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

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Parental Guidance

March 1998 - Hogwarts

I knew my social circle looked...different than it used to. And I had multiple social circles. I had my public group of friends: Draco, Jane, and Blaise. And my public association was quidditch. But I also had my private group of friends: Neville, Ginny, Luna, Hermione, Harry, and Ron. And my private association was Dumbledore's army. My social situation had taken too many turns to count in my four years at Hogwarts. But the most inconsistent relationship I'd had was my father.

We'd gone back and forth between close and estranged. I'd gone back and forth between supporting him and hating him. But knowing that he had been lying to Dumbledore this whole time, I had made up my mind that I hated him. I had made up my mind that he was the enemy. I had made up my mind that he was not my father anymore, and I had made up my mind that I wasn't going to follow his rules. I had made up my mind that there was nothing he could do to redeem himself. And I thought he knew that. So the last thing I was expecting was getting called into his office.

I didn't know why I was there. I didn't think there was anything that could be said between us. But I sat across from him at his desk, contemplating what he could possibly want to talk about.

"How's school?"

How's school?

How is school?

I scoffed as I searched every corner of my mind for an explanation for why he would ask me that.

"How is school?" I repeated. "What the hell?"

"I want to know how school is going," he said. I was baffled.

"You're the headmaster," I said. "If you don't know how school is going, that's a problem. Maybe you shouldn't be the headmaster."

"How are things with Malfoy?" Again, baffled.

"I'm so confused," I laughed. "Is this a prank?"

"I know you didn't spend Christmas with him, so if things had gone badly-"

"Why do you care?"

"Because you're my child," he said.

"Oh my god, shut up," I said. "Shut up. What is this sudden interest in my life? What is this sudden interest in being a father? Why aren't you mad that I'm engaged to Draco."

"I am," he assured me. "But you've made up your mind and there's nothing I can do. Is everything alright between the two of you?"

"I can't do this," I said, standing up. "This is weird."

"This is what parents do, Grace," he said.

"You're not my dad!" I screamed. "You're not a parent. And you haven't been. And this sudden interest in trying to be one is...weird, ok? It's weird. You're...a bad person. I don't need a parent. I haven't needed a parent in a long time. And I especially don't need you."

I didn't take the time to look at his face. But I didn't care. There's no way he was surprised at what I said. He had no right to be surprised. I stormed out and went back to my common room, slamming every door in my path. I walked into the common room and kicked over a coffee table by the door.

"Woah," Draco said. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine," I said, calming down and sitting with them on the couch.

"You don't look fine," Jane said.

"I am," I said. "I just needed to get it out. I'm fine, really."

"What happened?" Blaise asked.

"It was just my dad," I said. "He was trying to talk to me and it was just weird. Really, I'm ok."