A/N: I promised you a long chapter – so here you go. Read and review!
Disclaimer: JK Rowlings owns everything (and she can keep Snape as far as I'm concerned…)
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"First years over here!" A loud voice bellowed. Veronica looked up at the enormous man in awe. He was truly humongous, at least eight feet tall and about half as wide. Wild, frizzled dark hair framed his face, and his beard hung down from his chin in matted locks. Suddenly spotting his friends in the crowd of students, his face broke into a wide grin. He stomped over heavily in his enormous boots.
"Harry!" Hagrid beamed widely. "How nice ter see yeh! An' Ron an' Hermione…" His voice trailed off as he eyed Veronica. She just stared back up at the half-giant in amazement. "Is she…?"
Harry just nodded. "We have a lot to tell you, Hagrid," He said.
They crossed the drawbridge and entered the Hogwarts castle. As they stepped into the massive Great Hall, Veronica looked around in wonder. Four long tables, crowded with students, met her eyes, with a large head table on a raised platform in the front of the room. Golden platters were laden with mouth -watering food, and golden goblets were filled with delicious drinks. Veronica lifted her eyes in an upward gaze. The very roof of the hall seemed to open out into the sky; she could see the stars twinkling above like studded diamonds in the dark night.
"Look the Sorting has begun," Hermione pointed to the line of first years, which waited apprehensively for their judgment. The old hat sat in its place of honor, upon a pedestal. A very scared first year girl sat in a chair next to it. A stern witch, her hair in a tight knot at the nape of her neck, solemnly placed the hat on the girl's head. Veronica started as the hat shouted out a second later.
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
"That's how they sort everyone into different houses," Harry explained. Veronica nodded. They had briefly told her about the different houses at Hogwarts on the train ride over. She could see the whole Weasley family and all of the party guests sitting in the Gryffindor table, the huge red and yellow banner flying above them. She turned to gaze at the Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin tables. From what she gathered, Harry and his friends didn't seem to like the Slytherin crew very much. As she looked them over, she noticed a pale, blonde guy with a pointed handsome face looking at her in mild interest.
"Maybe you should go talk to Dumbledore?" Ron suggested. He pointed to the Headmaster, an old wizard, with a snow-white beard and long pointy nose, who sat at the head table. Veronica nodded, and tiptoed over, trying not to make a disturbance during the sorting ceremony. She approached the table, as the sorting hat assigned a tall blonde girl to Ravenclaw.
"Ah Veronica," Dumbledore greeted her. His moon-shaped spectacles flashed in the torchlight. "How lovely of you to join us."
"Hello, sir," Veronica tried to keep her voice low. "I am glad to be here too. I am just sort of confused about what I should do…"
"You don't have to do anything," Dumbledore sounded mildly amused. "Yet. You have already made the choice to come here; that is the important thing. But sometimes waiting is the hardest part…"
Veronica nodded, wanting to appear as if she understood his words of wisdom. "Uh, I wanted to ask you something," she continued. "I'm a little concerned about this… I mean I was supposed to go to Eton…and obviously I am not there…."
Dumbledore dismissed her worries with a wave of his hand. "Don't trouble yourself with that! It is all taken care of. Fortunately, I know the headmaster of Eton quite well," His gray eyes twinkled. "Excellent chap…though I don't know why he didn't want to teach here…must be the food…" Veronica didn't quite know what to say to this, so she said nothing.
The line of first years was dwindling down to the last few students. Veronica watched as Zurich, Chad was sorted into Slytherin. As he took his seat, Dumbledore stood up, raising his hands to silence the students.
"Welcome back!" He beamed at the assembly. "I hope that summer has treated you all well…and that you all have forgotten all that you have learned last year…. it's the only way to keep our fine professors on their toes. Before you eat, I must make three announcements. First, sample the treacle tart, it really is quite exquisite…prepared by our excellent kitchen staff…"
Veronica heard Hermione grunt rather audibly, and say something that sounded like "slave labor." She saw Ron and Harry groan.
