adored by him | *under editing*

first year × 8

Nadia stood outside the sobbing girl's toilet stall trying everything she possibly could to comfort the poor girl after Ron's idiotic and careless outburst in the courtyard. "Come on, 'Mione. You need a hug and I can't give you one if you're locked in there, can I?"

"Just go away." She sniffled.

Nadia sighed and leaned against the door. "I'm not leaving until you do." Hermione didn't answer. "I'll stay here all night if I have to."

Just then, Nadia heard the click of the lock and smiled. However, that transformed into a deep frown at the sight of her friend's bloodshot eyes and tear-stained cheeks. She wasted no time in pulling her in for a hug, which Hermione gladly accepted.

"Ron's a bloody git. He doesn't deserve your tears." Nadia said whilst rubbing soothing circles on Hermione's back. Then, she pulled away and wiped the bushy-haired girl's cheeks. "So, stop crying and let's go. We're missing the Halloween Feast."

Hermione giggled a little. "Thank you, Nadia. You're my best friend, you know?" She merely whispered with a small smile.

Nadia beamed and gave a mock bow earning a loud laugh from Hermione. "I'm honoured. And you're mine." Hermione's smile grew as she leapt into Nadia's arms again. The girls shared a laugh before Nadia placed a hand on her rumbling stomach. "Come on, I'm starving."

However, before they could, a look of terror struck their faces like lightning as they saw what approached them.

***

Harry sat, picking at his food and pondering about the situation which had occurred earlier that day. Mostly he felt bad after the way Ron had made Hermione cry with something that he said, something which Harry had laughed at instead of stopping him. He was also confused as to why neither of the girls had turned up for the feast, in fact, they had been gone for a while. "Where's Nadia and Hermione?" He voiced to no one in particular.

"Parvati Patil said that Hermione wouldn't come out of the girl's bathroom all day. She said that she's been in there...crying." Harry's heart dropped at Neville's words. "Nadia's been with her, trying to make her feel better."

The colour drained from Ron's face as he slowly swallowed the food in his mouth. Harry exchanged a guilty glance with him. All of a sudden, their attention was caught as Professor Quirrell came racing down the hall, screaming, "TROLL! T-TROLL IN THE DUNGEONS! Thought you ought to know." Then, he dropped to the floor like a sack of potatoes.

Shouts of fright rung out around the hall as everyone abandoned their food and proceeded to try and escape from the hall. Draco screamed like a girl as he threw his food on the table and jumped up from the bench.

"SIIIILLLLEEEENNNCCCEEE!" The call of Professor Dumbledore's voice made everyone freeze in their steps as the screams faded out. "Everyone will please not panic. Now, prefects will escort their houses back to their dormitories and all teachers will come with me to the dungeons."

Once again, everyone was scrambling to get out of the hall as the prefects struggled to keep them together. As Harry and Ron followed the river of Gryffindors, Ron was spouting out facts about trolls whilst Harry was thinking. Then, his heart dropped. He grabbed Ron by the shoulder and tugged him away from the crowd.

"Woah! What are you doing?" He said exasperatedly.

"Nadia and Hermione don't know about the troll!" Harry whisper-yelled to the red-head before taking off down the empty corridor, Ron reluctantly following behind. That's when they noticed the large shadow hobbling along the wall.