"Hi Danny, what are doing?" Emma asked.
"Just drawing our Christmas tree" Danny said.
"You draw, may I see?" Emma asked. His drawing skills were very good. She flipped backwards threw his sketch book and on the first page she came upon her own face. She was sleeping on the train. The title of the artwork read: "My First Hogwarts Friend".
"Danny these are very good" Emma said.
"That's my favorite drawing" Danny said. Emma blushed.
"I like to draw too" Emma said.
"Can I see your drawings?" Danny asked. Emma ran up to her guest room and brought down a sketch book that was bigger than she was. The first drawing Danny came upon was one of Annie, the second was of him and Jack playing class with James waiting to play winner. Danny tapped her shoulder to have her read his lips.
"You're very good too, Em" Danny said.
'Thank you' Emma Signed.
'You're welcome' Danny smiled and Signed back.
"You're Signing is so much better" Emma said.
"Thanks Em, I think I want to be an interpreter now" Danny said.
"Really Danny, oh that would be wonderful, we really appreciate it when the hearing try to learn Sign" Emma said.
"Where's Jack?" Danny asked.
"Taking a shower, Danny thank you for consoling me last night" Emma said.
"Console?" Danny asked. Emma giggled.
"It means to comfort someone" Emma said.
"Do you like read the Oxford dictionary?" Danny asked.
"Yes" Emma said bluntly.
"I think you might be the brightest witch of your age, like your mum" Danny said. Emma asked her mum what it was like to kiss a boy, and she told her intelligent daughter that she shouldn't kiss any boy; it should be a special boy, one who likes her for her.
"Emma, did you ever wish you could hear?" Danny asked.
"Yes and no. I really just want to hear voices. Like mum and dad's voices and Jack's and James and Leah and Lizzie and yours, and my own. I have no idea what my own voice sounds like but, I feel them" Emma said.
"Feel them?" Danny asked.
"Yeah, like I told you my sense of touch is very strong, I touch people's throats so I can feel what their like" Emma said.
"What does your mum's voice feel like?" Danny asked.
"Hers is comforting" Emma said.
"What about your dad's?" asked Danny.
"His is protective, Jack's too" said Emma.
"What about mine?" Danny asked. Emma put her tiny hands on Danny's throat.
"Now what?" askec.
"Just talk to me" Emma said.
"This is a little strange to me, I'm not gonna lie" said Danny.
"Your voice is gentle, Danny, what does my voice sound like to you?" Emma asked.
"It's sweet and soothing, like an angel's" Danny said. Emma realized how close she was to Danny's face and she backed away blushing.
"Sorry Em, did I make you uncomfortable?" asked. Danny.
'He is so sweet and so cute' Emma thought.
"No Danny its ok" Emma said.
'I wonder what it would be like to kiss her' Danny thought. Annie watched the interaction between her owner and her friend. Even the dog knew you cut the tension between the kids like a knife. Jack came downstairs at exactly the right moment.
"Hey guys, what have you been doing?" Jack asked.
"Danny let me feel his voice" Emma said.
"Was it awkward for you, mate?" Jack asked.
"A little, but I didn't mind, come on I want to show you muggle Dublin" Danny said. His
"Mum, can we go into Dublin?" Danny asked.
"Of course, sweetie, just back before dark" Mrs. Flaherty said. Emma was very scared in large crowds and the boys noticed when they reached the city.
"It's ok, Emmy, we won't let anything happen to you" Jack said.
"I don't like crowds" Emma said. Danny allowed Emma to take his arm again so she would feel safer. They first stopped in a small bakery that his uncle owned.
"Danny my boy! How are yea?! Your mother said you were a Hogwarts man now" his Uncle Frank said.
"Yup I am, these are my friends Emma and Jack, they're from England, and they go to Hogwarts with me" Danny said.
"Hello kids, nice to meet you, wait are you twins?" Frank asked.
"Yeah, Emma is five minutes younger than me" Jack said.
"Yea don't look like it" Frank said.
"I'm taller and I can hear Emma is a lot smaller and she's deaf" Jack said.
"You're deaf, sweetie?" Frank asked. Emma nodded shyly.
"Here Danny, fresh gingerbread, here you go Jackie, and for the pretty little lady" Frank said.
"Thank you" Emma said sweetly.
"You're welcome dear" Frank said.
"Thank you, sir" Jack said.
"Thanks Uncle Frank" Danny said.
"See you in two days, pal" Frank said.
"Your uncle is nice, he called me a little lady" Emma giggled.
"Yeah, he's my oldest uncle, he's one my mum's side" Danny said.
"Hey Danny, what's up, mate?" one his muggle friends asked. Shawn was two years older than them.
"Hey Shawn, these are my friends from my new school" Danny said. Shawn eyed Emma which her very uncomfortable and she hid behind the boys.
"What's your name, sweetheart?" Shawn asked Emma. Emma let out a squeak and eyes filled with tears.
"What is she dumb or something?" Shawn asked.
"No, she's deaf, now back away from her, Shawn, you're scaring her" Danny said trying to protect Emma.
"I'm warning you, Shawn, leave her alone, I've seen how you treat girls" Danny said. The older boy finally gave up and gave Danny a rude gustier with his finger. Danny towered over Emma, and he had to bend down so she could read his lips.
"Are you ok, Em, I'm so sorry, I stopped being friends with him when I saw hit girl but he thinks I'm still his friend" Danny asked rubbing her arm.
"I'm ok" Emma said.
"You want to go back?" Danny asked.
"No, it's very pretty out here, I want to keep walking around" Emma said.
"You're the bravest person I've ever met next to my grandma" Danny said.