[user104658]

They're her friends for different reasons tbh. Pav, I think, just wanted to be with the "kool kidz" (though I hate the term) because he was isolated and they were at the time the safer option.

Ash genuinely likes Helen, the reason being that he CAN overlook her aggression, because when it comes down to it she wouldn't be able to take him on and she knows it. Helen isn't a clever girl... All of the housemates she's clashed with have been smarter than her... But the flaw is that none of them have been able to keep their cool. Ash is smarter than her and most importantly constantly calm. In a fairly early week they DID almost clash, but he shrugged it off so easily that she was caught off guard. They haven't clashed since. That's what's allowed their friendship to blossom... He accepts her aggression because he's not intimidated by it, and she never turns on him because she knows he won't rise to it.

That sort of sounds like I'm saying they don't like each other or that that's all there is to the friendship... But what I mean is, that side of her with ash was nipped in the bud early on and so he got to see her more positive traits, whilst still being able to appreciate that she is aggressive to other housemates.