SUMMERY: Every Slytherin has his or her dirty secrets. For one Slytherin, though, the secrets are dangerous. Can love survive these deadly secrets?

Chapter1

Demetri sighed heavily as she followed her older brother Lucius into Borgin & Burkes for the second time that week. She hated this store with its layers of dust and odd artifacts. Not to mention that the store's owner gave her the creeps.

"Why can't I just go and get my own stuff Lucius, or at least let me go with Dobby," Demetri whined as they waited for the shop owner to come out of the back room. "You know I hate coming in here and I am turning sixteen soon. I'm more than capable of shopping by myself."

"Just like you were capable of following the rules at Beauxbatons? Or was that another Demetri Malfoy that got an expulsion letter?" Lucius drawled.

"That was not my fault!" Demetri yelled, her temper rising. "I told you and the Headmistress what happened, but neither one of you two gits would listen to me!"

"Enough!" Lucius whispered venomously.

"Do know how embarrassing it is that a Malfoy got expelled from any school?"

Demetri crossed her arms and rolled her eyes at him. She had heard this all summer long and was getting quite tired of it.

"If I embarrass you so, then I'll just remove myself from your presence," Demetri replied spinning on her heel and stomping out the door.

Demetri didn't give into the tears that were stinging her eyes as she fled from Borgin & Burkes and made her way up the steps that lead out of Knockturn Alley. It wasn't until Demetri found an empty corner of Flourish & Blotts that she let the tears flow freely down her cheeks.

"Stupid git" Demetri mumbled, wiping at the tears on her cheeks. She didn't even know why she was crying. Her brother had always liked to remind her of her short comings ever since she was little, so being called an embarrassment was nothing new.

Not wanting to disgrace Lucius any further, by having someone find her crying in the corner, Demetri got up out of her chair and went to look for Dobby.

She found the house elf upstairs just starting to collect the books she'd need for this year.

"Dobby, give me my supply list."

"But… Master Malfoy told Dobby to get Mistress Demetri's school things… I must get them" Dobby started rambling, but Demetri cut him short with a sharp look and held out her hand.

"I said, give me the list, now!" Demetri demanded of the elf, slowly losing the little control she had on her temper. "I'll finish with the list myself and you can go find Lucius and tell him I said to meet me at home."

Looking like he was trying to figure out what would get him in more trouble; disobeying her brother or disobeying her, the elf gave her the list and books, than disappeared with a loud crack.

Checking the list and the books that Dobby already found, Demetri went to find the last book on the list. As she turned the corner of the shelf where the Potions book was, she collided with another person and dropped all the books she was carrying.

"Can't you watch were you're going!' she spit out as she bent down to retrieve the fallen books.

"Sorry," was the whispered reply.

Demetri's head shot up to tell the daft person just were they could stick their apology, but the words died on her tongue. The boy staring down at her had the darkest obsidian eyes she'd ever seen and shoulder length hair just as black.

"Well, are you just going to stand there or are you going to help me pick these up?" Demetri asked when she could find her voice again.

Looking like he was warring with the idea of helping or simply walking away, the boy finally bent down and started helping gather up the fallen books.

"You go to Hogwarts?" Demetri asked nodding to the books identical to hers in his hands.

"I'm starting my sixth year," was the boy's short answer.

"I'm starting my sixth year, too. My name's Demetri," she supplied.

"I'm Severus. How come I've never seen you at Hogwarts before," he asked.

"I went to Beauxbatons my first five years, but I kind of got expelled."

"Kind of got expelled? " Severus asked with a raised brow as they both stood and headed to pay for the books.

"It's a long story. How about we go over to the Leaky Cauldron and I can tell you all about it?" she asked with a smile.

"Sure," Severus answered returning her smile

As they stepped into the crowded street and headed towards the pub, Demetri forgot all about Lucius and how furious he'd be when she didn't return home right away.

Demetri cringed as she stepped on the hearth rug, praying that the loud roar of the floo wouldn't wake Lucius.

She had lost track of time while she sat and talked with Severus. She told him about getting expelled and he told her about some of the teachers and classes at Hogwarts. It wasn't until the bartender Tom had told them it was past curfew and they'd better get home, that Demetri realized they'd talked for hours.

Glancing at the Grandfather clock on the way to her room Demetri uttered a silent curse. It was almost midnight.

"Lucius is going to have fit," she said to herself as she stepped into her room.

"How right you are." Lucius drawled venomously as he stepped out from behind her bedroom door, slamming it closed.

"Where were you?"

"The Leaky Cauldron," she replied backing away from her brother.

"With who."

"I was with a boy I met at Flourish & Blotts. We got to talking and lost track of time," she answered with a shrug.

"You get expelled from a school for sneaking boys and Fire Whiskey into your dorm and you expect me to believe you spent all night at a pub talking?" he asked with an arched eyebrow.

"I told you and that damn Headmistress that the other girls snuck the boys and whiskey in!" she yelled, slowly losing her temper.

"Yet, you were the only one in the room, according to Madame Maxime."

"I had just come back from the library when the Headmistress stormed in. The other girls took off so I'd take the blame!"

Lucius snorted and she lost the hold on her temper.

"Fine! Don't believe me than," she yelled. "You can add that I'm a tramp who snoggs every boy I meet to the list of reasons why I'm a disgrace to the family!"

Grabbing her roughly by the arm, Lucius brought her face to face. "You should be grateful Mother and Father aren't alive to see how much of a pathetic disgrace you are."

"Too bad I can't be just like you, Lucius." Demetri shot back."Schmoozing with the minister of magic, lining his pockets with our family's money. Not to mention running around with those friends of yours hoping to gain the notice of the Dark Lord. You're the pathetic one, Lucius!"

Before she knew that her words went to far, the back of Lucius' hand slapped across her left cheek.

"Don't you ever disrespect me like that again, you ungrateful little whelp." Lucius spat at her before shoving her away from him and unceremoniously onto the bed.

"You're lucky you're still under age," he threatened, pulling the door open. "If you were of age, I would have disowned you the moment I became Head of the Family." And with that being said, he slammed the door behind him.

With Lucius' words still ringing in her ears, Demetri pulled her knees to her chest and fought with tears that were stinging her eyes. The only thought to comfort her was that she wouldn't have to deal with Lucius after tonight because she was leaving for Hogwarts in the morning.