Exchange-- Ch. 2

Last Updated: December 15
Exchange

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The Exchange
Chapter Two: Serpent Repellent

Brought to you by the warped minds of Nicole Wright and Loran O’Connor Beta testers: EP
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Kali appeared to be nodding off to sleep across from her, so Vinna let her smile slip. She rubbed at her nose and loosened her jaw, which was still smarting from smiling in her sleep. I have GOT to stop smiling so much, she though, but was grinning again, unable to help herself. After all, she was on THE train to Hogwarts--school of Harry Potter.

You said that already, she thought to herself, sighing happily as she looked at the passing landscape. It was very… rustic, she though to herself, watching the various animals, hills, and trees go by. Not that she didn’t like nature, she did, she just was…well… used to seeing pavement.

She folded her leg onto the seat and leaned against to cool window, wondering if going to Hogwarts really was a good thing. Sure, she could speak English better then most native speaking peoples, and she had talent a plenty… but her mothers words from the were haunting her.

“All you ever do is smile and flirt at boys. You could be a straight A student, just like your sister!” Her mother was native to this land, more at home at scolding her then loving. But then again, she thought with a smile, her sister and four brothers had gone through it even worse then she had. “Their futures were at stake!” She had been known to yell, when they had asked to go to parties.

But Vinna was allowed, not because she wasn’t as smart, or as talented as her siblings, but because…well… she was the baby of the family, and babies weren’t excepted to do much of anything besides gurgle… and smile.

She shrugged, letting her natural happiness flow over her. She really did have that happy nature, and very few things got under her skin--she had learned to just drowned her mother out, and instead think of happier things.

* * * * * *

“Excuse me.” A shy voice said at the door, bringing both Kali and Vinna to attention. The girl was biting her lip, one hand propped against the door, the other holding a faded, old book. She had huge lavender eyes, magnified by her glasses, and soft brown hair held back from her face in a high ponytail. A smile began to softly appear on her face, mirrored by Vinna’s large one.

“Laura! Jösses, Himmel och pannkaka!!! I was wondering where you were!” Vinna stood up and clapped, laughing, not even realizing she had lapsed into Swedish again.

The girl in the doorway just smiled sweetly. “Hi Vinna.” She replied, stepping in, and Kali noted she was wearing a dark brown jumper with creamy white long sleeves underneath and white tights. Laura turned her eyes to Kali, who was still sitting. “I’m Laura.” She softly acknowledged, holding her hand out.

“Kali.” She said, standing and taking the hand. “Are you from-“

“Canada!!!” Vinna exclaimed, looking mightily happy. “She’s my pen pal from Canada!!!”

Kali smiled, letting go of the other girl’s hand. “I’m from California myself. Glad to know there’s someone else from across the sea-- well, someone that doesn’t smell like sheep.” When she realized what she had just said her eyes grew massive, and she covered her mouth with both hands. “Oh! I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to say that-“

“You must have met that wretched Eswel! Still… he is kind of cute…” Vinna looked off dreamily, while Kali almost wrenched up the contents of her stomach, then wondered how she could have met the boy when she had just gotten onto the train. She was about to say something, but thought better of it.

Laura just stiffened, then nodded. “There are a few others from our side of the world.” She acknowledge, taking a seat. The other girls followed suit. Vinna was trying to talk to Laura, but Laura was slightly cold to the other girl, perhaps just naturally shy and offensive to perpetual happy girls like Vinna. Kali was struck with a wave of dislike for the girl, but shook her head to rid herself of that notion.

After all, when she had first seen that Draco Malfoy, she had thought him cute. Obviously her first impression radar wasn’t working today.

Finally, Vinna trailed off, obviously aware she had failed to communicate with her pen pal anything. They sat there in silence for a good ten minutes, until a girl with bright curly red hair dashed into their compartment, slamming the door behind her. She turned to stare at the girls, breathing hard, and a bright smile, akin to Vinna’s, plastered on her face. “Can I stay here? I’m running from that oaf-“

“Eswel?” Kali and Vinna said as one, both snickering. Laura just looked even more uncomfortable, and sat even more stiffly upright.

The new girl laughed hardily, her green eyes twinkling. She had her hair pulled back from her face, but half of it had fallen out of the band, and was falling in waves around her very red face. She had a light dusting of freckles across her nose, and looked like a crony of Vinna’s.

Before any of the other girls could say anything, she plopped into the seat next to Kali and began to tell them ALL about EVERYONE on the train, starting with, of course, Harry Potter himself.

