The Exchange
It was now a full week since Harry Potter had become Haley Jones. Haley had found herself bonding more with Draco and Blaise now that she spent more time with the Slytherins in class, during meals, and while in the common room. Pansy still disliked her for always talking and going off with the Gryffindors and for being so buddy-buddy with Draco. Seamus was cheery as ever when Haley was around while Dean watched her with a curious and suspicious look in his eyes. Haley had gotten to know Lavender and Pavarti more and as well. The two girls knew all the gossip that traveled through the school and it was from them that Haley found out that Neville had a crush on the youngest Weasley. Haley was surprised that Crabbe and Goyle actually spoke more than three words per sentence. Though they hadn't become the closest of friends, Haley did earn a little respect for the two boys who were only struggling to get through their classes just like anyone else. As for Ethan Maxwell, he was still a mystery to the girl.
---
'That Longbottom...I'm surprised he even made it this far...' Professor Snape growled. He was currently in his personal lab, trying to figure out what in the world Neville Longbottom and Harry Potter had concocted the day Harry became a girl. At first, he had tried to search in books that might have had the actual recipe for the potion. But he couldn't find a thing. So now, he was in his lab with various ingredients that his students may have been using that day. He had been testing his potions on a mouse that he had endearingly named "Mr. Whiskas". So far, nothing horrible had happened to the mouse with the exception to bad gas. Professor Snape kept the recipe for that potion just in case he wanted to play a little prank on a certain Transfiguration teacher.
A knock on the door interrupted the Professor's concentration. "What?!" he barked.
Haley opened the door and poked her head through. "Professor?"
"Who else would it be?" Professor Snape bit. "What do you want, Potter?"
Haley stepped in all the way and shut the door behind her. "I was wondering how you were doing with the antidote. Close to solving the riddle?" Haley asked, hopefully.
The professor looked up and glared at the girl. "Potter, this will take much more than some tinkering here or there. There're many combinations that you and Longbottom might've done to make the potion."
"But sir, why are you trying to make the potion."
"Because, Potter. In order to find out what neutralizes your concoction, you need to know what you're neutralizing. I see now why you do so horribly in my class."
Haley frowned and was going to retort but thought against it. She bit her tongue and looked at her potions instructor. "Well, I do know that I added three mermaid scales and diced gourd bits myself. I'm not sure what Neville did, though. He did seem a little nervous."
"I don't know why I continue to pass him if he can't follow simple instructions." Snape growled, still concentrating on the potion.
"He can too follow instructions. It just doesn't help when you're always glaring at him and biting his head off when he does one little thing wrong. He can't help but be nervous when you react the way you do."
Snape's head shot up as he glared daggers at the girl. "Are you implying that Longbottom is a fool because of the way I teach?"
Haley knew that she shouldn't respond. She knew that the professor would only become angry and that he would yell at her. She knew, but she did anyway. "Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying. Have you seen Neville's marks in Herbology? He's an excellent student because Madame Sprout doesn't yell and insult him when he makes a mistake. She tells him what he did wrong and gives him another chance to get it right."
Snape was quiet but Haley could see that he was fuming. But she didn't want to back down. Neville was her friend and she wouldn't let Snape insult him and get away with it.
"Why are still in my room? I answered your question, did I not?"
"Yes, but-"
"Then leave before I decide to give you a detention."
"For what?"
"For the mere fact that you're pissing me off."
Haley frowned but left the room hastily. Upon leaving, she almost bumped into Draco.
"Is it right to assume that he's in a bad mood?" Draco asked.
Haley bit her lip. "Yeah. And I'm sure that it's partly my fault."
Draco smirked. "You do have the ability to bring out the worst in people."
Haley rolled her eyes. "Haha...ha." She said sarcastically before heading towards her room.
"Where you off to?" Draco asked, following the girl into her room.
"I thought I would do some flying. It helps relax me."
The blonde plopped onto the bed and followed Haley with his eyes. "You play Quidditch?"
"Yeah. I thought I mentioned that to you."
"Nope."
Haley pulled out a pair of jeans and a thin sweater. "Well, care to join me? I heard you're not half bad."
Draco scoffed. "I'm not bad at all."
Haley rolled her eyes. "How about it then?"
Draco shrugged. "Sure. I'll go put on a sweater."
"Right. Poor Drakie-wakie doesn't want to catch a cold."
