Chapter 5

Hermione Granger had been acting weird, Ron observed. She was constantly stuttering and dropping things. She also seemed to be spending a lot of time in the kitchens lately. And not for petitioning for house elf rights. Which was saying something. Between her and Harry, Ron was most confused. What in Merlin's name was going on with his friends?

Harry had taken to retreating to the library. Not something Ron was pleased about. He couldn't eat in the library. He tried to follow Hermione to the kitchens, but she looked so put out at his company he decided against joining her again. Well, actually he didn't notice until Winky glared at him and shooed him out but still. He did manage to glimpse the elf bringing her a bowl of ice-cream and patting her shoulder consolingly. He figured she was upset that she couldn't convince more people to join SPEW.

On his way back from the kitchens he bumped into Malfoy, who seemed like he was heading towards the kitchens. He had no doubt Malfoy wouldn't be welcomed by the elves either.

"Watch it Weasley," Malfoy said. But his usual bite was gone. He didn't even make a tomato joke.

"Just great," Ron muttered, "Even Malfoy's gone round the bend."

Was it too hard to ask for a little normalcy around here?

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Harry didn't know why, but it seemed like Hermione was avoiding him. He took to spending his days in the library, hoping to catch her there. She did have to do homework sometime after all. And it wasn't like Hermione to avoid the library. But it was getting late and there was no sign of her, so he packed up his stuff and reluctantly headed to his Occlumency lesson with Snape.

"Nice of you to join me, Potter," snarled Snape. Harry wasn't in the mood to retort that he was only five minutes late.

"Let's just get this over with," he sighed, preparing himself for Snape's onslaught.

"Legilimens!" cried Snape.

Harry struggled to focus, barely keeping Snape out of his head. Snape broke the attack and Harry panted, sweat beading on his upper lip. Snape took advantage of his condition and cast the spell again. He wasn't prepared for another attack so soon however, and was unable to prevent Snape from delving into his mind the second time.

"Harry, mate, how's it going," said Fred, slinging an arm across his shoulder. "Uh well nobody's tried to kill me yet so, fine?" he replied. "Just what we wanted to hear!" George beamed, looping his arm with Harry's, steering him imperceptibly away from where he was going.

"And guess what?" Fred said.

"What?" said Harry.

"We're about to make your day even better!" George grinned.

"Oh, and how are you going to do that?" Harry said, amused.

"Just you wait and see!" Fred said, looking at his twin.

"Wait a second, isn't this the library corridor?" Harry said, just realising that they had steered him there.

"It is. And a certain bookworm will be heading this way soon," George replied.

"Okay. Hermione's going to the library. How is that supposed to make my day better? Is she going to offer to do my Potions essay?" he asked.

"Not quite," Fred said, and pushed Harry in front of him.

"Hey what gives!" Harry cried, as he stumbled and righted himself just before face planting.

He turned to give the twins a piece of his mind, his eyes widening when he saw the matching smirks on their faces.

"Ohhh no, what did you do?" he said warily.

"We just thought we'd spread some holiday cheer, that's all," said George.

"Yup and who better to benefit than our favourite benefactor and his beautiful friend," Fred said, waggling his eyebrows.

"Exactly! So, enjoy!" George said, and they quickly scurried away.

"Wait what?" Harry said, confused, "Come back here!" He ran after them. Except, he didn't get very far. He hit an invisible wall and couldn't go any further. He tried to go the other way, but met a similar obstruction.

"Argh!" he cried, despairingly, clenching his fists and stomping his foot on the ground. Was it too much to ask for one normal day?

"N...no..." he groaned, trying to get Snape out of his head. He really didn't want to relive that horrendous moment. He still had no idea what the twins were trying to accomplish that day. But it wasn't Hermione who came along. It was...

"Malfoy, no!" he warned, unsuccessfully. But it was too late. Malfoy, on the way to do his own potions homework, had already walked through the invisible barrier. Which apparently did not keep people out but rather, in.

"What the heck? What's going on Potter? Release me this instance!" Malfoy demanded, after inspecting his face for damages where it had struck the barrier on the other side.

"Believe me Malfoy, it's no picnic being stuck together here with you either," he snarled, "If I could, I would." He had tested the limits of the barrier while waiting and hoping for the twins or a teacher to come along. It seemed like it was confined to a small area around him which he could not leave. He had no idea why the twins would do this to him. Or Hermione, since it seemed they wanted her to be stuck there with him? Barmy those two were.

"Well then what do we do Potter?" Malfoy said aggravated, "And pray tell, how exactly did this happen?"

"Blast if I know. You can blame the twins for this one," he retorted sourly. Malfoy looked at him weirdly, "I thought they were your friends?"

He snorted, "So did I."

"As far as pranks go, this is pretty lame Potter. Annoying, but lame," Malfoy said, looking around as if the twins would somehow get him back for saying it despite not being there.

But as soon as he had spoken little white flakes of snow began to fall and a tingling sound was heard, prompting both of them to look up and...

Their faces paled.

"Tell me that isn't what I think it is, Malfoy," Harry said, in a strangled voice.

"It...isn't what you think it is Potter," he gulped.

Harry was hit with a sudden sharp clarity. Ohhhhhh no. Oh no Oh no Oh no.

They both scrambled back from each other, as far as the barrier permitted (which wasn't much but suddenly seemed to be shrinking?)

"I will not!" Malfoy protested.

"Neither will I!" said Harry.

But the snow kept falling, and it was getting chilly in there, piling up in their little corner. The barrier was shrinking and pushing them closer together. And they just stared at each other, horrified as time kept ticking with nobody coming to help them.

The devil plant remained there all the while, floating above their heads like a guillotine.

"W...we might have to just...get it over with," one of them said. At this point, neither of them knew who spoke. They were both having the same unfortunate thought.

"ENOUGH!" Harry panted, finally throwing Snape out of his mind, delving into the man's mind instead. Though he only managed it due to the fact that the man's concentration had momentarily wavered. He was promptly thrown out of Snape's memories of being bullied, which he suspected would normally have been cause for the man to incinerate him where he stood except...

"Y..you and Draco..." Snape stuttered uncharacteristically, stumbling backward into a conveniently placed chair. It took a lot to shock Snape. But this had done it. It had been enough to make him forget about his own humiliation being witnessed.

Harry's face burned.

"I think I need a drink," Snape said.

"I think I need one," Harry said.

And if Peeves went cackling about sobbing potions professors and chosen ones having drunken therapy sessions, well, it was just Peeves being Peeves.

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A/N: I know it's really short but it's been a long time since I updated and I really wanted to give you guys something.