Misery Loves Company

There was a snap to the air that put roses on their cheeks as they sat on a bench near the Hogsmeade rink, lacing up their skates in awkward silence.

“Erm... ” Harry started, casting about for a neutral topic. “Nice weather we're having.”

Pansy groaned under her breath and kept lacing her boots. According to the Owl she'd received, she was required to be at this Merlin forsaken Ministry mandated event for two hours, and she intended to be on the ice and away from him for the whole of it.

“Do you like Quidditch?” he asked hopefully.

She paused to look at him and roll her eyes.

“Right. Stay put.” Another eye roll. She was barely half-done lacing her first boot. “I'll be back in a minute.”

He walked off, crunching snow under his capped blades.

She took a moment to check out his bum and then resumed lacing her boots while counting the ways she would torture Draco for hexing them undone.

The poncy git.

A shriek echoed over the ice, and Pansy glanced up in time to see Granger smack Draco across the cheek so hard his head turned with the slap. He clenched his hands into fists and began yelling at her.

Maybe torture would be redundant.

A steaming cup was suddenly thrust in her line of vision. “I brought you some chocolate,” said Harry as he sat beside her.

Crap. Now she'd have to be nice.

“Thank you,” she replied and wrapped her mitten-covered hands around the delicious-smelling beverage.

Harry grinned at her and sipped his chocolate, waiting for her to finish lacing up her skates. He watched several couples glide over the ice, most of them sneaking looks at Granger and Draco as they whizzed by the squabbling duo.

“What do you think they're arguing about?”

She shrugged. “Who had better N.E.W.T scores?”

“How much sugar is in the chocolate?” he parried, saluting her with his cup.

“House-elf rights?” she offered, meeting his eyes in mock innocence.

There was a wicked twinkle in his, answering her. “Crups or ferrets as pets?”

She collapsed in a belly laugh that left her struggling for breath. Pansy decided to throw in the proverbial towel and started lacing her second boot.

“I heard Umbridge is head of the Marriage Law Committee,” he commented, gazing at the still feuding couple. “This is revenge, I figure.”

“Does that make me your new Blood Quill?”

His gaze slid down to her pouting crimson lips and he grinned. “I must not tell lies. I was talking more about Hermione. Umbridge still jumps at the slightest whinny.” He nudged her with his elbow. “But I should admit, I'm not sure I'd mind the scars you'd leave behind.”

She huffed at him in pretend offense, and turned to watch the skaters, her brain already busily planning where those scars would go.

~~***~~***~~

Originally written for round two of pphp_ldws on Live Journal.

Prompt: Hermione Granger, ice skating rink, towel