Disclaimer: I own Marta, to appear in later chapters.

Pairing: NONE!

A/N: This was one of those middle of the night "I got an idea!"s. Just before we start, my updating probably won't be very regular, because my schedule is not a nice one. So, point is I will do my best, but don't expect regular updates. I'm warning you now! Also, this chapter is more of an intro to what's going to come, so be patient, please!

Snow was steadily falling around the castle. On most Christmases, that was a spirit warming occurrence, but now Hermione was just plain upset. Her parents always took her somewhere exotic for Christmas, but they were snowed in at home. Stupid Muggles…the snow had been falling for two weeks straight, and her parents didn't want to risk going anywhere too far this year, and they considered the trek to King's Cross station "too far". Pulling her knees farther beneath her at the table beside the window, Hermione could not believe that she wasn't important enough to them. She knew that she shouldn't be feeling like this – she was a sixth year and a prefect, after all – but she truly loved her parents and she felt betrayed. She had stayed at Hogwarts for Christmas before, but still –

"HERMIONE!" Her name was hollered across the Gryffindor common room. No need to turn around, only one person screeched like that. Everyone shut up and stopped what they were doing to watch. They knew that when the two of them started, it got interesting.

"What, Ron?" She snapped as he stomped over. "If this is about the homework, I told you five times that I'm not going to give you everything anymore so –"

"IT IS NOT ABOUT HOMEWORK!" He bellowed, clearly enraged. "I THOUGHT YOU HAD LEARNED HOW TO CONTROL THAT CAT!" Hermione sighed. Three years ago, her fluffy ginger cat, Crookshanks, had been the bane of Ron's existence. Ron and Crookshanks had not started well, because while Ron had been buying rat tonic for his pet rat Scabbers, Crookshanks tried to attack Scabbers but instead landed on Ron's head. Hermione had bought Crookshanks two minutes later, and for the entire third year, Crookshanks had taken every opportunity to attack Scabbers, causing Scabbers so much distress that he eventually faked his own death until it was revealed that it was indeed a fake and he was an Animagus who was thought to be dead.

During that time, Hermione had been a faithful owner, protecting Crookshanks. After Scabbers left, Crookshanks and Ron still weren't bosom buddies, but they were civil to each other. Ron stopped kicking Crookshanks, and Crookshanks didn't chase Ron's owl.

"What did he do, get fur on your pillow or something?" Hermione asked. She spied Harry through her peripheral vision deeply absorbed in his homework. She would have to ask him for the full story later. But wait….Harry? Actually doing his homework while Ron was yelling at her, and the whole rest of the common room watching? That was not right.

"HE ATTACKED PIG!" Ron began. "THESE WERE ON MY BED, AND PIG IS SCARED TO DEATH! HE WON'T COME OUT FROM BEHIND MY PILLOW!" He threw some miniscule wing feathers on the table in front of her. His red face began to soften a little. Clearly, letting the anger out in front of everyone helped. And not to mention he knew that it would cause major embarrassment for whoever won this spat.

"Did you see him do this?" She asked calmly. She had been this root before. Obviously, he had forgotten – again.

"No, but come one! We all know your monster –"

"Who is not a monster but a very affectionate cat, but continue, please" She said tartly, noticing one feather that looked different then the others.

" - Has attacked my animals before! What more proof is needed?" Hermione smiled. With the evidence given, she pretty much could figure out what had happened.

"Well Ron," She responded. "A great many things could have attacked Pig then. I, for one, would not blame Crookshanks right away." She picked up the oddball feather.

"Tell me Ron, does Crookshanks have feathers?"

"Of course not, he's a bloody cat!"

"Precisely. Now compare this feather to the others." Ron snatched it from her hand.

"It's…grey." He said slowly.

"Wow, any faster and you could be a rocket scientist!" She answered. "Now, what color is Pig?" She watched Harry get more and more involved with his – wait a minute, what book was he holding? That was her Arithmancy book! Ooooohh, she was gonna get him good later.

At that exact moment, he saw her looking at him. He checked the book and his eyes went as wide as his glasses rims. He put the Arithmancy book down and replaced with his own potions book. There now. All was forgiven. She would not have to hurt him.

"And what color is Pig?" She continued, trying not to look at Harry.

"He's…tan. By the way, what's a rocket scientist?"

"Never mind" She responded quickly. The last thing she needed right now was to describe one of the most challenging Muggle jobs – which, she was certain, he would not understand anyway.

"Geez, sorry Hermione," Ron said, his face going red with embarrassment. "I, uh, better go back upstairs and try and figure out what actually did happen." He grabbed the rest of the feathers and then ran upstairs. The common room was still silent. Colin Creevey pointed his wand at the wall and muttered something, and all of a sudden a great scoreboard appeared on the wall. On closer look, Hermione realized that her name was on one side, and Ron's was on the other. The number beneath her name read "thirty two" and the number beneath Ron's read "Three". Hermione watched in amazement was her number suddenly became thirty three, which caused the board to vanish and the common room to become noisy again.

"Unbelievable." She shook her head and noticed that Harry was watching her again. "Harry, will you come over here a minute?"

Harry sheepishly got up and sat next to her.

"You owe me big time, you know that, right?" She said through gritted teeth. "You can't let Hedwig attack him like that, she could kill him!"

"I know!" He hissed back guiltily. "But he annoys her so much that I don't see how it's possible!"

"You could talk to Hedwig" She suggested. Harry looked as though he swallowed a lemon.

"TALK to her? Clearly, Hermione, you don't know my owl. She does her owl duty in delivering things, but other then that, she acts like a tyrant. She never listens."

Hermione shrugged.

"Suit yourself. Ron's bound to figure it out eventually. By the way, do you think Hedwig would be willing to offer me her services?"

"Depends. How far?"

"I need to send a letter to Mum and Dad. Just tell them how things are going here, in this weather." Something bumped against her leg.

"Come here, Sweetheart," She cooed, pulling the huge mass of orange fur onto her lap. "You didn't attack that hyper little owl, did you? No, you're above that, aren't you? Yes, you are…"

Harry stifled a laugh, which made Hermione snap back to reality.

"Quiet, you" she snapped, as Harry lost it and broke down hysterically.

"He's lonely" She explained. He doesn't have any other cats to hang around with up here, I try to keep him company.

"Oh yeah, like baby talking him would work," He scoffed. Hermione's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"If I remember correctly, Mr. Potter," Her voice as oily as Professor Snapes', which actually gave Harry chills down his back, "I just saved your butt big time, and caught you trying to look innocent with my Arithmancy book."

Harry went grey.

"Sorry" He said quickly. "When do you want Hedwig?"