|
||||||||
|
||||||||
Author: Delylah Story: Tongue-Tied Rating: Everyone Setting: Pre-HBP Status: Completed Reviews: 39 Words: 2,997 “I think my freckles have completely melted.” Ginny swiped impatiently at her brow, which was damp with perspiration. The heat wafted up sourly from the sidewalk, creating an unpleasant breeze as she walked along Diagon Alley with Hermione, who glanced over at her. “No, they’re still there. We should go back to Florean Fortescue’s and get our money back. That sundae was guaranteed to cool us off for at least an hour.” “Hermione, we spent more than an hour at Madame Malkins’ shop alone.” “Oh. Well, where to next?” Hermione asked, pushing several strands of bushy hair away from her face with an exasperated huff. “I think we’re done,” Ginny replied. “We should get back to Fred and George’s shop. It’s a quarter after three.” “Ginny! Hermione!” Both girls turned at the familiar voice to see Neville jogging across the street, his face flushed with exertion. “Hello, Neville!” Ginny said warmly. Hermione smiled and echoed the greeting. “Hi! I didn’t expect to see you here today.” “Mum wanted to finish the shopping early this year. What about you?” Ginny asked, noting that he wasn’t carrying any parcels. “I’ve been working at the nursery this summer. It doesn’t pay much, but it will look good on my transcript for N.E.W.T.s,” Neville said sheepishly. “Where are Harry and Ron?” “They’re probably still ogling the lastest Nimby model,” Hermione grumbled. Neville and Ginny both burst into laughter. “It’s Nimbus,” Ginny explained between giggles. “Nimby, Nimbus. It’s all the same to me. Ginny, we need to go. We’re late.” “I’m coming,” Ginny said before smiling fondly at Neville. “It was good to see you.” “I’ll walk you there,” Neville said. “Their shop isn’t far from the nursery. Can I carry something for you?” Hermione declined, but Ginny shrugged and handed Neville several of her parcels. As they walked, Neville chatted happily about his summer job and Diagon Alley. Shortly, they reached Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes, where Harry and Ron were waiting outside. Harry frowned when he saw them, and Ginny wondered if he was angry about having to wait. Usually, it was the other way around. “Neville! Good to see you, mate,” Ron said cheerily. Harry, however, wasn’t as friendly. “Where have you been?” he asked gruffly. “We were starting to worry.” “Sorry,” Hermione began, but Ginny interrupted. “Harry, don’t be silly. Tonks has been tailing us all day,” she said, nodding back at the petite Auror, who had been following several paces behind disguised as a young man. “She wouldn’t let anything happen to us. Besides, Madame Malkin had to wait on four other customers before it was our turn. Then we ran into Neville. You remember him, don’t you?” she finished, drawing attention to the fact that Harry had been rude in failing to greet his friend. “Sorry. ‘Lo, Neville.” “Harry. Great to see you,” Neville said, smiling before he turned to Ginny. “I’d better get back to the shop. My break is almost over.” “Of course. Thanks for carrying these for me,” Ginny said, gesturing towards the parcels Neville still carried. As he started to hand them to her, Harry stepped over. “Here, I’ll take them; we’re running late,” he said. Ginny reached over to give Neville a hug, as did Hermione. “Bye, everyone. See you September first!” Neville said, waving as he stepped back into the street and disappeared among the crowd. Harry held the door open for the Ron and the girls and followed them to the stock room, where they bid farewell to Fred and George. Together the four of them reached for a box marked, “Indelible Dung Bombs.” Ginny felt a jerk behind her navel and closed her eyes against the swirling scenery. When she opened them again, they were at Grimmauld Place, where her mum was standing before them. “I expected the four of you twenty minutes ago,” she said sharply. When the teenagers began to apologize she waved the words away. “Put your packages away and then come down for tea.” Ron and Hermione started climbing the staircase, but Harry hung back, watching Ginny curiously. “What is it, Harry?” she asked. “Nothing. Um, so, you saw Neville today.” “Yes,” Ginny said. “So did you, remember?” Harry didn’t answer right away. When it seemed he had nothing further to say, Ginny reached for the parcels he was still holding for her and said, “I’d better take those to my room.” “I’ll carry them,” Harry replied. “The Advanced Potions text probably weighs more than you do.” Ginny shrugged and began climbing the staircase. Harry didn’t speak again until they had reached the door to the room she shared with Hermione. “You spent a lot of time with him last year, after you broke up with Dean,” he said quietly. “Who, Neville?” Ginny asked. Harry nodded. “No more than I spent with anyone else. He helps me with my Herbology homework. It’s because of him that I managed an Acceptable on my Herbology O.W.L.” “Neville’s a great bloke,” Harry said, but his voice had taken on a queer, flat tone. “You went to the Yule ball with him, in fourth year.” Ginny glanced up at him, unnerved. He sounded as if he was angry with her. “Yes, and my toes still ache when it’s cold outside. Neville may have a green thumb, but he has two left feet,” she finished with a chuckle. Harry didn’t seem to share her humor. “He’s a great bloke,” he repeated. “I know, Harry. He’s one of my best friends. Why do you keep saying that?” Ginny asked, a sick feeling welling in the pit of her stomach. He couldn’t possibly be leading up to...well, it was