The Whomping Willow II PV Yvaine Finished

He’d heard stories of the Whomping Willow, most of which were of disasters encited by the swinging limbs towards students. Yvaine hadn’t really cared to traverse too close to the tree keeping a respectful distance even if admiring. But today a girl sat right next to it without so much as a swipe her way.

The tree ripped down, flicking something off its thick trunk. He at first thought it was reaching down for the girl. Before he could register his movements in his mind he was already the closest he’d ever been to the willow out of fear for the girl. But the Whomping Willow still did not seem irritated by her presence, and she spoke to the think that had been flicked away.

A twig snapped under the weight of his foot causing him pause. His eyes darted up to the tree’s thick and stubby branches apologetically, not really sure how his transgression upon the wooden debris would effect the living tree. It merely seemed to sigh and sway just slightly within the whisp of a breeze.

The next thing to register in his mind was the gasp belonging to the girl. Eyes darting back to her, he grimaced playfully. “Sorry,” he apologized. “It looked like it was coming for you, but I guess not. So crazy, I’ve never seen it so calm around a student!”

Verla smiled politely "I've been near the tree before, so it recognizes me. I'm Verla." She said in a kind and gentle voice as she stroked one of the branches. She was kind and nervous to the tree, and it recognized the feeling. One of the leaves gentle swiped against her cheek, and she itched it since it was so lightly. She giggled as she felt the affection from the tree. She'd never been so close to anything else, besides Ollie. "And this is my bowtruckle Ollie." She smiled at Ollie. She walked closer to the boy slowly, hoping not to frighten him. 

She was excited to meet someone new, and she'd never gotten that vibe off of anyone else before. Besides her best friend Levi, who she just adore.

She couldn't wait to get to know this guy, he reminded her of Lucien Escanora. That boy was a different story compared to Levi, they had one thing in common and that was music. Verla shook her head from zoning out "any way, you just sort of startled me, but it's alright, I'm fine." She chuckled nervously and sat back down by the pond and smiled down at herself in the water.

Yvaine was more keen on her approach rather than the option of him inching any closer to the Willow. But even at such a proximity, the tree did not angrily swipe him away. It was, perhaps, due to the presence of the girl who introduced herself as Verla. The Whomping Willow looked almost keen to her on a deeper level than just acceptance of her presence.

To add to the nature narrative surrounding the girl, she presented her bowtruckle friend, Ollie. The tiny twig of a creature was one he’d only ever read about, but never actually seen. A light of curiosity and excitement glittered in the young boy’s eyes behind the thick lenses of his glasses.

“A bowtruckle?” he repeated almost in disbelief despite staring right at Ollie. “It’s a pleasure, Mr. Ollie!”

He waved at the bowtruckle she carried, and then smiled over to Verla. “And it’s a pleasure to meet you too,” he continued. “I’m Yvaine, but you can call me Eevee. Some people say it’s easier to pronounce, and I like it just fine because I like Pokémon. It kind of stinks we can’t have our games out here. Well, the muggle stuff anyway. Have you ever played Pokémon?”

Glancing from Ollie to Verla, Yvaine continued to excitedly ramble. “How did you come to have a bowtruckle? I didn’t know they were allowed. You’re kind of like a Pokémon trainer! Does Ollie like it here? How did you get the Whomping Willow to not...well, whomp you?”

"I saved Ollie from being eaten by a beetle. And I'm not sure, it just seems to like me." Verla giggled when he referred to her being a Pokemon person. She had heard of it, but never got into it.

She honestly didn't know why the whomping willow liked her so much, she hadn't said or done anything to it to earn its affection. Maybe it's just gone soft perhaps, of old age maybe? She knew she might she slapped for thinking that, since trees sense things, so she moved it from under the tree by the pond again.

She smiled at him gently, hoping that she didn't scare him, even when she didn't try, she always came off to be scary, or shy and alone. But still, she'd rather go with shy and alone than scary. Yvaine was kind, and he seemed harmless, really. He gave her the good vibe, which was a good thing too. 

Verla sighed as she looked out to the pond and dipped finger in it and played around with some minnows, she giggled when they nipped at the tips of her fingers. Then she moved her finger around, and where her fingers went, they followed.

Yvaine followed Verla over to the pond, still giving the Whomping Willow a respective wide birth as he walked over to her. He crouched down at the water’s edge watching her finger swirl the water around the little fish. From the calm Whomping Willow to the bowtruckle to the minnows that followed her finger, Yvaine’s imagination ran wild.

“Are you something secret?” he asked innocently, his curiosity evident as he watched her. “Like, you know how some people are a type of thing and they have to keep it hidden? Like werewolves and vampires and such. Not saying that you’re a vampire or anything.”

Looking back at the Whomping Willow, he tried to file through his mind’s database of information and all he’d learned so far about the magical world. “Something with nature, I suppose,” he continued to ramble. “It’s just we’ve all been told to not go near the Whomping Willow since it’ll hurt people. And you befriended a bowtruckle. And on top of that you’ve got fish following you.”

He stuck his own finger in the pond and swirled it about. The fish were not as interested in him no matter how calmly or smoothly he moved the waters.

"I'm not sure. I suppose I could be something different, I wouldn't know what though." Verla said calmly. She didn't know why the tree liked her so much. She was determined to figure it out. She looked at happily, she face shining bright as the green grass made her eyes pop out more than normal. Then she blinked and looked away from him. She stared down into the water. She wished she could go swimming in the pond. But she had once asked and the answer was a no. She sighed and looked at the gorgeous looking boy. She was curious about him, and wanted to get to know him more.

Getting to know him more would be good for her, having another friend of the opposite gender. She figured it would bring her some good. Since her parents used to always encourage her to make some boy friends. She took her finger out of the water "so do you like it here? At Hogwarts that is." She asked him.  She hoped he did like it here, she hoped he'd say so too, unless he was too stubborn to answer, like she was. She was way stubborn when it came to answering questions.