Cannot Speak

"I'm glad you're here."

Ginny smiled at him, thinking about her trip over. How miserable she was before she realized she was homesick. It had come to her in a flash...

A fiery-haired girl was curled up in a tiny beige-colored armchair facing the window, looking out at the rain. It was an in-between rain, the annoying kind that was too hard to be called a drizzle, but it wasn't hard enough to be called a downpour. The dark sky seemed to darken by the minute, and the girl's eyes seemed to darken along with the sky. As the room became darker, she became more restless. The air was so stuffy and it seemed to squeeze the air out of her lungs. Slowly turning her head to survey the small room she was in, she felt claustrophobic, even though she was used to being in close quarters. She closed her eyes to ward away the bad thoughts. I will be okay, she thought. I will sleep soon and wake up and go the job I was so lucky to get, despite the lack of experience I have. Her eyes started to well with tears and she started to sob quietly, as if she didn't want the sound to disturb anyone. Oh, I wonder how Mum and Dad are doing. I wonder what everyone's doing. I...I wonder...what....Then she realized: she needed to leave. As quickly as possible. She grabbed a bag and started throwing some things into it. Then she carefully placed a small cardboard box on the top of her pile. She didn't know exactly where she was going, but she felt this exigency to leave or else. Or else what? She slipped on some comfortable clothes and was about to leave when she looked back at the sleeping figure on the bed. She thought for a moment before dropping her bag, grabbing a piece of paper, and jotting down a note:

Hey hon, it read. Sorry for leaving so suddenly. I really have to get away to clear my mind, especially after last week. Don't try to track me; I trust you and hopefully you trust me too. I'll call when/if I do. Love, Ginny.

She put the note on the pillow next to the black-haired man. Her heart pounded loudly as he looked at him. It's now or never. She sighed, grabbed her bag off the floor, and left the apartment. It was raining harder when she was outdoors. The cool rain fell on her and seemed to wash away the muck that's been burying her spirit as she laughed and danced and twirled in happiness. She never felt so free. She finally hailed a cab to the airport. When she paid the cabbie, she walked through the closing shops in the airport. She suddenly felt drawn to this one tiny dark shop. It looked like it sold the same things any other place sold, but Ginny felt it in her bones; this place was different. When she went through the door, she was surprised. The tiny shop became a large roomy space. Lights filled the shop, and the man at the counter looked warm and friendly.

"Hello there," he called. "Come to pick up a copy of the Daily Prophet?" He smiled at her, remembering what it was like to be young.

"Daily Prophet?" She panicked at this Muggle knowing the name of a wizard newspaper and feigned ignorance. "What's that?"

"I thought a smart witch like you would read the Daily Prophet." He looked at her in mock dismay.

"I - oh, I do. I mean, I pick it up whenever I can, but there aren't many places I can find it in San Francisco," she gasped. "How do you - Why did you - I mean, won't someone find out?" Despite her initial urge to approach the shop, the man's knowledge was now unnerving her.

He chuckled. "I gather that you've never seen an enchanted shop before, have you?"

"An enchanted shop?" Ginny was confused and curious.

"It serves both Muggles and wizards. The only difference is that Muggles can only see this space." He waved his hand around the small area the store would have accommodated if it weren't enchanted. "But wizards can see this space." He smiled at the roomy area that extended far beyond the cramped shelves holding various Muggle newspapers.

Ginny stood in awe, looking around the shop. Even though she was a witch, there were always some things that she could learn. "Looking for anything in particular?" the jolly man asked.

"No, I'll just look around, thanks." Ginny browsed the area, taking as much time as she wanted to look at everything. She finally approached the cashier with her items.

"A pack of M&Ms, a pack of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, a New York Times and a Witchly Chronicles. Nicely balanced, if I may say so for myself. Though if I were a young girl like you, I'd buy the Witchly Chronicles myself." He tapped the front page. "He's quite the handsome fella." Ginny did a double-take as she realized who it was. The flannel shirted man saw her expression, and mistaken it for awe. He ignored it and looked up at her from under his silver-framed glasses and his white, still thick hair. "Come again anytime, miss."

She thanked him and left the shop. She then ran to get a ticket. The woman behind the counter looked surprised at Ginny's breathlessness. Nonetheless, she started looking in the computer's files to see if there was a ticket available for Ginny. After ensuring a ticket, Ginny grabbed her ticket and looked for the right terminal. She apparently made a wrong turn somewhere; she had to ask one of the employees to point her the correct way. He was a sullen middle-aged person who looked like he wouldn't ever go any further in life than the position he was in at that moment. She thanked him for his directions and walk to the terminal. There weren't many people there, only a man with a guitar case and a woman with a baby nestled in her arms.

