Disclaimer: I own nothing of J.K's but I own my plot and characters.

A/N: Heya..Sorry the last chapter took so long. As I said before, my comp is going crazy. Hope you peeps like this chap. You'er going to be meeting a new character who I made up! (smiles) She is part of the Ravenclaw house but I can't tell you anymore cause I'll ruin everything. By the way.. THANK YOU STEPHIE! and thank you to everyone else who is enjoying this story. I'm too lazy right now to dig your names off of the site.. I'll get back to you on that. lol. raincheck..hey...where are you going? BRING MY SNAPE PICTURE BACK! lol. on with the story.

Chapter 7: Meet Veronica

The dungeons were very chilly this time of night. It was almost six p.m. and Maranda Maguire was on her way, a very speedy way, to Professor Snape's classroom. She didn't want him to yell at her nor give her more time in detention. She seemed to have a knack of getting detentions with the slimey man. She didn't have anything against him except the fact that he slapped her, he looked as though he didn't wash his hair-suggesting he had bad hygene, and that he favored the Slytherins over anyone else.

Now rushing more than ever, Maranda entered Snape's classroom completely exasperated and ready to fall over. Snape rose his head and let out an annoyed sigh. He told Maranda to sit down in one of the front desks and stay silent until further instructions. She sat, of course, and started to shake her leg because of her nerves.

Any minute now, she pondered, He's going to yell at me..I know it...

"Miss Maguire," Snape noticed her shaking legs, "What on Earth are you doing?"

Stuttering, Maranda answered, "Shaking....y-y-yeah..I'm shaking.."

"Why?" He stood up and paced towards her.

"I...I have anxiety sometimes...I'm not making excuses though, It's been proven that I do have anxiety at times."

"Well, stand up. You will be writing on the chalkboard thirty times, 'I will not harm a teacher for any reason.' Now, as for the rest of your punishment for last night, I figure a few more detentions and some community service will do your justice." Snape pointed to the chalkboard, "Now, get going."

Cracking her back, Maranda streched and got up from her seat. She went to the chalkboard and started to write 'I will not harm my teacher for any reason' thirty times. The last few times she wrote the sentence, the classroom door opened. A tall, skinny girl with shiny blonde locks entered the room and carried a pink purse over her shoulder.

"Well, well, well," Snape sneered at the girl, "Miss Veronica Watson, you are beyond twenty minutes late. Your detention started twenty minutes ago, and you can't even ake one minute to check a watch to see what time it is.. Am I right? Were you too busy talking with your little fifth year boyfriend?"

The girl, Veronica, rolled her eyes and walked down the classroom isle, stopping four feet in front of Snape. "For your information," She spoke with a snobby attitude, "I was busy planning my boyfriend's birthday party for next Tuesday. I totally lost my watch and I haven't been on time to anything in like, four days. So, don't keep buggin' out because I'm a few minutes late!"

"Miss Watson, your attitude is the reason you are here in this detention. I would eliminate it immediately if I were you." Snape didn't even notice Maranda was done her sentences.

"You aren't me! That's gotta be the most disgusting thing I've ever like, heard! I would look so ugly if you were me." Veronica obviously was not the quiet type. Nor was she kind.

Pounding his fist on his desk, Snape shouted, "That is enough from you! I am not putting up with your attitude any longer! Get over there and wash those cabinets! When you are done, you may go see Filch to help him sweep the entire first floor."

Rolling her eyes once more, Veronica walked over to the cabinets and put her purse down. She got to work as soon as she found that the bucket and sponge were inside the cabinets. She fetched some water from a sink nearby and soaped up the sponge using a spell from her wand. Meanwhile, Maranda was standing like a statue by the chalkboard.

"I see, Miss Maguire, that you have finished the sentences. Wash all of the empty potion bottles which are located on the table next to where Veronica is. Oh by the way, Veronica, twenty points taken away from Raveclaw." Finishing his speech, Snape sat back at his desk.

Veronica gave Maranda a dirty look when she walked to the table with the potion bottles. Asking for something to wash the bottles with, Maranda waited for the snob to give her a towel or sponge. Veronica gave her a dishevelled towel and a drop of soap on it. As Maranda cleaned the bottles, she realized one of the bottles wasn't completely empty. It was labeled, 'fang-juice.'

