Around.six.o.clock.in.the.evening.the.doorbell.rang.and.Mrs.Black.started.screaming.again..Assuming.that.Mundungus.or.some.other.Order.member.had.come.to.call,.Harry.merely.settled.himself.more.comfortably.against.the.wall.of.Buckbeak.s.room.where.he.was.hiding,.trying.to.ignore.how.hungry.he.felt.as.he.fed.dead.rats.to.the.Hippogriff..It.came.as.a.slight.shock.when.somebody.hammered.hard.on.the.door.a.few.minutes.later..
.I.know.you.re.in.there,..said.Hermione.s.voice...Will.you.please.come.out?.1.want.to.talk.to.you...
.What.are.you.doing.here?..Harry.asked.her,.pulling.open.the.door.as.Buckbeak.resumed.his.scratching.at.the.straw‐strewn.floor.for.any.fragments.of.rat.he.may.have.dropped...I.thought.you.were.skiing.with.your.mum.and.dad?..
.Well,.to.tell.the.truth,.skiing.s.not.really.my.thing,..said.Hermione...So,.I.ve.come.here.for.Christmas...There.was.snow.in.her.hair.and.her.face.was.pink.with.cold.
.
.But.don.t.tell.Ron..I.told.him.skiing.s.really.good.because.he.kept.laughing.so.much..Mum.and.Dad.are.a.bit.disappointed,.but.I.ve.told.them.that.everyone.who.is.serious.about.the.exams.is.staying.at.Hogwarts.to.study..They.want.me.to.do.well,.they.ll.understand..Anyway,..she.said.briskly,..let.s.go.to.your.bedroom,
.Ron.s.mum.has.lit.a.fire.in.there.and.she.s.sent.up.sandwiches...
Harry.followed.her.back.to.the.second.floor..When.he.entered.the.bedroom,.he.was.rather.surprised.to.see.both.Ron.and.Ginny.waiting.for.them,.sitting.on.Ron.s.bed..
.I.came.on.the.Knight.Bus,..said.Hermione.airily,.pulling.off.her.jacket.before.Harry.had.time.to.speak...Dumbledore.told.me.what.had.happened.first.thing.this.morning,.but.I.had.to.wait.for.term.to.end.officially.before.setting.off.
.Umbridge.is.already.livid.that.you.lot.disappeared.right.under.her.nose,.even.
though.Dumbledore.told.her.Mr.Weasley.was.in.St.Mungo.s.and.he.d.given.you.all.permission.to.visit..So…..
She.sat.down.next.to.Ginny,.and.the.two.girls.and.Ron.all.looked.up.at.Harry..
.How.re.you.feeling?..asked.Hermione..
Tine,..said.Harry.stiffly..
.Oh,.don.t.lie,.Harry,..she.said.impatiently...Ron.and.Ginny.say.you.ve.been.hiding.from.everyone.since.you.got.back.from.St.Mungo.s...
They.do,.do.they?..said.Harry,.glaring.at.Ron.and.Ginny..Ron.looked.down.at.his.feet.but.Ginny.seemed.quite.unabashed..
.Well,.you.have!..she.said...And.you.won.t.look.at.any.of.us!..
.It.s.you.lot.who.won.t.look.at.me!..said.Harry.angrily..
.Maybe.you.re.taking.it.in.turns.to.look,.and.keep.missing.each.other,..suggested.Hermione,.the.corners.of.her.mouth.twitching..
.Very.funny,..snapped.Harry,.turning.away..
.Oh,.stop.feeling.all.misunderstood,..said.Hermione.sharply...Look,.the.others.have.told.me.what.you.overheard.last.night.on.the.Extendable.Ears.‐..
.Yeah?..growled.Harry,.his.hands.deep.in.his.pockets.as.he.watched.the.snow.now.falling.thickly.outside...All.been.talking.about.me,.have.you?.Well,.I.m.getting.used.to.it...
.We.wanted.to.talk.to.you,.Harry,..said.Ginny,..but.as.you.ve.been.hiding.ever.since.we.got.back.‐..