Disclaimer: I don't own the people

Caution: Angsty

The potions class had started off droll. Snape had been speaking in his monotonous voice, readdressing possible side effects should this potions go wrong, eying Longbottom who was paired with Parkinson, and Potter who was working alone. Abruptly, the doors bang open with such force. Malfoy pushes through. He is out of uniform, clad in only a loose-fitting tee and a pair of jeans. His fists are clutched, one around his wand and one around the arm of a ratty old teddy bear. Tears stain his red-with-fury face though his gray eyes pierce through his fallen bangs.

"What the bloody hell do you think you're fucking doing!?"

Potter and Neville immediately try to think about what they might have done to upset the young Malfoy here recently. He stalks past both Gryffindors and instead shoves the professor back a few steps. Snape shows utter surprise, as does the rest of the class. Draco is angry. At Snape, at his father, at himself, at the world.

"Last. Night." He speaks the words like venom.

Snape thinks back to last night. He had paid a visit to the Malfoy Manor when Lucius had gone away to deal with pressing matters. Draco had stayed in the study, listening in on a conversation between his mother and godfather.

"The two of you need to stand up for yourselves." Snape reprimands.

"Lucius is the backbone of the family." She shakes her head in response.

"You are a damn fine wizard, Ciss. Draco does well learning from you."

"Draco retains nothing from me. He listens to alpha. Dominance."

"He listens to you. Gain dominance. Take Draco away from all this. The two of you need to be free of him. If he tries anything, you can blame it on me."

"You blame me." Snape finally says. "You were listening in and you blame me."

The professor bores his eyes into the boy's. There is fright and sorrow mixed with the anger. The anger dominates all. Draco grits his teeth and slowly articulates.

"You told her, to stand up. To Father. Where the fuck, do you get off, telling people, to fuck with Father? Damn you. It's, it, this is all your fucking fault. If you had, just clamped your mouth shut, none of this would be happening."

"Let me make it better."

"HA!" Draco's dark chuckling erupts in the room. He doesn't take his wand nor gaze off Snape's as he hisses across the room. "Put your wand away, Potter. This is between me and Severus." He turns his attention back to his godfather. "Why couldn't I have a godfather like Sirius? My cousin is twice the man you could hope to be. You killed her."

"Killed?" Snape blinks.

"Mother followed your steps. She'd liked you in high school. I've heard the stories. She'd planned on moving us to live with you last night. Father caught us. Beat me. More when I interfered. If you hadn't shown up… Mother would still be alive."

The classroom gasps with evident shock. Snape tries to find his chair but only manages to fall to the floor. He is shocked, angry at Lucius but more frightened of Draco. No one dares to make a sound. It is Harry, minutes later, who walks over and places a calming hand on Draco's shoulder by means of condolences. Draco isn't looking for sorrow or pity. He places his wand in the hand with his teddy. He then grabs the back of Potter's hand with his free one, feeling energy build up and thus scorching his classmate's hand in the process. His eyes never leave his godfather's. Snape speaks up when Harry jolts to the floor in response.

"I'll kill him."

"Mother would still be alive." Draco repeats, sending a sounding thud against Snape's jawline. "I was hiding. I watched her swelling… he tortured her and I couldn't do anything."

Draco hits Snape with such force three more consecutive times. The man's nose is bleeding and his lip is cut. Draco breathes hard and sharp, stepping away from him.

"You're too late."

Dumbledore walks in then. He says nothing about Snape's worried state then gives Draco a warming smile. Though Draco feels like hitting something, he instead melts into the headmaster's embrace. Draco pockets his wand then lets a few tears roll down his cheek as he clutches tightly on his teddy.

"Draco will be safe in your care, Severus."

"Yes, Sir." He pauses. ""And Lucius?"

Draco stiffens. Dumbledore shakes his head and lets out a rattled sigh. He pulls Draco closer then lifts his gaze to meet Snape's.

"Severus, Lucius is deceased. He was murdered last night."

Snape is shocked that someone had gotten to the malicious man first. His voice shakes terribly as he manages to ask, "Who?"

Dumbledore looks down, not wanting to answer any further questions. The class sits in a still silence. Draco, still clasped around his teddy, takes a small step away from the headmaster. He levels his godfather square in the eye.

"Me. I killed Father."

A close relative of mine passed away this past Sunday. We don't know the complete facts, but her brain was swollen. I took my frustration writing this. Like it or don't, that's your opinion. I just needed to let my feelings out.