Maranda turned to see where Snape was so she could bring the bottle to him. She stepped once and stopped to get a better grip on it. Veronica smiled deviously as she tripped her. The bottle broke as Maranda fell, and all of the bottle's contents spilled out. The floor was turning bright blue. Snape groaned and got up from his seat so fast, the chair tipped over. He pulled Maranda from the floor and pointed at the blue floor, spilled liquid, and broken glass.

"Do you see that?" Snape tried to sound innocent, which made Maranda feel worse, "That is poor responsibility. That broken bottle is proof that you don't take care of anything. That liquid is not, thank Merlin, poison or acid-like. Otherwise we would not be standing on this floor. I want you to go get the mop from Filch's closet, clean this up, and then when you are done you can sit down silently."

Pulling back a laugh, Veronica was satisfied to have made someone else's night worse than it already was.

"Professor Snape, that girl tripped me. Oh nevermind," Maranda stomped her foot and started to walk out of the room, "You never listen to me anyways."

On the way to Filch's office, Maranda thought of how awesome it would be to get rid of all her troubles. She never liked being picked on, but not being believed was worse. She found it especially hard to make Snape listen. He was stubborn and thought of Slytherin as a perfect house. Maranda saw herself in a year rocking back and forth in a mental home. She wanted to go somewhere where no one would bother her. Although she wouldn't like it in an insane asylum, she still wanted to go somewhere no one went. Perhaps she'd find a place to relax at some point.

Reaching the office, Maranda knocked. Filch answered the door and Maranda told him what happened. He frowned and gave her a mop and a bucket. He scolded her and told her to be more careful next time. She made it back to the dungeons and shivered as she returned to Snape's classroom. About ten minutes into her mopping, Maranda cheered in her mind when Veronica left the room to go help Filch with sweeping.

"By the way, Miss Maguire," Snape randomly said, "I know you were tripped. I took ten more points away from Ravenclaw. Miss Watson is nothing but trouble. Almost like you, but worse. However, I've known her longer, so I can't say that you aren't as bad until I see if you get worse. She is the type to trip you and laugh. She is really mad, but I don't find the slightest care. I gave her what punishment she deserved. So, I proved you wrong....I do listen to you."

Speechless, Maranda continued mopping. When she was finished, she poured the dirty water into the sink and wiped the bucket. She rinsed the mop and washed her hands. Taking the clean and dry mop and bucket in her hands, she brought it over to Severus. He instructed Maranda to leave the mop and bucket beside the chalkboard.

"You are dismissed, Miss Maguire. Thank you for your assistance. I expect you will be here tomorrow night, same time. I have more work for you to help with." Said Snape while moving papers around.

Nodding, Maranda walked out of class and shut the door behind her. She would have said farewell, but why should she? Snape was her enemy. Snape was the epitamy of evil on Maranda's chart. He tied with Malfoy. Maranda didn't hate them, but she hated the way they treated her. She wasn't a baby, yet everyone seemed to treat her like one. On top of that, she was treated like dirt. It wasn't a happy life for Maranda Maguire...Not a happy one...

0o0o0o0o

Sunday, oh lackadazical Sunday. A day to curl up and read a great novel. Either that or go searching for a place to relax other than the library. Maranda thought so anyways. She wanted to find a spot in or out of the school to relax. What she didn't know, was that place was nearby. A place of publicity, but privacy; A place of chaos, but serenity; A place of flaws, yet perfection...

Maranda found the garden just outside of the flying lessons area. This was the perfect place to be. Insects buzzed about as butterflies kissed the beautiful tulips and daisies. A large oak tree stood proud and tall as its branches reached out to touch the puffy white clouds. The crisp autumn air entrapped falling leaves in a whirl, falling towards the browned grass. Stepping towards the oak tree, Maranda closed her eyes and smiled. When she opened her eyes, she sat against the tree and opened her romance novel. She started to read when a leaf fell on her open book. Picking it up, Maranda examined it. How was it that one single leaf could look so different from all the others? How could all the leaves be so different yet still the same? They were all once green, prominent, and joyous. Now, as the autumn season was in place, the leaves changed into reds and oranges; their colors even more joyous than before, yet somehow they were depressing..Knowing that they would soon fall from their home, their domain, knowing that they would be trampled on and shredded into itty bitty pieces was a fact that did not settle well with Maranda. It was her life in a nutshell; She was born and lived with her parents until they died. She fell to the orphanage where she began to get trampled on. Now that she was in a new home, the school, she was being ripped to shreds. Funny how metaphorical life was.

