Disc: I don't own anything you don't recognize. There is some cussing, I'm sorry if you don't like that.
Draco was awoken in the middle of the night from shouting.
"…SLUT! WHO THE BLOODY HELL IS SHE!?" Draco normally always awoke as soon as his father's drunken shouts filled the house. But by the sound of it, he had been home for enough time to already frighten mother into silence. Quietly, the Slytherin got up from his bed and grabbed his wand off the bedside table. He was inching towards the door, when a small 'pop' sounded behind him.
"Zazzy! You scared me." The blonde said with a sigh of relief. The small house elf's ear's dropped sadly.
"I is sorry, master Draco. But Zazzy must do as Zazzy is told" She held her small hand out. "Master Lucius says I is to bring you down stairs immediately." Draco's eyes widened in shock. Usually he just snuck down there to knock his father out. Never before had he been requested.
"Zazzy, I order you to go down to the kitchen, and not to return to this room until morning." He said shakily. The creature shook her head.
"I am truly sorry master, but I must finish this order before taking another one." She lunged for the blonde, but he jumped to the side.
"Please, don't do this!" He begged. She just shook her head again.
"I has to master." Draco shook his head.
"Not if I can help it." He ran around his bed and shot towards the window. When he got within a foot of it, Zazzy appeared there with another pop.
"Ahh!" Draco turned and sprinted all out for his bedroom door. She popped up, blocking the way. The blonde, not slowing down, jumped right over his servants head while spelling the door open. He continued to run down the corridor, running into walls to get around Zazzy.
Draco was now nearing the middle of the wings, which led to the entrance room. Where his mother and father were now fighting. Just before the staircase, he took a sharp turn right, and headed down the South wing. The blonde glanced behind him, and neither saw, nor heard any sound of Zazzy.
He flung open a door and dashed inside. Once he heard the satisfying click, he leaned heavily against the wood. His breath was coming in shot gasps, and a large stitch was now in his side. Finally, after a moment of waiting, he let out a long sigh.
'Pop'
Draco's eyes opened wide, she couldn't have found him in here. He reached behind his back and grasped the doorknob. He yanked it open and shot out the door. But before he was even past the doorframe, a tiny hand reached around his wrist.
He lost his footing and fell to the floor. The Slytherin looked up to see a hand coming towards him. Before he could react, he felt a painful blow to the side of his head. Draco lay on the ground, clutching his head in agony.
"I told you he knows nothing of this!" Narcissa called out from a corner nearby. But her husband wasn't listening.
"WHO IS SHE?" He yelled , the words coming out slurred. Draco tried to respond, but another shot of pain rushed through him.
"Crucio!" Lucius watched with a smirk as his son withered on the ground before him. "Now tell me!"
"I don't know who you're talking about!" Came the strangled cry from his throat. Hands grabbed his neck and began to get tighter.
"Lucius, please! He knows nothing!" His mother yelled from the left. She watched as her son slowly stopped fighting as his breath was leaving him.
"Stupefy!" Draco whipped around as a jet of red light streaked past his head. He watched his father fall to the ground in a crumpled heap before turning to see his rescuer.
"Sev? When did you get here?" The blonde said staring. Severus Snape strode towards Narcissa and helped her to her feet. The small blonde child slipped out from behind her mother and ran towards Snape. The tall man bent down and scooped the trembling child into his arms. It was all Draco could do to remain sane.
"What is going on? Sev, why are you here? What was father talking about, and who, in the bloody name of Merlin, is that!" He pointed at the girl in Snape's arms, looking so out of place in a bright yellow dress against the man's pitch black. Narcissa ran over to her son.
"I swear I'll explain it all to you… after we leave." At her son's stubborn look, she added "Hurry, before you're father wakes up." This got him moving. He glanced at his father, and then sprinted up the stairs to his room. As he raced around his room, his thoughts did so in his mind.
Draco ran back down the stairs. His mother and the little girl were gone, only Snape was sitting there. Since he was gazing so intently at the still form of Lucius, he only noticed Draco's presence when he gave a small cough.
"We're ready." Narcissa came briskly walking down the stairs, the child trailing behind. The woman was holding her wand out, lifting a large trunk in front of her. On the girls back was a small satchel.
Snape led them over to the fireplace he had entered through. Narcissa went first with the mini-her, then Draco and both trunks, while Snape brought up the rear. Once they were all seated in the professor's living room, surrounded by their luggage, Draco thought it the right time for some answers.
"So, can I know what's going on yet? Or am I still to be left in the dark of why my father tried to strangle me?" He asked rudely. His mother and teacher exchanged nervous glances. The small child noticed this, and walked over to the teen.
"Hi! I'm Jayden Snape. But you can call me Jade! Mommy and Daddy told me about you… you're Dray, my big brother!" She smiled up at him, expecting him to return it. But all Draco could manage was a horrified look at his mother. She nodded to confirm his fears.
"Jade, sweetie, please go into your play room." Narcissa asked kindly, the blonde child obeyed. The three watched as Jade skipped happily up the stairs with her small bag. Draco allowed them a few moments to figure out what they would say, then broke the silence.
"So, you're her 'mommy and daddy' are you?" He asked accusingly. Narcissa looked down at her feet, but Snape stared right back at Draco's piercing glare.
"I have agreed to assist Narcissa with raising this child, so Lucius would not discover, and because the true father can never know." He said simply. Draco looked at his mother for confirmation. She looked up at him with sad eyes.
"One night, after a raid, we were all celebrating." By 'we' Draco knew she meant the Death Eaters. "I had a few to many drinks, and got carried away with someone. I never found out who… and neither had Lucius until earlier this evening." Narcissa glanced down again, "Severus found out and agreed to help me hide the pregnancy, and the child once she was born. I asked him to allow her to take his last name, and he thought that would be acceptable. I'm not sure how, but Lucius found out… and now Jade's life is in danger, as is mine." Draco stared in shock at his mother.
"How long have you been keeping her a secret?"
"About five years now." Severus said. He looked as though he wanted to say something else, but didn't know how to phrase it. "We, your mother and I that is, have talked about when this day would come. And for Jayden's protection, we think she should go to Hogwarts. With you." Severus waited for the news to sink in. Draco's Face went from confusion, to shock, and then anger.
"So what, am I supposed to escort her around to all my classes, and let her sleep in my dorm? Am I to be her full-time babysitter?" He said outraged. The adults looked at each other, trying to find an answer. But before either could do so, the problem came walking through the door.
"Mommy, there's a man here who wants to talk to you. He said he'll wait in the backyard until you see him in." Having delivered her message, Jayden smiled and once again skipped out of the room.
"She doesn't have to stay with you all the time; heaven knows you would corrupt the poor girl. But she does need someone who she can trust enough to stay the night with when we are… elsewhere." Snape explained. Draco thought about it for a moment. "And, as I'm sure you're aware, the ladies love a man who is good with children." The man said, trying to push Draco into agreeing. He saw that what he had said worked.
"Alright, I'll watch her." The Slytherin said with a smirk. He got up and dragged his trunk up the stairs to the spare room that would be his. Narcissa looked at her friend.
"How did you know that would get him?" She asked amazed.
"He is a teenage boy Narcissa. They will do almost anything for girls."
A/N: Please review. I worked hard on this. My next chapter should be up either later today, or tomorrow.
LilPadfoot