THE BIG SNOWBALL COMPETITION!

NOTE: Christmas is fast approaching and it's given me a little inspiration… And to those who're still waiting for me to update "The Notepassers", "U.F.O. Baby" and "The Goose Girl", don't you worry. I'll try to add a chapter or two for each story before the New Year settles in. Oh, and for this story, let's pretend that after the war (Voldemort was defeated) everyone went back to school to finish their education and there is already what we call inter-house unity. Happy holidays and please read and review!


CHAPTER 1: LET IT SNOW!

It all started on the 18th of December, when a certain brown-haired beauty was peacefully indulging on a "Fantastic Creatures and Where to Find Them: Volume Two" book. She was comfortably sitting on a large grey boulder under a tree beside the lake when a huge snowball hit her smack on the face.

"What the-" she screamed in utter bewilderment as she wiped off her face with the back of her snow mittens. "Ronald Weasley!"

No response. She waited for several more seconds before bellowing "You had better come out or I'm gonna shove a large snowball up your fat ass so quickly that you won't be able to walk properly for two weeks!"

Wham!

Another snowball hit her on the shoulder. She had managed a small scream of surprise before standing up abruptly, electricity coursing through her bushy brown hair making it frizzier than usual.

"That does it! You can come out now or it'll be worse for you! Oh no," she whimpered as she remembered her book. It got covered with snow and the pages that hit the snow were wet. "My book…"

Just then she looked up and saw her best friend Harry Potter walking up to her, a huge smirk plastered on his face. She felt a wave of rage suddenly boil up inside her, and she discreetly whipped out her wand and conjured a large snowball behind her.

"Hey, Mione," he said, still smirking. "What's up?"

"What's up?" Hermione repeated sarcastically. "I'll tell you what's up!"

She waved her wand and in a flash, her snowball hit Harry right on the face. He was caught off-guard and stumbled backwards. Hermione smirked to herself.

Just then, boisterous laughter rang throughout the whole courtyard. In the bushes behind her, out emerged Ron and Draco. The two were clutching on each other for support; they were laughing too hard!

Harry, on the other hand, brushed snow off of his hair and clothes while muttering profanities. Hermione walked up to him and helped him when he suddenly bellowed "What in blazes do you think you're doing?"

"Why, Harry!" Hermione replied in a stern way. "I never thought you'd be that hot-headed today, blabbering profanities and yelling at your best friend who, may I remind, also happens to be a woman!" That said, she stormed away.

Ron and Draco were still howling with laughter as Harry had just realized what he had done. "Hermione! Wait up!"

Hermione pretended to hear nothing as she continued walking briskly back to the castle. Harry ran up to her and caught her by the arm.

"Look, I'm sorry. I was shocked, that's all," he said.

"Shocked!" Hermione shot back, her eyes on the verge of tears. "I don't remember yelling at you when you threw that snowball in my face! I never suspected you –my sanest best friend- to have thrown that snowball to me! And my shoulder hurts, you idiot!"

"I never threw any snowballs at you!" he said gently, wiping her eyes with his thumb. "Come to think of it, I never threw any snowballs at you in all of my life."

Hermione looked up and met his emerald green eyes, and she felt like drowning in them. But she still kept her cool and whispered "Then why were you smirking like an idiot who just came out of a mental institution?"

Harry grinned (Hermione's heart skipped a beat; she always loved it when he grinned or smiled) and replied "Well, I just received a package from the Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes. You know, since they opened up that shop, I've been receiving free samples of their latest inventions and products."

"You what!" blurted Hermione. Harry grinned even wider and silenced her by gently placing his pointy finger on top of her lips.

"Hang on," he said lovingly and continued. "Well, those samples… I've never really used them. I gave them all away to Colin or to whomever I fancy giving it to. That never included you, of course," he added hastily as she raised her eyebrows and meant to speak. "But this parcel… It's different."

"What is it?"

"Come up to the castle with me," said Harry. "I left it in my dorm."

Hermione was about to say 'yes' when a snowball hit Harry on the side of his head. "Fuck," he said, and created a snowball with his hands. He threw it on the two figures that were about fifteen feet away from him; it narrowly missed Draco's face.

Ron and Draco continued laughing. "You couldn't even hit the side of a house from the roof, Harry!" Ron guffawed, clutching his belly that ached from too much laughter.

Just then, a snowball hit Ron on his wide open mouth with a force so strong he was knocked over backward.

"What the-" he said. "I swallowed some snow! Which of you fuckin' gits threw that?"

Draco was still laughing –this time because of Ron- when he, too, was hit. He staggered for a little while before he also fell backwards. "Shit," he groaned, but immediately stood up and ran towards Harry and Hermione.

Hermione was giggling while levitating a snowball with her wand; Harry was smirking. They waited for the two to come over to them and, when they did, burst out laughing.

"You think that was funny?" said Ron in an obviously mocking angry tone. "My tooth almost fell off."

"I think I've got snow inside my ear," Draco piped in, pulling his left earlobe in hopes of ridding the snow that went inside his ear.

"Serves you right. You two almost had me and Mione in a fight," Harry said. "We could have a competition right here and right now, and you'd still be the whimpering losers."

"Oh yeah?" said Draco, taking a step closer to Harry. "Just because you've got the cleverest with of our batch…"

"You'd be eating, breathing, and sleeping snow when we're done with you," said Ron. "Listen here. Losers treat winners to a butterbeer in Hogsmeade. How 'bout that?"

Hermione's eyes suddenly widened in fear. "N-n-not now!"

Three pairs of eyes turned to look at her. "Why not?" asked Draco.

"We've got Potions in ten minutes, you idiots!" she screamed and ran towards the castle. The three boys looked at one another for several seconds (as if checking if their companions were still in good mental condition) before turning on their heels and running after Hermione.


Later, before dinner, a huge announcement was put up on each and every common room, corridor, and classroom. Written in big, bold letters and noisy (talking and singing), neon cardboard is as follows:

x0x0 BIG SNOWBALL COMPETITION x0x0

Hogwarts Courtyard

On the crack of dawn, Christmas morning (December 25)

TEAM 1 Leaders: Harry Potter and Hermione Granger

TEAM 2 Leaders: Ronald Weasley and Draco Malfoy

To sign up for a team, contact the leaders

Losers treat winners a butterbeer each AND they get to blurt out their crushes' name on the Great Hall before lunch

Only 70 members per team, so hurry up!

Approved by: Professor Albus Dumbledore