Four days have passed since the Yule Ball. I am sitting in the library, studying for the unexpected test that Snape will give us in the first Potion class after the holiday. I am reading about the preparation details of the Elixir to Induce Euphoria, but a pair of unusually loud voices keep me from focussing. Most students in the library know to respect the silence and converse in whispers. I have seen Madame Pince throw out students who don't.
"-you a Gryffindor or not?" one of the voices says.
Another voice answers: "Yes, but-"
There are a few frantic whispers before a third says: "-don't ask, I will do it."
The rest of the conversations is unclear. As I stare at the book in front of me as I grow more and more annoyed with the students talking so loudly. I'm about to stand up and tell the students to have this conversation elsewhere when Fred appears out of nowhere.
I watch as he walks over to my table. He opens his mouth to say something, but no words come out of his mouth. I cross my arms in front of my chest and raise an eyebrow.
"It turns out you haven't vanished into thin air after all."
Fred flinches at my tone. He avoids my eyes as he stutters: "Well, I was thinking... eh, would you... this weekend-"
The red-haired boy falls silent, takes a deep breath, and starts over: "First of all, I'm sorry for not keeping my word on seeing you the day after the Yule Ball. Let me make it up to you, alright? I was wondering if you would like to go on a date with me to Hogsmeade this Saturday?"
I remember Fred telling me about the village when we were standing on the small balcony. Uncrossing my arms, I nod, "Yeah, I would like to go on a date with you to Hogsmeade."
A smile breaks on Fred's face.
"I will meet you around ten o'clock at the entrance of the castle."
I nod again and Fred bids me goodbye before leaving the library. Right before I turn back to the book I was reading, I see George and Lee also exit the library and it begins to dawn on me who the loud-talking students were.
Saturday morning, Flora and I wake up early. When I told my friends about my date with Fred, Flora had been over the moon. While I remain to lie in bed, Flora heads over to our closets and starts picking out the perfect outfit for me to wear. Flora herself has a date with Zayko – also to Hogsmeade.
The door opens and Aline walks in, looking like she is still half asleep. She yawns and heads over to my bed.
"Flora, it is eight o'clock. Elena is supposed to meet Fred at ten o'clock. Why are we starting this early?"
I lift my blanket so Aline can crawl into bed with me. It's not cold in our room but I still shiver as Aline crawls in and brings a gush of cold air with her.
"Because, if the date goes well, they will get into a relationship and that's great. But, if the date does bad, it's all my fault. So, I want this to go well and that requires a nice outfit," Flora mutters as she pulls out a hanger with a short black dress. Before she can suggest it, I shake my head.
"Flora, I'm not freezing to death. I am wearing something normal."
Flora grumbles and hangs the dress back in her closet. She pouts as she browses through my closet. Aline and I watch Flora pick out outfits before discarding them again.
An hour later, I am dressed in a Flora-approved outfit and Aline has braided my hair. We finally get to go to breakfast. Henry whistles low when we arrive at our usual spot at the Ravenclaw table, and I roll my eyes at him.
"Your girlfriend is sitting right there."
The brown-haired boy laughs and wraps an arm around Aline who has sat down next to him. He presses a kiss on her forehead before turning back to his breakfast.
"What are everyone's plans today?" I ask as I grab a piece of toast.
Henry looks at Aline and suggests: "Do you want to take a romantic walk through the snow?"
Aline nods. Henry turns to me and says: "Aline and I are going to take a walk through the snow."
"Yes, I heard that, thank you," I answer. I turn to Xavier, "What about you?"
Xavier smiles and answers: "Finley and I are going to work on our Ancient Runes project."
"Nerd," Henry coughs which earns him a whack from Aline and Xavier blushes.
We eat our breakfast in peace. When we are done eating, Xavier casts a quick look at his watch before informing me it is almost ten o'clock. I bid my friends a good day and take my bag and cloak. I wrap my black scarf around my neck as I walk out of the Great Hall.
Fred is leaning against a wall, enchanting snow into tiny moving snowmen. He looks up when he hears me approaching and smiles. Fred holds out his hand and says: "Good morning, Elena, ready to go?"
I take Fred's hand and he leads me past the carriages in the direction of the village.
We arrive in Hogsmeade which is already buzzing with students. With wide eyes, I look around the village. It is beautiful, coved in snow like this. Fred smiles and drags me to a small tea shop with pink windows. Inside, I can see students holding hands over a cup of tea and little fairies flying around, throwing around rose peddles. When I turn to Fred, I can't help but laugh at his facial expression.
"You want to drink something, here?"
"Well, yes," Fred says a little unsure, "I heard good reviews about this tea shop."
I hide a giggle in my hand and ask: "Who, exactly, told you that?"
"Angelina. Oh, and Alicia!"
I shake my head as I laugh. "You don't want to go inside here, or do you?"
Fred looks at me with wide eyes and tries: "What? Eh, I mean, I do want to go inside."
"Your face tells me another story," I laugh, and Fred's facial expression turns blank, "Are there any other places to drink something?"
"Are you sure you don't want to drink something here?" Fred asks carefully. When I shake my head, he looks up to the sky as if to thank the heavens and his shoulders relax, "Thank Godric, neither did I. Angelina and Alicia assured me girls like to go there."
He grabs my hand and gestures to another building, "Let's go to the Three Broomsticks. We can drink warm Butterbeer there. Do they have that in France?"
We head to a cozy-looking pub and Fred opens the door to let me enter first. The pub is warm and there are already a lot of students. I smell smoke in the air as Fred leads me to a booth by the windows.
"What would you like to drink? I'm not sure they have Bubble Juice here."
"A hot Butterbeer with cinnamon, please," I smile, and Fred's eyebrows raise. He nods, "One hot Butterbeer with cinnamon for the lady, coming right up."
I watch Fred walk to the bar and see him order. My eyes shift around the pub, and I spot several Hogwarts and Durmstrang students. I smile as I think about the Beauxbatons students who would prefer the other tea shop and it wouldn't surprise me if Zayko took Flora there.
Fred returns in no time with two foaming hot Butterbeer in mugs. I take off my cloak and take one from him. Fred discards his cloak as well and sits down opposite me in the booth.
"Madame Rosmerta looked at me as if I was from another planet when I ordered your drink," Fred remarks before taking a sip of his own drink.
"It's a more common combination in Belgium," I sip my Butterbeer and smile, "My grandfather used to make me Butterbeer like this. I have never had anything else."
The boy opposite nods but the frown on his face doesn't disappear which makes me laugh.