush on my brother ever since I first met her, along with Crabbe, Goyle, and some first year students, including Emma. I walk with the Gryffindor players towards them.

"Flint!" Wood, the Gryffindor captain, shouts. "This is our practice time! We got up specially! You can clear off now!"

"Plenty of room for all of us, Wood." Marcus Flint, the Slytherin captain, replies.

I see three girls from the Gryffindor team approaching. 

"But I booked the pitch!" says Wood. "I booked it!"

"Ah, but I've got a specially signed note here from Professor Snape." says Flint. 

Wood takes the piece of paper from Flint's hand and reads it aloud. "'I, Professor S. Snape, give the Slytherin team permission to practise today on the Quidditch pitch, owing to the need to train their new Seeker.' You've got a new Seeker?"

And from behind all the Slytherin players, none other than my own brother approaches. What? Draco's the new Seeker?

"Draco?" I whisper.

"Aren't you Lucius Malfoy's son?" asks one of the Weasley twins.

"Funny you should mention Draco's father," says Flint, the entire Slytherin team smiling with delight. "Let me show you the generous gift he's made to the Slytherin team."

And then the seven of them show off their new brooms, all Nimbus 2001. I hate that... If I was on the Gryffindor team, I guarantee I wouldn't win a single broom from my father, let alone the whole team...

I hear footsteps approaching us from behind me. Ron and Hermione.

"What's happening?" Ron asks Harry. "Why aren't you playing? And what's he doing here?"

"I'm the new Slytherin Seeker, Weasley," says Draco. "Everyone's just been admiring the brooms my father's bought our team."

Ron stares open-mouthed at the brooms.

"At least no one on the Gryffindor team had to buy their way in," says Hermione. "They got in on pure talent."

Draco deserved that response. I watch him fidget for a few seconds.

"No one asked your opinion, you filthy little Mudblood," my brother replies.

I can't believe the words that come out of Draco's mouth. This leads to an uproar. Fred and George have to be held back by other people from the Gryffindor team. I take a step forwards, now face to face with my brother, who has been ignoring me until now. Without thinking about what I'm doing, I raise my fist and punch him right in the nose, causing him to be thrown backwards, almost falling over if it wasn't for Flint holding him back. I see Draco's face completely shocked that I've punched him.

I feel someone pull me back at the same time as I see Pansy step forwards. 

"You'll pay for that one, Malfoy!" Ron says, brushing past me and walking over to Draco with his wand pointed at my brother.

All I see is a spurt of green light and Ron being thrown onto the grass.

"Ron! Ron! Are you all right?" the same person who was holding me now lets go and goes over to Ron. Hermione.

When Ron opens his mouth to speak, instead of words, a huge slug comes out of his mouth. Disgusting... Almost everyone in Slytherin bursts into laughter, I realise that Draco is still in shock at having been punched in the nose by his own sister.

Harry approaches Ron and Hermione, says something, and the two of them leave, carrying Ron somewhere. Draco stops looking at me when Pansy and Emma say something to him, and then Draco is escorted into the castle by some Slytherin students, while Emma runs to catch up with the golden trio. 

As soon as the commotion stops, I turn to the Gryffindor team (and Lydia and Colin), who are looking at me with an expression of surprise, but also pride. Fred and George approach me.

"You, Malfoylette, have officially earned our respect." one of the twins says, while the other runs his hand through my hair. 

I chuckle, at least until I realise that my father will certainly hear about this...