"Haha...ha..." Draco replied, dryly. "We'll see who's making jokes once we're out on the pitch."
Haley laughed.
Her and Draco's relationship hadn't hit any bad turns since their last argument in the common room about Ethan. In fact, since then, it had been going up. They were now good friends, much to Haley's surprise who thought that she would always hate Draco. The blonde boy was surprisingly funny and remarkably intelligent. Haley soon understood that Draco definitely deserved to be Head Boy with brains to contest with Hermione's. Haley found that she was somewhat disappointed in having wasted the past six and a half years hating the Slytherin boy. She saw now that he was a great friend to have albeit being a little anal every now and again.
Haley quickly stripped from her school uniform and slipped into the jeans and sweater. She was completely confident that she would defeat Malfoy in the air. She hadn't lost to him once in their time in Hogwarts and she didn't want to change that now, despite their budding friendship. She locked up her room and watched Draco do the same.
"Draco, why do you lock your door? Can't fight off rabid admirers?" Haley smirked. The smirked faded a little when she saw Draco blanch for a brief second. He quickly covered up by giving the girl one of his trademark smirks.
"No, just one particular exchange student. I know that you're just dying to jump into my pants. This lock is just a little precaution to keep you away."
Haley scoffed. "Yeah right. Hell would have to freeze over before I even dreamt about getting into your pants."
"Why do you think I had to put on a sweater?" Draco gave the girl a sly look before heading towards the exit.
Haley just stood in front of room a little speechless. 'Damn him and his quick wit... I'll show you!' Haley snapped out of her thoughts and hurried to Draco's side.
The two Slytherins made their way out to the Quidditch Pitch. It was the first week of December and the air was cold enough to line the ground with snow but not enough to keep the pair from flying.
"Let's make this interesting." Draco said while reaching into the shack for his broom and the snitch.
"What do you have in mind?" Haley asked, reaching for her Firebolt.
"Well, the holidays are coming up. I'm not leaving, are you?"
"Ermm...no. The family's on business."
"Right. Let's say...loser buys dinner in Hogsmeade? No cheap deal, either. I'm talking Les Gourmand." The blonde smirked, referring to the most expensive restaurant in the entire town. He held out his hand to close the deal.
Haley smiled and shook Draco's hand. "You're on. Prepare to lose, Draco Malfoy."
"You wish, Haley Jones."
At that, Draco released the snitch. It abruptly sped off into the winter air. The two seekers quickly hopped onto their brooms, not wanting to lose to the other.
"I think I'll order the steak and lobster!" Draco called from the other side of the pitch.
"Order whatever you want, Malfoy! You're paying for it!" Haley called back. She tossed the blonde a winning smile before turning her attention back to the game.
The two drifted in the air for a good twenty minutes without spotting the snitch. There were a few close calls but each time, the snitch managed to slip past and disappear all over again. Then, out of the corner of her eye, Haley spotted Draco slip into a dive. She saw the glint of gold sweep past the blonde and she immediately gave chase. The two were racing for the golden ball. Their brooms cut through the air like a knife, both were leaning as far out on their broom as they could with an arm outstretched. They were neck-in-neck. But with a last burst of speed, Haley wrapped her fingers around the golden ball with a triumphant smile spread across her face. Haley landed onto the snow and cheered.
"That's right! I'm the best!" She sang. "Malfoy sucks! Like the rest!" Haley laughed. When Draco landed, she turned to him with a grin on her face. "Hmmm, maybe I should buy two steaks. I'm pretty tired after kickin' your sorry butt. Haha."
Draco simply rolled his eyes. "You cheated. I demand a rematch."
"Oh please. I didn't cheat and you know it. I won fair and square. I beat you. I'm the best." Haley continued her gloating by doing a little victory dance.
Draco shook his head and sighed. "That makes two."
Haley paused her dancing. "Huh? Two what?"
"Two people. The only people that have beaten me in Quidditch is you and Harry Potter."
The girl snickered. "That's cause you suck." She continued dancing again.
"You're going to gloat about this all afternoon aren't you?"
"And all evening, and all day tomorrow, and the day after that, and the day after that..." It was then that Haley noticed how cold it was getting. She shivered slightly, although it didn't dampen her spirits one bit.
Draco rolled his eyes again, but pulled off his sweater.
Haley watched curiously as the blonde approached and began to slip the sweater over the girl's head.
