A/N: In all honesty, I wrote this story as an entry to a bad fic challenge. I had fun writing it, though, and recently realized I hadn't posted all of it. Here is the rest. Enjoy, and know that yeah, it's meant to be bad!
Much to Missy's relief, there was no big speech and minimal gawking from the masses of students that seemed to fill the Great Hall to its very ceiling. Professor Dumbledore merely said that there was a new student at the school under special circumstances and that she had her own quarters but was to be allowed access to all house common rooms. It still left a lot of questions unanswered for most of the student population, but at least no one would challenge her right to be there.
After supper was over, which she had enjoyed at the Gryffindor table with her new friends, her father asked her to follow him to the staff room to meet the other professors and arrange for her private tutoring. Missy was very scared to face all these professors, but she knew her parents would stand behind her. She greeted all of the teachers politely, thanking them for taking time out of their day to help her catch up on all she'd missed not having been at a magical school. Most of the professors were kind to her in return; sympathetic to her situation and willing to work with their schedules in order to give her adequate time to work on each course. It was decided that she didn't really need special time with Professor Binns, she would just do the assigned reading and assignments if he was willing to mark them and answer any questions she had. The other professors each gave up two free periods each week to work with her, in addition to assigning her work and testing her periodically. Her equivalency level in each course would be decided by the professor, and they would decide when she would be allowed to join the fifth year students in class.
The one professor who was not being particularly flexible or understanding was the Potions Master, Professor Snape. He refused to give up any of his free periods during the day, claiming he needed that time for other, 'more serious matters' than teaching someone who he obviously felt was beneath him to teach. He insisted that if she truly wished to learn the art of potion making, she could come for lessons after supper, giving up her own free time as well as taking up his. "I trust that a Muggle-raised child like yourself will have little talent for potion making, and we won't need to continue these lessons once you realize there's little use for them," Snape told her while her parents were discussing her schedule with Professor Flitwick.
Missy turned to him with an icy glare. "Actually, Professor Snake, I have always excelled at chemistry, a muggle science similar to your potion making, and should prove to be quite good at it. I hope you are ready to give up at least two nights a week, because I promise you, I will be joining the fifth year potions class in two months, tops," she shot back. Snape looked taken aback by her confidence, and walked out of the staff room without another word to anyone.
After thanking the remaining professors again, Missy returned to her room, ready to crack open the books in preparation for the lessons she had scheduled for the next day. To her surprise, Draco Malfoy was leaning against the wall where the entrance to her rooms was. She greeted him with a smile, which he returned silkily.
"Thought you might like to come spend a bit more time with the Slytherins tonight, since you seemed to be getting pretty cozy with Potty and his gang at supper. Wouldn't want them to be telling you all kinds of lies about us, without getting a chance to counter," he said without preamble. Not looking to see if she was following, he strode off in the direction of the dungeons. Slightly amused, Missy decided to humour him and caught up with a few quick steps.
They didn't speak during the walk to the Slytherin dorm, or when they entered the common room. Unlike before, now there were students around, some lounging and talking with their friends, others working at the large dark tables along the back wall. Missy followed Draco to a grouping of furniture that had several students that looked to be their age, and sat beside him on one of the couches. A dark haired girl gave her a dirty look when Draco casually rested his arm on the back of the couch behind her. Missy merely smiled.
"So, why'd you bring the new girl down, Drake?" the dark haired girl asked.
"Well, we don't want her getting too cozy with the Gryffindors, now do we? If she's a special student she shouldn't have to develop prejudices against anyone," Draco explained in a condescending manner. "And I've told you, Pansy, don't call me Drake."
Pansy looked mollified for a second, then sneered. "So you brought her down just so she wouldn't be partial to the Gryffin-whores?"
Draco shrugged. "Who said Slytherins can't reach out to their fellow student? Especially one as…special as Missy here," he said, looking over at Missy in a way that sent delightful shivers down her spine and made Pansy pout even harder.
A boy sitting in an armchair close by spoke up, asking, "So what's your last name, then? Come from a good family? A pure family, that is."
Missy sent him a cold glare, and replied, "I don't really see how that's any of your business, but yes, I do come from a good family. Better than yours, I'll wager."
The boy chucked, turning to Draco, and in a satirical joking manner, said, "Hear that, Malfoy? She's from a better family than mine." He turned a more serious gaze back to Missy, "So why won't you tell me your family's name then?"
"Leave off, Blaise," Draco said.
"Actually, I'm not really sure what my official last name is," Missy said at the same time, leaning forward to bring her face close to Blaise's. "I've recently found out that the people who raised me weren't my real parents, and my real parents and I haven't discussed what my legal name will be. So for now, I'll go by Artemis Catherine. I'll be sure to let you know as soon as I've muddled through all the personal issues as to what my name is." She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back into the couch, and inadvertently, Draco's arm.
"Good for you, love," Draco said quietly in her ear. Louder, he said, "Well, since you all aren't being very inviting, I suppose I'll walk Missy back up to her room."
Neither Pansy nor Blaise objected as Draco helped Missy to stand and they walked out of the common room. "They're really not the bad sort," Draco apologised. "They're just…well, they're Slytherins, and that's kind of how Slytherins operate."
"You aren't operating like that," Missy commented slyly.
"Well, I have a slightly different goal than they do," he replied.
"Oh? And what is your goal? And what is theirs, for that matter?" she asked, with a coy glance at him as they walked up the stairs to the fourth floor.
"Well, their goal is to test you out, to see if you are worthy to be associated with. I'm afraid you'll never be good enough for Pansy, though you might win Blaise over, once you reveal the mystery of your parentage," Draco clarified.
"So you believe me that I come from a good family?" Missy asked, surprised.
Draco shrugged. "I have no reason not to believe you, I guess. You say you come from a good family, then you come from a good family."
"And what about your goal?" she teased. "What is it you want from me?"
They had reached the spot where her door would open. Draco turned to her and braced one hand against the wall next to her head, essentially trapping her between the wall and his body. 'A rock and a hard placed indeed,' Missy thought as her breathing quickened, and she risked meeting his eyes with her own, and became entranced. His own eyes were fixed on her lips, and his other hand came up to cup her cheek. "I don't know what exactly I want just yet," he said softly. "But it involves you. I'll be sure to let you know as soon as I figure it out."
With that, he pushed away from the wall, turned and walked back to the stairs. Missy was left breathing hard, her heart pounding in her chest. "Wow," she breathed. "Good thing I don't have that inter-house rivalry to worry about."
She tapped the bricks and pulled on the sconce that would allow her entrance to her room. In a trance, she walked to the bedroom and flopped backwards onto the bed, sighing. She had just enough energy to change into her pjs, crawl under the covers, and hope that she wouldn't wake up back in her old bed before sleep claimed her.