The Exchange – Intuition

It was well into the winter holidays and things were pretty calm around the school of Hogwarts. Haley had been invited to go to the Weasley home in two days time for Christmas, and despite not wanting to face the inevitable teasing from Fred and George, she agreed. After all, Christmas was a time for family and the Weasleys were her family.

Since coming to a truce with Pansy, she and the girl were budding friends. At first, Pansy was timid to approach, but Haley always greeted her warmly and soon enough, the two girls were, if anything, good friends. If Haley wasn't spending time with Ron and Hermione, she could often be seen with Blaise and Pansy. As for Blaise and Pansy, once the girl stopped trying to impress the boy, he genuinely seemed to warm up to her.

"And whenever she sees something she likes on the table, she bites her bottom lip in a smile. I swear, if she had a tail it would be wagging."

Haley only listened half-heartedly to Blaise's musing. She was focusing more on how the boy had just been talking about Pansy for the past half hour. A sly smile graced the girl's lips, but the blonde took no notice having been too caught up in his own thoughts.

"And did you know that she has two dogs? I bet you can guess what kind. PUGS! Haha! It's so funny cause people have often said that she has a pug face! But I find pugs adorable with their cute little curly tails."

"Blaise-"

"You know, I've always wanted a dog, but my mum was always concerned that they wouldn't get along with her cat."

"Blaise-"

"Of course, Pansy's allergic to cats. Nothing too terrible though. She just sneezes around them."

"Blaise!"

The blonde finally ceased his chatter and looked to his friend. "Yes?"

"Though this is all entertaining, I only asked if you've seen Pansy around. And that was half an hour ago."

The boy lightly blushed. "Oh. Um, no I suppose."

"I think you're smitten." Haley smirked.

"Impossible! I mean, sure, she's less annoying when she's not fawning over Draco, but I'm hardly smitten."

"Is that a tinge of jealousy I hear?" The girl teased. "Do you want her to be fawning over you?"

Blaise looked accosted. "Pansy Parkinson can fawn over anyone she likes. It doesn't matter to me who she likes."

"Well good. You can tell her that yourself, cause here she comes."

At this, Blaise immediately straightened up and looked around. Sure enough, the girl was approaching her two new friends with something in her hands. She didn't know what to make of the blonde's sudden blush but thought nothing of it as she turned her attention to the girl with him.

"Here. I found this about a week ago. I nearly forgot all about it but here it is."

Haley simply stared at the album Pansy had just placed on the table in front of her. "This… where did you get this?" Haley snatched the album into her hands and flipped it open. Just as she had assumed, it was Ethan's album filled with photos of the raven-haired girl that had gone missing not too long ago.

Pansy took a seat next to Haley. "I told you, I found it."

"Wait…" Haley flipped the last page over and over again in her hands.

"What is it?" Blaise asked.

"There're some pages missing. Pansy-"

"I didn't do it." Pansy spouted, before the other girl could accuse her of anything. "I found it just like that. Those pages were torn before I even picked it up off the floor."

"Then why did you keep it? Why didn't you just return it to Ethan? You knew he was missing it."

"I'll admit that at the time my intentions weren't exactly…pure. Honestly, I wanted to burn it. But," she quickly added just as Haley was about to comment. "I didn't. I just tossed it aside in my trunk and it's been there ever since. And I'm giving it to you instead of him because frankly, I don't trust him. He probably pleasures himself to these, anyway."

"Hey!"

"Ew!"

Both Blaise and Haley looked at Pansy incredulously. The girl merely shrugged. "Just an assumption."

"Though that was rather disturbing, I appreciate you returning this nonetheless." Haley said, still frowning at Pansy's comment.

"I'll have you know, I share a room with Ethan and I highly doubt that he does such a thing, let alone with an album full of pictures of his friend."

"Well, you can't be absolutely sure, can you? I mean, looking through that album, he seems rather obsessive, don't you think?"

"How can you say such a thing? You hardly know him." Blaise frowned.

"I know enough about him to say such a thing."

"Just because Draco doesn't like him doesn't mean you have to hate him, too."

"I dislike him for what he did to Draco, not simply because Draco doesn't like him."

