``mailing a letter [CORLISS] home to momma

[peeta]

With a quick scribble to finish his letter, Peeta shoved the note to his mother in an envelope. He promised he would send them something as soon as he was settled in, and he was about as settled in as he was going to get. He sighed, looking at the hundreds of owls, flying in and out, some carrying letters, others empty handed, most asleep. Durmstrang didn't have and Owlery, it was either you had an owl or you borrowed it from someone else.

He stroked the head of a tawny brown owl owned by the school and it leaned into his touch. A soft smile grew on his lips as he put out the letter. The owl looked at him confused. He cursed under his breathe, knowing he'd have to try and communicate. "Vor my mother. Ella Chernozemski in Romania." Peeta explained. The owl looked at him for a moment before taking the letter in it's beak and flying up to the rafters. Peeta watched amused by the hundreds of owls.

A soft sift escaped his lips as he realized he shouldn't stay all this time in the owlery. It was hard, he had barely spoken to anyone, everyone seemed to stop trying when he only gave short response or simple nods to the head. Peeta was never a chatty person. Unless he knew the other, or brought up something he found interest in. He pushed his glasses up his nose as he tightened the blue and bronze scarf around his neck. Perhaps he'd go to the library now, the place fascinated him, Durmstrang was only perhaps one eight of the Hogwarts Library. That is, until he almost bumped into someone. His manners got the best of him, and a small "Vorry." escaped his lips.

[Corliss Malfoy]

The journey to the Owerly was not an easy one. Carrying a newborn baby in her arms and fighting to hold onto the letter for her parents, Corliss trudged down the halls, finally arriving at the staircase. She sighed, beginning the upward climb very, very slowly. It was still hard for her to carry her child comfortably in her arms while carrying another object. She was getting better though, hence the reason she was going to the Owerly to mail off her letter. She looked down at the giggly baby in her arms. She gave a small smile when she caught her mum's eye before flailing her arms softly.

Making it to the top, Corliss was almost knocked off her feet by an awkward looking boy. She gave him a quizzical look as he spoke, an accent heave in his voice. She hadn't been aware they had another exchange student. She moved Kallie's blanket a bit, pulling it tighter around her little body. Actually, the small child was supposed to be in the Common Room with Kia, but she had something to attend to, so the baby came with her. She gave the boy a small smile, not knowing what else to do. She inclined her head, unable to shake his hand. "Um, hey. I'm Corliss Malfoy and this is my baby girl, Kallie Dale. Whats, er, what you're name?" she asked awkwardly. She was never one to talk to newcomers, but she felt she needed to right then. Something about the boy seemed, nice.

[peeta]

Peeta turned back to get a look at the person he bumped into. He was surprised to see a girl carrying a bundle of some sorts. He gave her a wary look as she looked at him, and something told him to stay, not to flee off to the library. He took a step back, so now that he was standing on a whole step. He noticed that she was wearing green, a "sure sign of a Slytherin" said his Ravenclaw guide. He only nodded, only half interested in the conversation. He was told to be afraid of the Slytherins, to watch out because they were nothing but bad, but he doubted that highly. Since, after all, she was carrying a child in her arms.

He was about to ask if the child was hers when she told him. He stared for a moment, seeing some similarities. And since she the baby didn't share her mother name, it must mean that she was shared with a boyfriend or something. Strange, he was sure he read somewhere that if one was to get pregnant, they would be expelled. A giggle for a few first years, but a serious threat for fifth years and above. Maybe your odd whorish fourth year. He looked up at her, she looked like she expected his name. He instantly got shy once again, feeling the heat rise to his cheeks, but it could pass as the cold hitting them. "I'm Peeta." he said, staying where he was. And then, he could help himself. His urge to know too great. "Vhy do you have a child at Hogwarts?"

[Corliss Malfoy]

Corliss tilted her head to the side, annoyed by his question. One didn't just ask why you had a child, but she couldn't tell the truth. That was the only reason she got to stay, because she hadn't meant for it to happen. She raised her eyebrow, wondering how she should answer. Peeta. I've heard his name, I'm just not sure where... she thought, still processing his question. "Well, Peeta." she said slowly. Her eyes moved to the rafters, seeing the beautiful owl swoop down and land near her. She smiled gently. "Hey there, buddy." she said, taking he time to think it over. "Well, Peeta. Do you want the truth or the lie everyone else knows?" she asked, her eyes finding his again. What was it about this boy that felt trustworthy? That made her feel safe. She felt that she could, well, trust him. There really was something special about this exchange student. Something she would never tell anyone about. Hell, she was a Slytherin. She wasn't supposed to be nice to anyone, not even a foreign student. It scared her.

[peeta]

Peeta and looked down again, as she confronted him. He could feel his cheeks burning now, and reaching his ears, which were covered by a toque. That way no one had to comment on their size anymore. And that owl of hers. He was sure it was giving him a death glare, about to fly from his perch and latch onto his face in a minute. Not even the owl, who now had to fly all the way to Romania and back, didn't give him the death glare. Maybe it was his paranoia. He shook his head, thinking it through. "Vell I'm sure it's veasy enough to get vee lie around the school." he said shyly. "Vefore vee truth vould vwork." he said, equally quietly. He didn't like showing off his knowledge, nor did he like talking to strangers, so this wasn't the most comfortable situation for him. He licked his chapped lips and took a small step to the step ahead of him, slowly bring his eyes level with her.

[Corliss Malfoy]

Corliss could tell the boy was nervous. His cheeks were covered in a soft pink that was spreading to his covered wars. She wondered why he was so nervous, she definitely wasn't sacred of being around people. Sure, it was really not her favorite thing to to, but she surly wasn't scared of it. She watched Peeta with careful eyes, making sure she understood what he said, which was proving difficult. She lowered her eyes to her baby, fidgeting with the plush gray blanket. She pulled it so the sleeping baby could be seen. She took Peeta's words to mean he wanted the truth, though her sleep deprived mind wasn't sure thats what he wanted. "You can't tell anyone. They would fear me anymore." she said, feeling the heat in her cheeks start to rise a tad. She waited for a moment, letting the small command set in as he took a step forward. She made a tiny step closer, sure it was hardly noticeable. She raised her eyes to meet his again before going on. "I wasn't knocked up by Noah Dale. I was raped. Thats the only reason that I got to stay here. They would never have let me stay if I had the baby that, in everyone's mind, Noah caused. The Headmaster was the one who decided that I got to stay because it wasn't e fault." she said slowly, keeping her eyes locked with his.