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

Chapter Thirty-Two: One Short Day

May 1st, 1998 - Hogwarts

I woke up feeling strange. I only had this one day before this monstrous event that Hermione and I had been feeling. And I wasn't going to spend it in class. I walked into the common room to find Jane waiting for me.

"Hey," she said. "Where's your uniform?"

"We're skipping," I said. "Come on. We're going to Hogsmeade."

"Do what?"

"Go get changed," I said. "We're skipping."

"Who's skipping?" I heard Draco say, approaching us.

"Us," I said. "We are."

"Without me?"

"You can join," I said.

"Draco," Jane said. "We have that Astronomy test today."

"So?" Draco asked. "Who needs astronomy?"

"You do," Jane said. "You need to take this test to graduate. I don't."

"Damnit," Draco said.

"So just us then?" I asked.

"Screw it. Let's do it."

"Have fun without me then," Draco said, walking away.

"Hey," I said, grabbing his arm. "How about you kiss me in front of everybody and make them all really jealous?" I said. A tiny smirk peeked out from under his scoff.

"You know the unforgivable curses, right?" he asked.

"Yes?" I laughed.

"If I ever answer no to that question, I want you to use one of them on me." Then without warning, he dipped me into a kiss. Cheers, whistles, and whispers followed as usual.

"Good luck on your test," I said.

"Have fun on your skip day," he said. Jane came out of the dorm just in time to catch the last of it. "Keep an eye on her, Jane," Draco said before walking out the door.

"Get a room," she said.

Jane and I made our way to Hogsmeade, catching the eyes of a few people in the street who could tell we were supposed to be in school. It was finally starting to feel nice outside. We grabbed some butterbeers at The Three Broomsticks and sat down.

"So why are we skipping?" she asked me as we sat.

"What?"

"It's not like you to skip class," she said. "You care too much about your perfect attendance. And grades. For whatever reason."

"What's the point?" I sighed. I knew how this year was going to end, so skipping one day really wouldn't matter and was the least important thing on my mind.

"What do you mean?" My face froze as I realized what I said. And then I realized that I hadn't kept Jane in the loop at all about what was going on this year.

I thought it was the right thing to not tell her. The Baldwins had always been uninvolved. There was never a whisper of wizarding politics in their house, and I just wanted to let Jane enjoy her year the way I wish I could have. Keeping her in the dark felt right. But Everything was about to change and it didn't feel fair to keep that secret from her anymore.

"I-" I stuttered. I took a good look at her face, her deep green eyes staring back at me. She's my best friend. And she didn't need to know because I knew. And as long as I knew, nothing would happen to her. And we'll both make it out and go to WADA together.

"I just mean...school's basically over," I said. "Everything's finalized. So what's the point? I heard they organize senior skip days in America."

"It's very American," she said with a side eye, sipping on her butterbeer. "I heard they do senior pranks."

"Also very American," I added.

"Maybe I'm an American at heart," Jane said. "I would have thrived at Ilvermorny."

"You've thrived at Hogwarts," I said.

"Thrived is a strong word," she said.

"It's the perfect word," I said. "You found the love of your life and your best friend. You threw legendary parties. You discovered your passion and got into WADA."

"Yeah but I didn't do anything," she said. "I've been here seven years and I haven't really done anything. You've only been here four and you've managed to do everything there is to do. Including Cedric Diggory."

"Jane!" I said through a laugh. "You've done things."

"But I haven't," she protested. "You've dated the most popular guys in school. You saved the Slytherin quidditch team. You're the Headmaster's daughter. You joined forces with Harry to fight you-know-who. You're top of the class."

"No," I said. "You did that."

"What?"

"Jane," I said. "Ever since I got that letter, I haven't been able to find myself. The dating and quidditch and Harry and grades- it's all been in effort to find out why I exist. I've just been looking for the place I belong. And yes, it's all worked out pretty well for me, but the one constant has been you. You've been cheering me on in the quidditch stands, you've been giving me dating advice. Everything I've done over the last four years is because of you."

"Not Draco?" she asked.

"I love Draco more than anything," I said. "But it's taken me four years and two other guys to realize that. It took me like two seconds to realize that you're my best friend, and I've only ever had one of those."

"Stop it, you're gonna make me cry," she said.

"Don't sell yourself short," I said. "Everything I am is because of the people around me. And you have been the only constant through all my accomplishments. I wouldn't be half the woman I am today if I didn't have you. And we're still young. Ten years from now, you're going to have so many accomplishments under your belt and I'll just be your arm candy. Blaise can deal with it."

"He won't care," Jane said. "Do you have a weird feeling about today?"

"What do you mean?"

"It just feels weird," she said. "Like something's gonna happen."

"Something is gonna happen," I said. "We are gonna have the best day."

And we did.

And then I held my breath.