Maya sat on the grounds thoughtfully, staring out into the vast forest. She was so confused. What was wrong with those two? Daydreaming there, lying back on the grass she saw a shadow. She turned slightly, and saw Malfoy standing there smiling. Maya wasn't sure what to say. Perhaps there were no words left in her. He sat beside her, looking out onto the view curiously wondering what she had been looking at. Maya sat up, stretching out her legs and gazing back into the scenery. Silently, Malfoy pulled her towards him so that she was leaning against him while he rested his arm around her shoulders. Maya felt... warm. Instead of pushing him away, she seemed to melt into him calmly. She closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. She was barely conscious when he suddenly put something cold and shiny around her neck. She had little time to look at the pendant, before falling into a deep sleep.
Maya awoke, finding it was quite dark. She looked over to her side, where there was no one. Had she dreamt it all? She blinked, and looked down. She was wearing the pendant. It was a beautiful pendant, the chain silver against her tanned neck. She held it for a moment, finding it so odd that there was a family crest on the back. Slowly reading the Latin, she failed to understand it. She sighed. Standing, she brushed herself off, heading towards the school.
Kayla, realized then that she indeed was not wearing a shirt. She instantly turned as red as her bra, and pulled on a nearby housecoat.
"I'm sorry. I forgot. I'm so used to getting changed in here and then you were waking up so..." She said, stumbling on her words.
"Why is it red?" he asked, rather suddenly. His head was swimming.
"I like red. You pervert." she said, sticking out her tongue. Ron was about to retort when she got there first. "Dirty old man." She laughed, running to the opposite direction of the room. What caught his eye was the back of the housecoat.
"Wait." he said, standing somewhat. He pointed to the aforementioned clothing, slightly shifting his weight to keep balance. "Where did you get that robe?". Ron suddenly fell back onto the bed, his head pounding. She ran back to him, worried. He seemed insistent.
"It's Maya's, I think. It came for her in a package this morning." she explained, wondering what the importance was. The symbol burned in his mind. Where had he seen it before?
"Who sent it?" he asked, slowly retreating from consciousness.
"It didn't say, actually. But that's enough. You need to rest, you have a pretty bad bump." She said, moving him to lie down with his head on the pillow. The bump was red, and Kayla carefully placed an ice pack on it. "Don't worry, it isn't too serious. You might have a bump for a little while."
Hermione felt a deep shame inside. Maya had never done anything to her and yet here she was- handing the poor girl over to him. She began to wonder why she was doing this. When had she become so bitter? Then her mind flashed an image of Harry, smiling. It made her heart beat faster and a blush crept into her cheeks as she felt a warmth inside her chest. Now she remembered why. Because she'd do whatever it took to keep Maya from stealing Harry's heart. Even if it meant selling the girl out to a ferret. She hated that it had to be this way, but there was simply no alternative. If she just left things as they were, Harry's feelings for Maya would continue to grow. And she didn't need that. If it got any farther, she would lose him forever. And she wasn't willing to do so. But still, that feeling deep inside nagged at her. It wouldn't go away, but at least she could ignore it. She saw Malfoy in the hall, headed for dinner at that moment.
"Ferret." she said darkly. He turned and looked at her somewhat impatiently.
"What is it, Granger?" he said, raising an eyebrow in annoyance. She had a moment of silence, thinking carefully.
"Take her. Do whatever you wish. Just make sure that Harry sees that tonight." she said, figuring this was the best tactic. Malfoy quietly breathed out like a tired adult talking to a child.
"You say it as if I wasn't already planning to." he said, swiftly leaving her in the silent halls. Hermione was more so overwhelmed by that deep feeling of guilt, and for a moment let it.
"Hermione! There you are!" said a voice, bringing her from her reverie. She looked up, and saw Harry walking quickly towards her. She smiled at him bittersweetly.
'You. I'm doing this for you, Harry. I love you.'
Draco Malfoy approached the Gryffindor tower quickly, choosing to leave dinner early. No one had really noticed. Not since the incident. He was being harshly ignored by most of the people in his house, except for one. Of course, all Demiarez did was make him question everything more.
"Maya, it's him again." The fat lady cried, calling to the distant Maya. Maya looked over, and slowly approached the door.
"I can hear you. Bloody painting." Malfoy cursed under his breath. After spending more time encountering the fat lady, they had grown to despise each other very much. Maya came out, wearing a dark cloak around herself to keep warm. She looked at Malfoy with a distant gaze, still with no words. What could she say to the man standing before her, smirking as one would after winning a prize? He opened the clasps on her cape, taking a closer look at her figure for the first time. She didn't move, didn't resist with words or body language. She felt like she was a million miles away, just watching stupefied. "Not bad." For a moment it looked as though he were going to kiss her when he lifted the pendent from her neck, gently holding it.
"Malfoy." she said, drawing his attention away from the pendent. He looked up at her empty eyes, they were odd when they were like that. He smiled anyway. If she was going to put up a wall, why shouldn't he continue his?
"So you must accept then." he said, holding her hand in his.
"Accept?" she asked. He chuckled to himself. He tilted her chin for her to look at him. Very close to her face, he paused. Maya didn't notice Harry and Hermione as well as the other Gryffindors returning from dinner approaching them. Malfoy did. He said it in a clear voice.
"We are engaged. This is only one of the many luxurious gifts you'll be receiving until I graduate." he said, stroking her cheek. The students stopped. This was a unique event. A Gryffindor and Slytherin were engaged? The whispers began like wild fire. Malfoy then walked away, Maya following with their hands together. With her cloak flowing behind her, it set the beginning of a completely new public secret.
"Maya..!" Harry said as she passed, somewhat hurt. She looked at him with that same glazed stare as before she was pulled closer to her fiancee. Harry looked at Hermione, confused and somewhat angry. "This is a trick! He must be forcing her to do this! Its wrong!". Hermione sighed. The ferret did an excellent job. But it didn't quiet the little voices in her mind. That look on Maya's face... the ferret did something. Maya wasn't herself.
"You can say that again! A Gryffindor and a Slytherin? There's definitely something wrong there. Why would she agree? Unless..." a student behind them remarked, trailing off. "Unless perhaps she's not really meant to be here in Gryffindor. Maybe the sorting hat made a mistake with her." From that more rumours started to fly. Harry didn't want to hear it. The two had disappeared, but he ran after them filled with anger.
A/N
uhhhh... I'm not exactly sure what to put here. Well, I'm listening to "The other man" by Sloan right now, which would be more suiting to a music video of the love triangle between Yuu Matsuura, Miki Koishikawa and Kei in season two of "Marmalade Boy". But all the same- I'm magic! :D
Falron- I'm a girl actually. XD I'm sorry, I thought you were a girl. It's usually only girls who really read my stories- like my muse Niome-Chan for example. LOL, sorry for updating right after you just finished reading the new chapter. But Niome-Chan has been putting ideas in my head.
Niome-Chan- You came back! Now I can make Malfoy evilly. Because he is. And... well I guess he won't be by the end. Maybe. I already have an idea of the series of events in my mind. Heh heh heh.
