"That boy is trouble."
Maya peeked over at Kiley, the first year Slytherin. "That may be so, but he is awfully handsome."
Ruby rolled her eyes. "I can't keep up with you. Only yesterday you were gushing over Malfoy."
Her face hardened at the mention of his name. "I heard him use the M word."
"Muggle?"
"No," Maya replied, exasperated. She lowered her voice to a whisper. "Mudblood."
Ruby gasped. "You're kidding."
Maya shook her head somberly. "Kye would never say something so ignorant."
"Kye? You mean Kiley? You've already given him a nickname?"
Maya blushed and returned her focus to A History of Magic. "Can we drop the subject? I don't want him to hear us."
"Hear us? He's sitting all the way over there at the Slytherin table." Ruby even went as far as to point him out.
Mortified, Maya swatted down her best friend's hand. "Sound travels in the Great Hall," she hissed.
"Oh, calm down. I'm not going to tell Kiley that you have a bloody crush on him, alright? Not unless you want me to. Just tell me when."
"How about never?"
"I understand your attraction to bad boys. Believe me, I do. But don't you think maybe you should date someone from the same house as you?"
Maya stiffened defensively. "Why do you say that?"
"Because you are the complete opposite of him, Maya. I don't buy into the whole 'opposites attract' nonsense."
"I don't see your point," she said stubbornly. "You've been my best friend for ten years and you belong to a different house. Does this mean I shouldn't be friends with you because you're in Gryffindor?"
"That's different," Ruby answered with a sigh.
"It's because I'm a Hufflepuff," Maya accused. "You don't think I'm good enough for him."
"You know very well that's not what I meant," said Ruby. "You're too good for him, Maya."
"I don't want to be good. I want to be more like you, Ruby."
"Gee, thanks."
"I want to be brave."
"Then ask him out," she suggested blankly.
"W…what?"
"Walk over there and ask Kiley out."
"Ask him out where? For a romantic stroll through the courtyard? I don't see you asking out Harry Potter."
Ruby scowled. "As I've explained before, Ginny Weasley is madly in love with him and she is my friend. How would you like it if I went over there and declared my love for Kiley?"
"Fair enough." The two sat in silence for a moment. "What if he laughs at me?" Maya asked quietly.
"Then I will transfigure him into the dog that he is."
"I'm serious, Ruby."
"Then you find someone deserving of you."
Maya tightened the black and yellow scarf around her neck and stood up. "I'm going to do it."