Disclaimer: Blah blah blah. I don't own anything you recognise from the HHPB (Holy Harry Potter Books).
A/N: Thanks to Ron's babe, my beta reader, and everybody who reviewed: Waterfall, Fata Morgana(yes, yes, she isn't on the review list at ff.net, but she reviews at home), EvilTHoughtThinker, Nayru&Din(Nayru, you're the best!!^_^) and Erica.
Sigh. I've been bitten by the fanfiction virus. Instead of doing homework I need to do, or practising on my flute, which I also need to do, I'm writing this. This is 'the girl which boy classmates believe use her spare time to do homework' speaking. At least you guys are as bad as me. Small comfort...^_~ Just kidding. It's great comfort. Satisfied? I hope my parents don't read this... Hmm? What? Oh, I forgot. Here comes...(the traditional drums)
The Exchange Students
Chapter Six: Shopping and Party Preparations
A/N: Wow! Already at chapter six! *tries to pat herself encouragingly on the back without much success* Um, right...the story...
"So, what do we do now?" Hermione asked. They were in a shopping centre in Molde: Risevis had agreed to drive them there. Now he waited at home (ok, Trollheimen) for them to call when they wanted to be picked up again.
"I say we split up," Kjersti suggested. "The girls go for themselves, and the boys go for themselves. That way, we spare time."
"And the boys don't have to wait for the girls all the time when they try the clothes," Mats grinned.
"That too," Kjersti admitted. "Where shall we meet when we're finished?"
"Peppes' Pizza at seven o'clock."
"But that only leaves us three hours!" Mona protested. (A/N: Due to the magical mini bus and Risevis' love for driving fast, the trip to Molde had only taken five minutes. They had went right after the last lesson, fish scales still under their nails. To anybody who want to know, we have jumped to Thursday. Last lesson is Care for Magical Creatures.)
"Half past seven sharp, then. Okay?" Mats looked at Mona.
"Okay," she muttered.
"Let's go, then."
The teenagers went in two different directions.
"Where do we go first?" Mona said.
"I'm not sure... Leather Man?" Kjersti suggested. (A/N: I'm not sure if Leather Man has a shop in Molde, but let's just say it has.)
"Okay."
"What's Leather Man?" Pansy asked.
"It's a clothes shop," Mona said. "And Kjersti's favourite one. She goes there so often, she's got a bonus card." Kjersti just grinned.
They went inside a shop with walls covered with various leather coats and jackets, loads of tops: tank tops, singlets, other sorts of tops (which I don't know the name of – in Norwegian OR in English) t-shirts... (with short sleeves) There also were pants – both tight fitting with flares and very loose fitting – and some shirts. Hermione recognised one of the jackets on the stands as the jacket Kjersti wore. "This is where you bought your jacket?" she asked Kjersti.
"Yup," Kjersti said, stretching up to get a white tank top with a red dragon on it off the stands.
"Can you take this one down for me?" she asked the man behind the counter.
"Sure," he smiled, coming over and taking down the top. "Here you go."
"Thanks," Kjersti said and turned to Hermione, holding up the top. "What do you think about this one?"
"It's cool," she said.
"Try it. Do you have any pants you can use?" Hermione shook her head. "Let's find one for you, then." Kjersti went over to one of the stands with pants. "Do you care for any red?" she asked, holding up some red leather pants.
"NO!" Hermione almost choked.
"Ok, no red. Hmmm...Look for yourself, then. I have to have a look at some other stuff."
Hermione looked at all the pants. No leather, she told herself. Her eyes settled on a pair of jeans – dark blue and white motley. She held it up to Kjersti. "What about this one?"
Kjersti nodded in approval. "Cool. Maybe if the dragon on the top was the same blue... if you want to, we can fix it when we come home, don't you think?" She winked. Hermione smiled.
"I'll go and try it, then," she said and went over to the changing rooms, were Mona stood talking to Pansy.
"Hey, Kjersti! What do you think?" Mona called. Kjersti went over and looked at Pansy, who stood inside the changing room. She had black pants with silver spots down the outside of each leg, and a shock pink singlet.
