[001] potion partners

                                   Cleo Kingsley always tries to keep a smile on her face, even despite all of the tragedies that had fallen upon her.

                                   Ask anyone around Hogwarts, the Ravenclaw could always be seen smiling. She always spoke with her head held high and she was quick to make others around her feel better before herself. But even though she was incredibly kind, she also had a sharp intelligence and ambition about her that reminded others as to why she had been sorted into Ravenclaw in the first place. She was determined to pursue a career involved with potions and find a way to continue the Kingsley legacy.

                                   After all, it was pretty tainted on its own.

                                   Cleo's father had fallen for the wrong woman a.k.a Cleo's mother. She was a half blood while her father had been a pureblood. The Kingsley family was one of the richest and most influential Wizarding families, carrying a rich and powerful legacy that stretched on for decades. They prided themselves on being pure, power and honor flowing through their veins. And then Winston Kingsley had to ruin it all by falling in love with the wrong woman.

                                   Priscilla Thomas had caught Winston's eye back when they went to Hogwarts together. Despite Priscilla being a half blood and representing everything his parents were against, Winston still fell for her anyways. They fell in love secretly, only making their love for each other known after graduating Hogwarts when it'd be announced that they secretly got married behind everyone's back.

                                   At first, Winston's parents were furious. They wanted absolutely nothing to do with him. But when Priscilla became pregnant with Cleo, they decided to let her and Winston come back into their lives without hesitation. Obviously, it caused a big scandal within the pureblood community. To those on the outside looking in, the Kingsley's reputation had been tainted by the scandal. There was no way they could ever come back from this.

                                   When Cleo had been born, it had truly been a bittersweet day. While Winston and Cleo were happy, Cleo's new grandparents were trying to be. Don't get them wrong - they were happy to have a grandchild. But it hadn't been the pureblooded boy they had been hoping for. Still, they tried to take care of the baby and her parents and for the next seven years, they all lived in harmony with each other.

                                   But then tragedy struck.

                                   Winston and Priscilla Kingsley ended up dying in a tragic boating accident. Their bodies were never recovered, lost to the sea forever. That had been the worst day of Cleo's life, as well as her grandparents. They had all suffered the lost that day and there was no coming back. Now, Cleo's grandparents were tasked with taking care of the girl who was the only living reminder of her son. Of course they rushed to the task, raising her the same way as they had with him. And nine years later, it was obvious that she had blossomed into a lovely young woman.

                                   She still gets looks from time to time - either ones of pity for having dead parents or condescending glares from ignorant Slytherins who see her as a disappointing half blood. But even despite that and the fact that she missed her parents terribly every single day, Cleo still chose to walk around with a smile on her face. She did her work and she did exceptionally well and she had friends who were kind and loyal to her. As far as everyone knew, Cleo Kingsley was on her way to continuing the prestigious Kingsley name the best way she knew how.

                                   And Abraxas Malfoy couldn't help but admire her for it.

                                   Abraxas secretly harbored a bit of a... schoolboy crush on the girl. And he had for a while now. Despite the fact that she was indeed a half blood and in an entirely different house from him, it didn't stop his fascination with the girl. Not only was she beautiful but she was very smart and kind to others. She was a shining light and for a boy who was used to the dark, he felt like a moth being drawn to her light.

                                   But it's not as though anything could ever happen between them. Abraxas was expected to marry a girl with pure blood and he couldn't dare to ruin those chances by being with Cleo. He was a Malfoy, and the Malfoy legacy was even greater than the Kingsley's. For centuries, they had stuck to traditions and stayed with their own kind to keep the bloodline pure. Abraxas was expected to keep those same traditions and pass them down to his own child when the time came along.

                                   He wouldn't (and he certainly couldn't) be able to pass that along with Cleo.

                                   Still, that didn't fully stop Abraxas. He continued to admire her from afar, lucky that the two of them share a class in Potions together. Abraxas usually sat all the way in the back with Otto Mulciber, his chin comfortably perched inside the palm of his hand as he admired the girl with auburn locks from afar. At this point, he was merely deluding himself into thinking that he'd ever be able to have something with Cleo, let alone a mere friendship.

                                   But it seemed as though fate was determined to intervene at the start of their sixth year.

                                   "Are you fucking kidding me?" Otto huffed.

                                   "It's not the end of the world, Otto," Abraxas rolls his eyes.

                                   "It is for me," Otto frowned.

                                   They were going to have to change seats for this class, meaning that they would have to have new partners. Otto was freaking out, not wanting things to change. But he and other classmates were powerless to stop it. Abraxas really didn't care anyway. He'd find a way to just copy the answers and let his other partner do the work.

                                   Abraxas rolls his eyes. "Where am I even sitting anyway?"

                                   "I believe it's next to Cleo Kingsley," Professor Slughorn announces as he passes by the two boys before heading back to his own desk to get the class started.

                                   Abraxas swears he feels his heart nearly stop right then and there.

                                   "The Kingsley girl? Oh, I feel sorry for you," Otto shakes his head.

                                   "And why's that?" Abraxas turned around to look at Otto, his eyes narrowed.

                                   Otto scoffs. "In case you've forgotten, she's a half blood. An annoying one at that who thinks she's better than the rest of us. She's just as annoying as Victoire. Actually, I think Victoire's still a bitch. No offense, I know she's your cousin and all."

