I unfortunately do not own the world of Harry Potter. That honor belongs to J. K. Rowling.

I would just like to say a quick thanks to Whispering-Lestrange, Loonynamelass, panneler-san, AnonymousMSQ, MysticalJello, meandthedoctor, TheUlitimateGleek, soccergurl31294, Allen Pitt, destinysings, Skylan D. Water, KayleyBautista, ThatGirlWhoLikesBooks, misha29, PrettyGirl5894, freerice, tmjay10, YukiKyo, and Macey247.

This is my first fan-fic. Hope you like it! (And if you haven't guessed by now, reviews are greatly appreciated!)

I am writing 5 other fan-fics at this time as well. If you could please check out my profile and check them out, I would greatly appreciate that. Thanks! :)

Chapter 45:

The Ferret and the Second Task

A few weeks had passed since her conversation with Draco, and true to his word, her work load from him had lightened. Unfortunately, the teachers chose the same time to give them even more work. She just couldn't win, could she? Still...for the first time, it was as if people actually cared about her. It felt nice.

It was a nice day in early March, and as a result, most students were outside in the courtyard roaming about, talking, laughing, and in the case of the group Slytherins a few feet away, sneering and gossipping. Currently, Ariella was hunched over her schoolwork, trying to get the work due Monday done. She was so absorbed in her work that she didn't hear Draco Malfoy's taunts to a certain two Gryffindors who were passing by. (Either that, or after four years, she had just learned to tune out Draco's voice when he started in that particular voice.) Nor did she notice the look that her two classmates gave her as they passed the spot where she sat.

What did draw her attention from her work was a loud BANG! Ariella looked up to see a white light searing past Harry Potter's ear. She looked at the source...and was not surprised to find that it had been emitted Malfoy's wand.

But as Harry struggled to get his own wand out, another BANG! came, followed by Professor Moody's voice:

"OH NO YOU DON'T, LADDIE!"

Ariella watched in disbelief as Draco Malfoy was turned from a human boy...into a pure white ferret, right before her eyes, which widened as she realized what had happened.

Then Moody starting bouncing him in the air. Ariella was torn - as funny as the situation was, as much as he deserved to get a taste of what he had been dishing out for years to everyone else...did he really deserve this much humiliation? But as she continued to watch, even she joined everyone else and laughed. Luckily, however, Professor McGonagall came and put a stop to it, and proceeded to tell Moody off at thesame time. As she changed Draco back, Ariella could see the pain and humiliation that clouded his eyes, and immediately regretted laughing...almost.

But as Moody dragged Malfoy off to the dungeons, she decided to follow. However, she seemed to have momentarily forgotten about Moody's magical eye, because the next thing she new, he was speaking to her.

"Lyons, is there a reason you're following us?" he growled.

"N - No, sir. I - I'm just on my way back to the common room." she stuttered. She noticed that Draco had turned slightly when Moody spoke, but his head was down, his blond hair falling down in front of it. She made a quick decision that she would wait for him in the common room with a healing substance and a hot drink. Turning down a side corridor in order to be away from Moody, she set to work, and was just finishing when Draco came in ten minutes later.

"Hey," she said, causing him to look at her.

"Wha' d'you want?" he sneered, but she could hear the pain in his voice.

"To help," she replied, gesturing to the seat in front of her. Nodding slowly, obviously tired, he sat down.

"What hurts?" she asked quietly, feeling slightly like a mother attending a little kid. But when he didn't respond, she just got out the ointment, and started rolling up his sleeve, applying the concoction to the scrapes.

"Here," she said simply, handing him the cup of hot chocolate. He took it, nodding once, but still looked downcast as Ariella moved to face him.

"Draco, I - I'm sorry," she whispered, causing him to look up at her.

"Why? I thought you of all people would have enjoyed that little show," he said, his voice harsh, and bitter.

"Malfoy, I'll admit it, the ferret part of it was a bit funny, but seeing you get hurt and humiliated, especially since I know how that feels, was not."

"Now, where else are you seriously hurt. Besides your pride, I mean," she asked.

"Look Lyons, I've got scrapes everywhere and - why are you even bothering to help?" he said.

