The Exchange – We've Got Your Back
"Neville knows?" Ron seemed surprised that his roommate would know anything.
"Well, he seemed panicked. I didn't know how else to comfort him without telling him the truth," Haley replied.
"Harry, mate. Neville always seems panicked. We've bunked with him for years now. You haven't noticed?"
"Ronald! Be nice!" Hermione frowned.
The golden trio were relaxing on the docks at the back of the school. Classes were already over so the trio decided to spend some time outside. The winter air was getting colder every day, but it didn't seem to bother the three friends. They were simply content spending time with one another.
"It's because we've bunked with Neville that I felt it was all right to tell him," Haley added. "Neville's trustworthy."
"Unless he writes it down on a piece of paper and loses it. It's happened before."
"Ronald!" This time Hermione tossed a bit of snow at her boyfriend.
"It's true!" The redhead frowned.
"That was ages ago. Neville's grown up quite a bit since then."
"And yet he'll still be the awkward Neville Longbottom I've grown up with."
This comment was met with more snow, causing Haley to smile at her two best friends.
"You know, I feel like I haven't seen you two in some time now," Haley frowned.
"That's because you haven't," Ron replied, throwing an arm around the green-eyed girl. "You've replaced us for a bunch of Slytherins."
"Have not!" Haley frowned. "No one could replace you two. Not after all we've been through."
"And don't you forget it," Ron winked.
Haley rolled her eyes, but smiled nonetheless. "Anyway, Neville told me that Dean is getting suspicious of me. And if Dean figures it out, then it's likely he'll tell Seamus. And you know Seamus…"
"I'm sure if you actually confront them about it, Seamus would keep it quiet," Hermione rationalized. "He is your friend, after all."
"Well, maybe. But as of right now, I'm more concerned about people finding out on their own. It's already happened."
"What?" both Hermione and Ron looked surprised.
"Blaise Zabini. He figured it out on his own."
"Wait. Is that the guy with the pictures of you?" Ron asked, looking confused.
"That's Ethan. Blaise is Ethan's friend," Hermione clarified. "Go on, Harry."
"He said he was suspicious from the start. But he really didn't think about it until Ethan hatched a theory."
"Wait. So Ethan does know," Ron tried.
"No, he has a theory, but I don't think he knows just yet."
"If Ethan and Blaise are friends, won't Blaise spill?" Hermione looked concerned.
"He's told me he wouldn't. And I think I might be able to trust him with that. I'm more concerned with what might happen if Ethan figures it out."
"Especially since he has that crush on you."
"Oh! That's Ethan."
The two girls looked at their third friend.
"What? I wasn't sure. There's so many to keep track of now," Ron frowned.
"Anyway, if Ethan finds out, do you think he'll be mad?"
"I don't know…" Haley bit her bottom lip. "I hope not. He seems all right."
"And besides," Ron piped. "If he does have a problem, he'll have to face us."
"Definitely," Hermione smiled.
Haley beamed. "And that's why you lot are my best friends."
---
"I don't see why they didn't come to me right away. It's preposterous."
Haley was now spending time in yet another detention with Professor McGonagall, who apparently had some opinions of her own on how Haley's situation was dealt.
"Honestly! They should have come to me right away. You are a student in my house, are you not? This whole nonsense about you in the Slytherin dorms, it's ridiculous! You would've been perfectly fine with the Gryffindors! Oh, Potter dear, you missed a spot."
Haley looked back at the floor she was currently scrubbing. She didn't notice any "spots" but scrubbed the area again as to not further upset a rather annoyed McGonagall. Plus, the professor's rantings were rather interesting to the girl.
"Are you learning anything there, Potter?"
"Erm… scrubbing builds character?" she tried.
McGonagall let out an exasperated sigh. "I meant with the Slytherins. Are you learning anything during your stay with the Slytherins?"
"Yes, Professor. I've learned quite a bit actually."
