Winter Blunderland

Part 1: Booking Boo Boo

Modern AU: A last minute booking, a confusion about rooms and the arrival of some unwanted faces make heartbroken teacher Hiccup Haddock's last minute winter break more exciting and eventful than he had ever planned.

Disclaimer: I don't own How To Train Your Dragon. Rights remain with Cressida Cowell and Dreamworks.

A/N: I couldn't resist this-this is based on a story idea from Vala 411 with a few harrypanther modifications. And because who doesn't like to read about a holiday which seems to be a disaster from start to finish (almost)? Happy New Year everyone!

-o0o-

ONE: Booking Boo-Boo

It had been a last minute impulse, born of a fear of going crazy staring at the walls all alone over the New Year so Hiccup Haddock had booked a room and headed for Berk's winter playground up on Dragon Mountain. Not that he had any plans to go skiing or snowboarding but he was just desperate to get away from his now empty apartment and all the memories swirling around the cold space. So he had packed up his winter gear, brought his ski boots-just in case-and caught the crammed train from Berk to the resort high up and a long way from the town. It was pretty much the last train of the year and everyone but everyone was desperate to make the trip for New Year's Eve. So he had spent two hours standing in a corner of the carriage because there were no seats, being elbowed intermittently by a large woman loudly discussing how 'her Errol' would love his first time skiing.

Lightly bruised and exhausted, he had walked from the freezing station, almost slipping on the single platform and had found there were no buses or taxis available because they had already been reserved. So he had fastened up his skiing jacket, pulled on his mittens and trudged down the slope towards the town of Dragon's Edge. He squinted and adjusted his large green bobble hat. Town was a generous description of a cluster of large Ski Lodges, three shops, a handful of restaurants and several Ski hire places. Sighing, he slung his backpack over his shoulder and trudged through most of the town to the furthest lodge on the borough, a green and brown painted chalet-style construction bearing the bold sign 'THORSTON LODGE'. Squinting at the slightly lopsided sign, he trudged in.

The Lobby was warm and a large fire was burning in the open fireplace as he trudged in and hastily unzipped his jacket. The temperature was roasting and he blinked before he walked to the wide desk where the two shapes were arguing.

"I cannot believe you did that!" the female snapped, She was tall and lanky with a long face, three long fat blonde braids and irritated expression in her pale grey-blue eyes. The male facing her was almost her mirror image though he had darker eyes and his hair in long blond dreadlocks. Both were identically dressed in khaki shirts and pants, brown boots and brown leather waistcoats.

"Hey, Butt-Elf-I'm the one who can't believe you did it either!" he retorted. Then he paused. "What did we do?" She huffed in exasperation.

"We had one room left and you..."

"Um...hello?" Hiccup said, arriving at the desk and wondering of he had arrived in the right place. "Can I check in?" The two concierges jumped and glared at each other before the female darted forward first and gave a very unnerving smile.

"Well to Thorston Lodge!" she said hastily. "What can we do for you?" Fishing out a printout of his booking, Hiccup handed it over.

"Can I check in, please?" he asked as she stared at the sheet with a shocked expression. "My name is Hiccup Haddock." She took a breath.

"Oh, I'm sorry but we..."

"No problem, my man!" the male concierge interrupted, shoving the woman aside and slamming a key onto the counter. There was a large black wooden plaque attached to it in the shape of a bat-like dragon with the red number 12 painted under the varnish. "Room 12-the top room in the Lodge."