"Because it's my duty...and because I want to," she said, her voice still soft.

"Well I can do it myself," he replied arrogantly. Normally she would be affronted by his attitude, but at the moment, Ariella knew that he was simply trying to regain his dignity and pride. she sighed, and handed him the jar filled with the healing potion. As she watched him go, she couldn't help but feel a bit sorry for him. Still, as she replayed the afternoon's events in her mind, a smile crossed her face, and she let out a small chuckle.

That weekend, the Second Task was taking place, and so all the members of the three schools made their way down to the lake, where the task was explained to them. Apparently, something of great importance had been taken from each of the champions, and had been hidden at the bottom of the lake. They would have an hour to retrieve it. A canon sounded, and all four champions went into the water.

Ariella sat down, knowing this was going to be a very long hour. She looked over, and saw Draco with his usual group of 'friends', (if he could really call them that), and she smiled slightly.

"Hey," a voice said behind her, causing her to turn as Theodore Nott sat down next to her, looking disgusted at the prospect of sitting on the ground.

"Hi," she replied.

"So has Malfoy kept his promise?" he asked. She nodded.

"So far, so good,"she said. Nott nodded once curtly, glaring at his classmate, before wrapping an arm around his friend, and pulling her closer. He couldn't understand how someone like her had ended up becoming the Malfoy's servant. Tentatively, Ariella leaned her head against her friend, and pulled her cloak tight around her, trying to block out the chilliness of the mid-March winds.

Finally, the first of the champions left arrived. (Fleur had been disqualified for being unable to handle the grindylows.) Ariella jumped to her feet, and made her way over to the railing for a better view as Cedric Diggory came to the surface of the water, dragging Cho Chang with him. So they put the person that meant the most to each champion at the bottom of the lake.

Next came Viktor Krum, dragging Hermione Granger with him.

Finally, Harry broke the surface of the water, dragging both Ron and a little blond girl who must have been Fleur's captive. Because of this fact, he tied for second.

She was about to turn and start heading back to the castle when someone pushed her, hard, and she lost her balance, and slipped straight into the water. Spluttering and coughing, she struggled to keep her head above the surface. She had never learned how to swim! she thought, panic filling her, but somehow, she was able to force it down as she saw someone waiting for her at the deck. Her vision was a bit blurred from the water, so all she could tell was that the boy was dark haired. But as he held out his hand and dragged her back onto land, she realized that the person whom she had thought to be her friend was actually Harry Potter. What was it with him and saving people? she thought, but was very grateful all the same.

"Thanks," she said quietly.

"What happened?" he asked. She shrugged.

"I don't know, to be honest. But I think someone pushed me." she said. She shrugged again.

"Good job by the way. I - I'll see you later," she said, and he nodded in response.

The walk back to the drafty dungeons didn't help her condition one bit. She was slowly peeling off her soaking wet clothes when she heard the dormitory door open and then close again.

"Have a nice swim, Lyons?" Pansy Parkinson sneered.

"You - you pushed me in?" Ariella said, turning around to face the other girl. But the real Slytherin girl just smirked, leaving a confused and fuming Ariella.

Stupid Slytherins. she thought. Why can't they just leave me alone? her thoughts contined bitterly, before changing into her pajamas, and haning her wet clothes all around her bed, hoping desperatly that she wouldn't be sick because of her swim. Now if only I knew her motive...

So I know the ferret scene happened earlier on in the book, but I forgot where exactly, so I'm sticking it here instead. Sorry about that little detail!

Hey all! I've just joined the group Fanfictioners Against World Hunger. If you could all please go to freerice dot com, and earn some rice for my stories, (and then tell me how much you earned) that would be fantastic! Also, if you're interested in joining the group, or want more information, feel free to contact me or the founder of the group, Gryffindor777. Thanks again everyone!

Anything you recognize is from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

Thanks to all who are reading, and liking it. If you have any suggestions, questions, or comments, please feel free to review/private message me. Also, if you have any ideas at all, or would like to see something happen, let me know, and I'll consider putting them into a chapter. Thanks! ~ Leanora