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ESTELLA STIRRED as she was shaken awake, she let out a quiet groan as she nestled her head deeper into whatever she was laying on to get more comfortable.
"You need to get up Est, we're here," it was Blaise, an amused tone laced his voice at how affectionate his best friend was all of a sudden.
She mumbled some inaudible words, opening her eyes sleepily and raising her head off his shoulder, she stared blindly at the now empty benches in front of her, trying to summon up the will power to stand. With a sigh she pushed herself up, wanting nothing more than to just go back to sleep for the next week.
"I've got your bag, go on," Blaise signalled for her to go open the door with his eyes, nodding his head towards it.
Estella rubbed her eyes groggily as she stood for a few seconds completely still, then she shook her head, resisting the urge to slap her cheeks or pinch herself in an attempt to escape her dazed state. Finally, she took a few small steps forward towards the compartment door, pulling it open forcefully as it rattled and squeaked in her grip, she pulled a face at the horrible noise, resisting the urge to wince.
"You snore you know, even drooled a bit, right here," Blaise laughed, pointing at the shoulder of his now slightly creased emerald robes.
Estella shushed him, rolling her eyes, unbothered. Any other time she would've blushed from embarrassment or snapped at him and called him an idiot for even making such accusations, but instead she started down the now empty corridor of the train until they were outside in the cold September night. She leaned into Blaise's side slightly in her half awake state, trying to steal his body heat. He put his arm around her shoulder lazily, pulling her closer, his other hand gripping onto both their hand luggage bags, flexing a little under the weight.
The cold air made Estella mentally scold herself for not leaving at least a jumper out of her trunk; anything thicker than the thin hogwarts robes would suffice, but it was too late for that now , so instead she settled for using Blaise as a temporary heat source, he was surprising warm.
"Who knew you turned into a Hufflepuff when you were tired," he smirked, he'd never admit it, maybe not even to himself, but being so close to another person gave him a sense of security, a sort of comfort that wasn't common in the world of purebloods. Estella wasn't usually this type of person either, being raised practically as a student in her own home rather than dumbledore becoming a fatherly figure, she'd never experience a parental love, or the affection that came with it, not as far as she could remember at least. The best she'd get out of Albus was a handshake, maybe a pat on the back if the mood was right. Then, after 10 years without it, she was placed in Slytherin, she loved her house by all means, but they weren't exactly the most loving people either, most of them also being raised in households like hers, but their lack of affection being centred more around love is weakness, rather than having a guardian who just took them in out of obligation.
