Disclaimer: Yadda yadda yadda...same ol' same ol'..I only own my chars and plot.. I don't own anything of WB or J.K. Rowling.

A/N: ... that poem stank... By the way, thanks to all my reviewers.. ESPECIALLY GWENETH! lol. Thank you for keeping me motivated to keep writing. I LOVE YOU ALL!

Chapter 19: Door Of Opportunity

Charms class was first, so I had an hour to study for Potions, which came after Charms. How lucky I was that I got no sleep last night. Professor Fllitwick asked me why I was so drowsy, and I told him I was too rambunctious and anxious to sleep last night. He then suggested I go to Madame Pomfrey for some candy to get my blood flowing. I declined, not wanting to get sugar high this early in the day.

Between teaching a new spell and assigning homework, Flitwick didn't notice my attention being drawn to my Potions book. I studied very hard, but learned nothing. Everything flew out of my brain, causing me to give up. I was too tired to care today. Also, my mood was suddenly overcome by crabbiness, and I pitied anyone who got in my way..Excluding Hermione, Ron, and Harry. I'd act kind to them even if I was in a near-death experience..Why? I figured, they were the closest friends I have ever had in my life, and I didn't ever want to risk that.

Unfortunately, the bell rang indicating next class. The chance to skip class came, but my exhaustion made it impossible to do. Entering Potions regretfully, I sat in my seat next to Draco the Freak Ferret. He gave me an exceptionally mean look, but concern for this disappeared. I couldn't care about the people who hated me. If I lived my life caring about my enemies, I'd have the busiest life known to man-kind.

"Maranda," Hermione approached me a few seconds after I entered the classroom, "Are you sure you're alright to stay here?"

I shook my head, "No, but I have to go through with it. What would happen If I tried running away from every problem in my life? I probably wouldn't stop running..Hence, more exhaustion that I don't need."

For some reason, what I said was amusing to 'Mione. She laughed, patted me on the back, and took her seat. Just in time too, for Snape entered the room right when everyone got settled in their chairs again. My grogginess and dream-like state made it hard not to stare in wonder at Professor Snape. Why did he always wear black? If somehow everyone found out that he wore all black except for some white or odd-fluorescent colored underwear, that would be quite ironic. Maybe I should ask him. That would sure cause commotion.

"Before I hand out your tests," Snape began in the front of the room, "I must warn you that all of the questions must be answered with a lot of concentration and understanding. Take everything off of your desk except for your quills and wait until the whole class has a test before you start."

Basically he was saying anyone who was tired was screwed.. That was only me, apparently. Thinking about a way to get out of the test, I realized it was now too late. The test was on my desk, in front of me, staring me in the eyes, waiting for me to panic... Panic...Hey! I could start to panic and ...ok...That was a crappy idea.

"There's twenty-five minutes to complete the test. You may begin." Snape's silky voice was soothing, making me want to sleep right here, right now.

Staring at him yet again, I found I had nothing better to do with my time. He was interestingly mysterious today.. Glancing down at my test paper, I signed my name at the top. The first question jumped at me, but then my tiredness made the words blurry and illegible. There was no way in Satan's Hell that I could attempt at answering any of these questions.

Five minutes went by, and I felt all the more groggy. Exhausticated...My new word..It was a mix of being exhausted and exasperated. My eyelids felt heavy, so I closed them. . . .

"Alright," I awoke with a startle to Snape's voice, "Test time is over. Please keep the test paper out on your desk so I can come around to pick them up. Turn the answer sheet upside-down so no cheating goes on at this time."

Snape hadn't seen me fall asleep for twenty whole minutes? What in the world was going on? Draco obviously saw it, but he was too wrapped up in his own world to bother. I sat up straight in my chair and suddenly felt a rush of panic over me. Snape was collecting the test papers one-by one.. He would see my blank answer sheet and kill me. Damn it!

"Miss Maguire, your paper?" Oh, Snape wanted my paper.. I handed it to him and he stared at the blank answer sheet.

Looking past Snape, I noticed Hermione making motions at me..She was trying to tell me something...

"Where are the answers, Miss Maguire?" Asking me a stupid question, Snape looked from the empty paper to me. He raised an eyebrow and his eyes widened a bit.

Being too 'out of it,' I couldn't get any words out of my mouth, "...uhn.."

"Erm.." Snape, speechless? What was his problem today?

I looked at Hermione again and she was still motioning to me. She put her hand on her chest and with the other hand, pointed her finger to me and then to her chest.

Looking down at my shirt, I realized the neck-line to the peasant top had lowered, revealing a bit of cleavage. "Oops.." Yanking the front of my shirt up, I fixed the problem. The neck-line must've lowered when I took the twenty minute nap. "Believe me, Professor, I didn't mean anything by that little problem. Umm...The answers aren't on the answer sheet.." Changing the subject was an intelligent idea.

"Miss Maguire," Snape cleared his throat, "Did you study last night?"

I lied, "Yes."

"Well, why didn't you answer any questions?"

"I couldn't.." I was too tired to lie again, "I didn't get any sleep last night."

Snape started his usual 'Bashing Maranda' ritual, "It doesn't matter if you get enough sleep. It matters, though, if you study enough to remember what you are doing even if you are tired. Maybe you should spend a little less time worrying about your dramatic life, and start worrying about the things that really matter."

Oddly, Snape made complete sense to me. Was I going mad? If I hadn't spazzed out so much over my poem and Draco, I would've gotten enough sleep and passed the test.

"Naturally, I would defend myself, hence most of our fights. However, you actually make sense.." I took a deep breath and pressed on calmly, "I was really stressed out last night over some stupid thing.. If I had just relaxed for a minute, I'm sure I would've passed the test..Or at least put some answers down."

The class was in awe at my agreeing with Snape. I didn't blame them.

"Miss Maguire, your attitude shows improvement. Yet, your work does not. Your grade will go down because of this test, and I would like to speak to you after class."

Moving on to the next desk, it hit me that Snakey-Snape and I actually had a conversation. Not a long or affective conversation, but one nonetheless. I glanced quickly at Draco to see his reaction. He was ignoring me, but for some reason I felt relieved. I hadn't fought with my worst enemy of a teacher... That was the weirdest thing to experience.

After class, Hermione told me she'd wait for me outside the Potions classroom. I walked up to Snape's desk and waited for him to say something. I was still sleepy, but not as spaced-out as before.

"I only have one thing to say to you, Miss Maguire." Snape spoke and looked me in the eyes.

I found myself reply, "Yes, Professor?"

"I think," He stood up, "you should be tired more often.. You are more cooperative that way."

Laughing a tiny bit, I turned around to walk out of the room as Snape dismissed me. Meeting Hermione in the hall, I told her what he said. She joked and told me he was only being nice because I gave him a free peep show.

"That's gross, 'Mione. But thanks for telling me my shirt was like that." Thanking Hermione, we reached Transfiguration class just before the bell rang. We took our seats and continued our little talk.

"At least you know Snape has a reasonably sane side to him." Joked Hermione.

"I think today opened a door of opportunity for him and I." I blurted, getting an odd look from her.

She laughed, "Opportunity to what?"

"..." I thought, and then said, "...And opportunity to more subtle fights with Snape. Perhaps from now on we will fight with more meaning.."

I looked seriously at Hermione, and then we started to crack up laughing. It took McGonagall several times to get our attention before we stopped giggling. I had more hope growing inside of me. From now on I wouldn't let anything get to me... Nothing at all...