"Remind me why we're here again?" Harry asked as he brushed ice off his trousers.
"Because Hermione decided it would be fun if we strapped knives to our feet and walked on frozen water."
"No, we're here because you could do with the exercise," retorted Hermione. "It's called ice skating Ron, they are blades not knives and you don't walk on the ice, you glide across it."
"What like this?" Ron attempted to float across the ice as Hermione had done. Instead his left foot slid out from under him and he landed on his face for the tenth time that day.
"Ron," she said slowly. "I honestly think you're face is attracted to the ice."
Harry burst out laughing. "Face…attracted…ice!" he wheezed.
"Oh shut up. I've never done this before. What's your excuse?" snapped Ron. Harry stopped abruptly.
"At least Ron's trying," Luna intervened. "If you keep teasing him, the borgletwerps will come and drag you so deep into your dreams, you'll wish you never crossed them."
There was a stunned silence.
"What? They will," she mumbled.
"I could teach you," came a small voice from behind Harry.
They all turned to the person who had spoken. Their gazes fell upon the petite figure of a shy looking girl, about their age. "I mean…I could …you know…help you…if you want…I don't mind…but…" Harry's eyes followed her hand as she nervously ran it through the shoulder length mousy hair that framed her heart-shaped face.
"He really could do with the help," teased Hermione. "It's very kind of you to offer…"
"Rebecca. My name's Rebecca."
"Well I'm Hermione and this is Ron, Luna and-"
"Harry Potter," she whispered. "Um, I'll just go and tell my friends that I'm helping you."
Harry's eyes never left her back as she headed towards a group of girls sitting by the drinks machine. "Did you see the way the cylindrical, keratinized, pigmented filaments characteristically growing from the epidermis of her head shimmered in the diffused illumination in this particular establishment?"
Ron looked at his best friend, gobsmacked. "Bloody hell, Harry. I don't know what you just said, but I have never heard you say something so intelligent."
"Oh for heaven's sake Ron," snapped Hermione "just because you're obtuse, doesn't mean everyone else is! He likes her hair!" Ron gaped at her.
"Don't take it personally, Ron. She's just upset because her knight in shining armour didn't show," Luna explained, not faltering under Hermione's intense glare.
"He is anything but. He is an arrogant egotistical narcissistic jerk-"
"-who you just happen to spend most of your time sleeping with."
Hermione frowned at Luna before giving up and shrugging. "I can't help that I'm attracted to him. I mean, chiselled jaw, killer abs, those sexy eyes that darken every time we-"
Ron clapped his hands over his ears. "Oh God! Too much information!"
Rebecca chose this moment to reappear as Hermione rolled her eyes at Ron's immaturity. "I think that aspect of a relationship is key. After all, what's love without passion?" Harry turned sharply to Rebecca. If he'd been asked a minute ago, he would've said she was too sweet and innocent to know anything about 'that aspect of a relationship.' Now he couldn't help but wonder how much more she knew. A faint blush stained her pale cheeks as she noticed his intense gaze.
"Oh for heaven's sake! Hurry up and kiss already! I'll show you how this is supposed to be done," stated Hermione as she sailed over to the other side of the rink. "For future reference, this is a triple axel followed by a sit spin, finishing with a triple toe loop." Everyone on the rink stopped to watch her as she gracefully launched into the sequence. As she took off for the triple toe loop, she caught a flash of silver. 'He's here,' she thought excitedly, just as she lost her balance and went flying over the edge, landing on her bottom rather unceremoniously.
"Oi! Granger!" Hermione looked up to meet the icy eyes that were the reason she was in so much pain.
"Yes Draco?" she replied, emphasising her use of his first name.
Draco smirked. "Nice underwear."