There's Something About the Snow

Disclaimer: I am only writing this for fun, I do not make any money for this. Harry Potter and this world belongs to J.K. Rowling.

A/N: This is my first fanfic, so any constructive criticism is appreciated.

Chapter 1

Hermione had been looking forward to this ski trip for weeks. She never took time off from her job at the Ministry, but after a disastrous end of a five-month relationship with a Ministry moron, Ginny convinced her to take some time for herself.

She went online and found a charming little ski resort in the French Alps. The pictures showed a lobby that reminded Hermione of the Gryffindor common room. There was a big fireplace with big comfy chairs and sofas surrounding it. It looked like a perfect place to read after a long day skiing. The hotel not only had a restaurant and bar, but also a little café for a quick breakfast and a hot drink in the afternoon.

Hermione thought it looked perfect. It wouldn't be too crowded since she would go in the off season, so she was sure to not meet anyone she knew. She did enjoy her social life, but at that moment, she was looking forward to some alone time to think about that git Colin and the signs she had missed that showed her who he truly was.

Since it was a Muggle resort, Hermione apparated in Lyon first, then rented a car to drive. She arrived after about a two-hour drive. Once she had settled into her room, she decided to get a small bite to eat, then read by the fire.

She was just getting to a good part of her book when she heard, "Granger?!"

She looked up and slightly opened her mouth in surprise. "Malfoy?! What are you doing here?" Then she whispered "You do know this is a Muggle place, right?"

Draco rolled his eyes and ignored that last comment. "I could ask you the same thing. Rumor is you never take time off." Huh. He was apparently keeping tabs on her…She wasn't sure how to feel about that. He didn't even work at the Ministry, so how did he know? She decided to ignore that little detail for now.

"I do too take time off, but only when I'm sick." Ugh, why did she say that? It made her sound like a workaholic… or like a really boring person. Why was she feeling so defensive?

Draco looked closely at the details of her face, her big brown eyes, her smooth skin, her full lips, her now tamed curls, then smirked. "You don't look sick to me Granger".

Now it was her turn to roll her eyes. "Obviously Malfoy. I'm making an exception. I decided to take a little vacation. Now your turn."

"Same here. How interesting that we would pick the same place… When did you arrive? I haven't seen you around and I got here two days ago." The smirk was gone, and he looked genuinely curious.

"Just arrived actually. How's the skiing so far? Are the snow conditions good?" Since he was making an effort with her, she decided to make an effort with him. After all, she didn't have to analyse her failed relationship with Colin every second. She was on vacation.

He smiled and sat on the opposite chair from her. "It was good, I found some great runs a bit further away from the main chairlift, so it was basically just me. Very peaceful… I could show you tomorrow… if you want." He said that last part quietly, with a bit of hesitation. It surprised Hermione a little bit, he was usually so confident. It made her smile. She quickly thought about it and decided it would be okay. There would still be plenty of thinking time later.

She nodded, "Sure, that would be great, thanks!" They both smiled and couldn't think of something else to say. It got very awkward very fast. "Well, she said, I guess I'll go back to my room and make sure everything is ready for tomorrow. Should I meet you here tomorrow morning, or do we want to keep it spontaneous?"

He thought about it and said, "Let's meet here, that way we don't have to waste time tomorrow looking for each other."

She nodded again, "See you tomorrow then. Good night!"

"Good night Granger!"

She smiled and walked to the stairs. This little vacation was off to a great start!