House: Ravenclaw

Year: 3

Category: Standard

Prompt: Snow

Word Count: 787

It was the second of December and, overnight, Hogwarts had been buried in about two feet of snow. Consequently, lessons had been cancelled for the day, much to the student's delight (and Hermione Granger's disappointment). It was perfect weather for snowball fights and butterbeer in the three broomsticks, so the school was significantly quieter than usual. Somewhere in Gryffindor Tower, if you listened close enough, a frantic pacing could be heard. This had been going on for about half an hour or so, and the already fraying carpet of the boy's dormitory was beginning to suffer.

"It'll be fine mate. Just, deep breaths okay? You two are basically already a thing.

There's no way she can say no," Harry Potter said to his best friend Ron Weasley. Ron paused his pacing for a moment to look at Harry with fearful eyes.

"You really think so?"

"I know so," Harry replied, grinning. "You are Hermione are made for each other, trust me."

Ron look at him skeptically, but then nodded to himself, as if mildly reassured. "Right. Okay. What's the worst that could happen, anyway?"

"That's the spirit!" said Harry, clapping him on the back, heartily. "Come on, she's probably in the library making up for all the schoolwork we'll be missing today or, y'know, studying or something."

Ron shook his head. "That girl is crazy. Studying! Exams are in like, ten weeks. We have ages."

The library, much like the rest of the school, wasn't very busy, so the boys had no trouble finding Hermione, who was located at the very back. Ron was as pale as a sheet, and by the time they reached Hermione, he looked as if he was about to be sick.

Hermione looked up as they reached her, and her eyes widened almost comically as she dropped her quill on the desk.

"Ronald! You're er - in the library. And you, Harry!" Her expression brightened for a moment, then her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "You're not here to study, are you?"

Ron looked at his feet sheepishly, and Harry found himself doing the same. "Erm afraid not, Hermione-" Her face fell, "But I er- can I ask you a question?"

"Of course! Was it about that question on the potions exam about the stirring patterns? Because I have a really excellent way of remembering them, if you'll just let me show you…" She began rummaging around her bag before Ron stopped her.

"Actually, it wasn't that. I was going to ask… I was going to ask if you wanted to come to Hogsmeade with me?" The last part was mumbled so fast, Harry was surprised Hermione heard anything at all.

"Oh yes of course! I remembered not to plan any studying for tomorrow because I thought we could all go out tomorrow and enjoy the snow." She read their expressions anxiously as if waiting for response. When neither of them said anything, she wrung her hands nervously. "I mean, if that's okay, I thought we could all –"

She stopped for a moment, and stared at them. Harry was looking at Ron, and Ron was looking at the floor awkwardly, looking a lot like he wished the ground would swallow him up.

"Wait, just with you Ron?" Hermione asked carefully. "You mean… like a date?"

"Sort of like a date, yeah. I mean if that's okay with you? You don't have to obviously but like –"

Hermione shushed him. "Harry doesn't mind?"

Harry shook his head. Of course, his friends going to Hogsmeade without him wasn't exactly fun, but he was just glad they were about to actually get somewhere with their relationship. Finally.

"Then I'd love to," Hermione said, smiling.

The next day found Harry waving off Ron and Hermione as they left for Hogsmeade, their hands joined, both with huge smiles on their faces. The snow was still falling thick and fast, and the two looked more like a couple than ever. Harry walked some distance behind them so as to give them a little space, watching Hermione giggle and lean into Ron a little, something he'd observed her do months before, her crush on him painfully unsubtle. Of course, Ron had been oblivious, a seemingly recurring weakness when it came to Hermione.

After about an hour of Christmas shopping and another hour of sitting in the Three Broomsticks bored out of his mind, Harry heard the familiar voices of Ron and Hermione as they walked in the door, bright red and sopping wet from the snow, both of them positively beaming.

"I take it you had a good time?" Harry asked, and the two nodded, smiling fondly at each other.

He'd get used to this eventually.