"Now, we will not tolerate any reckless or vulgar moves," Madame Hooch said firmly from where she stood in the middle of the field. "You are grown ups, I expect you to act like it. This is a friendly match for fun. It doesn't matter who wins and who loses so long as players and spectaters have fun. Now on my whistle the game will start." She looked directly at Ron who was scowling, glaring at Draco. She knew he wasn't listening and she knew there was going to be trouble.
She rolled her eyes and blew the whistle. It wasn't often she wished that the game couldn't go ahead but this was an exception. A brother vs a sister. Ex bully vs Current bully. She sighed as the players and balls took off into the air and quickly ducked out of the firing line, making her way up the stairs to where the rest of the staff where seated. As she fund her seat in front of Professor McGonagall she sighed. "Are we wise letting them play against each other?"
Minerva though had a sort of smug look on her face. "I think this game will be a good one actually. I mean we may have to keep our eyes on Mr Weasley but something tells me that he won't be able to do any damage on the field."
Draco was covering the hoops right in front of the staff stand. Not that they needed much covering. Ginny was on fire and Pansy and Luna were playing like professionals. As good as Dean was he wasn't able to keep his eye on the ball and all three girls. Pansy dipped her body down in time to escape Seamus' bludger as it zoomed right over her head, rounding on itself and coming back to Seamus who panicked and zoomed to the side, flying right into April. It took several seconds for them to untangle themselves. But that was all Ginny needed. Pansy passed her the Quaffle, and she zoomed towards Dean who looked nervous at her speed. He didn't even notice Ginny throw the ball to his left until he heard the crowd roar and the commentator explain that Ginny had scored 10 points.
After five minutes it was 50 - 0 to Second Chase and Ron was absolutely furious. He was losing and he didn't like the feeling. He had to win. Losing was NOT an option. Not in this game. He had a point to make. His last ditch attempt. He patted his boot, feeling his wand which was tucked carefully inside. Technically players aren't allowed to bring their wands onto the grounds, but Ron slipped his into his boot before leaving the changing room. He was adamant that he wasn't going to lose. No matter what it took.
He was beginning to lose his temper and he didn't want to completely lose his temper as that makes him lose his focus. He needed to focus. They were losing. Ginny was too fast and Pansy and Luna stayed by her side the entire time. He would be impressed if it wasn't stopping him from winning.
As he thought, he was only barely paying attention to the game, which had started up again after a few minutes break. He had to flip his broom to tumble 360 to avoid a bludger which Theo had skilfully aimed at him. He sat smirking as Ron ducked before having to fly forward quickly out of the way of the bludger Blaise aimed right at his head.
He turned to see Draco smirking down at the stands and saw Hermione blowing him a kiss. He growled. He didn't want to feel this way. Actually if he was being honest with himself he wasn't even sure why he was angry. He was conflicted. He wanted Hermione to be happy. He just didn't want her to be happy with...him.
He turned away and flew to the middle of the field. He knew he couldn't get close to Draco. He had been warned that the barrier keeping him from them was a strong one, and it was enough to knock him off his broom and onto his ass if he got too close. The Minsitry warned that if he tried to interact or intervene with them again he would be arrested and could face charges. He didn't want that. He wanted to move on. He just had no idea how to do that. And he had no idea how to NOT hate Malfoy.
Ron had to duck again as another bludger flew past his elbow so close that his robe blew from the breeze it caused. He turned and took a deep breath, the cold air invading his nostrils and making the hairs stand on end. As he was busy not paying attention, Donal scored twice, evening out the playing field at least a little bit.
Harry was trying desperately to find the snitch. He was up against Seamus who, not to be mean, had not much of a clue what he was doing. He kept zooming off in the complete wrong direction. But that didn't mean that Harry was having much luck either. He wasn't having any. Every time he caught a glimpse of the snitch, by the time he had made his way over there it would dip out of sight again. He slammed his fist into the broom shaft, cursing.
"You kiss your mother-in-law with that mouth?" Draco called out smirking.
Harry sighed. "I'm too old for this shit. I can't catch the damn snitch!" He moved closer to Draco as a time out was called as Seamus almost fell off his broom.
Draco shook his head. "You are the fucking best seeker on the field....besides me of course," he winked. "Just relax and focus. It's about having fun."
"Yeah stop putting pressure on yourself," Blaise said catching the tail end of the conversation.
"No one really cares whether we win or lose Harry," Ginny assured him. "Just enjoy the game."
