A/N: I just got back from a Christmas caroling party and felt festive, so…this happened. This is set…any time before they get together.

Snow fell over the ground and in the air, swirling around Elle and Emmett as they made their way out of the library late Friday night. The cold December air came in gusts and Emmett pulled his scarf tighter around his neck, trying to shield himself from the wind. Elle burst ahead suddenly and spun around, snow coating her hat and coat, her boots kicking up flurries of dusty snow as she smiled.

“Emmett, it’s snowing!”

“Yeah, I think I got that from the extremely cold white powder hitting my face.”

She mock-glared and looked up to the sky, taking in the snow falling around her and the way it contrasted with the darkness of the night sky.

“We’re going to freeze to death,” Emmett said, continuing to walk down the path to get inside as quickly as possible, “Come on-”

Something hit him square in the back and he spun around to face Elle, laughing, evidence of snow on her black gloves.

“Oh, no. You did not just throw a snowball at me.”

“I think I did.” She said, grinning.

“Well, if that’s how you want it to be, then…” He grabbed a pile of snow off a bush, throwing it straight at Elle. She sputtered, the snow settling onto her face, and looked at him open-mouthed.

“Okay, this is war.”

Soon, they were flinging snow piles at each other, tripping over snowdrifts in the lawn of the library. Both had snow down their jackets, up their sleeves, and in their boots, and their clothes were sufficiently soaked when Elle stumbled, falling backwards into the snow and laughing hoarsely.

“Okay, okay.” She breathed, smiling, “Let’s call a truce.”

She held her hand out and he took it, preparing to pull her up, but all of a sudden he was being pulled down into the snow with her, hearing her laughter as he felt the cold, wet snow go under his hat.

Once they had caught their breath, he turned his head to look at her, smiling silently up at the sky.

“What are you looking at?” he asked, glancing at the sky above them.

“Nothing,” she replied, looking sideways at him, “It’s just…everything’s magical when it snows.”

He pondered this and stared at the sky with her, the snowflakes floating to the ground gently and blending in with the rest that had been trampled by their footsteps.

“This is so cold.” She stated.

He laughed, turning to her again, “You just noticed this?”

“Yeah, actually. I think my entire body is numb. I can’t even feel my face.”

He smiled at her, sitting up and offering his hand to her. “Let’s get you home, then. We’ll both freeze to death if we don’t put on dry clothes soon.”

He pulled them both to a standing position and brushed snow off of his pants, shaking his gloves to rid them of excess snow.

“Ready?”

She nodded, brushing snow off of her own coat. He started walking towards the sidewalk that would lead to her dorm, the streetlamp on the corner lighting his way.

“Wait!” she called, running over and spinning him around. Her hands grabbed his wrists and she stood up on her toes, her frozen lips making contact with his, the numbness forgotten. After a few seconds, they pulled apart, their breath visible in the cold air and their foreheads resting together.

“Okay,” she said, smiling at him, “I should have done that a long time ago.”

He stood there stunned into silence, watching her walk over to the sidewalk.

“Well? Are you coming?” she asked, raising her eyebrows at him. He stumbled over, still half in shock, and felt her arm link with his.

“So,” she started, tightening her grip on his arm as they walked down the icy pathway, “What are you doing for Christmas?”

Fin