He was so engrossed in trying to understand the book’s (rather complicated) description of the wand movements for the tracking charm that he was slow to realise someone was touching his forehead. (Weird.)
So he didn’t flinch at the sudden contact on his skin, or even at the sudden appearance of a fistful of flowers on his lap. He – perhaps not adding to her impression that he was ill – couldn’t hold in a sneeze. Sniffing carelessly, he looked up at Charley, only slightly lowering the book. (He couldn’t put it down in his lap now without completely crushing her flower delivery.) “A fright or two’s good for you, I think,” Jimmy declared, non-committally, though of course he didn’t like the idea of being thought academic. “And how do you know what it says, anyway?” he joked, mostly without thinking. “That would mean you know how to read.” He raised his eyebrows high, as if at that far-fetched idea.
So he didn’t flinch at the sudden contact on his skin, or even at the sudden appearance of a fistful of flowers on his lap. He – perhaps not adding to her impression that he was ill – couldn’t hold in a sneeze. Sniffing carelessly, he looked up at Charley, only slightly lowering the book. (He couldn’t put it down in his lap now without completely crushing her flower delivery.) “A fright or two’s good for you, I think,” Jimmy declared, non-committally, though of course he didn’t like the idea of being thought academic. “And how do you know what it says, anyway?” he joked, mostly without thinking. “That would mean you know how to read.” He raised his eyebrows high, as if at that far-fetched idea.
