*SOMEONE ELSE'S Problem* As of Next Week- Suprise But MUCH-NEEDED Visit From Nuka/I Bumped Into *WHOM*???!!
When Pinocchio and Annie got 'home', they found Miss Hannigan working out in the living-room using an old piece of exercise equipment. The former pussyfooted out of sight and hearing until their foster caretaker was done speaking with the latter, since Annie 'abstively posolutely' *was NOT* to know that whether with Domani's on Friday or else-wise he was to follow after her. -Like one of Harry Evans-Potter's so-called 'security guards' down at Privet Drive during those horrible awful terrible no-good summers no thanks to a certain manipulative actually-not-so-kind-and-good twinkly-eyed old man of a wizard who thought that he was Merlin's and/or God's gift to the world.
(Which kind of STUNG and rankled... but Pinocchio was thankful deep down, even if it hurt a bit that he and Annie weren't semi-close much less practically sibs. He *did NOT* want to deal with further 'Basher John' comments or anything similar, thankyouverymuch! And truthfully, he didn't mind keeping an eye on her, given that this was *New York*, and she was only ten... Anything *BAD* could happen to her being out on her lonesome!
So, really, he didn't mind kind of being put in his supposed 'conscience's' shoes, even if it was in ordered secret. He just wished that he and his foster sisters could get on better with each other- that they would try to *get to know him* a little, nevermind that he was also kind of Signorina Colleen's yes-man as well as her other charge...)
The following conversation between them??? *Not so great*, as usual.
"How was the library?"
"-Educational."
"Yeah? Well, here's *SOME MORE education* for you. I told the inspector/Family Services that I don't wanna foster you anymore. So as of next week, you're SOMEONE ELSE'S problem."
"Did they say who??"
"Not a 'who', sweetie. A *'what'*. *GROUP HOME*. I think it's in Albany. Or Schenectady. Some place ending in 'y'. As in, 'Why are THREE HUNDRED KIDS *sharing one room*???'"
Pinocchio flinched and either worried or bit his lower lip as he saw spirited plucky smart-mouthed-but-still-sweet Annie trytryTRY *her HARDEST* not to let Miss Hannigan know that she was upset and about to cry (again), his own eyes stinging and watering in sympathy as the ten-year-old gray-eyed curly-headed girl turned and *hurried* to her room that she shared with her other foster-sisters.
"Maybe THIS will teach you *not to run your smart mouth*!" Miss Hannigan yelled after her.
(Yet again, Pinocchio wished that THIS Miss Hannigan and Annie could be able to get along, since there were no beatings, underfeedings, hocking Christmas souveniers, overdoing on chores, or 'pig-droppings' comments even if still excessive drinking this time around. *FUTILE*, he well knew that- but he still couldn't help hoping...)
The moment that the girls' dorm-room door was clicked shut, Pinocchio quietly stepped out of hiding after blotting his eyes dry with his spare kerchief. "B-'Buono serra', Miss Hannigan," he said softly. "H-How's your head?"
"-Better. I'd ask YOU 'How was the library', male!Matilda ...but that little rat *DIDN'T go to the bookhouse*, did she?"
"N-No, Miss Hannigan."
"Well, -where DID she sneak off to then with you following as usual as told, Kurt Hummel?"
"F-Fam- Family S-Services," Pinocchio tried not to gulp, feeling himself sweat a bit as he rubbed or clutched at his arm and continued worrying or biting his lip. He was *SO nervous and worried* about his guardian's and warden's reaction that he felt himself Shift.
"-Let me guess. Mr. Handsome Nice *Unfortunately Taken* Inspector accidentally dropped a piece of paper which had HER information on it, which she then used to mosey on down to Family Services to use to search for her lost mommy and daddy after somehow getting the cash needed," Miss Hannigan said flatly with slightly narrowed eyes. "Most likely from *Lou*. GOD KNOWS that old fool would do *ANYTHING* for that little rat...!"
