"Ok guys, I want you to be on your best behavior for Mr. and Mrs. Flaherty and call my cell phone when you get to the dock and tell me when you've met up with Danny and his parents ok?" Hermione said.
"Yes mum" the twins said.
"Ok guys, have a good, and please mind your manners" Hermione said. Hermione and Ron let the twins stay over Danny's house the two days before Christmas Eve. Hermione watched her children get on the ferry safely and drove home.
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"I'm getting hot chocolate; do you want one, Jack?" Emma asked. A woman smiled warmly at Emma.
"How can I help you, dear?"
"May I have a hot chocolate please?" Emma asked.
"Of course, your dog is very pretty" the woman said.
"Thank you, her name is Annie, say hello Annie" Emma said. Annie barked.
"She's very smart. Ok that will be two pounds" the woman said.
"Um, ma'am I can't read your lips when you look away" Emma said.
"Read lips?" the woman asked confused.
"I'm deaf" Emma said.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, dear, I didn't realize, here is your hot chocolate, enjoy" the woman said.
"Thank you, Happy Christmas" Emma said sweetly. She back to her seat with Jack.
"How's your coco, Emmy?" Jack asked.
"Good, want a sip?" Emma asked. Emma took out Perrier from her bag and just hugged him.
"You brought your penguin?" Jack asked.
"I can't sleep without him" Emma said. Perrier was missing half his right eye and most of his fur was gone and he a bunch of patches all over him but Emma still loved him. Emma stared out the window and watched the water.
"How long does it take to get form England to Ireland?" Jack asked.
"I don't know" Emma said.
"You're the bright twin" Jack said.
"I don't know that however" Emma said. Emma took a book and Jack took out his CD player and waited for the long ferry ride to Ireland.
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Emma felt someone shaking and she opened her eyes to see her dog looking at her.
"We're here, Emmy" Jack said.
"Guys!" Danny shouted. Annie led her owner over to her friend.
"Hi guys, welcome to Ireland" Danny said.
"Hello dears, how was the ferry ride?" Mrs. Flaherty asked.
"Not too bad" Emma said.
"Excuse me, Mrs. Flaherty. I have to call our mum" Jack said.
"What are you doing for Christmas, Em?" Danny asked.
"We see my mum's side of the family on Christmas Eve and see my dad's side on Christmas Day" Emma said.
"My grandmother is very excited about meeting you" Danny said.
"Does she read lips?" Emma asked.
"No, she only Signs but my granddad reads lips a little bit" Danny said.
"Emma, mum says have a good time" Jack said.
"Let's get your bags in the car" Mrs. Flaherty said. When they got in the car and Annie climbed in after the kids, the yellow lab put her head in Danny's lap.
'Lucky bitch' Emma thought.
"She likes you, mate" Jack said.
"Annie has good taste in men" Emma said.
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"Here we are" Mrs. Flaherty said.
"Hey dad" Danny said.
"Hi son, hello Emma and Jack" Mr. Flaherty said.
"I'm gonna go get my bag, guys, I'll be back" Emma said.
"Oh don't worry, lass, Danny be a gentlemen and get the young lady her bag" Mr. Flaherty said.
"Thank you, Danny" Emma said searching through her bag for her inhaler.
"You have Asthma, Em?" Danny asked.
"No, I've had breathing problems since I was a baby" Emma said taking two more breaths.
"She wasn't breathing when she was born, she was born the wrong way" Jack told Danny.
"Emma, you'll be staying in the guest room, sweetie while the boys sleep in Danny's room, is that ok?" Mrs. Flaherty asked. Emma nodded.
"Danny show your friends where they'll be staying" Mr. Flaherty said.
"This is your room, Emma, do you like it?" Danny asked.
"It's lovely, Danny, thank you" Emma said.
"Um, Danny you don't have a night light do you?" Emma asked a little embarrassed.
"We can get you one if you need one, I'll ask my mum" Danny said.
"Mum, do we have any nightlights?" Danny asked.
"I don't think so, sweetie, you haven't had since you were six" Mrs. Flaherty said.
"Emma is afraid of the dark" Danny said.
"Oh I see, well here" Mrs. Flaherty conjured one up with her wand.
"Here, take that to Emma, love" Mrs. Flaherty said.
"Emma, here you are, my mum conjured it up for you" Danny said.
"Oh thank you, Danny, this will make feel a lot better" Emma said plugging the nightlight into the outlet.
"Hey guys come meet my grandparents, they live with us" Danny said. Danny entered his grandparents' room and tapped his grandmother on the shoulder.
'Grandma, this my friends J-A-C-K and E-M-M-A. They from England. E-M-M-A is deaf too' Danny Signed to his grandmother. His grandmother smiled at Emma and hugged her.
'What a beautiful child you are' his grandmother Signed.
"I don't know Irish Sign" Emma said.
"Um, she said what a beautiful child you are" Danny blushed.
"Tell her thank you" Emma blushed as well.
'You've taken a fancy her haven't you, sweetheart?' his grandmother Signed to him.
'Grandma, please she doesn't know I like her' Danny Signed back.
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"Jack, wake up mate" Danny said.
"What, what's wrong?" Jack said.
"I hear Emma screaming" Danny said.
"Someone help me! I'm scared!" the boys heard Emma scream.
The wind was very strong and probably knocked the electricity out. Danny found a flashlight and he and Jack headed for Emma's room. They boys met Annie half and followed the service dog which led lead them to a very frightened Emma. Jack tapped Emma's shoulder and she rapped her arms around his neck. Danny looked at the small girl as tears rolled down her face.