"And second," Dumbledore continued. "We will be having another ball this year…think of it as a kind of a welcome back celebration. It will be held two months from now." The Great Hall exploded with conversation.
"And finally," Dumbledore paused, waiting for everyone to quiet down. "We have a new student among our midst…all the way from America…I'd like you all to welcome Veronica."
The great hall buzzed with excited whispers. Everyone craned their heads around to get a better look, and some in the back of the hall actually stood up. Veronica stood, very conscious of all the attention she was getting. She fidgeted sheepishly.
"Where is she going to live?" A second year Ravenclaw shouted out.
"Will she be sorted?" A fifth year Hufflepuff added.
"No." Dumbledore gave Veronica a pointed look. "I think it will just be her choice."
"I choose Gryffindor, then." Veronica said automatically. The Gryffindor table cheered loudly. "So it will be." Dumbledore nodded. Veronica took that as a symbol to take her seat. She was engulfed by a bombardment of enthusiastic questions.
"Are you going to be staying here?" Katie Bell asked.
"No just this year." Veronica chewed on a forkful of chicken and swallowed. "I am doing this exchange program…to compare schools abroad with my home school."
"Weren't you at the Harry's party at the Burrow?" Dean Thomas asked, suspiciously.
"Yeah she was staying with me this summer," Hermione answered quickly before anyone could connect Veronica with the Weasleys. Ron looked at her gratefully.
"Are you from Flemstag?" Neville Longbottom asked excitedly. Veronica nodded. "Wow! My grandmother has friends there! Salem is really fantastic…"
But he was cut of by another round of questions. By the time dinner was over, Veronica felt rather exhausted. She followed Harry, Ron, and Hermione up the rickety staircase, almost tripping on one of its missing steps. As she walked down the long hallways, Veronica couldn't help but gazing at the huge portraits that were in constant motion, and the suits of armor that seemed to shift and creak on their own. She almost had a heart attack, as Nearly Headless Nick flew suddenly through a closed doorway, and sailed straight through her.
"I beg your pardon," he apologized as Veronica caught her breath. "But tell me…did I really scare you?" He peered down at her anxiously.
"Yes, you definitely did," Veronica assured him.
"Well," the ghost seemed to swell up with pride. "Well! That a way to brighten a chap's day! You see," he explained. "I am only nearly headless, so usually I don't scare people quite as much as a ghost of my sort should."
"Ah yes, of course," Veronica replied quickly. She hurried to catch up with her friends, no really wanting to see how the ghost was "nearly" headless. They halted before the Gryffindor Tower, looking up at the portrait of the fat lady.
"What's the password?" Ron asked.
"Oh right," Hermione pulled something out of her bag. It was a badge with a large P on it. She pinned it to her robes. "With everything that has been happening, I almost forgot that I was made a prefect! The password is Huddleberry!" The door swung open. The four of then stepped in to the common room, and collapsed into the plush sofas and stuffed chairs. The rest of their fellow housemates trickled in. Veronica decided she wanted to get away from the crowd for a while. She asked Hermione where the bedrooms were.
"Oh the girls' suites are up here," she said. She led Veronica up another staircase. "I suppose you be staying here with us…" Hermoine pushed open the door. "Oh good," she said. "They have added another bed." Veronica set her bag down on the big four-poster bed. A mirror was stuck to the wall next to it, and there was a large window on the opposite wall.
"Lavender and Parvati also live here," Hermione explained, gesturing to the other beds. "They are nice enough – I'm sure you'll be seeing a lot of them." She looked sympathetically at Veronica. "You seem tired. But I think that I am going to head back downstairs, though…"
"Oh that's cool – go ahead. I think I am going to bed now actually." Veronica yawned. Hermione left, and Veronica lay back on the bed. The mattress was soft, and the comforter warm. It wasn't long before she was in a deep sleep.
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"Double potions," Harry groaned. "With Slytherin…"
Hermione sighed. "Isn't that what always happens."
Ron growled. "You'd think they would have given Snape the sack already…that horrid, greasy git."