"S-'Si', Miss Hannigan," Pinocchio said quietly with a timorous nod.
"So- what?? Am I gonna be bombarded with the sudden magical miraculous return of Annie's parents either tomorrow or next week?"
Now the Creation teen sadly shook his head as he responded with, "...No, Signorina Hannigan. There- Th-There was n-no further data on her, Miss- M-Miss Kovacevic said. A-After she looked it up, I mean."
Miss Hannigan might have been awful *cold* if not angry or embittered at the world i.e. C+C Music Factory, but she wasn't female!Frollo or modern-day Margaret White, much less *AGATHA Hannigan*. "Well, -gee. Isn't that a shame?" she mumbled.
Pinocchio had *NEVER* been so glad when she then *DIDN'T ask him* about what happened later. It would be *bad ENOUGH* all over again just telling Nuka later either in person or over the phone-! (He wasn't using a Two-Way Mirror in a LONG WHILE unless it was a bleeding emergency, 'millegrazie'.)
"-You've got a visitor by the way, puppet-boy. *Your BOYFRIEND* Prince Not-So-Dead Nuka. I guess he can stay the night, if you want- but if any *funny business* happens, you'd *BETTER* put a super-strong Silencing Charm up first. 'Capiche'??"
"C-*Crystal clear*, Miss Hannigan!" was all a dumbfounded Pinocchio could ekke out. "C-Com- 'Capisco' (I understand)! Gr-'Grazie'."
"Yeah, yeah- sure," Miss Hannigan waved off. "'*We love you*, Miss Hannigan!' Shut up, rats. And YOU, Nutcracker- *SCRAM*. If I can help it, I don't wanna see yours' or the rest of your foster-sibs' faces for the rest of the night. So- *goodnight*."
Pinocchio could smell the slight fumes of red and white wine on her breath- *mixed*, not separate. Even if disappointed by 'Mr. Handsome' not being available, she still must have been having a 'celebratory' drink since the inspection had gone fairly well AND Annie would soon be out of her hair (which meant that *Pinocchio* would soon be out of her hair and house). -Then again, whether happy, angry, embarrassed, or sad, she was *ALWAYS* at least slightly drunk from morning to night.
"B-'Buono notte', Miss Hannigan," he said quietly before again slipping away, where indeed Nuka WAS waiting for him by his 'room', smiling in sweet warm welcome yet clearly worried and concerned when those sharp no-longer-dulled reddish-brown eyes caught sight of 'Nocchi's' own *reddened* slightly swollen oculi plus TEARSTAINS on his usually-rosy cheeks. The sheer *HEARTBREAK* all over again in those big literal baby-blues that also colored his body language as much as his facial expression...
Swallowing hard as his heart Cracked a la Casita in 'Encanto', Pinocchio instantly gave a sharp wave of his hand and cast a Silencing Charm so that NOBODY, especially Miss Hannigan and She-Who'd-Christened-Him-'Basher John' AKA Pepper, could hear him- much less hear him *cry again*.
"*Teenagers*!" Miss Hannigan tipsily chuckled the moment she felt the slight tingle of her only male ward's faerie and Creation magic. "Dey tink dey *know EVERYTHING*! You give dem an INCH, dey *swim all over you*! Ahhh, 'la amour', 'la amour'... Or *'that's "amore"'*, rather, since Pinokie's, well, you know, ITALIAN! -How d' you say 'Ooh la la!' or 'Huzzat!!' in Italian??
~When the moon hits your eye like *a BIG PIZZA PIE*,
That's 'amore'!
When the world seems to SHINE like you've had *too much wine*,
That's 'amore'...!
When *the STARS* make you DROOL just like a *pasta e fasule*,
*THAT'S 'amore'*!
When you dance down the street with *A CLOUD* at your feet,
*That's 'AMORE'*...!~"
Pinocchio blushed red as a ripe Snow Apple under his freckles yet smiled a bit, laughed softly, and semi-fondly shook his head at what his foster caretaker/warden was winefully singing and what she had quoted before even though the context was *WAY* WRONG. At times like this (which were rare), she was like the female version of Uncle Buck...