He took a deep breath as Madame Hooch blew her whistle and once again Ginny soared off having caught the quaffle. Harry rubbed sweat from his forehead. He never remembered the game being this draining before. But then again he was 29 years old not 19 years old anymore. Of course it wouldn't be as... As he was thinking he glanced down the stands towards the bottom of the pitch. There above Deans left ear was the unmistakable twinkle of sunlight hitting gold. Hitting the snitch. He took off zooming past players determined not to fail.
Ron was determined too. He dodged what was probably the 7th bludger in the game and looked towards the stands. Madame Hooch and Professor McGonagall were distracted and he knew now was his chance. Now was the only chance he might get. Shaking, he pulled his wand out of his boot hiding most of it up his sleeve but gripping tonight with one hand, the other holding onto the broom keeping him balanced and in mid air. "Commotion" he whispered followed by "ardeat iuniperorum" pointing his wand at Malfoy and keeping his eyes on him to watch what happened.
Draco was watching Harry tear down the pitch looking like he was on a mission and he knew the game wouldn't last much longer. He had both his hands on the broom, not paying attention to the red head now balancing in the middle of the field out on his own away from the other players.
It was the strangest thing. One minute Draco's broom was perfectly fine and the next it began to shake violently underneath him. Not only was he struggling to hold onto the broom as it shook like a centaur being rode, but he could feel the wood heat up underneath him.
Draco tried his hardest to hold on as people in the hands began to notice the commotion. Everyone was looking at the blonde in shock wondering what on earth was going on. It looked like he was doing some sort of dance, he was letting go of the broom by one hand before swapping it out for the other, shouting as he did.
"What the fuck?" He called as he took his hand off the broom which was now very hot under him. He could smell the burning and see the red line of the fire run its way down the shaft leaving grey ash clumped together in its wake. "Blaise!" He called down the pitch. Most of his team were at the other end watching Harry.
Harry had no clue what was happening to Draco as he zoomed towards Dean doing a side tackle, coming to stop inches from poor Dean who looked horrified. He thought Harry was going to hit him as his arm reached out. But he was surprised when Harry's arm flew past the side of his head to behind him. Harry was smirking as he pulled his hand back, the golden snitch held firmly in his grasp.
They didn't hear Draco shout as they celebrated at the far end, and Draco wasn't sure what he was going to do. He could feel the wood weaken under him and as he moved his hand one last time, he missed. Hermione screamed. He plunged forward into the open air using one hand to hold onto the branches at the tail of his broom which had not yet burned. But he didn't have a good enough grip.
He was dangling in the air now as the others turned to see his dilemma. All Draco's teammates and the others took off flying in his direction, Dean and Seamus too. The teachers were on their feet as were almost everyone in the stands. Ron had flown safely to the ground to watch his arch nemesis fall to what he hoped wouldn't be his death but a very nasty accident.
Hermione's heart had stopped beating. She was frozen in fear. From the moment Draco's broom started shaking to him now dangling off the edge was mere seconds and yet time felt like was going by painfully slowly. She wasn't sure what to do exactly. Hundreds of spells and charms sprung to her mind as she tried to come up with an idea. "Of course!" She gasped as an idea came to her and she jumped up onto the bench and then forward onto the railing of the stands. "obrigescere clous" she shouted and pointed her wand at, well nothing. Then she jumped.
Daphne screamed and Leo reached out to try and grab her but they both gasped as Hermione seemed to step onto the air as if it were solid. Hermione took off running towards Draco just as he could feel his hands begin to burn. He sucked in a breath as he looked down at the 300ft drop beneath him. He knew this was Weasley's doing. He was going to fucking die because the Weasel didn't like to lose. He would never see Sienna again. He would never see Hermione again.
Hermione could see the others out of the corner of her eye, zoom off in their direction but they would never make it. She wasn't sure if she would make it. She could see Draco's fingers slipping from the branches.
Crack!! Snap!!
The branches broke under the heat and pressure and Draco's heart gave a jolt as he began to fall. He couldn't be are to look to Hermione in the stands as he was sure she would look terrified and he didn't want to see her like that knowing he was the cause. He closed his eyes as he felt air moved up through his robes and through his hair. This was it.
'Not fucking today!' Hermione thought to herself as she ran as fast as she could towards the love of her life, who was still above her falling through the air. She raised her wand again and cast the same spell as before, right in front of her and right under Draco who landed with a very loud thump just as Hermione made it to him. He let out a groan as her arms went around him, holding him to her.
"I got you," she said breathlessly as she held him tightly. "It's ok Draco. I've got you."
She knew they must have looked bloody freaky, both clearly sitting but not on anything but air.