                                   "None taken. Better a half blood than a mudblood, I suppose," Abraxas shrugs.

                                   "I guess," Otto says with a shrug.

                                   Abraxas's eyes scan the classroom until they find Cleo who was seated at her own table. She was reading her Potions textbook, although Abraxas didn't really know why. Cleo pretty much knew everything there was to know about Potions and so much more. She was one of the few students to enthusiastically hold up her hand and answer just about every single one of Slughorn's questions. It was no surprise that she was one of his favorite students. 

                                  "Brax? Abraxas, are you still listening?" Otto snaps his fingers in front of Abraxas's face, causing him to blink before looking away from Cleo and back at him.

                                  "What is it?" Abraxas questioned.

                                  Otto huffs. "Forget it. I'll see you after class."

                                  Otto makes his way over to his own seat and fortunately for him, he was able to sit next to a pureblood. Sure, they were from the godawful house of Hufflepuff but Otto wasn't going to be having a stroke anytime soon. Abraxas takes a deep breath before he approaches Cleo, deciding he couldn't just stand in front of the classroom like an idiot all day.

                                  Engrossed in the textbook, Cleo was completely unaware of someone approaching her. At least, that was until she felt eyes on her. Cleo finally looks up, an inquisitive look in her eyes as she regarded the Malfoy boy.  Cleo may be focused on her schoolwork but she was still aware on the gossip of Hogwarts. At least, she had her friends to thank for that. She knew all about Abraxas Malfoy and the company he kept, company which didn't take too kindly to people like her.

                                But still, Cleo keeps her composure as she greets him. "Hello. You're supposed to be sitting with me, right?"

                                "Yes actually," Abraxas nods, looking away from her quickly. "I'll just -."

                                In the process of trying to hurry towards his seat, he nearly knocks over the cauldron that had been sitting at the edge of the table. Luckily, Cleo's quick reflexes are able to catch it in time and she places it in the middle so Abraxas doesn't end up knocking it over again. Abraxas feels like an absolute fool and he hates it more than anything, rushing to his seat before glaring at everyone who dared to look his way. They quickly turn around, save for Cleo who offers him a small smile.

                              "I apologize for the -," Abraxas begins to say.

                              "Don't worry about the cauldron. I should've placed it in the middle of the table," Cleo cuts him off with a small wave of her hand. "Are you very good in Potions?"

                              "I'm sorry?" Abraxas furrows his brows in confusion. He had heard exactly what she asked him. He was just a little surprised at her boldness. Surprised in a good way.

                              "I know that we don't have a choice in our partners anymore but I don't want to be working with someone who doesn't know what they're doing. Or someone who just makes me do all the work. I expect you to help me," Cleo replied. Although she was basically ordering him, her tone was soft and almost... endearing. She was just getting straight to the point.

                              "Yes. Yes, of course. I'll... help the best way I can," Abraxas remarked.

                              Which meant he'd ultimately let Cleo boss him around because he truly had no idea what he was doing. He usually relied on Otto who was much easier to push around. But he couldn't do that with Cleo. He truly didn't want to.

                              "Now, Abraxas, do you know how to... Abraxas?" Cleo frowns when she turns to look at Abraxas, finding the boy with pale blonde hair once again staring off into space. How many times had he done that by now?

                              "Yes?" Abraxas looks over at her.

                              "Are you alright?" Cleo asks, a twinge of concern laced in her silky voice.

                              "Oh, I don't think I've gotten much sleep lately. I'm more tired than I thought," Abraxas says with a shake of his head.

                              It wasn't a complete lie. Abraxas hadn't been sleeping well lately. For one thing, he had to deal with the mountain of pressure and expectations his parents had placed on his shoulders from birth. And for another thing, he had to make sure that he kept his friendship with a certain Tom Riddle as close as ever which led him to do... terrible things in the process. Abraxas's need for power had brought him to very dark places and there was no place darker than being Tom Riddle's right hand man.

                            So yes, Abraxas Malfoy had been losing sleep as of late. And perhaps, the cracks at his foundation were finally beginning to show because even Cleo Kingsley seemed to notice.

                            "I'm sorry to hear that. You should try and get more sleep. How do you expect to make it in your classes if you can barely focus?" Cleo offered.

                             "Why do you care?" Abraxas questioned.

                             "You're going to be my partner in this class. I need you to be focused," Cleo stated.

                             Abraxas chuckles. Of course she didn't actually care beyond her own needs. One thing Abraxas learned was that no one was inherently good. There was a little bit of selfishness and darkness in every single person.

                             "And plus, it means you're not taking care of yourself. Sleep deprivation can lead to all sorts of health problems later on in life. I thought you Malfoy's though highly of yourselves. I figured you'd be getting all the rest you can," Cleo adds.

                             "Are you surprised?" Abraxas raised a brow.

                             "Yes, actually, I am," Cleo nods, not taking note of Abraxas' sarcasm. Or maybe she was ignoring it - either option was possible.

                              Before Abraxas could say something back, Professor Slughorn began to talk and both of them were forced to keep quiet. Cleo looks straight at the professor, ready to pay attention to whatever boring lesson he had planned for the class. Abraxas sneaks another glance at Cleo before he begrudgingly does the same, wondering how he'd be able to survive the rest of the year if he was already failing the first day.

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word count: 2203
notes: abraxas is down SO BAD for cleo, it's actually hilarious.