Nuka, meanwhile, flushed scarlet yet rolled his eyes outright since he and the other Jacksons were still more than a bit salty over *'NOCCHI'S cupboard for a so-called-room*. *Damn good thing* that 'Little Woodenhead' was natally small-framed, or else there'd be *MAJOR PROBLEMS* concerning his back and limbs currently and later in life-!! It was still more than a bit cramped, though, which set his leonine teeth on edge and *ALWAYS* would, since on Miss Colleen Hannigan's *BEST days* she was still-cold-but-not-*EVIL* Regina Mills even if not Petunia Evans-Dursley 2.0 or gender-flipped flaxen-haired blue-eyed canon!Severus Snape...
Well, at least what with 'Nocchi's nest of spare or bought pillows and blankets, his 'own little corner' was always pretty cozy, comfortable, and snug, so- pros to cons. (And *most definitely* cleaner, brighter, and more colorful than 'Just Harry's' first so-called-room in that abusive abode until he was finally released to the Burrow, lit out for elsewhere, or was rescued by someone other than the Weasleys, the Order, or Mr. Manipulative 'It's *ALL* For *the Greater Good*' Twinkly-Eyes AKA Dumbledore the Elder, at least! -OR the Smallest Bedroom AKA Dudley's Previously Unneeded Second Bedroom, for that matter.)
-But any beef or censure the former other Lion Prince of the Pridelands, Africa had with Colleen Hannigan were instantly shoved away and locked tight in a closet the moment his sweet beautiful-inside-and-out little mate FLOPPED down beside him like someone had both cut and yanked out his strings or shut him off, snuggled up close with a bleak dark heartbroken-all-over-again WET look in those big sparkling blue eyes, -and laid his fluffy little raven head on his lap. Whatever had happened after 'kidogo' (little) Annie had discovered that there was 'no more data' on her, it had been *BAD*. Bad enough to cause him to look as though he'd been crying *and HARD* for HOURS! -No. *Sobbing* as though his heart AND SOUL would break while 'Broken Angel', 'Runaway Love', 'Concrete Angel', 'Confessions of a Broken Heart', 'Lost Boy', 'Not My Father's Son', 'Because of You', 'Alyssa Lies', 'Love the Way You Lie', 'Your Love Is Just a Lie', 'Waking Nightmare', 'Endless Night', 'Not One of Us', 'No Son of Mine', and 'What Hurts the Most' played on repeat along with other sad non-romantic LGBTQ+ or 'straight', abandonment, and child abuse songs.
Even as he gently asked while placing his hand-paw on Pinocchio's head and stroking his thick kitten-soft black hair from bangs to locks, he KNEW that it somehow had to do with *HIM*. So-called 'good' Geppetto- Pinocchio's creator and former father. "'Nocchi 'tamu ya moyo' (sweetheart), *what happened*??? What's the matter?"
Nuka's not-so-small-black-or-hairy heart *BROKE* when 'Nocchi told him in broken ANGUISHED Italian, yet anger *burned his skin third-degree* all over again, his blood was boiling that hot. He was *SO angry* that tears prickled and welled up in his own eyes. All he could utter in livid sorrowful response while still tenderly and gently rubbing 'Nocchi's now-slightly shaking shoulders and back and caressing his hair was "*That BASTARD*!! *That MONSTER*...! *That damn selfish heartless-himself prick*! Oh, 'Nocchi- 'maliaka' (angel), I'm so sorry...! *So sorry*, baby... Nosy bitch should've just left you alone no matter how big of a fan she was or how much she'd read or seen- you've been through Hell and back ENOUGH as it is, where *he* was concerned! You didn't need to be dragged through kicking, screaming, and sobbing a *SECOND time*, damn it...!"
