Right then, just a few things before we get started:-

As always, a great big thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter and to those who take the time to read my story. All the reviews are great, I love em.

Ok next- for anyone who was confused by the last few lines of chapter 9 let me explain. There was no explosion, Malfoy was simply referring to the reaction they were about to get from Anna, who at times can have a rather explosive temper. So sorry if it confused anyone else.

And lastly- Ok this is a WARNING, please read before reading the chapter. This chapter does contain bad language. The F-word has been used once, so if you don't like it then you best not read on. Thanks.

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I continued my walk in the beautiful autumn sun, deep in my own little thoughts. The sweet hum of birds song could be heard somewhere in the distance, but everything else seemed a million miles away.

I walked along the the small dirt path singing quietly to myself, still thinking about the stupid dance, when I felt something hit the upper part of my leg, causing a sudden sharp pain which made me squeal.

"OWWWWW" I screamed rubbing the spot that hurt.

I looked all around, then spotted a stone that was at least the size of one of Hagrids rock cakes. I assumed, that the great boulder before me was the cause of my sore leg, and then I spotted the idiots responsible.

"I Should have known" I muttered angrily to myself, as I watched them rolling around and sniggering like fools.

From a few strands of stray hair that dangled in my face, I could see, it had slowly change from lilac to a bright shade of fire red. My brow furrowed, my nose flared and my lips pressed firmly together.

Oh boy, was Malfoy going to have huge piece of my mind.

"MALFOY YOU BLOODY GREAT PRAT, YOU THREW A STONE AT ME YOU STUPID BASTARD." I placed one hand on my hip and the other one was curled tightly into a fist, which I waved around in his direction mincingly.

He held up his hands and gave me an innocent look before smirking deeply.

"DON'T YOU LOOK AT ME LIKE THAT YOU LITTLE TWERP. OH I KNOW IT WAS YOU, YOU GREAT BIG PILLOCK, AND IF I SO MUCH AS GET A BRUISE ON MY LEG, I SWEAR TO MERLIN AND ALL WHO WORSHIP HIM, THAT I'LL GIVE YOU ONE TO BLOODY WELL MATCH IT, ONLY IT WONT QUITE MATCH MALFOY, BECAUSE IT WILL BE A WHOLE LOT BIGGER AND ON THAT OH SO PRECIOUS FACE OF YOURS. YOU STUPID GIT"

I watched on in fury; Malfoy, Zabini and the two goons, (who also went by the names of Crabbe and Goyal) could barley contain themselves from laughing. I even thought at one point that the larger lump out of the two, may very well pass out, his face was slowly turning a brilliant shade purple and it looked like he was having trouble breathing.

"OH YEAH IT'S SOOOO BLOODY HILARIOUS ISN'T IT? WELL IT JUST SHOWS HOW IDIOTIC YOU REALLY ARE, YOU ARSEWHOLES" I glared at them a little while longer "OH AND BY THE WAY, YOU MAY WANT TO TELL THAT FAT LUMP OF LARD SAT NEXT TO YOU, THAT HE DOES ACTUALLY NEED TO TAKE IN OXYGEN AT ALL TIMES, BECAUSE I KNOW THE GREAT OAF IS FAR TO THICK TO REALISE THAT BY HIMSELF. NOT THAT I REALLY GIVE A SHIT, I MEAN, THE LESS OF YOU LOT IN THE WORLD THE BLOODY BETTER. IN FACT WHY DON'T YOU DO US ALL A FAVOUR AND LEAD BY EXAMPLE." I shook my head in irritation and began on my way.

"STUPID BLOODY SLYTHERIN'S" I shouted as I walked by with my nose high in the air.

"OI, DE'LORE" Malfoy's obnoxious voice shouted after me.

Not bothering to even look back in his direction I simply flipped him the middle finger and carried on walking.

"DE'LORE" he shouted again.

"OI, DE'LORE" again and again.

I stopped abruptly and closed my eyes. Taking in a large deep breath, I let it out slowly then turned back around to face them.

"FOR THE LOVE OF MERLIN MALFOY, WHAT NOW?" I snapped getting more and more frustrated.

He smirked then motioned with his hand "Come over here"

I gave him a sceptical look "Pfffft...yeah right, do I look stupid?"

Malfoy snorted, "Do you really want me to answer that De'lore?"

Ok, well I suppose I walked right into that one.

I scrunched up my nose and pulled a silly face at him "Get stuffed"

"Oh come on De'lore, we only want a chat."

"We've chatted more than enough over the past few days, thank you very much."

