In preparations for the upcoming ball, the Hogwarts staff seemed determined to show the castle at its best. Everlasting icicles has been attached to the banisters of the marble staircase; the usual twelve Christmas trees in the Great Hall were bedecked with everything from luminous holly berries to real, hooting, golden owls, and the suits of armor has all been bewitched to sing corals whenever anyone passed them.

The festive atmosphere extended outdoors, where thick snow was now falling over the castle and its grounds. The pale blue Beauxbotons carriage looked like a large, chilly, frosted pumpkin next to the iced gingerbread house that was Hagrid's cabin, while the Durmstrang ship's portholes were glazed with ice, the rigging with with frost.

"Hurry up," Cassia hastened, "I will finish my snowman before curfew."

Dinner had just let up, and Draco Malfoy found himself being dragged by the arm through the Entrance Hall, racing back to a mound of snow in the courtyard. A few paces ahead of them were none other than their favourite trio.

"Hermione - who are you going to the ball with?" they heard Weasley say.

Cassia stopped in her tracks. Perhaps the snowman can wait...

"You're joking, Weasley?" Draco called out, "You're not telling me someone's asked that to the ball? Not the long-molared Mudblood?"

Potter and Weasley both whipped around furiously, but Granger said loudly, waving to somebody over Draco's should, "Hello, Professor Moody!"

Draco paled and jumped backwards, looking wildly around for Moody, but he was still up at the staff table, finishing his stew.

"Twitchy little ferret, aren't you, Malfoy?" said Granger scathingly, and she, Potter and Weasley went up the marble staircase laughing heartily.

Cassia rolled her eyes.

"Cheer up, D," she said, "you can tell Theo that Granger has a date and he doesn't. Now back to business..."

~

Cassia awoke early on Christmas morning. Pulling back the curtains of her four-poster bed, she noticed that everyone else in her dorm was still asleep, their curtains drawn closed. At the foot of her bed rested a pile of presents. The sight was unusual; every previous Christmas had been spent in her own home, where a handsome stack of gifts sat beneath an extravagant tree in the foyer. Despite the less than luxurious change of scenery, Cassia was thrilled to experience her first holiday in the company of her best friends. She quietly got out of bed, brushed her teeth, gathered her presents, and made her way to the common room, where they had agreed to open their gifts together in the morning.

To her surprise, Cassia wasn't the first to awaken. Seated on a green velvet couch by the fireplace was Draco, still pajama-clad, his own heap of presents on the table before him. Apart from the two of them, the room was completely vacant. In the soft firelight and rare tranquility, the Slytherin common room felt almost homely - nothing like the dungeon that it was often compared to. 

"You're up early," Cassia said.

"So are you."

Cassia placed her gifts on the table and took a seat next to Draco. He picked up a black velvet box, adorned with a silk ribbon, from her stack and held it out to her. "From my parents - go on, open it."

"They shouldn't have- " Cassia immediately protested. 

"- Yet they always do. Now, open it." Draco gently shoved the box onto her lap.

"Alright, alright," Cassia reached for a square wooden box from his mound, the Clarke family crest engraved upon it, "and you should know that you're equally as spoiled by my lot."

Draco accepted it, begrudgingly. "Fine. But you go first!"

Cassia sighed, but untied the ribbon nevertheless; lifting the lid, she revealed a magnificent pair of earrings. They were silver - goblin-wrought, no doubt - with brilliant, dangling, pear-shaped diamonds.

"Your mother's taste is impeccable," Cassia gushed, "Your turn."

Draco complied, swiftly unfastening the metal latch and opening the box. They were met with the sight of a handsome silver watch, also goblin-made. Most notably, though, was a small slip of parchment next to it, neatly folded in half. Draco scooped it up and read out: 

Draco,

Having no son of my own, I entrust you with this cherished family heirloom.

Cadmus Clarke

"Should I be concerned about the attention I've received from your father lately?" Draco asked.

"Let's just cherish the fact that Theo and Blaise did not hear that any of that," Cassia gestured to her father's note, earning a chuckle from her friend.

Draco nudged his shoulder against hers. "Merry Christmas, C."

"Merry Christmas, D."

The faint sound of footsteps caught their attention. Soon, the source of the noise emerged in the common room, revealing its owners:

"Not opening gifts without us, I hope?" Blaise asked.