"She just- Sh- She just w-wanted t' h-help, Nuka c-'cuore mio'," Pinocchio choked out almost in a hiccup, weakly-yet-not defending the surprise witch from Family Services. "That's- Th-That's *her JOB*, 'mio principe'. 'S not- she wasn't- Sh-She wasn't TRYIN' t' hurt me! She- Sh-She *didn't know* that- that- th-that he didn't 'n doesn't *want ME*, back or *EVER*...!"
An angrily dewy-eyed Nuka held and bit his tongue in order not to descend into possible arguing that would hurt and upset his sweet boyfriend/mate even more, but he still hissed and snarled furiously heartbroken on his 'mpendwa's' (beloved's) behalf in his head, heart, and soul to the point of SCREAMING and *ROARING*, 'That may very well be, but *she STILL* fucking *shattered your heart and crushed your soul* all over again because of her nebby meddling, Little Woodenhead!! YOUR DAMN FATHER broke and shattered you to pieces anew *because she couldn't just fucking leave well enough alone*...! Leave YOU alone, damnit! All because that JERK-MONSTER-BASTARD couldn't be *content with* whom he now already had and accept the fact that his dear precious beloved Carlo was *GONE*, and your own mother was a first-class bitch on par with Mommy Dearest on top of that...!'
Pinocchio sensed it- heard it despite Nuka holding his tongue. WELL *KNEW it*, all of it. He didn't quite break down and sob or bawl despite the boulder of salt in his throat, but the tears welling up 'de novo' and pooling in his large sky-blue eyes still leaked and dripped down his stippled currently-wooden cheeks- and more than ever, he readily welcomed it when Nuka instead scootched down and curled up beside him before wrapping the smaller younger dark-haired male in his arms, tenderly stroking and caressing his hair and body anew, and soothingly comfortingly lovingly purring in his ear inbetween either nuzzling him, licking him, or kissing him. Because right now, he could *REALLY* use a big warm hug and nice cuddle...!
Any lachrymose sound that Pinocchio made while embracing Nuka back with everything he had was either a faint shuddery breath, a sniff, a slight hiccup, or a soft whimper. Otherwise, he was mostly quiet after his previous anguished heartstricken outburst of tears. -Outwardly, anyway. Inside he was still sadistically weeping- blubbering- wailing- keening- wailing- howling- sobbing. Great heaving ugly pules that were either practically or actual SCREAMS of grief, heartbreak, anguish, betrayal, and *painpainpainPAIN* same as the ones he'd earlier blubbed and sniffled out in that light rainfall who-knew-and-who-cared-where.
Neither teen spoke about Annie's new 'home' that would cause *Pinocchio* to have to move as well, since he was supposed to follow after her every Friday evening to Domani's in case THEY *FINALLY came back* per Miss Hannigan's orders. And aforementioned puppet-boy was feeling so miserable and heartsick that he also didn't mention even briefly meeting a cute but wet and starting to sneeze little tabby kitten, Annie's near-accident and rescue, or sudden run-in with a strangely semi-familiar awful pretty 'donna' with long fiery-red hair, freckles, fair skin, a small frame, bright brown eyes, and a British accent. It was just- all *TOO MUCH* right now, seeing and hearing Fa- Geppetto after so long. Seeing and hearing how he *HATED him* and would only ever love *Carlo* whether dead or alive...!
Hence remembering how *his own mother* was more Alma Madrigal-for-most-of-'Encanto' or Gothel than, say, Bambi's mama or Duchess- recalling that *HIS 'Grillo Parlente'/'conscience'* had outright said to the Wood-Sprite '*No thanks*!', and therefore abandoned him as much as 'good Geppetto' and Ilaria Belmagio AKA 'the Scarlet Faerie' or 'Signora Cleo del Mar the Crimson Nightingale of Esperia'. How *ALONE* he'd been, and still was even with 'caro dolce gentile' Nuka and the other Jacksons because he had The Dream that was similar to yet very different from Annie's either in real life, onstage, onscreen, or on the page...