"Bullocks! You do everything Draco wants of you. Everyone knows how much you love him. But guess what? There's no reason to suck up to him, Pansy! Draco's not here!"

"What's the matter with you? I was just trying to do something nice and you're attacking me!" The girl abruptly stood, glaring at the boy. "And for the record, I am not in love with Draco! If that's all you think of me then I'm more than willing to hate you just as much as I do Maxwell!" And with that, Pansy stormed off, leaving a stunned Haley and a disgruntled Blaise.

Haley slowly looked over to the boy. "What was that about, then?"

Blaise slumped in his seat and frowned. "It's not fair to him. Ethan is a nice guy. He's my best friend. But people just keep attacking him because they don't know him. It's wrong of her to call him obsessive. She doesn't even know him."

"But you know her. She doesn't really watch what she says."

"That's her fault, then. She should grow up and get some manners for her snobbery."

"Blaise," Haley frowned. "Give her a break. She's hardly perfect, but she's working on it. Can't you see that?"

"This coming from you? Weren't you the one that hated her less than one week ago?"

"Things can change in one week. Sure, I hated her. But now I've gotten to know her. And she's not as horrid as she seems. I think, deep down, all she really wants are friends. True friends. And I'm sure if you give her the chance, you'll realize how fond of her you are. And then you two will be friends as well. I mean, you were doing just fine right before now. You were practically fawning over her."

Blaise neither accepted nor denied Haley's proclamation. He was quiet for a moment, tapping his bottom lip. Finally, with realization written on his face, Blaise uttered "My goodness…"

"What?"

"I just realized. We're like you and Draco. Perhaps not to the extreme, but similar. I dislike her, she I assume disliked me, and here we had a chance to see something new of the other. Something better… Just as you and Draco did. You think she'll fall in love with me, too?" He snickered.

Haley responded by throwing a pillow at her friend. "With the way you just treated her, you'll be lucky if she even talks to you. Same goes for me."

Blaise sat up and smiled at this friend. "You know I'm just teasing."

"Of course. Now I suggest you talk to her before she feels like burning an album filled with your picture."

"Right." Blaise stood. "Maybe then she'll love me."

Again, Blaise met face-first with a pillow, courtesy Haley Jones.

---

Haley flipped through the album again, probably for the fifth time that afternoon. And each time she reached the back, she half-expected the missing pages to return. But they were gone. And she had no idea where they might be.

'It means that someone actually stole those pictures. Pictures of me.' Haley inwardly shuddered. 'It's so creepy… who would do such a thing? And why?'

Haley also wondered whether or not she should return the album to Ethan. It was weird knowing that he had it, considering his feelings for the girl. Pansy was right. It did seem rather obsessive. But Haley knew Ethan better than that. They were friends after all.

'But then… there is that one thing that no one seems to want to talk about… Just what did Ethan do to Draco? He obviously did something very wrong. It was bad enough to ruin a friendship he had with Draco and it was enough to make Blaise call his best friend an idiot…But if he really is a dangerous person, would he still be here?'

Haley didn't know what to think. She had no real reason to doubt Ethan, except in knowing that something happened. Other than that, Ethan was just another of her friends.

The girl sighed. She quickly scribbled out a note before she picked up the album and made her way towards the owlery. In the end, she trusted Ethan. Therefore, he deserved to have his album back. After all, he did work hard on producing the album and compiling it. This alone was enough incentive for her to return it to its rightful owner.

Upon entering the owlery, Haley was instantly greeted by Hedwig, her snowy owl. Even as Haley, Hedwig able to recognize her owner. The owl affectionately perched on the girl's shoulder and nibbled on her ear.

"Hello Hedwig," Haley smiled, stroking the white feathers across the bird's back. "I have a parcel I need you to return for me."

Hedwig hooted in understanding, immediately stretching out her leg.

"Do you think you need help with it? I'll have you deliver the note and have two others carry the album, all right?"

Again, Hedwig hooted.

Haley did as she said, told Hedwig to take it to Ethan, and watched her animal friend fly away with two of the school owls following closely behind. In her note, she had explained to Ethan how Pansy had found it and that the pages were missing before it was in her possession. And of course, she finished by wishing the boy a wonderful holiday.