“He’s so cute!” She finally finished, nearly squealing with excitement. Even Kali was giggling, hard to believe at that, but Laura was even tenser, almost like a stone statue now, all rigid like stone.

“Did ye hear 'bout that Malfoy lad?” She finally asked, her eyes brightening even more.

Kali felt her stomach cease. “Yeah.” She said weakly. “I was the one-“

The girl, who still hadn’t introduced herself yet, looked wide-eyed at her. “Good fer ye! He may be dashing, but he's such a boyle! He called me a Weasel! That is, until this OTHER cute laddie, might e'en be Irish (she stopped there and smiled dreamily before shaking her head and continuing) Well, he said that I tweren't a Weasel, but a pretty lass!” She sighed happily, giggling at everyone.

“I wonder if he’s still mad-” Kali began to say, until the girl cut her off.

“Why, he's raging like a bull out there! Yellin' at everyone and anyone 'bout Mudbloods and drenched to the bone with Orange Juice!"” She giggled, because they could hear, faintly of course, a muttered: “Bloody Hell!” across the way.

Kali stiffened. “I’ll just have to-“

Before she could say anything, another girl entered the compartment. “You’d better get you’re robes on, girls. We’re almost there.” They complied, all the while chatting. It was here that the other girls found out that Evie was the Irish girl’s name, Evie Parrigan, although she giggled and said everyone just called her Eppers.

“Eppers?”

“Well, me initials anyway. Then it went on from there. That tis a neat sweatshirt, I might add!” She said, pointed to the navy blue garment that Kali had set down.

“Thanks! I-“ Before she could continue, there they were-- at the station!!

* * * * *

“Bloody Hell.” Draco drawled out, seeing the new Mudblood step out of the compartment across from his just as he did. Behind him, Crabbe and Goyle were noisily finishing the last of their treats, bringing a new level of disgust to his face. “It’s another Mudblood.”

Strangely enough, the Mudblood just glared right back at him, flexing her fingers. Her eyes narrowed, but she wasn’t angry… well, not entirely. Her dark blue eyes were flashing, and privately he thought she looked quite pretty… well… for a Mudblood that is. “Holy crap! Another misogynic pigheaded nincompoop! Amazing! Two on one train! How lucky of me!”

Draco, of course, was astonished. Had she just… swore at him?! Draco Malfoy?! He narrowed his eyes in turn. “Bloody American-“

She smirked. “Not just any Bloody American, pea for brains. THE bloody American.” She turned back to the other girls in the compartment, who were staring at her in shock… well, one was laughing, but mostly shock.

“Alright, THE bloody American-“

Her eyes tapered into a thin light of midnight blue wrath. “When you have something intelligent to say, please say it. Really, even a dimwit can repeat someone’s words. Until you can come up with an insult, get out of my sight.” With that, she pushed herself away from him, moving down the train’s corridor, the girls giggling behind her. Her strange, cinnamon hued hair bounced behind her, almost like silk…

He scratched his head, confused. Even that other Mudblood, Hermione Granger, hadn’t affected him this way. He was… beyond infuriated. He was bloody murderous… and yet he was… amused? He touched the smile on his lips, looking at the girls leave with a mighty look of confusion on his face. How could this be? He had just been insulted… and he was … laughing?

* * * * *

Ron was laughing when they saw Malfoy standing at the door to his compartment, apparently staring off into space. He tensed, his blood pumping, his ears turning pink. He felt Hermione putting her hand on his arm, but he shrugged it off.

“Malfoy…” Ron called out, a sneer fixed on his face.

Draco, on the other hand, just continued to stare out into space, his cold gray eyes almost warm with some kind of emotion. Ron narrowed his eyes.

“Hey! Malfoy! You gobby bloke!” But the words didn’t elicit any response from the utterly still boy, not even a facial tick.

“Orange must have gone to his head.” Behind him, Hermione and Harry were snickering, which of course encouraged Ron even more. “Gonk.” He said in a louder voice, waving his hand before the unblinking boys eyes. This time Malfoy did flinch, but there was no anger in his voice, in fact no emotion at all was carried on his face- it was devoid of all emotion.

“Sod off, you naffing snot rag.” Draco muttered under his breath, as if he wasn’t even thinking, just randomly selecting an insult.

One of the veins in Ron’s neck began to pop out as his face burned bright red, but Hermione’s hand on his arm kept him back.

“Malfoy isn’t worth it Ron.” She glared at the distant eyed boy as she said it, and the trio sidestepped around him, and he didn’t even notice them. He was looking out the window at the Mudblood, his thoughts hidden from even himself.