"Did you hear? Did you hear?"

Two days remained until the Christmas holidays and the trio had just sat down for breakfast when Neville came running. He plopped himself down, causing the bench to shake and waited for an answer.

"Well? Did you?"

"Hear what?" Harry asks.

"About those two girls from Hufflepuff!" Neville states as if it were front-page news. "They've been missing since last night."

"Neville, this is Hogwarts," Hermione says. "They probably went through some unknown passage and got trapped. Dumbledore will find them soon."

"He's already checked!" Neville replies.

"Wait… how do you, of all people, know about this?" Harry questions.

Neville grinned slightly. "This morning when I was walking to the Great Hall, my bag ripped and all my books and parchment flew everywhere."

"Again," Ron adds quietly.

"Yes," Neville nods, obviously not understanding the insult. "It happened outside one of the teacher's lounges and the door was open a crack. While I collected my things, I overheard Professor Dumbledore and a few others discussing the incident. He said he even sent the ghosts to check the walls."

Neville appeared quite proud of himself and waited once again for one of his comrades to say something.

"They'll show up," Hermione replies nonchalantly. "They'll stroll into third hour, fashionably late, and say, 'fooled you!'"

"Malfoy wouldn't start something up again this soon," Ron says. "How stupid of a git could he be to do that?"

"Just short of the stupidest," Harry reaches for more Pumpkin Juice.

"Wasn't Malfoy's little dungeon destroyed?" Hermione asks, expression a bit cautious since her brain still remained foggy.

"Most of it," Roy says. "But it probably is him. Knowing his cocky attitude, he's trying to cover up the fact that we hexed his pills right--,"

Hermione elbows him in the rips.

"…Off," Ron gasps.

"Like I said, they'll be found within the day. Trust me," Hermione repeats, agitated.

Neville no longer grinned and began to sulk in his seat. "Just concerned."

"As soon as you disappear, Neville, we'll look into it," Ron says mockingly, waving his finger around.

"Why," Harry wonders, "can't we have a normal year?"

By afternoon break, most of the school knew of the two vanished Hufflepuff. Stupid rumors popped up ranging in degree. One claimed they simply wandered off, while other said Professor Snape opened an old torture chamber and had the sudden urge to break it in. Of course they weren't believed. Random people disappearing seemed average, but You-Know-Who still remained in the back of most students' brains.

"This is ridiculous. Why do they care so much about those two girls? It's not like the Chamber of Secrets when there were blood messages on the wall," Adam blurts out as the group walked across the grounds.

Even though the snow was calf-deep that day, little paths were made and the sun was out.

"Yeah!" Laurel exclaims. "Or when that Sirius Black character was out. I kept on my toes all the time."

Harry kept his mouth shut.

"Wasn't Joel supposed to join us?" Hermione asks.

"Oh…" Laurel stops in her tracks. "Yeah. Damn it."

"Bloke said he'd meet up with us after using the restroom. Probably got lost," Adam says. "Let's go look for him, Lolly."

"Yeah, we should," Laurel agrees. "See you."

They both wave quickly before scrambling back through the snow to the castle. Hermione, Ron, and Harry continue to walk towards the lonely looking hut of Hagrid. The invitation for tea had finally burned a hole in their pocket.

They knock hard on the heavy door, causing Fang to bark obnoxiously. Hagrid answers and smiles down on them.

"Glad ye finally came."

Shuffling inside and kicking extra snow from their shoes onto the mat, they toss their cloaks over a chair. A fire roared in the fireplace with a kettle of water heating up in the flames. A pile of Hagrid's homemade stone cakes sat on the table, looking very untouched.

"How ye feelin', Hermione?" Hagrid asks.

"Fine, thanks," Hermione replies. "Like always."

"Go ahead, have a seat, no need to be formal," Hagrid pushes them toward the table. "So, have ye 'eard 'bout those two girls?"

Harry sighs. "Yes, for the fiftieth time today."

"Ah, that kind of news, is it?" Hagrid chuckles.

"Do people honestly find it ominous?" Hermione asks. "It's not some clue, it's simply an accident."

Ron shrugs. "Maybe they apparated."

"Ron…" Hermione closes her eyes. "How many times must I remind you about apparating on Hogwarts grounds"

"Once more, I guess."

While Ron and Hermione bickered, Hagrid leans over to Harry to whisper.

"It's all back to normal, i'n't?"

"Yes," Harry nods, "and no."

"No?"

"There are times when things are just awkward," Harry says. "Hermione has a piece missing."

"Give it time, Harry. Give it time," Hagrid replies. "I'm sure she's tryin'."

"I know, but it makes me nervous."

"Nervous? 'Bout what exactly? Ye want 'er ta remember, don't ye?" Hagrid asks.

"Yes," Harry nods, "and no."

"What coulda possibly happened?" Hagrid wonders aloud.

"I'm not worried for my sake, but for hers," Harry answers. "Maybe I simply don't want to know how she may feel about it. We're best friends, and that's how it's supposed to be…forever."

