Disclaimer: Only Xan and her family are mine.

Author's Note: Wow. Thank you so much for the reviews it means a lot to me to know people like what I write! Motivational too. Anyway, I hope you notice later in the chapter that Ron isn't out of character he is just trying to get out of Harry's shadow.

Chapter Three: Hell Hath No Fury Like That of a Redhead

I woke up the next morning to a sharp blow in the back. "Daphne! Help me! There's a gryffindor here!" Pansy yelled and then I was hit again with a book.

"Fuck!" I shouted, jerking and rolling over.

Just as Pansy was about to smash me again with her transfiguration book, she stopped. "Oh my god, Xan! What happened to your hair?" she nearly screamed.

"Ow," I muttered sitting up. "You owe me for that Pansy."

"What happened to your hair?" Morgan shrieked dropping her own weapon.

"What you don't like it?" I said taking a lock into my fingers and twirling.

"It's-it's," Daphne was trying to say something. "Different."

"There are no redheads in slytherin house," Morgan said quite rightly. "And you've never dyed your hair."

I shrugged. Pansy started to get dressed. "This doesn't make you look less like a goblin, Marlow."

"Why thank you Parkinson," I said flatly. God, Potter was going to so pay for this embarrassment. This was going to get me attention and the last thing I want or need in order to maintain my illusive way, is to NOT GAIN ATTENTION! Ugh, my ass still hurts from yesterday.

However, despite my displeasure, I got dressed, went downstairs and pretended like everything was peachy. "Marlow," Draco said coming up to me. "You do know your hair is red when it was black yesterday."

"Glad to see you know your colors."

"Well is there an explanation or something?" he asked looking from side to side as I walked with the guys to breakfast. With these flaming red locks I was like fire in fog.

"I think it is fitting," Blaise said, playing with my hair. "They say hell hath no fury like that of a redhead."

"True, Marlow is kind of a bitch." I grinded Teddy's foot into the stone for that remark.

"Why though?" Draco said, scrunching up his face.

I smirked. "What you don't like it, Draco?" I faked hurt.

He scowled, "Don't do that."

"Yeah it is just a tad bit too convincing," Blaise said.

I rolled my eyes. We walked into the great hall and I glanced over to the Gryffindor table. They all looked just a bit too pleased with themselves and suddenly Teddy asked. "Did someone hex you?"

"What gave you that idea?" I replied coolly. It is bad to reply quickly because the questioner knows you hit a nerve.

"Well the gryffindors –"

"I got Weasley naked yesterday," I cut him off.

"What!" they shouted.

"He's a natural redhead," I smirked.

"Ew," Draco said. "Are you that desperate for a piece of arse, Marlow. Go after a Weasley."

"I had to chase him down for that potions project."

"ah, ha,"

I watched Teddy glare at the gyffindors. Blaise spread his first two fingers in front of his mouth and darted his tongue between them as he looked at Hermione. Harry Potter gave me a grin of triumph and I got him off guard with a smirk. I made sure to walk behind Blaise when we passed Colin Creevey.

"So Theo," Blaise began as we sat down. "Dating anyone?"

"Me date?" he sounded offended.

"He couldn't snag a decent date if he tried," I said taking a sip of my pumpkin juice.

"Hey!" Teddy shouted, double offended. "You, Marlow are the one with that red mop who couldn't get a guy to save your soul!"

"Is that a challenge, Teddy? I hope not because I could kick your ass."

"I have ten galleons on Nott," Draco said serving himself some eggs.

"I dunno," Blaise said stroking his stubble. "Hell hath no fury like Xan Marlow . . . I'm in. ten galleons on Marlow."

"Fine," I said as the post came. "When's the next ball?"

"Five weeks," Blaise answered automatically. I swear he counts the days.

"So how are we going to go about this Marlow? Fairly."

"Fairly? What house are you in?" I asked with a laugh. "Let's see, you have to go to the ball with someone well known from a different house."

"What do you mean well known?" he asked hotly. Teddy was always one for competition, like Draco.

"I mean you bringing Cho Chang to the ball."

"That's too easy," Blaise said with a bit of a humph.

"Well aren't you just Mr. Casanova," Teddy growled.

"You have to date for a week after with a public asking."

Draco was grinning evilly. "This will be tough for you Marlow."

"Oh I don't think so," I said smirking at him. "I think we need some more qualifications. Teddy you have to kiss them in public three times, different days, and hold hands in hogsmeade that Sunday."

"Same rules for you Marlow," he snapped.

I smirked, thinking of how easy this was going to be. "No problem."

