The Dragon and the Angel - [Draco/Hermione]

Chapter Eleven - Gryffindor vs. Slytherin

Chapter Eleven - Gryffindor vs. Slytherin

A few weeks had passed since the reconcilliation in between Harry, Ron, Draco and Hermione. Sometimes Draco even came to sit at the Gryffindor table for a meal. Hermione was bewildered at how far the three boys were going to make her happy. Maybe they actually did become friends, a voice in her head suggested shyly. Hermione very much hoped they had.

It was now the first Quidditch match of the season, Gryffindor versus Slytherin. Hermione sat in the bleachers alone, since all of her friends were on either the Gryffindor, or Slytherin, Quidditch team. She wasn't quite sure who to cheer for.

Suddenly, the game started. Raine had the Quaffle and was dashing to the other side of the the pitch, with Ginny flying close. The two beaters weren't as good as Fred and George had been, but they were close; no one would ever stop comparing the new beaters to Fred and George. Harry and Draco were circling high above everyone.

"Oh, look, I believe Gryffindor has scored a point." said a calm, airy voice Hermione would never forget: Luna Lovegood had taken up Lee Jordan's position as Quidditch commentator. "Ginny Weasley sent the Quaffle through the middle hoop, assisted by Raine Hirano - Oh, the game has started again. Natalie Goldsteam is - Wait, Harry Potter seems to have spotted something."

All the Gryffindors held their breath as they looked up to see Harry diving to the ground. If Hermione squinted, she could see the small, golden ball with wings. The Golden Snitch. Draco was hot on Harry's heels, just a few inches behind him. She was shocked at how both boys had seen it from so high up. Harry was so close - reaching... reaching...

The Snitch slipped through his fingers. Dumbfounded, Harry didn't pull up. The front of his broom hit the ground, sending shock waves up his spine. He fell off and rolled to the floor. Draco - who had been watching the Snitch - turned to look at Harry as Madam Pomfrey stood up in the crowd, edging her way along, shouting things like, "Out of my way!" or "What would they do without me?" and "Dangerous sport, Quidditch is; I've been telling Dumbledore for years..."

The Slytherins cheered loudly, thinking their Seeker would reach for the Snitch hovering a few feet away from him. But that was not at all what Draco Malfoy did. He flew down, ignoring the Golden Snitch, which zipped away as quickly as it had come. Draco landed gracefully nexy to Harry. He knelt down and Hermione saw Draco's lips move. She was pretty sure he had said, "Are you okay?" which Hermione thought was very sweet of him.

Harry nodded feebley as Draco extended his hand to help him up. The Slytherins were yelling angrily at Draco, half of them standing up in outrage now. The Gryffindors, too, stood up. Except they didn't shout angrily. They didn't say anything at all. Hermione started clapping. The fifth-year girl standing next to her did the same. Soon, everyone in Gryffindor was clapping at Draco, silently thanking him.

As Harry was about to grab Draco's arm, he was roughly pushed out of the way by Madam Pomfrey. As she crouched next to Harry, fussing over him, Draco looked up. Hermione did as well when she sat down. The game had continued without interruption, though Gryffindor didn't have a Seeker for several minutes while Madam Pomfrey fixed Harry up. She leaned  forward to see the score: Slytherin - 40 :: Gryffindor - 40.

Hermione could have sworn she saw the Snitch zip right past Draco while Harry was scrambling onto his broom, but he didn't move. Draco waited until Harry was level with him. Harry leaned forward on his broom and shook Draco Malfoy's hand. The crowd gasped, and the game continued.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Good game, Draco." Harry said, shaking the Slytherin boy's hand. Slytherin had narrowly beat them by only ten points, but when Harry returned to Gryffindor tower that night, no one was in a sour mood. They all congratulated him on getting right back up after falling and a few sixth-year girls were whispering excitedly about a certain Slytherin Seeker who was suddenly more attractive.

Hermione waved him over to where she had been sitting with Ron. Harry was happy to see as he walked over to them that there was no longer any awkwardness in between them and they could continue to be best friends again. Everything was finally back to normal...

Until Professor McGonagall burst into the common room, a look of terror on her face as she gripped her wand. "Everyone please come down to the Great Hall immediately!" she ordered shrilly as panic flooded everyone and they all began running.

Once every single student from every single house was seated, Professor McGonagall stood up in a manor only Dumbledore could have pulled off. Everyone was still squirming in their seats, but remained silent so she could talk.

"There is an intruder in the castle." she said, desperately trying to keep her voice calm though it was shaking horribly. "We haven't had a break-in this bad since Sirius Black's, if some of you recall." She looked at Harry as she said this and some of the older students shivered, obviously remembering. "As I am speaking to you, Professor Flitwick and the other teachers are sealing the doors magically; no one will be able to come in."

"Or out." added Ron in an undertone while Lavender was holding tightly onto his arm. He turned around and gave her a quick peck on the nose, making both Hermione and Harry gag.

Everyone turned to see that the professors were doing just that.

"Do we know who it is?" piped up a boy at the Hufflepuff table.

"Violet caught sight of the intruder on the third floor but she is too traumatized to say anything at the moment." Professor McGonagall replied sadly. "Our priority is to keep you all safe."

And for the first time ever, the lights in the Great Hall went out. Everyone was sitting in pitch black. Hermione, who had been sitting in between Harry and Ron, grabbed each of their hands in fright, though her thoughts were wandering to Draco, sitting all the way across the Hall at the Slytherin table.

In the distance, they could have sworn they heard someone cackle, and it did not sound like Peeves.