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

Chapter Seventeen: Best Friends Tell Each Other Things

(A SUMMARY OF THE STORY SO FAR)

 January 1997 - Hogwarts

Blaise left the common room, leaving Jane and I alone. She stared at me like she was impatiently waiting for something she had earned. And I really felt like she did earn it. She had been my best friend since the beginning, always being so understanding of what I chose to tell her and what I chose not to. She deserved the truth.

"Ok," I said, taking a breath. "Promise you won't be mad?"

"I'm not mad at you," she said. "I just want to know what the hell is going on."

"Ok," I said. "So remember last year I told you that story about how Draco and I almost dated and decided not to?" she nodded her head. "Ok...well that wasn't...entirely true."

"I knew it!" she screamed as I shushed her. "I knew you were lying to me, you heifer!" I knew her lashing out was all in good fun.

"Yeah ok ok," I said. "So basically when I went to live with my dad, he told me his only rule was that I wasn't allowed to date Draco. But then the very next day he literally took me to have dinner at Malfoy Manor and let me stay the night. So like, what did he expect? How can you forbid someone from eating sweets and then dangle a pumpkin pasty in their face?"

"That's a very good point."

"So yeah," I said. "We just, I don't know, we just hit it off immediately. But then when I got here, I met Cedric. And listen, I know it was kind of a bitchy thing to do. But I just thought I would get tired of hiding a relationship with Draco, you know? With Cedric, I wouldn't have to. So we started dating and it broke Draco's heart. But then..." I trailed off as I realized I was about to expose myself.

"Then?" she said.

"It's pretty bad," I admitted.

"Grace Snape you tell me right now," she said, feeding off the gossip.

"Ugh," I groaned. "I can't believe I even did this. So Cedric and I would get into it like all the time. So...I started cheating on him. With Draco." I stopped talking to let Jane's gasp fill the air.

"You did not," she said. "Grace Snape."

"I know," I said. "It was a horrible thing to do. We didn't actually do anything. It was just like Cedric and I would get into a fight and Draco and I would go make out in the broom closet. It was stupid."

"Ah," Jane said. "So this is before the, uh, the 'bath.'"

"First of all, yes. Yes, it was. And second, what's with the air quotes? It was a bath."

"We both know it was much more than a bath," she said.

"Anyways," I said, moving on. "I was only cheating because dating Cedric was good security. And I really did like him. I probably just liked him as a friend and didn't realize it yet. But I still liked Draco. Anyways, I decided I should stop and that's exactly what I did. And then Cedric and I were much better. But I think it really pissed Draco off and we really got into it one night right before the Yule Ball where I basically told him I was with Cedric and that was that. But of course, immediately after that, I realized I was second guessing."

"Girl," Jane said.

"You don't need to tell me. I already know," I admitted. "But of course the moment I realized I wanted him, he was uninterested, and then unbeknownst to me, he asked Pansy to the ball. For reasons I don't quite understand."

"Nobody really does," she added.

"Yeah, so I break up with Cedric, thinking that Draco will ask me to the ball cause, you know, I was in la la land, thinking I was going to get whatever I wanted. Then I find out he's going with Pansy. And at that point, I realized I really screwed up. And that's how I ended up going to the ball alone. But then Draco found me that night and ditched Pansy for me. And then, well-" Jane's gasp cut off my sentence.

"Did you hook up?" she asked excitedly.

"It's only a hookup if it's a no-strings-attached kind of thing."

"Was it?"

"No, Jane. He asked me to be his girlfriend the next morning."

"Okay, but did you know that going into it?"

"I had a hunch," I said. "So anyways. We started dating and keeping it a secret, right? So life goes on, secret boyfriend, quidditch, classes, and then I decided I wanted to reconcile with Cedric. Little did I know that he still had feelings for me, and apparently, the fact that we were friends again made things awkward for him and Cho. I mean, you remember what he wore to the quidditch match."

"Yeah. It was weird."

"Anyways. It was pissing Draco off. Especially when Cedric saved me from the lake. So we had a talk and we fixed things. And then he dies. And...I don't really know what happened. I guess I just felt so guilty for cheating on him. I couldn't really look at Draco. It was just too painful. I just had major trauma associated with him. So we agreed to take a break. And that's when I met Harry. And listen, he just understood. And well... you know what happened after that."

"I sure do," she said.

"So yeah," she said. "I started dating Harry and I was a total bitch to Draco. But then Harry was teaching the Patronus charm and I realized my happiest memory was about Draco and not Harry. So I kind of kept pushing it down because I realized I had screwed up so badly and I didn't want to like Draco. But it only got worse and I only liked him more as time went on. Then I realized Harry was in love with Ginny."

"What is wrong with people?" she sighed. "I mean, come on, Grace. 'I like Draco. I like Cedric. I like them both at the same time. Nope, it's Cedric again. Nah it's Draco now. Oops, Cedric still likes me. Hey, why not throw Harry in there? Hey, now I'm dating Harry. But whoopsie, Draco again.'"

"I know," I said. "My life is a really cheesy romance novel. Someone needs to write this. It's tormenting to go through but I'm sure there's a demographic out there who would enjoy it."

"Yes," Jane agreed. "But do go on."

"Right," I said. "Well, there's not much else. Harry was so obviously in love with Ginny and I was so obviously in love with Draco but neither one of us was going to call it quits. So I finally told him that I knew he loved her and we agreed things would be better if we were just friends."

"Are they?" she asked.

"Oh yeah," I said. "Anyways, I could tell something's been bothering Draco. So I went and apologized for being a bitch...and...well..."

"Did you hook up again?"

"Jane, that's not what a hookup is," I told her. "But...yeah...we're together again. And that's the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth."

"Wow," Jane sighed. "That was quite a story. And looking back, I can't believe I didn't know you and Draco were together. It was so obvious."

"It really was," I agreed. "Any questions?"

"Yeah," she said. "You never told me about that 'bath.'"

"Jesus Christ, Jane," I said, rolling my eyes and standing up to go to bed. I knew she was just messing with me. "Alright, I'm going to bed."

"Better not keep Draco waiting."

"Oh, shut up."