Disclaimer: Most of the characters in this story are the property of Queen Rowling and are only used for fan related purposes. Any original characters featured are the intellectual property of their creators. Part one lyrics are borrowed from Brand New's song "The No Seatbelt Song."

Warning: This story contains mucho amounts of flashbacks as a storytelling device. You've been warned.

Sins of the Father ; Part One

So take me and break me,
And make me strong like you,
I'll be forever grateful to, this and you.
It's only you, beautiful.
Or I don't want anyone.
If I can choose,
It's only you.

CHAPTER TEN

"So... you kissed him."

"For the last time, Dal, we didn't kiss."

"But you were close to it."

"Yes."

"And you wanted to kiss him."

"...Maybe."

"But you didn't?"

"Indeed."

Adalia shook her head at her friend as they walked together down a corridor, towards the Transfiguration classroom. "You should have just kissed him, Luxy."

"And give the dragon some satisfaction?" Luxy gave Dal an incredulous look. "I think not."

"Well, Merlin forbid we give Malfoy some satisfaction," Dal said, rolling her eyes. "You both are so stubborn. You're perfect for one another."

Luxy blinked but took this comment in stride. "Problem with that is we're not allowed to be together, so says his aunt and my darling mother."

"Yes, because your mother has always stopped you before," Adalia said sarcastically. "We both know it's not about that. It's your pride."

With a sniff of offense, Luxy sat down at their desk in the Transfiguration room and pulled out her textbook and some parchment to take notes with. Adalia sighed and took the seat next to her friend.

"Luxy, I think we both know you fancy Draco. But sometimes you have to take a risk in order to do the things you want. You know that. You're a Slytherin," Adalia murmured. "I'm just telling you as a friend. I want you to be happy, and you're happiest when you're with the dragon. Period."

Smiling slightly, Luxy fished her quill from her bag. "You're right, Dal."

Luxy Listin lost herself in her lessons then, tossing herself whole-heartedly into them so that she wouldn't have to think on Adalia's very good point. So she fancied the dragon. Big deal. Pansy fancied him as well. Did Draco have different feelings for Luxy than he did for Pansy? It bothered her to think that she may have only been his friend, nothing else, while she harbored intensely deep emotions for the stupid boy.

During lunch, she hardly opened her mouth, giving hollow laughter but her eyes were dead. She was in deep thought, and she didn't even realize she wasn't being herself. Draco noticed, however, seeing how she pushed around her food with her fork, looking distracted. Had something happened in class that had upset her? He hadn't thought so, since she and Adalia had come into lunch laughing together. What on Earth could she be thinking about?

Abruptly, though, Luxy set her fork down and grabbed her bag. "I'm hanging lunch, guys. See you round," she said and then went for the door out of the Great Hall.

Without even thinking about it, Draco jumped up and went after her, stuffing his hands in his pockets as he worked to catch up to her.

"Hey, Lux, you all right?" Draco asked her, once he'd caught up to her steps.

Luxy blinked. "Are you actually inquiring as to my well-being?"

Draco slanted her a look and she returned it curiously. "Yes?"

"Oh." She seemed to accept this. "I'm fine. Thinking."

"Clearly," Draco muttered, and then rolled his eyes when she gave him a rather caustic look. "About what?"

"My father," Luxy said immediately, rolling her eyes when Draco snorted. "Why do you care? Have you come to poke fun at me, then?"

She stopped to face him and they squared each other up before he spoke again. "No, I haven't come to poke fun at you. I was simply asking if you were all right. Clearly, you are, since you're snapping at me like usual."

Luxy blinked and then gave him a grin. "You wouldn't like me if I was anything but who I am."

He returned her grin. "You're finally right about something, Listin."

Oddly, they both turned to see Harry Potter stalking towards them, nose in his beat up old Potions book. He hadn't seen them yet, having rounded the corner reading the book, and Luxy waited until he glanced up to make sure he wasn't about to run into a wall, and then he noticed them.

"So which one are you?" Harry addressed Luxy. "Crabbe or Goyle?"

Shocked, Luxy could only gape at him. Wasn't he supposed to be nice? Draco, however, was not amused, and he bristled the second a noise came out of Harry's mouth.

"Don't you ever talk to Luxy that way, Potter," Draco spat, absently tugging Luxy closer to him. "Who taught you manners? That oaf gamekeeper?"

Harry bristled as well, his mouth opening to say something nasty in response, but Luxy pushed the two boys away from each other.

"Really?" she asked them. "You both are sixth years. Please start acting as such. Harry, I believe you were on your way, correct?"

Regardless of his anger towards Harry, Draco admired Luxy's level head in the situation. Why did she have to be so calming? What irritated him, however, was Harry's response to her.

"You're right, Luxy. I was," he agreed, and then took her hand. "I'm sorry for being rude. That was uncalled for of me, and I hope we can continue being friends."

Luxy smiled at him. "Of course, Harry. No hard feelings at all. Cheers."

He returned her smile, green eyes glittering. "Cheers." And then he was off.

