My Father's Only Rule

Chapter Thirteen: Dashing And Dateless...Again

December 1996 - Hogwarts

 I got de ja vu as I put on a black silk dress and prepared to go to an event alone.

"When we're leaving," I heard Jane's voice say as she came around the corner wearing a red dress, "let's bring back some cake or something and just stay up all night eating junk- holy shit!"

"What?" I asked.

"You!" she said. "Is my best friend still the hottest girl in Hogwarts?" I laughed as I remembered the fun memories of the Yule Ball. "So what's the deal? Why don't you have a date?"

"Well," I said. "As you've probably figured out, Harry and I broke up."

"Aw," she said sympathetically.

"Oh stop," I said. "You don't have to pretend to be sad. I know you hated him."

"I didn't hate him," she said. "I hated you with him."

"I know," I said. "But it's not what it looked like."

"When do you mean?" she asked. I stared at her in the mirror, debating on whether or not I should tell her about why we really broke up. But if Draco wasn't interested in me, what was the point of letting it go on?

"Nothing," I said. "Are you ready?"

We met Blaise at the stairs. I felt like there was a weird division between my friend groups. When I first became a Gryffindor, I wanted to detach from Slytherin completely, but here I am attending a Christmas party with Blaise and Jane, having just broken up with my Gryffindor boyfriend.

I bounced around from person to person at the party, trying to socialize. I saw Hermione quickly hide behind a curtain. She looked paranoid, so I decided to check on her.

"Are you alright?" I asked her as I joined her behind the curtain.

"I've just escaped," she said. "I mean, I left Cormac under the mistletoe." My jaw dropped.

"Cormac!?" I whisper-shouted. "That's who you invited!?"

"I thought it would annoy Ron the most. But he's a menace. He's got more tentacles than a Snarfalump plant."

"What did you think was going to happen?"

"I don't know," she wined. "It was stupid."

"Damn right, it was stupid," I told her.

"Are you guys alright?" Harry asked as he joined us behind the curtain, carrying some snacks in his hand for whatever reason.

"Hermione's hiding from Cormac," I told him.

"Cormac?" he asked. "Really?"

"I know," Hermione said.

"Well don't let him see you two together," Harry warned.

"Oh my god, you're right," I said horrified.

"Dragon tartare?" he asked, referencing the snacks in his hand.

"I've lost my appetite," Hermione said.

"Well, they supposedly give you bad breath," Harry said.

"On second thought," Hermione said, shoving the Dragon tartars into her mouth. "They might keep Cormac at bay. Oh no, here he comes!" she said as she spotted him approaching the curtain. She grabbed my hand and pulled me out just as Cormac entered. As the party went on I noticed Filch causing a scene when he grabbed Draco and pulled him into the party.

"Professor Slughorn, sir," he said. "I've just discover this boy lurking in the upstairs corridor. He claims to have been invited to your party."

"Okay, okay," Draco said, breaking free from Filch's grip. "I was gate crashing. Happy?" All eyes went to Draco. Suddenly my dad emerged from the crowd and walked right up to him.

"I'll escort him out," he said.

"Certainly," Draco said with a smug look on his face. "Professor." I did what I had to do. I could tell that Draco had an incredible burden to carry, and my dad had something to do with it. I knew what Dumbledore had asked me to do, but whether he reciprocated, I still cared about Draco. And I needed to make sure he was ok. I followed them out of the party to over hear their conversation from a distance.

"Maybe I did hex that Bell girl," I heard Draco say. "Maybe I didn't. What's it to you?"

"I swore to protect you," I heard my dad say. "I made the unbreakable vow."

"I don't need protection! I was chosen for this. Out of all others. Me! And I won't fail him."

"You're afraid, Draco. You attempt to conceal it, but it's obvious. Let me assist you."

"No! I was chosen. This is my moment." I listened a closely as I could to try to grasp what was going on. Whatever Draco was chosen to do, he couldn't handle it. And for some reason, my dad was taking an interest in it.