Work Text:
Harry being the quidditch enthusiast that he was throughout his years in Hogwarts, and him being who he is, he decided to take a stake in a team he felt to have a bright future. Kenmare Kestrals were a promising upstart team. Their first season they were just barely booted out of the top four. Their second season ended with them not ranking very high at all because unfortunately there seeker Jackson O’Malley got injured mid game and couldn’t be put back in the last quarter and forced the team to forfeit. Last month O'Malley announced he was going to be retiring. Everyone was sorry to see him go, and Harry was also worried as to what would happen to the team.
The Coach had contacted Harry to tell him not to worry that they recruited a new seeker and asked if Harry’d like to meet him before announcing it to the public.Harry agreed and they set a date, so Harry arrived at the meeting early, nervous to meet the new seeker, and sat in the waiting room, bouncing his leg up and down. After about 20 minutes of waiting, the Kestrals, dressed in their emerald and yellow kit, walked into the room. Harry stood up to greet the team once again, as he had already made good friends with the pre-existing team. Per formal guidelines, the Keeper walked in first, followed by the Chasers, then the Beaters, and finally the Seeker. Harry was a tad preoccupied as the team broke ranks to greet Harry. Then a man cleared his throat and Harry looked up to the new seeker; Draco Malfoy.
Harry was shocked. He never expected the man he’d turn around to see standing there was Draco Malfoy. He was equally as shocked by the fact that Malfoy would have chosen a career as a professional Seeker. Harry snapped out of his shock and stuck out his right hand, and gave Draco a big grin. “Welcome aboard, Malfoy”
“Thank you, Potter.” The Kestral’s coach seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. Everyone relaxed and Harry sat in on their team meeting. They spoke over the upcoming public appearance where they’d announce Draco’s joining the team, and then they spoke over a few team building exercises they planned and team outings. Harry sat, listening and watching. He added input when asked directly and laughed when Myle Higgs, one of the beaters, cracked a joke. The meeting was winding to a close and everyone started to leave to change out of their uniforms as they had done it purely for appearance sake.
Harry sat in the entryway of the quidditch practice stadium that the team used for practices and business. He waved as all the members of the team left after changing and then there was one person left. Draco Malfoy, the one he was waiting for. Draco left the changing rooms and walked to the door. Harry stopped Draco by the door.
“You wanna grab something to drink? Before you get famous and have so many adoring fans you can’t have a quiet night at a pub anymore?” Harry asked with a half smile. He wanted to catch up with Malfoy. They had lost touch, albeit they never really were in touch.
“Are you serious?” Draco responded. But, his face seemed slightly shocked rather than that the thought was unpleasant.
“Yeah, come out to a pub with me. Are you busy after this?”
“No. I suppose I'm not,” Malfoy agreed, wearing his signature smirk, but without all the malice. ‘Without the malicious expression he actually looks quite fetching’ Harry caught himself thinking. He’d known for a while now that he didn’t really care who he ended up with, although thinking of Malfoy in that way was really quite different. “But, we’ll be going to my favourite pub,” Draco said. Then he held out his arm, gesturing for Harry to hold on for a side along to, presumably the pub they’d be drinking at. Harry took a leap by wrapping his arm through Draco’s, and then there was a snap and they were standing in an empty alleyway.
The street outside of the alley wasn’t completely bare but wasn’t packed. Harry could tell he wasn’t in the heart of London if they were still in London at all. The practice stadium was itself on the outskirts of the city because of the space it required and so as to not raise suspicion to the muggles.
“Shall we, Potter?” Draco asked as he started walking towards the street. Harry followed behind curious about where he was being led. They walked down the street a little ways and then Malfoy stopped and opened a door for Harry. “After you.”
Harry walked in and the pub they were at was decent but not quite what Harry had expected. Harry half expected Malfoy to take him to some kind of french pub that served fancy wine rather than regular liquors.
“This is nice,” Harry said.
