14
kitchen gossip
MOLLY: " Well, at least they are speaking to each other again."
TONKS: " Yes...they just aren't saying the right words!"
GINNY: " At least the pink has worn off. "
MOLLY: " All that we can see of it, at least."
GINNY: " Mother!"
MOLLY: " Well, one can't help but wonder."
GINNY " Can you believe that Dumbledore is making Fred and George work with Professor Snape?"
TONKS: " Considering the expression on Remus' face, I believe it might be the safest place for them."
GINNY: " Oh but he doesnt know it yet. Dumbledore is keeping it a secret from him...until after the potion is perfected."
MOLLY: " Whatever for?"
GINNY: " So Lupin has to be nice to Snape, and Snape has to be nice to Fred and George..."
TONKS: Mmm, that's evil.
GINNY: Isn't it just? But it is rather amusing.
TONKS: But, do you think they had anything to do with Hermione?
MOLLY: What about Hermione?
GINNY: Oh, Hermione! Didn't you hear mum? That is why Harry and Ron didn't dare show up today.
MOLLY: Well, don't just giggle girls, what happened?
TONKS: Apparently they told her they were going to get her drunk, you now to cheer her up after her trip to London with Remus?
GINNY: And someone broke through Hermione's wards, and spiked something in her flat. She thinks it was her cream.
TONKS: But Hermione never drank it...it was her mother that suffered the effects of it.
MOLLY: No! How did you find out?"
GINNY: Oh we were at Harry's flat when she apparated in and gave them the lecture...at wandpoint. They denied it of course...but they did say they had entertained such notions and that whoever managed it was brilliant.
TONKS: To say the least. I doubt it's easy to break through Hermione's wards.
GINNY: Needless to say it did not cheer her up.
TONKS: Worked wonders for the rest of us though. Charlie is still laughing.
MOLLY: What was Charlie doing there?
TONKS: Oh. Er...he was just visiting.
GINNY: Just popped in to say hi, is all.
MOLLY: Then why are you blushing Nymphadora?
TONKS: Me? I never blush, thats just my natural coloring."
GINNY: Maybe it's just getting hot in here...
MOLLY: It is getting something in here anyhow.
TONKS: I think I just heard someone arrive in the living room...I'll run check.
MOLLY: You do that, and then tell Charlie to come in here and give his mother a hug.
TONKS: How do you know it is...Charlie?
MOLLY: Oh, I have my ways.
GINNY: Well, he is too late to eat.
MOLLY: To eat dinner, at least.
GINNY: What?
MOLLY: Nothing dear.
GINNY: No, I heard what you said. You are getting terribly wicked, you know.
MOLLY: I haven't the slightest idea what you are talking about. Now help me get this kitchen tidied up.
GINNY: Where did Hermione get to, I wonder?
MOLLY: She went out for a walk in the garden. I suggested she look at the new muggle fountain your father installed.
GINNY: And...Remus?
MOLLY: Your father is supposedly sending him out to look at that new muggle fountain that has been installed.
GINNY: How clever. A meeting by a fountain, at dusk..in a garden.
MOLLY: But no moon.
GINNY: Well, they can't have everything can they? Too bad it didn't occur last week, Remus' coloring would have accented the mood delightfully.
CHARLIE: What? Did I miss something?
GINNY: Just dinner, Charlie.
CHARLIE: Well, I wasn't in the mood for anything too heavy. I had a taste for something...sweet. Anyone else for a piece of candy?
Charlie produced a box of canary cremes, and on principle, Ginny and Molly refused. With a wicked gleam, missed by all, Charlied carefully chose one piece from the box, and offered it to Tonks.
" But surely you wouldn't break my heart by refusing me, would you Tonks?" His look was just so devilishly charming that she did blush. All over. She held out her hand, but Charlie, to be sure that she ate it immediatley, did not allow her to take it in her hand, but rather he held it to her lips himself,
winking at her as she took it in her lips. She never even noticed that it looked slightly different from the other candies in the box.
Harry and Ron had finally succeeded in doing at least one thing perfectly right.