imagines

[ HARRY POTTER ]

[ cold nights - newt scamander ]
[ 800 words ]

You weren't used to spending your christmas break in Hogwarts. You usually enjoyed going home for the holidays and spending time with your loved ones... but you were stuck in Hogwarts. It wasn't your fault per say... alright so maybe you overslept and missed your train. Spending the last day before break gossiping with your roommates maybe wasn't the best choice. So now you walked the mostly empty halls trying to find something to do.

A window seat with a good book sounded like a good idea so you walked on over to the nearest seat from the great hall right after your late breakfast that a nice house elf had reheated for you considering that you overslept that day as well. You had spent most of your days helping out in the kitchen and the elves grew to have a special liking to you. As soon as you got comfortable and opened up your book a scream  broke the soft winter silence.

"Jamie get back here! You're not ready to fly yet!" With a frown you tucked the book back into your backpack and went to find the source of the conundrum. A cute hufflepuff boy was trying to catch this small owl that seemed to be trying to fly but only managing small jumps. The owl, which the boy kept calling Jamie, hopped out of his grip every time and the boy was starting to look tired out. You grabbed the piece of bread you had taken from your breakfast and placed a couple of crumbs on your hand, and you waited. The owl hopped happily and ate up the crumbs. He looked up at you and his feathers fluffed up. You couldn't help the giggle as the owl looked at you curiously. The boy quickly grabbed the owl and put him back in his cage. "Th-thank you..."

You looked up at the boy. Frick... he was cute. "I let him out so he could stretch his wings but I guess I must've left a window open by accident and he got out. I'm surprised he got close to you, Jamie isn't much of a people person, erm well... a people owl?" He rambled for a while before you placed a hand on his shoulder. He stopped, his face looking a bit startled then quickly changing to embarrassed. "Err... thank you again."

"No problem, Jamie is a lil cutie so I had to help him..." You looked at the owl that chirped from his cage, "... and you too of course." With a smile you turned back to face the boy rather than the owl. "I'm (y/n), (y/f/n)."

"I'm Newt." The boy seemed embarrassed still, his eyes glued down to your shoes. Your painted up and beat up sneakers that you wore everywhere... apparently even out in the snow... out in the snow with no coat... The cold hit you suddenly, the adrenaline wearing off with the little owl safe and the serene winter silence overtaking the scenery once more. "You're cold!" Newt scrambled to take off his scarf without placing the cage down and he wrapped it around you.

It was warm, and it smelled nice, like a forest right after a rainstorm. You smiled, "Thank you... I guess now we're even Newt." There was a small awkward pause before you spoke up again, "How would you like some hot chocolate? It's cold and we deserve it. What do you think Jamie?" The owl, as if understanding you, chirped happily.

Newt smiled at the owl, "Sounds nice... but how will we get it?"
"Leave that up to me." You winked as you hurried into the school. The kitchen elves happily served you the thermos of hot chocolate and you promised to return tomorrow.

Newt then led you up the north tower stairs until you reached a little cozy window seat. He put the cage down and Jamie chirped happily once again. You dropped some crumbs into his cage. "He hurt his wing a couple of days ago and I'm trying to heal him." Newt muttered into his cup of hot chocolate. You were both sitting in opposite ends of the window seat, you had your head resting on the window and your sight set on Newt, while he looked down at his cup and occasionally up at you, where you would both break eye contact.

"If you ever want a nurse to help you out, you know who to call." You smiled at him.
"Maybe tomorrow you can help me put the ointment on his wing and then I also have to-" he rambled on and you smiled dreamily. Maybe staying over winter break wasn't that bad if it meant spending your days with a cute boy and magical animals.