Oh! The snow, the beautiful snow,
Filling the sky and the earth below,
Over the housetops, over the street,
Over the heads of people you meet.
-Beautiful Snow, by John Whittaker Watson
Harry stopped to look upwards at the sky. The snowflakes fell soundlessly over Hogwarts. Christmas lights adorned all of Hogsmeade, save the Hog's Head. It was at the dingy pub where Harry had agreed to meet Draco, who had stayed at Hogwarts over Christmas break for reasons unknown to Harry. Draco had approached Harry the day before to request an appointment with him at the Hog's Head. Before Harry could ask why, Draco slipped away.
Harry continued on his way and soon arrived at his destination. He entered and, not seeing Draco, sat down at a table near the bar. After ten minutes with no sign of Draco, he ordered a Butterbeer. After forty five minutes, he stood up, thinking that Draco must have bailed. Just then, a figure stepped into the pub.
Draco sat down across from Harry. He cleared his throat, looked around as if to make sure no one could hear him, and said, "I know this is slightly unorthodox, especially given… our previous animosity, but I need your help, Potter, despite the distaste I have towards asking you of all people for it."
Harry leaned back in his chair, very much surprised by what he had heard. That had certainly not been what he was expecting. "What sort of help do you need?"
"I need you to get me a date."
"…Oh dear."
His cheeks burning red, Draco quickly said, "In fact, I have a specific girl in mind. That is to say, er, well…"
"Yes?" Harry prompted him.
"Hermione," he blurted out. "I want to ask her out. So I was hoping, you'd um… you know, give me a hand?"
Now, Harry had seen strange things before, but he could not wrap his head around Draco and Hermione. Draco and Hermione?! Calm down Harry, he thought, but the shock of it was, to say the least, shocking.
After all, Draco was his enemy. Not to mention Hermione's. Had they not hated each other from September of first year? But, Harry conceded, didn't Draco deserve a chance? And, improbable that it was, perhaps Hermione also had a secret crush, he thought doubtfully. In any case, Harry did understand the pain of having an impossible crush. If only he had been brave enough to ask Cho Chang to the Yule Ball before Cedric.
After a long deliberation, Harry said, "I suppose… I will help you. But don't blame me if you get turned down."
Draco heaved an audible sigh of relief and said, "So, how does one go about asking girls out?"