Veronica trotted behind them. They had decided that it would be good if she went to classes with them once in a while, to keep up the pretense that she was an exchange student. The trick was to make sure that she didn't have to do anything magical. It had been almost an entire day…and so far it her rouse had worked with varying success. Hermione had advised her to be careful and never to come to class with them when they had a quiz, and to only participated in hands on projects if she was partnered with one of Harry's friends.
But she had yet to brave the class of Severus Snape.
"So I should just stand watch and take notes for my…research?" Veronica inquired. She had a quill and a long piece of parchment paper in hand. So far she had been telling everyone that she was doing an extensive comparison of Hogwarts to her school back at home. It had helped to quell the suspicions of the more curious students.
"Yeah, but be careful with Snape," Harry warned her. "He can be quite nasty."
Veronica disliked the dark dungeon almost immediately upon
entering it. It was dank, damp, and stuffy. But it seemed like it was Snape's
natural habitat. Veronica stared up at the sallow Potions Master, with his dark
greasy hair and cold eyes, in distaste.
"Ah the famed American student." His voice dripped with sarcasm. "I have heard so much about you. How nice of you to join us." He eyed her writing materials. "And I see that you are prepared for your…research project…" Veronica shivered. She got the uncomfortable feeling that Snape could somehow read her mind and pierce through all of her disguises. She took a seat next to Ron.
"So," Snape eyed his class critically. "I take it that you all have forgotten what precious little you learned last year…I don't suppose that anyone actually bothered to study during the summer." Hermione leaned forward eagerly in her seat. "I would surprise me therefore, if anyone can tell me what a neutrallias potion is?"
Hermoine's hand shot up, but Snape ignored it. "Neville!" He barked. Neville Longbottom squeaked as he jumped in his seat. He was mortally afraid Snape. "I-I d-don't know, Professor Snape, sir," he stammered.
"Of course you don't," Snape snarled. "Ten points from Gryffindor." Nelville whimpered. Snape surveyed his students. Except for Hermione, who was waving her hand around like a flag, all of the class stared back with blank expressions. His cold gaze fell on Veronica. His thin mouth broke into a smirk. "Perhaps, the new student can tell us." His eyes flickered strangely. Harry went quite pale.
But Veronica surprised them all. "Well," she said slowly. "I could be wrong…but seeing as neutrallias sounds a lot like neutral…could it be some kind of neutralizing potion? Like to… I don't know…make some kind of solution less harmful or something?"
Snape's mouth was set in a thin line. "Correct." He shot an angry glance at Hermione. "Next time let people answer the questions without any help, Miss. Granger."
"She wasn't even sitting next to her," Harry muttered.
"Would you like to add something, Potter?" Snape said slowly. He hated Harry more than anyone. Harry shook his head. "Good." Snape proceeded to explain how the potion worked. Harry leaned across Ron to whisper to Veronica.
"Well done," he said. "How did you know that?"
"I took chemistry last year," she shrugged. "It was a logical guess."
"Potter!" Harry's head snapped up. Snape was glaring at him again. "It would seem that the Great Harry Potter has no need for the neutrallias solution, and would rather waste his time flirting." Harry flushed crimson as the Slytherins roared with laughter. Veronica noticed the blonde boy she had seen before in the Great Hall. "Detention…and twenty points from Gryffindor." Snape growled.
The injustice of it all made Veronica wince. "No sir!" She insisted, jumping up. "It was me…I asked him a question. Don't take anymore points away."
Snape glared at her. "So I suppose that you already know all there is to know about potions…surely it my class is not worthy enough for you to take down in your notebook." A slow smile spread across his thin face. "Well, we are blessed then to have one among us with so much wisdom. Why don't you demonstrate for the class exactly how this potion works?"
"Sir…!" Harry sprang to his feet.
"You can't…" Ron protested.
"You don't understand…!" Hermione said anxiously.
"Sit down!" Snape roared. "All of you. And you," He extended a bony finger to point at Veronica. "Come here."