Now it was Draco's turn to gape at her (or simply look on at her in shock, since Malfoys did not gape). "Still friends with Potter? When did you start?" he demanded.

Luxy gave him a ferocious smile. "Jealousy does not look good on you, Draco." With a little wiggle of her fingers in parting, she strolled off down the hallway, snickering when she had a large feeling that he was still standing there, wide-eyed, after her.

In an unfamiliar part of the castle, Luxy waited outside as a stream of Ravenclaw first years exited the classroom, chattering happily amongst themselves. With an inhale of courage, she stepped inside the room, finding Professor Burbage tidying papers at the front of the classroom.

Luxy drew another nervous breath and then shuffled deeper inside, watching as Professor Burbage looked up and noticed her. "Uhm. Hello, Professor. My name is Luxy Listin, and I was hoping you could enlighten me on a few things," Luxy began politely.

Professor Burbage was a kind looking witch, but she looked nervous as she peered at the Slytherin crest on her robes and then averted her gaze to Luxy's eyes. "Your father works for the Ministry. He wrote a lovely article in the Prophet on encountering a Sphinx in Egypt over the summer, and how his clever daughter attempted to outwit the beast with her own riddles. I assume that daughter is you."

Luxy nodded, smiling again. "Yes, it is. I'm so glad you enjoyed his article," she said. "I actually nearly stumped the Sphinx with a riddle I made up."

"I'd love to hear it!" the Professor exclaimed.

"Okay, watch carefully," Luxy said, smiling, moving her wand in the air to write out her riddle: "22 was a racehorse, and 11 was 12. 2211 race, and 11112! How can this make sense?"

"Hmm." Professor Burbage looked stumped. "I have no idea."

Luxy smiled again. "Instead of reading it as twenty two, you must read it as two two, and eleven as one one. Therefore it will go as follows: 'two two was a racehorse, and one one was one too. Two two won one race, and one one won one too!'"

Professor Burbage clapped and Luxy bowed dramatically. "What a marvelous riddle, Miss Listin! Quite clever, indeed." She smiled again. "Now what is it you wished to ask me?"

Luxy nodded and stuck her wand back inside her boot. "I'm not sure if you know, Professor, but my father has taken ill in a Muggle hospital in London called Bethlem Royal Hospital."

"How dreadful!" Professor Burbage gasped, and then paused. "Did you say... Bethlem Royal Hospital?"

Luxy blinked and then nodded, taking in the Professor's horrified look. "Yes. What's wrong with that?"

"Miss Listin, that hospital treats patients that are... not right in the head," Professor Burbage said gingerly.

"You mean like an asylum?" Luxy demanded, frowning.

"Yes, in so many words," she agreed. "Why is he there?"

"I don't know," Luxy sighed. "But there was something curious he had in his bedside table. There was a small brown bottle with a label on it that said 'laudanum' and I wasn't too sure what that was so I thought–" Luxy broke off at the older woman's gasp. "What now?"

"Luxy, please have a seat," Professor Burbage said kindly and then leaned against the desk opposite the one Luxy had lowered herself into. "Luxy, are you familiar with firewhisky?"

Nodding, though confused, Luxy looked up at her. "It's something of an alcoholic beverage in the wizarding world."

"Correct. What your father had in his bedside table was something quite like firewhisky, only much more potent. Laudanum is an opiate, which means it can help those with troubled minds be at ease, since, when taken, it gives the drinker quite the pleasurable feelings. Bethlem is famous in the Muggle world for being an asylum that treats substance addiction."

Luxy frowned, peering down at her hands. "So this means my father is an addict?"

Professor Burbage reached down and took Luxy's hand gently. "Keep an eye on him. Don't let him use the laudanum as best you can. And, most importantly, do not blame yourself. Your father is a great wizard, yes, but he is also quite human, too. Please remember this."

Luxy nodded again, slowly. "Yes, I... I shall remember that."

"Good girl," she said kindly. "Now off you go."

Taking her dismissal happily, Luxy stood up and walked from the classroom without another glance, trying not to feel as troubled as she felt. It was easy to stuff down, of course, when she saw Draco heading down the staircases, towards the dungeons.

"Luxy! There you are!" he called and she waited at the bottom of the steps for him and then they descended the stairs together. "I was wondering if you could assist me with my Potions homework."

Luxy snorted. "You're quite the riot today, Malfoy. I almost believed you."

"I'm serious, Listin," he told her. "Unless you're too chicken, because I completely understand if you are. I am a sixth year, if you've forgotten."

She slanted him a cold look. "I'm not afraid of your sixth year homework, you prat. Have you asked Professor Snape for help yet? I'm sure he'd be tickled pink to help you out."

Something dark shrouded in Draco's eyes. "Professor Snape is in the way of my mission," he informed her. "I'm not asking for his assistance. I don't need it."

