These characters aren't mine, sadly, and I make no profit from (insert story the particular fic of mine you are reading is based on here). I cry out to the stars, "If only, if only."

By the by, watch out, a few of the characters may be ooc. (out of character for those of you who don't know what that stands for.)

Chapter 12: The War of the Roses

Deena couldn't have been more pleased with herself. When she'd been packing for Hogwarts, she decided to throw her prom dress for that year into her bag on impulse. Now that decision would pay off. Pansy, Millicent, and the other Slytherin girls were getting on nice dresses, but Deena was the only girl with an extravagant formal.

It was a strapless, red velvet dress. It clung to her body down to mid thigh, where it flared out. It was full-length and hid the red heels that went with it. She had a necklace with a red Austrian crystal heart and dangling red heart earrings. She had curled her hair and pulled it up at the back of her head, securing it to let the curls cascade down her back. When she did her make up, she made sure it looked natural. The last thing she did was put in her contacts.

Ready to go, she gently picked up the red rose with her name tied to it. She went out to the common room and realized she had another minute or two before the Slytherins had to be in the Great Hall. The Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws met first in the Great Hall and had ten minutes to find out if their partner was in that group before the Gryffindors joined them. Then ten minutes after that, the Slytherins joined the group.

Deena saw all the guys waiting in the common room for the girls. They all turned to look at her as she walked over and settled herself on a couch near the fireplace. She was conscious of their stares, but it didn't bother her. She met each of their stares, one by one, until they looked away. Finally, she was attempting to stare down Draco.

He took a seat next to her on the couch and glanced away, as if he suddenly found a staring contest childish. He reached out to touch her face gently.

"Don't. You might mess up my make up," Deena found herself saying.

"Is that all you girls think about," Draco teasingly replied, letting his hand drop nonetheless. She followed the movement with her eyes and discovered he had a white rose. In some ways, she was relieved not to have to spend the evening with him, but part of her was crushed. Just then, the girls came out and Deena knew it was time to go. Draco and Deena ended up being the last two out of the common room.

-

Harry's partner was obviously a Slytherin. Hermione was in the same predicament. Harry just hoped he got Deena.

When Deena entered, Harry almost didn't recognize her. She had to be wearing contacts. The red rose in her hand identified her as his partner and he breathed a sigh of relief that he didn't have Pansy or one of the other Slytherin girls. Harry walked over to her. By the time he reached her, she had seen his own red rose.

"Good evening, partner," she said lightly.

"Hey Deena," he returned.

"Oh no," Hermione said in disgust. Harry turned to see what was wrong and discovered that Hermione's partner to be Malfoy. He wasn't sure whether to laugh at Malfoy or feel sorry for Hermione.

"Let's go find our table," Deena said suddenly, practically dragging Harry away. The tables had bouquets on them and the couples with the flowers that matched the bouquets sat at that table. All the tables had two types of flowers in a bouquet, so two couples shared a table. Deena picked up on this rather quickly. "I'll just die if Draco's at our table."

"You wouldn't be the only one," Harry said.

"At least he hasn't been trying to get you in bed," Deena retorted with a viciousness that surprised Harry. She must have realized how vicious she'd been, for she quickly apologized. "Sorry. He's just really getting to me." There was a short pause. "I found our table."

Their table's bouquet was only red roses; they had the table to themselves. They sat down and waited for dinner to begin.

-

"Are we clear that absolutely nothing is going to happen tonight?" Granger asked for the thirtieth time. (They had the unfortunate luck of a table to themselves.)

"I'm not, never have been, and never have any intentions of being interested in you," Draco replied coldly, staring across the room at Deena. "I get what I want, and that," he said, nodding his head at Deena, "is what I want."

"She's obviously not interested," Granger said. "Isn't she Muggle-born anyway?"

"She's Slytherin, so she's obviously a Pureblood, unlike you," Draco retorted, giving Granger a cold glare. "Why don't you do us both a favor and quit talking?"

"Why should I listen to you?"

"If you don't talk to me, I won't talk to you."

"Fine."

That should shut her up for five minutes, Draco thought. What do you think you're doing Deena? Potter of all people! Talking and laughing with him like you've been best friends since birth. And you're Slytherin. You have to be a Pureblood. But which family are you related to? I want to know your secrets, Deena. All of your secrets. Especially your deepest, darkest, secret desires. I will know them. It's just a matter of time.

-

Deena had felt Draco's eyes on her for quite some time before she lifted her gaze from her plate or Harry's face and found Draco. When their eyes met, she got the feeling that he wasn't staring at her, he was staring into her. He had gone through her outer shell and was now scrutinizing her soul. Her mind latched onto a song without her realizing it: How can you see into my eyes, like open doors? Leading you down into my core--

"What?" Harry asked. Deena ripped her eyes away from Draco's and locked them to Harry's. "I'm sorry, I didn't hear you."

"I didn't say anything," she replied.

"Your mouth was moving," Harry informed her.

"Oh, well...I was thinking about a song and I must have been mouthing it," she said. Deena had obviously convinced him, because he began telling her all about the joys of Quidditch and how awful it was that she'd never be on the House team because Slytherin was so biased. It was so hard for her not to tell him that she was on the team, but the entire House had made her promise not to tell anyone. She sat and listened to him, not at all bothered by it. She felt as though they knew each other so well that it didn't matter who was talking because they'd end up saying the same things.

