Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunchback of Notre Dame and as such I'm not making any money by writing this. This is purely for fun.

Warnings: It's not Beta'd…so there might be a few mistakes here or there. Also; this will go along with the Disney version of HoND, not the book or the other movies. Why? Simply because it's easier to go with a movie than it is with a book. Plus, I actually like the Disney movie—it's cute and I likes it. And finally: this is a story completely made on a whim. As such it won't be regularly updated. Be warned!

Dedicated to the lovely LxIsxJustice, whose story became my muse for this one. *smiles* you've inspired me! *dramatic pose* thank you! ^_^

Chapter Three: Stupid in a Smart Way

She was definitely a smart young girl-but she was also very, very stupid. Clopin realized almost right away. Just looking into her boring blue eyes he could see wisdom there he had only seen in people three times her age. But it was as dull as the rest of her, dulled with her innocence and naiveté that came naturally when living with a family such as hers.

Still, she was so expressive, this girl he barely knew. He couldn't help by be captured by her childish expressions. It was rare to find someone who still had their innocence like she did, yet still be aware of her surroundings and what society demanded of her. Clopin had no doubt in his mind she knew she lived in dark times and what would be expected of her. She knew she was from a moderate family and would probably be sold off to the highest bidder as a bride. If she even had offers.

The little woman before him wasn't much to look at, Clopin was afraid. She certainly was no dazzling beauty that seemed to be so fashionable among the gadji these days. Her hair was too dark and too thick, not like the bright blonde that was so sought after lately. Her eyes were blue, granted, but they were dull and lifeless and made one look at them in passing but never look again. She was also too short and too thick for any noble, not that her position in life helped at all. Considering they were currently above a bakery Clopin educated a guess that she was a baker's daughter, not every high up on the food chain of nobility as it were.

All this added up to very slim pickings in offers for marriage, which was the girls only hope for a life. And Clopin was completely positive that she knew this. By her expression when he called her his beautiful lady. She had rolled her eyes and looked as if she didn't believe him. Down to her very soul she didn't believe she was beautiful, or a lady. Clopin didn't know if that was wise…or just sad.

Once again as this stranger of a non-gypsy girl knelt before him Clopin wondered if she was stupid…or smart?

"You don't look hurt," The girl muttered, more to herself than to him. "Are you?"

Clopin could only stare at her, still wondering about this very strange baker's daughter.

Dull eyes finally looked up into blacker than black eyes, her expression one of concern that barely even flickered in her eyes. It was almost as if she was blind and couldn't really see him. But Clopin knew that this couldn't be the case as she spoke her next words. "You have a rip in your cape. What me to stitch it for you?"

Numbly Clopin took the short cape off his shoulders and handed it to the strange girl, still not saying a word just analyzing her.

Without pause the white girl took the offered cape and retreated back to her rocking chair by the window. There she gathered her sewing materials and went to her bed to sit and work. It was much more comfortable there than in the hard wood of the chair. Either way, the stitch wouldn't take her long and it would place her closer to her guest. This in Eveline's mind meant she was being a good hostess. She was fully prepared to spend the whole visit in silence…but the gypsy had other ideas.

"You know…" Clopin started, as if testing the girl, "I could rape you right now."

The woman didn't even blink, "You would have done so already if you had wanted to."

"When?"

"You had me quite alone in an alley way not a fortnight back where no one would hear me." She went on to explain, reminding Clopin of their first real conversation. "You could have done it then but didn't."

"I could kill you then."

This time she gave a small smile, but still didn't look up from her work. "You could have done that too."

"Ah, yes." Clopin got tired of sitting and stood, pacing the small room. It was great fun scaring non-gypsies but apparently this one would be difficult to play with. But Clopin loved nothing if a good challenge. "Must have forgotten to do that last time."

"I'm sorry." Her monotone voice sounded as he paced, "Next time I'll remind you're puppet to remind you, shall I?"

Clopin couldn't help but laugh at her, which he quickly hushed himself. He didn't want her family to awaken and find him in their daughter's room, after all. That would cause more problems than it helped. "Alright, then how about this?" Clopin rounded on her, "I'll rob you blind!"

This time the girl paused in her work. Silently Clopin rejoiced in finally getting to the gadji. He fully expected her to look up with that startled beseeching look that just begged him not to steal from her. Just like all the others before her and the others after her. Everyone thought his people were thieves and criminals! She would be no different and Clopin was more than happy to prove it to himself. With that one look he would satisfy his curiosity in wither she was stupid or smart! Slowly pale hands placed Clopin's cape in her lap, only when it was safely planted there did the gadji look up at him.

But the look the girl gave him wasn't at all what he had been expecting. Instead of beseeching and pleading him not to rob her, those dull blue eyes simply looked confused. As if she honestly didn't understand Clopin's words!

"Well…" She spoke, "I don't know what you would want with women's clothing but you're more than welcome to them." And then she went back to her stitching as if nothing had happened.

That was the last straw! Clopin honestly didn't understand this strange girl he had saved and had saved him in return. The whole situation was just too much for him. He couldn't help himself: he started laughing. Heedless to her family, Clopin boomed his laughter at the situation he suddenly found himself in. A cackling mess the man fell to the floor before her bed and buried his face in the covers and mattress. He did this in hopes of stifling his laughter, and hopefully hide his complete disbelief.

How could anyone be so stupid in such a smart way?

It was obvious now that she had thought of all this before even inviting him into her room to hide. In the shortest time it took her to notice him being chased down an alley she had thought through the pros and cons of her actions and despite everything against her—she still did it. As if she had no control over her idiotic actions—but smart enough to plan and accommodate for it. It was simply too much!

