After one month of school, the seven years were realizing how difficult their last year was. More complicated lessons and more personal work, some had a hard time to keep up. Adena was doing fine since she was always doing her work in advance, while some people, like her friends, were struggling to finish their essays at midnight on Sunday nights. She was nice enough to give them her own work, making more people gather around what was akin to gold for them. The girl didn't care that much, she almost wanted to laugh at them. At least, she would have a full night of sleep unlike some others.

"Adena, can you help me for the Charms essay please, I don't want to have four hours of sleep again..." muttered Jacob at breakfast.

"Be responsible and independent."

"I'm not as organized and studious as you..."

"Buy me sweets next time we go to Hogsmeade and I'll help you," she said smirking.

He groaned a little. "I guess we'll be equal after that since you did it too."

"Exactly."

Arsene joined them just after and the boy looked tired as well. Everyone greeted him but he wasn't as joyful as usual.

"Are you okay?" asked Adena, worried.

He gave her an anxious look before saying, "I can't get to work on my Transfiguration homework. I tried all night to change my cat into a cup, but it won't work."

"I see, I'll help you then, is that okay?"

"Really? Thank you!" and his usual bright self was back.

"Why don't you ask for something in exchange," hissed Jacob.

"Because he isn't you."

Adena often helped her cousin but she quickly realized he didn't lack skills but instead lacked confidence.

"You know, if you're not confident in your abilities, it doesn't work as well."

That day, she was helping him produce a charm, but he had a hard time doing so and he was getting tired.

"But I just can't..." he sighed disappointed.

"Look, let's stop for today and tomorrow you'll try again. I'm sure it'll get better, I've witnessed that several times."

The next day, after receiving boosting words of course, Arsene succeeded. He looked so delighted, he wouldn't stop executing it again and again.

"See! Be more confident, you're very good!"

"Thanks, I'll practice on that instead."

The brunette was really glad to see her cousin's progress and evolution. She really wanted to enjoy this year by his side since she would leave Hogwarts soon.

Adena would usually hang out with the blonde boy during Regulus' Quidditch practices since it was after classes or on Saturdays but she would sometimes do it at other times, reducing her time with him, but Regulus would never complain. Nor when she would talk about her cousin and how she thought he was such a great young wizard.

"I'm sorry, aren't you tired of my rambling?" she murmured hesitantly after a pause.

It was a Friday evening before dinner. They had decided to enjoy this short moment together since they barely had time alone these days.

"No, I'm listening."

"You are?"

"Yes. You just said that Potions and Charms were his favorite subjects, and then you added 'Poor boy surely already has a spot in Slug Club' and I actually laughed at that comment. See, I'm listening," he told her with a grin.

"That must be so boring sorry! I'm sure you'd like to talk about something else, or you'd like to just talk."

"I'm fine listening to you, I like that, and you sound happy..." sighed the boy.

"But I want to listen to you too! Tell me about anything."

"I don't have anything to say..."

"Regulus," she said sternly with a frown.

"Are you trying to intimidate me?"

"...Yes."

"It doesn't work."

"Shut up."

"I thought you wanted me to talk?"

"Yes! Stop playing, just talk! About classes, Quidditch, your housemates, I don't know."

"Well... Zabini as the team Captain is a pain in the arse. That prick thinks he can do better as a seeker," muttered Regulus through greeted teeth. He really did look irritated.

"In class he does look annoying, all arrogant, I can't imagine what he's like during Quidditch."

"Well he's even worse than what he's in class."

"For your next practice, I'll come support you then," smirked the girl.

"What? You wanna do that?" he asked, surprised.

"Yeah, I'll cheer for you when he gets too much."

"I thought you didn't like receiving attention..."

"I can do an exception for you..." she whispered with a small grin.

Regulus laughed while bringing her closer to him. "You don't have to, seeing you in the bleachers will be enough. It'll give me something to focus on instead of his annoying babbling."

"I'll see... Next Saturday you have practice?"

"Yeah. From 8 to 10 because the Gryffindors go from 10 to 12..."

"That's early damn..."

"Yeah but that git that we have for Captain couldn't save us a place at 10am."

"You're tired after? I'm sorry, I even spend my Saturday afternoons studying with Arsene or the others..."

"No worries. I just take a nap in my room after lunch."

"I hope you take time to study," she said with a frown on her face.

"One second you're like a child and the next you're like a mother. How many personalities do you have," laughed the boy.

She pushed him a little away while muttering, "I'm just me."

"I know! But it's like I discover something different from you each day. I like this idea of discovering more of you, I wanna know everything about you..." he whispered.

Adena stared at him, noticing he wasn't joking anymore. "You'll get bored if you know everything of me... and I think you know me well already."

"I can never get bored of you, don't be silly Adena."

"You can be so odd sometimes."

"I'm just me."

She couldn't help but laugh at his words.

"Don't laugh I'm serious," he added, still laughing a little. "Getting to know you is my favorite thing to do you know."

"Don't say that, I'm getting embarrassed," she said, hiding her face with one hand.

"Don't. Why would you be?"

"I'm not that interesting... I'm plain, and boring..."

"Adena..." he whispered, fixing her intensely, she could even feel his gaze on her, so she looked at him and he grabbed both her hands. "You're far from being plain and boring. I've always felt like you were an enigma Adena Winsten, and no matter how hard I try to solve you, there's always a part of mystery in you. I love that."

"W-what do you mean..." his words were surprising. There were always these random and rare moments when Regulus would be completely raw and honest with his feelings, expressing things Adena had never heard from him nor anyone else.

"From the moment we got close, I felt drawn to you, I wanted to know you, I wanted to be with you."

"Why..."

"I have no idea. I couldn't explain my feelings at that time. It wasn't love at least not yet. But I just found something interesting in you. I thought we were similar but then I got to know you and realized we were different but that made you even more interesting to me."

His grey stare had such intensity, he had so much power on her, for a moment she felt at loss for words.

"I... didn't know that. You should have told me before."

"No, I just let it out now, it was unplanned. I didn't think of saying that at a specific moment you know."

"Hm... It makes me feel really happy to hear that, I love hearing about your feelings..."

"I'm happy to hear about that, I'll try my best..." he whispered, bending forwards to kiss her forehead gently.