Veronica gulped, and walked to the front of the room. She stood in front of a large iron cauldron. Within she could see a green liquid bubbling. Strewn across the desk were various vials and containers of different ingredients. "Well," Snape said tauntingly. "What are you waiting for?" Having not the faintest idea what she was supposed to do, Veronica dumped the various liquids and animal parts into the cauldron at random. She looked up when she was finished.
"You seem to have forgotten the finishing incantation…" Snape said testily.
"Oh yeah…" Veronica shook desperately as she tried to sound nonchalant. "What was it again…?"
"Say expecto neutrallias!" Hermoine yelled out. Snape glared at her warningly.
"Oh right…" Veronica leaned over the cauldron and said the spell in a loud, authoritative voice. Hermione groaned.
"Oh no," She moaned. "Not only did she put all of the ingredients in wrong…she can't do magic so the finishing spell didn't do anything…the potion is supposed to be clear not purple!"
Snape seemed to be well aware of that fact. He produced a vial of bluish liquid from inside of his robes. Hermoine gasped.
"No you can't … she'll grow a beard…."
But Snape was merciless. "Sit down Miss Granger!" He bellowed, as the Slytherins howled with laughter. "She will not be affected…if the potion works as it should…" The Slytherins leered evilly. Snape took two drops from the bubbling cauldron and dropped them into the vial. "Drink," he commanded, handing it to Veronica.
"We'll have to take her to Madam Pomfrey," Hermione sighed in an undertone. "What a horrid man…"
Veronica knew she had no choice. She held the vial to her lips and took it all in at one gulp. The stuff tasted horrible, and she shuddered as it slid down her throat. She expected that at any minute, she would be sprouting a beard. She dreaded the fact that Harry would have to see her like that…and the fact that it would be blatantly obvious to everyone that she didn't know any magic at all…
She waited for a few seconds. But nothing happened.
Snape stared openmouthed at Veronica for half of a minute. "Well, well done Veronica, looks like you got it right after all," Harry grinned. But Hermione looked perplexed. "I just don't understand…" she muttered as the rest of the Gryffindors sniggered at Harry's comment.
"That will be enough Potter!" Snape screeched. "And for that… you will all have a pop quiz, right now, on the neutrallias solution and its various uses." His eyes gleamed with satisfaction as he saw the horrified looks on the faces of his students. "You heard what I said! Out with a quill and some paper. Now!" Everyone quickly bent his or her head down in concentration.
"Oh my dear Lord!" Veronica exclaimed as they finally left potions and hour later. "You guys all have my deepest respect. How can you put up with that?" She shook her head. "He is just so disgruntled …aren't you afraid that he will like attack you in your sleep or something…?"
"I wouldn't put it past him," Harry said wearily.
"And that pop quiz!" Hermione eyes widened in horror. "I
just couldn't figure out the answers to two of them!"
"TWO?" Ron spat out. "Two? Try the whole thing! It was
impossible."
"Let's just forget about it," Harry sighed. "Look, Ron, Divination's next. That should lift our spirits."
"Right." Ron rolled his eyes.
"Well I've got Arithmancy," Hermione said. "I'll see you all later!" She marched off across the hall, her bushy hair flying behind her. Veronica was mildly interested in what Divination would be so she went along with Harry and Ron. After climbing the stairs for what seemed like hours, the reached the high tower where Divination was held. She coughed, nearly choking, as she entered the smoky room. Sitting down on a couch between Harry and Ron, she tried to peer through the mist.
Professor Trelawney suddenly floated out of the shadows. To Veronica, it seemed like she looked like an insect. Her emerald earnings glittered along with her exotic robes, and her enormous glasses magnified her eyes to twice their normal size. She paused dramatically and then spoke in a soft distant voice.
"Welcome my students. All summer have dwelt in the realm of trance, peering through the misty veils of time with the Inner Eye…how nice it is to return to the physical world…"
Veronica suddenly burst out with laughter. Harry felt rather proud of her. "Is she for real?" She hissed.
"Ah," Professor Trelawney's bug-like eyes focused on her. "It has been foretold that we will have a new one among us…and here she sits." She shook her head, clucking her tongue. "I do not sense much of a aura about you dear…" She sighed regretfully.
