"James?"
"Yeah, Keeks?"
"Could you hold me?"
"What?"
"I just feel sad all of a sudden. Please come hold me."
He drops his quill and without even a second wasted he takes big strides over to sit beside me on Remus' bed and wraps me in a tight hug. I release a shaky breath, finally able to breathe properly now that I'm in his arms. Being held by James makes me feel safe. "I'm scared, JJ."
"Scared of what, baby sis?"
"Growing up." I hold him closer and bury my face in the crook of his neck. "I don't want to lose my innocence. I don't want to stop our dumb childish fun. I don't want anyone looking at me like someone they want to date yet. It's a lot...I'm aging too fast."
He rubs circles on my back and rests his chin on my shoulder. "Chiara, listen to me. Growing up is inevitable, but who's to tell us childish fun is something we need to stop doing as we grow up? You don't have to date until you're ready and until then I will hex anyone who so much as looks at you wrong. You're still little to me. I still see you as that same eleven year old who tricked me and Sirius into walking up the girls dormitory stairs on our first day here."
I giggle. "I remember that. You know, I wanted to be your friends since I saw you rocking the boats."
"You did?" He chuckles.
"Mhm," I smile. "I'm so happy I have you in my life, James. You're my person, you know?" I pull away only slightly to look him in the eyes and he smiles back fondly at me. "I can see you everyday and never for a second will I get sick of you. You're always so excited to be with me and even though I don't always make it clear, I am just as excited to be with you. It feels like you're my twin brother."
"I am your twin brother." He taps me on the nose. "Don't let any paperwork or supposed biological parents lie to us about that. We know the truth!"
We sit like that, just wrapped up in each other's arms for who knows how long when Remus walks in eyeing James and me. "Hugging happening and I wasn't invited." He sighs dramatically. "It's fine, I'll just stand here all by my lonesome..."
"Get over here, Remy!" James motions his over with his hand behind my back. Remus rushes over and jumps onto the bed to engulf us in a group hug. I groan as both heavy teenage boys lay on top of me.
"So, what was happening in here?" Remus asks us curiously, lifting his head off my chest to get a better look at us.
"To summarize, Keeks wants to stay a baby and we've been hugging for an hour." James says casually.
"She is a baby." Remus instantly replies.
"I know! She's so little."
"She is! Adorable, too!"
"Oh yes, the most!" I feel James nodding.
"She's still here." I say with a laugh. The boys tighten their holds around me and we continue laying there in that comfortable hug just talking nonsense.
*
It's my first time legally going to Hogsmeade. I am currently seated on a carriage filled with Lily, Marlene, Alice, Dorcas, and Violet. The girls convinced me to go on today's trip with them instead of the boys. I promised James, Sirius, Remus and Peter that I'd spend the rest of the day and the night with them though.
As the girls and I walk through the beautiful village, I wave my wand at the ground and enchant sunflowers to bloom as I go. "Those are beautiful, Chiara." Alice gasps.
"Thanks, Al!" I smile. "I love sunflowers. They're my favourite flower. Did you know that they face whatever direction the sun is shining in, and if the sun isn't out then they face each other? How wholesome is that?" I sigh dreamily and continue to bloom flower after flower, creating a whole trail behind us.
"Where should we go first?" Lily asks. "We could go to the Three Broomsticks for Butterbeer!"
"Sounds great, I'm starved. They do sell food there, don't they?" Marlene asks.
"Yeah, I think so." I nod.
"Good! I could eat three entire Chiaras. That's how starving I am." Marlene exclaims.
I slip away from her side to stand next to Dorcas. Marlene eyes me and giggles, "I didn't say I would eat you! Although," She begins thoughtfully. "you'd be the first I'd eat if we were all stranded on an island. You just look the most delectable."
"Marlene!" Lily scolds.
"What?" She laughs. "It's not like we'd ever get stranded anyway so this will probably not even happen it's just an if."
The moment I open the door to the Three Broomsticks a warmth engulfs me along with the overcrowded sound of chatter. "You guys get us a table and I'll order some Butterbeers." Being tiny has its perks as I can easily slip between people in the crowded pub to get to the bar. "Rosie!" I greet the beautiful Madam Rosmerta happily.
"Well well," She smiles, leaning over the bar to talk to me. "if it isn't little Chiara Hollie. Up to mischief again, are you?"
I gasp dramatically. "I don't know what you're on about! I'm an angel."
She laughs heartily. "Where are the rest then? Those boys of yours? You finally get tired of being the prettiest of the load?" She asks, wiping the table off with a wet towel.
I shrug. "Nah, they're off somewhere around. I'm here with some girlfriends today. How are you?"
"Couldn't be better. Just hired some extra help around for busy weekends like today."
"That's great! Who've you hired?"
She looks around the room and her eyes light up as she spots two heads of red hair. "Those two!" She points at the tall figures of Fabian and Gideon and my smile widens. "Good workers, they are. A real hit with the customers too. Know of them?"
I look at her with excitement. "We're all great friends."
"You've got good taste. Speaking of, what'll you have, darling?"
"Six Butterbeers please and would you bring them to that table there? I'd like to go see Fabby and Giddy."
"No problem! Good to see you again, Chiara."
"You too, Rosie!" At that I send her one last smile before spinning on my heel and bouncing towards the twins. "Oi! Fabian! Gideon!"
The redheads both stop what they're doing and whip their heads toward my voice. "Chiara!" They holler in perfect unison before meeting me in a three-way hug.
When we pull away I slap their arms playfully. "Why didn't you tell me you got jobs here? This is great! Now we all work in Hogsmeade."
They smile charmingly. "Must've slipped but now you know! We get free drinks after work, you could come join us." Gideon offers.
"Yes, oh please Hollie join us!" Fabian begs.
I giggle. "As wonderfully appealing as that sounds, I've got to get back to the boys. I sort of promised I'd spend the afternoon with them. You could join us though! We'll just be hanging out in the common room as usual."
"Consider us there!" Fabian says while Gideon nods in agreement.
"Perfect, well, see you then." I wink before walking off back to the girls.
I plop down beside Violet and turn to her. "Ooh, Butterbeer! Yum!" I take a big sip from the foaming pewter tankard and swallow the warm liquid happily.
Marlene giggles. "You've got a foamstache!"
I try to lick it away but my tongue can't reach so high and eventually Lily rolls her eyes with a laugh and wipes it away for me with a napkin.
A/N: Hi! Out of curiosity, if you had to pick only one character, who would you say is your favourite in all of the Harry Potter world?