"Oh come on...just for a few minutes. Look De'lore, this isn't very dignified now is it? Shouting over to one another like this." he then smirked smugly "Besides, if you don't come over here then we'll simply just have to follow you to where ever it is you maybe going."

My fists clenched tightly and I gave low growl "You just try it Malfoy and see what happens."

But despite my warning, I still found myself moodily stomping over in their direction.

"WHAT?" I snapped as I drew level.

Malfoy gently patted at the grass beside him "Take a seat De'lore"

"Ha, I don't think so"

"And why not?" Zabini asked with that sexy grin of his.

"If I had wanted to sit in a nice cosy little group, it would be with people I actually like. And definitely not with you lot...now, if that's all, I have more important things I could be doing."

"Oh come on De'lore, we're bored."

"And that is my problem, how? Go and find something to do, other than annoying the hell out of me."

"But we like annoying you Anna" said Malfoy with an arched eye brow.

"It's De'lore to the likes you...Draco. Only my friends have the privilege of calling me by my first name...and guess what, you aint one."

He smirked again "Come on, ten minutes then you can bugger off...by the way what is it with your hair?" He began to frown in distaste. "It's starting to turn a rather vulgar shade of orange."

I sighed heavily. Oh this was just great!

I placed my hand in my pocket and pulled out my tatty old hair band and quickly tied it back in a messy knot. I know it didn't really hide the fact that I now sported orange hair, but in my own little way of thinking it took the emphasis off it slightly. Boy were Fred and George going to pay! Red, blue and lilac I could deal with, but orange!!!

"Good." I said defensively "I-I like orange. In fact I hope it stays this colour!"

Malfoy simply looked at me in amusement. "And how exactly did it get into that state in the first place?"

"I don't wish to talk about it, so shut it will you."

"Come on De'lore" Zabini spoke up "we're bored and so are you. Just sit down."

I looked at him thoughtfully and couldn't believe I was actually tempted. It must have been Zabini's charming manner and his dark handsome features that seemed to become more and more noticeable every time I saw him.

"Why the sudden change heart and what are you lot up too?" I asked, forcing my gaze away from Zabini and praying I hadn't flushed scarlet.

Malfoy simply shrugged "We are up to nothing De'lore. I mean people can change their minds after all."

"Change your minds about what?"

A look of frustration flashed across his face as he rolled his eyes "You annoy the hell out of me De'lore. You drive me absolutely crazy and drive me to the point of wanting nothing more than to throttle every, single last breath out of you"

I opened my mouth to respond but he held up his hand.

"Let me finish" he demanded "I would love nothing more than to shut that overly large, insolent mouth of yours and I long for the day when you get what is coming to you. You are, in my opinion, nothing more than a muggle loving fool who is an absolute waste of a pureblood, but, as much as it absolutely kills me to admit it, I do find you...pathetically amusing."

Pathetically amusing huh, well I'll be damned!

"So, will you just sit the bloody hell down woman."

I stood there for a moment not quite sure of what to do. A part of me wanted nothing more than to get the hell away from them, yet, an even bigger part of me wanted to go right ahead and sit down.

"Ok" I said slowly, not believing what I had said "On one condition"

"Which is?" asked Zabini

"There's four of you and only one of me, obviously I'm greatly out numbered. So lets even things up a little shall we?"

"Fine" shrugged Malfoy "Crabbe, Goyal, get lost."

The two idiots looked at one another in a state of confusion.

"Well, get a move on" I teased, making a shooing motion with my hands "Now, be good little minions and run along like you've been told, otherwise there wont be any food for you two later if you don't behave. Come on then chop, chop."

Malfoy and Zabini smirked as and Crabbe and Goyal spied me with contempt, but did as they were told and waddled off sulkily.

"Is that better?" asked Malfoy,

I nodded a fraction then slowly sat down where I stood. I couldn't for the life of me work out why I was doing this, but, I was and I must have been out of my mind.

"So hows the leg De'lore?" Malfoy asked with a hint of amusement.

"Well, it was doing just fine until some stupid, blond idiot, decided to throw a stone at it"

He raised an eye "Less of the stupid and idiot De'lore, those words should only be spoken when talking about your friends"

I gave him a small cunning smile "Ok...so you don't like stupid and idiot huh...well what about" I paused and placed a finger on my chin thoughtfully "...um, what about, lets see...fucking and wanker instead, that any better for ya?"

Zabini didn't even bother to try and hide his amusement as he snorted loudly.

Malfoy on the other hand, well, lets just say he didn't find it quite so funny. He glared at me in such a deadly fashion that I shuddered involuntry and wanted to shrivel up and die.

I held up my hands innocently "Pathetically amusing...your words remember"

Still he didn't look impressed.

