Author's Note:

In response to a guest review from Ryo-

Yes, Snape ships Draya (Mayco doesn't have as nice a ring as Draya does :P)!

As for Blaise's personality, I went off of what they put into the wiki: "Blaise seemed to be a highly arrogant person, who looked down on nearly everyone and everything…Blaise was prejudiced against Muggles, Muggle-borns, and those who were accepting of them…However, he also did not seem to hold a high opinion of followers of Voldemort, as he taunted Draco on his father being outed as a Death Eater. It seemed he was so arrogant that he was more or less indifferent and dismissive of everyone, regardless of status…"
You can find his full personality description on his page on the HP wiki, I just put down what was relevant to my answer and his personality in this story. Blaise strikes me as someone who's outer shell is pretty hard to get past, so I don't interpret him being super nice to others unless he wants to be, but you're right, we all have different perspectives on things.

Now, thank you so much for your kind words and encouragement. I'm always afraid to change things because I think too much of what others opinions are, but you've given me the encouragement I needed to be more open to changing things. I guess I already put her in the tournament, so she might as well have interact more with the other competitors, right? Rather than just being 'there'.

Finally, Draco won't be her date to the Yule Ball, not exactly, but I do have something special planned for it!

P.S. I loved how you called Harry 'Harry I'll-Save-Everyone Potter'! That made me laugh!

In response to Ryo's second review, posted the other day-

I really enjoyed your opinion on what could happen. I really like that idea, actually. Maybe it'll be what I go with instead of at the end of the year. I think it works better in the middle, now that you put it like that. I'll be looking forward to hearing more from you.

—

I apologize for any mistakes with the timeline or pacing, I'm not really sure if there are any, though.

This chapter is a bit shorter than the others, but I wanted to keep certain events separate. The first task will be in the next chapter, but this one is the ferret incident (ah, best scene ever…lol) and a bit of hanging out.

Chapter Two (Year Four): Ferrets and Dragons

No one would look at her, or talk to her. If they did say something to her, it wasn't something one would consider kind. Time in the common room was usually full of tension, and walks around the school grounds earned her judgmental glares from anyone who saw her. The only ones at least trying to be friendly were Lewis, Carol, and Draco, but being around them was still pretty frustrating and stressful.

Carol was a bit more suspicious of Maya's alibi, also less friendly with her because of the doubts she had about Maya's honesty. Lewis had said that it was because Cedric was the real champion, not Potter or Maya, and how Carol thought that the other houses were trying to steal glory from Hufflepuff. Apparently he had gotten Carol to spill that bit of information during one of their many one-on-one conversations with each other, which became more and more frequent the more they excluded Maya.

As for being around Draco, it wasn't as bad, but didn't really help with her mood. He was the only one who knew exactly how her name had been chosen from the Goblet of Fire, as he had (almost) been a witness to it. Everyone else could only go by what the teachers and what Draco and Maya said. He was only frustrating to be around mainly due to his newfound overprotectiveness of her.

So when Maya finally got most of the afternoon by herself (which she only got because she assured Draco that they would study together later), she was practically leaping with joy. She had plans to take Aspen, find a book to read, and head off to the most secluded place she could find in the castle. That didn't go as planned.

Everywhere she went, there were usually large clusters of students, usually going out of there way whenever they saw her and making it difficult for her to pass down any corridors or into abandoned classrooms to read. A few of them insulted her, or Aspen, and at one point a group of older Slytherins and a few older Ravenclaws snatched up her book and she had to fight for it.

She gave up, letting them keep the book. So long as the Ravenclaws brought it back to their common room — as she had gotten it off of one of the shelves — then it wasn't that big of a deal. Maya still had one other book she was reading, and the books she needed to study, so decided to just go out to the tree in the courtyard that she and Draco had occasionally studied in during previous school years.

"Kensington! Kensington, wait up!" Maya stopped and turned around when she heard someone calling her name. Potter was coming towards her, jogging lightly. When he caught up to her, he looked out of breath. She raised an eyebrow expectantly, and after he took a few breaths, he began to talk, "I've been looking all over for you or Cedric. You're pretty hard to find, you know? I mean…you walk fast, that's all."

