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They are asleep in a cave when it starts, and it goes all night it seems, for when the company awakens, there is a heavy layer of snow coating the ground, at least five inches. Most of the dwarves groan, as they amble about, preparing for the day's journey and knowing the snow will slow them down.
It is Kili who first notices that Bilbo is not following them as they head out of the cave, standing at the mouth of it, eyes wide with wonder, hands turned palms up to collect the flurries on his fingertips. He fights back a smile and nudges his brother, who glances back as well and they share in the joy of their hobbit.
Bofur catches their eyes and chuckles softly. "First time seeing a snowfall, Bilbo?" He asks, familiar warm grin splitting his face. The hobbit shakes his head, laughing himself, and leans down to scoop some of it up, sifting through his fingers, and the light in his face worms its way through the company as they travel along, each of them glancing back to find Bilbo, mouth open and cheeks flushed, pausing every hundred or so steps to get a new handful of snow.
Kili hangs back with him, grinning and taking a handful of the powdery snow and tossing it gently into Bilbo's face, winking when the hobbit splutters indignantly. It starts a battle of sorts, quiet enough that Thorin, at the front of the line, will not notice, but a wayward snowball smacking into Dwalin's unprotected head results in a growl that freezes the five behind him who have joined in on Kili and Bilbo's fun. Instead of berating them, the warrior of the group pulls a massive snowball into his arms, more a snow battering ram than anything else, and with a roar, hurls it at Fili, knocking the young prince to the ground.
The commotion, finally, gains Thorin's attention. He turns, cloak swirling about his shoulders, with the full intention of reprimanding his companions, but they part and he catches sight of their burglar, laughing and flushed and happier than they've ever seen him before, and even the king under the mountain does not have the heart to be the end of such joy. A stray snowball nails him in the head, and he turns to find Kili hiding behind Balin, who snickers and steps aside, and with a playful roar, Thorin joins the fray.
They stop, maybe an hour later, breathless and numb and slumped in piles in the snow. Balin is propped up against a tree beside Dwalin, the hobbit wedged between them and grinning. He looks across the valley at Thorin, who has both his nephews leaning against him and is looking younger than Balin has seen his king since Smaug invaded their mountain. He shares a look with his brother and smiles fondly at the halfling between them, and thinks maybe he will be much more good for them than they realize.