midnight of the masquerade | d. malfoy

seventeen ; chances on the pitch

Alana

I come back shortly after joining Dumbledore's Army and my time with Malfoy. I've never just let loose about the truth of my parents to someone, I don't even think my friends know. I was about to head back in the common room when I remember. "Oh shiz." I mumble under my breath and I rush out of the dungeons straight to the Quidditch pitch. Oh thank Merlin I wasn't late. There were only three people there. Flint, Pucey, and Zabini. They're talking in a circle on their brooms in the sky when I cough purposely.

Flint is the first one to notice me and flies down towards me. "You're early."

I shrug. "That's good." He smiles and gives me a Slytherin uniform. "Take a Nimbus from the rack when you're done." Then he flies off joining with his friends again.

I quickly run in the female changing room and put on the uniform. It was smaller to fit me, unlike the baggy ones made for the guys. I rush out of the changing room and grab a Nimbus 2001. The others were already there, I guess they all changed into their uniforms they had previously; because I was only in that room for five minutes.

Pucey then calls out to me, "Hey Blanchard! Come join us." He says waving me over to the group. They weren't flying so I didn't need to mount on my broom just yet. I stand next to him and look at Flint and Malfoy up at the front.

"Our game against the Ravenclaws won't be as easy as the Hufflepuffs in November." Flint starts, "I've heard they got a new seeker, and beater."

"Don't worry about the seeker, I've got it covered." Draco smirks, looking around as if trying to find someone. When he catches my smile he returns it.

"That's true. But I'm not lying when I say the new beater weighs 278 pounds with muscle. Might as well keep your eye out for a bludger."

278? That's crazy. What, does that guy lift 50 pound weights every minute?

"Now enough of Ravenclaws. Let's do a bit of scrimmaging. We'll split into two teams. Yes I am aware that one team will be 3 players. That will be my team."

Soon enough, I'm recruited into Flint's team with Crabbe. The others are Zabini, Malfoy, Goyle, and Pucey. It seems unfair but it's only a chance to prove myself.

The scrimmaging ended with my team winning after 2 hours. 240-110. I throw my fist in the air as I make the last goal. I could hear Crabbe and Flint giving themselves a high five. I feel Adrian's hand patting my back and telling me I did a good job so I turn to him. I didn't realize how handsome he really was. "Thanks, you weren't so bad yourself. You're hard to get through," I say trying to be nice yet I give and edge to my words.

He smiled down on me as he was half a head taller than me. "Hey Blanchard you want to take a walk with me after practise?"

I wanted to ask him to repeat himself but I found it kind of sweet. I know he's liked me since the third year but I just didn't feel up to it. "Sure that'll be nice." I say smiling broadly as he flies away excitedly with his fist up as if he's won the muggle lottery. I shake my head slowly as I laugh, then I see Marion on the stands. I look at the guys who are talking fast about what happened, then I decide to fly down to her.

"You're here to stalk on Flint aren't you?" I say flying in front of her.

"I was originally going to watch you but then again..." She drifts off looking behind my shoulder at him in the middle of the bunch.

"Well if you like him that much," I say capturing her attention. "I'll introduce you to him after practise, which is in 15 minutes."

She starts to jump up and down on the benches as she hugs me tightly. I have to claw my nails into the broom to keep balance. "Yes thank you so much Ally!"

I cough as my oxygen is cut off from her grasp, "You-you're wel-come."

"Oh sorry." She laughs it off.

I roll my eyes and laugh along with her, "Stay here, I'll get him for you. Tell Celeste I'll be late because I'm going on a walk." I fly off to talk to Flint alone and I gesture to Marion who's trying to act casual, I mentally laugh trying to sound sincere. He agrees and flies down to her. From what I could tell from above is that it was going fairly well. He ran his hand through the back of his head. Then from what looks like Marion giggling, the plan has worked. She shoots me a smile when Flint looks out to the sunset. She mouths a thank you before I leave to change into my other clothes. I place the broom back and I see that Adrian has been waiting for me. I smile at him when I turn around. The snow has died down by a lot and now it's only pieces of snowflakes floating down from the blue cloudy sky.

"You ready?"

I nod, "Yeah. Where are we going anyway?" I ask taking his arm which was offered to escort me out.

"To the Black Lake." He says grinning, opening the doors leading me outside.

Before we could leave, I turn back from my shoulder to see Malfoy leaning against the wall watching us. Great. He must think I'm going to shag him. I only lied to him that one time to get him off my back. Now he's going to think I'm a huge slut.

"You know Pucey, you're a pretty cool guy." I say watching the sun set from behind the lake. I had my head leaning against his chest as we lean on a tree, I was exhausted from the scrimmage.

He laughs shortly, "You're a pretty cool girl yourself Blanchard."

Other houses may really think us Slytherins are all about snogging when it comes to relationships, but we're not that all different. "So Malfoy told me he 'found out' about what we did in the hospital wing." He says changing his tone.

I smack my forehead before talking, "Sorry. I only lied to him because he asked a bunch of questions that had me feeling uncomfortable, then my temper got the better of me."

I wait for the yelling and judging, but it didn't come. "It's alright. I figured it was a lie because I wouldn't picture you intoxicated. But thanks for the compliment," he says grinning.

"Don't get used to it." I say jokingly. I take his hands and realize how warm they are, so I entwine mine with his.

"Though I could get used to this." He says placing his muscular arm around my petite, freezing shoulder. All my thoughts of Draco, Quidditch, the masquerade, everything, disappeared with every second I spent wrapped up next to him. Was this a good thing though?