Ginny sighed and sat down, relaxing for the first time in ages. Do I know what I'm doing? she thought. Am I capable of just pretending everything's the same, that I'm all right? She decided not to think about it at that moment. The girl in sneakers slipped the cardboard box out of her bag and took out the music box. It was crystal. The lights went through it and came out rainbows. She looked at it wonderingly and wound it on the bottom with a tiny key that hung on a thin silver chain around her neck. She let the first dreamy notes take her away to a fantasy world she lived in for far too long....

Her eyes glazed over for a fraction of a second, and Draco wondered what she was thinking about. After the next second, it didn't matter. "I'm glad I'm here too." Her green eyes looked directly into his gray eyes and, feeling slightly uncomfortable, Draco had to shift his gaze. But in the next moment, he looked back at her and smiled gently.

"Well, does anyone else know you're here?"

Her eyes widened just a little before she said stiffly, "I didn't have enough time to tell anyone." Draco noticed that Ginny had looked away at that moment. And was she turning just a little red?

"Well, that's fine. You can call everyone later. I'm sure your parents would like to know you've come back. And," he clenched his teeth, "your brothers too, of course."

Ginny saw him tense up and laughed. "I wouldn't mind if no one knew yet that I'm back. Maybe I could get a couple of days to myself before I make my presence known." And figure out what to say to everyone in the meanwhile, she thought.

They spent another couple of hours talking. During this time, they migrated to the kitchen for a drink, which Ginny admired for its black-and-white tiled floor, white island table, and cleanliness before sitting down. After a while, Ginny stifled a yawn. "Don't tell me you're tired already," commented Draco, looking amused.

"Of course not. You've merely bored me to death." Ginny threw the statement back at him, but not before repressing another yawn.

"How delightful." Draco looked at the clock of the VCR facing the fireplace. "Well, it's a bit late. Why don't you take a nap," he pointed to what was apparently the guest room. "While I go out for some errands? And take a shower while you're at it."

Ginny glared at him for his last comment. "Errands? What about your company? Don't you have to work as well? Or does the great Draco Malfoy not have to work like the ordinary Muggle?"

It was Draco's turn to glare. "When I said errands, I meant stopping by the office. Just for that, I'm not going to bring you back the surprise I had for you." He stood up abruptly, "hmph-ed" at her, and walked off.

Ginny laughed. "Wait, wait. Okay, I'm sorry." She felt bad because Draco looked truly hurt. "I'll take a shower and all, and you bring back your surprise, but don't be mad at me, all right? We're too old for that, aren't we?"

"Sure we are." Draco smirked and went on speaking. "Remember Neville Longbottom?" he asked casually.

"Remember him? How could I forget? He was really nice to me even though I was a year younger. It's too bad he never became very confident by the time he left Hogwarts. I wonder where he is now." She sighed and took another sip of her diet Coke.

Draco made no comment about it. "I'll see you later." He grabbed his wand, muttered a few words, and was dressed in a snappy suit that made him look as good as the picture in Witchly Chronicles. He glanced back at the tired redhead and saw her look appreciatively at his clothing. When she saw he had looked at her, she blushed, said, "See ya," and took another sip from her empty glass.

¤~¤~¤

Draco Apparated quietly and crept down the hall to see that the door of the guest room was closed. Opening it slightly, he saw Ginny was awake in a long shirt and worn stretch pants. It took him a minute to realize that she was reading the Witchly Chronicles' piece on him. She giggled from time to time and shook her head. Draco looked behind him at the suave man and whispered, "She's awake."

"Great," said the man in a deep booming voice. "Let's say hi."

Draco's eyes widened in panic the suddenly loud voice and walked back to him to whack his arm. "Don't talk so loud," he hissed. "She doesn't know we're back yet."

"Now I do," Ginny said. The men turned towards her. The different was amazing, with one in a perfectly pressed suit, and the other looking like he slept in his suit. "Won't you introduce me to your friend, Draco?" She batted her eyelashes at the unknown man, knowing it would make Draco blow a little steam out of his ears.

The man's eyes brightened, as he walked towards her in two long strides. The man took her hand and kissed it. "You are magnificent. Pray tell, what is your name, angel from heaven?" Draco's eyes narrowed as he stiffly stood behind him, not knowing what to do.

"My name's Virginia, but my friends call me Ginny." She exchanged a look with the man, knowing that they were only batting flirty words back and forth. "And yours, kind sir?"

"You may call me...," he hesitated for a second, and Draco smirked at the charade. It would not go on any longer.