"Great pants. But the singlet was a bit ...er... pink?" The other girls nodded. "Just a sec," Kjersti ran to one of the stands and came back with a silver glittering singlet. "Try this one." Pansy nodded and closed the door. They heard some shuffling, and then she came out again.
"Perfect," Kjersti and Mona said.
***
"NO! Absolutely not! I refuse to wear those...absurd... jeans!" Draco said furiously. Ron and Harry was on the brink of hysterical laughter.
"All right, all right," Mats said grumpily, trying to hide his own laughter at Draco's reaction. "I just suggested it." He sighed. "What about these?" He held up a pair of Caki trousers.
Draco smiled. "I like these," he stated. "Not so extremely wide." He went to the changing rooms. Mats grabbed a black tank top and a black leather jacket, and handed them to Draco over the door in the changing room.
"Try these too," he said.
After a few minutes, Draco appeared in the door. Mats whistled. "I think we are finished, boys."
"So I look okay?" Draco asked nervously after changing back again.
" 'Look okay?' Hell, you make me want to buy those clothes myself," Mats grinned.
***
They met again at Peppes' Pizza at the appointed time, the girls having a few more bags than the boys.
"I'm starving," Mats declared. The others totally agreed.
"I'll call Hansi and ask if we can eat here before he picks us up," Kjersti said and went over to the pay phones. She slipped her wand up so that no one would see it, and muttered a few words. After a few minutes in the phone she returned.
"He says it's all right," she said. "He'll pick us up here at half past nine. Anyone care for some pizza?"
***
"Sooo," Draco said, trying to stifle a yawn, "are we finished?" It was three o'clock in the morning, and he, Mats, Hermione, and Kjersti was serving the detention they got since they came late to CFMC. Since the school needed some more firewood (they only used five logs a day in every fire, but that is a bit much if you put all together) they had to cut it and pile it in the firewood shed.
"I think so," Kjersti said and stretched. "Boy, my back feels like I've been sleeping on a... damnit. Mats," she turned towards Mats, still stretching. "what's a pinnsvin in English?"
"Hedge-hog," he replied.
"Right. My back feels like I've been sleeping on a hedge-hog."
Draco forced himself to not look at her stretching, and instead stared at the big piles of logs covering the walls from floor to ceiling. When they had begun, the room had been almost empty and you could see that it was as big as the Slytherin common room. Now, though, they only had about two metres2 with space to stand in.
"We stacked all this?" he said disbelievingly.
"Yup," Mats said, looking proudly at it. "We sure did. Not too bad for five hours work, eh?"
"God, my arms are sore," Kjersti said. Since she and Mats were the experienced firewood cutters, they were the ones wielding the axe. (A/N: Of course they wasn't allowed to use magic. If they were, it wouldn't be a detention.) "I think I'll skip the training tomorrow morning."
"I just want to go to bed," Hermione said. It was her first detention ever (A/N: I think so...) and she suddenly knew why Ron and Harry looked so worse for wear the morning after they had had detention. Fortunately, it was Saturday tomorrow.
"Roger on that," Kjersti said, and yawned. "Come on, Hermi." She lay her arm around Hermione's shoulders, and they stumbled towards the tunnel room looking like a pair of drunks. Halfway there, Kjersti fell straight forward.
"Ouch," she said. "Mmm... This feels like a nice bed..."
"Oh, no you don't," Mats said, and lifted her up. "Come on, Draco," he panted, his face going red because of holding Kjersti. "She isn't as light as she looks like." Together they carried Kjersti to the tunnel room: Draco holding her legs and Mats holding her arms.
"Come on, Hermione. We don't want to carry you too."
"Yeah, yeah," Hermione said, following them. "Uh, where are you going?" Draco had already gone through the tunnel hole named Huldra, Kjersti had slowly climbed through the hole after him, and Mats was sitting halfway through it.
"To your dormitories, of course. Or did you want to help Kjersti getting to bed by yourself?"
"No..."
"Come on, then." And he slipped through the hole. Hermione sighed, waited a few seconds, and went after him. When she landed in a bunch of pillows, she saw Kjersti trying to rise up. She stood there a few seconds on unsteady feet before she fell down again.