"How very perceptive," Ron snorted, whispering to Harry. "I am so very happy that this is our last class!"
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"So the Ball is coming up." Lavender Brown flopped down on a couch next to Hermione in the Gryffindor common room, looking kind of flushed. It was about a month and a half later and the ball was the big topic of conversation.
"Hmmmm," Hermione, mumbled. Her nose was buried in a book for Transfiguration. Lavender ripped the book from her hand.
"Hey!" Hermione protested. But Lavender would have none of it.
"How can you possibly study at a time like this? The ball is almost a week away! Who are you going with?"
"I don't know," Hermione said exasperatedly. She grabbed her book back.
"Oh, go with Victor!" Parvati Patil squealed joining them. Veronica sat down next to her. "Who's Victor?" She asked curiously.
"This boy that I know…" Hermione answered vaguely.
"Who also happens to be famous, and handsome, and smart, and older," Lavender rattled off Victor's positive qualities excitedly. "Oh Hermione! Ask if he will come."
"Oh I couldn't possibly," Hermione shook her head. "His Quidditch team is on tour right now…probably halfway across the continent…"
"Well who else could she go with…?" Lavender pursed her lips, thinking.
"Oh I don't know…perhaps a certain someone…" Parvati winked.
"A certain…red-headed someone…."
"Do you mean Ron?" Veronica exclaimed. Her eyes widened. "Hermione! I didn't know you had a thing for Ron…"
"I do not have a thing for Ron!" She asserted rather shrilly. "We are friends!"
But Veronica's face had already broken into a grin. "Ron is a really nice guy you know…"
Hermione just shook her head, and buried her nose back into her book, trying to ignore the giggles of her roommates.
Ironically, Harry, Ron and Dean were having a conversation about the same topic across the room.
"So do you reckon you're going to the ball Harry?" Dean asked.
Harry shrugged, nodding. "Yeah, I think so."
"Going to ask someone?"
"If by someone you mean Veronica…" Ron said meaningfully. Dean looked impressed.
"Yes, I probably will ask her," Harry said coolly. "What about you Ron…"
Ron flushed crimson. "Uh…I reckon I'll ask someone…"
"What about Hermione," Harry smirked. "She is a girl after all…"
Ron flushed even brighter. "Well maybe I will and maybe I won't…"
"Won't what?" Fred asked. He had just entered the common room with his twin and a lot of the other seventh years.
"Ask someone to the ball," Dean supplied.
"Ah Ronny boy, you're still squeamish with the ladies, I see," Ron's ears looked as if they were going to burn up. Fred ran his fingers through his hair. "Need I show you again how easy it is? Watch this." He leaned against the wall. "Hey woman!" He bellowed across the room to Angelina who was standing by the fireplace.
She looked up at Fred like he was crazy. "You did not just call me woman, did you?"
"So going with me to the ball, right?"
"Not if you ask me like that!" She replied cuttingly. With a pointed look she left the room.
"I was only joking…hold on Angelina…you can't possibly believe I was serious…" Fred dashed off after her.
"And we have yet another triumph for the ever-charming Fred Weasley," George laughed. "Do what he does, and you'll have to beat the girls off with a stick…" He gave his brother a friendly whack on the back. But Ron did not look convinced.
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"Harry…" Hermione's voice was like death. Her face was pale, and her hand was trembling as she held the piece of paper in it. "Can you please tell me what this funny looking letter is?"
"It's an A-, Hermione," Harry said slowly.
They had finally gotten the quizzes back that they took in Potions in the beginning of the year. It had taken Snape so long to hand them back that everyone had hoped he had simply forgotten about them. Unfortunately that did not prove to be the case. It was more likely that he was waiting for the perfect timing…a time when he felt particularly nasty and wanted to bring everyone down a couple of notches.
"Oh come off it, Hermione!" Ron said annoyed. "You got 18 out of 20 – so you only missed two. That's not that bad." Needless to say, he had come out a lot worse.
"An A-!" Hermione said again. It seemed to be the only thing she could say.
