Emma awoke the next morning before everyone else. She and Annie quietly went downstairs and turned on the TV.
"Where's the Closed Captioning button?" Emma said. She finally found it and pressed it so she could actually understand what was going in the episode of Hannah Montana.
"You like this show too, Annie?" Emma laughed watching her service dog dance to the theme song while Emma Signed it. Ginny came downstairs and smiled when she saw Emma and Annie dancing.
'You get the best of both worlds' Emma Signed to Annie. Ginny tapped Emma's shoulder and the small girl blushed.
"You're a good dancer, sweetie" Ginny said. Annie barked.
"You too, Annie" Ginny said patting Annie's head.
"You want breakfast, sweetheart? I'll make your favorite" Ginny said.
"Blueberry pancakes and cinnamon buns?" Emma said excitedly.
"Yes ma'am, I'll get right on that" Ginny said.
"Thank you Aunt Ginny" Emma said.
"You love that muggle show don't you?" Ginny said.
"It's my favorite" Emma said.
"Hello sweet pea" Harry said kissing Emma's forehead.
"Good morning Uncle Harry" Emma said.
"Can I sit with you?" Harry asked. Emma nodded.
"Uncle Harry, why did daddy want to be a healer?" Emma asked. Harry took his little niece into his lap.
"Why do you think, sweetheart?" Harry asked.
"Mum" Emma said.
"That's right, princess. Your dad was very loyal to your mum when she was sick. Brought her to healer appointments, helped her take to her medicine, stayed overnight in the hospital with her; he would sleep in a chair beside her bed until the healers got him his own bed" Harry smiled.
"Didn't daddy take care of mum when she was in her severe state?" Emma asked.
"Right again, little girl, your mum couldn't walk, talk, or even move on her own really, and your dad taught her do that again when other people didn't think she could it" Harry said.
"Wow, daddy really loves mum, do you think I'll find a nice man like daddy who will want to marry me?" Emma asked.
"I'm sure you will, sweetie, um, I have seen the way your friend Danny looks at you. He must think you're pretty" Harry said.
"I can't be pretty, I talk funny" Emma said with tears in her eyes.
"Hey, who told you that?" Harry said.
"Emily Parkinson" Emma cried.
"Don't you listen to her, you are a beautiful young lady" Harry said kissing Emma's forehead.
"You have to say that, you're my uncle" Emma cried.
"Hey, one day that Danny won't be able to keep his eyes off you, the same way your dad would look at your mum" Harry said. Ginny came out to the living room with Emma's breakfast.
"Ummm, pancakes" Harry said.
"No, they're for Emma, she's too thin, and she's a growing girl, what are your parents feeding you?" Ginny asked.
"Mum says I eat like dad" Emma said.
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Ron awoke the next morning with the feeling of another heartbeat next to his. He looked down at his beautiful who was sleeping like an angel. Hermione started to stir and sit up but Ron gently pushed back into the bed.
"Shhh, you sleep some more" Ron said as he covered Hermione back up.
"As much as I'd love to stay here in bed, we have to pick up the kids and pick up their friend" Hermione said. Ron kissed her forehead and Hermione went to have a shower. Ron went downstairs and called his sister.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Honey, the kids are having a food fight in the living room, I almost got a marshmallow in the eye" Harry said then the phone rang.
"Hi Ron, how you doing? How's Hermione? Yeah sure, ok Ron bye. Ron and Hermione are going pick up the twins in two hours" Ginny said. When Ginny and Harry came back in the living room the kids were sitting the couch playing video games and the room was spotless.
"What are you talking about, Harry? Emma and Jack your parents will be here in two hours" Ginny said. When Ginny left the kids smiled slyly at Harry.
'I'm watching you' Harry Signed to them.
"Danny's coming over your house today?" James asked.
"Yeah, Emma is very excited" Jack teased.
"Stop teasing me!" Emma cried. James tapped Emma's shoulder.
'Sorry' he Signed.
"I'm going to take a shower" Emma said.
"Do you always have to tease her?" James asked.
"I'm her brother, it's my job" Jack said.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Hey Herms, how are you and Ron?" Harry asked hugging his friend.
"We're ok now, Ron's still in shock a little though" Hermione said. The kids came to greet their mother with packed bags. Emma jumped at her mother and Hermione kissed her forehead.
"Were you two good for Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny?" Hermione asked.
"They were awesome. We went out to dinner and they came home, watched movie and went right to sleep" Harry said.
