Before dawn, Gryffindor Tower.
Hermione left the girls' dormitory, intending to meet up with her friends in the kitchen for the twins' dessert seminar.
Just like the night before, the common room was still lively.
By the fireplace, Harry and Ron were playing cards around a small round table.
"Hermione, are you heading out?" Harry looked up at her, then played a card that left Ron staring wide-eyed: Snape's Gaze.
Amid Ron's wail, Hermione pointed toward the Fat Lady's portrait entrance. "Going for some dessert. Want to come?"
Harry was about to speak, but Ron, who had gathered up the cards, answered for him. "Nope. Harry, tonight I'm going to battle you for three hundred rounds!"
Hermione smiled as she headed toward the entrance. Three hundred rounds would take them until dawn at the very least.
As usual, she hurried to the stairwell and swiftly made her way down to the dungeons without making much noise.
She turned into a silent corridor. Just as she reached the enormous painting of a fruit bowl, a faint bump seemed to sound in the distance, as if someone had knocked into something.
"Fred?" Hermione turned around. "George? Is that you?"
No one answered. It was probably just her imagination.
She reached out and tickled the pear in the painting. After a burst of mischievous laughter, the doorknob leading to the kitchen appeared.
With a click, the door opened.
Just as she was about to pull it open, another rustling sound of fabric came from the distance.
Once might have been an illusion, but twice?
Hermione casually pulled open the door while swiftly drawing her wand with her other hand and lightly tapping it against her chest.
With another click, the door closed.
Slightly hurried breathing echoed through the silent dungeons. Covered by the