"There. And that's why I brought a sweater." He said matter-of-factly as a faint blush crept up Haley's cheeks. He took Haley's broom into his hand and placed it back into the shack, along with the snitch. When he returned to the girl, he slung an arm around Haley's shoulder and smirked. "Okay, I admit. You are surprisingly good at Quidditch."
"Why thank you, Draco. For that, I will reduce the gloating to the rest of this week."
Draco chuckled as the two started to make their way back to the school.
"So, Haley. You wouldn't even dream about getting in my pants?"
Haley looked at Draco, incredulously. "Are you serious?"
"Sure, why not? I'm a healthy young man, you an average female," at this, Haley scoffed. "Why not?"
"Draco, in order for someone to want to be in your pants, they have to like you first."
"But why have someone find me appealing when I have raw loathing right here?"
"If loathing is what you want, you've come to the right person."
Draco smiled. "You know what, Jones?"
"Hm?" Haley looked up into Draco's eyes.
"I'm glad you came here."
The raven-haired girl smiled. "I'm glad too."
Draco removed his arm from Haley's shoulders, the girl immediately missing its warmth. "I'll see you at dinner. I need to get another sweater. I guess Hell really did freeze over." He winked at his friend before taking off towards the dungeons.
Haley rolled her eyes again. "You wish!" She called. She smiled as Draco spun around showing the girl the grin on his face as he walked backwards before spinning back around.
"My oh my. You two are getting awfully close."
Haley spun around to see Ethan Maxwell watching where Draco had disappeared.
"Oh. Hello Ethan."
Ethan's hazel eyes fell onto Haley. "Hello, Miss Jones. Care to abandon your original post and sit with me tonight?"
"Ummm...Sure." She knew of Draco's warning to be extra cautious around Ethan. But she still didn't know why. And she was fully prepared to defend herself if she needed to. So she thought nothing of it as she walked side by side with Ethan into the Great Hall.
"How are you liking Hogwarts so far, Haley?" Ethan asked taking a seat far from where she normally sits with Draco.
"I love it here. Everyone is so nice."
"Really? Even Draco?"
She gave the boy a curious look. "Yes. I mean, we've had our arguments but he's actually a nice guy."
Ethan sighed. "I suppose. I never really got to know him. For some reason, he just hates me."
"I noticed. But you don't know why?"
"No, not at all. It's like what he does to Harry Potter."
"Oh?" Haley bent forward towards Ethan.
"Yeah, I mean, I've seen Harry around the school. He's a good guy. I bet you'd like him. But for some reason, Draco just hates him. That's like how it is with me."
"Oh."
"That doesn't mean you shouldn't be friends with him." Ethan said, quickly. "By all means, go right ahead. You two seem to be hitting it off real well. I'm just saying that you should be careful around him. I think he might have split personalities: the nice Draco that you're friends with and a darker Draco. Try to keep away from that side."
Haley nodded. She sat across the table from Ethan, taking in all this information. Despite how nice Draco was acting, Haley couldn't help but wonder if Ethan was right. Maybe there was a darker Draco. Maybe all the friendliness was just a façade to get her to trust him. In her previous experiences with the blonde, he was mean and snotty and downright awful to her and her friends. Haley just shook off the idea. She didn't know who to trust. She was left with her thoughts for the rest of the night as she hurried to her room after dinner.
---
As Draco stepped into the Great Hall, he quickly scanned the area for Haley. He spotted her sitting with Ethan Maxwell. He felt the anger rise in him as his hands clenched into fists. He was just about to pull Haley away from the other boy but stopped as soon as he remembered what happened last time he did that. He didn't want to argue with Haley again, especially after building such a great friendship with her already. He watched carefully as Ethan spoke and as Haley listened intently. He knew there was something wrong. And when he watched Haley dash away after her meal, Draco didn't like it. He didn't like it one bit.
Author's Notes/Disclaimer: No, silly rabbit. I don't own the characters of Harry Potter. Though I do admit that Ethan is mine. Whether that's a good thing or a bad thing is yet to be seen.
So...Time goes on. Draco and Haley are friends. But who's really the bad guy? Draco or Ethan? Ethan or Draco? Gasp! It must be...Blaise!! Blaise? I didn't even know he was an option. Haha. I'm just kidding with you. Don't worry. The holidays are coming up. The rest of Hogwarts will leave Draco and Haley alone. Good or bad? Hmmm...ponder ponder....I think I had too much Coca Cola. Yum.