They had planned to go to Hogsmeade together as a group again next weekend, but Draco knew he would feel like a third wheel among the couples that made up his friendship group. Blaise had finally given up his womanizing ways and settled into a steady relationship with Daphne, and Theo and Pansy had been together since Draco had broken up with the clingy girl himself.
Greg and Vince had somehow landed themselves in detention with McGonagall (again), so Draco is truly the odd one out as they trudge through the snowy drifts, bundled up in thick scarves and jackets. The cold wind somehow goes straight through his jacket and pokes at his skin. Draco shivers, drawing his scarf tighter around his neck.
They finally reach the Three Broomsticks, and Draco sighs with contentment and relief as the first gust of warm air hits him when they open the door.
The group of friends sit and all order Butterbeers—despite Blaise's protests that he wants a Firewhisky. They talk about school, teachers, friends, families; the conversation flows as it always does.
After their drinks, the group decides to walk down the road to visit all the shops again. Blaise had already promised Daphne an expensive necklace he'd caught her admiring last month, and Theo had told Pansy that he'd buy her whatever her heart desired.
Draco, feeling left out, decides to pay a visit to Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes—after all, they do have pretty amazing products.
Picking up a package of True Invisibility Powder, Draco smiles to himself. He's going to have some fun with this.
"What the hell?!" Blaise turns, feeling something cold and slushy slide down the back of his robes. "Who's there?"
Seeing no one, he returns his attention to a concerned Daphne. "Someone put ice down my robes," he says disgruntledly in response to the expression on her face.
"There's no one there, Blaise," Daphne tells him.
"I know, but I felt the ice. It's so cold." Blaise shudders, wincing as he feels the cold burn of the snow settle at his waistband and begin to trickle slowly into his trousers.
"Strange," Daphne comments, before she turns back to the small jewelry shop in front of them.
"Hey!" Blaise exclaims, jumping up and flinching as he feels a second chunk of something very cold and very wet slide down his back. Still, he sees no one behind him.
"Ow!" Theo yells, more in surprise than pain, as he feels a cold snowball break apart into pieces upon impact with his head. "I actually spent time on my hair today!" he snaps, annoyed, as he turns to give his attacker a piece of his mind.
He slips into a confused frown when all he sees behind him is an expanse of snowy terrain—a clearing on the outskirts of Hogsmeade. No footprints, no buildings or structures for a person to hide, nothing.
"Pansy…" Theo says quietly.
"What?" Pansy asks.
"A snowball just hit me in the back of the head," Theo tells her.
Confusion is clearly painted across her face, but he can see the comprehension click within seconds as she looks around her.
"Who's there?" Pansy asks loudly. She receives no reply.
"There's no one there," she breathes. Suddenly wary, she slowly draws her wand and leaves her hand at her side so as to not draw attention.
"Homenum Revelio!" Pansy incants, swishing her wand using the correct technique.
Nothing appears.
"Well, I guess whoever threw it must be immensely talented in order to defy a spell like that," Pansy comments flippantly, knowing just as well as Theo that danger might be in the air.
As the pair turns to leave the clearing, heading back toward the center of Hogsmeade, another snowball explodes on the back of Theo's head and he whirls around, wand drawn, but again, seeing no one.
Giving a sigh of defeat, the pair trudges back toward the town, hoping to find Blaise and Daphne.
"What is it, Theo?" Blaise asks, annoyed. "Can't you see I'm busy here?" He's in the process of purchasing Daphne's necklace in the quaint little jewelry store.
Theo leans over to whisper in his ear. "I think we may have a ghost on our hands," he tells the other boy, voice hushed.
"What do you mean?" Blaise asks, craning his neck back to properly look Theo in the eye.
"Someone threw a couple of snowballs at my head, but there was no one there, and even Homenum Revelio didn't show any results," Theo tells him.
Blaise frowns. "That happened to me, too," he admits. "Although that someone shoved ice down my robes instead."
"Theo, Blaise?" Daphne questions softly. She knows something is wrong but fears disturbing the boys in case it's important.
"I'll tell you once we get outside," Blaise tells her shortly. He can't risk the jeweler overhearing.
Blaise pays for the necklace and promptly leaves the shop, the cold sting of the wind blasting him right in the face the instant he steps out the door.
Until, of course, he realizes that cold sting is in the form of a snowball, slowly dripping down his face.
"Gotcha!" a delighted voice calls from directly in front of him, and Blaise stares in amazement as Draco appears in front of him, a gleeful expression on his face.
Blaise groans. Theo, behind him, follows suit as he realizes the trick he's just been a part of. And the girls, bringing up the rear, laugh hysterically in genuine amusement.
A/N - Quidditch League Fanfiction Contest
Season 4, Round 12, Out of the Ordinary
Holyhead Harpies, Keeper
Prompt: Write a lighthearted friendship story about Slytherin characters.
Word Count (Google Docs): 916
Special thanks to my amazing beta, Ever (HP-Forever-XX)!