Word count: 2381
Y/n's POV:
The next morning, I skipped down to the nearly empty Great Hall once again, but this time in my green and silver Quidditch robes with a large number 4 on the back. I scan the room to see my friends and brother at the same spot on the Gryffindor table as usual.
"Hello," I greet them.
"Hello, Y/n," Hermione said back with a smile. Harry and Ron were in their Quidditch robes as well, except theirs maroon and gold. Personally, I found the colours to be quite annoying, and not as easy on the eyes as the darker ones of Slytherin, but I'd never admit that.
"Good luck in the game today, you two. You're going to need it." I wink, and walk over to sit at the Slytherin table with the rest of my team. I take a seat next to one of the new Slytherin Chasers, Blaise Zabini. I don't look at Draco, but just sit silently, eating a piece of toast.
"Nice of you to finally join us, Potter," Draco says sharply. I look up to see him sneering at me. I furrow my brow.
"I was busy, Malfoy." I tell him with an eye roll, trying to act as though nothing was different. He raises his eyebrows, but looks back to his plate with a small smile. I look down at the table also, trying to hide my grin. I finish my toast, and stand to walk over to the Gryffindor table.
"How are you feeling, Ron? It is your first game after all," I ask calmly. Ron just looked up at me. I noticed his face was awfully pale, making him look pastier than usual, and he wasn't eating. I sit down in the seat across from him. "Ronald, I get you're nervous, but you have to eat something. It'll make you feel better. Besides, you'll do great. How would you have gotten onto the team if you weren't good?" I attempted to cheer him up. He took a bite of toast, but still looked just as pale. Harry handed him a cup of pumpkin juice.
"Here, mate," Harry said cheerfully. Then I saw something glisten in his hand.
"Harry, what is that?" I ask suspiciously, eyeing his closed fist.
"What is what?" he questions, sounding too innocent. He slightly lifts his hand, giving me, Ron, and Hermione, a tiny glimpse of a small clear bottle. Then he stows it back in the pocket of his robes.
"Harry!" I exclaim in a whisper, pushing myself up from my spot.
"You could be expelled for that!" Hermione says in the same tone as I.
"I regret offering to share that with you." I tell him angrily, turning to Ron. "Ronald Weasley, if you drink that... I'll tell Professor Snape," I threaten. Ron looks at me, seeming the slightest bit apologetic, then quickly downs the goblet.
"Ronald!" Hermione begins to scold him, but I don't listen. I shoot Harry a deathly glare, then walk swiftly over to where the Slytherin team sits. I slump down in the same spot as before, not noticing Draco had left.
"What's up with you? You never sit here willingly," Zabini says incredulously.
"It's the day of the match." I reply simply, though it's easy to tell I am lying.
"Yeah, sure," he answers sarcastically.
"Shut it, Zabini," I snap. He raises his eyebrow, but then smirks, leaning a bit closer than he was before.
"Ah, so you do know my name," he flirts. "If anything, I'd say you like me." he says suggestively, giving me a quick wink in the process. I nearly gag.
"You wish. Now, please stop, or I might vomit," I sass. He looks as though he's about to say something, but I don't hear it because I stand to quickly exit the Hall, still fuming from my earlier encounter with my brother.
I continue to go over plays in my head as I sit in the changing rooms, and think over what Harry and Ron did. My anger comes back, but in the form of determination. I stroll out with confidence, ready to lead my team to a victory. I counted all of the players present, but Draco wasn't there. I was confused until Zabini walked up to me.
"Malfoy went to the hospital wing. He was ill," Zabini explains. I nod.
"Thank you," I say plainly, waving him off.
"Don't mention it." Zabini replies, winking at me once again, then walking back to his seat. I roll my eyes then sigh. Draco was just at the table looking and acting perfectly well. How can we win when we already had our best Chaser and Draco out. I massage my temples before going to give the team a short lecture.
I whiz through the air, hitting bludgers here and there, but mainly scoping out what the other team was doing in order to guide my team through the game. I saw Harry above everyone else, searching for the golden snitch, but having trouble from all the Slytherin players continually getting in his way, or bludgers just barely missing him. I grinned, knowing all our players are ruthless. Harry spots something at the same time as Harper, our temporary Seeker, and I know for a fact that Harry's broom is faster, so I rapidly compile a plan. I speed closer to him with my bat in hand, and notice a bludger weaving its way towards us. My lucky day, I think.
"Sorry about this, Harry." I mutter, smirking to myself. I hefted my bat, and sent a well aimed bludger spinning at the end of my brother's broom. He goes spiraling off in the wrong direction for a moment, attempting to regain his balance in mid air. All the while, Harper lunges forward, nearly falling off his broom in the process. He shouts with joy, and I notice something shiny and gold glistening in his hand as he whoops with glee.
"Yes!" I yell, flying to the ground to meet my team.
"Slytherin wins!"
I get high fives from all of them, congratulating me on my hit. Then they all turned to Harper, giving him pats on the back, and telling him how well he did. We walked to the centre of the field to meet the Gryffindor team as usual.
"Captains, shake hands," Madame Hooch says, seemingly irritated by my play, but unable to do anything about it, seeing as it wasn't illegal. I offer Harry my hand, who glares at me for a moment, then takes it roughly. I pull him close so my mouth is next to his ear.
"Next time, don't cheat." I hissed, before pulling away and giving him a sarcastic wink.
"I didn't." he growls. As we both walk away, I scoff at his behaviour. I stroll off the pitch confidently, yet secretly anything but giddy.
I walk up to the castle with a slight spring in my step, ignoring my brother's actions. My thoughts on the events of last night hadn't been forgotten, but were pushed aside thanks to our victory. I still couldn't help but wonder what happened to Draco. Was he really sick, or was he just faking it? I walked and thought, until I bumped into someone.
