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Books in hand as you walked through the corridors was painful however rewarding since you just exited Herbology, one of, in your opinion, your most boring classes to entertain. Your shoes clanked on the corridors brown tinted pavement, your body dragging along timidly. You felt so tired it was hard to even stand. Even in a school as high standards and as appealing as this, there are some classes that are just not it.
The day had been a little rowdy here and there, but overall neat and felt like just a day in Hogwarts. It was especially sunny that Hogwarts day as you felt the heat pierce your robes. Encounters were fine, you said hi to Harry, Ron, and Hermione first period while also having a conversation about O.W.L.S and you got a handful of chances to see Draco a few times in classes. Although it was pretty peaceful, there was something about this day that didn't make it so normal. Today, results of the quidditch teams will be coming out after the lunch hall, which was steps away as the lunch hall is your following period after Herbology. Even as you were dying of excitement, you really didn't believe that you made it since you didn't know the levels that other people were on. You were amazing regardless, you were a Seeker basically your whole life, the glorified Seeker of your whole old school. You won every match they threw at you, but you still doubted if every one else's abilities topped yours. Why wouldn't you? It's Hogwarts.
You thought about Draco as you made your way to the lunch hall collectively. You thought about that sentimental interaction you two had, how you now knew how he felt about you being around him. It made you content, really, to know he was that invested in his friendship with you. Either way, you still felt a pressure blocking you from the trio. Sure, you talked to them today but it most certainly wasn't the same as before. It scared you to think of your school year without them.
You entered the lunch hall quietly, feeling someone hands on your shoulder. Looking to your side, Malfoy was there, only staring as his hand placement grasped you. He had the oddest way of being.. nice to you. Like he wasn't used to it.
"Hey Draco." You welcomed, sparking the attention of others from his name to which they shuddered, looking at both of you walking together. Other students glared at him as if dead meat, like someone to be forgotten, an uninvited being. There were only few people who just observed peacefully, however still seeming judgmental to his attendance. Something that really caught your eye was the trio eyeing him as if he was some kind of murderer. Harry's expression would be something you'd never forget, his gaze penetrating Draco's existence like a knife impaling his chest, as you could only flutter in discomfort. What was it with Malfoy that tripped Harry out? You would never get it.
Both of you made your way to the edge of the table, laughing with each other as you shoved food in your mouth the minute you sat down.
"You guys are pigs." Pansy barked as you disgustingly looked at her, as if her presence made you want to barf.
"We're fucking hungry Parkinson." You answered coldheartedly as you further began to chug all your food up. Not only was the food stuffing because you felt starved, but you were anticipating the list of the Quidditch teams. You were trying to get all your food out of the way quickly to check the list. You didn't have too much confidence you got in but you were hopeful enough to be thinking about it.
"Potter probably got it again." Draco blurted out, catching your attention.
"He's good?"
"He's good? Are you kidding? He carried the whole Gryffindor team." Parkinson boated as she took a quick glimpse to look at Potter who was slowly munching on a sausage.
"Unfortunately." Draco muttered under his breath, "But since Voldemort's been out of him, maybe all that spunk left." The upper corner of your lip twitched because of the name but you didn't think too much of it.
"Eh, whatever. I'm just hoping I get some type of position." You vocalized honestly as you felt hungry, not for your food but for Quidditch.
"{ first name }." Parkinson growled.
"Yeah?"
"Were you the seeker in Koran?" She questioned.
"Yes... how do you know that?" You stated, confused on how she knew such information.
"I have a friend who goes there, she told me about you. Her name's Trinity Dumbell." You winced at the name. She was one of the people you really despised down at Koran, always bitching about you being better than her. You never thought you would have to hear her stupid name again.
"Funny you heard from her."
"How so?" Pansy claimed, her head tilting to the side in a cheeky smirk.
"She's one of the bitches I couldn't stand in Koran." You told Pansy, to which Draco only fixated onto your words, peering on the conversation.
"Oh really?"
"Yeah. Me and her got into a lot of... disputes." You commented, remembering the day you busted her lip because she called you a parentless lowlife, "Those Dumbell's are so irritating, especially her older brother Vincent."
"I think he's cute." Parkinson purred, to which Draco made some sort of vexed face to the remark.
"Ew. Honestly, it's pretty embarrassing to be around the Dumbell's Parkinson." You provoked as her expression changed.
"Well you should know what embarrassment feels like." You felt the fury of her words rattle your bones as your body heat began to increase. Your feet shuffled on the ground like hooves waiting to pound on the floor. Why was she acting like this today?
"Whatever. I'm leaving." You uttered, grabbing Draco's arm and moving both you and him to another place in the table. You watched as peoples faces stabbed Draco, however not really caring too much. Before saying anything, you executed a large sigh.
"...Hi." You managed to say, "What's your name?"
"Hi { last name }. You've been pretty famous this past week. My name's Porter Flint, this is Parsley, my sister, Caroline Nott, and Andre Yaxley."
"It's nice to meet you all." You choked out, "And as you may know, Malfoy. We're escaping Parkinson right now."
