Ginny sat down at the table and pulled a towel toward her. As she folded it, she watched Charlie’s fiancée, Martha. The tall young woman had knotted her mass of dark hair on top of her head to keep it out of her face. Her eyes were squinted tight as she concentrated on mending a pair of Arthur’s trousers with tinier stitches than Ginny had ever managed.
The Romanian girl had kept herself busy the entire week. She had washed dishes, mopped floors, and hung out laundry alongside the others, all while wearing a cheery smile. Ginny was, admittedly, a bit surprised. Martha’s long, delicate fingers did not seem to have seen hard work at any point in her life.
Molly sat down next to Ginny and asked casually, “She’s very beautiful, isn’t she?”
“Yes, she is,” Ginny replied. Until she had met Martha, she had not believed it possible for any human to be so beautiful.
And yet she worked as diligently as any other person. She didn’t worry over broken fingernails as other girls did, or spend hours arranging her hair. It amazed Ginny that someone with Martha’s looks could be so selfless.
It didn’t take long to finish the towels, so after folding the last one, Ginny moved to sit with Martha. She grabbed a pair of socks and began to sew. Molly smiled and disappeared into the kitchen to begin preparing dinner.
“Tell me about yourself,” Ginny said to the other girl.
Martha looked up in surprise. “What do you mean?”
“Well, if we’re going to be sisters, I’d like to get to know you.”
“That is sweet, Ginny. Thank you.”
Ginny blushed and shook her head. “It’s not, really. It’s just the way we do things. Making friends and all that.”
Martha nodded. “You know I’m from Romania. I was born and raised in a small town at the base of a group of mountains, just one of the small, lesser-known ranges. My parents were both magical, but they were also both Muggle-born.”
Ginny nodded. She knew a couple of Muggle-borns herself… several close friends, even. Hermione, of course, and the Creeveys.
Then Martha surprised her. “I am a Squib,” she stated, very straight-forward, staring fixedly at the wall. “My parents were a bit ashamed of me.”
“That’s terrible!” Ginny exclaimed. “There’s nothing wrong with being a Squib!”
“Thank you, Ginny. Your brother told me you were kind-hearted.
“But my parents were very proud of their magical abilities,” she continued, her English slow and deliberate. “To have produced something that would not be an actual part of the wizarding world, especially during a time when Squibs were less desirable amongst their kind, was un-unac-unacceptable. They loved me, of course. I was their child, after all. But they were still embarrassed.
She heaved a sigh and seemed to drift off, her eyes still focused on the trousers in her hands, but clearly not seeing them. Then she shook her head and went on.
“I have two younger brothers, twins named Andrew and Carter. They were both wizards. My parents were so proud when they got their letters from school.
“When they bought the boys’ school things, they gave me a cat so I would not feel left out. They had to leave me at home with one of my aunts while they went to the train station because we would have been ridiculed.”
Ginny smiled sympathetically. “You must have been disappointed.”
“I was at first,” Martha said. “But then…”
She broke off and her brow furrowed in thought.
“You see,” she finally went on, “two years ago, Carter decided that just being a wizard was not good enough. He came to England to be a Death Eater. He… Andrew was killed trying to stop him.”
Ginny’s hands flew up to cover her mouth, which had dropped open in horror. “Oh, Martha! I’m so sorry!”
The Romanian girl shook her head a bit sadly. “It’s all right. It was so long ago.”
They sat in silence, each thinking about the past. Ginny was shocked that Martha’s life had been so sad. It reminded her a lot of Draco Malfoy. Parents being disappointed and a Death Eater in the family.
Martha spoke first. “My parents took it pretty hard at first; but then they told me that they were glad I had been safe at home and didn’t have to be a part of that whole thing. My being a Squib wasn‘t so bad anymore.”
Ginny, wanting to change the subject, as Draco Malfoy was now so present in her mind, said, “How did you meet Charlie?”
A radiant smile spread over Martha’s face and her eyes lit up. “I was staying with a friend of mine. She had been Carter’s girlfriend and we grew very close after the incident. Like grieving buddies, I think you call them.
“Anyway, we were out shopping one day, and Charlie gave us some assistance with our heavy packages. He invited me to dinner and we’ve been together ever since.”
“He must have been smitten,” Ginny said, with a smile of her own. “You captured his heart with you beauty!”
Martha blushed and waved away the compliment. “How about you?” she asked. “Who is the young man you are in love with?”
“What?” Ginny gasped. “I’m not in love with any young man. I dated Harry Potter for a while last year, but…”
“No, no. You are in love with one now! You are trying to trick me!” Martha shook her finger at Ginny, laughing lightly. “But I can see it plain as day. You have a very expressive face. Who is it?”
“Really!” Ginny insisted, feeling her smile start to fade. Surely if she were in love with someone, she would know. That seemed like the normal way of things. “I am not in love with anyone!”
Martha nodded. “I have seen you. You smile for no reason. You fall silent in the middle of conversations. You get this look sometimes, and I can tell you are thinking of a special boy.”
