The Potions classroom felt like a meat locker when Victoria walked in the next morning after breakfast. She had taken her O.W.L.S. by correspondence and was, as such, able to take the N.E.W.T. level Potions class. She was very much looking forward to this class as it was her best subject. It had also been her mother's best subject. There was just something about potions making that relaxed Victoria, and she needed something to help her relax.

Last night had progressively gotten worse. After leaving the Common Room to read she had lost track of time and had almost gotten caught by the Caretaker (who reminded Victoria very much of the hunchback her parents bought their potion ingredients from; a very bizarre man with an even more bizarre sense of superiority). When she did reach the dormitories again, which took almost as long as the first time, Pansy and a few other girls had decided to "hide" all over her things around the room. I knew I should have locked the trunk. She spent a good part of the next hour whispering "Accio Robes. Accio books." Until she was sure she had everything before she went to bed. And she made sure to secure a padlock on the trunk this time. They may be able to unlock magically locked doors, but she'd like to see them try to magik a padlock!

Victoria shook that thought from her mind as she searched the classroom for a seat and found one right next to her favorite bad-boy.

Walking silently up behind him, Victoria leaned over and whispered "Is this seat taken?" directly into his ear. She took much satisfaction is seeing the hairs on his neck stand on end a split second before he jerked and toppled inelegantly to the floor.

"Oh, I'm sorry Duck, I didn't mean to startle you!" cooed Victoria as she leaned in to help Draco up. To her amusement he crab-walked backwards to keep out of reach and glared – which, given the situation, looked a little impotent.

A couple of seats over, she heard someone laughing and looked up to see none other than Harry Potter. "Why Duck?" he asked between laughs.

"Why, isn't that what Drako means? Male duck? I looked it up in the dictionary last night. Duckling here didn't like the name I was calling him before, so I thought I'd think of another. I don't think he likes this one either though." Victoria pretended to pout as she shot hurt looks toward the still sprawled Slytherin.

"What were you calling him that made him mad," asked Ron, sitting next to Harry with a look of one hoping for more verbal ammo.

"I'm not sure. Which name was it that you didn't like? Almighty Wicked One? Dragon-breath? Draco Malfunction? My Dear Dragon? I guess he just doesn't like my creativity."

By this time, Draco had peeled himself from the floor and walked up to Victoria. This should be good, she thought, seeing the look on his face. H'mmmm. . .since he prefers the use of his last name, Draco Malfury would be a good one for now.

"If you persist in calling me nicknames, I will find one for you."

"No! You wouldn't!" Harry and Ron laughed. Hermione, who had just walked in, was trying to understand the tirade and seemed to be enjoying herself.

"Just don't call me Vicky. Or Tory! Oh, please, for the love of all things muggle, don't call me Tory!" Victoria's eyes were wide with mock horror as Draco rolled his eyes in an attempt to calm himself and sat down. That's all? That was hardly even worth the effort.

"I guess Ducky doesn't have any more to say. We'll see," she said towards Harry, Ron, and Hermione, but it was meant for Draco. And, without further ado, she sat in the seat beside Draco. He groaned. Not all is lost. I may get a reaction out of him after all.

No sooner had she sat down then a resounding clang echoed through the dungeon as the door slammed shut behind a man who was obviously the Potions Master. He looked familiar. She had seen him at the feast last night, but she knew him from somewhere else too.

"Welcome to N.E.W.T. level Potions. Most of you should not get comfortable in this class ("As though that's possible" Victoria heard someone mutter.) as you may not be staying long in it." He scanned the room and his eyes widened in an emotion Victoria could not read as his eyes landed on her.

"The directions for today's Potion are on the board," they appeared as he waved his wand. "I expect positive results from all of you. You are in N.E.W.T. level potions, I expect you to act like it." All this was said without taking his eyes off Victoria. It was a bit disconcerting, but Victoria was sure to not blink as she stared back at him.

"You are the new Slytherin sixth year." She wasn't sure if it was a question or not, but she decided to answer anyway.