"*I just want a REAL HOME 'n family like anybody else*! Is- Is that too much t' ask?!" he sobbed not-really-quietly into Nuka's wild scruffy black mane and strong lean skinny shoulder. "I want a *MOTHER, FATHER, OR BOTH* again; t' be LOVED in a *REAL TRUE HONEST familial platonic way*! I don't- *I d-don't wanna be alone 'n lonely anymore*- n-*NEVER* wanted t' be alone or so lonely that most nights I cry m'self t' sleep...!
"*WHY, Father*- Mama???! Wh-Why couldn't either 'f you have *TRIED* t' love me as I am even though I wasn't 'n never will be C-Car-CARLO or- or a heartless soulless silly little wooden puppet who has t' prove himself in order t' be *REAL-real*??! ...Why couldn't YOU have tried t' love me at least a little bit, Carlo??! You were my 'grande fratello'- I was your 'fratellino'! Wh-Whether you h-*HATED* Father from the beginnin' or no...! -M-Miss Wood Sprite, why *COULDN'T you* take me in, love me, 'n raise me, either??? Why couldn't YOU have *tried*, Signor Sebastian- just- just a little bit??!"
Tears rained down Nuka's own cheeks as he sadly listened to his beloved mate's heartbroken pleas to those who SHOULD HAVE loved and cared for him whether flesh-blood-and-bone, any kind of wood, an android either steampunk or modern-day, stone, clay, ectoplasm, or something else altogether, but for some 'reason' or other *didn't*, and *NEVER WOULD*. It echoed all too well his own miserable sobs and prayers for TRUE *ACTUAL* love from a mother, father, and siblings (not that he'd really deep down blamed Vitani and/or Kovu, despite his seething jealousy and heinously low self-worth. THEY'D suffered under her paws and claws too, after all! Hehoped*hehoped*he*HOPED* they'd somehow gotten away from her cruel abusive obsessive tyranny over the years as he had...) late at night in that terrible awful either blazing hot or bitterly cold large termite mound they called a 'cave', 'home', and 'castle/palace'...
(And *just HOW* he'd gotten so lucky and become so fortunate to have someone as sweet, kind, careful, thoughtful, and loving as 'Nocchi as both a friend AND *MATE*, he would never know-! He just nightly and daily thanked his lucky stars, 'Abba', and the Great Kings and Queens for such a *TREASURE* as Pinocchio Edward Benjamin Orfano 'nee Belmagio-Tommaso as much as for Dad Poseiden, Mom Sally, younger brother Percy, and baby sister Leah.)
Soon after, Pinocchio's seething turmoil of emotions overcame his physical strength, and he drifted off to sleep in Nuka's arms as his forlorn empty heart and shattered soul pleadingly cried out to *ANYONE* who would listen and want *him alone as he was* and never anybody else, '*PLEASE*- "Per favore" won't you *come get your "bebe"*...??? *YOUR little woodenhead*? No longer just "maybe" be there when I wake in the morning 'n call me "baby" or "figlio mio"...??'
Nuka's heart and soul *HURT* to see his sweet raven with eyes as blue and bright as stars and constellations of freckles so forlorn- longing- heartsick. He hugged 'Nocchi close and pressed another kiss to the top of his head, weepingly whispering to SOMEONE*ANYONE*, "-*Please*..." Then he falteringly sang a song that he hoped would give his poor mate much-needed sweet dreams just before he approached the Shores of Sleep himself.
~"There is a castle on a cloud-
One likes to go there in their sleep;
Ain't any floors one *HAS to* sweep,
Not in this castle on a cloud...
There are rooms full of books and toys-
There are a hundred nice girls and boys!
Nobody SHOUTS or talks too loud;
Not in your castle on a cloud...
There is a lady all in white
Who holds you and sings you a lullaby...
She's *BEAUTIFUL* and soft to touch-
Whispers, 'Pinocchio, I love you very much'...
There is a place where NO ONE'S *LOST*-
There is a place where *no one CRIES*;
Crying at all is *not allowed*!
