Draco's sudden move left the entire stadium in stunned silence.
It wasn't just confusion about how he'd managed to save Harry Potter—what really threw everyone off was that Draco had done it.
He was a Slytherin. The infamous son of a known Death Eater.
Ron, especially, looked like he suspected some kind of elaborate trap, showing no relief that Harry had narrowly escaped danger.
As for how Draco had reached Harry in time and pulled it off, only the Gryffindor players who arrived late and saw the whole thing could say for sure.
Still, the moment everyone snapped out of their daze, someone—no one knew who—shouted first:
"He's safe! The Slytherin captain saved Harry Potter!!"
"Thank Merlin!"
"Was it that Malfoy again?"
"Slytherin... seriously? No way."
Excitement. Shock. Suspicion.
But no matter the reaction, Draco's expression barely changed. Surrounded by whispers and the echo of distant chatter, he remained still, his eyes locked quietly on Hermione—who was staring back in stunned silence.
It wasn't that Draco wasn't affected by the crowd. It was more like he didn't acknowledge them at all, treating the entire stadium as if it didn't exist.
Only when the Gryffindor players finally arrived did he shift his gaze to Oliver Wood, who looked ready to take Harry and check his condition.
"Um... mind putting Harry down?"
At the moment, Harry was being held—not gently—by Draco, who had him slung over an arm with no concern for comfort. His Quidditch robe was ripped from the rough handling, and he looked every bit the wreck.
If the platform hadn't had a limited number of people on it, Harry might've earned himself another infamous moment. Thankfully, he'd passed out by then, sparing him at least some embarrassment...
...
As her vision cleared and voices reached her ears, Hermione slowly began to make sense of what had happened. Her sluggish thoughts gradually returned to their usual clarity.
If anyone were to save her, Hermione had several possible candidates in mind.
Professor McGonagall, who was running toward her, for instance. Or even Professor Snape, despite how difficult he had always been. Even Headmaster Dumbledore, who wasn't present, had crossed her mind.
Those would've been the logical ones to step in.
Definitely not Ron Weasley, who had left her behind to run off to safety, and certainly not Draco Malfoy—the same Draco Malfoy who had made her cry not long ago.
But the reality was, it was that jerk, the one Hermione least expected, who had saved her.
And this was the second time he'd done it...
"Why you?"
Facing her unexpected savior again, Hermione bit down on her lower lip and found herself unable to say a single word.
It wasn't just that she didn't know what to say—there was also a strange feeling stuck in her chest.
A sour unfamiliar emotion that left the usually articulate Hermione completely speechless...
"...."
Hermione parted her lips slightly, wanting to say something, but no sound came out.
Her dazed expression made Draco, sitting on his broomstick, raise an eyebrow.
"Too scared to speak, dear Miss Granger?"
After casting a glance at Hermione, Draco casually let go of Harry Potter.
Thud!
The loud smack of Harry hitting the ground without any cushioning made the nearby wizards wince.
Draco's action prompted Pansy, who had just rushed over, to puff out her cheeks in silent protest.
Clearly, treating Harry like that showed Draco hadn't been all that concerned about him in the first place.
In other words, Draco didn't save Harry for Harry's sake.
Unaware that he'd caught the attention of a certain little princess, Draco ignored the furious glares Ron Weasley was shooting at him and turned instead to the now-arriving Professor McGonagall and his godfather...
...
Just as Ron stepped forward to drag the unconscious—and freshly dropped—Harry back to their side, the professors finally showed up, as usual, a step too late.
"Step aside! How is Mr. Potter?"
"Clear the area! Unless you'd like a nice trip to Filch, then by all means, keep standing in my way!"
Unlike Professor McGonagall's gentle tone, Snape wasted no time threatening the crowd of young wizards who had gathered around.
Their methods may have differed, but the worry and urgency on both professors' faces were clear.
It was hard to believe that Snape—the one always making life difficult for Harry Potter—was among the first to arrive...
In any case.
Perhaps it was the look on Snape's face, as if he were about to draw his wand, that made the crowd quickly part. And as the path cleared, McGonagall and Snape caught sight of Harry, who was now lying on Ron's lap like a makeshift pillow.
"How is Mr. Potter? Is he injured?"
"Professor, Harry's passed out. I think he might've taken a serious hit."
Either because she had mostly recovered or because Draco was staring at her oddly, Hermione quickly stood up, ran to Harry's side, and checked on him.
Her assessment was right—Harry hadn't sustained any major injuries. If anything, it was Draco's less-than-gentle handling that might've done the most damage...
This news made Professor McGonagall sigh in relief.
As for Snape, whether to hide something or not, he turned and immediately began mocking Draco.
"You really can't mind your own business, can you, Mr. Malfoy?"
"....."
Snape's sarcasm made Draco roll his eyes quietly from his perch on the broomstick.
To anyone else, it might have sounded like Snape was disappointed that Harry hadn't been seriously hurt.
But Draco, who had been in the air the whole time, caught everything—the subtle shift in his godfather's expression and that barely noticeable sigh of relief when he realized Harry was fine.
Was that really how someone reacted to seeing a boy they supposedly loathed in danger?
Draco found it harder and harder to understand what went on in his godfather's mind. He tugged the corner of his mouth into a smirk and pretended he hadn't heard the mockery.
Please don't make him spill everything he just saw…
...
[Upto 50 chapters ahead for now]
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