Chapter ten: Snowball Duel

Usagi sat in front of the common room fire, rubbing her hands. She was trying to warm her body, as she did her homework in the freezing room, but was failing to do both.

It was nearly Christmas now, and Usagi couldn't wait. Setsuna had written her an owl, and said she was going to come by on winter break, to speak with her. It was quite exciting. All the professors had decorated the corridors, and the Great Hall, with tall trees, mistletoes, wreathes, and lights.

It had been around mid December, when they had gotten their first sign of snow, and then during the night, there had been several feet. The school looked wonderful, with the lake frozen, and the grounds white with snow. Even the forbidden forest looked exquisite.

There had only been one more attack, since she had overheard Snape, and McGonagall conversation. A Ravenclaw girl had went missing. She had been in the bathroom, alone. And like with the others, the bathroom, had been found destroyed, and heavy dark magic still lingered.

Professor Dumbledore had called an alert. No girl, was to go unaccompanied anywhere, without an escort. And so here she was, sitting by the fire, with Draco Malfoy glowering at her.

"Are you getting you homework done?" She sighed, glancing over her shoulder at him. "I will. It just hard to get anything done, when it's so cold."

The white haired boy rolled his eyes, "You're just being a baby."

Draco had been true to his word. The day she got out of the infirmary, she found herself in the library during all of her spare time. And Draco hounded her till she finished all of her work that she had missed, before the break came.

"Why do I have to work on this now? I have all break?" Just a few more days, and then she would have two weeks of no classes.

Draco stood from one of the comfy armchairs, and crossed the room. "Because I wont be here over break, so I wont be here to help you."

Usagi sighed, that was one of the downers of the two weeks off. Most of the kids were leaving, to be with their families. That included Shingo, who wanted to visit his friends back home. Draco was going home to his family. Hermione was going home, and so were Ron, and his funny brothers George and Fred. Ginny had decided to go to, which left Usagi with no one.

This is, if you didn't count Harry Potter.

She sighed inwardly, and flipped through the pages of her book. Two weeks with Harry Potter, and the Professors.

"I don't see you working."

Usagi shot Draco a heated gaze, "Well I don't see you doing your work either!" He smirked, his eyes sparkling with mirth, "Because I've already finished my homework."

The blonde groaned, dropped her head into her hands. "My brain hurts! I can't think straight when there's snow outside!" She slipped on her best pout, "I've been working hard all month. Don't I deserve at least one hour off?"

She looked up at him through her long bangs. Her lips were formed into a pout, and she pasted on the puppy dog eyes.

Draco scowled, "What is that look for?" He looked almost revolted by it. Usagi sighed exasperated, as she dropped the charade. "Kami what is wrong with you? I'm practically begging here, and you still wont let me?"

Her eyes filled with tears, "You're so mean!"

Draco's eyes widen, as the blonde haired girl in front of him, broke into pitiful tears and began to sob.

?????

It was Sunday, the 21st of December. And even though there was several feet of snow, freshly fallen, it still felt like every other day to him. Ever since the Quidditch game, which they had won, he had to play bodyguard. And if he was unable to keep an eye on her, he had to send someone else to take his place.

It was two more days till the end of the term, and she insisted on taking a break.

Crossing his arms over his chest, he felt a chill run down his spine. Snow was beginning to fall again, and the temperature had to be at least forty below. He was freezing, even though he wore his robes, and his winter robes over them. He'd rather be inside tutoring her, then out here playing bodyguard.

He kept his eyes on her, as he leaned against the Hogwart's walls. She was several yards from him, kneeling on the ground. The snow around her had been formed into three balls, one smaller than the other.

He frowned, as she struggled to lift the middle size ball onto the largest one. He shook his head; she really was a ditz.

Pulling out his wand, he flicked it across, as he muttered, "Wingardium Leviosa." The blonde let out a startled yelp, and fell back in surprise. The snowball was floating in the air where she had been struggling to hold it.

He watched her look over at him, and a bright smile lit her face. It added to the effect of her rosy cheeks, and bright red nose. She was soaking wet from sitting in the snow, and shivering from the icy wind that brushed against her.

It was hard to believe, that an hour ago, he had made her cry. It was his fist real time he ever remembered seeing her cry like that. When she had started to cry, he wasn't sure what he should do. He figured she was crying from the hard work he was pushing her through, and decided he was giving in just this once.

Now he was really regretting that decision.

"Domo artigato Draco san!"

Draco looked at her sharply, and wondered what happened to her calling him Malfoy. Ever since in the Great Hall after the incident at the Quidditch game, she had called him Malfoy. And he had found himself wanting her to call him Draco again. She was the only one, not even his friends dared to call him by his first name.

He must have lost his concentration, on the simple spell he cast on the rather large snowball, because suddenly he heard Usagi shriek, and then there was a loud thump. Looking up from the ground, he snorted, as laughter tried to burst from deep within his throat.

