The game and love

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters in this story they belong to J.K. Rowling and futhermore I recieve no money for this project
1

A night had never held less hope and promise than this one. His back was to the wall, everything rode on his decisions now. As Draco stepped back in the split second it took to hike the ball, it seemed a lifetime rushed through his mind. Thousands of pros and cons weighed in his mind in the blink of an eye. He liked this part, because once a choice was made and he released the ball, it carried him to vindication, it was his proof that he was good enough. However, on a rare ocassion like tonight, nothing seemed to fit into place. Draco was all wrapped up in an unending train wreck.

\"Ok, we have no running game.\" Draco said in a matter of fact tone. He was roughed up and calling a huddle was making the pressure of losing much more intense. Draco eyed his tight-end. \"Ron, I need you to jam your coverage and get open, give me a hitch route so we can get you out of bounds.\" Ron nodded. \"Recievers go long so we can draw them out of the tight zone.\" Draco ran his eyes to each man in the huddle looking for faith, he seemed to find it, broke the huddle and got ready to run the play.

The other team looked worn out and ripe for the picking. In the first three quarters they looked intense and unbeatable. It was all the incentive Draco needed. He looked over the defense and pointed out Ron\'s hitch route. He snapped the ball and everything went as planned the recievers went deep and left twenty yards of open space for Ron. Draco had never seen anything so perfect as he watched it unfold.

Once the route was complete the throw seemed to complete itself. Draco was excited, but didn\'t show it. Gaining twenty yards was good start to over coming a 24-17 score. All the field general sees now, is the goal, the touchdown that will take this game to overtime and resurect his fading hopes. As they regrouped for the huddle, distinct grins were on all of the faces, sweat glistened off them all, their eyes, though tired, show the passion and faith that they can win.

\"Ok guys, same idea, except now I am going to throw it deep.\" He eyed his target, who nodded. \"Once they bite on Ron\'s hitch route, I\'ll go deep. I want two options, so run hard. Ready?\" \"Break!\" They all replied in unison and got in position. Again Draco gave Ron his route and signaled the guys to go deep. Ron grinned to himself as he got ready for the fake. \"I\'ll jam you all day man!\" Ron yelled to the man who would soon being biting the bait.

The grass showed wear and tear, mud was all over and small mounds of torn up grass made it look like some civil war battle, which in some ways it was. Draco took position behid the center, the ball being hiked would start events in motion that would unravel a sane person. As Draco stepped back he saw that they weren\'t biting as fast as he thought, so he made a check throw to Ron, which opened the space he needed. He released the ball once he saw his targets were free and in the endzone.

George Weasely, Ron\'s brother made the catch. The crowd went wild, but to Draco, it was just simply a day at the office. He smirked as Coach Snape stood silent and showed an indiffence that was not very satisfying to those who didn\'t know him. Draco knew it was because he believed in his team so much, that he expected them to win every game. It was this attitude that made Draco appriciate football. There were no considerations but good or bad play, it was simple, yet it was complex in it\'s demands.

