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The Quidditch final was the following day, and the entire school was buzzing with anticipation. For the first time in several years, Slytherin would be facing Gryffindor for the Cup, and the fierce rivalry that had begun to wane through several seasons dominated by Ravenclaw had burst forth in a furious flurry as each House began cheering its team to a win on Saturday.

Hugo Weasley was already sick of it.

On the one hand, he wanted to win more than anything. He'd made it to the finals the previous year only to lose to Ravenclaw, and they all wanted a victory after that embarrassing rout. Fortunately the star Ravenclaw Seeker had left to play for the Appleby Arrows, and the rest of the team were too young to make it to the finals. The Gryffindor team, however, had been maturing steadily for two years and was suddenly on the cusp of winning it all, and that's where the conflict came in.

Rose played for the Gryffindor team, and it would be her last game. She had no plans for a professional career, she was simply a good Chaser who enjoyed the game. She'd been on the team for four years and never won the Cup, though, and Hugo knew it was important to her. He, on the other hand, had not only come close the year before, but he had two more years to play--two more years to win.

To make matters worse, he was the Slytherin Seeker, which meant a good bit of the responsibility for winning or losing the match lay on his shoulders. He wanted to win, but he didn't want his sister to be disappointed. Sometimes he wondered why he was in Slytherin at all, given how loyal he was to his family, even when it came to matters of House pride. Then again, Hugo knew what he wanted and was not afraid to go after it when it mattered. He only hesitated when it came to his family, because above all, he did not want to hurt them.

And so he dreaded facing Rose the following day. He could not throw the match, but he did not want to be the first to the Snitch either and be responsible for ruining his sister's last game. Really, the best thing would be if Gryffindor found the Snitch but Slytherin were up enough points to still win: at least then she couldn't be that upset with him.

Tired of sitting in the dungeons staring through the windows into the murky lake, Hugo grabbed his broom and decided to head outside for some fresh air. It was dark but not that late, and the moon was bright enough to give him light for a quick turn around the Quidditch pitch. He hoped it would clear his head enough to get a decent night's sleep; he also hoped no one else was thinking the same thing.

The common room was noisy, for the entire House was wound up for the match the next day. Some students were in a corner loudly arguing strategy; several others were in front of the fireplace making signs and banners and trying out all manner of charms to bring them to life. Hugo hurried out, making his way through the castle with only one thing on his mind: to get up in the air and fly until he was exhausted enough to sleep.

When he finally reached the pitch, Hugo was relieved to find it empty. The sky was clear and there was a cool breeze, but not so cold that he'd freeze up on his broom. He mounted his Firebolt 400 and launched himself into the sky, the feel of the crisp night air immediately filling his lungs with the same thrill he felt every time he kicked off. He loved flying. He loved playing Quidditch. He wanted to win--and he wanted Rose to win. Hell, why couldn't the Quidditch Cup ever end in a draw? As far as he knew, there had never been a tie for the Cup, not in over a thousand years. It was ridiculous to even think about the numbers needed for it to happen.

As he flew, Hugo let his mind wander and briefly closed his eyes, which was why when he felt a nearby rush of air and opened them to see a second flyer zip past him, he just about fell off his broom with a loud curse. Gripping the handle tightly as the adrenaline left him, Hugo turned to see Scorpius Malfoy grinning as he flew back toward him.

"What the hell, Malfoy?" Hugo called. Malfoy came to a stop not far from him, still grinning like an idiot. Only he wasn't an idiot, he was the Slytherin Quidditch captain. "You about scared the snake out of me."

"Keep your eyes open then, Weasley," Malfoy replied, brushing the dark blonde hair from his face. Hugo often wondered how Scorpius flew with so much hair blowing around; he kept his short and neat.

"I'm trying to relax," Hugo grumbled. He began to drift away, but Malfoy followed. Hugo wasn't quite sure whether he wanted to chat with the seventh-year or continue to fly on his own, but Malfoy seemed determined to accompany him regardless.

"You ready for tomorrow?" Scorpius asked. Hugo nodded, but did not say anything. "Are you nervous?" He actually sounded genuinely concerned, which shouldn't have surprised Hugo: Scorpius Malfoy was a strict but fair captain who cared about his players. He was also a bloody good Keeper, and Hugo knew Malfoy wanted to win his last match at Hogwarts probably as much, if not more, than Rose.