The large snowball must have been too much for him to levitate, and be distracted at the same time. Shaking his head, he pushed himself from the wall, and jogged towards the fallen girl.

He figured, she must have been trying to move the snowball, when it had fallen, and it had landed on her. He reached her, just as she sat up, covered from the waist down in snow.

"You did that on purpose, didn't you!" Before he could even blink, she picked up a palm size snowball, and chucked it at him. The blonde girl on the ground, burst into hysterical laughter. The snowball had pelted him right in the face.

Reaching up, Draco swiped his hand across his face, and the remnants of the snow fell off. He wasn't too happy, and the glower on his face was proof enough.

The blonde jumped to her feet, her robes clinging to her shivering form. She had a playful grin on her face. Without warning, he swooped down, and collected two handfuls of snow, before he stood back up.

He watched with pleasure, as horror filled her eyes. "Two words first year." He watched her face closely. She was breathing heavily from the cold, and her nose and cheeks were rosy red. "Payback time."

Usagi let out a little Eep, before she took off running. He chuckled, unable to hold it in, as he watched her burst off into a sprint. He muttered below his breath, as he took off after her, "Ready or not, here I come."

?????

Luna shook her head, as she pulled back from the window. "First time I've seen her have fun since the beginning of school."

The woman leaning against the wall, bathed in shadows nodded her agreement. "Hai I agree. I am greatly pleased to see her working very hard."

The black cat jumped down from the windowsill, and nodded gravely. "So am I, but sometimes I think she is working to hard."

The woman shook her head, "She needs all the training she can get." The cat looked up at the lengthy young woman. She tilted her head slightly. "When will you be arriving?"

The woman pushed herself from the wall, and moved to the window. She kept to the shadows, as she peered out through the thick glass. "I'll be here in two days Luna. I will talk with Usagi, but I will be unable to answer any questions she will ask."

Luna sighed, "Why? What are you keeping from her, and from me? She has a right to know."

The woman nodded, as she pulled back from the window. "Hai I know. But she will find the answers on her own. If she really wants to know, then she will look for them." The black cat scowled, "Dammit Setsuna. There are girl's disappearing."

Setsuna chuckled softly, as she crouched down. "I believe Peeves has already sent the message I asked him to. I was worried that he wouldn't, but I have noticed Usagi is more anxious then ever."

Luna shook her head, "Usagi didn't tell me anything about a message. Are you sure he gave her one?" The young woman raised a delicate eyebrow, "Do you actually guess my judgment Luna? I may not see the future, but I can see the past and present clearly."

She stood, and started across the room. "I will be back in two days. I will tell Usagi the key to the riddle Peeves gave her, and then it is up to her to figure out the rest."

Luna turned, ready to object, but the senshi of time was already gone. She sighed, dropping her head, "When will she ever get a break?"

?????

Usagi entered the Great Hall only a few minutes late for dinner. She was bent at the waist, her palms resting on her knees. She was soaking wet, and cold all the way to her bones. Draco entered with her, and just as wet as she, if not her, a little more than he was.

She held a sheepish grin on her face, as she looked up through her golden bangs, which were plastered to her forehead.

Everyone turned to look, and found Usagi and Draco leaning against each other, trying to catch their breath. Both blondes were laughing, and soaked to the bone from the snow.

They had spent the whole day out in the snow, playing tag, making snowmen, and snow angels.

As if sensing eyes on them, the two turned to look at the Great Hall. Usagi instantly went red in the face, and she fell silent. Draco on the other hand, was able to hide the pink from his cheeks, and instantly frowned.

"What are all of you staring at?"

Dumbledore didn't stand, but motioned them to come to the High Table. Draco and Usagi moved towards the table, and stood before all the teachers, and students.

"I see that you two were finally able to join us. But may I ask, what you two found so funny?" His lips uplifted into a half smile, and he looked as if he was struggling to keep back a glowing smile.

Usagi still flushed in the face, replied loud enough for only the headmaster to hear, "Draco san stuffed a snowball down my robes." Her face went even redder, when Dumbledore asked with interest, "And why did he do that Miss Tsukino?"

Staring at her feet, she tried to find the best way to answer the simple question. "Well, because. Because I."

Draco smirked, as he replied slyly, "It is a long story, but if you really want to know, I do not mind telling." He slipped a glance to the blonde next to him.

"It started like this, I was helping Tsukino here, with her snowman. I used a levitation spell, to lift one of the large snowballs, because she was unable to carry it. I accidentally, dropped it, and it landed on her."

Usagi scowled, "You did not! You did it on purpose!" She wrinkled her nose in disdain, "So I pelted him in the face with a snowball."

Professor Dumbledore itched to smile "Really? Then what?"