The game went to overtime and the coach had decided to allow their Tailback, Oliver wood, to carry the ball and get the victory. This kind of bothered Draco who felt that he was the one who had helped keep them in the game and therefore, should be allowed to finish the job, but in the end, the stats told the story: One touchdown and three interceptions, not one of his better games. Draco knew his father would make him practice very hard over the next week because of that.

~~~~

Draco always showered alone, not because he was embarrased, but because in the solitude of the water he could forget the game. He rested his head against the wall letting the water hit his back, calmly breathing and relaxing out his overwelming sense of faliure. When he had finished, he packed his gear up and prepared to go home, He noticed the door to the locker room was open and he went out to have a look.

His favorite person in the world was there. Harry Potter, casual, somewhat nerdy, Draco was enraptured by him. Not that Draco had considering a romance or anything, they just had a mutual appriciation for eachother. Harry wrote some very nice articles about Draco, how he was a field general and was a superman among boys. Most of the kids teased Harry, saying he wrote that way because he loved Draco, and they were right.

\"Hey bud, what are you doing here.\" Harry stared into the eyes of his deepest affection, unsure of what he should do. \"Hey, are you ok?\" Draco\'s voice and eyes filled with concern. \"Huh, oh, yeah I\'m ok. Sorry about that.\" Harry looked down as if he felt ashamed and Draco softly brought his chin up. \"No need for apologies. Would you like to get a burger or something?\" Draco asked very casualy, ignoring the fact of the intimate moment they just shared.

\"Yeah, sure....can I get an interview?\" Draco smirked at Harry\'s question. \"Of course you can bud.\" They had done this before after games, gotten a bite and Draco had given an interview, Harry always considered them to be very bussiness like, but he didn\'t care about it in a journalistic way at all, it was always to learn about the man he loved. Harry always thought Draco was oblivious to why he did it, because he was sure he would be beaten up should the truth come out. However, as he rode in Draco\'s car to their usual small diner, he could not have predicted where the night would lead.

They sat and ate. Harry asked occassional questions about the game, maybe some added stuff about what players were saying, but the look he kept getting from Draco made him nervous. Now, Draco almost always smirked, but this was more like a soft smile and warm eyes, you never ever see Draco like that. Harry was so confused that he lost track of what the were trying to talk about.

Once they were done eating, Draco put down money to pay for the meal as Harry went into his own pocket. \"Don\'t worry, I got it kid.\" Harry froze. He liked when Draco used endearing terms when it came to him, it made him feel like maybe there was a chance that Draco would love him back. When they left Draco was still in his smiling mood, Harry was still uneasy as he got into the car he noted that Draco had opened the door for him and motioned for him to get in. \'is he sending me signals\' Harry thought confused.


As they drove home Draco suddenly stopped the car and got out. He called Harry out and they stood at the front of his car. \"Look.\" Draco motioned with a finger up at the stars. Once harry was looking up, Draco got up his courage. \"Harry, do you like me?\" Harry was shocked, but he didn\'t hesitate to answer. \"Yes.\" was his meek reply. Draco had heard it and he didn\'t need to question it, he knew it was true. \"I like you alot Harry.\" Draco said warmly, well aware that Harry was shocked and maybe frightened. \"You have always been so quiet and kind Harry, I liked you since the first time I met you.\" This revelation made Harry flashback to the first time they met.

Harry sat in the stadium bleachers, finishing a sketch of the people out on the feild. Draco and Ron were playing catch, while Oliver Ran some diffent sets. It was playful and cheery the sun shown a bronze light that seemed to immortalize this moment. Harry was deep in his sketch he was startled when one of the kids came over to see him. \"Hi, my name is Draco Malfoy, you must be new here. What\'s your name?\" Harry looked up at the smiling blonde and was shocked by the smile that seemed to melt him.

\"I\'m Harry Potter, I just moved here from L.A.\" Harry smiled sadly. Draco eyed him a bit. \"What are you drawing there?\" Draco pointed to the sketch in the boy\'s hand. \"Oh it\'s nothing.\" Draco got a look at the sketch. \"Oh, so I am nothing, am I?\" Draco grinned. Harry giggled. \"That\'s not what I meant.\" Draco waved him off. \"I gotta go back to my practice. I can show you around afterward, if you want me too?\" Harry just nodded. \"Great, see you later Draco replied, turning and walking back to practice.

\"That long?\" Harry said stunned. \"Yeah, I just kinda didn\'t realize it.\" \"Well, you are a dumb football player.\" Harry teased playfully. \"I guess I am guilty there.\" Draco laughed. Draco thought for a minute and then continued. \"So I guess why am doing this whole thing, is I wonder if you might go out with me sometime.\" Draco said it a bit arrogantly, but Harry didn\'t mind.

\"Yeah, sure, what do you have in mind?\" Draco hadn\'t really thought beyond the admission to liking Harry and now he was asking him out. \'Oh, this is bad. Now, what do I do?\" Draco thought desperately. \"We could go to a movie?\" Harry asked hopefully. Draco bit on that idea like a hungry fish to bait. \"Sure, how about saturday?\" Harry nodded. \"Ok, I will pick you up at eight?\" Draco said hopefully. \"Yeah, sure.\" Harry replied in disbelief.

On the car ride home, neither boy could grasp what had happened. The silence in the car was so thick, it was like smoking. Draco broke the silence. \"So, what are you gonna write in your article? We barely talked. Harry shrugged, \"I don\'t know, but I certainly can\'t tell them this, because no one would believe it.\" Harry sighed. Draco laughed and the rest of the car ride was spent in silent disbelief.

End of chapter 1

A/N Hey this is a new fic chapter 2 will have an in-depth description of the school but I am really going to avoid more story with others than Harry and Draco atleast for now, I hope you like, please review