101 Reasons Why Gods Shouldn't Date Witches

Christmas Special (Part One)

Year Five
Fate had been in an awful mood. She loved Christmas itself, but her life was a mess. The daughter of Hades continued to scribble down her work when Skye cleared her throat. "Are you going home for Christmas?" she asked.
Fate looked up. "We're going to Camp together, Skye," Fate reminded her.
"Well, the thing is-" Skye began.
"What did you do?" Fate asked.
"Nothing!" Skye said defensively." Well, my mom invited me to spend Christmas with her this year. I said I would."
Fate blinked a few times. "Well, that's lovely, tell her I said hello."
"Why don't you go home for Christmas?" Skye questioned again.
"I am. I'm going to Camp, Skye," Fate stated.
"I mean, home to your mother," the daughter of Apollo clarified.
Fate looked as if she was about to choke on air. "Um, Skye, I've told you already. My mother and I aren't exactly on speaking terms right now," she said carefully.
Skye rolled her eyes, "It's Christmas! You can't just avoid her every year-"
Actually I can. I've been doing a great job for the past five years," Fate interrupted.
"Fate. You're being ridiculous, she's your mother. She loves you so much." Skye sighed.
"Well, she does a bloody brilliant job of showing it," Fate muttered sarcastically. Her hands began to form fists as a nerve was struck. "Can we not discuss this?" the Slytherin pleaded.
"No. We have to. You can't just keep your feelings bottled up like this Fate. It's not healthy," Skye informed her strictly.
"Why would you care if I was healthy?" Fate asked suddenly.
"Because I'm your friend." Skye began to raise her voice as she stood up.
"If you were my friend, you would drop the subject," Fate said more forcefully.
"No, Fate. I care about you too much," Skye replied, with just as much force.
"Why?" Fate asked, standing up as well.
"Because somebody has to for the months we're here!" the daughter of Apollo exclaimed.
Fate's entire demeanor changed. The midnight blue in her eyes darkened to a black. "Just leave me alone, Hunter," she said coldly.
"Is that how it's going to be? Just gonna become that slimy snake you were when I met you?" Skye taunted.
The ground beneath them began to shake as Fate's anger grew. "Just leave me alone," Fate muttered.
"I'm not going anywhere. I want to know, what the Hades is wrong with you?" Skye stated.
"Have you ever thought the answer is in the question?! I'm a child of Hades! I'm a Slytherin! I was poison from the moment you met me!" Fate yelled. The shadows on the wall began to dance with the rise and fall of her words.
"Fine then! If you believe that then that must want me to treat you like poison!" Skye shouted. She stormed out of the Room of Requirement and slammed the door behind her.
Fate's eyes widened and returned to their normal color as she collapsed on her chair with a shaky breath. Her hands were trembling terribly. What just happened?
• • •
Fate made her way back down to the dungeons. She had no idea what was with her powers, but it left her feeling exhausted. The 15 year old didn't want to deal with Skye, or any of her friends, on the way down. So she shadow travelled. Bad idea. No one saw her, but she nearly passed out on her way to the door three times. She had no intention of making her way up the steps, so she just collapsed onto the couch. "What happened to you?" a voice said from above her a few minutes later.
Fate recognized it immediately. "I'm not in the mood," she said while lying face first on the couch.
"Obviously," Draco said, "but I have cocoa."
"Cocoa?" she repeated hopefully.
"Dark chocolate with a peppermint stick," he confirmed. Fate lifted her head up to see her boyfriend holding two mugs of the warm drink. "If you would please sit up, I'll give you the cocoa." Fate complied and sat up, making room for him.
She practically pulled the mug from his hand. "Mmm, did you make this?" she asked, taking sips of it.
"Absolutely not, it was the house elves. I could burn down a building while boiling water," he joked.
"Well it is delicious, and thank you," she said, giving him a short kiss on the cheek.
He chuckled. "Now really, what happened to you?"
Fate looked down. "Don't worry about it," she muttered.
Draco smiled as he lifted her chin. "Do you honestly expect me to not only believe that, but leave whatever is bothering you to sit on your chest for the break?"
"Yes?" Fate said hopefully.
"Nice try," he said sincerely.
"Fate groaned and then sipped her cocoa. "I got into a fight with Skye."
"The Hufflepuff? How could the two of you get into a fight bad enough to leave you this shaken up?" he asked in a disbelieving tone. Fate shrugged. Draco sighed, "If you want, why don't you just sit with me on the train tomorrow? That way you don't have to worry about seeing her."
