Disclaimer: I don't own the sickening little ferret or any characters related to him, because if I did, he would bounce a whole lot more. :D

Author's Note: This story's title took me a complete two hours to think of, after contemplating such cheesy variations as "Draco's Lost Love", "Mal Foi Draco" and even "American Ferret" (Don't ask). The time spent on the title therefore means that you should pay no attention to it whatsoever, and just focus on reading and reviewing. Thank you for your time, there is more coming very soon. Enjoy. :D

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Harry's eyes flitted over the scene before him. Parchment was strewn all over the floor; a pair of cat-eye glasses were smashed into little pieces; a book lay open, pages fluttering in the wind. In the midst of it all was a pale blonde with piercing brown eyes and an almost too pointy nose. She was frantically trying to gather her things and shove them into a leather bag. The sun poured in the large open windows, except for the area around her, where a dark shadow was being cast. Harry knew all too well what was casting it; it was in the habit of casting shadows wherever it could.

The "it" was a boy who could have passed as the girl's twin, except that he was much taller and looked as though he had just recovered from being seasick. A horrible grin was stretched across his face, as he stood observing his handiwork.

"Malfoy, you sickening little ferret." Harry stooped to help pick up the parchment.

Malfoy's nose twitched before he could stop it.

"Oh, I thought she did it to be funny. I was just enjoying the entertainment." The grin turned to a scowl. Harry was reaching into his robe for his wand when footsteps sounded.

"Now you're in for it." Harry smiled as he backed away from the scene and stood, arms folded. But the footsteps didn't belong to the person he expected. A look of horror spread across the girl's face as she stacked the last piece of parchment.

"Miss le Fay, are you having trouble keeping your things organized?" came a sneering voice from behind Harry.

"N- no. I was just heading towards the hall when-"

"When she wasn't looking where she was going and ploughed right into me!" Malfoy finished the sentence with a flourish of his hand, "Awfully rude if you ask me. I say she owes me an apology."

Harry's face became red with rage. "Professor Snape, that was not the way it was at all."

The greasy haired man turned towards Harry with flaring nostrils.

"Did I ask YOU?!"

"No sir, but I saw what happened and Draco is simply being his usual horrible self. He's lying."

The professor glanced from Harry, to Draco, to the girl, and back to Harry again.

"Or," his faced tightened, "are you sure this isn't just a house fight in which a bumbling 5th year got caught?"

He said bumbling with a certain flourish.

"Mr. Potter and Mr. Malfoy, help Miss le Fay pick up her things, and then move on. And twenty points from Gryffindor for meddling in business not its own." He swept down the hall and out of sight.

The girl stood up and glanced from one boy to the other.

"You heard Snape, help her pick these things up." Harry said as he bent down to close the book.

"Oh yes. Pick them up. Right." Draco's defiant grin had returned as he lifted his wand.

"Wingardium Leviosa" he said, and marched off, leaving Harry and Autumn le Fay snatching at the now floating parchment.

* * * * * * *

For three days afterward, Malfoy took the time out of his day to make sure he threw a nasty grin at Autumn and a flash-eyed scowl at Harry every time he saw them. After that, he returned to his usual ignorance of Autumn's existence, though the scowl at Harry simply lost its glint, as though Draco had gotten lazy. Things hadn't always been quite this way though.

At the beginning of Harry and Draco's sixth year at Hogwarts, Autumn le Fay had transferred as a 5th year from a school in America. It was a rare occurrence, and Albus Dumbledore, along with the other professors, had decided she should be put in Slytherin house, where the majority of Americans went. No one ever thought to consult the sorting hat, for it tended to get somewhat confused if the student wasn't a first year. So to Slytherin she went.

About a week after school had begun, Autumn approached Hermione Granger, Harry's close friend, at the library. She stuck out her hand and smiled.

"Hi, I'm Autumn le Fay. I've noticed you tend to hang out in the library a lot like me, and I was wondering if you wanted to – study together or something? Since I've heard that your really smart."

Hermione's eyes moved up and down the green and black outfitted girl as she shook the hand.

"Uh, Hermione Granger, and… aren't you a Slytherin?"

Autumn drew a blank look and then realized Hermione was focusing on her sweater and skirt.

"Oh yeah, the outfit. Heh, I'm not a huge green snake fan myself, but I've gotten used to it. See, I got matching bracelets." She poked an arm full of black and green bangles towards Hermione.

Hermione, who hadn't been known to wear jewelry but a few times in her life, just smiled vaguely and nodded. She assumed Autumn wasn't used to the house rivalries that so often occurred at Hogwarts, especially between Gryffindors and Slytherins.

"They're… nice."

"Thanks-"
Autumn was about to continue when a black haired Slytherin poked her head around the library door. She raised her eyebrows at the sight of Hermione.

"Autumn, we're going to be late for potions. C'mon."

"K- hey, it was great meeting you, Hermione. Catcha later."

She waved as she bolted out of the room.

Hermione was left speechless.

* * * * *

"Have you met the new Slytherin?"
Ronald Weasley shoved a biscuit in his mouth and shook his head.

"What's she like?"

Harry was sipping a cup of tea in the dining hall, carefully watching Cho Chang,

whom he had had a crush on since 3rd year, from across the room. He didn't notice the red-haired girl down the table boring a hole through his head with her eyes. It was Saturday morning, and a few people had straggled in early to beat the breakfast rush. Ron swallowed noisily.

"Probably like every other Slytherin, a ferret. Wonder how well she bounces?" he smirked as Harry chuckled.

"Actually, that's what's so strange. She's not."

Hermione was deep in thought, staring at the sparsely populated Slytherin table. Ron faked choking.

"Stop it. She's liable to see you."

"Right. All the way from her common room." He shoved down another mouthful of biscuit.

At that moment, the entrance of two Slytherins caught the threesome's attention. It was Draco Malfoy, side by side with none other than Autumn le Fay herself.

Ron's eyes got wide with mock surprise.

"Not a ferret, you say?"

Hermione's face showed some amount of disappointment.

"And she seemed so nice too. It would figure she was just acting it to make fun of me."

She buried her face back into a book and Ron finished off his biscuit. Harry's attention had shifted to the girl and boy, talking at another table.

"I wouldn't judge so fast. It seems our new Slytherin has done a number on Malfoy. For one, I don't see Crabbe and Goyle anywhere. And if I'm not mistaken, Draco just complimented her on her bracelets."

Ron turned to see Autumn jangling them around on her arm and smiling.

This time he really choked.