Chapter Text
The Great Hall bustles with noise and movement as students and teachers jostle each other and arrange their cots and pillows on the floor.
Dumbledore had decided, spontaneously, that all four houses would congregate in the Great Hall and have ‘a bonding night’, or as Penny called it, ‘a giant sleepover’.
You set your cot down next to Rowan who is busy fussing with their books.
“We’re supposed to bond, Rowan.” You remind them, but they just grunt and flip their book open.
With a sigh, you wave to Ben who comes over, still clutching his pillow. He looks at you nervously. “You think it’s safe here?” He asks.
“All the teachers will be supervising us.” You assure him and he relaxes, but stiffens again when he sees Merula walk through the doors.
She catches you two looking at her and sneers but doesn’t say anything. Without so much as a backwards glance, she makes her way to the Slytherin line and lays her things down.
Penny comes bounding over, looking pleased. “I asked my prefect if we could sleep anywhere we wanted and they said yes.” She carefully sets her cot down before waving and running to join a group of Hufflepuff girls who enter the room.
Barnaby, lumbering oaf that he is, bumps into multiple people before he makes his way over to you. “H’lo,” he greets cheerfully.
“Barnaby!” You gesture to an empty space besides Rowan. “You wanna lie your things down?”
He glances at it before shaking his head. “Wouldn’t want to leave Merula alone.” You look over his shoulder to see a grumpy looking Merula glaring at you.
“You sure, Barnaby? We could invite-” you yelp when Rowan heavily trods on your foot before jerking their head at Ben who has gone pale.
You look at Merula again while rubbing your foot, and she turns so her back is facing towards you. “You know what, Barnaby.”
He blinks. “What?”
“Lay your stuff down here, I’ll keep Merula company.”
There’s an audible sound of terror and you look towards Ben who is sporting a horrified look on his face.
Rowan stops reading their book before they scrutinize you. After a moment, they adjust their glasses and resume reading, but not without saying, “You should probably just bring a pillow, doesn’t look like there’s much room for another cot.”
That is a blatant lie. Currently, Merula’s spot sports two barren wastelands next to her. Barnaby turns to Rowan with a confused look. “But there’s plenty of space.” He starts to say, but you quickly grab your blanket and pillow, knocking your elbow into his windpipe and effectively cut off his airflow.
“Alright then. See you guys.” You give Rowan an appreciative grin and they look up briefly to return it as they flip a page.
With a feeling of determination and impending sense of doom, you make your way over to Merula. Right before you enter speaking distance, you pause, take a breath and pluck up the courage to say hello.
“You look lonely.” You say when you get close enough.
Merula glances at both sides around her and scowls. “Shut up.” She snipes and you realize you’ve inadvertently hit a nerve. She gives you a murderous glare but you just sit down next to her on the cot.
“Wanna be my cuddle buddy?” You offer quickly before you lose the courage. You try to still your hands and ignore how nervous you are.
Merula goggles at you. “Your what?” She asks.
Good. You think. Confusion is better than blatant rejection.
“Cuddle buddy.” You repeat, trying not to sound hopeful but failing miserably.
Merula must catch up on your discomfort but, for once, doesn’t say anything.
“Why?”
You shrug. “Because I'm scared of the dark?” You didn't mean for it to come out as a question, but it does anyways.
As if to emphasize your point, McGonacgall shouts “lights off!” and everything goes dim.
You’re starting to regret asking when Merula flicks her head at Ben. “Your muggle friend doesn’t have a cuddle buddy.”
“That’s because Penny went to the bathroom.” You say quickly, hoping she won’t see through your patent lie. Penny is standing a couple of cots away, talking to Andre and very obviously not going to the bathroom.
Merula narrows her eyes and the two of you sit in a awkward silence before she shifts over to give you some more room. “Fine,” she starts, fixing you with a look when you beam and move over, “but if you snore you’re out.” She points to emphasize her point, but you’re already lying down.
“Okay.” You nod, and then you tentatively wrap an arm around her waist.
To your pleased surprise, Merula makes no move to stop you. She grumbles a little when she lies down, complaining about how the cot is too small and that you take up too much room, but she’s lying down all the same.
If Merula is uncomfortable, she doesn’t say it. In fact, you know it must be uncomfortable with your arm digging into her waist, your hair tickling her throat and her elbow awkwardly positioned under your head.
You also know that you do snore, Rowan mentioned it once or twice, but Merula doesn’t say anything about that either.
You wake up the next morning with a terrible crick in your neck and an ache in your back. Merula’s hair is sticking up at seven different angles, and from the way she keeps on rubbing her arm, you know it must hurt.
Neither of you are very well-rested. You because you were too busy staring at a sleeping Merula, and Merula probably because she was woken by your snoring.
Rowan claps you on your back and whispers in your ear that they took pictures, and you’re very much aware that Merula is listening a few feet away. She frowns and makes a face, and she glowers when a group of fourth years pass by, giggling and pointedly looking at the two of you.
Even then, Merula doesn’t complain-not even once.