My Father's Only Rule {DRACO MALFOY X SNAPE'S DAUGHTER}

Chapter Twenty-One: The Biggest Fan

March 1995 - Hogwarts

It was only my second quidditch game, but it felt like the most important game I'd ever play. Slytherin could win the house cup. It all came down to this game. I paced back and forth in my tent, waiting for Draco to come back with news.

"No Goyle?" I asked as he walked frustrated through the tent.

"No," he sighed. "Still academically ineligible. The bloody idiot." I groaned and buried my face into my hands. "Hey," he said, sitting next to me. "You've done it without him before. You can do it again."

"But this game is a big deal," I said. "I'd rather have him here for security."

"Yeah, me too," Roberts said, passing us.

"Roberts," I said, looking at him. "Please. Just don't get in my way." He scoffed.

"Wouldn't dream of it," he said.

"Atta girl," Draco said. "It's gonna be fine. Besides, you've already earned us some more fans.

"What?" I asked.

"Well normally the other houses just cheer for whoever is playing Slytherin, especially Gryffindor. But Hufflepuff looks pretty divided. Come on."

When the doors swung open, we flew out into formation. I heard various cheering throughout the crowd. And of course I managed to hear "that's my best friend!" coming from the Slytherin section. I thought I'd establish a tradition. I broke formation and flew over the Slytherin section to give Jane a high five, then flew right back into formation. Cedric had told me Cho was afraid of me, and I could tell by the look on her face. Everyone expected Cho to end up in the hospital wing by the end of this match. But Cho being afraid of me wasn't the same as Pansy being afraid of me. Pansy being afraid of me gave me power. Cho being afraid of me made me feel bad. I wasn't going to do it. I couldn't do it. I didn't want to give Cedric a reason to be mad at me when I just got his friendship back.

When the game began, I was once again all over the pitch, doing the job of two beaters. I loved hearing the cheers of my classmates. Draco wasn't wrong about the fans thing. I looked at the Hufflepuff section. It was pretty evenly split between green and blue. And that was especially weird, because the game was Cedric's girlfriend against Cedric's ex. I looked over at the Gryffindor section because I was sure the majority of them would be rooting for Ravenclaw. But in the sea of blue, I saw the Weasley twins with green signs that said Grace For The Win, Not Slytherin! Wow. That's creative. I laughed and refocused on the game. I searched the field for Draco, and then I saw him neck and neck with Cho, racing after the snitch. This could be the end. I had to act fast. I abandoned my post and raced after them, catching a bludger mid air as I did. I turned to where I was facing them head on. As I approached them, I raised my arm like I was about to take out Cho just like everyone was expecting. I heard one huge gasp from the crowd as I got closer to them. Cho looked up, saw me, panicked, and retreated, leaving Draco to catch the snitch and win the game.

And just like that, we had won the quidditch cup. The crowd erupted with cheering from the Slytherin section, half of the Hufflepuff section, and the Weasley twins. Draco instinctively gave me the biggest hug while we were both on our brooms, but that wasn't the best idea. I fell off my broom and started to fall from 100 feet in the air. I heard a huge gasp from the crowd as everyone was on the edge of their seat. I caught Draco's hand as I fell. I looked up, and he was doing his best to hold me up, keeping one hand on his broom for leverage. But just as I was about to slip, he grabbed me with both hands and pulled me onto the back of his broom. I immediately held onto him as he flew around to the bottom of the pitch and the stadium celebrated. I was crying and my tears soaked into the back of his shirt as I caught my breath. I threw myself into his arms when we touched the ground. He stroked my hair, trying to calm me down.

"That was terrifying," I said.

"I know," he said.

"I'm never doing that again." Then I cried into his shoulder.

"Hey," he whispered. "I told you I wasn't going to let you fall."

"Grace!" I heard a voice scream. Then seconds later, Jane attacked me with her hug. "Incredible! Amazing! You're a quidditch star! You're gonna be a professional!"

"Yeah," Blaise added. "Nice job, Grace."

"Grace!" I heard a voice say. I dried my eyes and turned to see Cedric walking towards us. I was so shocked. "Congrats," he said, hugging me. I was surprised to see he was sporting both Slytherin and Ravenclaw colors.

"Thanks Cedric," I said. "I'm surprised. You're not supporting Ravenclaw?"

"Oh I am," he insisted. "See I couldn't really pick sides. Because in Ravenclaw I have Cho, and in Slytherin I have you."

"I would have thought that your girlfriend would have won that battle," I said, almost calling him out. He smiled as though he had been caught. That was weird. Refusing to pick your girlfriend over your ex?

"Well, I better go," he said. "Better go see Cho. Bye, Grace," he said, walking away.

"Bye!" I said.

"That was weird," Draco said.

"Yeah," I said.

A victory wouldn't be a victory without one of Jane's ragers in the common room. And one of Jane's ragers wouldn't be one of Jane's ragers without my dad shutting it down at the worst time. But even as he shut it down and we all retreated back to our dorms, I could only reflect on my semester so far.

I was friends with Cedric again. Jane and I were closer than ever. I had kept my straight Os. I was a quidditch star. I was popular. And most importantly, I was with Draco.