Hermione awoke and threw the curtains open in her dormitory, crisp white snow covered the entire landscape and the clouds looked as though they were fit to burst with another layer of the delicate white stuff. A squeal, a grab of clothing and a burst of energy found her outside with her friends. There was only one thing for it; get the boys back for their efforts last year! She motioned to Luna to begin stock piling snowballs while she distracted Harry. Ron was still struggling to get his boots on at the door.
"So Harry how's the studying going?" she asked.
"Only you could think of lessons at a time like this!" Harry laughed. He was busy gathering snow and smushing it into a hefty ball. Hermione's eyes widened and she dashed away, turning just as the cold wet ball exploded against her back. She reached Luna's stash and was about to hurl it straight at Harry when another ball hit him in the side of the head.
"Ow!" he cried. His hand sought his hairline and he rubbed it.
"Hey! Potter! You and your little friends up to a real snowball war?" Draco Malfoy stood with his hands planted firmly on his hips. Crabbe and Goyle were waiting behind him with a handful of other Slytherin's. Hermione lobbed the snowball that was in her hand at him, scoring a shot on his shoulder.
"You are most definitely on!" she shouted. That was it, the war had begun!