Being His Daughter CONTINUED

Powerful

I slowly opened my eyes. I sat up, grunting through the slight ache of pain that went up my back. I was laying on a stick. Wait, a stick? I got up onto my knees and then stood up. I froze at where I was: the forest.

Oh Merlin.

"So," my father said. I quickly spun around to face him, still in slight shock. I felt like I hadn't seen him in forever. Before he could say anything else, I went forward and hugged him. He hugged me back without hesitation and I pulled away a split second later.

"Sorry. Hi, father," I said.

"Hello, dear," he greeted, nodding his head at me, a small smile on his face. Then it vanished and he resumed the demeanor he had before. "So," he repeated. "I'm sure you know what I want to talk to you about?"

I stayed quiet. There was a lot I figured he would want to talk to me about. The most recent being me going to the Yule Ball with Harry. He'd probably think something else other than what had happened since he couldn't really get into my mind anymore. But then there was also the First Task thing. Where I almost got my arm torn off. I considered it a fail and I'm sure he did too--

"Sierra," he said, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"Er--a lot," I finally answered. He shrugged.

"First: Draco."

This caught me off guard. I blinked my eyes as I looked up at him to make sure I had heard him right. "Draco?" I repeated.

"Draco."

"What is there to say about him?" I questioned.

"I know you wanted him to ask you to that Ball," he informed. My hands went clammy.

"How?" I asked. How did he know? How did he get into my head? I kept my permanent Occlumency up all the time so he couldn't have possibly gotten into my thoughts. I would've felt him too. My head would've burned or hurt in some way. My heart started racing as I thought of something: what if I just didn't feel him enter my mind because my Occlumency wasn't working? It didn't hurt when he entered my mind when I didn't know how to perform Occlumency, so what if I've been walking around without my constant blockage without even knowing it. What if Dumbledore saw something? No, no, I would be in Azkaban already for sure.

"You're Occlumency is not up when you're asleep. I caught you thinking about it one night just before you drifted off. It's obvious anyway. The point is I know and it's clear you've developed strange feelings for him--"

"What?" I spat, harsher than I intended too. I ignored it and, "You think I--you think I fancy him or what? You're just like the rest of them! Draco is my bestfriend! I just wanted to--go to the Ball with him because he's my bestfriend. That's all," I insisted.

He chuckled lowly. "Dear, I'm not daft. I can see it. I can sense it. Feelings...feelings, they're a weakness. They weaken us. They're something for people to hold against us."

"Don't act like you don't have feelings," I interjected hotly. He looked stunned but I continued anyway. I had never spoken to him out of the blue like this before, and I didn't know why I was doing it now. All I knew was I wasn't stopping. "You do have feelings. You love me, don't you? You say I'm the only one you've ever loved but you still do so you feel! Are you weak? Are you saying that you're weak?"

"It's not a weakness because I know no one can hurt you!" he snarled.

Well I could get hurt in this tournament, can't I?