"I think everyone has at some point." Porter chuckled. He was a very firm guy, blonde like Draco however had more of a presence. His eyes were a deep attentive hazel while he was skinny but also fit. He seemed like the more social one out of the group, his hands intertwined together as he talked to you. He looked so confident it kind of worried you. You noted how Draco was eyeballing at him, his face in an absolutely brutal mannerism. He seemed disturbed in some kind of way.
As you sat there with them for a few more minutes chatting, you heard the principal declare dismissal as your eyes lit up like shining emeralds, your excitement taking over you profoundly as you and Draco rushed over to the teams list. It was hard to see by the crowd of people that hovered to look at it, as you jumped profusely to make out the words. You could do nothing but wait until everybody cleared out, however then catching sight of the trio looking at the sheet with a look of shock. They appeared so harmoniously it comforted you. You were able to finally make it to the front of the crowd as your mouth gaped with dismay. it was like your world stopped for a good minute as you could only mark what the sheet said.
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Slytherin Seeker - { first name } { last name }
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You were literally stunned, bewildered that you got this position. You felt Draco's hand pat your shoulder, unusually undisturbed and weirdly comforting. You turned around, a beaming smile echoing from your face as you hugged Draco sweetly, the trio detecting the embrace.
"I thought I wasn't going to get anything!" You pulled out of the cuddle, informing Draco delighted by the news.
"{ first name }!" Hermione called, as you ran over forgetting Malfoy was there and hugged her tightly, hearing her small gasp for air because you embraced her so powerfully.
"Good job." Harry complimented, "I guess I'll see you on the court, Koran prodigy." He conversed friendly. Koran prodigy? And what did he mean by see you in the court? You checked the list one more time and read the Gryffindor section, looking at Harry's name engraved as a seeker.
"Shit." You mumbled so serene that no one heard.
"Harry you know who I was in Koran?" You asked him, your curiosity wandering in your head.
"Well you've made a reputation, I'm actually quite surprised you haven't heard. In short, everyone knows that you were Koran's Quidditch Prodigy." Your mind rings bells as you hear the name he called you, the same reward you got on the last day of school. How was it possible that everyone knew so quickly?
"Oh.. wow, okay." You could only reply, astonished by the knowledge people had on you.
"Everybody knew you would get Seeker, even the teachers were talking about it." Ron explained as you would also be seeing him on the field, he was a beater, however, so was Draco. You were proud of the boy for not making some rude comment near them.
"I see you've been able to shut this one up." Weasley snarked, catching the attention of a furious Malfoy as he tried his best to stay silent.
"Let's hold off the bullying to each other, all right? He's gonna work on it, I think you guys should too." You told them, holding off the nasty eye roll you were about to do. As much as Draco was in the wrong for teasing the trio, you really took into consideration after that comment that they aren't innocent in this situation either. You took a glance at Draco who was only standing there, inaudible as he stared at the floor.
"I mean it's not a problem for us, as long as he does so." Granger suggested, maintaining full eye contact with you as you nodded ever so politely.
"I'll do what I can. I'll see you guys, okay?" You smiled as you walked off without letting them speak, Draco dragging along sheepishly, which was strange to you since he always walked with confidence. Your eyes wandered on to his pale face that was a bright red, his mouth quivering unpleasantly as you watched his eyebrows furrow in discomfort. After just a few seconds of walking, you could hear him whimpering ever so silently, as if a pleading infant. You took the boy into a corner as you watched him experience some type of break through, his face now a puffy red and his hands shuffling in his pockets.
"Hey, Draco.." You whispered, to which he ignored, looking everywhere else but your face as he was shaking violently, "Look at me, Draco." From then he laid his eyes onto yours, his embarrassment clearly portrayed as his feet shambled on the floor.
"What's wrong?" You pondered, to which unfortunately his lips stood sealed as he tried walking away, however not having much of an opening with you in front of him, disabling him from any movement, "Please, tell me." You spoke, your voice as timid and soft as possible to try and get him to calm down or breathe. You observed as he was able to stop fiddling, his eyes absorbed into your own.
"What are you feeling?"
. . .
"I..I feel so.. inferior." His voice trembled through the corridor as his look began to worry you. You could tell he was trying so hard to hold back his own tears as he kept his gaze on you, when out of no where, he hugged you stiffly as his arms compressed into your body. You were definitely startled at the sudden choice of motion, however too concerned about Draco to react, only hugging him back tighter.
"It's okay Draco, I know how you feel." Your words fluttered in his ear as you caressed his back softly, "But if you think it isn't okay to feel this way, I just want you to know you have every right to feel this way. Emotions are valid Dray." You felt his quiver to the nickname you called him as he slowly pulled out of the cuddle, his eyes showing how inferior he felt at that moment, "No matter what, I'm gonna help you, okay?" He didn't answer for the first few seconds, but after his reflection of what you said he went from a slow nod to a rapidly quick nod.
"Okay." He replied, taking heavy breaths as a stress reliever. You were proud he was so willing to try and be better, to get in a position where he no longer would tease or bully others.
"I'm proud of you Draco. Let's get to the common room, alright?" And with a serene nod, both of you walked to the Slytherin common rooms collectively, leaving the thoughts of both minds to each other.
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