simply unthinkable. “You could do worse than someone like Neville,” Harry explained. Oblivious to Ginny’s growing ire, he continued, “He thinks the world of you, and.... you deserve....” Ginny exploded with such fury that Harry’s last utterances didn’t even register. “Harry Potter, how dare you try to play matchmaker for me!” she shouted. “Do you think I’m so pathetic that I can’t find my own dates? You’re worse than my brothers! Did Ron put you up to this?” she demanded. Distantly, she heard a door creak open. Ginny’s cheeks grew warm as she realized how loudly her voice had rung out, but her embarrassment only fueled her anger. Harry’s face flushed and his shoulders stiffened in response to Ginny’s onslaught. “That’s not what I meant,” he said between gritted teeth. “I meant that if you were together, I’m happy for you. And if not, then maybe you shouldn’t spend so much time with him.” “Why not?” Ginny demanded. “Because he might get the wrong idea,” Harry retorted angrily. Ginny gasped, incensed. “So now I’m a tease who likes to lead blokes on?” Harry opened his mouth to answer, but Ginny cut the conversation short with a sharp wave. “Forget it, Harry. Nice to know what you really think of me,” she said acidly. Before he could react, she grabbed her parcels and stormed into her room. Furiously, she slammed the door behind her, twisting the lock with vicious satisfaction. When she looked around and found the room empty, she heaved a disgruntled sigh. Although she was grateful for the privacy, she would have enjoyed venting her frustrations while Hermione nodded along in sympathy. Ginny collapsed on the bed and buried her face in the pillow. To her chagrin, tears welled up hotly in her eyes. She couldn’t understand what had possessed Harry to meddle in her non-existent love life. The entire exchange had been confusing. Had he been pushing her towards Neville, or warning her off? When a soft knock sounded at the door, she was tempted to ignore it. The last thing she wanted was for Harry Potter to see her cry. At the second knock, Ginny sighed again and went to answer the door, opening it just a crack. To her surprise, it was her mum at the door. “I bought these in Diagon Alley today,” Molly said gently, holding a small, elegantly wrapped package out to Ginny. “I was going to save them for your birthday, but I think you could probably use them right now.” Ginny opened the door wide enough to hug her mother gratefully. Molly gave her daughter a smile before she turned and walked back downstairs. Ginny returned to the bed where she sat cross-legged as she tore into the package. Under the paper was a purple box with gilt edges stamped with the words Cherish Cheerwell’s Chocolates and Confections. When she lifted the lid, a spray of what appeared to be fat, miniature butterflies spilled out, fluttering gaily above the bedspread. Delighted, Ginny plucked one from the air and peeled away its wrapper to reveal one of her favorite chocolate truffles. With a contented sigh, she popped it into her mouth, savoring the velvety taste of chocolate and raspberry. After gathering the rest of the chocolates back into their box, she lay back against the pillow to rest her eyes for a moment. Hours later, Ginny awoke with a start to find that darkness had fallen across the room. She sat up groggily and held her breath, certain that something had awakened her. A moment later, someone knocked on the door. “Ginny?” Hermione called. “It’s seven o’clock. Are you coming down for supper?” “Be down in a minute,” Ginny croaked. Hastily she visited the loo to splash her face and smooth her hair with a brush. As she began to descend the stairs, Harry’s voice carried up, causing her to stop in her tracks. “...tried to tell her this afternoon. But she just blew up at me for no reason!” “She’ll cool off. You know Ginny...her temper could put Mum’s to shame,” Ron said. “Don’t worry about it, Harry. I’m sure she’ll get over it, and you can try again,” Hermione chimed in. Ginny could feel her ire returning. “Let’s go down. I’m starving, and Mum’s waiting,” Ron said. Ginny was relieved to hear their footsteps fading, but when she reached the ground floor, Harry was there, pacing anxiously. When she appeared, he looked up at her, his face full of remorse. “Ginny,” he began in a low voice, “I, um, I’m really sorry.” Ginny’s anger faded immediately. She opened her mouth to apologize for screaming at him like a fishwife, but she couldn’t seem to form the words, no matter how hard she tried. Harry, who was now concentrating intently on her shoes, didn’t seem to notice. “I wasn’t trying to set you up with Neville. And I never meant to imply you were a tease. My words came out all twisted. You’re a terrific girl, and I have nothing but respect for you. No, I mean.... Well, I have much more than just respect for you.” Harry paused and ruffled his hair nervously with his hand, which seemed to be shaking. “Ginny, are you going to speak to me, or not?” he asked, looking up again as he finally noticed that she had remained silent. Ginny held her hands to her throat and shook her head vehemently, hoping he would realize she couldn’t speak at all. Instead, his eyes took on a frosty look and he backed away from her. “I see. I won’t keep you, then.” To Ginny’s dismay, Harry turned and headed for the kitchen, oblivious to her dilemma. As soon as he disappeared from sight, her throat unlocked and she could speak again. “What in Merlin’s name?” she wondered aloud. Bewildered, she followed Harry to the kitchen where everyone was waiting. As she took her seat across from