Crumpling up the leave in her hand, Maranda blew the remains into the air and watched as they fell next to her.

"You haven't got a chance in the world...Sorry leaves.." She stated before returning to her book.

Time passed and Maranda closed her book. She looked at the sky and noticed it was getting darker outside. She dashed into the school and went searching for a clock. When she found one in the girls' lavatory, she swore loudly. It was six o'clock. She had missed supper, and was about to be screamed at by Snape. Running faster than she could handle, Maranda made it to the dungeons. She threw open the classroom door, and saw Snape sitting at his desk. Panting and breathing heavily, Maranda walked up to his desk.

"I...am....so...sorry...Pro-Pro-Professor." Still catching her breath, Maranda appologized. "I was outside all day reading, and I couldn't find a clock. I even missed supper."

"How many times are you going to make me upset, Miss Maguire?" Snape looked into her nervous eyes. Oh, how nervous she was. Snape went on, "I suppose you want me to forgive you and let you off the hook this time. Sorry to disappoint you, but you are staying here an extra hour tonight. Sit down and don't speak a word."

Giving up, Maranda sat in the first seat of the front row. She put her book on top of the desk and bit her lip. Somethin strange was going on with her; She wasn't in the mood to yell at Snape like she usually did in times like this. She was in the mood to cry and wait for someone to care. But she couldn't cry..After all these years of hiding it, she wouldn't let it happen. Tracing the letters of the book's title, Maranda heard Snape get up from his chair. He walked over to her and saw the book.

"What's this?" He asked, trying to be nosy.

In a quiet tone, she responded, "..My book.."

"Please put it aside." Snape handed her a piece of parchment and a quill, "Write down why you insisted on being late. When you are done writing, raise your hand and I will be over to read it."

"Yes, Professor." Maranda was suddenly feeling very depressed.

Putting the book to the side, Maranda got to work. She took the quill and started to write:

Why I insisted on being late.... I am nothing but a poor little teenage girl who has no money to buy a watch and see what time it is. I am stupid and like to read for some reason. Sorry I like to be alone and quiet sometimes, but it happens. I cannot help that I am stupid and foolish for actually relaxing on a weekend. Sorry for being my idiotic self. Why was I late? Because I am imperfect and make mistakes. I guess I forgot that everyone is so perfect, and I have to be perfect too...Right? Even you, the perfectly angelic Professor, has no flaws. I forgot being imperfect was a crime....That's why I was late.

Raising her hand, Maranda watched as Snape got up from his comfortable chair. She put her hand down and gae him the paper, blushing. She, of all people, was again blushing. Maranda was dead afraid of what Snape was going to say after he read her sarcastic reason.

Taking a deep breath, Snape folded the paper and pocketed it. "Sarcasm is thine enemy.."

"Know thine enemy....I guess I know my enemy then.." Maranda swallowed a lump in her throat, realizing Snape didn't tear her limb from limb yet.

"Your answer wasn't exactly all that nice." He smirked.

Biting her lip again, Maranda said, "Well, neither was the way you acted when I came in."

"Five points from Gryffindor. Next time I ask you to write something, forget the sarcasm. Now, you may leave, but I want you back here tomorrow at seven."

"Alright, Professor Snape." Maranda took her book and left the classroom.

On the way to the Gryffindor common room, Maranda wondered if Snape realized that she used his own weapon against him. Sarcasm was what created Snape. He was all intimidation and sarcasm. She only meant to get to him through what he used. She thought if she used sarcasm one of two things could've happened; Either A.) He would scream like a banchee at her, or B.) He would understand and be nice to her. Neither of her predictions happened. It did, however, fall in the middle. Snape didn't yell, but he wasn't nice about it either.

In a few moments, Maranda made her way to the girl's dormitory and crawled into bed. She looked at the ceiling and let out a quiet whimper. If only, she pondered, If only things went my way for one day. I would be so happy. I just wish I could at least make a friend in this school. That's all I ever want..Just one friend.....