Finally, Dumbledore announced the end of dinner and the beginning of the dance. They were playing music Deena had brought with her, not only so she'd be comfortable but also to let her fellow students have a taste of what she liked. Mostly she had music with a beat or slow-dance material. When Shakira's Whenever began playing, most people stood up, but a few remained rooted to their chairs. One of these people was Harry.

"Come on. It's time to dance," Deena said, walking over to stand beside him with a sweet smile on her face.

"I don't know how," Harry shamefully admitted.

"It's not like I'm asking you to waltz or something," she persisted. She pulled him up to his feet and tried to drag him away from the table, but he wouldn't budge. "Fine. If you won't dance out there, then we'll dance right here. Just remember, I'm a stubborn, bad ass Slytherin." Deena then proceeded to teach Harry how to bump and grind.

-

Don't you dare! God, stop it this minute. Freak dancing with Potter? I can't stand this. I've got to stop anything that may start.

"What's wrong with you?" Granger asked angrily.

"I thought I asked you to stop talking," Draco snapped back. That's it. This is going to stop right now!

"I don't have to listen to you, you know," Granger said, not noticing he had stood up and was leaving. "And furthermore—Hey! Where are you going?"

"Why do you care?"

"I don't," she yelled, getting up and following him.

Draco stalked up to Deena in a self-righteous fury. Deena and Potter seemed to be totally absorbed in what they were doing. "Deena," Draco spat out tensely, breaking the spell. She turned to look at him. A smug smile turned up the corners of her pretty lips.

"You know, envy is one of the Seven Deadly Sins, Draco," she said.

"Who said I was envious?" Who said I was envious?! I should have been able to come back with something better than that.

"Your face said it," she giggled.

"I can't understand why you're dancing with someone so incompetent," Draco said.

"You think you could do better?" Potter asked incredulously.

"Ten times better," he claimed.

"Really?" Deena asked. "Prove it. With Hermione."

"No, that's disgusting," Hermione screeched, recoiling in horror.

"Prove it with your assigned partner, and I'll dance with you," Deena promised.

"Never!" Hermione yelled, running away in hysterics.

Making a fast move, Draco grabbed Deena. "Leave Deena alone," Potter commanded, dangerously soft.

"Make me," Draco replied in the same soft voice.

-

"Professor McGonagall, Malfoy...my...assigned date, he was...was making indecent proposals toward...D-deena. He was suggesting...all kinds of...corrupt kinkiness," Hermione spat out between fits of sobbing. She was in hysterics. "I-it was awful!" All her words became indiscernible as she sobbed her heart out at the trauma of it all. After instructing her to go see Madam Pomfrey, McGonagall hurried away.

-

God, help me! Deena wasn't in the mood to witness a fight between Harry and Draco.

"Gentlemen!" McGonagall's crisp voice reprimanded. Thank you Lord! McGonagall dragged them by the arms to a little side room and Deena hurried to keep up. She left the three of them alone in the room, instructing them to wait for Dumbledore.

We're not going to wait in peace, that's for sure. We'll be waiting in pieces. Hey, this is like the War of the Roses. Red Rose versus White Rose. Oh crud! They're getting out their wands. Looks like I'll have to nip this in the bud.

Deena stood between the two of them, awfully perturbed at them for ruining her evening.

"Get out of the way, Deena," Draco commanded. No one noticed the door open a crack or saw Dumbledore peeking in on them.

"I most certainly will not. This is ridiculous," she stated, her eyes flashing with anger. "Harry, I know you hate Draco, but he's my friend, so you'll have to learn to tolerate him. And you"- she continued, turning to Draco, "the same goes for you. I don't know what it is Draco, but you seem to hate me making new friends. I suppose you think I should be dependent on you." She grabbed him violently by the neck of his robes. "I promise that if you get in my way and try to ruin my friendships, I will take you out."

"What seems to be the trouble here?" Dumbledore asked, opening the door. Both boys quickly lowered their wands and Deena let go of Draco's robes.

"It's okay now," Deena said pleasantly. "You won't have anymore trouble with these two. Right boys?" Deena gave them each a stony glare.

"Right," they mumbled, hanging their heads in a shameful manner.

-

"So how was your night with Deena?" Ron asked in Gryffindor Tower. It was almost midnight and the boys were in their room getting ready to go to bed.

"Pretty good," Harry answered. "The best part was when she intimidated Malfoy."

Ron saw something sticking out from underneath a pile of stuff on Harry's bedside table. "Harry, what's this?" Ron asked, pulling it out and looking at it. It was a picture of a house at night with the lights shining out the windows.

"It's got to be one of Deena's," Harry answered after glancing at it. "See the moon? She does lots of sketches like that."

"There's something weird about this one," Dean said, having come over to have a look.

Harry took another look, looking over the whole thing, then turned white. "Ron, how did she know? How could Deena possibly know?" Harry gasped.

"Know what?"

"That's my house. Before Voldemort tried to kill me," Harry explained, while the other boys winced.

"Maybe it's just a look alike," Seamus suggested.

"No, I can prove it," Harry said, digging through his stuff until he found his scrapbook. He opened it to a picture of his parents in front of their newly-purchased house. The house in Deena's sketch was an exact replica, down to the very last detail.

-----

The song Deena starts mouthing is Evanescence's Bring Me to Life.