“since when was this a rule?” ron’s dejected tone pulls you from searching your bag for the mints he asked and follows his gaze to the small standing sign outside the small hogsmeade café. your fingers feel the curve of the small packet of spearmint sweets and place them in ron’s awaiting palm while you read the sign yourself.

‘second hot chocolate free for couples only.’

“i think it’s just a cute thing for the holidays,” you try, tugging on ron’s plaid jacket to try and pull him into the café, desperate for a warm drink to battle the cold air. “no fair, just because i don’t have a girlfriend doesn’t mean i shouldn’t get a free one. people in couples are supposed to be happy. Why do they get free stuff?”

rolling your eyes at your friend and his dramatic tone, you talk when he shoves a few mints into his mouth, uncaring of the obnoxious chewing while doing so. “i don’t know. i don’t work here, you know?”

you try to tug him once more, but ron keeps to his spot, and he’s tall enough that you fail in moving him even an inch. you can see your own breath, and your fingers feel numb from the frost, yet ron is mad he has to pay ten sickles for a warm drink.

“ron,” your tone is serious, desperate to be in the warmth, so close, but far you think about just leaving him here to wallow while you go inside to look for Harry and hermione. “we can get it for free, y’know?” ron speaks after swallowing his sweets.

he’d been thinking, planning to himself so they can both save that few sickles worth and you turn to him reply, as gullible as a fish, “how could we get it for free? we aren’t a- oh.”