He and Theo arrived, dressed in their sleepwear and looking half-asleep, each carrying armfuls of presents which they promptly deposited onto the coffee table with Draco and Cassia's. The Blaise settled into the couch across from them, positioning himself comfortably.

"Wouldn't dream of it," Cassia said.

Theo took a seat on her other side. "Excellent."

"Did you see Pansy on the way here?" Draco asked.

"Nope," Blaise grunted.

"Wanna wake her, Cassia?" Theo suggested.

"Absolutely not, I value my life- "

"And I want to open presents-"

"-Don't get your knickers in a twist," Pansy announced her presence, yawning, "I'm here."

She waddled over to them, wearing her green satin nightgown, a thick black blanket draped over her shoulders and hair slightly tousled. Unlike the everyone else, Pansy did not transport her Christmas presents by hand; she held her wand lazily between her fingers, leading a trail of levitating gifts. She led them to an empty stretch of carpet next the to table - which has since overflown with gifts - letting them drop with a soft thump.

"Always one to make an entrance, aren't you Pansy?" Blaise teased.

She sat beside him and shot withering glare his way. "Piss off."

"Since we're all here," Draco said, "we can open-"

Without a second to spare, everyone shot up and raided their respective stacks, all traces of drowsiness evaporating.

Cassia's other presents were much less lavish - with the exception of a diamond necklace from her mother, which pairs perfectly with her new earrings - but equally as valuable. Draco had given her a photo album, enchanted to project the images three-dimensionally above the pages. Flipping through it, Cassia fondly replayed scenes of her childhood with Draco, early school days with their friends, and memories up to the previous summer. Blinking away the tears that had formed, she quickly thanked Draco ("You sentimental sop, C") and continued working through her pile. From Theo, she received a stationary kit, the parchment and envelops personalized with her initials 'to write letters that he will be responding to from now on'; Blaise had gifted her an Irish Quidditch jersey, autographed by the entire team, which sparked much jealousy from the other boys; and Pansy gave her a charmed perfume that changed fragrances according to her mood. Cassia even received a large bag of assorted Honeydukes sweets from Crabbe and Goyle, to whom she sent her own gifts of candy.

After everyone had opened their gifts and exchanged their gratitude, Draco stood up. "We better get dressed- "

"-Not just yet," Pansy interrupted. "I have one last present to give."

Draco sat back down and everyone curiously turned their attention towards Pansy, who was staring directly at Theo. 

"My gift to you, darling Theodore," she said, "is a date to the Yule Ball. Daphne Greengrass. You're welcome."

He blinked in surprise. "Thank you...?"

"And how many Galleons did that cost?" Blaise snorted.

"None. She asked me about him; seemed rather interested, in fact." Pansy replied, shooting Theo a pointed look that made him blush.

"It's a Christmas miracle!" Blaise breathed out.

"You sly dog, Theo," Cassia nudged his arm with her elbow.

"Why don't we get changed and head down for breakfast?" Theo quickly changed the subject.

Draco chuckled. "As you wish Mr. Greengrass."

The Great Hall was especially lively that morning, filled with excited chatter and holiday spirit. Every table was laden with the largest breakfast spread Cassia had ever seen, featuring pancakes, toast, bacon, eggs, pumpkin pasties, sausage links, pumpkin juice, eggnog, and much more. She was convinced that every breakfast food imaginable could be found in this very room.  

Cassia had hardly dug into her waffles when, like every morning, their meal was interrupted by a storm of owls. This morning, however, an unfamiliar tawny owl landed before her.

"Whose owl is that?" Cassia asked, but no one in the vicinity showed any sign of recognition. 

Growing impatient the owl hopped towards her and Draco, sticking its leg out to them. Cautiously, Draco retrieved the letter and opened it, giving the owl its cue to take off.

"It's addressed to us!" he said in disbelief. Cassia peered over to read it herself, only to be more surprised by the letter's contents:

To Mr. Malfoy, Ms. Clarke, Mr. Zabini, Ms. Parkinson, and Mr. Nott,

I'll take you up on your offer. Meet me in the rose garden at eleven o'clock. You'll know me when you see me.

Rita Skeeter

Draco handed the letter over to the others to read, all of whom were equally as shocked.

"Looks like your fathers were right," Blaise said "this ball really is an important industry event."