“It doesn’t need your approval, Potter,” Draco said looking over his shoulder, tossing a playful smirk at Harry as he walked past him to a small table to one side of the building. They sat and then a waitress came by and took their drink orders. It was late afternoon and there weren’t really any other customers.
Harry realized he hadn’t paid much attention to Malfoy’s attire throughout the day. The clothes he wore now were a perfectly tailored sports jacket over a semi-casual button up shirt and pressed pants and brown shoes. If Harry knew Malfoy they were probably Italian leather or something. Harry had worn his nicest outfit he has dubbed his ‘business suit’ ever though it is nowhere near a suit. He wore dark jeans with a white shirt and a blazer over it, with some kind of black shoes Hermione got him for his birthday a year ago. They both looked like average blokes just come early from the office.
The waitress came back and set down their glasses and left them alone. Draco picked up his glasses and sipped at it. Harry took a second and glanced over him. Malfoy was clearly in shape, much better than he had been the last time Harry saw him. His hair wasn't so uniform anymore however, Malfoy seems to leave it windswept like he’d just gotten off of a broom. Harry grabbed his glass and raised it to about eye level. “Congratulations on making the team!”
“Thank you, Potter.” Malfoy nodded and tapped Harry’s glass with his own and then took another sip. Harry took his own sip and set the glass down.
They began speaking briefly about the team and the previous seasons. Malfoy said he was certain they could make it all the way to the championship this season. “I know that the team can do it this time. O’ Malley was a great member of the team but his retirement is my gain. Sheila is a wonderful Keeper, Cain and Marla have settled their differences-” Harry interrupted Draco.
“They’re always fighting! Just like children.”
“-Myle and Daniel have a synchronicity with each other and they’re both unbelievably fast. I have high hopes.”
“Well, you’ve given me your expert opinion on the rest of the team, what do you say for the team's new seeker?” Harry asked. Draco picked up his glass and looked over its rim.
“Hmmm, what’s your expert opinion on their new seeker?” Harry leaned back a little and obviously looked Draco up and down.
“Well, he was once a right pointy bastard. But now he doesn’t seem too bad. He also was the second best seeker Hogwarts had.”
“Second best? Well, I do believe I must be the best. Unless someone would like to make a wager?” Malfoy leaned forward with a sparkle in his eyes, waiting for Harry to accept the challenge.
“You really want to try to outfly me?”
“Scared Potter?”
“Let’s go. Now,” Harry said standing and throwing some notes onto the tabletop for their drinks. Draco followed after him as they left the pub and headed back towards the alley to apparate back to the practice stadium.
They popped back into the lobby and Malfoy used his key to open the changing rooms where the team stored their gear . Malfoy tossed Harry a broom and then grabbed a snitch out of a locker, which Harry assumed to be his. Malfoy led the way on the pitch. They walked to opposite sides and straddled their brooms.
“Ready?” Malfoy asked, holding out the hand holding the snitch. Harry nodded and Malfoy opened his hand and the gold blur raced out of his palm. They waited just a moment and then kicked off at the same moment. They sped through the air right on each other's tail.
It was just like before at Hogwarts. Harry hadn’t flown like this in years, it was nearly breathtaking. He was relishing in the moment and then he spotted a golden blur in the corner of his eye. Harry started to chase and Draco was right there with him. They were gaining on the snitch and it was just finally in arms reach. They both lunged forwards and knocked each other off balance. Harry held on to his broom and his other arm grabbed outwards, Malfoy grabbed towards Harry, and they fell towards the ground in a tumble. They landed with a soft thud as thankfully their brooms soften the fall.
“Had to knock me off to win, how very Slytherin, Potter,” Draco said standing and reaching down a hand for Harry.
“I didn’t need to knock you off to win, I won anyway.” Harry chuckled a bit holding the snitch in his fingers. “Still the best,” Harry winked.
“Clearly we’ll need a rematch.” Draco took the snitch back from Harry and they went back to drop off the equipment.
“I guess we’ll just have to schedule that then.”