"Yeah, Hermione, you got the highest grade in the class by far…if Snape were fair at all he would have curved it…and you would have gotten an A+ for sure…" Harry was trying to comfort his friend, but it really didn't seem to be working.
"An A-," she muttered swaying slightly on her feet. Ron looked at her, worried.
"Herm," He commented. "You don't look so great…perhaps you should go to the nurse…?"
"No," She tottered on her feet, looking around dazedly. "Must find Snape…need extra credit…lost points…"
"Honestly," Ron spat out. "You are ridiculous. So you aren't always perfect…get over it!"
Hermione's stared back at Ron with a mix of shock and hurt. Her brown eyes looked as if they were about to fill with tears. Then she whipped around suddenly and stormed off down the hall. Ron, looking guilty, ran after her.
"Will she be ok?" Veronica asked Harry.
"I think so…" Harry shrugged. "I wish I had gotten 18 out of 20."
It was lunchtime so they headed over to the Great Hall. Harry cleared his throat.
"So there is this ball coming up," he said. He looked at Veronica. "And I would be honored," He was careful to be polite after Fred's fiasco. "If you would go with me."
"But of course, I would love to," She said, jokingly imitating his polite manner.
Harry's face broke into a smile. "So this will be our second date then…hopefully nothing will happen like last time…"
Veronica leaned forward and gave him a small peck on the cheek. "I can't wait," she said.
Harry felt that he couldn't wait either.
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Ron found Hermione in the library about fifteen minutes later. She was sitting at one of the tables, an enormous amount of potions books spread out around her. He cleared his throat, and she looked up.
"I just want to say that I'm sorry," he said quickly.
"Oh it's ok," she said distractedly. "Snape is letting me make up the two points."
"How?" Ron asked suspiciously.
"Oh I have to do three feet…on the polyjuice potion…"
"Three feet!" Ron shook his head. "Hermione, for two points? Is it worth it?"
"Yes!" Hermione sounded exasperated.
"Sometimes I just don't get you," Ron sat down next to her. "I mean, what are you trying to prove?"
"I'm not trying to prove anything!" She insisted.
"Well it seems like you are…I mean you're the smartest person in the entire school…there isn't a spell you can't do…you're a much better witch than anyone I know…" Ron trailed off blushing furiously. Hermione's eyes softened at the unexpected string of compliments. "I mean there is no need for this!" Ron burst out.
"Why thank you Ron," Hermione smiled, genuinely flattered. "And I mean, its just that I want to do well…every since I started here I've wanted to excel…" She trailed off, thinking.
"Well now that you say that," she mused. "Maybe it is true that I want to prove something. There are all of these people here who have wizards in their families generations back…. and then I've only got two dentists for parents…I guess I want to show everyone that I can be just as good as they are, even if I am muggle born."
"But you're better than all of them," Ron said softly. At that moment he was struck by how truly beautiful she was. He wished desperately that he could tell her how he felt about her…. but he knew that he couldn't bring himself to do it. "So are you still going to do the paper?"
"Of course," she replied. But her soft brown eyes were twinkling. She bent back down over the parchment paper. Ron stared at her for a few moments, trying to build up the courage for what he wanted to do.
"So…ah…I hear there is this ball." He said it as if it wasn't a well -known fact.
Hermione looked up at him suspiciously.
"And I mean, Harry of course is going to go with Veronica. And it would look foolish if we didn't go along with them. And I mean usually these things are supposed to be loads of fun, aren't they?" Ron said this all in one breath. "And I mean you are a girl…"
"That's what they say," Hermione cut in with a dry voice.
"So…um yeah. So wouldyougowithmetotheball?" He spat this all out and then stared down at his shoes.
"Yeah, Ron I would like that." She answered slowly. Ron looked up surprised. But Hermione was nodding, the faint beginnings of a smile at the corner of her lips.
"Nice!" Ron said happily. "I mean," He cleared his throat. "Of course…we would only be going as friends…"
"Oh of course," Hermione nodded empathically. "Definitely as friends."