"Danny, will you stay with her please? I'm going to her some water" Jack said. Danny sat beside Emma and she laid her head in his shoulder.
'You ok?' Danny Signed to her in BSL. Emma cuddled closer to her friend so she would feel safer. Danny was starting to feel very warm all of a sudden.
"How's she doing, mate?" Jack asked as he came back with a big glass of water for his sister.
"I think she's calmed down a bit" Danny said. Jack walked over to his best friend and sister and tapped her shoulder. Danny held the flashlight up to Jack's face so Emma could read his lips.
"Take small sips, Emmy" Jack said.
'Thank you, guys' Emma Signed. The lights came back on in the house and Emma was so grateful for that. Danny wanted ask Emma why she was afraid of the dark but he thought better of it.
"Feel better, Em?" Danny asked.
"Yes Danny, thank you, um, can you guys stay here?" Emma asked.
"Sure Em, if it makes you feel better" Danny said. Hermione changed the under age wizarding laws so that under age witches and wizards can use magic only for self defense and defending others or small uses such as moving furniture which is what the boys did. They moved the beds from Danny's room to Emma's.
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An island away, Hermione awoke is total darkness as well. She could only think what was happening to her little girl if she was awake right now.
"Mm, Mione, you alright, babe?" Ron asked rapping his arms around Hermione's waist and kissing her neck.
"I wonder if Emma is ok, if they electricity went out their too" Emma said.
"I'm sure she's fine, love" Ron said.
"She's so afraid of the dark though. Remember she use to come to us crying in the middle of the night because you turned her nightlight off?" Hermione said.
"She has to get over it sometime, love" Ron said.
"I don't think that will something she just gets over" Hermione said.
"She has Jack and Danny, and Danny is a kind young man, she'll be fine" Ron said continuing to kiss down her neck.
"Ooo Ron" Hermione moaned.
"You're not the only one who can do great things, Mistress Weasely" Ron said taking off her nightgown.
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"Good morning, Emma" Mrs. Flaherty said. Annie tapped Emma's leg and she turned around.
"Good morning, Mrs. Flaherty" Emma said.
"Was that you screaming last night, honey?" Mrs. Flaherty asked.
"I'm sorry if I woke you, Mrs. Flaherty. I woke up to use the loo and it was so dark, I have a very great fear of the dark" Emma said.
"Oh no, sweetie, that's ok, Mr. Flaherty and I got up to see if you were alright and we saw Danny and Jack in your room sleeping with so we figured you were alright" Mrs. Flaherty said.
"I hope that's ok, I felt better with the boys being there" Emma said.
"That's fine, dear, I understand" Mrs. Flaherty said.
"Some Gryffindor I am. Almost twelve years old and I'm still afraid of the dark" Emma said.
"That's ok, sweetie, hey it takes courage for a Deaf person to go to a school that is predominately hearing, that's why you're a Gryffindor" Mrs. Flaherty said.
"Thank you, Mrs. Flaherty" Emma said. Annie rushed to the stairs to greet the boys as they came down her tail wagging in process.
"Good morning boys" Mrs. Flaherty said.
"Morning mum, hey Em, how are you feeling?" Danny asked.
"Better thank you" Emma said blushing behind her book.
"What are you reading?" Danny asked.
"A Beautiful Mind" Emma said.
"Woah, that's like a grown-up novel" Danny said.
"What reading level are you at, Emma?" Mrs. Flaherty asked.
"I don't know" Emma said.
"My mum is an elementary school teacher" Danny said.
"Have you ever gotten an IQ test, dear?" Mrs. Flaherty asked.
"No, my dad said the measure of a person depends on the size of their heart, not their brain, anyway, I just like to read" Emma said.
"Both our mum and Emma love books" Jack said.
"You would like reading too, Jack" Emma said.
"Um, yeah, no I like Qudditch better" Jack said.
"Uh, men" Emma sighed.
"What you would everyone like for breakfast?" Mrs. Flaherty asked.
"Morning everyone, Emma, you alright?" Mr. Flaherty asked.
"Yes thank you, Mr. Flaherty" Emma said. Danny turned to see his grandfather coming downstairs.
'Hi granddad' Danny Signed.
'Morning, Laddie' his grandfather smiled and ruffled his hair.
'Friends of yours?'
'Yes granddad, this J-A-C-K and E-M-M-A, E-M-M-A deaf too' Danny Signed.
"Nice meet you, lad, nice to meet you, lassie" his granddad said slowly.
'Hi dad' Mrs. Flaherty Signed.
'I'll cook breakfast you sit'
'No dad, it's ok'
'I didn't teach your brothers to cook for nothing, a woman shouldn't have to cook all the time'
"Are you an only child, Danny?" Jack asked.
"Yeah but I have 30 cousins so it's ok. My mum is the youngest of 13. I give my grandma a lot of credit, they had five kids and two on the way by the time they were 22 and my granddad fought in WWII, he was born hearing, he went deaf in the war, while my grandmother raised 7 hearing kids and going to college. The magic skipped their generation" Danny said.
"Wow, back then the deaf were looked down upon, your grandfather is a very good man for marrying your grandmother" Emma said.
"They love each other very much, sometimes they will just sit there and look in each other's eyes, the deaf don't really need words do they?" Danny asked his friend.
"No we don't, we let our hands and bodies do the talking" Emma said.