Yet another conflict, yet more pressure.

"I'm not nervous," Hugo finally replied. "Just trying to focus on getting it done."

Malfoy was silent as they flew around the pitch. He stayed even with him, occasionally drifting against Hugo's leg. He wondered why the older boy was out there, but before he could ask, Scorpius spoke.

"I imagine it's hard to play your sister for the Cup," he said. He did not look at Hugo, but gazed off into the distance, as if slightly uncomfortable talking about it. "But I know you'll play your best."

Hugo snorted. "Of course I will. I'm a Slytherin. I want to win too. I just hate having to beat her when it's her last match."

"Yeah, I understand how she feels about that, that's for sure," Malfoy murmured. He bumped into Hugo again, giving him a lopsided grin. "But somehow I don't think she'll stop talking to you if you beat her tomorrow."

Hugo laughed. "You don’t know her then."

"You beat her once last year," he pointed out, still staying close. Hugo found that he didn't mind. In spite of his earlier uncertainty about whether he even wanted the company, Hugo now found that he was enjoying it.

"That was close, and it wasn't the final. Her final final." Hugo paused, hovering once more. "Look, I don't expect you to understand. I just feel bad, that's all. But I'm not going to play any differently. I promise."

"I know," said Scorpius, and Hugo was slightly surprised at how honest and trusting he he sounded. "Want to play Catch the Quaffle a bit? Work out the nerves?"

"I'm not nervous, but sure. Sounds good." Malfoy zoomed to the ground and grabbed a Quaffle he had apparently brought out with him. They tossed it around a bit, even though neither of them played Chaser. Since Malfoy was Keeper, after a while he went over to the hoops, and Hugo tried to score on him. He blocked every shot, until they had both worked up a slight sweat. They let their robes flutter to the ground and continued flying.

"So what's Rose doing next year?" Scorpius asked as they took lazy turns over the stands and around the pitch. It felt perfectly normal to be flying with his Quidditch captain like this, enjoying the clear night, which was odd, given that they had never spent all that much time alone together.

"No idea," shrugged Hugo, then laughed at the skeptical look on the other's face. "Yes, she's my sister--I should know what she's doing with her life, I suppose. But I don't think she's decided yet. She might go into the training program at St. Mungo's, she might go into the Ministry, she might go abroad. Who knows." He glanced sideways, suddenly curious. "What about you? Any plans?"

Malfoy grinned, bumping into him with his leg again. This time Hugo felt a weird sensation course through his leg at the older boy's touch. "I'm not going for Quidditch tryouts, if you're wondering. Not interested."

Hugo nodded; he'd suspected as much. Even though Malfoy was good, he wasn't as passionate about it as others who'd gone on to play professionally. "So…any other thoughts?"

Malfoy shrugged. "Maybe. I think I'd like to work at Gringotts. There are all sorts of opportunities to do different things and move up there."

"Sounds good," said Hugo. "I've thought about that too, but I still have two more years to go."

"I just want to do something different, you know?" Malfoy continued, surprising Hugo with his openness. "I don't want to do something just because my family wants me to. I want to do my own thing, make my own way."

"Good for you," Hugo said. He hesitated before continuing, but felt like he could trust Scorpius Malfoy in that moment. "I feel the same way. My dad was an Auror for a while and seems to think I'd be great at it, but I want to do something different than my mum or dad as well. I'm not cut out to save the world."

"Don’t you have an uncle at Gringotts?" Malfoy asked curiously.

Hugo nodded, surprised that he knew. "Yeah, my Uncle Bill used to be a curse-breaker. He works in another department now, though, so he can be closer to his family."

"I think I'd like to get away from mine sometimes," Malfoy mused. "Curse-breaking sounds interesting, though."

"It is," Hugo replied. "I'd do it. I think it would be brilliant."

Malfoy nodded slowly, studying him with a look Hugo couldn't quite read. "Want to leave the pitch and fly a bit faster?"

