The Truth | Draco Malfoy

Chapter 9: Quidditch Match

Harry executed a series of zigs, zags, loops and rolls, trying to shake the Bludger, but the Bludger was relentless. Ron instinctively drew his wand and pointed it towards Harry and the Bludger, when Hermione's hand interceded. She glanced knowingly at his fractured wand. "You're joking, right? Besides, even with a proper wand, it's too risky. You could hit Harry." Hermione scoffed.

As Harry frantically dipped and dived, Draco cruised by. "Training for the ballet, Potter?" Draco joked.

Zoe looked at Draco. "Really?" He smiled, innocently.

Harry glanced at Draco's sneering face. Buzzing inches above his left ear... was the Golden Snitch. But he wasn't the only one to notice. "My King, the Snitch is above your ear. Stop messing around and win the match." Zoe's voice said in Draco's head. His eyes widen as Harry charged, Draco gulped and swung clear, watching as Harry rocketed past.

"That's cheating!" Ron and Hermione yelled.

As Harry chased the plummeting Snitch, Draco followed in hot pursuit. They raced downward, trailing the hissing snitch deep into the trench circling the pitch. Shoulder to shoulder, they raced madly, driving and dodging the wooden support beams that crisscross their path.

Directly behind them, the Bludger followed, shattering the beams as it dogged Harry.

Draco kicked Harry, forcing him to the edge of the trench. Harry brushed the wall, battling for control. Draco turned, snickered, then looked back... and found himself heading smack into a wooden beam. Panicked, he tried to pull up, but he was too late. His broom met the beam and Draco spiralled out of the trench and landed flat on his back in the middle of the pitch.

Harry continued on, closing on the Snitch, fingertips only inches from catching it... when... the Rogue Bludger smashed into Harry's arm. Harry cried out and steadied himself. With a brilliant, acrobatic move, snatched the Snitch out of the air with his good hand. Unable to control his broom with his shattered arm, he hit the pitch with a sickening thud.

"My baby!" Lily yelled.

Wincing, Harry rolled onto his shoulders and squinted up: a black dot - growing rapidly larger - was plummeting from the sky, directly towards him. It was the rogue Bludger. Instantly, Harry spun away, grimacing in agony, as the Bludger smack the ground like a sledge hammer, violently tattooing the pitch again and again, only inches from Harry. Calmly, Hermione walked forth and pointed her wand. But before she could speak and show off, Zoe created a shield around Harry, who visibly relaxed at the sight of her. The Bludger was now violently hitting the shield and luckily Harry could now stop moving and could not make his arm worse.

Everyone clapped and cheered for Zoe - except Molly, Ron and Hermione.

"Finite Incantatem!" Zoe yelled.

The Bludger hung briefly in the air. Slowly ceased spinning and finally dropped heavily to the pitch. The shield came down and Harry exhaled, relieved, only to recall the searing pain in his arm. As concerned faces hovered above him, one particular face pushed through the others.

"Not to worry, Harry. I'll fix that arm of yours straight away." Lockhart boasted.

"No!" The parents (not Molly) yelled.

"No... no... not you." Harry refused. But Lockhart wouldn't listen.

"Poor boy doesn't know what he's saying. This won't hurt a bit..." Lockhart twirled his wand, Harry braced himself, and... nothing. He blinked, looked up and saw that his vision was blocked. Zoe had stepped in between and stopped Lockhart from ruining things.

"You stay the hell away from my brother. You can't even get rid of Cornish Pixies; what the hell makes you think you can heal broken bones. He is to be taken to Madam Pomfrey immediately." Zoe said, glaring at the adult. "Crabbe." She said, gesturing to Crabbe while Goyle carried an unconscious Draco. "Take him." She ordered.