A/N: Somehow, this is what I wrote, despite the prompts literally begging me to write ScoRose for this round. Instead, you get this revolting Drastoria fluff. Happy Christmas to all!


THC – Round 8

House: Gryffindor

Class: Astronomy

Category: Standard

Prompts: [Dialogue] "I just don't see why we couldn't have stayed by the nice warm fire", [Prompt] The smell of peppermint

WC: 1,281

Beta(s): Copper's Mama, MomoDesu


~~ Peppermint Sniffles~~

"I just don't see why we couldn't have stayed by the nice warm fire," Draco grumbled as he continued to trudge his way through the snow.

"Because it's much more fun here!" Astoria exclaimed, dragging him on.

Draco sniffled. He couldn't exactly tell what was 'fun' in this whole outing. Walking through the freezing snow far too early on a Saturday morning was not his idea of 'fun'. As a matter of fact, anything that involved him getting his shoes and socks wet was not 'fun' at all.

Admittedly, he should not have worn Louis Vuitton to walk through sludge, but still.

Also, he had a cold, a terrible cold that had been going on for days now. No matter how many Pepper Up potions he took, he still couldn't shake it off. The chilly winter breeze wasn't making anything better. Quite on the contrary, he could already imagine the tip of his nose and ears turning red with the cold, a sort of promise of pneumonia: o joy.

"It's bloody freezing," Draco pointed out.

"Yes, but it's a Hogsmeade weekend," Astoria replied with still as much enthusiasm as before. "The last one before Yule! It's literally the best one."

"There is no best Hogsmeade weekend. As far as I'm concerned, they're all equally terrible."

Astoria snorted. "You just say that because you think the people there look at you funny."

"Which they do."

"So? Who cares about that! Come on, I'll buy you a butterbeer," she promised, effectively shutting Draco up.

But the truth still remains that they did look at him funny. As a matter of fact, almost everyone looked at him funny nowadays, as long as you considered 'funny' to be a synonym of 'hatefully'.

It had been a rough year, to be perfectly honest. This time last year was no fun at all. While things might've seemed great at first, hosting the Dark Lord in your family home was actually far from enjoyable. Christmas had barely been Christmas last year.

And then there'd been the whole battle, in May. Then, his parents' process. The confiscation of a portion of their wealth. And Draco's forced return to Hogwarts, a place where none of his friends would ever set foot again, apart from him. A place where all hated him and looked at him funny.

Well, almost all.

It had been a rough year, but thankfully, Astoria had been there to help him through it. He just couldn't wait for the new year to start, so he could truly turn a page over. There was something almost refreshingly crisp and blank about the first snows of January.

In the meantime, he had had enough of the December snow.

"Doesn't the village look quaint under the snow?" Astoria asked cheerfully.

"Quaint as in 'small' and 'ridiculous'."

"As in 'adorable' and 'cute'."

"That's a pleonasm."

Astoria looked at him, shaking her head and laughing. Once again, Draco was truly surprised how she could withstand him. He really was not the easiest person to be around, he knew. Once upon a time, he made an effort, for some, and was detestable to the rest. Now, he didn't even try to be either; he let them decide what he should be.

And yet, on that god-awful first day of school of his eighth year—the year he was convinced was going to be the most miserable of his life—Astoria sat herself down right next to him and chatted away like he wasn't any different.

As the Sorting Ceremony proceeded with almost no first year Slytherins, she continued to talk on and on, just as cheerfully as she always was, despite Draco's blunt–if not straight up rude–comments. Sarcasm was not an attractive trait, and yet, she stuck by him all evening.

He'd never really paid any attention to Astoria Greengrass before, only considering her to be Daphne's little sister. But, as the days and then weeks went on, he started to accept the strange friendship she'd initiated, sometimes even doing things for her and letting it blossom into what it now was.

But just exactly what was that…? He definitely wasn't the person to ask.

"Where do you want to go first?" Draco asked as they entered the little village.

The village was already teeming with students, hanging out in little groups and wandering from shop to shop. All of the stores had their best Christmas decorations put out, from tacky cartoonish reindeer to the more rustic Yuletide tree and traditional candles.

He had to admit, it wasn't altogether ugly.

"Wherever you want," Astoria told him

He smiled as he replied: "How about Honeydukes?"

She squealed with delight. "Perfect!"

Draco knew Astoria had a thing for sweets. Always had, always would. She seemed to be obsessed with sugar, to be honest, and it was quite a miracle she had such flawless skin as she did.

"I knew you would say that," he told her.

She smiled back and grabbed his arm as they wandered in.

Draco grinned, too, though the whole arm thing was something quite new. She'd clearly done it impulsively, without thinking about it, but somehow it suddenly meant a lot to him. It wasn't awkward or anything like that. On the contrary, it was oddly… comforting.

The change in their relationship had started a few weeks ago. Unsurprisingly, it had happened just after Slughorn's famous Brew-Your-Own-Amortentia lesson. He seemed to delight in having his NEWT students confront their budding romances. Plus, that year was extra special, because what was better than stressed and hormonal teenagers? Traumatised, stressed and hormonal teenagers.

Absolutely lovely.

Draco himself had only gotten the faintest sniffs of his own potion. Already, he'd had that darned cold, even all that time ago. He'd woken up really cranky and half-asleep, so his potion definitely wasn't up to his usual quality. Already the result wasn't guaranteed, and he'd had that terrible runny nose.

All he'd managed to get was some hints of musty clothes (at least, what he thought was musty clothes) and perhaps mint, though the smell was very faint.

Astoria had clearly managed better than him though, because he saw her flush bright red towards the end of the lesson, and since then… well.

Whatever it was, it still remained somewhat the same, though Draco definitely wondered who his mystery person was. It also didn't help that with the holiday season approaching the castle constantly smelled like mint because of all of the sweets.

Draco was actually glad to get a little distance from the confusing smell. The fireplace was nice, but far too distressing.

He followed Astoria into Honeydukes, patiently waiting for her to get all of her Christmas shopping done. Unfortunately for him, the smell of peppermint was absolutely overpowering in the shop, and Draco loved it as much as he hated it.

Soon enough, She was back with two bags full to the brim with sugary goodies.

They quickly left the shop and began to make their way towards their next destination.

"I bought some candy canes," she told him. "Want to share one?"

"Are they peppermint, or strawberry flavoured?" Draco asked.

"Peppermint, of course!" she exclaimed. "Peppermint is my most favourite thing ever. Truthfully, if I could wear it as a perfume, I would."

She broke the cane into half and offered it to him.

Draco took it from her, and smiled with a new brightness. Of course. He was an absolute idiot.

"Seems you like peppermint too!" she teased.

"Sure does."

Draco popped it into his mouth and moved closer to Astoria, revelling in this newfound love of the smell of peppermint, and all those associated.

Yes, this definitely beat staying by the fireplace.