"I'll raise you twenty galleons, Draco," Blaise said winking at me.

Draco snorted. "My pocketbook isn't thin. Deal."

"And what do you I get if I win?" Teddy asked glaring at me while munching on a piece of toast.

"What do you want?"

"An event of public humiliation."

"What do you have in mind?"

"We can work on it."

"No let's settle it now."

"Fine, you have to proclaim your love for Harry Potter and flash him."

"Sounds good. You have to do the same, showing him your family jewels."

"What!"

"We all know you're a poof," Blaise said, laughing.

"Deal now let's finish breakfast," I said.

"Hey Marlow," Draco said, opening up his copy of the Daily Prophet. "I think this article is about your father."

"What?" I leaned over sharply and knocked his goblet over. It was completely full of pumpkin juice and spilled all over the paper, making the article completely illegible.

"Fuck, Marlow!" Draco shouted.

"Oh sorry," I said sitting back down. I was far from sorry though.

Later that day, after lunch, I ran into Colin Creevey, or more accurately I found him. He did have the pictures, a day in advance and I paid him. "What is your name?" he asked, blushing. Oh god I hoped he wasn't going to ask me out or anything like that.

"Alexandra," I said calmly.

"Nice to m-meet you Alex," he said, assuming the wrong nickname.

"Pleasure," I said then walked away and opened up the envelope.

Oh these were the definition of perfect. Harry Potter in a pillow fight with Ron Weasley, Harry Potter in his briefs grooming his chest hairs, Harry Potter getting yelled at by his quidditch captain, Granger touching up a wound of his and looking awfully cozy about it, Potter holding his crotch after a blow in quidditch, stealing a glance at his fellow teammates in the locker room and the list of perfection went on.

I walked into the common room after classes and on the way I found Baddock departing from another conquest. "Marlow!" he said as though seeing me entertained him. "What is new? Any new juicy gossip?"

"I don't gossip," I said stubbornly. I got my book and casually tossed the envelope onto the floor. My work is done. "So who are you banging now, Baddock?"

"Oh Xan," he said running his hand through his hair. "I am sure you could guess."

"Edgecomb?"

"No she's next though. Hannah Abbott."

"The hufflepuff, why you are a trixster," I said.

"Oh I am not the only trixster," he said looking me up and down. "I heard about the bet you have going with Nott. I have ten galleons on you."

"I am flattered."

"So who is the guy?"

"I have learned long ago not to surrender my secrets to playboys like you," I said with a wink.

"Oh come on Marlow. If you don't have anyone I would be happy to help you find a target."

I smirked, "I might or might not take you up on that offer. We'll be in touch, Malcolm." I kept going towards the door but he couldn't resist one last comment.

"I like the hair, Xan. Very fitting."

I lit up a cigarette then turned to him, "Thanks. How do you know it wasn't planned?" I threw him one last wink before heading to the library.

"Hola, Ronaldo," I said as I gracefully flopped into a chair. I still was still working on my cigarette and putting very little effort into hiding it from Madame Pince.

"Why do you call me that?" he asked gruffly, trying not become seduced by my charisma, or that is at least what I tell myself to boost my ego.

"Because two many people would turn around if I said, Weasley."

"That is dirty," he growled.

"I saw you in your birthday suit I wouldn't be going around calling what I do dirty." He blushed and I blew smoke over my shoulder. "Anyway how about you do the potion up in Gryffindor tower and I will write up all the results."

"Why me?"

"Because I know you will ask Granger for help and I also know she won't fuck up the potion. Or you will steal her notes and do it correctly off of those." He shifted uncomfortably and I smirked.

"How do you know that?" he asked, probably having an internal argument with himself.

"I know everything," I blew out the smoke from my throat lazily. "You know, Ronaldo," I said tapping the ash onto the carpet. "I might be willing to put our bad history and the fact that your friend Potter turned my hair red behind us, and strike up a truce of sorts with you."

"What type of truce?" he asked narrowing his eyes.

I smirked, "You know what they say Ronaldo, always helpful to have friends in high places."

"You think you're in a high place?" he looked at me doubtfully.

"You wouldn't want to get on my bad side," I gave him a quick raise and drop of my eyebrows.

"What's in it for you?"

"For me?" I leaned towards him. "Let's just say I won't have to mind rape you next time."

"What's in it for me?" okay now he was just starting to sound like a drone. I bet Granger had warned about making deals with slytherins or something like that.

"Who would you like to be dating?"

"I'm not going to be telling you that!"

I shrugged, "Suit yourself, I could have told you whether they were single, being courted, taken, etc."