"O-Oh," Maya said quietly. "S-sorry. I never really paid attention. No one's ever mentioned it to me. I-It might have something to do with the fact that I'm shorter than most of the people I know," she explained. "They all have longer legs than I do, so I'd have to walk fast to keep up. Now, it's just my regular pace for walking, I suppose."

"Right," Potter nodded. He was acting in an oddly jumpy sort of way. Quickly, he began talking once again, "I need to tell you and Cedric something. Umm, well, you know the first task, right?"

Maya nodded, "I know of the first task in the tournament, but I have no idea what it is or what it could be. A bit annoying, really, considering it isn't too far away. It's something difficult, no doubt about that."

"It's going to be very difficult," Potter nodded. "They're going to be pitting us against dragons. For the first task, we have to fight a dragon."

"A-Are you sure? Who told you this?" Maya felt her stomach twisting in knots at the thought of having to fight a dragon, while at the same time a part of her was saying not to trust Potter, even though he'd never given her reason to not trust him. The only real reason she could think of as to why she didn't like him was his rivalry with Draco. The other part of her reminded her to give him the benefit of the doubt.

"Hagrid did. The other night…" Potter told her. "Look, I'm sorry that Parkinson and those three older Slytherins played a prank on you. If I could have had a choice being in the audience and being in the tournament, I know I would have chosen the audience. Surely we aren't much different in that sense?" Maya nodded. She couldn't argue with him there. He continued, "And I know that you and Malfoy are good friends, and I know that he and I hate each other, but you have got to believe me, okay? I'm telling the truth."

"I don't doubt you, Potter," Maya lied, and quite successfully too, judging by the look of relief that spread across his face. "I should be going now. Maybe I'll see you around?" she tried for a reassuring, half-smile, which he returned. Just before she slipped out of the hallway and into the courtyard, she told him, "Thank you, Harry. Maybe you aren't as bad as Draco makes you out to be."

Maya left Potter and stepped out into the courtyard, looking around for Draco. She saw him and his gang hanging out by a tree, laughing about something. She rolled her eyes and reached for Aspen to make sure she was still on her shoulder (which she was) and then pulled her books close to her, approaching the tree carefully, hoping that she could slip by and get to Draco without drawing too much attention to herself.

Draco turned around and smiled when he saw her, "I was wondering when you'd be showing up. C'mere, I've got something to show you!"

"Erm…okay?" Maya said quietly, shrinking under the contemptuous glares from Draco's 'friends'. She tried to look submissive and harmless, unlike Aspen, who's fur was raised. Chuckling awkwardly, Maya took Aspen off of her shoulder and set her on the ground so she could run up the tree. Maya then returned her attention to Draco, "Umm…w-why aren't they doing anything?"

"What do you mean?" Draco asked, holding a small, circular object in his hands.

"Your friends, they aren't…doing or saying anything about me being here?" Maya whispered to him. "Aren't they bothered by me being around?"

"Yes, but they're not thick enough to say anything about it," Draco shrugged, placing the trinket he was holding into her palm.

Maya looked down at the item and scowled. It was a badge, which was animated by someone, and it read 'Potter Stinks' before changing to read 'Support Cedric Diggory'. She rolled her eyes and shoved the badge back into his hands, putting on a disappointed look, "Really, Draco? Don't you think that's a bit childish of you? He didn't ask to have his name put in the Goblet, you know."

She walked over to the tree and started to climb up, taking a seat on a branch next to Aspen. Draco followed her, his expression the same one he used whenever she had said something that he wanted her to feel bad about. He climbed up the tree and sat in the crook of it, looking up at where she was on a higher branch, "I thought that they'd cheer you up."

"No, not really," Maya said, pulling her books into her lap. "I mean, you kind of forgot about someone. Even a 'Kensington Stinks' would be nice, then I'd be famous." Seeing Draco's confused face, she added, "I'm kidding."

"You have a strange sense of humor, Kensington," Draco shook his head, chuckling.

"I know, but you laughed, so I know it's a good one." She lifted a book off of her lap to see which one it was and then noticed that Draco didn't have any of his books, "Er, Draco? I thought we were going to study together, so…where are your books?"