"Oh, I'm sor—" I stop myself when I finally look up to see who was in front of me. I pursed my lips, and attempted to continue walking. Before I could, I felt his arm slip around my waist, pulling me back. I narrow my eyes, studying his features for any signs of sickness.
"How was the match?" he asks calmly. I notice his cheeks more sunken than usual, and furrow my brow in concern.
"Could have been better, but we won. Are you alright?" I notice his arm is still around me, and gently remove it, but still lightly hold onto his forearm. He swallows, not looking at me, but instead at the wall of the empty corridor.
"I'm fine," he answers quietly.
"Then why did you miss the game?" I question, my annoyance coming back. I drop his arm.
"I was feeling slightly unwell, but I'm okay now," I can tell there's something he's not telling me. It's like he wants to tell me, but can't. Or won't.
"Draco—"
"Just drop it, Potter." I blink.
"But-"
"I thought I said drop it." he growls. "Do you ever shut that big mouth of yours, or will I have to hex it shut?" I scoff, ignoring the painful pinch in my chest.
"How could you say that? All I asked, as your captain, was what is the real reason you missed the match." I exclaim, glaring fiercely. He grits his teeth.
"Have you gone deaf, Potter? I told you to leave me alone. You act as if I care." he snaps. I step back, blinking rapidly.
"Fine." Our interaction seems to finally sink in, and his eyes fill with sympathy. He opens his mouth and brings his hand to mine, but I yank it away. "Sorry for trying to be nice. I won't make that mistake again." I stomp away.
"Y/n! Wait! I didn't mean it like that!" he calls after me. I stop and turn. I didn't get that far, and we are in a deserted corridor, so I'm not afraid to tell him what I think.
"Really? You didn't mean it to sound like you hate me? Even after I've been nothing but kind to you recently." I say sharply.
"Y/n—"
"I don't want to talk to you right now. I'm having an awful day as it is, so just leave me alone," I tell him sternly. I storm off.
"Y/n, please! Come back." I ignore him, and walk on. I turn the corner and take the secret path to Gryffindor Tower. I know my face is red with fury, and my vision is slightly blurred by tears that I refuse to let fall.
"Dillgrout," I growl at the Fat Lady, who swings open to let me through immediately. "Hermione!" I yell from the common room.
"I'm right here, what do y—"
"Come," I say forcefully, dragging her up to her bedroom. She shares it with Ginny, but the redhead wasn't present.
"Muffliato," I mumble, then pull Hermione down on the bed, and lay my head on her shoulder.
"What happened, y/n? You just won a Quidditch match, shouldn't you be happy?" She spoke softly, and I could hear the concern in her voice. I forced away the tears, but it didn't stop the temple in my voice from both frustration and sadness.
"It was Malfoy," I choked out in explanation. She put her hand over my back and rubbed it.
"What happened? What did he do?" she asked, quietly.
"He..." I start, unsure how to explain.
"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, Y/n,"
"No, I'll tell. It's fine." I inhaled. "He missed the match, so I was a bit upset, so when I passed him in the corridor, I tried to walk past. He grabbed my wrist, then asked me how the match was. I noticed he looked sick, so I asked how he was feeling. He told me he was fine, but I could tell he was lying, so I tried to speak again and he just kept getting angrier, then he snapped as though I was the one being rude." Hermione squeezed me tighter, and I could see her lips pursed out of the corner of my eye.
"It's alright, don't worry, love. He's probably just tired and cranky."
"Who would say something like that if they're just cranky?" I ask.
"We often take out our anger on those we care about the most," she says. I stay silent, debating whether or not she's correct.
"Why would he send such mixed feelings?" I wonder aloud. I think back to yesterday night. He was kind. He kissed me. Kind of.
"What do you mean?" Hermione asks, confused. I remember, I never got the chance to tell her what happened.
"Oh, right. I never told you."
"Told me what, Y/n?"
"Er.." I felt my face burn crimson. I mumble my answer.
"Come again?" she says, raising an eyebrow.
"Draco may have, kind of, uh- kissed me," I say reluctantly. "But it was barely even a kiss!" I add quickly as I see her expression change instantaneously. Her eyes stay wide, and a look of extreme excitement smothers her features. She squeals abnormally loud, then takes my shoulders in a death grip.
"HE KISSED YOU?!" she yelled.
"Keep it down, you lunatic!" I hiss.
"AND YOU DIDN'T TELL ME?!" she shouted again, ignoring my criticism.
"Quiet!" I say sharply.
"Oh, calm down. You cast Muffliato, remember?" she says, dismissing my annoyance. I roll my eyes.
"Anyways, I still need help. Why do you think he would send such mixed messages?" I ask, frowning.
"Hm..." she thinks. "Maybe he's confused."
"What in the world would he be so confused about that he does this to me?" I ask, exasperated. I throw myself down on the bed with my hands covering my flushed face.
"Whether or not he likes you," Hermione replies simply as she stands up, "and we're not going to debate about this right now. Let's go see the boys, Harry wanted to tell you something."
"I'm not sure I want to talk to either of them at the moment," I say darkly, crossing my arms over my chest.
"Please? He really wants to talk to you. It's important." I huff, but grudgingly stand to leave with her. The sight we meet at the base of the stairs is not one either of us were happy to witness. Ron and Lavender Brown were tightly embraced, practically eating each other's faces. I nearly gagged. Then thought of Hermione. She wasn't disgusted as I was, but I saw tears well up in her soft brown eyes.
"You go find Harry, I- I think I have some studying left to do. See you later." At that, my best friend rushed past Ron and Lavender, practically scrambling out of the portrait hole. I sigh and follow suit, but go in the opposite direction to search for my brother.