"Sure, why not?" Hugo grinned. "Where to?" But Malfoy had already taken off. Hugo shot after him, laughing as he leaned against his broom. Merlin, he loved the sensation of flying. It was so freeing. He forgot about the match, about Rose, about finding the Snitch. Instead, he concentrated on the feel of the hard wood beneath his hands, on the brisk wind against his face, on the figure holding fast to the broom in front of him…

Scorpius shot up, then down, and Hugo followed every twist and turn. He remembered why Scorpius had started out as a Seeker before taking the Keeper position: he could really fly well. Hugo knew he was quicker and more agile, but Scorpius was good. It helped him play Keeper better than most.

He shot out over the Forbidden Forest, and without the slightest hesitation, Hugo followed him, trusting him completely. They skimmed the tops of the trees, and Hugo couldn't help but whoop with delight. Scorpius turned and grinned at him, opened his mouth to shout something…but it turned into a strangled yell as something rose from the trees behind him, a dark shadow with wings that sent him tumbling from his broom through the canopy of trees.

Hugo had his wand out immediately and cast the first charm he could think of: an Impedimenta Charm, so at least Malfoy's fall might be slowed. Unfortunately, he was looking down through the trees to make sure Scorpius was all right when a second shape shot into the air in front of him. He swerved out of the way, but the Thestral caught the tail end of his broom with its wing. Hugo struggled to stay upright, but the powerful flaps of the Thestral's wings as it followed its mate sent him spiraling from his broom into the trees as well.

His wand fell from his hands as he tried to shield his face from the branches. He reached out for a large limb as he fell, but he was falling so fast and tumbling so awkwardly his arm crashed hard against it instead. He felt a snap in his wrist and knew it was broken; he swore as he thought about the match the following day.

Suddenly he felt himself freeze in midair, then land gently on the soft loam of the forest floor. Scorpius was standing with his wand raised, his face and arms scratched up and his eyes a bit wild, but otherwise appearing unharmed.

"Thanks," Hugo groaned, sitting up gingerly. He grabbed at his wrist, throbbing in pain. What an idiot! What had he been thinking, trying to reach out for a branch like that? He'd have had better luck sprouting wings and flying off after the Thestrals. "Are you okay?"

"Thanks to you," said Scorpius, kneeling down next to him. "And your quick thinking with that Impedimenta Charm."

"No problem," Hugo said. "Thank you for the same." Scorpius was very close, his grey eyes still wide, his breathing ragged. Hugo hadn't seen him this rattled before, not even when one of their Beaters had taken a Bludger to the head the year before. "Are you sure you're all right?"

"I'm fine," he insisted. "I'm just kicking myself for leading us out over the Forest. What was that?"

"A pair of Thestrals. And it's all right, you didn't know they would decide to go for turn right then as well," Hugo replied. Obviously, Scorpius was not able to see the gruesome horses, which Hugo did not envy. Scorpius was still close, still breathing heavily. "I'm okay, really. You'll have a Seeker tomorrow as soon as I get this fixed."

"That's not what I was worried about," Scorpius murmured, running a shaking hand through his hair. Hugo frowned, unsure what Scorpius was so upset about. "Here, let me see it." He didn't meet Hugo's eyes, but gently took his arm and turned it over.

"It's definitely broken." Scorpius laughed somewhat nervously. "I can't set it, but I can cast a few other spells to help until we get to the hospital wing."

Hugo nodded, trying not to stare at Scorpius's profile. He'd never had another boy hover over him so closely before, and he found himself transfixed with the contours of the older boy's ear, the shape of his chin and lips. Shaking his head, he looked away as Scorpius cast a spell, expecting it to hurt. Instead, he immediately felt his arm begin to grow less painful.

"Thanks," he murmured. "That helps." "Let's wrap it too, so you don't move it too much on the way back." Leaning even closer, so that Hugo could smell the musky scent of the forest floor on him, Scorpius conjured a long bandage and began to wrap Hugo's wrist, gently turning the cloth over and around, over and around. The repetitive motion lulled Hugo into staring at Scorpius's fingers, imagining them running over his arm, his leg, his face…

He pulled his arm away, wincing from the sudden quick movement. But he was having thoughts he'd never had, thoughts he shouldn't have. This was wrong: Scorpius was older, he was Quidditch captain. He was a Malfoy.

Standing abruptly, Hugo glanced around for his wand. It had fallen from his grasp when the second Thestral had knocked him from his broom. He had no idea where his broom was either, but his brain was too muddled, too foggy to think straight about finding either. He paced the small clearing in agitation.