Usagi shot Draco a heated glare, "He threatened me. And then chased me around the grounds, throwing snowballs at me." She sighed, as she looked at all the teachers. Professor Flitwick, Hagrid and Professor Sprout seemed to be enjoying the story. Professor McGonagall was having a hard time trying to keep a straight face.

Draco then added with an angry growl, "And then you tricked me, into thinking you were calling a truce. But in fact." Usagi went red all over, "I was just getting you back. You hit me with ten snowballs." She pointed at her back, "I'm going to have a nasty bruise because of you."

Dumbledore chuckled, "It seems you two enjoyed your day quite well. Why don't you skip ahead, and tell us why he put a snowball down your robes."

Usagi smirked, "Well it would be because." Draco slapped a hand over her mouth and hissed into her ear, "He doesn't need to know." Usagi jerked his hand back from her lips, "Of course he does. And so do the other teachers."

Draco shook his head menacingly, but Usagi continued anyway. "Well I called a truce, and he stopped throwing snowballs. It just so happens, that he stood beneath a tree, covered in snow." She nudged him in the side.

"I used the Incendio spell, on the tree. But don't worry, before it could catch fire, all the snow had melted." Dumbledore looked over at Draco. "Would that be why Draco is all wet?" The corner of his mouth lifted, into a smile.

Usagi flushed, "Well sort of. Some of it got him, but he." Draco shook his head, "I was able to use the Impervius spell. The rest of the water bounced off me, and onto her."

Usagi couldn't help but grin. She started giggling, as the event played out in her mind, but soon she found herself laughing so hard that everyone in the Hall stopped eating again to look at her.

"Oh you should have been there!" Draco smirked, but was able to keep himself from laughing like before. Dumbledore shook his head with mirth, "Very well. Twenty points to Slytherin for spells well cast."

Usagi stopped laughing, as she blinked in surprise, "Seriously?"

The old man nodded his head, as he replied, "Yes. You two passed a dueling match, without harming the other."

Usagi squealed with delight, and threw herself across the table, to hug the headmaster. "Domo artigato!"

Dumbledore chuckled, "You're welcome. Now why don't you two take a seat, and enjoy your feast."

Usagi nodded, and pulled back, not even noticing, that she had soaked the headmaster by hugging him. "Come on Draco kun, lets eat, I could almost eat a hippogriff."

Draco raised an eyebrow at her, as he followed her to the table. "Do you even know what a hippogriff is?" The blonde shook her head, "Nope, not a clue."

?????

Yawning, Usagi left the Great Hall, after they were dismissed. Stretching her arms out in front of her, she yawned again. A day of playing had really worn her out.

She trudged along behind Draco, as he led them to their common room down near the dungeon. "Draco kun?"

He hesitated at the turn of the corridor, and glanced over his shoulder. "Yea?"

Usagi quickened her pace to match his, "What do you want for Christmas?" The white haired boy stared at her oddly, "Why do you want to know?"

She yawned again, covering her mouth with her hand. "Iie reason. Just curious." Draco paused near the entrance of their common room. He muttered the password, and let the other Slytherins enter before him. "I never really thought about it."

Usagi watched as everyone from their house went their separate ways boys with boys, girls with girls, fifth years with fifth years. "Oh. So you don't have anything special in mind?"

The last student entered, but he made no move to follow. Draco slowly turned to look at her, "Why are you being so nosy suddenly?"

Usagi flushed, "I, well um.Argh never mind!" She scowled stalking into the common room, "You're such a bakayaro!" She stalked to her room, and slammed the door shut behind her. Silently, but still steaming, she moved to her bed. Falling onto it, she landed on her back, and stared up at the ceiling. "He's so frustrating." She rolled onto her side, as Luna leaped up onto the bed. "Rough day?"

Usagi frowned at the black cat, "You have no idea." She sighed, relaxing slightly on the bed. "He's nice one minute, and a bakayaro the next. What an enigma."

She groaned, closing her eyes. "I give up. G-night Luna." The cat shook her head, as she curled up against the blonde on the bed.

"Night Usagi."

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All right another chapter. This one goes out to all of you Draco/Usagi fans. It's a little short, and a little quick, but I felt like putting it in. I believe the next chapter will be for all of you Harry/Usagi fans. I'm still looking for couples, not sure which one yet. But within the next few chapters I will know. Hehe so you better put in all your votes, for the next chapters are the final ones, and I will have the couple, hopefully.

Polls

Harry/Usagi: 64 there are all of you Harry/Usagi fans. I knew you were out there somewhere.

Draco/Usagi: 68 hmmm this last chapter was a lot of fun. Hehe I better get going Draco, or I might make a chap dedicated to Harry/Usagi.

Okay, as for the English understanding the Japanese. They really don't understand, but she says things mostly in English, but a few words come out easier in Japanese. Sorry about this. I'm just used to writing Gomen Iie and Hai in my other stories that I didn't even think about it in the story. Hope none of you mind.

Ttyl LP signing out