"I am sir. And, might I ask who you are?" Respectful, Victoria. Be sure to be respectful.

"I am Professor Snape, head of Slytherin house." His voice had a velvety tone to it that reminded her of her father.

"Wait. Snape? Forgive my impertinence, but. . .Severus Snape?"

His eyes narrowed a bit. "Yes."

She suddenly knew where she had seen him before. "Severus Snape! My parents talk about you all the time! My mother always tells me how good you were in Potions, and how you were the one to get her interested. She said watching the passion you put into your potions was like watching the greatest artist create his masterpiece right before her eyes."

Next to her, Victoria heard what was unmistakably the sound of someone trying to cover up a snigger with a cough. She glared shortly at Draco then centered all her attention at Snape again. He seemed slightly taken aback by her words but confusion was the prominent emotion.

"What was your name?"

"Victoria Taliaferro, Sir."

Snape blinked. "As in, Walter Taliaferro?"

Victoria smiled widely. "Yes, he's my father."

"And your mother is. . ."

"Constance Ledbetter."

Snape's eyebrows drew together in deep thought as he stared directly through Victoria at the wall behind her. "She married him?" he said with disgust. You would think that such a comment would make Victoria angry, but on the contrary. She couldn't agree more. Her parents were very ill suited for each other. But, who was she to decide such a thing?

Coming out of his reverie, he looked back at Victoria with an expression that looked soft on his chiseled face. "Get to work on your potion, Taliaferro." And she did.

An hour later, her potion was simmering with a light chocolate brown color and soft green smoke billowing from it. Perfect, she thought with a smile. It was exactly how Snape had described the accurate result.

Next to her, Draco's potion was close, but was more of a russet brown. He seemed quite proud of himself though. That is, until he saw her potion. Victoria didn't know that one with such a light complexion could turn such a vibrant color!

*

That night at dinner Victoria sat as close as she could get to Draco. This, however, was more difficult than it should have been. He was flanked on each side by several other Slytherins, each of which glared at her at random intervals. She sat a dozen people down and on the opposite side, so she was able to see every anxious look he sent her way.

She finished her dinner faster than some of the others and decided to go be social. But, since "Drakie" (she'd heard Pansy use this pet name earlier and found it quite fitting) didn't seem to want to socialize, she did something that she gathered was unheard of. She, a Slytherin, went to talk to the Gryffindors.

What seemed to be half the student body, watched her as she walked across the room and sat down next to Harry, Hermione, and Ron. They seemed just as shocked as everyone else. "If I make you uncomfortable, I could leave."

"Don't be silly," replied Hermione, a little belatedly, but genuinely, just the same. In that half hour, Victoria had more fun talking to the three of them than she had had since she'd gotten there. Well, not quite; nothing could beat a little Draco-torture for pleasure.

She glanced back over to the Slytherin table in time to see Draco shooting, not his usual nervous looks, but one entirely different; one she couldn't discern.

"Do you fancy him?" asked Ron with a repulsed look on his face.

Victoria smiled viciously. "I'm not sure. But I sure am enjoying tormenting him." She smirked mischievously. "He doesn't seem to be as affected by the names as he had been, so. . .do you have any other ideas?"

Suddenly, she wasn't the only one smirking.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

*fanfare plays* Yeah! Chapter three is finished! I think I wrote this one faster than I wrote the first one. Yay me. It really only took me one evening, but I couldn't find the muse earlier. . .that's why it took so long. *ahem* Now for my thank you's!

As always, thanks to A.M. Winters for being my beta reader! Though, it would be nice if she gave me some input on what she thought of the story too! *pouts* lol BTW, I know it wasn't much, but there was a little more of "Harry and co." in this one.

And also to Spaced Out Space Cadet. You always review my stuff and it makes me happy :)

And those were all the reviews I got. I love you two, and all that, but if you're the only ones reading. . .what happened to all the people who said I should keep writing? If no one else is reading this, I'm gonna finished Father Figure and forget this one. Please review!!! SOS! "Save our story!" lol