November Snow

t h i r t y - n i n e

Christmas, the happiest time of the year, or so they thought. It was no fun and easy time for people with no family left to enjoy the occasion. With no more school, all I did everyday was wandering out near Hagrid's hut, in the school garden, the library or the common room. Not many students stayed over the holiday, so it was a pleasant time for me when there weren't so many people judging me every step I took.

Hermione, Harry and the Weasleys had gone back to 12 Grimmauld Place for Christmas. Hermione told me what happened: Harry dreamed of Arthur being attacked by a snake, which turned out to be real and they all came back to visit him. Juliette, though she did insisted that she should stay back with me, went on the train back to London when I told her she didn't have to stay. Most Slytherins left Hogwarts as well, except for Malfoy and his bodyguards, Crabbe and Goyle. It was a big surprise to see them the morning of Christmas in the common room.

I stood in the snow-covered garden, admiring the falling snowflakes in the freezing weather of late December. Hades, my only friend left, refused to leave his cosy layers of blankets. For a cat, he seemed to have gone into hibernation thanks to his laziness when the air turned icy. I wasn't that kind of girl who fancied making snowman and snow angels, I just stood there and watched the beautiful sight.

"All alone?" A voice asked behind me.

"Who else would I be with when more than half of the school hate me?" I sighed, not bothering looking back since I knew too well who that was "You should be inside, admiring your expensive Christmas presents, not out here."

"I reckoned you need company." Malfoy stood next to me, shrugged.

We stood there and watched the tiny snowflakes making their way down and joined their likes on the ground. The icy wind brushed through, its dryness made my face became pink. I clutched my sweater closer, sighed and observed as my breath turned vapor in the cold.

"I've never really liked snow." He said.

"My mother told me when I was born, early in the morning on the first of November, it suddenly snowed. At that moment, she nearly named me Snow or something of sort." I said, smiling "Then she said that a friend told her she should name me Crystal, like my aunt. She couldn't, she said it would remind her of her dead sister. So finally, she named me November, after the month I was born. Crystal became my middle name."

"Crystal is a nice name." Malfoy said.

"I never know how she looked, my aunt." I said "I never had any picture of her. Though they said I looked like a splitting image of her."

We stopped. It was quite a comfortable silent moment, we just stood there and enjoyed each other's presence.

"Before I forget why I'm here." He said, digging into his pocket "Your Christmas present."

"From..." I looked at him, puzzled.

"Me." He said "I reckon you would want one. You haven't had one for years."

"You, Draco Malfoy, bought me a Christmas present wrapped in red wrappers and white ribbons?" I raised an eyebrow "Hold on, what's going on here?"

"Nothing, I'm just glad we're friends now." He shrugged again "I still hope I can call you November."

"Then I call you Draco." I said "Gosh, now that sounds quite weird coming out of my mouth."

"November..."

"Draco..."

"Sounds weird." He chuckled.

"See? Told you so." I laughed "Well, thanks for the present."