“I do not!” Ginny was confused now, despite her continued denial. Had she been doing what Martha described? Even if she had been… what boy would she have been thinking of? She hadn’t been around that many in the past few months; except for her friends, and they didn‘t count. She didn’t have a crush on Harry anymore, and none of the other boys struck her fancy.
Once again, Draco’s face flashed before her eyes. Why was she thinking about him so much? There wasn’t even anything this time to trigger it.
Martha suddenly exclaimed, “Aha! There he is now!” She waved a hand at Ginny’s face excitedly. “You are thinking of him again. You cannot fool me!”
Ginny’s mouth dropped open. “What? No! No, I’m not in love with him!” she said a little too firmly for her own comfort. She tried again. “He’s not my type.”
Can you say understatement? Ginny thought to herself. Draco Malfoy not my type? That’s like saying ‘The grass is not red’. It just isn’t. It’s obvious. One of the basic rules for the Universe.
“Who is ‘he’?” Martha asked, clearly not ready to give up yet.
“Just a boy from school.” Ginny waved her hand absently, trying to indicate that it was inconsequential.
“So I was right.” Martha leaned back, looking unmistakably pleased. “There is someone.”
Ginny blinked in surprise. “I didn’t say that!”
“You didn’t have to.”
Impulsively, Ginny glanced around to make sure they were alone. Then she leaned closer to Martha. Sensing a forthcoming bit of heart-to-heart, Martha leaned in as well.
“I don’t love him,” Ginny quietly confided, “but… I don’t know what to think. He used to be so awful! Always attacking the other students, especially my brother and his friends.
“But lately,” she added, “he’s been… different. I wouldn’t say nicer, but he’s quiet and sad. He doesn’t start fights like he used to. I want to help him, but I don’t know how.”
She hesitated, then said, “There was an incident recently…. He needed help and I was the only one there. So I took him to a secret room and took care of him.”
“Ah. I see,” Martha said, nodding her head. “You feel the compassion for this boy.”
Ginny sighed. “Yes. I can’t tell you his story. It isn’t mine to tell. He just seems so… I can’t describe it!”
“You know,” Martha told her thoughtfully. “Muggles have a theory that nurses are more likely to fall in love with their patients. Maybe you are feeling something like that?”
Ginny dropped the finished socks back into the basket and shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t think I am in love with him. I…” She broke off.
I what? she thought. How do I feel about him?
Martha watched Ginny as thoughts flitted through her mind, showing plainly on her face, of course. After a couple of minutes she observed, “Okay. Not love. But you do feel something for him. Just give it some more time.”
The Romanian girl had kept herself busy the entire week. She had washed dishes, mopped floors, and hung out laundry alongside the others, all while wearing a cheery smile. Ginny was, admittedly, a bit surprised. Martha’s long, delicate fingers did not seem to have seen hard work at any point in her life.
Molly sat down next to Ginny and asked casually, “She’s very beautiful, isn’t she?”
“Yes, she is,” Ginny replied. Until she had met Martha, she had not believed it possible for any human to be so beautiful.
And yet she worked as diligently as any other person. She didn’t worry over broken fingernails as other girls did, or spend hours arranging her hair. It amazed Ginny that someone with Martha’s looks could be so selfless.
It didn’t take long to finish the towels, so after folding the last one, Ginny moved to sit with Martha. She grabbed a pair of socks and began to sew. Molly smiled and disappeared into the kitchen to begin preparing dinner.
“Tell me about yourself,” Ginny said to the other girl.
Martha looked up in surprise. “What do you mean?”
“Well, if we’re going to be sisters, I’d like to get to know you.”
“That is sweet, Ginny. Thank you.”
Ginny blushed and shook her head. “It’s not, really. It’s just the way we do things. Making friends and all that.”
Martha nodded. “You know I’m from Romania. I was born and raised in a small town at the base of a group of mountains, just one of the small, lesser-known ranges. My parents were both magical, but they were also both Muggle-born.”
Ginny nodded. She knew a couple of Muggle-borns herself… several close friends, even. Hermione, of course, and the Creeveys.
Then Martha surprised her. “I am a Squib,” she stated, very straight-forward, staring fixedly at the wall. “My parents were a bit ashamed of me.”
“That’s terrible!” Ginny exclaimed. “There’s nothing wrong with being a Squib!”
“Thank you, Ginny. Your brother told me you were kind-hearted.
“But my parents were very proud of their magical abilities,” she continued, her English slow and deliberate. “To have produced something that would not be an actual part of the wizarding world, especially during a time when Squibs were less desirable amongst their kind, was un-unac-unacceptable. They loved me, of course. I was their child, after all. But they were still embarrassed.
She heaved a sigh and seemed to drift off, her eyes still focused on the trousers in her hands, but clearly not seeing them. Then she shook her head and went on.
“I have two younger brothers, twins named Andrew and Carter. They were both wizards. My parents were so proud when they got their letters from school.
“When they bought the boys’ school things, they gave me a cat so I would not feel left out. They had to leave me at home with one of my aunts while they went to the train station because we would have been ridiculed.”
Ginny smiled sympathetically. “You must have been disappointed.”