Haley made her way back into the school. Upon passing a corridor on her way towards the Slytherin common room, she spotted Leir Valex arguing with Ernie Macmillan, a fellow seventh-year Hufflepuff.

"Oh! Haley!" Leir waved the girl over.

She obliged. "Hello, Leir. Ernie."

"Oh. You know me?" Ernie asked, a little surprised.

"Errr, yeah." Haley scrambled for a lie. "I've seen you around a bit. It's good to finally meet you."

"And you too." The two briefly shook hands.

"Perhaps you can help us." Leir said, crossing his arms over his chest. "I'm nearly positive that the Statue of Liberty holds her torch in her left hand, but Ernie swears it's her right. You're American, you should know."

"Actually, I haven't seen it in person…"

"But surely you know? I mean, it's one of your national symbols!" Ernie pursued.

"Well, I'm sure it's in her right…"

"What?" Leir frowned. "Then what's in her left?"

"It's a book of some sort." Ernie claimed.

"A book? Is that right?" Leir turned to Haley.

"I'm not exactly sure…"

"It's a tablet."

All three turned in hearing the forth voice.

Dean Thomas eyed Haley carefully as he approached them. "She holds the torch in her right hand and in her left she holds a tablet that commemorates the signing of the Declaration of Independence."

"Oh." Leir pouted. "Then at least tell me this. Is she really French?" Again, he turned to Haley for the answer.

When she could produce none, Dean stepped up again. "Yeah. She was a gift from France, so I guess you could put it that way."

"Ha! I told you!" Leir cheered.

"Fine, fine." Ernie shrugged. "But at least I was right about the torch."

"Yeah," Leir smiled as he turned to the other two. "Well thanks guys."

"Sure." Dean nodded. "Come Haley. We need to talk."

"Um, do we?" Haley bit her lip.

"Yes, " Dean affirmed.

"Do you have to go?" Leir asked.

"I kind of want to talk to her alone," Dean explained.

"Oh. Okay. It was good to see you again, Haley. Dean." Leir smiled.

Ernie just waved as Dean took Haley's hand and led her away.

"Umm… what's on your mind?" Haley tried.

Once the coast was clear, Dean abruptly stopped and faced the girl. "Enough with the act, Harry. I know it's you."

"Heh… funny one Dean." Haley laughed, awkwardly. 'Here we go again…'

The boy merely crossed his arms.

Haley frowned. "What makes you think that I'm-"

"Well you look like him, you talk like him, you have his same friends, you even walk like him, and hell," before Haley knew what he was doing, Dean quickly pushed aside the hair that covered Haley's tell-tale scar, "You even have a scar like him."

Haley immediate batted away Dean's hand and patted her hair back over her scar. "All right fine!" Haley said in a low voice. "I'm Harry Potter."

A slow grin came to Dean's face. "Hahaha! Harry! How the hell did this happen to you?"

Haley was not amused. She crossed her arms. "Let's just say a potion went terribly wrong."

"I don't believe this…" Dean shook his head in mirth. "You're actually Harry. I mean, I was nearly positive and now I know I was right. Who would've thought that Harry Potter was transformed into a girl!" Dean heartily laughed.

"I'm glad you find this amusing, mate, but have a heart."

The smile fell from Dean's face. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean… I-"

"It's all right. But now that you know, you have to promise me that you won't tell anyone."

"Of course not-"

"Not even Seamus. You know how he is."

Dean laughed. "Right. I'll keep it to myself."

"Thanks."

"So… what's the deal? Why are you with the Slytherins? And how long do you have to be a girl? And what's up with the 'Haley Jones' bit?"

"That was Professor Dumbledore's idea. You have to admit, it'd be a little embarrassing to be trapped in a girl's body. So instead of having people know that I'm really Harry, he decided it would be best to just give me a new identity. Spare me the embarrassment."

"That's nice of him. To weave a whole story around you just to save face… you really are his favorite, aren't you?"

Haley lightly blushed in embarrassment. "I don't know about that… but I know I'm grateful for it. I don't think I'd hear the end of it if people knew who I really was."

"Okay, so I understand why you're like that, but why are you in Slytherin?"

