Chapter One

The duel was going well. Spells and incantations were being slung back and forth with ease. The two young men on the dais were in their element. Professor Snape watched them with a critical eye. He thought they appeared to be rather enjoying themselves. The other students certainly were as they cheered for their housemates and jeered for their rivals.

The tall, dark-haired lad, Harry Potter, sent a Blasting Curse hurling at his silvery-blond opponent. Draco Malfoy laughed and nimbly stepped aside with a verbal “Extstingio”…the stinging spell hit Harry but didn’t seem to have much of an effect on him.

“What was that? A simple stinging spell, Malfoy? You are slipping up in your old age.” Harry laughed and hurled a putrid smelly curse at Draco, who was the ‘old age’ of seventeen. The blast of pea green mist almost knocked him down. But, Harry winced in pain as a second, stronger sting zipped up his wand arm, surprising him.

“Potty, what have you been eating?” Draco wafted a hand in front of his face, sneering, “Oh, and how did you like that second jolt from my stinging spell?”

The dueling continued but each time Harry used his wand to cast a spell towards Draco another stinging pain ricocheted up his arm , each one more intense than the one before it. When it was obvious that Draco’s spell was getting the better of Harry, Prof. Snape ended the duel with a smug announcement that Draco was the winner of the battle.

The Slytherin students all patted Draco heartily on the back and laughed at the Gryffindor’s obvious down-trodden expressions. Hermione and Ron told Harry not to worry about it, he would get Malfoy next time. Harry was rubbing his sore arm and looking a bit dazed. Draco, of course, just looked victorious, smirking from ear to ear.

The next morning, Harry’s arm was still smarting from the duel the day before. They had a quidditch match that afternoon against Slytherin and it was worrying him. He needed his arm to catch the golden snitch. Draco was the Slytherin’s seeker and his biggest competition in the school league. Harry tried not to rub his arm in front of anyone during classes. He didn’t want to let word get to Malfoy that he was still feeling the effects of his spell. He didn’t need to give the Slytherin’s any upper hand during the match.

Later that afternoon, Harry went out the quidditch pitch early to practice. His arm was feeling better and he was zipping through the air with ease on his Firebolt. It was a clear day with only a few fluffy white clouds dotting the sky here and there. The stands were empty, except for one spectator. He gave a friendly wave to Ginny Weasley and took off for a low rolling dive. Ginny stared wistfully at Harry. He made the game look so easy. She never missed a chance to watch him play. She never missed a chance to watch him at all. She was one year younger than Harry. Her brother, Ron, was Harry’s best friend. She, unfortunately, was only thought of as the ‘little sister’. Harry had saved her life her first year at Hogwarts, but it wasn’t anything romantic for him. Just another day’s work for the esteemed Harry Potter. For her though, it deepened her crush on him. Lately, it was more like a crash than a crush. She was 16 years old now and she desperately wanted Harry to notice her as a girl. When he waved at her a second ago, her heart was pounding so hard in her chest, she figured he could hear it out on the field. But as usual, he didn’t fly right over to her, pick her off of the stands, and carry her away to ravish her. She giggled out loud at the mental picture.

“Yeah, he is pretty funny, isn’t he? Thinking he can play quidditch.”

Ginny turned quickly in her seat to see Draco Malfoy standing right behind her. He was in his playing uniform: long emerald robe with silver trim, the Slytherin serpent crest on his left breast, and his broom in hand. His long blond hair was hanging in front of his face and he pushed it back without realizing it. He wasn’t looking at her though, he was watching Harry dodging and dipping in the air above the field.

“He’s the best player I’ve ever seen.” Ginny simply said and turned back around in her seat.

“Don’t tell him I said so, but I almost agree with you.” Ginny almost got whiplash turning back around to look at him at those surprising words. He just flashed her a wicked grin and then jumped down out of the stands towards his teams locker room.

Oh my gosh, Ginny thought to herself, Did Draco Malfoy just pay Harry Potter a compliment? She had a strong urge to shield herself because surely the sky was falling. Draco was feeling pretty much the same way as he entered the room and plopped down on a bench. Why did that pop out of his mouth? And in front of a Weasley no less. Okay, so she was the prettiest Weasley, but that wasn’t saying much compared to that ugly lot. He must have flubberworms for brains.

Later that day, the crowd, in the stands, was on it’s feet. The score was tied. Harry just missed a bludger that Gregory Goyle aimed in his direction. It missed Harry at the last moment and took off after Vincent Crabbe. No time for celebrating though. Harry just saw the little golden snitch and it was right behind Draco Malfoy’s back. Harry knew if Malfoy saw it, that the game would be over, with Gryffindor the losers.

No way that was going to happen after his loss in the dueling club the day before! Harry dived down low, keeping an eye on the snitch the whole while. He didn’t want Malfoy to suspect the snitch was anywhere in his proximity. Harry was still 20 yards away when the fluttering of the snitches wings finally got Draco’s attention. He reached behind him but the snitch was too fast and darted just out of his reach. He turned his broom around 180 degrees and lunged for the snitch. Harry zoomed up and grabbed it a split second before Malfoy got his hand around it. Harry held it up for all to see and the Gryffindor’s went crazy in the stands! Draco sat on his broomstick high above watching the jubilation below. He couldn’t believe he missed that snitch! It was basically in his grasp when Potter came out of nowhere and palmed it. He shook his head to clear his thoughts and with one last look at the celebrating below took off on his Nimbus 2001and headed to the Lake.