"Oh!" Draco's pale face flushed a light, rosy pink color and he clenched his jaw. "I, eh…may have forgotten? I left in a rush, today…" he admitted.

"Well, in that case," Maya balanced her schoolbooks very carefully between two, close together branches, then pulled the book she had been reading for leisure time off of the stack and opened it up, "I will be reading this. There isn't a single quiet place I could go. Trying to walk through that school and not get stopped by people who look like they want to beat the pulp out of you is like trying to swim through fire and not get burned!"

"That made almost no sense." Draco shook his head as Maya opened the book and began to read to herself.

No one would dare come near and bother Draco and his gang just to get to Maya, so she figured she was safe as long as she stayed near them, even if she didn't want to hang out with a bunch of Slytherins. She was only half paying attention as Draco began to talk to his friends, but he got her attention as soon as he said, "Watch this, Kensington…"

Harry Potter was walking across the courtyard, just within earshot. Draco shouted at him, "Why so tense, Potter?" then, without waiting for an answer he went on bitterly, smirking, "My father and I have a bet, you see. I don't think you're gonna last ten minutes in this tournament," Draco hopped down from the tree and took a few stepped forward, while Maya had tried to grab his robes to keep him from doing so. "He disagrees. He thinks you won't last five!"

Laughter broke out among Draco and his gang. Potter, however, was far from amused. He marched forward, telling Draco, "I don't give a damn what your father thinks, Malfoy!" he shoved Draco, and he gave Potter an angry, half snarl half grunt as that happened. Potter added, "He's vile and cruel! And you're just pathetic!" and Potter started to walk away.

Maya slipped out of the tree as soon as she saw Draco reaching in his pocket for his wand, muttering something angrily. She grabbed his arm and tried to pull him back, but he shoved her away. Maya groaned, "Draco! Stop! You're going to get in trouble! Just let him go, he isn't worth it!" Draco wasn't listening. He had his right arm outstretched, wand pointed at Potter.

Before Maya could say or do anything to stop Draco, a raspy voice shouted from nearby, "OH NO YOU DON'T, SONNY!"

Draco froze, and there was a flash of light. He yelped as the fire engulfed him, and Maya saw that, instead of Draco, there was now a rather confused looking white Ferret, sniffing the air anxiously. Maya held back the urge to chuckle, feeling torn between helping her now transfigured friend or laughing her head off at how he got what he deserved for being a prat.

"I'll teach you to curse someone behind their back!" Moody snapped, aiming his wand at Ferret-Draco, making Ferret-Draco levitate and twist around in the air, squeaking and chittering angrily as this happened. Professor Moody muttered bitterly as he made Ferret-Draco dance in the air. Several students had gathered around by now to watch this, laughing. Moody turned and winked at Potter and then returned to tormenting the ferret.

Professor McGonnagall came hurrying up to stand beside Moody, looking confused, "Professor Moody, what are you doing?"

"Teaching…" was all Moody said, continuing to make Ferret-Draco dance.

"Is — Is that a student!?" McGonnagall exclaimed, looking from Moody to Ferret-Draco.

"Technically," Moody growled, "it's a ferret." He suddenly grabbed Crabbe's pants and opened them, flipping Ferret-Draco over and into Crabbe's pants. Maya couldn't hold back a strange sound that came across as a gasp and a laugh as she watched this unfold. Still, she was upset by Moody's actions, as they were out of line. Amusing, but out of line.

Maya leaned down on the ground, resting a hand onto Draco's back when he had finally gotten free of Crabbe's pants. She held him down as she had done whenever she didn't want Aspen to get away. She looked up to Professor McGonnagall, a pleading look in her eyes and she gave a little nod. McGonnagall pointed her wand at Ferret-Draco and there was a light similar to that of the one from Moody's wand. Draco was back to normal, sprawled on his stomach.

Draco jumped to his feet, Maya rising with him. His hair was disheveled and he looked around wildly. When his eyes landed on Moody, he jerked backwards. Maya made sure to get out of his way as he began to back up, spitting, "My father will hear about this!"

"Is that a threat!? Huh!? Is that a threat!?" Moody shouted, limping towards Draco. Draco turned tail and bolted around the tree. Moody followed, but Draco kept running, not looking back. His friends and he ran away, with Moody shouting after them, "I COULD TELL YOU STORIES ABOUT YOUR FATHER THAT WOULD CURL EVEN YOUR GREASY HAIR, BOY! THIS DOESN'T END HERE!"

