The game
Draco’s POV
It was gameday. Draco wasn't playing. It was a strange feeling. He has played almost every game for Hogwarts fc since he was 16. NOw all he could do was watch. It was a big game and they were definitely underdogs so it stresse Draco immensely to have no influence on the game. All he could do was watch.
Draco got ready fairly quickly and put on clothes in Hogwarts colors before quickly leaving the house. He managed to leave before his father woke up which was always a positive.
The drive was slow due to traffic but it was quite relaxing. Draco had always found driving relaxing. It allowed him to focus solely on something other than football for once.
Eventually, the drive was done and it was time to go into the stadium.
The atmosphere was electric and more people than Draco had expected were at the stadium. It was a home game so the vast majority of fans were Hogwarts fans.
The game started soon after Draco arrived. It was a wonderful game and by halftime no one had broken the deadlock.
Draco was frustrated by his lack of ability to do anything about the result but a small part of him was proud of how well his team was doing. They were clearly fighting for the victory and despite himself Draco started to smile.
The second half started and Draco noticed that Potter had been subbed in. Potter was running after the ball and the next second the ball was in the goal.
Draco couldn’t help himself, he screamed. He yelled and he shouted with joy as though he was a toddler instead of an adult but he didn’t care. The team had done it! They had scored and it had been a beautiful goal. So what if it was Potter that had scored? All that mattered was that Hogwarts was ahead.
The game continued with such a high intensity that Draco was entirely sure he would have a heart attack. Finally, the game ended. The score was 1-0 to Hogwarts and Draco was beside himself with glee. He rushed down to the locker room before quickly composing himself so as to not appear too pleased.
The team entered shortly after and Draco couldn’t stop smiling like an idiot. He even congratulated Weasley on his game. “What kind of entity has possessed me?” Draco thought.
Before long Draco spotted Harry. He was sitting somberly alone in the corner. Draco watched as the team congratulated him. First Sirius and Remus, then the Weasleys, and even Oliver Wood. Harry would thank them politely before his face would fall again.
Draco couldn’t take it anymore and walked over to him. “What the fuck is your problem? We just won. Stop moping.”
Harry thought for a second before saying “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be upset. I just wish I could have played better for the team.”
Draco was astounded. What was he saying? It was his first game and he scored a great goal and he didn’t think that was good enough. Suddenly Draco understood why Harry had come so far in his career. It wasn’t just because of intrinsic talent, though that had surely played a role. It had come from never accepting better than his best. It had come from playing hard when others rested. It came from hard work, not just talent. For a second Draco felt some sort of respect for Potter.
The two were quite similar in that way. Draco had always practiced harder than others because he hadn't been born with their talents and his father would never accept less than the best. Draco felt a flash of sympathy for Potter before he shoved it away.
“Look, no one plays a perfect game on their first day. You scored and you played well. Let that be enough for now because it’s enough for the team and it’s enough for me,” Draco said.
Harry smiled at that. A real smile. “Thank you. It means a lot.”
Draco sensed that his job was done and he went back to his spot on the opposite side of the room. He just watched as everyone had fun and laughed at terrible jokes. For a second he felt a pang in his chest. He sometimes wished that he could be a part of it but it didn’t seem possible. Draco had said too many things to the others for them to ever really trust him.
It wasn’t as though he wasn’t used to loneliness. In fact, loneliness might have been his first companion. Might still be his only true companion.
A voice shook Draco out of his thoughts and he saw Remus standing beside him. “You did good.” It was all Remus said before walking away.
Draco didn’t know what Remus was referring to but he didn’t care. It was nice to know that Remus was on his side again.
Draco respected both of his coaches, of course he did. Yet, he had always been closer to Remus than to Sirius. Remus just seemed to understand him in a different way. He knew when to leave him alone and when to talk to him. Remus seemed to have an innate gift for knowing precisely what people needed at any given time and he always did his best to give it to them.
Draco waited until everyone had left except for Potter before walking over to him and offering him a ride. Draco loved driving but he would never admit that he preferred driving with someone. So he pretended it was a totally selfless offer and waited for Potter to pack up.
The two walked back to his car in amicable silence. For once in Draco’s life, he didn’t feel alone.