I sighed heavily and rolled my eyes at him "Ok fine, you win. That look your giving me has sent the temperature way below freezing, I mean look I even have goose bumps" I showed him my arm.

Malfoy still glared.

"Ok, ok, I can't take it any longer. Merlin Malfoy, that's one evil look you've mastered there. In fact, it's that bad, I feel the need to tell a huge whopping great lie just to help rectify the damage I inflicted on that bigger than average ego of yours. So here goes..."

I took in a deep breath before I carried on, about to tell my biggest lie to date. (And I had told some huge gigantic ones) "...ok let me think...um, right, yes that's it, I got it, ready? Malfoy you really are a deliciously handsome, superbly scrumptious, delightfully gorgeous, simply delectable, Slytherin sex god" My tone dreamy.

Zabini snorted again, while Malfoy's face still remained as cold and deadly as it did before.

I sighed heavily once more and shook my head despondently "Oh Malfoy, for the love of Merlin, you are such hard work you know that?"

Again his facial expression stayed firmly in place, as he sneered directly at me. I smiled my cheeky little smile, the one that I had used so many time before, the one that had got me out of many a tight spot.

Then I saw it. It was only the smallest of movements, but his lips twitched ever so slightly.

Ha, ha, works nearly all the time!

I smiled wider and even tried to give him the most endearing one I could manage, which I really doubted I pulled off too well, I mean, lets face it, how good can you look with bright orange hair?!!

He lowered his head and looked down at the grass beneath him trying to give himself chance to regain a little composure. It only took a matter of seconds before he looked right back at me with an unreadable expression.

I averted my eyes back over to Zabini who sat grinning broadly.

"Going to the dance De'lore?" he asked charmingly

I opened my mouth about to reply when Malfoy's "Pfffft" noise diverted my attention back to him.

"Got something to say Malfoy?" I asked raising an eye questionably as I waited for the smart, spiteful comment that was no doubt on its way.

"She needs to find a date first and lets face it De'lore, who would want to go with you"

"Oh, and here I was thinking you actually liked me Malfoy and that maybe, you were even going to ask me to the dance"

"Ha, please De'lore. Me, ask you to the dance...I do have standards you know, and very, very high ones at that"

"I would have said yes you know, without hesitation. But now, what can I say, I'm heart broken, really I am. I will not sleep a wink tonight now Malfoy, I shall be up all night thinking about what could have been...oh well I understand, maybe next time."

He smirked deeply and arched his eyebrow "I know I'm irresistible De'lore but please, your verging on the edge of desperation. Show some dignity woman."

"In all seriousness, De'lore" asked Zabini "Who are you going with?"

"I have nooo idea...why Zabini? You wanna go with me?"

He looked at me with one hell of a sexy grin. Once again it caused un-natural thoughts to formulate in my wicked little mind. I swallowed hard and felt my heart race a little faster than normal, what was this Slytherin doing to me?

"I may actually consider it"

"Liar"

He leaned over slightly towards me, his sexy grin turning into a deep sexy smirk, his eyebrow arched perfectly and he spoke barley above a whisper "Ok, so I already have a date"

"And if you didn't?"

"You bet"

I looked back at Malfoy and smiled triumphantly.

"Ha, if you believe that De'lore...Pfffft...please...you do realise he is humouring you?"

"Nooo, you don't say."

"Like I have said on numerous occasions, we do have very, very high standards De'lore. I mean just look at you. Who in the name of Merlin would go around with hair that keeps changing colour every five minutes and whats more, do absolutely nothing to hide the fact that you look utterly ridicules. It's all about class De'lore and lets face it, you have none."

"Well I'd rather look utterly ridicules Malfoy than be a first class prat who, has nothing better to do than to pick faults with every one else. Instead they should take a really long hard look at themselves...and by the way, we talked about your very, very high standards the other night didn't we? And really Malfoy lets face it, it's not really much to brag about now is it? So why don't you save yourself the embarrassment and lets not mention it again, there's a good boy."

Malfoy's eyes narrowed in blind fury. Well really, he shouldn't dish it out if he can't take it!

"So De'lore" Zabini interrupted, sensing that another slanging match was on its way "I'm curious, what is the story with the hair anyway?"

Malfoy and I glared coolly at one another for a few seconds longer before I slowly turned my attention to Zabini.

"Fred and George" I replied bitterly, still a little traumatised by the whole thing "They thought it would be funny to feed me something while I was asleep. Thus resulting in my um, little hair problem."

"Little...little!" came Malfoy smugly "I don't think one could actually call it a little problem could they. Disaster is more like it."

