[✓2] 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐒 • Draco Malfoy

𝟗. 𝐐𝐔𝐈𝐃𝐃𝐈𝐓𝐂𝐇 𝐏𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐄

CHAPTER NINE

QUIDDITCH PRACTICE

***

𝗜 𝗪𝗢𝗞𝗘 𝗨𝗣 𝗕𝗘𝗙𝗢𝗥𝗘 everyone else, which is unusual but I took this opportunity to go back to quidditch and practice some more. I slowly got up from the sofa and silently walked to the dorms. I took my braids out and my hair was completely dry and wavy. I slipped on my quidditch clothes and took my broom with me. Before I left I stopped to check the time, 5:13am. 

Makes sense why everyone's asleep since it's a saturday morning and the sun hasn't fully come up but I still went out to the pitch with the quaffle and practise for hours on end. I mentally tracked the time and when I thought everyone would be in the Great Hall for breakfast I headed back to the dungeons.

I was right since no one was found anywhere and all the sofas were moved back to where they were originally. I put on my tights, shirt, skirt and jumper on and then combed my hair. I put on my shoes and held my tie in my hand as I made my way over to the Great Hall.

Once the Slytherins noticed me they all smiled, watching me sit in the gap between Millicent and Daphne, "Hey," I said fixing my tie around my neck.

"Why are your cheeks so red?" Pansy asked, biting into a sausage.

"I was practicing for quidditch," I looked up, tucking my tie into my jumper.

"Again?" Blaise asked.

"Yeah, don't you think you're over doing it?" Malfoy put down his goblet. I tilted my head to the side trying to read his expression.

"Are you concerned?" I smiled still trying to figure it out.

"For you no, the game yes." He picked up his spoon and ate some of his cereal.

"Draco, you don't have a game today, you do realize that," Millicent pointed out.

"So? If she's out there five to six hours a day then she won't play that well on a real game. She'll be too tired." 

The rest exchanged looks, "No I think you care about her, not how she plays," Blaise said quietly.

"No," 

"Then why are you going red? Huh?" Daphne crossed her arms and smirked.

"I - because - ugh," He stammered for a second, "Because you're putting me on the spot!" 

"I'll be fine, I'm not gonna faint or anything and if I do it would be a good laugh for you lot," I quickly changing the subject.

After breakfast Flint caught up with us and said that everyone's in the dungeons ready and they're waiting for us, me and Malfoy said our goodbyes to the group and got ready and met with the rest of the team.

"Let's go then," Flint said, holding his broom in one hand and a roll of parchment in the other. He lead the way through the courtyard, "Let's take a shortcut," 

I walked at the front with Flint and Pucey.  Ahead I saw loads of red robes and knew it was the Gryffindor team on their way to practice too.

Oliver Wood lead them over to us, "Where do you think you're going Flint?" He stopped in front of us.

"Quidditch practice," He answered innocently, I looked at Pucey and he was smirking and the Gryffindors. I looked and Harry and he was as confused as the rest of them.

"I've booked the pitch for Gryffindor today," Wood sighed.

"Easy Wood, I've got a note." Flint handed him the roll of parchment which he began to read out loud.

"I, Professor Severus Snape do hereby give the Slytherin team permission to practice today, owing the need to train their new seeker." He looked up from the parchment, "You've got a new seeker? Who?" I looked to my right and saw Hermione and Ron have appeared from midair.

Flint and Pucey made a gap between them and Malfoy stepped through, standing next to me. "Malfoy?" Harry said in disbelief.

"That's right. And that's not all that's new this year." 

Everyone looked at our shiny black brooms, "Those are Nimbus 2001's! How did you get those?" Ron asked.

"A gif from Draco's father." Flint answered him.

"You see Weasley, unlike some, my father can afford the best." Malfoy smirked. I turned around to face him and gave him a stern look.

I quickly turned back around when I heard Hermione's voice, "At least no one on the Gryffindor team had to buy their way in. They got in on pure talent." She folded her arms over her chest.

Malfoy stepped forward despite me holding his wrist so he would keep his mouth shut. "No one asked your opinion. You filthy little mudblood." He said harshly. I yanked on his wrist which made him spin around to look at me.

"Why would you say that?" I asked quietly, no one really heard since Flint, Bletchley and Pucey were preoccupied with pushing the Weasley twins back so they wouldn't jump Malfoy.

Ron spoke before Malfoy could, "Oh you'll pay for that one Malfoy, eat slugs!" He shouted flicking his wand at him.

Malfoy turned around and saw Ron fly backwards hitting the ground hard. Everyone minus the Slytherins ran over to him as he began burping up big green slugs.

Hermione and Harry helped Ron up and ran off somewhere with the Gryffindors.

"You're not going with them Eloise, you're in Slytherin remember?" Flint said from behind me. I nodded and pulled Malfoy to the back of the quidditch team as we all continued walking to the pitch.

"Why did you say that!" I asked him.

"Because of what she said, why do you care so much? I've called you it before," 

"And that makes it okay does it?" I said coldly.

"There's a difference you're not muggleborn like her-"

"-Malfoy that doesn't matter! I'm practically a Granger."

"No you're a Gaunt," He corrected me

"Yes but I live with the Granger family, they adopted me so I'm still one of them so when you say that stuff I find it offensive too." 

He let out a sigh, "Fine. I'm sorry."

"I'm not the one who you should be apologizing to but there's a bigger chance of you kissing Potter than apologizing to Hermione." 

He grimaced and then shook his head, "Never. Honestly why would you even say that."

"My point. Just don't be too shocked if someone knocks you off your broom," I left him and joined the huddle, I squeezed in between Flint and one of the beaters who doesn't speak so I could see.

Flint knelt down and open the chest with all the balls in side. He passed me the quaffle, he released the bludger and handed Malfoy the snitch. After a short pep talk we all mounted our brooms and began practicing.

Shot after shot Flint noticed that I'd been getting better, "You're doing really well!" He called out as I tossed him the quaffle. I smirked and continued practicing. 

I looked over at the boy guarding the hoops, Bletchley. He gave me a thumbs up and then blocked Flint's shot.

I turned around to see if Malfoy has caught the snitch - he did, so he released it and went after it again.