Another sigh, this time a more relieved sounding one. "Then I'm glad. Although, I worry about our game against the Slytherins…"
"So do I, Professor. Believe me. I would want nothing more than to be able to change back so I can play."
"Spoken like a true Gryffindor!" Professor McGonagall looked positively proud of Haley.
"Does that mean you'll let me go early?" the girl asked, hopeful.
"Of course not! Scrubbing builds character, Mister Potter. You were sent here for a reason."
"An unfair reason!"
"Whatever the reason, you must learn from your mistakes. Carry on."
Haley sighed. 'So much for Gryffindor Pride…'
---
When Haley returned to the Slytherin common room, she was surprised to see it in shambles. A number of students were gathered around the mess, carrying on quiet conversations amongst themselves.
"Haley!"
The girl looked over to see Blaise waving her over. "Blaise, what happened here?"
"One word: Ethan."
"Ethan did this?"
"'Fraid so."
The boy in question was currently upturning the various seats in the room. Cushions were scattered, pillows were askew, chairs and tables were turned over.
"What happened?" Haley asked.
"Ugh!" Ethan groaned. He looked around the room one last time. With the flick of his wrist, the room was restored to order. He collapsed onto one of the couches as everyone else carried on as if it were an everyday occurrence.
Haley and Blaise made their way over to their friend.
"What was that about?" Blaise asked, ruffling Ethan's hair much to the latter's chagrin.
Hazel eyes shifted onto emerald green. Haley frowned. This didn't look good.
"My portfolio. It's missing."
"You mean the one with all those pictures of Haley?"
Ethan nodded, his eyes still transfixed on the girl in front of him.
"You've checked everywhere?" Haley asked.
"Of course." Finally, his gaze shifted away. "I've looked all over the dorm, the photo lab, this common room. There's no other place I could think of that it might be. In fact, I've never taken it out of the lab myself. I just thought that maybe I took it with me by accident and dropped it somewhere."
"Well… you can make more, can't you? It's not like the film's missing?"
"True, but…" his gaze shifted back on Haley before he quickly looked away.
"What's wrong?" Haley asked, bending over, placing a hand on Ethan's shoulder.
The boy bit his lip. Abruptly, he stood, taking Haley's hand in his. He led her outside the common room.
"Hey!" Blaise called, but the portrait closed behind them.
"What's going on-"
"I know," Ethan lowered his voice so only Haley could hear him.
"Know what?"
"I know about you, Haley… or should I say Harry?"
"Wha-what?" Haley suddenly felt very uncomfortable with Ethan standing so close to her.
"I've known for about a week now."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
Ethan rolled his eyes and took a step back. "Stop lying to me. I know that you're really Harry Potter."
Haley dropped her gaze.
"Listen," he hissed. "If anyone finds my portfolio and sees all those pictures, they could probably figure it out too, especially if they have any suspicions in the first place. That's how I figured it."
Haley dropped her head into her hands. This was really starting to irritate her.
"Seriously, Haley. This could be a proble-"
"If you know who I am, use my real name. Please," she frowned rubbing her temples. 'Why does everyone suddenly know…damn…'
"Harry, then. That portfolio. If they see it with any of Creevey's work, they-"
"Okay. I get it." Haley thought hard. "If the portfolio's missing, there's nothing we can really do about it now is there? The best we can do is hope that it shows up somewhere and that if someone does find it, they don't think anything of it."
"I'm really sorry. I shouldn't have been so careless with it…" Ethan looked truly regretful.
"It's all right. It's not like you did it on purpose."
"So… what now?"
"Hold on…" Haley looked up at Ethan. "You've known my true identity for a week now?"
Ethan nodded.
"But it was just this past Saturday that you said that you thought I was beautiful."
Ethan continued to look at her, seemingly unaware of where she was going with this.
"You said I was beautiful when you know that I'm Harry."
Now Ethan just looked confused. "…So?"
"So?" Haley repeated incredulously. "I'm a boy Ethan!"
Again, nothing.
