The Thought of Snow
The snow fell softly as I gazed out of the fogged up window of the classroom. I felt the cold, even from inside where it was warm. I liked the cold, ever since I was a little boy I had. One of the earliest memories is playing in the snow with my father. That was before I came here, before my mother died. The thin layer of ice creeps inward from the frame of the long thin window. I start to think of home, and of the faintest memories of my mother, and then the thought of my father comes to mind. He was home, in our poor icy hometowne; he made a good living, but it wasn't a great one. Most of all he was alone after my mother passed away- I try not to think of that day often. My eyes press shut as I do, struggling to block it off. Trying to see the picture of my parents together that sits on my nightstand. Besides the few times a year I got to see him, it was all I had. The thought of snow brought my mind around to another, someone who was here with me. My eyes press a little tighter and a smile begins to break on my face.
A loud thud causes them to quickly snap back open. The pages from the heavy bound textbook lay open, my head slowly moves upwards to see Professor Snape standing over me, his arms folded, dark folds of his cloak covering his hands, making a giant black looming shape with a pale white face glaring down on me. My mouth twisted in embarrassment as his cold eyes pierced into mine. I tried to look away but somehow the intense contact remained. "Mr. Haddock" he said slowly enunciating and last part with great emphasis. Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, I liked that he didn't use my whole name this time. Sheepishly looking up at the Professor, I waited. "You were not working on the assignment, in fact you were daydreaming I do believe." I could feel how warm my cheeks were and felt the eyes of my classmates pressed into my back. "We could send you out into that snow storm if you wanted to?" His hand slipped out from underneath the folds of his robe and, the long white finger tips slid between the canvas cover of the book and the wooden table. "I suggest you get as much of the assignment done in the next three minute before your weekend starts." He slammed the book shut, losing the page.
I let out a soft and weary sigh, I didn't remember the page number. Snape had slipped back up to the head of the classroom and I opened the book back up. I was alone at my table since there were a few absences today, and that made cheating really hard. Looking up at the clock I saw Astrid, she was facing me, her blonde hair hanging over in of her eyes. When she saw me she mouthed something, it took me a minute to make it out. She mouthed it again. It was three words, and she was leaving long pauses: "Three, four, two… Three, four, two… Three.. Four… Two!" The page number! Page three hundred forty two. My eyes moved to Snape who glared at her as she turned around, then back over to me as I flew open the book. My eyes scanned over the page, and I reached for my quill. My fingers wrapping around the point, and dipping it in ink. As I lifted the pen, I began to hear the rustling of the other students papers and bags. Looked up to see Snape standing up straight his knuckles looking even whiter as he gripped the podium. "You are dismissed," He bellowed deeply, "but leave your books here, those of you who wasted your time will pay the price." I felt his piercing gaze as I stared dejectedly at my blank parchment and the thick tome next to it, and raised my eyes to meet his. A smug smirk played across his lips, his eyes daring me to challenge him- I huffed and rolled my eyes.
Closing the book, I stood up and grabbed my bag quickly, shoving my papers and my pen in hastily. I left the bag on the table as I pulled my cloak on over my uniform. In a swift motion I wrapped my scarf around my neck and threw my bag over my shoulder, sighing as I sensed Astrid's presence behind me. "Sorry Snape was so hard on you today." I felt her hand ruffle my shaggy brown hair and I turned around giving her a huff. Astrid had her cloak and scarf on already, "You cheated to help me? I could have figured it out." I commented as we walked out of the classroom. "Kids from Berk gotta stick together," she pushed me with her shoulder playfully as we headed into the hallway. I smiled when she said this, we did, and our relationship had been weird in the middle few years at school. We had been put in different houses at the start but stayed close. She was the only person I knew when I came to Hogwarts. Astrid was a Slytherin and I was a Gryffindor. Most days I didn't feel like I belonged though. I didn't feel daring, or chivalrous. Having friends in all four houses didn't make me feel anymore at home either.
"You gonna be at the game tonight?" she asked, even though it was snowing, and the snow had come early there was still a quidditch match. I shrugged "Eh, it's really cold outside." trying to come up with what seemed like an excuse. "But your house is playing! And you love this kind of weather, the snow!" She gasped a little, jokingly shocked, waving her arms around her wildly seemingly to gesture at the weather outside the castle. "I'm not super keen on the whole blind house pride thing, and you know that," I replied softly, adjusting my bag, eyes stuck to the ground. "Well Jack and I aren't playing so we can sneak you into the Slytherin bleachers, if you wanna wear green?" she laughed a little bit. My mind immediately went to Jack, Jack Frost. The tall thin boy with light, soft white hair and sharp blue eyes, who liked the snow even more than either of us did. I blushed lightly and smiled to myself. "You guys would do that?" I asked weakly as I saw Jack across the hall, leaned up against the wall talking to two ravenclaw girls I had never seen before. He said a few words and leaped over to us. "Speaking of the Devil!" Astrid laughed, "And yes Hic, We would!"
A smile spread across Jack's face and he stood up in front of us. "We would what?" His shirt was untucked, and he was wearing black skinny jeans, definitely not part of the uniform- it made me smile. He wrapped his arm around my neck and ruffled his hand through my hair as the three of us started walking together. My face lit up, getting redder, twice in one day, I thought looking up at Jack whose clean white hair was gelled into perfection. "Hiya Hica," he breathed out, his arm draped over my shoulders.
