Can't Sleep A Wink (Harley)

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It was the night before all the students were to leave Hogwarts and go home for the Christmas Holiday. Nina was so excited that she couldn't sleep. She was going to see her parents again! She was going to see her Austin again! Plus there was shopping in Diagon and all the other fun things she did over the Holidays. Nina had almost forgotten that this would be the last time she would have his feeling. While there was a lot of wonderful things about being a Seventh Year, there were some sad things as well. Doing things there for the last time was on the list.

Nina was already packed and sitting on her bed, looking out the window across from her. Her chimp Amadeus was already fast asleep and she didn't have anyone to talk to, or so she thought. Finally, she rose and walked down to the Common Room, hoping someone might be as un-tired and she and have the same idea.

HARLEY TAYLOR ASHBROOK

[HARLEY TAYLOR ASHBROOK]

Toss, and Turn. That was what Harley was doing at this moment in time. Harley couldn't sleep. It was almost time to go home for Christmas holiday, and boy, Harley was excited. Harley missed her family. She was quite excited to see her family, and her little siblings. She couldn't wait to spend the holiday with them. She couldn't wait to be able to eat her mother's cooking because her mother was a delicious cook, at least Harley thought so.

Harley sat up in bed. It was her seventh year. THat means she was close to graduating, and leaving the castle for the last time, and never coming back, unless she got a teaching job. Tears welled in Harley's eyes. The thought of leaving and never coming back hit Harley hard, like a ton of bricks on her chest. She quickly wiped them away from her eyes with her fingers, and wiped her fingers on blanket. She pulled her hufflepuff comforter close to her chest, and took a deep breathe. She wasn't sure how she felt about leaving anymore. At the beginning of year, she was excited to leave, but now she was having second thoughts of leaving. Harley sighed. She was now awake.

Harley swung her feet over the edge of her bed. The floor was cold like ice, but it didn't bother her. It used to bother but it doesn't anymore since she had been here since she was 11 years old.

Harley stood up, and stretched her arms up. She was going to go down the common room and see if anyone else was wide awake. Harley took careful steps toward the common room. She noticed another girl was already in the room. She gave the girl a gentle, friendly smile, and she plopped her butt into a chair next to the fire. " Hi" She said the girl to make things less awkward.

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Nina was amazed that she still didn't know some of those who were both in her House and her Year. This was a testament to how numerous the student body had grown at Hogwarts over the years as more and more young wizards and witches attended. When the other Seventh Year Hufflepuff sat down and somewhat shyly said hello, Nina struggled to remember her name.

"Hello there..." she began. She then blushed and chuckled. "Forgive me, love. I should remember your name, but I don't. I'm Nina." She figured the girl might know that considering Nina captained the Hufflepuff Quidditch team, but she still felt it necessary to introduce herself.

"Having trouble sleeping as well, huh?" smiled Nina. "I'm so excited to go home tomorrow. I can't even begin to tell you why. I mean, don't get me wrong. I love Hogwarts a great deal, but... well... you know... Home Sweet Home as I've heard the Muggles say." While her mum was a Muggle, Nina actually had yet to get a wealth of exposure to Muggle things as her mum enjoyed the simplicity of her wizard husband's life.

HARLEY TAYLOR ASHBROOK

[HARLEY TAYLOR ASHBROOK]

Harley gave the girl called Nina a small, shy smile. She wanted to laugh but decided not to. She felt like right now wasn't the right time for laughter. " I am Harley. Harley Ashbrook" Harley rubbed the back of her neck nervously. Harley wasn't great at meeting and making friends. Friends were awkward for Harley since Harley really didn't like eye contact. Harley's gaze when to the fire, and then back to Nina. Harley thought Nina was quite pretty. She has reddish color hair, and she seemed quite nice, and mostly everyone liked nice people, at least Harley did. 

Harley nodded when Nina asked when she had trouble sleeping. " Yes, I guess so.. " She said in a mono tone. She did have trouble sleeping. She wasn't sure why she had trouble sleeping but she did. She listened to Nina talk. Harley loved to listen, plus it was rude to interrupt someone when they were talking. She shifted her weight in the chair because her legs were getting reckless. " Well.. I am excited to go home as well. I am excited to see my family. My siblings are 5, and 6" She said smiling when she thought of her young siblings and how much she missed them because she did truly miss them. 

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Nina smiled widely when the girl introduced herself.

"Lovely to meet you, Harley," she said. "And that is a brilliant name."

Nina then smiled again about Harley going to home to see her young siblings.

"Five and six," she said. "There adorable at that age, aren't they? I have one brother, Peter. He's a Fifth Year here. He's still adorable now and then too, but don't tell him that."

Nina yawned a bit, but now didn't want to leave this new friend who seemed a bit shy. Whenever someone in the House was shy, which was typical of many Hufflepuffs, Nina wanted to offer her friendship and help them out a bit. She herself stood out a bit, being one to quickly make friends with others with little to no social awkwardness involved.

"Would you like some tea?" she asked. "If we can't sleep, a good chat is the next best thing."

HARLEY TAYLOR ASHBROOK

[HARLEY TAYLOR ASHBROOK]

Harley gave Nina a small smile. She was embarrassed. No one actually gave Harley compliments. It was a new thing for her, honestly. She rubbed her neck out of habit, a nervous habit. " Well Thank you Nina" She said shifting her weight in the chair again trying to get comfortable, and she couldn't. She stood, and paced a little bit in front of the fire. The heat from the fire warmed her body, and made her mind start to slightly relax. She laughed, and nodded her head slightly. " Well. They are adorable, yes. I wish I was around more but sadly, I am not. Lucky for me, this is my last year. " Harley said smiling at Nina. Harley was really starting to like Nina. She was quite a nice person, and Harley needed nice people in her life.  Harley listened to Nina about having a younger brother, Peter. She smiled at the thought of having a sibling in school. " What's it like having a sibling in school?? Do you hang out a lot?" She said, leaning in, and waited for Nina to answer her question. She was really curious about having a sibling in school since she didn't have a sibling in school. 

She realized Nina asked her if she wanted some tea. Tea sounded lovely, and a nice conversation sounded just as lovely. " Yes, tea, and a good conversation would be lovely. Thank you."  Harley said with a bright, open smile. Nina was really bringing Harley out of her shell. 



@ninadevoll 

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Nina had to agree somewhat about the fortune in it being their last year.

"Part of me is definitely ready to graduate, but the other part will miss this place dearly," she said. "So many friends and memories here. I'm just glad I got the chance to Captain the Quidditch Team this year. I'm hoping we can really make a good showing for the Puffs this year, maybe even win the school cup."

Nina smiled as Harley agreed to the tea and went and prepared it in the little area provided in the Common Room. She poured the two a cup and brought them over.

"I kind of wish this was Butterbeer," she said. "I could go for one of those big time. I think that's the first thing I'm having when i get home. I'm a bit of an addict I think." Nina chuckled and sipped her tea as she sat down. "So, we've just now began talking to one another, Harley. About yourself, love?"

HARLEY TAYLOR ASHBROOK