The game and love

43

He didn't care. The game was going to hell, he wanted to be with Harry. Draco rushed to the sideline and ripped his helment off. He'd just thrown his third interception and his teamates were all in confused silence. The sheer awfulness of the game was uncommon for Draco. He held the record for least interceptions in his first five seasons with 53. He'd never thrown more than two and here he'd thrown three on three drives in a row. When he reached the sideline he smashed his helment into a full bucket of Gatorade and sent it crashing getting equipment wet and several team staff and equipment.

"He is livid down there Moose, this is shocking. I have never seen a player this upset before and it looks like his teamates are as confused as we are. This young man is usually the art of composure. However, today, something is very wrong with him."

"I agree Tim, we know he carries the franchise on his shoulders, but he would have cracked soon..wow...he just punched one of his teamates."

"I've never seen this ever in 20 plus years in broadcasting football Moose."

"WOW."

Several of his teamates were shocked by this turn of events. Lee Scott had just gotten a fist of fury from perhaps his closest friend and all the people involved with the team forgot there was a game going on. The captain of the defense growled in Draco's direction. "Halftime." It was a statement. It wasn't an option, Draco was going to have to talk to the big guy about it, he was barely holding together as it was.

"And another drive stalls with an interception. This is just...wow...it's beyond bad. I bet more than anything he'd like to crawl into a hole and hide."

As the headed into the tunnel that's exactly what Draco would have liked to do. No such luck however. Amazingly, they were still in the game as Miami had trouble making use of their opponents' mistakes. Cruz Stopped the coach just before the lockeroom. He wanted to first crack at figuring this odd turn of events out.

"Hey listen coach, let me try and get into his head. Then you can yell at him for the rest of the halftime if it'll help." The coach nodded, anger still all over his expression as he opened the door to the lockeroom for both of them. The man named brick was on a misson and all the other players knew it. He was a big leader on this team both literally and figurtively.

"What the he...." He was about to burst out in a 'get your shit together' speech but the look on his friends face said everything. He took a deep breath unsure of how to continue. The last thing he wanted was a crying gay guy on his shoulder, if only because he figured somehow he'd have to awkwardly explain to his new wife Lucy, why it was nothing. He shook off the stupidity and pressed forward.

Draco smashed his long blonde sweat soaked hair back from his head and breathed out. Clearly, he was very aggrivated and his eyes showed worry. "What's going on Drake?" Cruz asked as softly as he could so their conversation would stay private. "It's Harry...He's hurt or something..." Draco's hands were shaking. Cruz tried to stay calm, but he could only imagine being in this position of not being able to do anything when someone he cared about was in trouble. He could somewhat sympathize. "Listen Drake...I know...this sucks ok, but you gotta hang in there and do what you can. You can't let this shit turn you into a circus bro." He placed his hand on Draco's shoulder. Draco just acknowledged him with a weak head nod. "You just focus on keeping this shit together if you can. I'll take care of the game."

With that last sentence he left Draco Malfoy with his thoughts and went to talk with Lee Scott, who looked confused as ever, having been sucker punched on the sideline, but also figuring there was some kind of reason for it. He didn't want to think that all of the sudden his friendship was at risk with Draco. They'd been the best Quarterback duo since Young and Rice. "Hey listen kid, Drake needs our help." Cruz then repeated the exchange between he and Draco. "Why didn't he tell me?" Lee asked, even more perplexed. The big guy shrugged. "You know how personal he is bro." Lee nodded agreement. "So what should we do?" The reciever asked simply. "Here's what I had in mind. The man talked quietly and the two stratigized for the remainder of the halftime.

"The Seahawks are down by 4 at the start of the third qaurter, and that's suprising considering the play of their star QB Draco Malfoy, who's stats read 1 touchdown 4 interceptions and a fumble. His worst ever career game. The Seahawks will recieve the kick."

Draco didn't look any better to his teamates in the huddle as he called the play. This caused the players to lose confidence in him and they had trouble sticking together.
"Malfoy back to throw, steps by a defender and makes a throw to number 85 Chris Clark, the ball bounces of his hands and....INTO A DEFENDER FOR ANOTHER INTERCEPTION...Clark makes a quick tackle, but cleary he dropped that ball there. And again, we see an very passionate upset QB for Seattle."

