Late Night Snacks

Summary: Settling into Hogwarts for her eighth-year has left Hermione restless. Can a bowl of ice cream and a new research partner help her settle?

Pairing: Hermione Granger/Blaise Zabini

Prompt: 8th year Project/Tree of Life/Snacks

Rating: T

For Bunnyhops - Thank you for the inspiring prompt

Written for Bunny Bounce 2020 Fic Exchange in Hermione's Haven

Looking around the Gryffindor Common Room, Hermione realized how much had not changed. The furniture still looked the same. The fireplace and mantle were a little more scarred but so was anyone who came back this year. The biggest difference was the people who were not here. Finding where she fit was going to be difficult.

"Attention all eighth-year students - Please report to the Great hall for class and room assignments."

Professor, now headmistress, McGonagall's voice echoed through the halls of Hogwarts. This was something new. Hermione had assumed that everyone would report to their old dorms and just pick up where things had left off. The letter she had received after the war had offered another chance to finish school, but it had not had many details.

Hermione looked at the small collection of people who had gathered in the Great Hall. There was a mix of people she remembered from every house, and they all looked as confused as she felt. "Ladies and gentlemen," Headmistress McGonagol's voice rose above the noise of the crowd. "There are several things we need to address for you, our eighth-year students. First, the castle has created a special dormitory for you all. There will be no house distinctions between you and you will work and live together to complete this year."

Murmurs of surprises met her declaration. "Second, each of you will complete a research project in addition to studying for and completing the examinations that were missed last year. Classes will be directed to review and filling in knowledge gaps," she continued over the noise. "Each of you will be assigned an advisor and given a class schedule."

"If you will follow me," the headmistress swept toward the doors of the Great Hall. "I will lead you to your new dormitory. A letter with your advisor and schedule is waiting for you in your rooms. Your trunks have been moved to the proper places… and, yes, Miss Granger, the house-elves were asked to help, not ordered."

"Thank you, Professor," Hermione blushed as the headmistress walked past her. "I'll keep that in mind."

"Welcome to the eighth-year dormitory." A familiar voice met the students when the headmistress stopped in front of a new portrait. "I will be your guide as we start this new adventure together."

Mummers of disbelief rolled through the small crowd as the eighth-year students looked at the new portrait. "I welcomed you on your first day here, and now I welcome you again." The portrait of Albus Dumbledore swung open as it continued to speak. "A few words of welcome - Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!"

Laughter filled the air as the eighth-year students filed into their new common room. "Girls to the right, boys to the left. I'll leave you to get settled. Classes start promptly at nine am." Headmistress McGonagall swept out of the room following her pronouncement. "Don't be late."

At least the ceiling hadn't changed. Hermione stared into the dark of her dorm room and listened to the sounds of her roommates breathing. Luna had been assigned the bed to her right and Susan Bones on her left. She was looking forward to getting back in the routine of classes and studying. She just wished she could fall asleep. "I can stare at the ceiling, or I can go find a book to read," she muttered to herself as she got out of bed. "Let's hope there is something in the common room."

Hermione padded down the stairs in her sock feet. She was looking forward to curling up in the big chair by the fireplace as soon as she found a book. She had noticed a bookcase as they had been rushed through the Common Room and up to their dorm rooms. Hogwarts, A History would be a good book to help put her to sleep.

Blaise looked around the Common Room and felt out of place. He hadn't planned to come back but spending a year here was better than spending a year with whichever stepfather his mother would find for him next. He might as well start researching potential topics since he could not sleep. There seemed to be a few interesting tomes on the bookcase they had been pushed past when they first arrived.

But, first, ice cream. He needed something to eat while he decided what to study. How was he going to get ice cream? No personal house-elves had been allowed for this final year. "Fudge Ripple would be nice right about now." Talking out loud was a sign of insanity, according to some. Maybe he was crazy for coming back for this year.

"It would be nice, but not as nice as cookies," a voice drifted down the stairs into the common room. "There's a snack request box over here. Want to see what the house-elves can come up with?"

Blaise watched Hermione emerge from the staircase that led to the girls' rooms. "What are you doing up this late, Granger?"

"Couldn't sleep. Too much to plan," Hermione answered as she walked across the common room to a small chest sitting on top of a side table. "I thought I might get a head start on my research using the books that we have in here."

"I had the same idea." Blaise shrugged and raised an eyebrow when she scribbled something on a scrap of parchment and put it in the small chest. "I still haven't figured out what to research. I still am leaning towards the law after this year, so I think I may look into some notorious cases."

"I was leaning more towards something that deals with runes and legends." Hermione turned from the small chest to face Blaise. "I guess we just pick a book and start looking while we wait on our snack to arrive. I asked for ice cream and cookies for two."

"Deeny brings what Granger asks for," a small voice peeped beside Hermione. "Does the mistress or master wish anything else?"

"Thank you, Deeny," Hermione took the two bowls of ice cream and cookies that the house-elf had been holding. "Blaise, snacks are here. What have you found?"

"Dust, spiders and a headache." Blaise wiped his hands on his khakis and took the bowl Hermione held out to him. "Thank you, Deeny. Could you bring us some butterbeer as well?"

"As Zabini wishes." Deeny was gone with a snap and a puff of smoke.

"Any luck finding an interesting case?" Hermione settled into a comfortable chair by the fire with her bowl of ice cream and cookies. "This book on runes is more about origins than anything else. I just don't think I am going to find something that will work."

"A Treatise on the Tree of Life," Blasie held up a book he pulled from the bottom shelf. "Granger, what is the Tree of Life? Sounds like something you would know everything about."

"I never claimed to know everything." Hermione sat her bowl on the side table beside her chair. "I just know some things about a lot of topics. I don't think I have ever heard of the Tree of Life."

Blaise sat his bowl on the floor beside where he was sitting and opened the book. "The Tree of Life has many meanings to many cultures…. Sounds almost interesting. I think I might use this instead of looking for an interesting case."

"Blaise Zabini, I need that book." Hermione lunged at Blaise as he held the book away from her. "I will find you a case to study, but I need that book. That is what I am going to research. Rictusempra."

Blaise's laughter filled the common room as he watched Hermione try to snatch the book from him. "If you asked nicely, I might. Granger, what are you doing? What spell did you use on me… stop it."

Hermione collapsed into Blaise's lap as she snapped her fingers. "Can I have the book, Blaise? Please."

Blaise laid the embattled book on her chest. "See what happens when you ask nicely, Hermione?"

Blaise lowered his lips to touch her ear. "Wonder what I could get if I asked nicely."

"I wonder…"