The game and love

40

He was here, taking the field with everyone on his shoulders. It's what he wanted, the pros were the peak of all his work and everyone he'd walked passed to get here would be watching. However, the only person he was thinking of was Harry in the suite box. He wanted so desperately to have one last talk with him. He felt his nerve cracking. Until Matt came up and slapped his shoulder pad.

"This is it. You're prepared the best you can be now. Drake, don't let it get complex out there. The tempo should keep things slow enough." Matt was to the point, but anyone that could be this close to his eyes right now, could see how much he wanted to play this game. Draco nodded adding another person to his crowded shoulders.

"Offense, you're up." As the call came into his helment walking onto the field, Draco was zoned in, the crowd was quiet and Matt was grabbing his clipboard so he could pay attention to the calls. MIke Holmgren's voice, for as angry as he could be, was soothing to Draco's nerves, which sort of made Draco laugh. He got into the huddle and made the call, that was the easy part, now, the rest was up to him.

"45 green 45 red, Hike!" And there was the first play, off and running. Exactly as they ran it in practice. Lee Scott was wide open for a 15 yard catch, and for just a moment, he thought of playing football with Harry. It was a small thought only there for an instant, but it put a knot in his heart. Meanwhile the object of his affections was just as torrmented, but he didn't have a game to control to block his thoughts and anxiety.

"Geez Harry, don't stress out now, the game's not even started that much yet." Tim was trying to help. Harry's tension was very obvious. Tim could tell this would be a long game when the death flare he got set a chill up his back. He'd better just keep to himself. Atleast until Mom got back. Tim knew Harry would atleast relax while Mrs. Malfoy was around. He took a sip of his soda then one of his topical juice drink, then one of his soda again.

"Malfoy steps back to throw, has time, loads up, looks downfield makes a hard throw, deep and caught, Darrell Jackson! Touchdown Seahawks! This kid makes it look like a day at the office. He was so smooth in his motion and the throw, right on the money to D-Jack. He was 4-4 for 67 yards, 21 yards on the touchdown."

Draco didn't really respond to the congratulations he recieved on the sideline, he felt ok, but there was a hell of alot more game left. He sat on the bench as the Offensive corodinator came over with pictures and began to go over what Draco had seen on the field. He paid attention as best he could, but again, his thoughts drifted to Harry. Why was he so distracted? He didn't know, but all he knew was that he had to stop it.

The defense had a bit of trouble, they were playing the bears and Cruz was getting blocked from sacking the quarterback but Draco was only worried about what he had to do. Harry on the other hand was all in.

"Fucking holding, what the hell are these refs watching." Harry swore angrily.
"Harry!" Mrs. Malfoy began to interject, but Tim frantically waved her off. She heeded him.


Harry was fumming he wanted Draco's game to be easy, he'd already taken some bumps early and Harry just hoped Draco's morning after the game would be ok. He saw another call. "God damn" He slapped his knees. It was going to be a long game.

Another series and Draco was on fire. He'd hit all 8 of his throws on the money. He was in a zone. As the team took a 14-6 lead to the 2nd quarter. The defense had created a few fumbles, but the bears were able to move the ball. Draco kept noticing the defensive players were all sucking wind and obviously needed some time to recouperate. So he had the coach get some running plays in for the offense's next series.

Harry had basically zoned out by the end of the first qaurter. You could have flown a plane into the suite and he wouldn't have flinched. Tim had long since given up on him and gone about annoying the personal chef for more foods that shouldn't be consumed by mortals. Draco's Mom had just about the same feelings as Harry as she finally settled in to watch the game and this was her baby boy, her only child. It was clear that the insensitive teenager known as Timothy Malfoy, was the only sane one present.

The score was 21-13 the lead didn't stop the words coming from Mike Holmgren's mouth as his players sat in dejected silence. Draco was as attentitve as he had ever been. These halftime speeches were both violent and brilliant. Draco took everything in, he got some praise, but the defense was getting chewed on for allowing the bears to move the ball so well. Draco marked something down on the inside of his wristband of plays. As small H. God, what was the matter with him?