Once he finally had his laughter under control, Clopin chanced a glance at the woman sitting primly beside him in nothing but white night rail. She paid no attention to her matter of undress in front of a man (something of scandal, Clopin was sure) and instead focused on her work. But she smiled at his antics, of that he could see.

"What about thing's downstairs?" Clopin couldn't help himself but adventure on.

"I am but a poor baker's daughter, Monsieur Gypsy." She smiled at him while also hinting that they had yet to know each other's names. "There is nothing we have that is of much value other than bread—and that can easily be baked. If you need something, take it. I'm not going to stop you."

And there it was again, her brilliant intelligence showing. Making it sound as if she had thought it all out—but failed to noticed that he might be interested in the bakery's daily earnings. She wisely kept the topic away from that but since her innocence was so profound Clopin honestly thought she didn't even realize he might want them. Smart in a stupid way…and Clopin was intrigued to say the least.

Deciding he was in the mood to know more about this strange gadji, Clopin chanced to know more information. "What's your name, poor baker's daughter?"

"Eveline Fournier." The girl, Eveline, replied without any hesitation at all. Clopin admired her for her bravery. "And what is yours, Monsieur Gypsy Sir?"

With a grin Clopin gave a bow as best he could half under her bed, "Clopin Trouillefou the Puppeteer at your service, Ma Belle Dame!"

Once again Eveline rolled her eyes at the compliment, though Clopin was starting to believe she wasn't even aware she was doing it. "Mademoiselle Fournier will do just fine, Monsieur Trouillefou."

"Oh of course." Clopin agreed with a mischievous grin. "We'll have to save each other at least three more times, each, to be able to refer to each other by our Christian names, right?"

This time he got Eveline to laugh with him, though her laugh wasn't quite as loud as his had been. "That's right. It's your turn next."

"I look forward to it."

But Eveline ignored his smile in favor of finishing her stitching. Finishing the held it out with a flourish for him to inspect. Clopin wouldn't lie; he had seen better stitches in his life. Hers were uneven and the purple thread didn't quite match the fabric but it was sturdy and wouldn't rip again. So, naturally, he loved it and gushed over it if only to get Eveline to laugh again.

"Not as good as what one of my people could do—but just as good!" Clopin slipped on the cape and modeled it for her. "But then again my people do pretty much everything better."

"Not everything." Eveline instantly protested and ignored Clopin's glare in favor of explaining herself. "No one can make a fuss out of nothing better than a noble woman of gentry. Even you have to admit that."

Yes, even Clopin could admit to that. In their professions they had both seen it as so. And for half the night the two carried on. Arguing and agreeing on different things in life. Clopin never had so much fun talking to a female, except maybe Esmeralda. But La Esmeralda tended to be the exception to many rules. And Esmeralda was smart, plain and simple, a genius in so many words. Not smart in a stupid way like Eveline seemed to be.

Well into the night the two talked to each other. Eveline leaned back against her pillows and Clopin sat on the floor with his legs under her bed and his arms thrown out over top of it. Until, finally, sometime around when they were agreeing on how gypsies were being mistreated—Eveline fell asleep. It was slow and gradual. He could tell she tried to stay up to listen to his stories of his people, but she nodded off and Clopin decided that it was now or never to leave. Frollo's men were probably long gone by then anyway.

Slowly Clopin rose to his feet and looked around the small room, double checking that he didn't leave anything behind. He didn't think he brought anything in but it was always good to double check. Wouldn't want to get the girl in trouble, now would he?

Before slipping into the night Clopin couldn't help himself in glancing back at the sleeping figure on the bed. Eveline was out like a light. He had blown out her candle on his way out and now all he could see was a dim outline of her figure in the moonlight. Briefly he wondered if he should cover her up or not, but decided against it. It was a warm night so she should be fine.

Over all it was a good night, Clopin decided as he studied Eveline's form. He had met a new ally that had potential to be a good friend. A friend that would put herself in danger to protect him, which was rare. It just wasn't smart to put her and her family in harm's way, yet at the same time she made it seem as if it was.

"You are the strangest gadji I've ever met." Clopin told the sleeping Eveline. "Smart…in a stupid way." And then he disappeared out the window.

If Clopin had stayed just a second longer he would have seen the glint of eyes snapping open in the moonlight. He would have noticed Eveline's small smile at his words. He would have definitely noticed her shifting around to settle in under her covers and eventually fall asleep for real.

But he didn't, and she did. A perfect end to a very strange night.

End Chapter

A/N: I recently got back into Gypsy stories *blushes*. As a result, here's the next chapter to this story. And just so you know…I have no clue where I'm taking this. I got loose ideas and plots, but they're not concrete at the moment. So if you have any suggestions, please you're more than welcome to tell me in a review. I love reading them. Now for a few explanations:

Night Rail: A night rail is a white dress nightgown that a woman of the 1500's used to wear to bed. I'm not too sure on the timeline, but I figured its close enough. Lol

Smart in a Stupid Way: it's actually a song that kept popping up in my playlists as I was writing it and thought it made sense. Eveline is smart…in kind of a stupid way and I figured Clopin could notice that. So Disclaimer: I don't own Smart in a stupid way. It's a song from Undiscovered and on YouTube if you want to listen to it. It's a good song despite the singers. Lol

Talking: If you noticed Clopin and Eveline kind of talk strangely—it's because lately I read some romance novels and got into the habit. Lol Well, I noticed but I don't know if anyone else would notice.

Have questions or concerns? Want to tell me how wonderful or awful I'm doing? Please Read and Review because it's awesome. Lol