"What's wrong?" Scorpius asked, standing and joining him. Hugo motioned him away, but Scorpius touched his good arm, and Hugo felt a spark course through his body that almost made him gasp. He backed away.

"I'm sorry, Hugo!" Scorpius said. "I didn't mean to hurt you!"

Hugo stopped and took a deep breath. He willed the strange sensations, the incoherent thoughts from his mind. He just needed to find his wand, get back on his broom, and get to the hospital wing. He had a game tomorrow. He was not going to be stuck in the dark forest with Scorpius Malfoy, imagining things that couldn't happen.

"Hugo?" Scorpius touched his shoulder, and Hugo whirled as if he'd been touched with fire. "Did I do something wrong?" He paused and gave him rueful look. "Other than lead us out here?"

"No," Hugo practically rasped, his voice gone. There was an ache in his gut that he knew and recognized and couldn't do anything about. This was Scorpius Malfoy. He could not have those thoughts about him. Bloody hell, Scorpius was leaving school in less than two months, and they'd likely never see each other again even if anything were to happen.

"Then why do you jump every time I touch you?" Scorpius murmured, stepping closer. He reached for Hugo's unwrapped hand, lacing their fingers together in a way that was far more intimate than anything Hugo could have imagined. Hugo stared at their intertwined hands.

"What are you doing?" he whispered.

"What a Slytherin does: going after what I want." Scorpius took another step toward him, his other hand coming up to Hugo's cheek and gently caressing one of the many scratches starting to sting. "Unless it's not what you want. Unless that's why you keep turning away."

"I don't understand," Hugo said, although he was starting to have a fairly good idea of what it was Scorpius wanted.

Scorpius leaned forward and lightly pressed his lips to Hugo's. It was quick and chaste and yet the most wonderful thing Hugo could have imagined. Scorpius stepped back with an open question on his face. "Does that help?"

Hugo stared at the boy across from him, confusion slowly giving way to the desire to believe. Was it even possible? He was Hugo Weasley, a fifth-year Seeker. Scorpius Malfoy was older, wiser, and interested in him? Why? When?

"I've wanted to do that for a while," Scorpius said, still watching him closely. "But if you are not interested in…well, me…then I understand. I figured the only way to really know was to try."

"You wanted to kiss me?" Hugo replied. "Is that why you came out to the pitch tonight?"

Scorpius nodded with a guilty grin that made him look utterly adorable. "I saw you leave with your broom and thought it would be as good a time as any."

"To kiss me," Hugo repeated. He was still sort of stunned at it all.

"It couldn't have been that bad," Scorpius replied, frowning. "Look, if I've made a mistake, just tell me so we can get out of here and end this awkward--"

Hugo stopped him, stepping forward to kiss him with an urgency that surprised them both. But Scorpius quickly returned the kiss, his tongue darting between Hugo's lips, before he pulled back and kissed Hugo's his cheek, his ear, his neck. Hugo gasped at both the realization that another person could inspire such passion in him, and that that person was Scorpius Malfoy.

"It wasn't a mistake," he managed, letting his hands roam up and down Scorpius's back and reveling in the feel of the muscles there, the shivers Hugo's touch seemed to inspire. "It was just a surprise."

He pulled Scorpius back to him and they kissed deeply, quickly losing themselves in the simple discovery of one another. Yet all too soon Hugo began to feel the throb in his wrist return, and when Scorpius wrapped his arms around Hugo's waist and pulled him tight against his chest, bumping the broken bone, Hugo couldn't help but inhale in shock from the pain.

"I'm sorry," Scorpius said, stepping back, his breathing heavy once more, but this time for very different reasons. "You're hurt. We should go back." Hugo nodded, reluctant to leave when it felt like they had just started. Scorpius somehow Summoned their brooms, and after several more tries managed to find Hugo's wand as well. He cast another spell on Hugo's wrist and helped him onto his broom. Before they lifted off, however, he leaned over and touched his hand to Hugo's face once more.

"Are you ready for tomorrow now?" he asked softly, teasingly. Hugo nodded, leaning over to kiss him once last time.

"I'm not nervous," he replied, just as he had earlier that night. And he wasn't. He had come out to relax, to find his focus. Instead, he had discovered something quite unexpected, but somehow very right. And even if they lost the match, he had won something much, much better.

A Keeper.

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