Hermione stood next to the door silently. They had all left for Transfiguration twenty minutes earlier than usual because Harry had claimed he had forgotten his textbook the day before; Hermione knew this was impossible because the day before, classes had been cancelled when Peeves had somehow conjured up paranoid snowmen and snowwomen who guarded the classrooms with the belief that anyone who tried to get through needed to be exterminated, but she didn't say anything.

She had surreptitiously fallen back as they walked down the hallway. Harry and Ron forgot about her almost instantly and started talking animatedly about the real reason for the early trip to McGonagall's classroom.

This saddened her and she reminded herself that they were not doing it on purpose to hurt her, but she felt a pang nonetheless. She reminded herself that she should be happy that Harry and Ron had the chance to be normal, sixteen-year-old boys (who have discovered uses for snow that melts!).

So when McGonagall sat down in her sabotaged chair, all ready to begin grading the essays she had just collected, and jumped up with a most undignified squeak, Hermione couldn't stifle a tiny giggle.

But McGonagall heard, and gave her detention for misusing school property. Snow should only be used outside the castle! said her note.

Hermione was not worried about her detention, because she knew McGonagall wouldn't let it go on her permanent record. But Harry and Ron were worried about her detention, and snuck into the unused corridor she was cleaning that evening and helped her. They were nervous when they pushed open the door, and so she smiled to put them at ease. They all laughed together, then, and Hermione felt very much included.