"I'm a boy. You're a boy. This doesn't concern you at all?"
"…Should it?"
"You're serious?"
Ethan took a step forward. "When I told you that I thought you were beautiful, I wasn't necessarily talking about the way you look. Don't get me wrong, you're very attractive. But beyond that, now that I've gotten the chance to get to know you, I can see what he likes about you…"
"What? Who?"
"Is there a problem here?"
Ethan smirked in hearing this particular voice. He took a few steps back before looking Draco in the eye. "No. Of course not."
Draco frowned. "I wasn't asking you, Maxwell." His gaze shifted towards his friend. Cold grey turned to caring in an instant. "Haley?"
"No. No problems. We were just talking."
He shifted his stare back onto Ethan, eyes returning to a stony state. "Then might I suggest that you move it along? Curfew starts in a few short minutes. I dare you to give me a reason to punish you."
Haley took that as her cue to step in between the boys. "All right, all right. No need for that. We're going." She took hold of Ethan's arm and began pulling him back into the common room.
Again Draco frowned. But he had duties to perform and so pushed any evil ideas away from his mind.
Haley led Ethan back to where Blaise was still sitting.
In seeing his two friends approach, Blaise sat up. "What was that about then?"
Haley shrugged. "He knows." She crashed onto the couch next to him as Ethan sat in the lounge seat adjacent to them.
"He knows?" Ethan questioned.
"Hey! You know!" Blaise smiled. "Knew you'd figure it out, mate!"
"Apparently, he's known for some time now," Haley added.
"Well when did you find out?" Ethan asked Blaise.
"Just two days ago. I had been wondering about it ever since you said something a while ago. I only just confirmed it."
"Ha! So I've known it longer! I just didn't come out with it!"
"It's not a game, you two!" Haley frowned. "Though you two may know, someone else might figure it out. Someone else who isn't my friend."
"That's why I pulled him outside," Ethan explained to his blonde friend. "I figured it out through the pictures and comparing them with Creeves'. Someone else can easily do the same."
"Wait. You know and you still like him?" Blaise carried on, his mind clearly past the point his friends were trying to make.
Ethan merely shrugged.
"You pansied-arsed poof!" Blaise cheered, thoroughly amused by the goings-on. "You never told me you liked boys!"
"Not boys in particular. Let's just say I'm open to suggestion."
"Well what do you know… A bisexual bastard… Put 'er there, mate," Blaise held his hand out to his friend, which Ethan nonchalantly shook. "What about you?" He turned to Haley. "You ready to admit your poof power?"
"I am not a poof!" Haley shook her head.
Blaise leaned over to Ethan. "In denial, that one. I've said it to him many times already-"
"Can we just move along?" The girl ushered. "I don't really want people knowing who I really am. They stare at me enough as Harry. I don't want to give them all another reason."
"Right. If I hear anything or see it, I'll return it right away," Blaise said sternly. "And anyway, if someone finds it and has a problem with it, they'll have us to deal with."
Ethan nodded. "Definitely."
Haley had to stare at the two in front of her as a smile grew across her face. Though she loves McGonagall, the Gryffindor house and all her housemates, if it meant getting friends like Blaise and Ethan, Haley did not mind having to live with the Slytherins. She didn't mind one bit.
---
From the far end of the room, Pansy looked at the three sitting so chummy on the other side. She was livid. "It isn't fair…" Pansy whispered to herself. "Why her?"
Pansy turned and disappeared into the girls' dormitories… with an album held tightly in her hands.
Author's Note/Disclaimer: I own naught Harry Potter and other related objects other than Ethan, Leir, and… well… this story. Muahahaha…
I'm totally on a roll, even though this one was shorter than the others. Anyway, praise the new year! I love McGonagall. She's that cool aunt that pretends to be badass but is really a big softie on the inside. Again, I remind you, I LOVE comments. They encourage me to write more and more and more. But remember, flames will only be laughed at at your expense. Woot.