"It's so Professor Snape can call on me whenever progress is made on the antidote. I wasn't happy with the arrangements at first, but I'm getting pretty used to it."

"And so what about the Quidditch match? You were a boy then…"

"It was because of a temporary antidote Snape and I lucked upon. And now you now why I had to run off like I did."

"Ah." Dean nodded in understanding. He paused. "…I don't understand why you couldn't have just told me, Harry. I thought we're friends."

"We are. I guess… I'm just embarrassed by it all. You understand right? I just thought it would be easier to be someone new."

"Well then you should've chosen a person that you could actually pretend to be, not someone from America. That, just there, with Leir and Ernie was terrible. If either has any suspicion of who you really were, that might've been a dead give away."

"It's not like that was my choice." Haley defended. "It was Professor Dumbledore who came up with the American thing. And it's not like I don't know anything. I knew about the torch." Dean just laughed. "Plus, now that you know, you can jump right in and save me whenever need be."

Dean shook his head, but smiled nonetheless. "I swear, Harry. Your life must be one crazy adventure."

Haley smiled. "It sure is."

"So, does anyone else know? Or do I have to be careful around everyone?"

"Well, Ron and Hermione know of course. They were with me when I changed. And two of my friends from Slytherin know, Blaise and Ethan. Oh, and Neville as well-"

"Neville? Neville knows? I'm surprised he didn't let it slip…"

"I'm grateful that he didn't let it slip. Just like I'll be grateful that you don't let it slip. And perhaps I'll make it extra sure that I don't let something else slip…" Haley hinted, a sly smile playing across her face.

"What?" The boy looked confused.

"You like Seamus, don't you?"

"What? That's crazy! I don't….You don't know… I don't-"

"It seems to me, you really do mate."

"No way! I'm not in love with Seamus." Dean denied.

"Who said anything about love? I only said 'like.'"

"I-err… No! Either way, I don't."

Haley still smiled. "That blush is telling me otherwise."

The boy immediate covered his cheeks with his hands.

"There's no getting around it, Dean. Just admit it already. You're in love with Seamus."

Dean looked timid. "…So… so what if I am?"

"That's brilliant, mate! There's nothing finer than two of my friends in love."

"Wait, he's in love with me?" The boy looked hopeful.

"Well it's not like he's outwardly admitted it to me, but he does seem to be as fond of you as you are of him."

"Yeah right, he's too busy flirting with everyone else to be fond of me."

"But it's not like he does anything, right? That's just who he is. Seamus is just really friendly. That's how he's always been. But at the end of the day, he's always right by your side."

Dean didn't respond.

"I'm not claiming to know for sure what he feels but I do know that I see. And when I see Seamus without you around, he's hardly as happy when you are."

Again, Dean didn't respond. But this time, a small smile tugged at the corners of his lips. "How did you get so insightful?"

Haley shrugged. "Woman's intuition."

Dean burst out in laughter, quickly mirrored by the girl's own mirth.

The secrets between them dispelled, the two friends carried on as Haley felt relief in finding one more person she can truly be herself around. For Haley, this was enough to make the holidays seem just a little bit brighter and that much better.

Author's Note/Disclaimer: I own naught Harry Potter and other related objects other than Ethan, Leir, and… well… this story. Muahahaha…

I would like to take this time to thank all of you for reviewing and commenting and speculating. And I encourage you to keep doing so. Yay! And for clarification, cause some people don't seem sure, YES Draco knows it's Harry. He's not slipping, nor is he confused by their similarities, nor is it terrible typos on my part. Draco knows. For how long? We don't know. Or at least you don't. Okay. Dean likes Seamus. If you don't like that notion, what the heck are you doing reading this? And now Dean knows. I've always wanted him to know so that he can fill Harry in on American mumbo jumbo (as if they're a different species!!!). Dean's American, right? I'm sure he's American. Or… someone's American in the books. I know it. And in here, it's Dean. Haha. Oh yeah. And Blaise and Pansy… we shall see how this goes. Ha. Oh and sorry that this is a shorter chapter. I wanted to get this out before I head off to work again.

Next Chapter: CHRISTMAS WITH THE WEASLEYS YAY! I love Gred and Feorge.