With regards to Ayano... I also thought of her as a loud and annoying character at first. But when Kazuma came to her life (sorry for being cheesy :P), I've come to like her reactions towards Kazuma's comments and actions... and thus liked these fun exchange of remarks between Kazuma and Ayano... and since I am such a hopeless romantic, I wasn't quite able to resist the urge to flip through the novels, in search for MORE Kazuma x Ayano "moments"... and well, flipping and speed-reading was enough to make me see how much improvement happened to Ayano's character... (/me goes to defend Ayano! >=) )
Not sure if anyone else read my blog post (you should! or else you'll miss some spoiler I'll be mentioning there from time to time >D *LOL*)... but anyways, in one of my comment replies there, I mentioned a spoiler regarding Ayano in volume 3 (based from a colored pic I found at the beginning of the volume... and here goes... SPOILERs (beware...! though I highly encourage you to see it, coz it might make you love Kazuma and Ayano's pairing, like me >=) )
Spoiler:
I'll only be explaining the pic with Kazuma and Ayano on the right... I won't disclose about that girl on the left side... yet
Ayano's saying sorry to Kazuma, for certain events that happened in this volume (and thinks *I know...! I know it's not Kazuma's fault!* -> something like that... that's what has been retained in my memory
)... and Kazuma embraces her gently~ *aww*
and MORE spoiler (from volume 6) MAJOR SPOILER
Spoiler:
this was from the last part of volume 6, where much more things has happened, other elementals defeated and such... and...! Kazuma x Ayano <3 ^-^
I've read something in this volume where Kazuma tells Ayano "lend me your shoulder" (which you'll see with that pic =D) -> though if you see that pic, it'd seem as if Kazuma ends up "borrowing" not only Ayano's shoulder... *ahem* ;P
and then after that, there's still something mentioned about Kazuma asking Ayano to lend him her lap as well... (and so Kazuma lies on Ayano's lap... *sweet* ^-^ (Ayano tells Kazuma "You may still not be accepted by your father (? not quite sure if my speed reading was accurate), I'll always be here by your side, coz I'm your partner!")
and well after all that, I can't help but say *awww* >o< (and now I've become a full-fledged Kaze no Stigma fangirl... >.>) Rather than comparing this with Shakugan no Shana (which I still haven't seen), I can't help but compare it with Fullmetal Panic's Chidori-Sousuke situation... With Kazuma and Ayano's relationship, it's as though I see a Chidori in Ayano, but with a much better "Sousuke" (in terms of expressing his feelings and such~ so <333 ^-^)
Ayano became much stronger as the story progressed, and I can see that she has matured... she's able to humbly accept that there are just some things she can't do, that are far beyond her control (of course Kazuma played a big part in making her realize this... ^^)
Much more things has happened in between these 'scenes' I posted, particularly encounters with other elementals... and such and such... hehehe... I think it'd be better to watch out (with all excitement) for the anime regarding this... hehe... so, till I (or other people) post more spoilers :P ja!