him, Ginny tried to catch Harry’s eyes, but he was concentrating instead on his plate. Everyone fell silent as Arthur said a quick blessing, and then the table nearly exploded with conversation as dishes of Molly’s delectable cooking were passed around. Harry and Ginny seemed to be the only two people at the table not speaking. Harry had reached for a bowl of mashed potatoes and was busy shoveling them into a pile on his plate. “Harry, could you pass the potatoes?” Ginny tried to ask. But her tongue felt as if it were tied in a knot. After a moment of flapping her mouth opened and closed, Ron stared at her. “You’ll catch flies with your mouth open like that, Ginny,” he cautioned with a smirk. “Ron, don’t tease your sister,” Molly admonished him. Finally Ginny gave up and began reaching for items on her own. When Harry set the potatoes just out of her reach, she sighed with frustration. “Ron, could you please pass the potatoes?” she asked in a low voice. Ron looked at her strangely, but did as she requested, reaching across Harry to shove the bowl towards her. Harry gave her an incredulous look and then began deliberately placing serving dishes out of Ginny’s reach, watching her with a challenge in his eyes. One by one conversations ceased as Hermione, Ron and the rest of the Weasleys stared in fascination. Ginny felt her cheeks flush, but rather than asking Ron to retrieve the dishes she wanted, she contented herself with a heaping pile of mashed potatoes, glaring defiantly at Harry while she ate. “You’re really impossible sometimes, you know that?” Harry shot at her. Ginny opened her eyes once more to speak and was again prevented by the sensation of something blocking her speech. She shook her head and again gestured at her throat. Hermione, who had been observing them closely, broke in. “Harry, I don’t think it’s that she won’t talk to you, I think it’s that she can’t.” The knot in Ginny’s tongue seemed to untie itself, and she turned to Hermione. “Yes! I’ve been trying to, but every time I try to talk to H—” she stumbled over the name and tried again, “to H-H—oh, now I can’t even say his name! It’s as if someone’s tied my tongue into a knot and I can’t say a word to h—.” Ginny failed to finish her sentence and ended up pointing in Harry’s direction. “It sounds like you’ve been jinxed,” Ron commented. “By whom? I was with Hermione all day!” Ginny protested. Hermione looked perplexed. “You’re right, but I don’t know what else it could be.” “You didn’t eat anything at Fred and George’s, did you?” Ron asked. “You know you’re their favorite test subject.” “No,” Ginny said. “I know better.” “Well, you don’t seem to be in any immediate danger. We can get to the bottom of the matter after you finish your supper,” Molly announced. Everyone resumed eating, to Ginny’s relief. Harry had remained silent throughout the exchange, but he now began passing Ginny the dishes he had withheld earlier. She smiled gratefully and finished her supper in relative peace. Afterwards, Molly examined her closely and proclaimed her to be perfectly healthy. “You’re not running a fever, and you’re not chilled. You don’t have spots, other than your usual freckles, and you’re not exhibiting any other symptoms. Perhaps you just need a good night’s rest, and everything will sort itself out.” Ginny nodded miserably and hugged her mother before climbing the stairs. Upon entering her room, she noticed the box of chocolates she had left on her nightstand. Beside it was the crumpled wrapper from the piece she had eaten, and as she picked it up to bin it, a bit of writing on the inside caught her eye. She smoothed the wrapper to read it. Did you ever think a simple, chocolate truffle Tongue-Tying Truffles Ginny didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Fred and George must have switched the candies when her mother wasn’t looking. Ginny grabbed the pillow from the bed and buried her face into it to smother her scream of frustration. “Ginny?” a voice said from the doorway. Ginny whirled around to find Harry watching her quizzically from the doorway. “Are you all right?” he asked. Realizing it was useless to try and speak, Ginny just nodded. “I need to talk to you,” Harry said. When Ginny pointed at her throat again, he shook his head. “No, you don’t have to talk. In fact, maybe it’s better that you can’t. If you interrupt me, I might lose my nerve again.” At that, Harry shot her a wry grin. “Ron was right. Sometimes you really don’t shut up.” Ginny’s mouth dropped open ready to retort with a snappy comeback, but she remained mute. Spying the box of chocolates once more, she offered it to Harry with a gleam in her eye. “Thanks,” he said absently as he unraveled the wrapper and popped the chocolate in his mouth. Ginny waited expectantly until he swallowed the sweet. Then Harry’s mouth opened, but not a sound came out, to his apparent astonishment. Wordlessly, Ginny reached for the wrapper and held it up for him to read. Understanding dawned across his face as his eyes moved across the paper, and when he looked up from it with a sheepish smile, he mouthed the word, “Oh.” After a moment, Harry took a step closer to Ginny, glancing at her nervously. Then he waited for Ginny to close the distance between them. As she reached up to him, his eyes fluttered shut, and Ginny’s heart skipped a beat before hers closed, too. Their lips met in a tentative kiss. When they parted, she sighed with relief. “Harry, I’m so—” Harry clapped his hand across her mouth. “Ginny, maybe we should just...eat some more chocolate.” With a saucy grin, Ginny handed him the box. |