“I was at first,” Martha said. “But then…”
She broke off and her brow furrowed in thought.
“You see,” she finally went on, “two years ago, Carter decided that just being a wizard was not good enough. He came to England to be a Death Eater. He… Andrew was killed trying to stop him.”
Ginny’s hands flew up to cover her mouth, which had dropped open in horror. “Oh, Martha! I’m so sorry!”
The Romanian girl shook her head a bit sadly. “It’s all right. It was so long ago.”
They sat in silence, each thinking about the past. Ginny was shocked that Martha’s life had been so sad. It reminded her a lot of Draco Malfoy. Parents being disappointed and a Death Eater in the family.
Martha spoke first. “My parents took it pretty hard at first; but then they told me that they were glad I had been safe at home and didn’t have to be a part of that whole thing. My being a Squib wasn‘t so bad anymore.”
Ginny, wanting to change the subject, as Draco Malfoy was now so present in her mind, said, “How did you meet Charlie?”
A radiant smile spread over Martha’s face and her eyes lit up. “I was staying with a friend of mine. She had been Carter’s girlfriend and we grew very close after the incident. Like grieving buddies, I think you call them.
“Anyway, we were out shopping one day, and Charlie gave us some assistance with our heavy packages. He invited me to dinner and we’ve been together ever since.”
“He must have been smitten,” Ginny said, with a smile of her own. “You captured his heart with you beauty!”
Martha blushed and waved away the compliment. “How about you?” she asked. “Who is the young man you are in love with?”
“What?” Ginny gasped. “I’m not in love with any young man. I dated Harry Potter for a while last year, but…”
“No, no. You are in love with one now! You are trying to trick me!” Martha shook her finger at Ginny, laughing lightly. “But I can see it plain as day. You have a very expressive face. Who is it?”
“Really!” Ginny insisted, feeling her smile start to fade. Surely if she were in love with someone, she would know. That seemed like the normal way of things. “I am not in love with anyone!”
Martha nodded. “I have seen you. You smile for no reason. You fall silent in the middle of conversations. You get this look sometimes, and I can tell you are thinking of a special boy.”
“I do not!” Ginny was confused now, despite her continued denial. Had she been doing what Martha described? Even if she had been… what boy would she have been thinking of? She hadn’t been around that many in the past few months; except for her friends, and they didn‘t count. She didn’t have a crush on Harry anymore, and none of the other boys struck her fancy.
Once again, Draco’s face flashed before her eyes. Why was she thinking about him so much? There wasn’t even anything this time to trigger it.
Martha suddenly exclaimed, “Aha! There he is now!” She waved a hand at Ginny’s face excitedly. “You are thinking of him again. You cannot fool me!”
Ginny’s mouth dropped open. “What? No! No, I’m not in love with him!” she said a little too firmly for her own comfort. She tried again. “He’s not my type.”
Can you say understatement? Ginny thought to herself. Draco Malfoy not my type? That’s like saying ‘The grass is not red’. It just isn’t. It’s obvious. One of the basic rules for the Universe.
“Who is ‘he’?” Martha asked, clearly not ready to give up yet.
“Just a boy from school.” Ginny waved her hand absently, trying to indicate that it was inconsequential.
“So I was right.” Martha leaned back, looking unmistakably pleased. “There is someone.”
Ginny blinked in surprise. “I didn’t say that!”
“You didn’t have to.”
Impulsively, Ginny glanced around to make sure they were alone. Then she leaned closer to Martha. Sensing a forthcoming bit of heart-to-heart, Martha leaned in as well.
“I don’t love him,” Ginny quietly confided, “but… I don’t know what to think. He used to be so awful! Always attacking the other students, especially my brother and his friends.
“But lately,” she added, “he’s been… different. I wouldn’t say nicer, but he’s quiet and sad. He doesn’t start fights like he used to. I want to help him, but I don’t know how.”
She hesitated, then said, “There was an incident recently…. He needed help and I was the only one there. So I took him to a secret room and took care of him.”
“Ah. I see,” Martha said, nodding her head. “You feel the compassion for this boy.”
Ginny sighed. “Yes. I can’t tell you his story. It isn’t mine to tell. He just seems so… I can’t describe it!”
“You know,” Martha told her thoughtfully. “Muggles have a theory that nurses are more likely to fall in love with their patients. Maybe you are feeling something like that?”
Ginny dropped the finished socks back into the basket and shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t think I am in love with him. I…” She broke off.
I what? she thought. How do I feel about him?
Martha watched Ginny as thoughts flitted through her mind, showing plainly on her face, of course. After a couple of minutes she observed, “Okay. Not love. But you do feel something for him. Just give it some more time.”
Author notes: This chapter kind of wrote itself. I started it without a really clear idea in my head, and just kind of... went with it. Now I know you all are probably busy and, unlike me, have actual lives outside of fanfic... but could you please tell me what you think? I'm really thankful to those who have taken the time to review: psyche, harrypotterchick4ever, Rosalie, MrsGinnyMalfoy, and eiramremmus. You are all super-special to me and you make me smile. :D -See? Loves!
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