A/N: Written for Hogwarts Asisgnment 6 - Performing Arts: task 2 - Write about someone who can't or won't talk.

Deaf Ginny AU

Word count: 369

"What if something happens?" Ron signed.

Ginny rolled her eyes. Ron knew it was a lost cause. He'd known before they'd even got on the train, but that didn't mean he wasn't going to try. It was Ginny's first year at Hogwarts, and while the train ride could be intimidating for anyone, she couldn't communicate with the other students in the way Ron had been able to the year before.

"I'll be fine," Ginny signed back. "Nothing's going to happen. I can take care of myself."

"I know that," Ron signed. "But there's probably no one else on this train who can sign. How will you tell someone if something is wrong?"

With another eye roll, she tugged her wand out of her pocket and waved it around. She'd only recently learned how to use spells to communicate after she'd gotten her wand in Diagon Alley, and she was still far from perfect when it came to using them. That wasn't to mention that no one else on the train would be able to use the same spells to communicate back either.

She used one of the spells, and the words, "I'll use spells. Or even a quill and parchment if I have to," appeared in the air between them.

Ron sighed. It was either give in or keep arguing until Ginny stormed off. Either way, she wasn't going to stay.

"Just be careful," he signed.

He flopped down on the seat of the compartment as Ginny disappeared down the hallway with a bounce in her step. He closed his eyes with another sigh.

"I'm sure she'll be all right," Hermione said, making Ron crack one eye open.

Harry and Hermione were both watching him with sympathetic looks. Ron wasn't sure how much of the conversation they'd actually taken in. They'd both tried learning sign language over the summer, but they weren't fluent yet. Weirdly enough, Harry was picking it up quicker than Hermione.

"Hermione's right," Harry said. "Ginny's only had that wand a few weeks, but she's scarily good at nonverbal spells. I don't think anyone would dare mess with her."

They were right. Ron knew they were. He just needed a bit of time to accept it.