"Hi Aunt Hermione" James said.
"Hello buddy, you had fun with your cousins?" Hermione asked.
"Where's daddy?" Emma asked.
"He's out in the car, sweetie" Hermione said and Emma ran to greet her dad.
"Daddy!" Ron heard a sweet, young feminine voice. Emma opened the passenger door and through her arms around her father.
"Hi my little sweetie" Ron said.
"Do you feel better, daddy? Uncle Harry told us what happened" Emma said. Ron brought Emma into his lap and stroked her hair.
"Emmy, you know what it means to die right?" Ron asked.
"Yes, but you're suppose to Heaven and it's such a wonderful place, why does everyone cry? Your patient doesn't have to suffer anymore, she's at peace" Emma said. Ron smiled and kissed Emma's forehead.
"You really are your mother's daughter" Ron said.
"Daddy, do you think I'm too emotionally immature?" Emma asked.
"Where did you get that from, sweetheart?" Ron asked.
"I read something on the internet about how Deaf teenagers aren't as emotionally mature as their hearing peers because of speech delay" Emma said.
"No, sweetie, and don't believe everything you read on-line, you're a very clever and mature girl, you remind me so much of your mum expect for your hair" Ron said.
"Here come mum and Jack" Emma said. Emma felt her cell phone vibrating in her pocket.
Danny: Hi Em, I just arrived at the dock. Emma spoke into the microphone on her phone.
"We'll be right there, Danny" Emma said.
Danny: Ok, thanks, Em, bye
"Was that Danny, sweetheart?" Hermione asked.
"Yes he just arrived at the dock" Emma said.
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Danny looked toward the parking lot of the dock for a sign of auburn curls or spikes or even yellow fur. Before he knew it, Danny was knocked to the ground by a small yellow lab.
"Hello Annie, nice to see you too" Danny laughed.
"Sorry Danny" Emma said helping Danny up. He hugged his female friend and shook hands with the other.
"Sorry it took so long, mate" Jack said.
"Hello Danny, was the ferry ride ok?" Hermione asked.
"Yes, thank you, Mrs. Weasely" Danny said.
"Hey Danny, let's get your things in the car" Ron said. As they were to the car Danny's hand accidentally brushed against Emma's causing both kids to blush.
"Sorry Em" Danny said.
"It's ok" Emma said. Jack Signed something to Annie who barked in a positive response. Ron and Hermione noticed this too; Hermione thought is was sweet, Ron wanted to keep his eye on Danny however.
"Ron, please don't, they're only 12" Hermione whispered.
"You don't even want to know what was going on my head at his age" Ron whispered back.
"He's sweet boy" Hermione said.
"Yeah they all are until turn 13" Ron said.
"So Jack won't be as sweet as he is now when he turns 13?" Hermione said.
"Ok Annie up you go" Emma said opening the car door for her dog. When Emma tried to climb in after her, she slipped and gave frightened cry.
'I've got you, Em, it's ok' Danny Signed in front of her once he caught her.
"Thank you, Danny" Emma whimpered. Hermione smiled as the young man helped her daughter into the car.
"You use to do that for me" Hermione said.
"You ok, Emmy?" Jack asked. Emma nodded as tears leaked from her eyes.
"Are you sure you're ok, Em?" Danny asked.
"Yeah, that was just really scary" Emma wiping her tears away.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Here, you guys can sleep can sleep in the nook" Ron said. Ron and Hermione renamed the playroom the nook and made it more teen-ish.
"Let me guess, this is Emma's favorite room" Danny said noticing all the books. Emma was on the computer looking movie times. Danny saw disappointment on her beautiful face when she turned away from the screen.
"No Closed Captioning, Emmy?" Jack asked. Emma nodded.
"I should be use to it by now, cinemas don't want to take the time to cater to the deaf" Emma said leaving the room.
"They don't show movies in Closed Captioning?" Danny asked.
"Not a lot of them, and when they do, it's always the movies we can't see; they never put Closed Captioning on the animated films. All my sister wants to do is to see a movie but she can't because cinemas are so insensitive" Jack said.
"Isn't it the law to accommodate disabilities?" Danny asked.
"It's not enforced for cinemas. It is for telly though" Jack said.
"That's not fair" Danny said.
"I know mate, I know" Jack said. Danny left the room to find in her bedroom Emma searching through her many DVDs. Danny tapped Emma's shoulder which made her look up.
"That's a lot of movies" Danny said.
"I have to wait for movies to come out on DVD to see them" Emma said.