As the team walked out of the lockeroom for the 2nd half. Draco walked alone, not because he wanted to, but because he was doing well, the unwritten rule, don't jinx the rookie. As he sat on the sidelines, he watched his defense struggle more. Cruz, clearly frustrated, picked up a personal foul penalty which lit up coach Holmgren brighter than a meth fire. The more he watched the defense struggle, Draco got more and more up tight. He figured he had to score everytime he went out now, just to ensure a win. He didn't want to be the goat, but he knew that if he screwed up now, it didn't matter how good he had been to this point.

Again he took the field and called plays. If he'd been able to see what he looked like Harry thought he'd even be intimidted by how he barked out calls. As Harry watched Draco, he said the first words since the 1st qaurter. "Watch the blitz Dray!" Of course he didn't hear Harry, but oddly enough, he changed the call for the offensive line, he'd seen the blitz the whole time. Harry sighed. The semi-crisis had been averted.

"Malfoy back to throw, steps up and gets CRUNCHED to the ground for a sack! Another drive stalls and Malfoy is hot. He wants some protection out there and he's not getting any."

4th qaurter the game was still 21-13 with 2:20 to go. The bears did the only thing they could do now, they scored a touchdown and got a two point conversion. With 13 seconds left, the coach elected for overtime. They ran the final 13 seconds off and Draco went over to where Cruz was sitting oxygen mask on and obviously tired.

"Listen bud, you stop them, I'll win the game for you. Got it." Draco looked at him searching for some fire. "Just stop them here." And with that he slapped Cruz's shoulderpad and went to start setting up his drive when his team got the ball. As he worked, on cue over the PA the annoucer called out the play.

"Seahawks are in the 34 defemse and the bears are back to throw. SACKED AND A FUMBLE ON THE PLAY RECOVERED BY SEATTLE CRUZ CORONA, THE YOUNG MAN THE CALL THE BRICK WALL HAS JUST GOTTEN THE PLAY HE WANTED ALL DAY!"

Draco wasn't even phased as he snapped his chin strap Cruz came off the field and shook his head. "Finally!" Draco chuckled at cruz's tone. The coach spoke into his helment. "We're already in position for a Field goal, but we both know there are no gaurentees, you have one play, you make it count." Draco gathered the huddle and called a simple run play. When he got to the line he saw the defense and he smiled. He had exactly what he needed. He called out to his team in a loud voice to change the play. Lee Scott looked right at Draco, who's smile was now so big several players thought he had gone crazy.

"Red 93 Red 93, set, hike!" He handed the ball to Lee Scott on the end around and then, as fast as he could sprinted to block for him down feild, He grined more when he saw the saftey come up. As awkward as QBs are. When you're 6'4" and 230, 5'11" 200 safties can't break your block, and this saftey never even saw Draco coming. The hit knocked him flat and Draco watched as Lee Scott ran by into the endzone for a touchdown. It didn't sink in right away, but once guys were slugging him joyusly and screaming about 'we won' it dawned on him. He'd done his job.

The trophy for the confernce championship wasn't really that exciting to Draco, he felt like he was a victim of circumstance, he hadn't lead the team here, but that didn't stop the media from giving him the credit, or oogling over his big block at the end for the touchdown. He took it all in answered all the media questions as curteously as he could. Matt would likely be back for the superbowl, for now, he was a one hit wonder, he wished the media would except that so he could avoid all this.

"Look, this is still Matt's team, if he can, he'll play. I won't feel bad at all. No, I'm sorry, I'm done here guys." Draco was exhausted. The team was exhausted. He only had one thing on his mind. It took awhile to get through a path of highfives and congratulations and all the like about good wins. He reached his limo, where his family was waiting for him. Harry was of course the first to greet him and pulled his upper body into a laying position across his lap. Draco actually fell asleep so fast no one could even speak to him. Harry just smiled and laid a kiss on his love's temple.

End chapter 40

A/N: Ok 41 starts five years after the end of this chapter and we begin to see where these two are going Harry and Draco adopt a baby and two friends come to live in seattle. Life changes for both of them and not always for the better.