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

Chapter Five: Birthday Presents

September 1995 - Hogwarts

The four of us sat at lunch that day unable to talk. We all had so much to say about Umbridge and DADA, but we just didn't have the energy to discuss it. It wasn't until Jane came by and hugged me from behind that the slightest amount of energy filled any of us.

"Happy birthday!" she said as she threw her arms around me.

"Oh hey, Jane," I said.

"Got any birthday plans tonight?" I sighed.

"Uh, yeah," I said. "Detention with Umbridge." She looked disgusted at the thought.

"Are you serious?" she asked. "She gave you detention on your birthday?"

"Yeah," I said. "It's not all bad. Harry's got it too." She raised an eyebrow, and I signaled for her to cut it out.

"What did you guys do?"

"Called her out," I said.

"Did you tell your dad?"

"What's he going to do about it?" I pointed out. Jane sighed.

"Well, happy birthday, Grace," she said, walking away. I went back to eating while Harry, Ron, and Hermione stared at me. It took me a moment to notice.

"What?" I asked.

"It's your birthday?" Hermione said.

"Yeah."

"You didn't tell us?" Harry said.

"I didn't think you'd care."

"If I had known it was your birthday I would have never let Umbridge give you detention," Harry said.

"Oh, what could you have done, Harry?" I said.

"I-I could have told her it was my fault," Harry said. It was obvious he didn't have a real argument.

"She doesn't seem like she sees reason," I said. "It's not so bad, though. I'll have you with me." This was another one of those times when I dropped an obvious hint and it went right over Harry's head in a comically ridiculous way.

"How is that going to make detention any better?" he said. I rolled my eyes.

*

On the way to detention, Harry and I suddenly ran into Draco in the hall. I froze in panic when I saw him. He looked happy to see me at first. He was fidgeting with a brightly colored box in his hand.

"H-hey, Grace," he said nervously. Then he noticed Harry. His smile quickly dropped as he hid the brightly colored box in his robes. "Potter," he spat. Then he quickly rushed past us.

Harry and I walked into Umbridge's office to find her waiting for us with an unsettling smile on her face.

"Mr. Potter," she said. "Miss Snape. Have a seat." Hesitantly, Harry and I did just that. There was a piece of parchment for each of us ready. "You're going to be doing some lines for me today." I started to get out my quill, but she stopped me. "No, not with your quill. You're going to be using a rather special one of mine." Then she set the quill on my desk. "Miss Snape. You first. I want you to write, 'I must not tell lies.'"

"How many times?" I asked. She paused and smiled at me.

"Well, let's say for as long as it takes for the message to sink in," she said.

"You haven't given her any ink," Harry pointed out.

"Oh, she won't need any ink," Umbridge said. "Go ahead." Harry and I looked at each other, I shrugged, then I wrote I must not tell lies. I waited for a second, and then I felt something sharp drag into my hand.