Not in this castle on a cloud..."~
*********************************************************************************************************************************************
Far away from Harlem and Miss Hannigan's foster-home, Ginny Wonka, her family, Will Stacks, Grace Farrell, and Lavender Brown plus a visiting 'just Harry' had just gotten a *BIG* shock courtesy of Guy Danlily when a video-screen message from him popped up on one of Will's large screens in his office with state-of-the-art technology.
"What up, Guy-O??"
"*YOU'RE up*! *Five points* in the polls!"
"*Oh, REALLY*? They liked that he *practically vomited on a homeless man*?"
"Uh, NO, Lucky Number Seven Weaslette. They liked the fact that he *saved a little girl from getting hit by a van*! Some guy recorded it, and it's *gone VIRAL*! -And so has your own fortuitous bumping into PINOCCHIO, FYI! *No, SERIOUSLY*! He looks JUST LIKE Disney's version but older with 'Lies of P's' freckles and different clothing! Here- check it out-!"
Ginny's jaw dropped about the ground and her eyes blew wide. Her heart thundered in her chest and soul quavered yet burst like a firework. -And both ACHED and worried all over again when she saw *PINOCCHIO'S swollen red eyes and tearstains on his indeed-freckled-as-herself cheeks* up close (and closer). She had *seen* that forlorn heartbroken *just BARELY-still-holding-onto-hope look in Harry's famed brilliant green almond-shaped eyes. -Willy, Noodle, Charlie, and Mum had seen it as well, in their own reflections in anything mirror-esque way back when same as Harry.
(And she along with everyone else breathed a huge sigh of relief all over again at seeing and hearing that cute curly-headed little girl with big gray eyes and freckles of her own being swept out of harm's way by Will.)
"This is *FANTASTIC*, Will!! I'm telling you- it's *the MOST* HUMANE thing you've done this entire campaign! All due respect."
'Mm-hmm. Yeah- sure. *Riiiigghhttt*...' Ginny sarcastically thought on that last with an inward eye-roll. There was just something about Guy Danlily that- got under her skin. He didn't feel *GENUINE*. Feel (heh- pardon the pun, concerning circumstances)- REAL. He felt like a male 'Plastic' from 'Mean Girls' to her, or one of Blanderson's kiss-up cronies in 'Glee' whether canon or in fanfiction... Just, well- *BLEH*!
BUT- if (and it was a *BIG* 'if') he *DID manage to help Will Stacks win for his campaign as mayor of NYC, and did it *honestly and cleanly*, then she would never say another word against him. This was one *NON-strike*, so let's see how many more he could hit for home-run rather than '*Yyyyooouuu'rrreee OUT*!!'...
"And, GINNY! *Gin-Gin*! Gin-and-Tonic, this is *just GREAT* for you, too! Both ways, you're FAMOUS as both a Wonka and a former Weasley in the HP 'verse, so- so we *GOTTA* capitalize on this as much as Will's recent good deed! It'll be *GREAT publicity*! You both invite 'em to lunch, see how they're doin', ask Literal Dollface how Daddy Dearest and Mama Blue/Miss Wings are plus the cat, cricket, and goldfish, get a few pics snapped of all this- the press'll *eat it up*!"
"-Do we even know who *she* is?? Will's rescuee?" Lavender wanted to know with a slight raise of her groomed thin honey-brown eyebrow and crossed arms. "Because I highly doubt that he got her name afterwards. -Unless I'm wrong, of course."
Will and Ginny shook their heads in response, still dazed and shocked by the sudden *GOOD news* times two.
"Well, obviously, Pinokes' GOTTA be living with his dad either living in NYC or just here for summer vacation, but *get this*- BEST PART: she's a foster kid from Harlem! *Foster kid*! HARLEM!"
