"Ready?" Draco asked with a playful smirk, his eyes twinkling as I walked toward him. I couldn’t help but smile as I threw my arms around him in a tight hug.
"Yeah!" I grinned, pulling away reluctantly. But before I could step back, he looked me up and down with a raised eyebrow.
"My love," he said, his tone mockingly stern, "you’re going to catch a cold dressed like that."
I narrowed my eyes, a little irritated. "What do you mean? I’m perfectly dressed for the weather!" I huffed, hands on my hips.
He chuckled softly, his lips curling into a teasing grin. "Really? You’ve got two layers and no scarf. And that thin jacket isn’t going to save you from the chill, you know."
I rolled my eyes. "I’m fine, Draco."
He shook his head, clearly unconvinced, and without another word, he slipped his scarf from around his neck and gently wrapped it around mine. "You’re wearing this, and that’s final," he said, his voice playful but firm. I sighed in defeat as he planted a soft kiss on the top of my head, his touch reassuring.
With the scarf now securely around me, we linked hands and started walking toward Hogsmeade, our footsteps crunching in the snow as we strolled side by side.
"So, did you sleep well?" Draco asked after a few moments of comfortable silence, breaking it with his usual curiosity.
"Yeah," I said with a content smile, "but honestly, I couldn’t fall asleep right away. I was too excited for our date."
Draco chuckled, squeezing my hand a little tighter. "Excited, huh?" His voice was laced with amusement. "Well, I suppose I should be flattered."
I grinned, meeting his gaze. "You should be. I don’t get excited for just any date, you know."
He raised an eyebrow, looking utterly intrigued. "Oh? Then I must be something special."
I nodded with a mischievous smile. "You are, Malfoy. You definitely are."
The wind picked up a little, but Draco’s warmth beside me made it bearable. There was something perfect about just being with him, walking in the quiet, enjoying the simplicity of each other's company. We didn’t need to fill the silence with words. Just being here, together, was enough.
"So," Draco broke the silence again, his voice softer now, "what’s going on in that mind of yours now that we’re on our way to Hogsmeade?"
I paused for a moment, then my lips curled into a mischievous grin. "Well, I was thinking that after you scolded me about my outfit, you owe me a butterbeer."
He laughed, his chuckle light and amused. "You’ll get your butterbeer, don’t worry."
"You should, because I didn’t bring any money with me," I teased, nudging him gently with my shoulder.
For a brief second, Draco’s expression softened, and I thought he might say something else. Instead, he just smiled, his fingers tightening around mine as he pulled me a little closer.
"Let’s get to Hogsmeade first," he said with a smile.
And as we continued walking, the world felt perfect, just the two of us, with the promise of a quiet day ahead.