"Prove it."

"Hannah Abbott is two timing McMillan."

"What! With who?"

"Ah, ah, un," I said doing a tsk-tsk with my finger. "We are still enemies remember. No truce." I didn't mention anything about Gryffindor or slytherin because that might have caused him to have a bout of house loyalty or something. He brought it up himself though.

"But I'm a Gryffindor, you're a slytherin."

"Merlin, Weasley, I am not suggesting we become friends or something. It is purely business. Unless of course, you need Potter and Granger's approval to make contacts for favors." Ah, right there, that hit a nerve.

"Fine," he said sticking out his hand sharply. "Deal."

"Deal."

The next morning my plan couldn't have gone better. Everyone was talking about the photos of Harry Potter that had surfaced in the slytherin common room. Malcolm was responsible for initially spreading them around but no other house had them.

When wonderboy entered the great hall, the entire table erupted into mocking laughter and I felt pretty fucking pleased with myself. It didn't take long after that for the other houses to see some of the photos and I loved watching wonderboy in agony and embarrassment.

Before potions, Zabini, Avery (Maximus Avery, yes son of the death eater that was killed earlier) and I approached Granger. "Please tell me you are not involved with Potter," Blaise pleaded with his suave earnest voice.

"Those photos are all smear," she hissed.

"But if you are involved with him, tell me so I can steal you away."

"I am not involved with Harry!"

"ooh, defensive," Avery said smirking. I just smoked my cigarette and watched in amusement.

Suddenly, out of no where, wonderboy appeared. "Sod off, Zabini, don't look so damned pleased with yourself."

"hey, hey," he said holding his hands up. "It was Baddock who found 'em. I just am preserving my interests," he winked at Hermione then we walked away.

"What do you see in her?" Avery asked.

"Her cynical intelligence is a major turn-on," Blaise said.

"Date Marlow, you have intelligent and cynical right here."

"Ew," Blaise looked at me. "No offense Marlow but I don't like a heavy dose of sneaky on top of my turn-on."

I laughed. "You two give yourself a bit too much credit in the Casanova department. Besides Casanovas can only properly seduce girls who don't want them."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. Don't start getting ideas." Indeed the last thing I needed was Zabini trying to seduce me, though I rather knew he wouldn't. I am not the most desirable of girls you know. As far as I know, slytherins don't find clever, fast-tongued girls of scary reputation (thank you, father) very desirable and everyone else wouldn't be caught dead with a slytherin girl of the above qualities, I'm not even good looking and at least some girls have that going for them. Though I wasn't really worried. I still had Justin, my little masochist.

After potions I waited at the top of a certain flight of stairs at led to Gryffindor tower for wonderboy. I needed to make sure he knew who he was fucking around with. I saw him come through the corridor beneath me, turn and stop.

I smirked. "Why 'allo there, Potter. I liked the one of you butt-naked searching for chest hair the best."

"Why you," he said coming a few steps towards me. "You took those photos didn't you?"

"Take them? Hah, I wouldn't be caught dead inside Gryffindor tower and you would have to be pretty daft not to notice me." He stopped and I let my words sink in. "I wonder what your ex-girlfriend thought, or for all I know she left them at the foot of the dungeons. I heard you were a bit lacking." He gave me a look that had me double checking my exit strategy. Down the corridor and down the other flight of stairs.

"Why are you harassing me like this, Marlow?" he said. "What have I ever done to you?" there was so many emotions in his voice I was almost overwhelmed. Not used to that many feelings.

I sneered. "What have you done to me? Well you are daft aren't you."

"Is this just because I am in Gryffindor?"

"No, no, no, no," I said shaking my head. "You fucked with the wrong person, wonderboy and you will pay."

"Is this because of your stupid hair?" he shouted. "What do you want from me?"

I just sneered. I rarely sneer by the way but after today, he really deserved it. Then I walked back to the common room.

I pulled a copy of the Daily Prophet out of some first year's hands and flipped to the second page. "World-reknowned businessman Zarek Marlow was arrested today by aurors, two weeks after the Ministry of Magic discovered the existence of the Marlow crime family. His direct heir, Alexandra Marlow, is currently a sixth year slytherin at hogwarts." I spat out the headline then tossed the paper into the fireplace. I didn't want to read all the questions and slander being raised about my father and my family.

Author's Note: There we go, a bit long and a bit more insight into Xan. Why does she hate Harry so much all of a sudden? Well I hope the headline gave you some ideas but wasn't too much of a cliffhanger. anyway, see you all in the next chapter!