Word Count: 3,405

Martini looked up at the Slytherin curiously as he stood there. By the look on the face she would have guessed he had just been having a talk with a pile of dung the way his nose was pinched up. Even though he honestly wasn't that tall he seemed to have the ability to look down on every one at the table. Though how he could see them with his nose so far in the air was a mystery to her. "What do you want?" She asked simply, the question terminating the tense silence that had followed his appearance.

The boy looked shocked as he registered that she was talking to him. "I… What are you doing here? This is the Gryffindor table, and you are a Slytherin. " Martina was happy she had caught him off guard, but was surprised by how quickly he had caught up and switched the focus to her. She decided she didn't like that and quickly resolved the problem.

"Is there a rule that says I can't sit here?" She asked blinking up at him with fake innocence.

"No there isn't," Interjected Harry standing up and glaring at the platinum haired boy. Marty watched curiously and quickly caught on to the tension between the two. By the following happenings she got the feeling that she was the last in a long list of reasons to cause the confrontation. It wasn't really her fault at all… Or maybe she was being a Slytherin through and through by claiming innocence. Who could ever tell? It was hard to guess when it came to Marty.

Marty didn't like the turn this was taking and decided to disrupt the glares with a seemingly innocent question. "Who are you?" The question was directed at Draco and her head tilted to the side curious as to the answer. She didn't know anyone in the wizarding world but she hoped that it might shed some light knowing his name. He looked at her though as if she was nuts.

"Who- who am I?" He asked the question as if a rock had sprung up and asked him it… On second thought rocks probably popped up all the time when magic was involved. Marty had no idea; she didn't know what regularity around here was. But she was brought back from her musings when Ron, the previously occupied by quietly eating, bust in.

"Yeah Malfoy, Not everyone in the world cares what your ruddy pureblood name is. There are wizards who couldn't give a flying pumpkin for what your name is." He seemed to toss in his two bits standing up beside harry against Draco. Hermione seemed to join the two and a smile passed through the three as they looked at each other. For a moment Marty thought that Draco had been outnumbered but then his two cronies seemed to back up on either side of her. Marty felt like she was suddenly shoved as the conquest in the center of a long line of fights. She sighed to herself realizing she was alone in between the six students. Or so she thought.

She heard someone clear their throat beside her and then she felt two arms drape over her shoulders and she smiled realizing she wasn't alone at all. A grin spread over her face as Fred spoke up, "Now gents we know Marty here is a fine little witch-"

"Not to mention funny-" George chimed in.

"And witty-"

"But do you think you could avoid shoving her into your little war? Hmm?"

"It is after all her first day and I'm sure she's tired."

"And she has to hang out with Slytherin's as well Fred, god that has to be tiring."

"I know what you mean George, always having to clam up and check if a knife has been stabbed into your back yet." Fred said seriously shaking his head back and forth sadly. Harry and Ron laughed and returned to sitting down relaxed, where Hermione already was reading again.

Marty felt better now that one side had backed down and looked over at Draco who had glared at Crabbe and Goyle sending them back. He didn't want to look foolish being the only one with his hackles raised, but his minions stayed close by. Marty decided to continue with her questioning, her feeling reinforced by Fred and George's arms over her shoulders.

"So then you're not going to tell me your name? I'm assuming that Malfoy is the families and not yours?" Taking the blank stare as a yes she continued. "Fine then I will guess… Hmm, which name would suite you?" She asked herself looking him up and down. "Got one," She said sitting up straighter, Fred and George realizing their hold on her.

"Narcissus, the name is Greek and belonged to a man who was so in love with himself that while staring at his reflection he forgot to eat or sleep and died. It fits you perfectly." She saw Draco's eyes go huge and his jaw clench in anger. Those close enough to hear laughed at her guess and she smiled wickedly not yet done.

"No? Hm... Than I suppose I will have to keep guessing. Eros? The Greek form of Cupid? No wait, you wouldn't look good with a heart." She said as other laughed again at her jibes. His eyes seemed to turn into molten silver and he looked as if he wanted to throttle her. "No again? I can keep guessing or you can just tell me your name."

"My name is Draco. Draco Malfoy!" he spat at her, his grey eyes turned into molten silver with his rage.

"Finally we have an answer!" She said exaggerating and smiling over at him trying to tell him it was all in fun, but his eyes became cold and he crossed his arms putting on a Malfoy sneer. She rolled her eyes at the look. 'Something tells me that he does that on a regular basis.' "Now what is it that you wanted?" She asked kindly and curious to know the real reason that he had come over.

"I am supposed to show you to the Slytherin Dorms and to your room."

"Oh, well why didn't you say so in the first place?" She asked standing up. "See you tomorrow at breakfast Fred and George. I'll probably see you three in classes." She pondered looking at Harry, Hermione, and Ron. "Bye Harry!" She said waving and running off to catch up with Malfoy who was already at the doors out of the Great Hall. "Oi, Draco, Wait up!" She yelled loudly running to the door to catch up to him.