"Damn legs," she muttered. "They got all ruined from all the carrying..."
"Are you okay?" Hermione said, looking worried at her. Kjersti smiled a tired smile at her.
"Yeah, I'm okay. It's only these damn legs of mine..."
"Hey, you did most of the cutting," Mats reminded her. "No wonder you've burned out your energy. 'Sides, Hans Petter pushed you at the training."
"Yeah..." Kjersti said, and drifted off to sleep.
"Come on, let's get her to bed," Mats said, and grabbed her arms again. Draco followed suit.
"Let me show you..." Hermione said.
"I know the way," Mats interrupted her. They went up the staircase to the fifth year dormitories. "Could you open the door?"
Hermione did as she was told, and went over to her own bed.
"Come on," Mats muttered, and Draco followed him over to Kjersti's bed. "On three. One, two, three!" They swung Kjersti onto the bed.
"Phew," Mats said, pulling his hand through his hair. "She sure is heavier than she looks, eh?" Draco nodded, and swayed a little. "Oh, no," Mats said, and shook him. "I won't carry you to your bed, too."
"Okay... 'Night, Hermione." And they staggered out the door and down the stairs.
"'Night," Hermione said and drifted off to sleep, not bothering to change.
***
"Draco, can you find Kjersti? I think she's in the gym," Mats said. "We need to start getting the party ready soon."
"Sure," Draco said and headed towards the gym.
Kjersti was doing an intricate flow of motion. It almost seemed like dancing, but Draco soon realised that it was a series of various kick- and punch moves.
"Hiii-YAH!"
Suddenly she smashed a tree pole as broad as a big man's hand in two with a high kick. Draco looked disbelieving at her. And she was the girl who collapsed last night? Sleep can do wonders.
Now she lay her head down on a pillow, shaping a triangular with her head/ hands. Slowly, she rose her feet of the floor, ending with her legs straight up in the air in 180o. It was not before then that she noticed Draco.
"Hi!" she smiled at him. "Come on over here, I don't want to shout all the time." Draco went over, noticing that sweat was pipling down her forehead. (A/N: It's hard to stand on your head. A friend of mine can do it like I described it here, but it takes practice to hold it for long.)
"We're starting to make ready for the party soon," he informed her.
"Pretend I just slapped my forehead, please. Last time I tried it when standing on my head, I almost broke my neck."
"Right," Draco said, unsure if she was kidding or not. Probably not. She rolled down onto the floor again, and stood up, smiling at him. It made him go weak in the knees.
"Tell the others I'll be there in half an hour," she said when they were in the tunnel room and went through the hole to Nøkken (the bathrooms) holding her bag. Draco stared after her for a while, before he suddenly remembered that the others were waiting.
***
"Tablio settpåplasso!" Several tables lined up into a long table at Mats' command.
"Chairio settpåplasso!" Kjersti shouted, following his example. The chairs sprang to their appropriate places.
"Cool charm," Harry said.
"Yeah," Mats agreed. "Saves a lot of time...hey! You're not supposed to be here yet!"
"Now come on," Harry objected. "We feel left out."
"Yeah!" Ron said in an annoyed tone, although he grinned.
"Well, if you insist on being here, you can help," Mats said, shaking his head defeated.
"There isn't much to do besides casting spells, now is there?" Harry said, looking around.
"True. But here's a thought," Mats lowered his voice and leaned closer to them. "Why don't you go hide Kjersti's gifts? Now she's too preoccupied to notice."
"Sure," Ron nodded. "Ummm...where are they?"
"They're in the cupboard marked 'Cleaning tools' just down the corridor." Harry and Ron hurried towards the hidden gifts – just in time, because Kjersti came towards Mats just then.
"Hiya," she said, and jumped up on him, almost making him fall. He laughed.
"Got your energy back, eh?"
She grinned at him. "Yeah, nothing's like a little exercise to fill the reserves."
Mats shook his head at her. "I just can't understand you," he confessed.
"That's okay! Neither can I!" They laughed.
"Ready for dancing, then?" Mats asked.
"Sure. You too, right?"
"Always."