"Stop talkin' that philosophy junk," Hagrid claps Harry on the shoulder.

"Philosophy?" Ron chimes in, Hermione tugging on his ear.

"Oh, forget it," Harry waves it off.

"What's bugging you, Harry? You look uneasy," Hermione says.

"Is it about… you know?" Ron asks, looking very panicky.

"No," Harry lied. "I'm worried about… Laurel."

"I'm sure she's fine," Ron says, freeing himself from Hermione's grip. "Joel is involved… she'll be fine."

"Hey!" Hermione suddenly exclaims. "Why don't you invite them too, Ron?"

"Invite who?" Both he and Harry ask.

"Laurel, Adam, and Joel," Hermione says.

"Where dey all bein' invit'd to? Ye havin' a Christmas party with out tellin' me?" Hagrid grins, apparently trying to make a joke.

"My mum just asked me if I was coming home for the holidays," Ron simplifies. "It was really out-of-the-blue. Why invite them?"

"It's not like you're very chummy with any of them," Harry says.

"Well," Hermione hesitates, "they're good friends with you, so I thought I'd suggest it. They seem like nice people."

She nodded her head up and down as if making an awkward guess or critiquing food. The, 'yes-yes-this-is-decent' look. Hagrid appeared confused himself, eyeing Harry, Ron, and Harry again. Harry simply shrugs and grabs for a stone cake. It would keep him out of the conversation for a while. Jawbreaker and lifesaver.

"Wouldn't it be a bit odd?" Ron questions. "Hey Laurel, how's it going? How about you stay at my place for a week or two? We'll stay up late and play board games and tell dirty secrets."

Harry chokes on his cake.

"I thought I'd suggest it!" Hermione reiterates. "I'm not telling you to plan a sleep-over or some shack-up."

Harry had to pound on his chest to help it down.

"Sorry about her, Hagrid," Ron says. "She evidently has her mind in the mists of Hell."

"Me?" It's you, Ronald!" Hermione yells.

"So, Hagrid, how's your garden coming along?" Harry tries to change the subject, even though the dead of winter gave the answer.

"Fine, I'll ask them," Ron tosses his hands up. "I'm sure Mum will completely fall in love with three more people at her door than expected."

Hermione sighs and raises her eyebrows.

The rest of the visit idled by with mixed conversation. They left the hut a half an hour before afternoon classes were to start. They made it all the way to the second floor before running into Laurel and the other two boys. Adam was laughing, almost hysterically, while Joel looked a bit embarrassed.

"What's up?" Harry asks.

Adam, red in the face, puts a hand on Joel's shoulder. "He's still a little crackers in the head."

"I told you that you wouldn't believe me," Joel protests.

"Drop it, Adam," Laurel sighs.

"He said he heard someone," Adam holds a hand to the side of his mouth, "screaming."

"He was in the Owlry, Adam!" Laurel says. "It was probably an owl."

"I don't know what it was," Joel shakes his head. "Or who, I should say."

"An owl hooted at you, Joel," Adam concludes.

"But the pitch," Joel interrupts.

"It was most likely that tiny one in the corner that always flies around your head when you enter," Adam laughs.

"Pigwidgeon," Ron whispers.

"Forget about it!" Laurel says. "Let's go to class."

The three walk by and Adam's chuckles could still be heard down the corridor.

"Giddy little git about nothing," Harry says.

"Want to send a letter tonight?" Hermione asks.

"Eh, I suppose I should answer Mum," Ron shrugs, "and Pig needs exercise."

"I told you it was a good idea," Hermione says triumphantly.

"Yes, yes… you did," Ron groans. "Now shut up about it."

"Wouldn't it be awkward?" Hermione mocks. "No!"

Laurel had accepted the invitation to the Weasley's over Christmas holiday. Adam and Joel were already returned to their own homes and had to refuse. Ron wrote his letter, explaining one extra person was coming and they were now in the Owlry hunting down the little owl, Pig. Midnight rounding on them, they had to hurry up to go back to the common room on time.

"It'll be fun," Harry says, trying to wipe the scowl off Ron's face. "Stop thinking of it as a sleep-over party."

"We've only been friends for about two months, Harry," Ron argues. "Won't she start to think things? Her mind will be swimming! She's a girl; they jump to stupid conclusions!"

"Excuse me?" Hermione asks.

"Laurel won't think you're trying to move in on her," Harry almost laughs. "I mean, come on!"

"Maybe that's what Ron is hoping will happen," Hermione sneers.

"Oh my god!" Ron exclaims. "How can you two even think that? Especially you, Harry."

"I know, I know," Harry doubles over. "Joshing you."

"Poking fun," Hermione agrees, but laughs along.

Ron quickly ties the letter to Pigwidgeon's leg and throws it out the window, mumbling under his breath.

"Keep it up," Ron entices, "and I'll have your Christmas presents all for myself."