He flinched as she said his name and shoved of her hand as she grabbed his arm as he started walking down the hallway. "Common Filch, I'd like to get to my rooms before midnight if you don't mind."

"Wow, what's got you in such a fit?"

Draco rolled his eyes as if it was obvious, "You were talking to them. The idiot blood traitors and then that infuriating mudblood, and of course, Potter, the king of morons, you were just talking to them."

"And?"

"And? You were talking to a mudblood! If you're a pureblood like your father says than you don't talk with Mudbloods they are beneath you."

"And what, prey tell, is a mudblood?"

"A wizard with a Muggle heritage."

"And a Muggle is?" Draco sighed dramatically.

"Apparently it's what you've been raised by or else you would know all this. It's non-magic folk."

"Well then I guess I was raised by one then." She laughed coldly to herself, "Not like I had much of a choice in the matter though, after my mother died it was either live with that bastard or on the streets. Besides, if I had left him I would have never have ended up here."

"Yes you would have, Dumbledore would have found you, that's the whole point of having magic."

"Dumbledore didn't even know I existed until six months ago. He wouldn't have found me if he didn't know I was alive."

"Well then how did he find you anyways?"

"He didn't find me at all. I found him, big difference."

"You found him?" Draco scoffed, "I seriously doubt that, I mean you are only a first year, you couldn't know that much magic at all."

"Oh really your confidence in your house members is astounding Malfoy."

"Thanks, I always try to show my support." He smirked as she rolled her eyes.

"So why couldn't a girl just show me to my rooms?"

"In other words you're asking why you got stuck with me."

"Oh when you put it that way you make me sounds cruel." She smirked back at him and he had the disconcerting feeling of looking in a mirror.

"Well you are in Slytherin now it's sort of what we do. And besides the girls dorms are full this year so you get to be in the rooms of the privileged."

"Again why not a girl?"

"Because you are the first ruddy girl to get one of the rooms of the privileged. Of course girls have been in there before, but none of them had had a room. Salazar would never had aloud someone like you, with questionable blood, to bed their. Much less since you're a female."

"Oh great, is one of those sparkling pure blood traditions that females are inferior."

"They should be seen and not heard. It is their job to be the hidden hand of the family head, doing business dealing and taking care of what needs to be done for the father of the family."

"Hmm, sounds like fun."

"I wouldn't expect an outsider like you to understand."

"So I guess that black haired putrescence was staring at you because she 'wants to take care of you' and act as you hidden hand and all."

"That's Pansy, and I can't blame her for noticing something good when she sees it."

"Wow, you really are full of yourself aren't you?"

"Its Malfoy pride and we've earned it." Malfoy replied easily, impassive. Honestly his emotionless face annoyed her.

"You're only eleven years old; I doubt you've earned a single thing."

"I'm twelve actually, my birthday was October 1st. And I don't have to earn it, that's the whole point of being a Malfoy."

"Wow, I only turned eleven yesterday."

"What? You shouldn't be here then, you're too young!" Draco said stopping and yelling, crossing his arms annoyed.

"Well if you don't like it you can go complain to Dumbledore about it, but I'm afraid he'll just tell you what I'm about to tell you know. There were pressing reasons why I needed to be accepted now, and attend school now, no matter how put off you or anyone else is, these reasons were far more important."

Draco rolled his eyes unbelieving and turned to a statue of a snake in front of him mumbling something about meddling old men. "Parseltongue." He snapped at the snake and it seemed to leer at them before it slithered away leaving an opening in the dungeon wall. They walked through and into the silver, green, and black common room of the Slytherin House. The room was dark, not nearly as warm as the great hall, and the cool air felt damp on her skin as she looked around.

Draco didn't stop for long though and walked over to a tapestry with a man sitting upon a throne of gold and gems, a skull in his left hand, a silver scepter in his right and then a great snake wound around him, it's eyes yellow and haunting. She looked it over carefully wondering how it was important. "Always Pure." Draco whispered, so low that Marty had to strain to hear it.

What was he going on about now? But he didn't look crazy but instead it seemed he was talking to the man in the tapestry, and Marty watched amazed as the woven snake moved, its mouth opening and then widening. It was like a black hole, sucking up all the light in the room and consuming the ancient tapestry hungrily.

Draco smiled and pulled himself up into the tapestry, stepping onto the dark as if there was a floor there and then walking into it, as if it was a tunnel. Where in the bloody hell is he going? Marty thought scrambling up after him. As soon as she stood up in the darkness, the light behind her was cut off, like the snake was swallowing her, and then the light opened up in front of her, showing her a room lit up brightly by a warm golden fire in the corner, black and rich forest green armchairs, and sofas scattered around the room. Trays of confections whizzed by down the corridor to her right and to various people in school uniforms lounging on the comfortable furniture.

Now this was much better than the other place he showed her. "This is our common room, you can sit out there to, he said gesturing to the now closed ebony door behind her, but this is usually were you'll find most of us." A tray zoomed up to him and he picked up a glass of pumpkin juice sipping contentedly, and watched as another one went up to Marty and she picked up a frosted treat, eating it while looking around the common room curiously.