They sat there nodding and staring at each other. Ron suddenly felt very awkward. "Ah - so yeah…better run…got to…uh…go do some things," he ended lamely. He got up and hurried out of the library. Hermione returned to her paper, but she was unable to wipe the silly grin off of her face.
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Veronica walked through the halls, trying to remember where the library was. She needed to return the copy of Hogwarts, A History that Hermione had recommended she read. She felt like she was going crazy, because the hallways had definitely changed since the last time she walked through them.
She nearly crashed into a boy who was headed in the opposite direction.
"Sorry!" She exclaimed quickly. Looking up she realized that it was the blonde Slytherin boy who she had noticed before. He stood over her, his dark Hogwarts robes making him seem paler than ever. His steel gray eyes bored down on her. "Hi, have we met?" She asked.
"No, but I've seen you before," he had a lazy, drawling voice. He held out a hand, and Veronica took it. He pulled her up off of the ground. "I'm Draco," he paused for emphasis. "Draco Malfoy."
"Hi Draco," she said pleasantly. "Do you have any idea where the library is? I'm kind of lost…"
"Of course," he said, nodding. "Follow me."
They walked down the passageway. "American aren't you?" Draco asked breaking the silence.
"Oh yes, I am," Veronica nodded. "I live near Salem."
"Ah Salem…right. A lot of old, respectable wizarding families there, I hear. What's your surname again?"
"I mean I go to school near Salem…I actually live out in California," Veronica fumbled. She suddenly knew instinctively that this was definitely not a time for her true identity to slip out.
"But both of your parents are wizards, aren't they?" Draco glanced at her intently.
"Oh yeah, of course," she nodded, lying. Draco seemed to approve. His light eyes narrowed as his mouth curled up into a half-grin. "I come from a long line of wizards."
"Ah well then, you should have chosen Slytherin," Draco said regretfully. He looked at her with that strange gleam in his eyes again. "We value those sorts of things…in fact I really wish you had chosen Slytherin." Veronica felt uncomfortable not knowing exactly what that was supposed to mean. "Yeah, isn't that the library?" They were now standing by the entrance. She hoped he would take the hint and leave.
Draco gazed at her, a slow smile flickering across his pale face. "I must say…you are quite beautiful. I noticed you as soon as you walked in the Great Hall…there are so few pretty pure blood girls left these days…" Veronica shivered as he regarded her with a desiring gaze. Not necessarily because he was unattractive, his pale looks did sort of have a gothic appeal. She just was unnerved by his overt bigotry and cynicism. "I was wondering if you would go with me to the ball?"
"Oh, I'm sorry. I can't – I'm already going with someone."
Draco's face fell. "Well who is the lucky chap?" He said with forced coolness.
"Harry," She answered. "Harry Potter." Little did she know the anger that name would cause Draco.
"Potty?" Draco spat out furiously. He took a deep breath to regain control and then shook his head. "Veronica dear…you must learn to spend your time here the right way…the people he hangs around with! That Weasel prat he calls a friend is so poor his parents had to go hungry for a month to buy him a decent wand…" Veronica's face flushed as she remembered how kindly the Weasleys had treated her over the summer. "And that Mudblood Know-it-all Hermione Granger…both of her parents are common muggle dentists! You need to associate with better people."
Veronica stared at him aghast.
"Why are you going with Potty anyway," Draco continued. "Its not because he's famous, is it? He really isn't all that he is made out to be…"
Veronica hadn't known Harry was famous, but at that point she was too annoyed to care. "Well of course I always base my relationships on superficial values," Her voice was like ice and it dripped with sarcasm.
Draco smirked. "Well then all the more reason to go with me." He raised an eyebrow.
"I mean when I saw how nice and expensive Harry's broom was, I knew he was the one for me." Rolling her eyes, Veronica decided it was time to leave and walked into the library. She could hear Draco yelling behind her.
"I've got a nice broom too you know! In fact I'm the seeker of my House team…"
Veronica just shook her head.
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Phew! Well review, review, review! Next part soon! Oh and one more this…. check out my other fic The Cat's Locket. Tell me what you think about it. It's an original fantasy story…I would love to get feedback from you all!