Luxy had the distinct feeling they were not talking about homework any longer, though she didn't make any comment on her suspicions. They reached the Potions classroom and Luxy shivered slightly, her breath coming out in cold puffs. The room was empty, and it seemed as if Slughorn wasn't even around, though Luxy figured he was probably trying to get in Harry Potter's good graces.

Draco held out his book and his parchment roll to her, grinning as she took it from him and sat down, intending to first understand what he was supposed to be doing, and then help him as much as she could. She felt him lean against the desk beside her, his arms folded, and she could feel his eyes burning a hole in the top of her skull.

"So do you fancy me?"

Luxy blinked. "Excuse you?" She looked up at him and found his mouth twisted into a devious little smirk.

"You heard me. Do you?"

She glared at him for a moment and then returned to his homework, her quill pausing over his parchment. "You didn't drag me down here to help with your homework, did you?"

"Clever, clever little kitten you are, Luxy," he told her, his voice dropping slightly and it made her skin prickle.

Luxy stood up abruptly, then, and glared at him. "You can't just do that to people, Malfoy. Trick them to get what you want. And, no, I don't fancy you."

Draco smiled at her but it was filled with evil. "Oh, really? So if I were to, I don't know, kiss you right now... you're telling me you'd feel nothing? You almost kissed me Saturday, if you've forgotten."

All glaring was gone now. Luxy was grappling with the fact that he was being very serious with her at the moment. He wasn't playing around, and that frightened and excited her. She took a step back, nervously. "I would feel less than nothing if you kissed me right now."

"I'm sure you would," he agreed smoothly. This time he was the aggressor, stalking her retreat until the back of her thighs hit the desk behind her. He leaned in close to her, slipping his hand between the folds of her robe, holding her hip. "But since we are in the Potions room and Snape always tells us to test things before we make assumptions. Shall we test that theory?"

Luxy felt her pulse jump, knowing she could push him away if she wanted, but she stayed right where she was, not breathing. Draco has quite the soft-looking mouth, despite the fact that he used it to manipulate people for his own gain. She lid her eyes to his and breathed out nervously as he bent down and kissed her.

She experienced a delicious sensation of pure, unbridled relief as their mouths finally touched. This had definitely been building up for a while now, since the second they met. His hands gripped her hips after a few moments, bored with simply kissing her innocently. He kissed her a little more aggressively now, his fingers moving to the buttons of her cardigan, pushing it and her robe down off her shoulders.

Tugging her crisp blouse from her skirt, his hands slipped up the delicious arch of her back, holding her to him as he parted her lips with his tongue, tasting her. She finally surrendered to him and moved her arms, folding them around his neck, leaning into him completely.

His hands moved down her back, fingers tracing down the knots in her spine, dragging along her skin lazily, savoring everything that was her. Closer and closer, until his fingers reached the waist of her skirt. He flatted his hand against her hip, moving it down over her leg, making her sigh into his mouth.

The only thing about doing something like this in a classroom where people can see is, well, that people can see. And by people...

"Hah! What naughty little children have we got here?" Peeves cackled, making Luxy and Draco fly away from each other in shock. "Such naughty children you are! STUDENTS IN THE POTIONS ROOM!"

Draco pulled his wand out and aimed it at the little troublemaker. "Do not test me, you worthless imp. I'll get the Bloody Baron to show you a thing or two, and you know I will."

Peeves looked a bit nervous at the idea and then zoomed off, cackling to himself anyways. Satisfied, Draco turned back to see Luxy pulling her sweater and her robes back on, looking mussed and incredibly embarrassed.

"I think it's best if we tell nobody about what happened," Luxy said, not even looking at him. "Perhaps we can simply forget this. All in good fun, yes?"

"Luxy, what's the matter with you?" Draco moved back to her side, watching her fumble with the buttons of her sweater in her haste to get out of there. "I think I've made it clear I fancy you. What's wrong with that? You don't fancy me?"

She shook her head slightly and looked up at him. "That's not the issue at hand, Draco. We're not allowed to even be speaking to one another, let alone... kissing in the Potions room," she said, whispering the last part.

Draco frowned. "That's not why you're flustered."

"Well, it doesn't matter. I can't fancy you, Draco Malfoy. Period," Luxy said forcefully, pulling her robe back on over her small shoulders. She paused for a moment and then looked up at him. "Would you kiss me again?" she asked in a small voice.

He cupped the back of her neck and kissed her soundly once more, holding onto her for a moment before he pulled his mouth and his hand away from her. She touched her lips slightly, as if remembering a fine dream, and then hustled herself out of the Potions classroom and away from her incredibly insurmountable feelings towards a dragon.

End Note: Sooo, this is up early. Why? Because most of it was written prior to the start of the story as a way for me to explore my characters. I've been waiting for the right time to shove in my kiss scene, and this chapter got it. I've never really thought that Luxy and Draco's first kiss would be anything but filled with lust like it was here. ;) Just sort of fit them, I thought.

Oh, and now you know exactly what's wrong with Luxy's father. I wanted to explain that a bit as well. :)

Love me with a review?

- sky; 03.05.11