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

Chapter Eighteen: The Gamekeeper

January 1996 - Platform 9 ¾ / The Hogwarts Express/ Hogwarts

Harry and I walked hand in hand to platform 9 ¾. Making all our friends a little sick as usual. I held Harry a little tighter when we inevitably passed Draco, Jane, and Blaise. Pansy, Crabbe, and Goyle dragging along. Once we were on the train and in our compartment, Ron willingly spoke to me, and not just to make a rude comment.

"By the way, Grace," he said. "You don't have to wear that sweater my mum made you. You've got a nice enough coat. I hardly wear mine. You wouldn't upset anyone."

"What?" I asked.

"I mean I saw that fancy new coat you've got. It's really nice. You don't need to feel obligated to wear my mum's just because she made it for you."

"Oh, no, I like it," I insisted.

"You don't have to lie-"

"No, I really do," I said. "I've never had anything handmade. I love that your mum would do that for me."

"See, Ronald," Hermione said. "Some people do like homemade clothes. Appreciate your mum, Ron." Her rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, your mum is awesome," I told him. "That woman is an angel."

"That's what I've been telling him," Harry said.

"So what's our first lesson when we get back, professor?" I asked Harry playfully.

"Well, actually," he said. "I was thinking. Hermione, do you think it's unreasonable to learn the Patronus charm?"

"The Patronus charm?!"

"Shhh," Harry said.

"Harry, that's very advanced," she warned.

"I know," Harry said. "But I think we can do it."

"I agree," I said. "Worth a shot, right?" We looked at each other with the same faces we made when we got a crazy idea. Harry sat back confidently while Hermione sighed. I couldn't wait to get back to Hogwarts and learn what the hell a Patronus charm is.

We all walked back into the castle like ants returning home. A subtle sense of relaxation eased us into the school year. I was walking with Harry when Hermione came running up behind us.

"Harry!" she said, catching up to us. Then she stopped to catch her breath. "Hagrid's back." Hagrid? The gamekeeper? He was gone? Why does Hermione care? Why would Harry care? Harry gasped and watched Hermione as she quickly ran off. Harry turned to me.

"Grace," he said frantically. He kept looking at me and then back at Hermione like he wanted to leave. "Grace, I- I have, um- have you met Hagrid?" he finally asked.

"No," I smiled.

"Well come on, then," he said, grabbing my hand and pulling me through the crowd of students. We eventually joined Ron and Hermione as we ran at full speed down a hill to a run-down hut at the bottom. When we finally got to the bottom, we heard Umbridge's unsettling voice laying into Hagrid.

"I will say this one last time," she said as we gathered around the window. "I am ordering you to tell me where you've been." We could barely see her tiny frame standing firmly on the other side of the massive half-giant.

"I told you," a hefty voice said. "I've been away for me health."

"Your health?" she repeated, trying to look around the side of Hagrid, noticing movement at the window. We quickly ducked out of the way.

"Yeah. I bit of fresh air is all."

"Oh, yes. As a gamekeeper, fresh air must be difficult to come by. If I were you, I shouldn't get used to being back. In fact, I mightn't bother unpacking at all." She walked out of the door promptly, then stopped to smell. She quickly pulled out a bottle of perfume and sprayed both herself and the door before strutting away.

When we were sure she wouldn't see us, we quickly ran inside the hut. Hagrid had a massive scar on his face.

"Harry! Ron, Hermione. And," he was shocked to see me. "Hello, Miss Snape. Didn't reckon I'd ever see you hangin' out with these three. Why on earth are ye wearin' Gryffindor robes?"

"She's a Gryffindor now," Hermione explained.

"How did that come to be?" Hagrid asked.

"It's a long story," I laughed. "I'm just hoping I can stay in the same house for longer than a year."

"Well, welcome to Gryffindor. Now I'm sure you'll all be wantin' to know where I've been. So have a seat and I'll tell ya. Now, this is top secret, right?... Dumbledore sent me to parlay with the giants."

"Giants!" Hermione said.

"Shhh."

"You found them?"

"Well, they're not that hard to find, to be perfectly honest. They're so big, see. I tried to convince them. To join the cause. But I wasn't the only one who was trying to win them over."

"Death eaters," Ron muttered.

"Yes. Trying to persuade them to joining you-know-who."

"Did they?" Harry asked.

"I gave em Dumbledore's message. Suppose some of them remember he was friendly to them...Suppose..."

"And they did this to you?" Harry asked, referring to Hagrid's scarred face which he was tending to with a piece of meat.

"Not exactly, no." Hagrid's dog wouldn't stop barking at his feet. "Go on. You have it then," Hagrid said, tossing the meat to the dog. "You dozy dog." The wind howled and the hut shook a little. "It's changin' out there," Hagrid said somberly as he stood up. "Just like last time. There's a storm coming, Harry. We all best be ready when she does."