Maya slipped away from the group that had gathered as soon as Professor McGonnagall began to yell at Moody for using transfiguration as a punishment. She gathered her books and Aspen and headed off to find Draco, figuring that he'd be traumatized or something. It took her a little while, but she did eventually find Draco sitting outside, close to the Herbology greenhouses and shaking like a leaf.

"Draco? Are you all right?" she asked him, setting her books down on the ground. Maya reached out her hand and grabbed his arm. He relaxed at her touch, and didn't complain when she grabbed his hand reassuringly and then wrapped her other arm around him in a comforting hug. Draco actually seemed to enjoy this, but she didn't want it to seem awkward so she filled the silence, "There, is that better? I heard that hugs will fix almost anything. Almost, anything."

"That professor gives me the creeps!" Draco shuddered, resting his head on the top of hers. As he did this, Maya felt a weird feeling in her stomach, and her cheeks felt like they were heating up. She wasn't sure if this strange feeling meant what she thought it did, but for now she chose to ignore it and focus on helping Draco through his newest crisis.

"I'm pretty sure he gives just about everyone in the school the creeps," Maya pointed out, pulling away from the embrace. Draco looked just as embarrassed as she felt. "Personally, I think you'd have to be nuts to not be scared of Moody. Especially taking into consideration the first class he 'taught' us."

"If it hadn't been for Saint Potter then it wouldn't have happened in the first place," Draco snarled. Maya rolled her eyes and rested her head on his shoulder, listening to him go on a rant about Potter. He stopped as soon as Aspen chose to leap onto his lap and use him as a bridge to Maya. He tensed up, looking away, "Will you get that bloody rat away from me, Kensington?"

"Why? Scared she's going to transfigure you back into a ferret?" Maya joked, picking Aspen up and setting her on her other side so she wouldn't bother Draco. She saw him still avoiding to look in that direction and told him, "She's not even a ferret, Draco. I mean, related to them, yes, but actually a ferret? No. For one, she's brown and all the others in her species are brown, as opposed to ferrets. Second, she's cuter and doesn't smell as bad. In fact, I'm smelling pine nettles. And there's also —"

"Okay, Kensington, I get the idea," Draco told her. "I need comfort right now, not a lesson about mustelids. Because I know you probably have enough to tell me that would make being around Granger seem fun, I'm going to ask: where'd you even learn this much about them in the first place?"

"Uhm…some science lesson for my Muggle school, I think," Maya shrugged, stroking Aspen. "Hmmm…maybe now that you know what's like in her…er…paws, well, maybe you won't be such a jerk to her, right?"

"Don't push it, Kensington," Draco said, but he did cautiously reach out to pet Aspen.

There was some more friendly conversation between the two, and Maya picked up a book to read it to Draco, so they could actually get some studying in, and Maya left to dinner feeling much happier than she had in several days. And she figured that Draco had something to do with that.

Lately, whenever she spent a lot of time with him, she found herself feeling happy, wanting to smile for no reason. She also found herself embarrassed and her stomach twisting and flipping and fluttering. If this was a crush, like she suspected it was, then how long would it last? Would it go away? Maya tried to force this out of her mind, but she couldn't help watching the Slytherin table to see Draco.

Maya leaned back in a chair by the window in the Ravenclaw common room. Usually, Lewis would sit in the chair next to hers, but all she had for company now was a stack of books with Aspen perched on top of it, tilting her head every time Maya would groan with frustration and slam the book on a separate stack on the chair. Maya had found every book on dragons that she could think of, and still found no idea on how to defeat this.

"Here, this might help you," said a familiar voice. Maya opened her eyes to find Lewis standing over the chair, presenting her with a thick book. "I found a list of spells that work against dragons. You might want to check it out."

"H-How did you — why did you —?" Maya took the book slowly, not knowing what to say.

"Carol and I are still your friends, Maya. Carol just doesn't know what to do or say all the time. You should try and talk to her sometime," Lewis said with a shrug. "Goodnight, Kensington. See you tomorrow."