Draco wanted to throw his helment against the wall. Cruz wasn't on this defensive series, so he imeadiately went to grab Draco by the shoulder. He got an death glare that would have frightened Charles Manson. "Fuck this shit dude, I don't even fuckin' wanna be here. Fuck this, fuck it, fuck it fuck it...." Cruz knew if he didn't work fast his friend would crack completely. He forced his friend nose to nose with him. "Listen, you can't do this here...you get it....you crack here...you're career might be at risk... the media is just waiting for your next big fuck up so they can pounce. Do you think Harry wants you to do this to yourself? Quit being a pussy, there isn't shit you can do now anyway. So stop it and calm down." Without waiting for a response, he turned around and walked to the bench to leave Draco with his thoughts.

His team didn't get a good drive going until the last three minutes of the 4th quarter. "Great, last minute heroics. Fuck me." Draco spat angrily as he slapped his helment on and snapped the chin strap.

"This is probably the last chance for the Seahawks. Amazing that after that awful day their QB has had that they can even hope to win and if they do, it will be a testiment to perhaps how bad the dolphins offense has been."

Lee Scott walked beside Draco to the huddle and finally worked up the courage to talk to him. "Hey D-Man, Bricks, he told me what's goin' on. I got your back bro, just look for me." He gave a slight nod indicating he heard Lee as he prepared to try and take victory from the crushing jaws of defeat.

"Listen Guys, I'm sorry. I can't really tell you what's gone wrong today, but I'm not going to fuck up now, alright?" He looked over his teamates and they all nodded to him. It had been as vocal besides calling plays and swearing tirades that he'd been all game.

"34 split, y stick. Ready?" Draco called out. He seemed extremely fired up and his teamates responded. "Break!" The game, which had abandoned him for the last 57 minutes seemed to come back to him just as quickily as it had gone.

"Draco fires complete to the tightend Joe Newton for 12 yards. Now the clock plays somewhat of a bigger role. They have to score a touchdown with a minute and 15 seconds left. They are in the two minute offense. Draco barks out the call and sets everyone up, they have one time out. Snap, Malfoy reads and fires complete to DJ Hackett for 11 yards. They have 30 yards to go for the score. 45 seconds left. Snap and fires incomplete toward Joe Newton, who was running along the side line. 41 seconds left. Here's the snap, complete to the runner Jay Bennet on a sweep over the right side. He did not get out of bounds the clock still running at 31 seconds. Malfoy rushes everyone to the line and RUNS ANOTHER PLAY...THE CLOCK IS STILL MOVING...AND IT'S A RUN MIAMI STOPS JAY BENNET AT THE 13 with 12 seconds to go they have one or two plays left and they are forced to call their final timeout, what a gutsy call.

"Hey D-Man." Lee looked at him on the sideline. "Look even if I'm not open, I'm open, get me the damn ball." Draco nodded to him and looked at the coach's play sheet. Once he had a play selected he called the rest of the offense over and set up everything exactly how he wanted.

"Ready?" "Break!"

Draco back to throw, locks onto his reciever. Makes a throw to Lee Scott who is blanketed by three Miami defenders and the ball is.....CAUGHT....HOLY SMOKES...LEE SCOTT MAKES A HELL OF A LEAPING CATCH. One handed. How he did that at 5 feet 9 inches tall...wow...just wow folks.

Cruz had informed the coach of Draco's personal situation and that he was in no condition to answer media questions after the game. This upset every reporter who really wanted to know what had made the phenom crack like that. However, the firery young coach, Kasparek was in no mood for stupid question.

"No, listen, he won't be speaking with you this afternoon. He has a family issue that he just became aware of before the game. I'm not at liberty to discuss it further as he hasn't given his permission for me to do that. Are there any real football questions?" There were none, with that, the press conference was over.

Draco probably set a record with how fast he showered packed his equipment and boarded the plane. However, the game was over, with no distraction, the emotions he'd been hiding for the last 3 and a half hours overwhelmed him. He made a trip to one of the four bathrooms on the plane and locked himself in. Sitting down on the toliet seat, he let them all go. Crying and shaking, but making no sound except for the occasional forced breath.

It was going to be a long trip home.

End chapter 43
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A/N Written for Jay. To those of you who have followed this since the begging I love you, to my new readers, weclome. And to people that hate AU Harry Potter.... :-P

Next chapter, we discover what has made Harry sick and the title of the chapter?

Return of an old friend.