[December the 24th - 7 days to New Years]

With her two team mates out of commission (one having gone completely mad due to all the silence he�d had to endure and the other�well�he was dead-set on being a mime and therefore wouldn�t do anything other than pretend he was in a box that no one could see.) it was clear to Hermione that she�d have to complete this mission on her own.

And she would do so. Even if it was the last thing she did.

The arrival of Fred and George had been filled with mix emotions for her, because on the one hand she wanted to do this prank on her own, and on the other she could have used the help since Harry and Ron were indisposed.

As it was, she sucked it up, ignored Ron�s screaming in the corner and Harry�s footsteps as he mimed around the dungeon dorm, and set the carefully wrapped parcel on the top of what she assumed was Draco Malfoy�s bed. It was the neatest, at least, and the only bed that had any sort of book next to it. (Even if the book was just Malfoys Through The Ages.)

�OKAY!� Hermione hollered above all the noise.

Ron stopped screaming and running, and Harry stopped miming eating an ice cream cone.

�We�re done. We should probably retreat now.�

Ron stared at her, blinking several times, and Harry pointed to his watch.

�RETREAT!� Hermione screeched, hauling ass out of there and running as fast as she could back to the Gryffindor dorm.

The quick footsteps behind her indicated that Harry and Ron had finally gotten the message; five minutes after Hermione had arrived back in their common room, Ron and Harry tumbled in through the portrait hole.

�Well,� Ron yelled happily, brushing his hands together. �That went well, I think!�

�You don�t have to yell,� Hermione answered haughtily.

Harry began jumping up and down in one spot, making frantic arm motions; Ron gave him a curious look, but Hermione ignored him.

�What do we do now?� Ron questioned, going to sit beside Hermione, who was pulling a book onto her lap.

�I�m not planning anymore with you two, that�s for sure. I�m out of this operation.�

�But we haven�t completed it!� Ron squeaked, giving Hermione his best �I�m a beggar� look.

�Doesn�t matter,� Hermione replied, waving her hand around and trying to ignore Harry�s jumping a few feet away. �You don�t understand the rules of jinxing and Harry�� she looked up at Harry, and then back at Ron in defeat. �And Harry is being ridiculous. OH, GO TO THE BATHROOM, ALREADY!�

Harry nodded quickly and then raced from the room.

�When do you suppose he�ll get over that?�

Hermione shrugged, flipping through her large book. �Who knows. Maybe we should knock some sense into him.�

Ron began bouncing happily in his seat. �Can I beat him up!?�

�No way.� Hermione�s voice was very stern, but that wasn�t unusual. �We�re not having a gang war, Ronald Weasley.�

�Gang war?� Ron crinkled up his nose in confusion. �What�s that?�

Hermione sighed heavily in annoyance. �Oh, never mind.�

�Fine.� Ron stood up, squaring his shoulders; he had a determined look on his face. �I�ll go give Harry a nice kick upside the head. Good day.�

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