%"Your neck-vein is bulging,"%, said Grace, Ginny, Harry, Willy, and Punjab simultaneously with a Look in their eyes and flatness in their voices, still finding Guy's campaign tactics *LESS THAN likable*. It all too well brought to mind for the witch and wizard who WERE NOT and *NEVER WOULD BE* a couple despite many people No-Maj or wiccan 'shipping' them how *Rita Skeeter* would go about something like this for a particularly juicy story as etched by her poisonous false-as-Leprechaun gold Quick-Quotes Quill. *UGH*-!!!
"I'm gonna go pick 'em up! You know- in the morning."
"Nuh-uh- *not YOU*. Grace. What say you, Ginger Wonka??"
"Mm... Willy- would you or Charlie mind if-?"
"No- nope! Not at all, Gingerbread Girl! If Just Harry wants the job, he's more than welcome to it!"
"Of course not, Ginny! Besides, Harry actually has more- erm, *experience* with this kind of sudden thing, let's say. Willy and I don't really..."
"Well... you're not wrong. And if either you or Willy would rather not, and don't mind- But *why US* specifically, Will?"
"Would YOU want *Five-Hour-Energy* showing up at your door??"
"-No. Not really. No offense, Guy."
"*None taken*, Lion King! Geddit?? 'Lion King'- because you're a Gryffindor plus a Hero/Prince yourself?"
Not even *young Noodle* thought that was even a little bit funny- mostly because it wasn't true in real life. Being a Slytherin would have been 'bad' enough, but it had *REALLY ground Dumbledore's gears* when Harry had turned out to be a rare *DOUBLE-Houser*- and a *RAVENCLAW/HUFFLEPUFF*, at that!! Besides, Prince-Turned-King Simba had had a father for a good amount of his childhood; all that HARRY had had was the evil uncle (whom he'd also thankfully gotten away from at some point as well as Aunt Zira)...
"Aaanyywaayyy... even if *NOT me*- then, COOL! *Great*! 'Grool', even! Puppet-boy will meet *all of the Wonka family together*, plus Mr. Future Mayor!"
Ginny's only response was to shut the call off, just barely biting back a huff or sniff.
"You didn't tell me *you SAVED A LITTLE GIRL*! You never tell me anything!"
"Like *Batman*."
"*BOTH ways*, it turns out," Noodle snickered, her deep brown eyes twinkling. "Wait 'til Grammy hears about THIS...!"
'You can *say that again*, apple-dumpling,' Ginny mused, half-dreading the conversation and tomorrow's luncheon that was to be part of a non-needed mayor campaign all because of a couple of viral videos.
That night, as Ginny fitfully fell asleep in an unexpected but much-needed and welcomed cuddle pile consisting of her *ACTUAL family*, a still-friend, and her longtime girlfriend plus Harry's house-elf friend Dobby, she seemed to faintly hear forlorn grief-stricken heartbroken *familiar* weeping, and in the land of sweet dreams opened her arms out to, held close, cradled, rocked, caressed, and softly sang a soothing comforting song to a freckled live little wooden doll with rosy cheeks, thick shiny black hair that flopped over his pale forehead in bangs and fell down his tiny slender back in an inky waterfall, and big bright sparkling blue eyes on the 'porch' of a beautiful castle on a cloud colored like a shimmering rainbow through mist. They both wore lovely yet simple snow-white robes with sky-blue satin sashes and soft grey slippers with their fiery or raven hair loose and slightly blowing in a soft gentle wind faintly scented with lilies, roses, violets, lavender, daisies, forget-me-nots, and sweet-peas. Tears were wet on his cheeks and shone still in his eyes ...but for once, he was truly completely *HAPPY*. Smiling and crying at the same time, same as Ginny.
(It was alright, though. For JOY and accidentally from laughter, *THIS kind* of crying was more than allowed, after so much grief, sorrow, heartbreak, betrayal, and pain...!)
'Twas no longer a 'maybe'- she was *FINALLY there* when he awoke, calling him all sorts of sweet heart-names in English and other languages. She had *at last* come to get her baby... *HER baby*- her boy; her son. Her little darling as sweet as Willy's, Charlie's, and Mum Lisa's chocolate whether suffused with magic or 'ordinary'...