adored by him | *under editing*

sixth year × 77

"I'm so tired." Ashton groaned, collapsing onto Nadia.

"Well, maybe if you weren't sneaking out with Damien every night, you'd get more sleep." Sam challenged, not looking up from her parchment.

Ashton scowled and crossed her arms, getting more comfortable on an unwilling Nadia. "I'm very sorry. Do we disturb you?" She asked, sarcasm laced in her defiant tone.

"I just don't think he's good enough for you. And as your best friend, I am allowed to think that so don't give me that look." Sam reasoned, making a face at Ashton's pointed look.

"I agree with Sam." Nadia added, shifting under Ashton's exhausted body. "I mean, he did try to kiss me. While he was with you. Just saying."

"That was ages ago. Besides, he got a good scolding." Ashton defended, turning her pointed look to Nadia.

"Look, we want you to be happy. We really do. But Damien isn't the one. I get a weird vibe from him." Sam shuddered.

"Well, thanks for the support guys. I love you too." Ashton scorned, rolling off of Nadia and storming upstairs.

"Ashton!" Nadia called after her, placing her book down and hopping off the couch.

She sighed as she didn't get a reply, only a door slamming shut.

"She'll come around. She knows we mean well." Sam said, joining Nadia's side. "Trust me. I practically grew up with the girl."

"Yeah. I hope so."

•••

"For weeks you carry around this book, basically sleep with it and you have no desire to find out who the Half-Blood Prince is?" Hermione enquired as the quartet trudged through the snow-covered Hogsmeade.

Nadia creased her eyebrows. "Someone catch me up. Who the bloody hell is the Half-Blood Prince?"

"He owned Harry's Potions book." Ron said.

"Oh. You mean the one Harry cheats from?" Ron and Hermione nodded whilst Harry scoffed.

"I don't cheat from it. I simply...use his notes." He defended.

"Cheating." The trio stated in unison.

"It's not--" He sighed, giving up on the argument at the looks the girls were giving him. "Anyway, I didn't say I wasn't curious. And, by the way, I don't sleep with it."

Ron chortled sarcastically. "Yeah, right." Harry glared at him. "Well, it's true. I like a nice chat before bed. Now, you're always reading that bloody book. It's like being with Hermione or Nadia."

It was the girls' turn to glare at the red-head. He only shrugged, a ghost of a smile on his face.

"Well, I was curious. So I went to--"

"The library." The boys said in unison as Nadia giggled and Harry continued. "And?"

"And nothing." Hermione complained with a defeated tone. "There's no reference to the Half-Blood Prince anywhere."

"Good. That settles it then." Harry declared just as he spied Slughorn approaching a weary Flitwick.

"Filius! I was hoping to find you at the Three Broomsticks."