"This entire place is here to meet the needs and wants of those living in it, everything here is there to accommodate us in every way. You'll find that even your room will alter it self perfectly to your needs. Often after the summer when you return it's usual for something to be different there."

"How would you know that? You've only been here a few months yourself."

"My father told me, and he lived here while at Hogwarts himself."

"Oh, he must be so bloody proud." She muttered rolling her eyes and turning back to him. Surprisingly instead of some unaffected remark as usual he seemed hurt. He growled and turned to head down the corridor to the right.

"Come on your room's down this way." He stopped in front of a door to the immediate left once they entered the corridor and was adorned with a silver snake knocker with blood rubies for eyes.

"Hmm, subtle." She muttered looking at it.

"You have to tell it to open."

"Hmm?" She asked turning away form the staring snake to look at the platinum topped boy. "What do you mean?"

"If you want it to open, you have to tell it to."

"Oh. Um, okay." She turned to the door and said, suddenly nervous. "Open." As she suspected, nothing happened. "This is foolish; use another one of your passwords to get it open."

"I can't, if I told it to open it would be my room not yours. And I already have a room so most likely it would open up to a barren stone dungeon."

"Oh, wow, why am I not surprised you live in a dungeon Malfoy?" He just sneered with his usual impassiveness and she sighed exasperated.

"It only takes orders, if you are indeed meant to be in Slytherin tell it to open like a Slytherin. Slytherin's are masters so unless you act like one nothing will get that door open." He stepped back crossing his arms and she got the feeling that this was some sort of test.

She squared her shoulders and glared at the smug looking snake. Honestly this whole situation was annoying her completely. She glared at the ruby eyes and snarled under her breath, "Open now, you sad excuse for a snake." She was surprised when the snake hissed back at her before it twisted its head around into itself and then the door opened with a click.

"Well that was easy," She said stepping forward to push the door open. Draco couldn't help but to step in behind her, curious to see what the witch-of-questionable-heritage's rooms looked like. They were both surprised when they stepped onto a moving staircase, and Marty and him both flailed there arms out to the side, her hand meeting the railing beside her, and his hand grabbing onto her arm.

"What is the meaning of this Filch?!" He snapped.

"First off, I have a name Malfoy, and it's not Filch. Second, I don't have any more bloody idea than you. Third, please release my arm before you fully cut off circulation." He growled and let go, straitening his robes and sneering at equally spaced torches that lightened the walls as they went up. He didn't know why but he didn't like them, so he decided to sneer at them angrily.

"Well little miss ball of sunshine, I really think that you should be going now," Marty said as they came to a stop in front of warm, dark cherry colored doors. She was nervous about what was on the other side of the door, and for some reason thought it would be very personal, not something she wanted to share with this sneering stranger.

"I'm supposed to make sure you get settled in alright Filch, I'm coming in." She sighed knowing that he would probably be a stubborn pain in the ass if she tried to push it so she took a deep breath before opening the doors, a wave of cool air hitting her as she opened it.

The room within was magnificent. The carpet was a lush, warm tan that covered nearly the entire floor except for the section opposite the door where the hearth was, already stoked with a roaring fire. The heat from the huge fire though wasn't stifling but it lighted up the whole room. There were book shelves on either side of the mantle piece above the fireplace and wide bay windows on the wall to her right, which looked to be about ten feet above the ground of the Hogwarts estate.

There were over stuffed armchairs in front of the fire in earthy greens and browns and matching sofas underneath the windows. They all had piles of cream and tan pillows on them, and the wood working on them was a matching warm cherry to the doors. The bed was huge and was in the corner to the left of the books shelves and fire. It was a rich green duvet with brown and cream colored pillows, light tan sheets and a green and silver embroidered bed skirt and curtains around the bed. A mirror and bureau was to her left and a door witch she assumed led to the bathroom was between the bureau and the bed. A desk was close to the windows alone with a desk chair, a pile of parchment, and a quill holder currently overflowing with two bottles of ink beside it.

All in all it was the nicest room she had ever seen and she was somewhat overwhelmed with the work that had gone into this all for her. She drew in a breath quickly willing her not to make a fool of herself and start crying. "Well as you can see I'm comfortable enough I think for Dumbledore's standards." Draco seemed to look around a little longer before he stepped back onto the stairs.

"Don't be late for breakfast tomorrow, I'm to show you to your classes." He said before turning and started heading down the shifting staircases. She nodded sighing before she closed the door and walked over to the bed, the events of the past few days welling up inside of her, and spilling out onto salty tears on to the warm duvet. She hadn't done anything to deserve something like this, yet it had been giving to her willingly. What reason did they have to except her here other than the fact that she was a wizard? And they didn't even know the worst things about her yet.

She shivered at the thought of how they might react. Maybe like her step-father had? She shivered and curled into a ball underneath the blankets. Maybe she could go to sleep hear without having to worry about memories sneaking up on her in the form of nightmares. It was a new place after all; hopefully her mind would be too tired to terrorize her tonight.