As it turns out a good meal was just what she needed to lift her spirits, the fun conversation and easy laughs between friends put her in a good mood and Ron Weasley was soon forgotten. The atmosphere was light and no one was spared from a bit of light teasing, in a good way of course. As dessert was magically cleared the tables around them started emptying, it seemed that the people who were helping at the moment were all set up in their dormitories already, and the adults were to leave via the floo in Professor McGonagall's office. The table of teenagers however stayed seated, some still sipping on drinks. A round of laughter echoed as Theo made a gagging motion when Hannah and Michael were kissing, who both looked confused at the commotion. If the rest of the year could be as fun as this, she might just be alright Hermione decided as Luna dragged her away so that they could get ready for bed.
Not having taken more than ten steps down the hallway, the girls jumped as a pair of strong arms looped around their shoulders.
"Fancy a couple of rounds exploding snap before bed girls?" Blaise fell lazily into step beside them, halting their chatter about the newest Sleekeasy product that Hermione had been sent in the hopes that she would endorse it.
"That would be marvellous Blaise, I do love card games" Luna stated airily looking up at the Head boys face, her gaze then distracted by something that neither Hermione or Blaise could spot, settling about 10 feet ahead of them. "If I remember correctly Hermione is a bit of a whizz at exploding snap too" Blaise steered the trio round a corner, watching that Luna did not lose her footing and turned slightly to Hermione for an answer.
"Well, I don't see why not." She smiled at the Head Boy and briefly tried to see what Luna was looking at before turning back to Blaise "A couple of rounds won't keep us up too late"
"Oh, live a little Granger." Blaise replied with a smirk, "the term hasn't even started yet, we have no homework – I'm sure I can rustle up some firewhiskey" At a stern look from Hermione and an eye roll from Luna he added, "or y'know some butter beer" muttering under his breath about women not being able to hold their liquor.
They reached the door to the Heads rooms, realising that McGonagall had not given them a password for their common room. Just as they were about to question it, Zacharias popped his head around the doors with a smirk swept across his face, pushing it open further as he saw who was outside. Holding the door open with one hand he waved the other head students in, avoiding eye contact with Blaise at all times.
"Hello there ladies," He nodded to the two girls as they snuck past him into the room, creating as little space as possible until Blaise brushed past him, pushing him back into the wall as he did so causing Zacarias to stumble over a bit.
The girls headed for one of the large sofas, the closest to the fire, and collapsed in to the leather. The pair giggled away as they got a chance to properly look over the common room, pointing out little bits and pieces they hadn't noticed the first time like a bar cart with goblets of all shapes and sizes. The plain door by the fireplace was open too, an alluring scent of chocolate sneaking through into the common room. Blaise dropped gracefully into the chair near the girls, waving his wand as he did, moving the table in between them and pulling a pack of cards from his jacket. Just as he was about to start dealing Zacarias stepped in-between the girls and Blaise leaning up against the chair arm looking down on the pair. Before he could start talking Blaise stood up and placed the cards down on the tables standing up in front of Zacharias. He sighed and then gestured to the cards on the table, nodding slightly to the younger man. "Fancy joining us in a few rounds of exploding snap?" The two shared a look, a sense that neither wanted to be in the position that they were.
"Sure," Zacharias smiled back at the girls, "I asked the house elves to send us up some hot chocolate to enjoy so I guess we can drink that while playing." He got up and headed through the door on the right, returning quickly with a tray floating in front of him with four ginormous mugs filled to the brim with hot chocolate topped with cream, marshmallows, mini chocolate frogs and some form of popping, golden shimmer. The tray settled on the table and he picked one up for himself and handed another to Luna, her face lit up and she grinned almost as wide as the cup in front of her. She reached out and plucked one of the frogs off and popped it in her mouth looking back to him with a smile.
"Thank you, that was a lovely idea, I do so love hot chocolate." He backed away to the other chair performing a mock bow as he went. Blaise and Hermione reached out to take their mugs and as soon as all four had been taken the tray vanished with a little pop.
"So Zach," Blaise paused to sip the top of his drink, "what is the password for this place, as none of us seems to know?" He looked at the girls who nodded their heads in agreement.
"Did McGonagall not tell you all?" He raised one eyebrow, chuckling to himself.
"No I think she probably imagined that as Head Boy you would share the information with your team."
"True, I had just assumed you all knew. There is no password." With eye brows raising he paused for a drink. "Yet." Blaise huffed in response, "We have to come up with one together and let Dumbledore know." He gestured to a small portrait of the old headmaster on a sideboard and he waved enthusiastically before continuing to knit something bright pink. Hermione smiled widely and waved back, chuckling to herself as she took her first sip of hot chocolate. She pulled her face back fast as the golden shimmer crackled like popping candy on her lips. She smiled at Zacharias and thanked him.
"I think the password should be Hot Chocolate to celebrate our first evening together." Luna finished with a slurp, smiling up at the others with a slight line of cream spread across her upper lip. The group looked at each other and all laughed, startling Luna slightly until Blaise pointed at his lip and when Luna finally got the hint she reached up to touch her lip joining in the laughter. Perhaps this wouldn't be too bad after all Hermione thought as they began to play exploding snap, even managing to get on with Zacharias for a good hour before they all headed off to bed. It seemed like each of them had qualities that the others could do to learn, and that as a team they came together quite well.