Harry's most interesting Christmas present is an invisiblilty cloak. The note accompanying it says it was his father's. Harry debates whether or not to fetch Hermione before deciding that she's his older sister - she should see it to.
He sneaks into Hermione's alcove - the Hufflepuff Quarters are akin to a great cavern and unlike the famous charms on the Gryffindor girls' dormitories, every room is accessible to them. Harry wouldn't exactly call them rooms though. There is a huge cavern with deep alcoves.
It is both reassuring and frustrating.
One one hand, privacy is difficult to achieve but on the other, it is completely calming to know there are other people around in case something happens.
He remembers a couple of days ago, when he was woken up from a nightmare and there was at least a quarter of Hufflepuff around. The curtains were slightly open so he woke up the people next to him. Someone pressed a cup of hot chocolate into his hands and he didn't hesitate to drink.
After making it abundantly clear they saw each other as siblings, the Perfects winked at them, practically threw Hermione onto the bed and closed the curtains. Harry had never slept so well.
Harry stealthily steps through Hermione's curtains and rouses her gently. She cracks an eye open crankily. Hermione is by no means a fan of waking up. When she raises her eyebrows questioningly, he shows her his cloak. She manages to stifle a gasp of surprise and her eyes begin to twinkle with mischief.
They leave the alcove as quietly as possible.
Someone is still up though and they notice the disturbance. They look around carefully before approaching Hermione's alcove. Quickly, the two snuggle up in the bed and hide the cloak under the pillow.
Smiling, they flick their wand and tuck the two in.
Hermione and Harry lay deathly still for a few moments before slowly easing their way out. They manage to make it to the exit this time - an entrance concealed behind a stack of barrels. They are not far from the kitchens - something they shamelessly abuse.
The two wander the corridors for a while, excited to be able to roam freely without being spotted. At some point, they meet Mrs Norris, the caretaker's cat who seems to look right at them. She eventually stalks off and they breathe a sigh of relief.
They soon come across an abandoned classroom with a beautifully ornate mirror. The inscription, Harry notes is written backwards.
'I show not your face but your heart's desire.'
Unsure, they back away tentatively. Curious as they are, they are not sure the reflection is really meant for human eyes. But it's so tempting to just step forward and look in...
Hermione grips his arm and the spell breaks.
Shaken, they leave quickly. Their Quarters aren't too far and they miraculously manage to avoid detection on the way back. They curl up together on Hermione's bed and try to forget about it.