~~~
The last game of the season had gone miserably this year.The Slytherins had a new captain, as Marcus Flint had graduated the last year. 'Thank god, I never could stand the idiot' thought Katie darkly. She, however, rather liked the new captain, a girl named Lucretia Charmein. As long as Katie could remember, Lucretia had been the only girl on the Slytherin team 'and had to claw her way to stay there.' Marcus hadn't "approved" of girls playing Quidditch. The team had blossomed this year under her ruthless but fair tutelage. Slytherin had even stopped cheating for the most part.
That was what stung the most.
Slytherin had trashed them. Without cheating. Slytherin had matched them almost point for point and then, horror of all horrors, Draco Malfoy had caught the snitch. Winning the game. By 140 points.
"I'm sorry Katie." She turned around at the quiet voice and found the Gryffindor Seeker looking at her with haunted and guilty eyes.
"Don't worry about it Harry." she said kindly. "You did the best you could. I caught part of that last bit and it was a tough race. I'm just mostly sad because this is the last game I'll ever play here at Hogwarts. I graduate this year after all."
"That's right.." Harry looked at Katie worriedly. "What are we going to do for next year? The Beaters we have now are nowhere as good as Fred and George were, and you three Chasers won't be here next year. What-"
"Bell!" a voice shouted after her, interrupting their conversation. She looked up in semi-surprise as the Slytherin Seeker screeched to a stop before her. He nodded at Harry. "Potter, I need to-"
"Come to gloat Malfoy?" Harry said coldly and, at least in Katie's mind, rudely.
"No!" Draco gave Harry an icy look and raised an eyebrow. "I don't need to gloat. Unlike some people."
Katie decided to stop this bash session before it started. "Harry," she said warmly, Why don't you go ahead, I'll meet you later. No buts," she added when he opened his mouth to protest. "I'll be fine."
Harry grumbled and walked off, shooting looks over his shoulder every now and then. Once he was out of sight, Katie turned back to Draco. "Now, what was it you wanted?" Katie asked patiently. Draco seemed to be frozen or...or speechless...or something. Katie rolled her eyes, "Spit it out Malfoy!" Draco started.
"I...um..." Draco looked...frightened. Katie blinked, not used to seeing that kind of expression on a Slytherin's face, especially not to her. She was Katie Bell, the wispy shy girl that no one was ever scared of. "N-Never mind." Draco stammered, "Not important."
As he turned away, Katie heard him murmur, "This was a bad idea anyway."
"Draco." He stopped in his tracks and turned around, shocked by her soft voice and using his name with such...he didn't have a word for it. He met her eyes, nervous shocked silver meeting kind concerned amber...'brown' he told himself. 'They're brown, they just look amber because of the light.'
"I..um..I was wondering if I could have your autograph."
"My..." Katie looked confused, "my autograph?? What?" Her mind had clunked to a noisy halt. She just couldn't understand this. He wanted... "W-Why? Why d-do you want m-my autograph?"
Draco blinked and stepped back. "I didn't mean to upset you."
"N-No, I'm not upset." Katie took a second to breathe and calm herself. "I just don't understand why you would- I mean...I'm just Katie."
Draco smirked slightly. "To you, you may be 'just Katie' but to me you're the best damn Chaser I've ever seen." Draco's eyes took on a fervent glow. "I know you don't think too much of yourself Katarina Bell, I can tell by the way you walk...like you want to seem invisible. I don't know if anyone's ever informed you of this Bell but up in the sky, you are a goddess!"
~~~
Five minutes later, Draco Malfoy walked off with a smug look and quite a few autographs from Gryffindor's star chaser. Meanwhile Katie Bell stood in a daze, fingers up to the spot where he'd kissed her cheek and a small wondrous smile on her lips. Little known, it is this incident that was the turning point in her career as one of the best Chasers the Holyhead Harpies had ever had. The two did not meet until five years later. but that is another story. 1
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Adding your comment:
Especially on an amazing quidditch player like our Katie.