I looked at him coolly and presented him with a close up of my middle finger. Merlin, he really was a first class pillock.

I noticed his attention had been held by something from behind me so, curiously I glanced over my shoulder and groaned inwardly at the sight that trudged towards us.

Oh yes, it was my, not so favourite teacher.

"Great, just great" I muttered as Snape got closer.

I could tell from years of experience that I was either about to be accused of something or, be screamed at for simply existing. There was no doubt something was on it's way, there had to be, especially after blackmailing him only days ago. I rolled my eyes and prepared myself for Snape to join our little party.

"De'lore" He snapped in a cool voice from behind; I turned my head and looked up at his cold hard face and gave him the toothiest smile I could muster.

"Well hello there Professor Snape Sir. And how are you on this lovely, bright, sunny afternoon?"

His black beady eyes burned through me, as he spied me with distaste. A sneer formed on his lips when his eyes slowly rested on my hair and he shook his head superiorly.

"What on earth have you done to your hair De'lore? It looks absolutely diabolical. Do you have no shame?"

"Apparently not" I said with a forced smile. Boy did I want nothing more than to wipe that smug look from his face.

"Hmmm...you better not be harassing my student De'lore, the consequences would be great, very great indeed. I am sure you can not afford to loose your house any more points De'lore, and that, may I add, would only be the beginning."

I took in a deep breath, willing myself to keep calm "I'm not harassing them Sir."

"Then what are you doing De'lore?" he spat coldly

"Well, if you must know they invited me over Sir...you see, after that rather adventurous yet enjoyable evening that the three of us spent together, well you see, we have in fact become the best of friends."

"DON'T get smart with me girl it really isn't wise." his eyes snapped over to Malfoy and Zabini "Is she bothering you?"

"No Sir" Zabini answered, "we invited her over, didn't we Draco?"

Malfoy nodded "Yes Sir we did"

Snape looked back down at me with contempt; while I gave him the smuggest "I told you so" look I could manage.

"You see Sir, all good friends. I even asked Zabini to the upcoming Halloween dance, but him being the true lady-killer that he is, well, he already has a date. Malfoy may have gone with me too, but I'm really am not his type, he's more for the bag over the head kinda gal, but hay. no-ones perfect I suppose and there's always next time. Besides there are plenty more gorgeous hunks to choose from out there, just take yourself for instance Sir, I mean, if you weren't old enough to be my father and you weren't my teacher, Merlin you'd really have to watch yourself Professor cause I'd be after you like a dog on heat."

I really couldn't believe I had said what I did, it just kind of slipped out. I heard Malfoy and Zabini snigger quietly which made it harder for me to suppress the urge to laugh, and I wasn't sure how I actually managed to keep a straight face.

Though it was possible however, it had quite alot to do with the menacing look that now formed upon Snapes face. The little colour that usually graced his cheeks had completely drained away. His lips formed into the thinnest lines I had ever seen and a deep dark fire burned in this beady evil eyes.

Ooops, great, another detention...again.

I waited with baited breath for the impending doom that was on its way. But could you imagine my surprise when Snape glanced at Malfoy and Zabini, then glared back at me a few seconds longer, before he fled without another word.

I frowned heavily. What on earth had just happened?

"I'd be careful De'lore if I were you, looks dangerous you know."

"Huh?" I muttered confused in Malfoy's direction.

He smirked in amusement "You looked deep in thought De'lore. I said it could be dangerous, even your hair recognizes the fact, it's turned red again. Red is a warning after all" he chuckled drolly.

I frowned even more, "Red huh? A warning? Maybe it's a warning that I may batter the crap out of you Malfoy, if your not careful."

I began to rise to my feet, suddenly feeling the need to be alone.

"Oh Don't go De'lore, it was just getting interesting"

"I'm sure it was," I said dryly "Zabini, it was a pleasure as always. Malfoy it was..." I hesitated unable to think of anything to say, "...Well, um...it...was...um...right. Well, no doubt I'll have the misfortune of seeing you tomorrow."

"Of course you will you imbecile. We have to serve the detention that you got us into remember, which, may I remind you, I am not best pleased about"

"And you think I am? Well for your information..." I paused and took in a deep breath.

No I wasn't going to do this. I had to learn to rise above it and not bite back at his every jibe.

I shook my head "Oh just forget it," I said with a dismissive wave of my hand as I began to walk away.

"Until tomorrow then De'lore" I heard him call after me in a regal tone.

"Kiss it Malfoy." I shouted in reply as I carried on my merry little way.

I knew full well, that never in a million years, would I be able to take my own my own advice and ignore the prat . No matter how sensible I knew it was.