"Yeah!" She holds it up - it's one of the later volumes of the unabridged edition, even. "Did you know the original ward stones were laid with lost ancient runes? And some headmasters have tried to add on to them since - that's why most really modern muggle technologies don't work, someone was trying to block lightning strikes on grounds really clumsily - "

She doesn't really understand all the nitty details there but the broad strokes are so cool.

Hermione bounces a little.  "I didn't know that's why electricity doesn't work in Hogwarts!  I've only read the abridged edition, we couldn't afford the better one.  Have you finished your copy?"

"I haven't finished this one, but I've got one of the earlier volumes with me, if you wanna see it? And the library at Hogwarts maybe has more..."

Bounce bounce!  "I'd love to see it!"

She gets up to dig through her trunk, producing: a book!

Eeeee!  Hermione takes it and buries her nose in it.

Co-reading is a lot of fun!

If Hermione's not too immersed (when it'd be rude to interrupt her) Harriet shares some Cool Facts from her own book, excitement bubbling up in her chest.

Hermione is Pretty Immersed, but once or twice there are opportune times to share a cool fact, which she receives eagerly!

Harriet's a bit less immersed, and enjoys any cool facts Hermione has.

They can pass quite a bit of time this way.

Eventually there's a knock at the compartment door again.

Harriet's easier to interrupt.

"Come in?" she calls.

The door slides open to reveal a plump woman pushing a cart stacked high with candy.  "Anything off the trolley, dears?"

She eyes it, biting her lip. She's not much one for sweets...

"Hermione?" she asks, in case her companion hasn't noticed the interruption yet.

She looks up from her book and takes a look at the trolley, and sighs a little.

"I wish I could get some of everything," she says wistfully.  "Wizarding sweets look fascinating... I had a box of Every Flavor Beans when I went to Diagon Alley, but I never got to try anything else."

Well science seems like a good use of the pocket money she didn't end up spending much of.

Harriet points to the trolley and says, "Can I get two of everything?"

"Are you sure you can afford that?" Hermione asks, sounding a bit concerned.

"Probably? My guardian helped me get pocket money from my - I guess trust fund? And I don't think he knows how expensive candy is..." Still though just to sanity check - price?

It's a good whack of galleons, more than most kids are probably spending on candy today, but it's within Harriet's budget.

She doesn't think she has anything else to spend it on... Yeah she'll take it.

Hermione's eyes go a bit wide when she sees Harriet casually pull out so much gold.  "Thank you!"

"It's no problem!"

Grin!

They investigate the haul together.  Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans and Cauldron Cakes and Licorice Wands and Chocolate Frogs (which she may recognize from her hospital visit) and a million other things...

"Do you eat many wizard sweets?" Hermione asks.

"Nah. I had a Chocolate Frog once..." Oh wait didn't she have that card... "And I had a card from it that I put - somewhere - probably in my trunk... Forgot to read it."

"I've heard about chocolate frogs," Hermione says.  "The cards sound interesting, though I haven't read one yet... are they really enchanted to try to hop away from you?"

"Yeah. They're not super fast? But it's kinda annoying..."