Fate shook her head, "I'm not leaving."
"What?"
"You heard me. I'm not leaving. I'll just sit on this sofa for two weeks," she stated. "Fate, your family is expecting you to celebrate with them,' he reminded her, "and your plan is to let me let _you_stay in school for two weeks and rot?"
"I will not rot!" Fate exclaimed. "Would you like me to stay with you?" he offered. "No, I'm not going to wreck your Christmas," she told him. "You won't wreck it, really. In fact, then I can spend our first Christmas as a couple with you," he reasoned. "I'll be fine," she promised.
He smiled, "That settles it then. I'm staying." Her eyes widened, "You really don't have to!"
"Too late. My parents won't mind if I stay, and I don't usually see anyone other than them. And anyways, I can't leave you, with no impulse control, in the same building as Umbridge." Fate didn't reply, instead she took a large swig of her cocoa. "Now, finish that, get some rest and I'll see you in the morning," he told her.
Fate slept for the remainder of the night on the sofa.
•••
Fate woke up, now feeling angry. She knew deep down that she was in the wrong too, but her fatal flaw took over. She knew there was no way she could apologize today, she couldn't even think about Skye without getting mad.
The daughter of Hades knew that she should call her family and tell them she wouldn't be going to Camp. Nico wouldn't pressure her as to why, but she was prepared to answer questions from everyone else.
Fate quickly retrieved a drachma from her trunk and went to the second floor bathroom to make her call.
"Hey Fate!" Hazel exclaimed. "Hi Hazel. Is Nico there?" she asked pleasantly. "He's with Percy in the next cabin. Would you like me to get him for you?"
"Please do." Hazel left the cabin and came back a minute later with Percy and Nico behind her. "How's it going little cuz?" Percy asked with a smile. Fate grimaced, "Please Percy, just don't."
Nico frowned, "What's wrong?" Fate looked surprised, "I haven't even said anything yet." "Don't give me that. I'm your big brother, I know when something's up. Also, Skye called an hour ago saying she was about to get on the train. That doesn't look like the train."
Fate sighed, "Well then I'll just tell you outright that I'm not coming back." Hazel gasped lightly and Percy bit his lip. Nico, however, seemed to be waiting for an explanation. "I'm terribly sorry," Fate apologized, "it's just that Skye and I got into an argument and I'm still cooling off. I thought it best for the two of us to just stay away from each other," she explained.
Percy and Hazel seemed surprised at the news of the fight, but Nico grew worried. "What exactly was this fight about?" he inquired. "Just something small about the holidays," Fate lied. "But we let it keep growing and some words were said."
"That's too bad," Percy said, Hazel nodded. "Can you leave me and Fate alone for a moment?" Nico asked. The other two demigods left quickly. "What was it really about?"
"Seeing my mother."
"Fate... what exactly did you tell her?"
"Nothing! That's why she got so upset!" Fate exclaimed. "Good. You promised me you wouldn't go back unless you had too," he muttered. "A promise I intend to keep," she said bitterly. "But, Fate... are you _okay_?" Nico asked her, worry etching it's way into his voice once again. "I don't know," Fate replied after a moment. "That's why I need to just lay low. But I promise I'll be at Camp and down below with you all summer."
"Take care of yourself. And Merry Christmas." Nico told her before he cut the connection.
•••
She left the bathroom to get back to the common room when she was stopped by her _favorite_ professor. "Ms. Gray? What are you doing out here? The train has left and it's still early," Umbridge asked her.
_Bloody Hell! How did I manage to get stuck with this pink thing alone?_ Fate thought grimly. _I better be at the judging table when she's murdered, or passes from natural causes in the, what, 10 years she has left?_
"I'm just taking a stroll, Professor," Fate said through her gritted teeth. "I can see that. Why don't you just run along to the common room?" The toad said. _OH WHAT HAVE I DONE FOR THE GODS TO GRANT ME THE GIFT OF AN ESCAPE?!_ "All right," Fate said aloud.
The toad reminded her of the Furies. Only they were much more pleasant. Fate practically threw herself down the steps to the dungeons.
"Interesting, I was just about to go searching for you," Malfoy said with a smirk. Fate leaned up against the door. "There is some form of pink fluffy vomit wandering the halls upstairs," Fate warned him. "Sounds like you've had quite the morning. Besides, that's an insult to vomit," he laughed.
