Disclaimer: Do not own the Wonderful World of Harry Potter… is not making any money from my writings… DO NOT LIKE that Rowling has killed Sirius Black and have chosen to pointedly ignore that certain fact, allowing him to make an appearance here…

Note to readers: your reviews are welcome in only these types of formats: praise, gushing, skepticism, flames, anger, denial, repulse/disgust, and I suppose constructive criticism can be entertained as well…

A/N: Thank you again for the reviews and not minding me making Neville a leftie ;-p… just a quickie, this chapter is a bit angsty… only a tad… a bit short as well, but I will try my best with the next, kay?

Priestess of black Magic: oh, the S/M bit is not till sometime, if you wanna, you can read another fic from me abt Snape and McGonagall, called A night of passion gone awry… y'know while waiting and all… but I assure you, if you hang around just a little bit longer the S/M bit will not disappoint..;-)

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The next time anybody had seen Jessica again was during lunchtime. All the other students had already assembled in the great hall and were enjoying the food, when she sauntered in. She sat down at the end of the table, far from the others and started to munch on her turkey sandwich. However, she almost spat it out when Hermione slid into the seat in front of her.

"Hi, where have you been?" she asked. Jessica ignored her. Hermione didn't give up.

"Harry, Ron and I are going to spend the afternoon at the library. Wanna join?" she asked again. What is this woman daft or something? I'd rather face a firing squad! She thought and put down her sandwich.

"And spend the day studying… I think not," Jessica replied tartly.

"That's okay. There are so many things to do here at Hogwarts," she said and began listing all the things Jessica could do. Jessica buried her face in her hands. Why couldn't she have learnt a spell that would get rid of annoying roommates?

This, much to her consternation and horror, continued all through the week. In the room, Jessica would fall asleep to Hermione's droning voice. Outside Gryffindor tower, wherever Jessica looked, there was Hermione either waving to her or coming over. Jessica couldn't run, couldn't hide. Hermione had the whole place covered. She must be in alliance with that stupid poltergeist, Jessica thought. There was no way any one could find her so quickly. She even swallowed her pride and confronted Harry and Ron.

"All right, spit it out," she said one evening in the Gryffindor common room. Miraculously, Hermione wasn't there. The two looked at her, one warily, the other hostile.

"Spit what out?" said Ron, the hostile one.

"What is your girlfriend trying to accomplish?" she spat, her temper starting to rise.

"She's only trying to be friends with you," said Harry, the wary one.

"Friends? She's bloody hell stalking me. I can't turn a corner without her popping in my face like some neurotic imbecile," she said. Ron stood up and faced her, his eyes glinting.

"What the hell is your problem? She's only trying to be nice. Would you like me to recommend a doctor to remove that stick from up your ass?" he cried out. The two stared at each other, but then Jessica broke into a lazy grin.

"My, my, my, he does have a functional brain. I could've sworn you were just an extension of Hermione. Let me make this straight, keep your girlfriend out of my face and I'll keep out of yours," she said the last bit with venom before exiting the room. Ron stood trembling with anger.

"Bloody hell. It's like the female Malfoy," he said. Harry didn't say anything but somehow he couldn't completely agree with Ron.

Harry didn't and couldn't understand her. With Ron, Hermione, himself or any of the other students she was hostile, bitter, and unable to speak without spitting out sarcasm. But when there was a hand needed she was there offering hers. He thought back to the time when a first year girl had tripped and fallen, scattering her books about. All the others just passed her by, but Jessica had helped pick up the girls' books and even wrapped a hanky around the girls' scraped knee. And her patience in teaching Neville was little more than a miracle. Harry loved Neville like a brother but honestly, Neville could drive a Pope up the wall. She was Gryffindor material, until she opened her mouth. Then, she little miss bitch again.

There was also another thing Harry couldn't understand. The more she dissed him and his friends, the more he couldn't get her out of his mind.

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Time passed by moving neither too fast, nor too slow. Jessica remained the Jessica, and had even learnt to curb her tongue during classes. But like sunshine during winter, it didn't last long and resulted in Jessica learning an important lesson; that it is not wise to jump over a wall without knowing what lies behind it. This particular lesson was learnt in no other place but… Potions class. It was a normal day in Snape's potion class. Nothing out of the ordinary, just Gryffindor losing points after points for the stupidest of mistakes. Jessica had already lost twenty points for stirring a mixture clockwise, when he had supposedly said to stir it counter clock wise. His unfairness had always bugged her but today it just stung at her nerves making them very raw and very tight.

"Longbottom you dunderhead! Can't you do anything right?" screamed Snape at Neville. It was a normal sight, happens in every potions class, so in a way the students were used to it. But for Jessica, that was the last straw.

"If he's doing it wrong, it's because YOU can't teach right!" she yelled suddenly at Snape, her dark eyes glinting angrily as she looked at him over her cauldron. The class became deathly silent. Snape turned to her, his face purple with anger, and a vein visibly throbbed in his left temple.

"What did you say?" he said quietly, sparks of fire in his eyes. Hermione motioned for Jessica to keep quiet. It'll freeze in hell before she cowers before him.

"I said," She enunciated loudly, "if he can't do it right, it's because you can't teach!"

"50 points from Gryffindor for insolence," he said. The Gryffindors gasped.

"You're nothing but a big bully, and I am not scared of you," she continued. She will not back down. Day after day, she had to sit quietly and let Neville be bullied by this poor excuse for a teacher while the other 'pure hearted, true Gryffindors' turn the other way. Not this time. She looked at him defiantly.

"Say one more word and I'll take 50 points more," he said, his tone lowered till it was nothing but a whisper.

"One-more-word!" she said and stuck her chin out at him. His eyes widened in anger and disbelief. All his years in Hogwarts never has he met such insolence.

"100 points from Gryffindor!" he roared, his anger too great to control. The bell ending the end of the lesson saved more points from being taken. Snape walked out, still very angry, and Jessica slammed her book shut, not at all realizing that Neville had nearly run off, his face contorted in pain.

"Have you gone completely insane?" Hermione cried as she walked up to her. Jessica ignored her and continued packing her stuff. She was still sizzling and the last thing she wanted was to have a fight with her roommate. But Hermione wasn't going to let go easily.

"100 points, just like that? I know you don't like being here, but at least be a little considerate. One hundred points down, we'll never be able to win the house cup at this rate. Of all the selfish~" Jessica slammed her book on the table, rattling the table. She turned to Hermione, angrier than ever.

"SELFISH! I'm selfish!? How about you!? In your greed to get the cup you've completely abandoned any sense of humanity, of justice! What happened to all Gryffindors are brave and pure of heart. Willing to lend a helping hand!? That man was about to slice Neville to pieces and you just sat and did nothing! And you know what's even worst than abandoning a Gryffindor? It's abandoning a friend. If you want to call anyone selfish, start with yourself," she cried. Hermione had started to tear.

"You are so high up in your cloud of perfection, you've forgotten to care. And that makes you worse than I'll ever be!" she continued.

Suddenly, she felt hot tears sting the back of her eyes. She gathered her books again and ran out. I hate this place! She thought, roughly brushing the tears away. She continued running, not knowing where she was heading and not really caring.

A/N/N: oh-uh…