These Dark And Hollow Nights

Chapter Seventeen: Quidditch

Chapter Seventeen: Quidditch

Draco's POV

It was Saturday already. The week after the Ball had passed in what seemed like a blink of an eye, and Draco was sitting at the Gryffindor table next to a very nervous Hermione, already dressed in her team robes. They had been pretty much inseparable ever since the Ball, and he'd hardly left her side that week. McGonagall was delighted, because their new friendship was influencing everyone else. House Unity, so far, was a success. Even some of the other Slytherins had started befriending people from the other Houses. Of course, not everyone would be swayed right away, but some of the younger students and one or two older ones had started sitting at different tables. Luna was always sitting with the Gryffindors, and so was Hannah Abbott, from Hufflepuff, who had begun dating Neville after the Ball. Blaise only sat with them once, and it had seemed like he was seconds away from punching him in the face because Draco had been sitting close enough to Hermione that they were nearly touching. It was too painful for Blaise to sit with them anyway.

'Hermione, will you please stop fidgeting?' Draco sighed, putting down his fork. 'You're going to be fine.'

She wasn't eating. In fact, she looked like she might be sick. 'What if I'm not fine, Draco?' She asked. 'What if I fall off my broom? What if I throw the Quaffle in the other goalpost? I'm going to make a fool of myself, Draco. Why did I let you talk me into this? I'm going to fail... I'm going to fail...'

'Look at me,' he said, and she did, but her lip was trembling. 'You will not fail. Do you know how I know that?'

She shook her head, biting her lip. 'No,' she said.

'Because you're Hermione Granger,' he said. 'You never fail at anything. You just have to breathe. If you start to panic, just look at me, alright? I'll be right there. I won't let you fail. Do you understand? I won't let you fail.'

She took a deep breath. 'But... but what if I fall off my broom?' She whispered.

'Then I'll catch you,' he said simply. 'But you won't, Hermione. I promise you won't fall.'

She nodded, and started eating, shoveling eggs into her mouth like she hadn't eaten in weeks. Just then, Daphne Greengrass came over to their table. Nott and Pansy were nowhere in sight, and he knew she was working with them, thanks to Dumbledore's portrait. She seemed nervous, too. 'Erm, Hermione,' she began.

Hermione looked up, surprise clearly written on her face. 'Yes, Daphne?' She asked.