They walked amongst students who were going back and forth to Hogsmeade for the last visit before Christmas, carrying parcels and laughing happily. Getting into the spirit, Hastings linked arms with Odessa and Sirius and started to sing loudly, "HERE WE COME A-WASSALING AMONG THE LEAVES SO GREEN! HERE WE COME A-W—hey! Gabriel, join in with us!"
Gabriel took Odessa's other arm, and the four of them skipped down the road to Hogsmeade with the students laughing at them and singing along. Eventually someone tripped and everyone fell into the snow. The next few minutes were marked with an impromptu snowball fight started by Hastings.
Though she had many well-aimed hits, her moment of triumph was when she smacked Gabe right in the face with a snowball, and he bent over, sputtering. Smiling, but concerned that she'd hurt him, she walked over to him and rested her mittened hand on his back, saying, "Sorry about that. I didn't mean to hit you so—"
Gabe stood up, his long hair damp with snow, and shook it in her face, then grabbed her shoulders and swung her to the ground, effectively pinning her. Everyone around them laughed harder than ever as Gabe attempted to burry Hastings in the snow. "Hey!" said Hastings. "It's… going… down… my shirt," she shouted, laughing and shivering at the same time. He eventually stood up, hands in the air like a champion, bowing at the cheers of everybody, and Hastings sat up, a little dazed, but smiling.
Gabe reached his hand down and said, "Truce?"
Hastings took his hand, smiled sweetly, and said, "Not for the life of my pet hamster." She pulled with all her might, swung her legs around to trip him, vaulted herself up, and pinned him.
"Wow," said Gabe. "You really do know Muggle self-defense! Impressive!" They both stood up, panting and shaking the snow off, then continued down the path.
Sirius looked at Odessa and whispered, "Only a matter of time."
"Yeah," said Odessa quietly, watching Hastings and Gabe look into the window of the Hogsmeade Branch of Weasely's Wizard Wheezes.
"Come on, you two," she yelled to Hastings and Gabe. "We need to get into the Three Broomsticks before it gets too crowded."
They walked down the street and entered the pub, which was already packed, but they were able to find a table close to the bar.
"I'll order drinks," said Sirius.
"I'll come and help," said Gabe.
"Cocoa, please," said Hastings.
"Same for me," said Odessa. When the two of them were gone, Odessa said, "Okay, you have to give now. What was all that snow wrestling about?"
"What to you mean?" asked Hastings, blushing and clicking her fingernails on the wood of the table innocently.
"Are you kidding me? I thought he was going to make out with you right there, in front of everyone!"
"You have to be joking," said Hastings. "He doesn't think of me that way. He told me that."
"That was awhile ago," said Odessa. "Feelings change, you know."
"Well, his haven't," said Hastings.
"But you're just as smitten as ever," said Odessa.
Hastings grinned, "You'd better believe it." The bell over the door rang and the girls looked up to see Falcon Puddinghaste walking in. He looked at them, smiled, and headed over to their table.
"So, things got a little crazy outside," said Sirius, just after they'd ordered drinks.
"Yeah," said Gabe, smiling. "Things are fun with Hastings around."
"More than fun, am I right?" asked Sirius, taking two mugs from the counter and passing them to Gabe, then taking two more himself.
"What are you saying" asked Gabe as they started to walk back.
"Oh, nothing, nothing. It's just… what's he doing here?" Sirius nodded toward the table, and Gabe's eyes followed his gaze.
"Oh, it's Doctor Puddinghaste," he said. "I thought he was going back to St. Mungo's for the holidays."
"Looks like he's sticking around," said Sirius. They came to the table and set the drinks down. "Hi, Falcon," he said, resisting the urge to punch him.
"Hello, Sirius," said Falcon. "I was just telling Hastings how lovely she looked, covered in snow." Hastings blushed and looked at the ground. "Perhaps you can explain to me why she's not interested in going with me to—" He looked at Gabe, then nodded and said, "Oh, I see. Hello, Gabriel. How are you today?"
"Just fine," said Gabe, watching the two closely.
"As I was saying," said Falcon. "I asked Hastings if she was interested in going with me to get a coffee at Madam Puddifoots. She's turned me down."
"Because we broke up," said Hastings. Falcon sat next to her, ignoring that it was Gabe's chair.
"I've been doing some thinking. We should get back together," he said, taking her hand. She pulled away slightly and looked at Odessa, who looked at Sirius. He patted her hand. "I know I was a jerk before…and that I said things I shouldn't, but –"
"Please, Falcon, don't—"
"Don't what?" he asked, smiling his most charming smile.
"Please, I asked you to stop," Hastings pulled away from him and looked pleadingly at Gabe.
Gabe grabbed Falcon by the front of his cloak and jerked him up. "The lady doesn't wish to be touched," he said, staring him in the eye.
"Now, now," said Falcon, "I was just—"
"You were just finished," said Gabe. He shoved him off and nodded toward the door.
Falcon pulled at his cloak, straightening it. "I see you make quick work at finding a new man, Hastings," he said. "You could have had St Mungo's finest Medi-Wizard. Pity you chose the…" he looked as if he smelled something foul. "School nurse."
Gabe looked ready to tackle him. Sirius stood up, patting Gabe on the shoulder, "Okay!" he said loudly. "I think that's enough of that. We have nothing else to say to you Falcon. Leave. Or you'll have the school nurse and the resident transfiguration teacher to deal with. And believe me, Falcon, we can make you fit your name better—shall we turn him into pudding, you think?"
"Sounds fun," said Gabe, flexing his hands into fists.
Falcon didn't say another word, but turned on his heel and left.
"Jerk," Odessa said, watching him leave. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Hastings said with a grateful smile at Gabe and Sirius. "He just creeps me out. Don't know why he didn't before."
"Change of perception," Odessa said with a smile. "You guys can sit down now, he's long gone," she added to Sirius and Gabe who were still staring menacingly at the door.
"Yeah, come one guys, let's enjoy the rest of our day," Hastings added.
"I just can't believe that guy was ever my friend," Sirius said, sitting down.
"Let's stop talking about the cad, he's ruining my hot chocolate," Odessa said. "Besides, we should be celebrating. The kids go home tomorrow and we have two glorious weeks of freedom. Only five students have put their names down to stay this year, it'll be fun. Unless any of you are planning on going home for Christmas and I wasn't aware of it."
"I'm staying," Sirius said. "Dad and Mum are going to Grandma and Grandpa's place for Christmas. There'll be so many people there I won't be missed. Besides, I have someone else I want to spend Christmas with." He squeezed Odessa's hand.
"My parents are going to France this year," Hastings said. "Invited me along, but I hate going to Paris during the holidays, too many tourists."
"I'm staying as well," Gabe said. "People get sick during breaks."
"Well then, we'll have a jolly good time, won't we?" Odessa said.
"Perfectly jolly," Hastings agree.
"Too Christmas," Sirius said, raising his mug.
"Too Christmas," the others chimed, clanging their mugs together.