CHAPTER 9

Yay! This is my favourite chapter so far.

So… acknowledgements!!

CorianderSpice: It's ok! You still review, so I'm happy. I love getting your reviews.

silenaandbeckendorf4ever: I love that you comment on every chapter!!! Are you kidding? Don't stop!! XD

viglover2: Glad you like it!!

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. I was in a REALLY good mood, so the happy chapter X) Enjoy!

I'm alive
For the first time in my life
I just know that I'm alive
I wanna dance the night away

--Da Buzz

As the year went on, my anger would ebb away a little, until Draco would do something else (like show up at the Ravenclaw vs. Griffindor match dressed like dementors) and I would get pissed off again.

If he missed me at all, he gave no sign. I tried my best not to miss him and his stupid smirk, and the way he would tell me things, the way he ruffled my hair so I'd scream at him… I missed my best, and only, friend, even though he was an ass.

A couple of weeks after my birthday (February 7), I was enjoying a practically empty castle. Most of the other students, third years and above, were at the last Hogsmeade visit of the season. I stayed behind. I had forgotten to swing by the orphanage and get my permission form signed. I didn't really mind, though. I enjoyed the quiet.

I looked out on the castle grounds, thinking about going for a walk. The snow glittered and twinkled. It called to me. It was just waiting to be disturbed by my footprints.

I had an odd obsession about walking in snow. I liked to walk in fresh snow. I'm delighted knowing that my footsteps were the first to mar the blank canvas that was a field of fresh snowfall.

Strange, I know.

I dashed back to my room and pulled on snow boots, a thick yellow parka, and wrapped my Hufflepuff scarf around my neck. I preferred muggle clothing over robes, especially in the winter. Robes just weren't as warm…

Pulling a wool hat on and grabbing my wand, I left the castle in quiet excitement.

Once outside, the snow was blinding. With a giddy laugh, I ran into the knee deep snow, grabbed a handful of the soft powder, and threw it into the air. I watched as it fell down into my hair, face, and around me.

Not caring if anyone saw me, I jumped/dived straight into the snow, then flipped myself over and started moving my arms and legs.

When I finished my snow angel, I made a smiley face where my head had lay. Then I started walking, looking back now and then to look at my footprints, and laughed at myself when I fell.

I had made my way over to the lake when I decided to stop and rest at a tree.

I heard footsteps coming up the path, and the person grumbling quietly to himself. I peaked around the tree and saw Draco walking by himself with his head down. His hair was wet as if he just took a bath, and he looked like he was in a foul mood.

Feeling slightly mischievous (and I just wanted to hit Draco with something), I gathered up some snow and packed it into a lumpy ball.

I aimed for his head, but ended up hitting his shoulder. I ducked behind the tree, trying to resist laughing.

"Who did that!?" he demanded to the open air.

I placed my hands over my mouth to stop myself from busting up and giving myself away.

Draco was still for a while, and then started walking again. I made another snowball, aimed a little above and to the left of his head, and launched it as hard as I could.

The snowball hit the back of his head with a satisfying thud. This time, I couldn't help but start laughing uncontrollably.

Draco turned around, looking like he wanted to murder someone. Snow dripped from his hair and onto his shoulder. I laughed harder.

Once he realized I was the one who threw the snow, Draco's expression slid from angry to his infamous smirk. He bent over, scooped up some snow, and compacted it into a perfectly round snowball.

I stopped laughing. My snowballs were never that nice and round… I was so jealous.

Draco's eyes narrowed and he gave me a wicked grin.

He threw the snowball at my head, and I barely ducked in time. I turned to him and stuck out my tongue childishly.

"Haha, you mi-" my sentence was cut short by a snowball to my face.

I dashed behind a tree as he started to make more (perfectly round) snowballs. I quickly made a small pile of round-ish snowballs.

I peered around the tree, but didn't see any sign of Draco. I waited, but he didn't show himself. Did he walk off? How rude.

"Spoilsport," I muttered to myself. I emerged from the protection of the tree, certain he had left.

A snowball whizzed by my ear, and another hit my shoulder.

I looked around and saw Draco emerge from a mound of snow he had hid behind. He was laughing. I grinned wolfishly and launched two consecutive snowballs. They both hit their mark.

Draco whipped out his wand, said a spell, and snowballs started throwing themselves at me. I dashed behind my tree, dodging snowballs as well as I could.

"That's cheating!" I yelled at him.

"All's fair in love and war!" he yelled back.

Two snowballs moved around the tree, sandwiching me in the head.

I laughed, picked up a snowball, threw it, and ran.

"Catch me if you can!" I squealed, running in zig-zags. I heard Draco running after me, laughing at my antics. He caught up to me pretty quickly, probably because he had longer legs than I did.

Draco practically tackled me into a snowdrift. We started laughing uncontrollably. All my pent-up anger melted with the snow in my hair.

We lay there for a while, catching our breaths in the little hole we made in the snow. I would get to the point where I wasn't laughing anymore, then start giggling uncontrollably.

"Are you finished yet?" Draco teased.

I giggled a bit more before drawing a deep breath, attempting to calm myself.

"Okay," I laughed, "I think I'm good."

Draco chuckled and then fell silent. I thought of something, suddenly.

"So, what's this?" I asked.

"What's what?" he asked back.

"Well, you said 'all's fair in love and war.' Which is this, love or war?" I explained my question.

"Oh, war, definitely. Can't you hear the bombs dropping and the soldiers fighting around us?" he teased.

I laughed and we lapsed into a comfortable silence. I started to feel the cold. my coat was covered in melting snow, as was my hair, boots, and wet jeans. I had lost my hat sometime during our snowball fight. I then realized how cold I was. My fingers, cheeks, and legs were numb.

I looked at Draco. His face was red from the cold, and parts of his wet hair frozen into ice.

Draco must have also been cold, because he suddenly got up and pulled me to my feet.

"Let's go inside and warm up," he offered.

I agreed, and we made our way back to the castle, a burning fire, and a cup of hot chocolate.