|| I would LOVE to get more interactions on this account!

Ellie let out a soft laugh, tilting her head as she looked at him. “Confidence or delusion? Hard to tell with you sometimes.” She leaned in slightly, lips twitching into a grin. “But fine—one more person. Must be a saint, whoever they are.”

Ellie rolled her eyes right back at him, but the corner of her mouth twitched like she was fighting a smile. “Maybe I like the idea of you,” she said lightly, tilting her head. “It’s easier to handle in small, sarcastic doses.”

Ellie shrugged, eyes flicking toward him with that usual half-amused, half-sceptical look. “Maybe I just like challenging ideas,” she said dryly, lips twitching into the hint of a smile. “You’re an especially confusing one.”

Ellie gave a slight smirk, quirking an eyebrow. “Deflecting with homework? That’s weak, even for you.” But after a beat, she added, “And yes, I’ve done it. Unlike someone who clearly hasn’t.”

Ellie rolled her eyes, but there was the faintest smile tugging at her lips. “Merlin, you’re hopeless,” she muttered, shaking her head. Then, softer, she added, “Fine. But only because you’re not copying. And because… maybe I don’t mind spending a bit more time with you.”

Ellie gave him a sidelong glance, lips twitching into a smirk. “Once or twice,” she said. “But it’s nice to hear it from someone who’s clearly in desperate need of help.” She nudged his bag with her foot. “Sit down then, Mr. Overachiever. Let’s see if we can catch you up.”

Ellie shot him a look, raising a brow. “Oh, so charming compliments come with strings attached now?” she said, mock-offended. She slid her notes toward him with a smirk. “Nice try, but you’re doing the work. I’m just here to supervise your suffering.”

Ellie took the quill with a small smirk, shaking her head. “Dangerous words, William. I might actually collect on that one day.” She dipped the quill in ink and added, teasingly, “Hope you’re good at carrying books and bribing with chocolate.”

Ellie glanced toward the officer, then back at William with a faint grin. “Well, they’re doing a cracking job of blending in,” she said dryly. “Very subtle. Nothing says ‘low profile’ like someone standing like they’re guarding the crown jewels.”

Ellie rolled her eyes, smirking. “Right, of course. How could I forget? National treasure, walking amongst us.” She glanced at his watch. “What’s the sigh for—royal duties piling up?”

Ellie tilted her head, her tone softening just a little. “Well, lucky for you, I happen to be an expert in surviving family disappointment and tackling piles of work. Want a hand, or do you plan to dramatically suffer through it?”

⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀ ✶⋆·˚ℒ𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝒥. ℰ̲𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐬 ⠀ ⠀⠀ 𝗆𝖺𝗋𝖺𝗎𝖽𝖾𝗋𝗌 𝖾𝗋𝖺 𝗉𝗈𝗋𝗍𝗋𝖺𝗒𝖺𝗅. ⠀⠀⠀ when the (1) stone's thrown ⠀⠀⠀ there′s . . . screaming ⠀⠀⠀ when the truth comes out ⠀⠀⠀it's ——————— 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐞𝐭 ⠀ ⠀

Ellie gave him a dry look, lips twitching into a smirk. “I said you should, not that you would. Besides, consider it charity—I can’t let you drown in ink and self-pity, can I?”

Ellie raised an eyebrow at the growing mountain of books. “Blimey, are you planning to build a fort or just bury me under the weight of your procrastination?” She nudged one with a finger, smirking. “Your father might be onto something.”

Ellie took the book from him with a mock-stern look. “World domination through excessive coursework? Bold strategy.” She paused, then added with a grin, “Shame about Quidditch, though. The pitch just got a lot quieter.”

Ellie raised an eyebrow, resting her chin in her hand. “So, fear of your father outweighs your love for flying? That’s a bit tragic, really.” She smirked, nudging the parchment with her quill. “Alright then—let’s make this ‘rubbish’ slightly less painful.”