Fate laughed too. "What are your plans? Considering tomorrow is Christmas Eve," Draco asked. "Well my dear Ferret, I have absolutely no idea."
"Good, because we can walk to Hogsmeade and no one can tell us no," he stated. "I see," she mused with a smirk. "Well let's get a move on," Draco said. "Fine, just let me get my jumper and cloak from the dorm," Fate agreed.
A few minutes later she was ready to go. They made it to the small town without any problems. "Where to first? The Three Broomsticks?" Draco inquired. "Honeydukes," she told him, already walking to the shop. "You are not wasting all your galleons to slip those animal jellybeans in Pansy's lunch," he told her strictly as he grabbed her arm and pulled her away from the store.
"But she deserves it," Fate whined. "She had a trunk for a week!" he exclaimed, exasperated. "Fine," she relented.
He smiled, "Come on, let's get you some butterbeer. You are Madam Rosmerta's favorite customer."
"Only because I could drink a bar full of grown men under the table."
"I wonder what you'll be like when you can have real drinks."
They spent the rest of the day at Hogsmeade before going back to Hogwarts. All of Christmas Eve day was spent fooling around at school.
•••
Fate woke up on Christmas Day still half asleep. She had a strange dream, but then again most demigods did. She didn't remember much, but she knew that Skye was in it. And, as much as she hated to admit it, she really missed her friend.
The daughter of Hades pushed those feelings aside. Today was Christmas, she really wanted to put effort into today. So she cleaned herself up and wore a Christmas jumper with leggings before heading downstairs.
It was the crack of dawn, the other few who stayed at school were still asleep. Fate strolled over to the Christmas tree in the corner of the common room. There were two presents with her name on them. She was surprised, normally she only recieved one from Nico and Hazel together. As much as she loved Percy and the others, she told them getting so many gifts when everyone at school thought she had a small family was suspicious.
First, she opened the dark green and red one from her siblings. Inside was a black cuff with the emblem of Hades on it. Fate smiled, it had a very intricate design, obviously it came straight from the Underworld, she put it on. She also found a note inside- '_Tap the center_' it said. Fate looked up to make sure no one else was coming before pressing the symbol in the middle. It morphed into an amazing shield. Fate grinned, it was perfect.
After removing it she went to the second gift. It was wrapped in green with a silver ribbon. Fate froze in her tracks, this was the way her mother gave her gifts. She hesitantly opened it. It was a silver pendent of the Gray family crest. The edges were set with emeralds. Fate had seen her mother wear this pendant every day of her life.
When she heard footprints she put it back in the box and moved it to the side, deciding to deal with it later. "Merry Christmas!" said her boyfriend cheerfully. Fate smiled, "Merry Christmas." She motioned for him to sit next to her on the couch. After he sat down his grin broadened. "You seem to be in a grand mood," she mused. "I'm just excited."
Fate, however, seemed to be struggling to keep a smile on her face. Something just felt wrong. Fate felt something in the palm of her hand. She looked down to see a small gift box. "I didn't know we were exchanging gifts," she muttered, embarrassed.
"Don't worry about it. Just open it," he told her. Inside was a silver ring. It looked like a snake had bent to form the shape of a ring, with two emerald eyes. Fate knew this was obviously expensive, goblin wrought silver no doubt.
"It's lovely. But I can't accept it, it's really too much," she apologized quietly. "Come on Fate, it's a gift. Besides, it's not like I don't have the money," he said. "No really-"
"I won't take it back," he stated firmly. "I can't take this. _I'm not even worth all the gold you spent on it_!" Fate exclaimed, louder now. Immediately she covered her mouth with her hand. Draco's playful grin left his face. A look of confusion and anger replaced it.
"What on this Earth could have possibly made made you think that?" he asked her quietly. Fate shook her head, refusing to speak. "Fate. I want to know where that sentence came from." After a moment she spoke.
"It was just a spur of the moment thing. I don't know where it came from," she lied with a whisper. Fate stood up and left the common room, taking the ring with her. Draco didn't try to stop her.
The daughter of Hades walked up to the Room of Requirement by herself. _It's weird to not be coming up here with Skye_ she thought. Fate spent Christmas up there. She ate food the room made appear from the kitchens and practiced her sword work.
Most of break was spent the same way. She did make up with Draco though and spend some time with him. But all she wanted was for break to be over so she could fix things with Skye.