𝙮𝙤𝙪 || 𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙮 𝙥𝙤𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐲-𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐞: 𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫

"Are those..." he trails off as if unsure.

"Bowtruckles!" You beam. "Amazing, aren't they? Did you know a group of them is called a 'branch'?"

"And you just...let them crawl all over you?" Questions Ron, who looks squeamish at the sight of Junior inside your shirt collar.

You nod enthusiastically. "It's quite, what's that word? Therapeutic or something," you said, not at all bothered if you pronounced it wrong. "The big ones are Theo and Liza." You point to each Bowtruckle respectively before moving on to their children. "And this one is Oakley...the shy one hiding in that hollow is Amabel, and this one in my shirt collar is Pickett Jr., but I just call him Junior for short."

Ron's expression tells you that he was too unsettled to even memorize their names. He was more reluctant compared to Harry it seems, and he's even backing away when you step closer.

"Do you want to hold them?" You ask with a hopeful smile.

Ron shuffles in his place. "I...I don't know," he said, eyeing the Bowtruckles warily. "Are they going to scratch out my eyes?"

"If that's what you want," you joked. "But honestly, Bowtruckles are friendly unless you try to destroy their home tree. Try offering wood lice and they'll like you."

Ron drops the box on the ground before scooping up three wood lice and hovering it near the Bowtruckles with a shaking hand. You help to steady it with your hand by grasping his wrist gently. It was a slow process since they were hesitant of Ron, but the wood lice prove to be enough of a peace offering that they were eating on his palm in no time.

"Told you they're harmless," you snigger before picking up two more wood lice for Junior and Amabel.

Once every Bowtruckle was fed, your attention turns to Ron, who was looking down at them. He winces when they start crawling up his arm but relaxes a moment later when they didn't hurt him. Theo and Liza were settling comfortably in his red hair while Oakley was hanging on a loose thread in his sweater. Ron glances from the Bowtruckles to you, looking both in disbelief and just a tad uncomfortable.

"Bloody hell," he utters, and you couldn't tell if he was liking or hating this experience.

You snorted into your palm, which turns into a small laugh. "It's not so bad, right?" You said with a grin, which Ron returns with a lopsided smile. "You can come back here any time you like. Just remember to be gentle and never mess with their home tree."

"Really?" Ron breathes out, gazing at Oakley who he quickly scoops in his hand before he could fall. He hands him back to you.

"Sure," you said with a nod. Your eyebrows furrow when you see Ron shake his head. "I'm not forcing you to. If you don't want to come back it's fine with me."

Ron scratches the nape of his neck. "It's not that."

As the sun sets on the horizon, the late afternoon glow makes each red strands of his hair shine and paints his freckled face in amber light that almost blinded you. It was hard to tell if he had been blushing when he speaks again.

"I just don't think it would be as fun without you."

△⃒⃘ ⌁☍ ❾¾

You realize too late into the evening that Junior had tricked you into believing that you placed him properly back on the home tree. After everyone was done with dinner and retreated into their respective house dormitories, you only then notice the small Bowtruckle hidden under your sleeves when he pokes his head outside.

Out of every Bowtruckle, he was the most attached when it came to you, but you didn't think he was this clingy that he would leave the home tree to be with you. It was flattering, but also very dangerous.

You walk up the basement stairs, all the while gently scolding the Bowtruckle settled under your shirt collar. Junior doesn't seem to be listening. He looked rather content with his position, and so you gave up by the time you emerge from the stairs.

"Honestly," you mutter, petting him with a finger before looking around. As expected, the hallway was deserted.

You walk around some more, hoping that you'll see Hagrid. He usually roams around before going back to his cabin, so he can probably take Junior to the home tree. You stop in front of the Great Hall and press an ear against the doors. You don't hear anything on the other side. The torches were flickering ominously as you continue looking around, but the silence became too unnerving that you couldn't proceed with your search.

No other choice then.

"Fine," you relented, looking out a nearby window. It's too dark outside for you to walk on your own. "You're staying with me just this one time, Junior."

The Bowtruckle chitters happily and snuggles further into your collar. You coo and pet him some more. You were just thinking of making separate bedding for him when you look outside the window again.

Only to see the reflection of bright amber eyes.