"Even with a sprained ankle."
"Probably. They're in for quite a shock, aren't they?" Mats said, looking at the gang from Hogwarts.
"They sure is. Say, we're mostly finished now, right?" Kjersti said, looking around the room. Mats did the same.
"I think so. Just a few things we ask the trolls, and stuff..."
"So it wouldn't be a complete crisis if me and Hermione went up and made us ready?" Kjersti asked innocently, making Bambi eyes. Mats laughed.
"Christ, Kjersti! It's only three o'clock!"
"My point exactly."
"Okay, go off and do all that icky girlie stuff, then." Mats grinned at her. She punched him playfully in the shoulder.
"You're so understanding. Oh yeah, what are you going to wear? I was thinking of that blue dress..."
"Okay. I'll go in what I wear now, then." Mats wore a green pair of trousers, and a dark blue t-shirt.
"Do that, and I'll kill you."
"What's wrong with this?" Mats asked innocently. Kjersti stared at him for a moment with a look that told everything, before she shook her head and went over to Hermione.
"Boys," she muttered. Mats laughed.
***
Hermione sat on her bed, brushing her hair and looking at Kjersti. She also sat on her bed, metodously pulling out the hair on her legs one after one. Occasionally an "Ouch" came from her.
"What are you doing, Kjersti?" Hermione asked curiously.
"I'm getting rid of the hair on my legs," Kjersti said grumpily. "What does it look like? Ouch."
"Do you have to take them out one at a time?"
"Can't find my razor," Kjersti answered. "Damn. Why do I have to do this?" she muttered to herself. "Ouch."
"Why can't you just use magic?" Hermione asked. Kjersti stopped in mid-"Ouch" and stared at her with open mouth. Then she slapped herself on the forehead.
"Why didn't I think of that before?" she said. With a wave of her wand, the annoying hairs disappeared. "You're a life saver, Herm."
"No problem," Hermione smiled. "By the way, do you have any hair straightening potion?"
Kjersti shook her head. "Oh, no. You don't have to straighten your hair." She grinned. "I know just what you'll have."
***
"Do I look okay?" Hermione asked, nervously touching her hair.
"Hermione, you look great," Kjersti said with an 'I'm-getting-tired-of-this' sigh.
"You sure?"
"For the hundredth time, Herm, you look great. If Ron didn't like you before, which by the way is not the case, he sure is gonna change his mind now. He'll be drooling as much as you did that day in the bathroom."
"Thanks...HEY! I DID NOT DROOL!"
Kjersti was laughing so hard she was almost hit by the pillow Hermione threw at her. (A/N: She's got karate reflexes.)
"Come on, lover girl," Mona said teasingly. The other girls from their dorm giggled as they walked down to the tunnel room.
***
"Do I look okay?" Ron asked, nervously tugging at his t shirt.
"She'll be drooling all over you," Mats reassured him.
"You sure? Umm...not that I want her to..." Ron blushed as the other boys laughed. (Except for Crabbe, of course, who was fast asleep – they had slipped some sleeping potion into his meal. Although they doubted that he would wake up anytime before tomorrow afternoon. But you should always be ready for anything.)
"Yeah. Oh, and before you ask, Draco, yes, you look okay too."
"As if I was going to ask that..." Draco muttered.
"You were."
"Nooo, I was going to ask if you guys were coming now or not."
"Looking forward to seeing all the girls, eh?" Mats grinned at him. Draco glared at him, but Mats just grinned.
A/N: Sorry, but that's it for this time. But next chapter I will write about the party... I just thought I had used too much time as it was on this chapter. Anyway, hope you like it, and as always there are four steps you always should do when reading a Fanfiction.net story: 1)Read the story. 2)Read the Author's Note at the end (and the beginning, of course) 3)Find out that you'll be a very great reader and therefore... 4)Review.
Oh yeah, and it's almost summer now! Hurray!!!! ^_^ I and some friends had water war (you know what I mean) with some guys from our ex-class (they live up around us). I got totally soaked. The boys had a big canon of a water gun! Anyway, that was sooooo cool/fun and you're not interested, so...
Nihao!
aurora borealis~