"What's your favorite?" Danny said. Emma pointed to the DVD box containing Happy Feet.
"Is that where you got your idea for your Halloween costume?" asked Danny. Emma nodded.
"It's not fair you know that you can't go to the cinema like everyone else" Danny said. I
"I can, it's just hard to understand a lot of it" Emma said.
"Excuse me, Danny, I just need to grab my journal" Emma said. Danny noticed four other journals labeled Age 8, Age 9, Age 10, Age 11.
"I've been keeping a journal since I was eight. I can't say certain things in speech or Sign, so I write them down" Emma said.
"May I read one?" Danny asked.
"Um, you can read the eight year old one" said Emma.
Dear Journal,
School was so scary today. A bunch of boys followed me to the bathroom, someone had put a sign on my back that said 'fellow the retard'. A female teacher came out of the bathroom and saw me and helped me. Mum had to pick me up early. She was furious at the parents of the boys. One of mothers brought her son to our house to so he could apologize to me. I wish people weren't so ignorant about deafness. I wonder if any hearing boy would want marry me or if I'll end marrying a Deaf boy.
Danny looked from the neat handwriting of the journal to his pretty friend now writing in her Age 12 journal. He felt so bad for her.
"Ok, let's go back to the nook, Jack is probably wondering what happened to us" Emma said.
"Kids, dinner!" Ron
said.
"Mum and dad take turns making dinner" Emma said.
"Good dinner, Mr. Weasely" Danny said.
"Thank you, Danny" Ron said.
"Danny where in Ireland do you live?" Hermione asked.
"Just outside Dublin" Danny said.
"Do you have any brothers or sisters?" asked Hermione.
"No, but I have a lot of cousins. It's my mum and dad and my grandparents" Danny said.
"Emma said your grandparents are deaf" Ron said.
"Yes, my grandmum was born deaf, and my granddad was born hearing but became deaf because of WWII" Danny said.
"Isn't that sweet, Ronald?" Hermione asked.
"Your granddad must be a good man" Ron said. Emma grabbed her stomach and winced in pain.
"Jellybean, what's wrong?" Ron asked.
'Girl problems' Emma Signed.
"Oh that's my department, come on, sweetie pie" Hermione said taking a crying Emma's hand. Hermione laid Emma on the couch in the nook and gave her pain killers and stroked her hair.
"They hurt" Emma cried.
"I know sweetie, mine use to hurt a lot too" Hermione said rubbing her daughter's belly.
"Isn't there a spell for this?" Emma cried.
"No baby, witches have to go through just like female muggles" Hermione cooed.
"I'm going get you some ginger ale, honey, hang in there" Hermione said. Jack and Danny peeked in on Emma who was in immense pain.
"Mate, you could not pay me enough to be a girl" Danny said. The boys decided they would try to comfort Emma.
"Hey Emmy, you want to read a book?" Jack asked. Emma winced and nodded. Danny read the book while Jack Signed it to Emma. When Hermione came back with Emma's ginger ale and found the boys reading to her, she smiled proudly and left the drink at the door.
"Mum must have brought this for you, Emmy" Jack said.
"The boys are reading to Emma to make her feel better. Danny is reading it and Jack is Signing it to her" Hermione said.
"I guess Danny could be good for Emma one day" Ron said.
"I told you" Hermione said triumphantly.
"Yes sweetheart, once again you're right" Ron said pulling his wife into a tight embrace.
"I love you" Ron said.
"I love you too" Hermione said.
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"Feel better, Em?" Danny asked. Emma nodded she sipped her ginger ale.
"Sorry, I just get really bad stomach aches" Emma said.
"It's ok, you can't help it, Emmy" Jack said.
"I'm going to get my pajamas on, I'll be right back" Emma said.
"You guys want to watch TV?" Emma asked.
"You wear glasses, Emma?" Danny said.
"Yeah, just got them, I wear contacts during the day" said Emma.
"They look nice on you" Danny said blushing.
"Thank you, Danny" said Emma hugging Perrier to her chest. Hermione came into the nook to check on her daughter.
"How is your stomach, sweetie?" Hermione asked.
"It's better now; mum will you put my hair in braids please?" Emma said.
"Sure sweetie, come with me" Hermione said.
"Your sister is
really pretty" Danny said.
"I'm her brother, I wouldn't
know" Jack said.
"I think I'm the only bloke at school who notices" Danny said.
"That's because you can see past her deafness; not many people can" Jack said.