"Smuggle Hiccup over to our bleachers," Astrid commented, traipsing along ahead of us, not a care in the world. Jack looked down at me as we walked. He was thinking, I knew that wrinkled face when I saw it, and I took the opportunity to fix my bag even though it didn't need it. I had what you might call a crush on Jack, well it was a little more of a crush. In fact I didn't even know I liked boys until I met him. His presence in the room just drew my attention, a mix of his aura and that shockingly white hair- it looked, and felt, like snow. From that day on he had been the only person, or thing I had really thought a lot about. And I thought a lot about him.
"I think you'd look good in green." the words pulled me out of yet another day dream. My head shot over to him, the freckles on my cheeks dissolved in the thin red layer I still wore. "R-really?" I questioned, my voice shaky. He nodded in agreement and I could see Astrid think, eying me up. "Yeah I guess you would look kinda cute in green." she reached to ruffle my hair and I jerked back, giving her a steady glare and pointing a shaky finger. "Watch it Astrid!" she just gave me a wicked smirk.
Jack slipped away from me and we both turned around as he held up a finger. "Gotta go grab my stuff, I'll meet you guys outside." Me and Astrid passed on in silence, nearing the door. She looked over at me and slowed a little. I watched Jack run down the hallway and take a sharp right. "So how long have you liked Jack?" I felt a lump form in the back of my throat, and I coughed awkwardly. My hands began to sweat a little and I scratched the back of my head nervously "Ha, umm, what? No!" I heard myself blurt out, pulling deeper into my coat and scarf as we neared the door. "Oh come on!" She wailed dramatically, "that face you made it was so obvious, I didn't know you were gay." I pulled to a stop and looked up at her, and asked her quietly, "How long have you known?" I poked my head out of my scarf further, "And I'm not gay, I don't know, I don't know what I am honestly." She smiled softly, "That look you gave him when he said you would look good in green, that's when I knew." I stared at her for a moment, eyebrows knit together in confusion. "You mean like just then, not even a minute ago? I've given him that glance before, and I've given you that glance, and Professor McGonagall, and Elsa, and Tomas, and.."
She held a finger up to my lips and shushed me in the softest way. "Its okay, and I've never seen that expression on you but it's one of pure love or excitement. Am I a little sad you don't feel that way about me? Yeah, because I've had the hots for you since before we came here, but it's okay sweet little Hiccie." Her finger retracted, and she casually leaned up against the door frame. She smiled, speaking airily to no one in particular, "He's into boys, and I'm one of the few people who knows that." Her blue eyes flicked to me, one side of her mouth quirked up into a knowing smirk. "I think he would be all over you if he knew." I heard the footsteps stop right behind us, my eyes grew wide and my ears perked up, the skin on my neck rising.
"What would happen if who knew what?" I heard Jack say eagerly, and slightly out of breath. I turned on my heels, eyes wide. Pulling his coat on, green and white scarf clutched in his hand. "Umm, ahh." I heard myself stutter. Astrid pushed off the wall, and I heard her answer him "Elsa wanted to ask your opinion on house-elves, she didn't want to ask you because well, you know she's crazy about you so, what do you think?" His face wrinkled a little and I just watched. Slowly wrapping the scarf around his his neck and pondered the question, as he often did. "I like them, they are pretty curious and interesting little creatures, and I think more of them should be free." She smiled and looked at me giving a little wink, "Well I'll just go give her what she wants and leave you boys alone. My eyes grew wide and I wanted to curse at her but she slipped off smirking making gestures with her hands behind her back.
"Everyone thinks you two should go out, you know," Jacks voice broke the silence. He leaned forward and pushed the door open, motioning for me to walk through. "Thanks, Jack." I said softly as we exited into the courtyard, "We're just old friends from the same town, why does everybody think just because I hang with her a lot that we have to be a thing?" He shrugged and slipped his hands behind his back, his strides were long and elegant as he walked beside me. "People like stereotypes, it's like at the end of every book how the hero saves the girl. That's not how real life works, she could save you, or you could like a different girl." I smile, my heart beginning to pound out of my chest "Or I could like a boy." I heard his shoes scuff and stop. He was watching me carefully. "Or you could like a boy," he said softly, those blue eye piercing inside of me again. He continued walking, we were silent for about a minute. "Do you like a boy?" Awkwardness and discomfort swept through me as I turned away from him. I felt his hand lightly touch my shoulder. "It's okay if you do, and you don't have to tell me who it is." I didn't have to look at him to know the look he gazing upon me with. My heart quickened its leap, and caused me to swallow hard pulling my coat tightly closed as the collar to hide the blush and nervous look I wore. "I ahh, I gotta go feed tooth, he hasn't eaten all day." It was a really bad excuse but it was an excuse. Jack snorted softly, it was a pleased noise, before he spoke. "You wouldn't want your dragon to break out of your room in search for food Hiccie." my eyes clenched shut when he called me this. "Don't call me that." I said sternly breaking away from his hand and starting to walk off, my feet leaving imprints in the snow. I liked the nickname, but I didn't want Jack to think I did. Not wanting to go, wanting to stay with Jack, I kept walking. I wanted to do a lot of things with Jack, but I was scared. Scared for him, scared for myself, and just plain scared of everyone else.