Harry and Hermione were snuggled up together on the couch in front of the fire. The common room was full as it was close to curfew.

Harry and Hermione were exchanging kisses and nose rubs while gazing into each others eyes lovingly. Some of the Gryffindor Tower residents thought they were just too cute with thier goofy grins spread over their faces, while others thought they would gag from the giggles and love talk coming from the couple.

The couple in question had moved on to playing a game. Between each kiss one would say a word, they would kiss, then the other would answer, they would kiss again, giggle, then start over.

For example, they would kiss, and Harry would say 'pudding', they would kiss, Hermione would answer 'Treacle Tart', they would giggle, kiss and Hermione would have a turn.

They were completely enjoying themselves.

Right after Hermione said 'Holiday' and she leaned in to get her kiss, Harry cocked his head to the side as if he had heard something.

Harry asked Hermione, "Did you feel that?"

"Feel what?"

"That faint vibration, like something heavy fell in the distance." he replied.

As Hermione shook her head to indicate she hadn't felt anything of the sort, Harry jumped and said "There! Did you feel it that time?"

Several had felt it and were murmuring about what it could be. As they were consulting each other as to what it was, the vibration came again, stronger this time. Whatever it was was coming in the direction of the common room. It went from a vibration to thumps that shook the stone walls of the tower.

Harry, Hermione and many of the other students stood and drew their wands in preparation of what was coming. The closer it got, the harder and louder the thumps became.

The first and second years were huddled together crying and clutching each other for safety and comfort.

The thumps were now almost to the portrait that hid the entrance to Gryffindor Tower, they were so loud they were echoing all through that part of the castle, and knocking other portraits off the walls. The younger students were now screaming in terror.

Finally, the thumps came to a stop, then the portrait over the door began to creak slowly open. Everyone in the room was shaking in fear.

As the portrait opened further, a third year near the door screamed "Run! It's a troooooll!"

That caused wide spread panic as everyone in the room ran for the stairs to hide in their dorms. Harry pulled Hermione with him to his dorm to keep her safe.

The common room was empty in a matter of seconds.

Into the common room stepped a creature of immense size. Huge, chunky arms and legs, thick around the middle, with a dull, permanently confused expression on it's ugly face.

As it looked around the empty common room, it blinked it's eyes slowly, and ponderously scratched it's smelly ass.

'I wonder where everyone is' Ginny Weasley thought as she lumbered up the stairs to her dorm to turn in for the night.