My Father's Only Rule

Chapter Sixteen: A Little Catching Up

January 1997 - Hogwarts

My footsteps echoed down the hallway as I took the familiar route to Dumbledore's office. He had requested to meet up with me, something he had promised to do often. As I walked in the door, I found him waiting for me at his desk.

    "Ah, Miss Snape," he said. "Come on in. Have a seat." I did just that. "So tell me, how have you been?" I sighed. I could have answered the question politely, but I was so tired of formalities.

    "Can we just skip to the part where you tell me whatever it is you need to tell me?" I asked. "Sir," I added, so that it didn't come off as too rude. Dumbledore chuckled.

    "So you're seeing Malfoy again," he said.

    "You're not going to tell my dad, right?"

    "As far as I'm concerned, I'm your father," he said.

    "Right," I said as the gears started turning. "So does that mean I don't have to follow his rules anymore?"

    "Grace, I'm not denying that Draco probably needs you. Like your father, he's been tasked with something extremely difficult."

    "I know," I said. "But he won't tell me. Can you?"

    "I cannot," he said. "That being said, you know why I separated you and your father for the year? It's because it is safer for everyone. In that same sense, it would be safer for you to cease your relationship with Draco." I let out a slight laugh at what he said.

    "I'm sorry, professor. There's no way I can do that," I said.

    "I thought you might say that," Dumbledore sighed. "Forgive me. It was not a suggestion to make you upset, but rather one for your protection. Just promise me that you won't pressure Draco into telling you what he's been tasked with. The less you know, the better."

*

    Draco, Blaise, Jane and I all sat by the fireplace one night. I realized I hadn't told Jane the truth yet. I was still trying to organize the whole story in my head before I told her. But I did have every intention of telling her. I had decided I wanted to move on from the past year of my life and get back to normal. Whatever normal meant anyways.

"Draco?" I asked, catching his attention. "Are you still quidditch captain?"

"Technically," he said back. "I haven't played a single game all year and I've been wanting to quit. But technically I am. Why?"

    "I'll do it," I offered. "If you're ok with that?"

    "Why?" Jane asked me.

    "Well," I said. "I just feel like if he wants to quit but he has a responsibility, I don't mind lightening the load. And this past year has been so chaotic. I just want things to be like they were before. Remember fourth year?"

"Best year ever," Jane said. 

"It really was," I agreed.

"I'm fine with it," Draco finally said, standing up to retire for the night. "Makes things easier for me. I'm going to bed."

    "I'll be there in a minute," I told him. Then catching Jane's stares out of the corner of my eye, I tried to redirect the sentence. "I-I mean...I'm going to bed too. Soon. My bed. It came out weird." Blaise sensed a strange energy between us.

    "Ok," he said. "I think you two have got some things to talk about."