The Rivals
Hermione Granger took her trolley, which was holding her trunk, waved good-bye to her parents, and walked up to platform 9-and-3-quarters. She acted as if she was leaning against the wall between platforms 9 and 10 and fell through to be rewarded with the sight of a large scarlet steam engine. "Oy, Herm! You finally got here!" Hermione turned, and saw one of her best friends, Harry Potter. "I've got something to tell you. Can you go to the
second compartment to the end? I've already reserved it for us three, but Ron isn't here yet." Hermione nodded, and after putting her trunk on the luggage platform, the two 7th years went to the platform. When they got there, Harry sat down across from Hermione. "Herm, I love you so much. I always have. There is only one thing that could come between us, and that thing is death..." Hermione felt a tear come to her eye. "I- I don't know what- what to say," Hermione stuttered. Suddenly Harry gaped. Hermione turned and through the window she saw something that nearly made her faint. And actually, it did.
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"Are you all right? You seemed to have fainted," said a young witch, sitting on one of the seats near Harry and Hermione. Harry was kneeling beside Herm. "Who are you? Where am I? Harry, what happened?", asked Herm. "I'm Olivia, you're on the Hogwarts Express, and you saw me," said the witch. Harry looked up at Olivia, and Hermione could see the longing in his eyes...The witch pushing the food cart had come into the compartment, and seeing the state that Herm was in, said, "Here girl, have a chocolate frog, my treat." Harry eyes went normal and he got up. Reaching into the folds of his cloak and pulling out a money bag, he said, "Oh no, I insist upon paying for it, but give me 15 of them." The witch did, and then carried on. "I really must go," said Olivia, in a voice coated with honey, "as my food, money and cat are in the other compartment. Farewell." And with that she left. "Herm, have a frog, you look awful."
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They had just arrived at the school, and Harry and Herm, after the sorting and the feast, had gone to the Gryffindor common room ("Hippogriff," said Harry), and had gone to their customary chairs next to the fireplace.
Olivia, as it turned out, had just been transferred from Beauxbatons, and her family had just moved, and (darn the luck) had been sorted into Gryffindor. Herm, since she and Harry were the only ones in the common room, said, "Harry, I'm going to go see Hagrid. Do you care to come?" Harry looked up from his book, Road to Olonora, and nodded. "Of course, but we'd better hurry, we haven't got much time before dark."
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"Harry, what do you think about Olivia Sharpless? I mean, I know that she is pretty and all, but from a boy's point of view?", questioned Hermione, a tone of anxiety in her voice. "We-ell, she is pretty, but I love you. That's all there is to it." Suddenly they heard feet behind them. "Hey! Wait on me!" It was Ron, his red hair untidily whipping in the wind. "I wondered where you were, and I thought you might be coming to see Hagrid, since you weren't in the library," he said with a glance at Herm's dissaproving glare. "Well, if you spent more time in the..." Her words were cut short by the sight of a certain someone.
"Hello, I've just been to meet Hagrid. Isn't he nice, for such a big fellow I mean," said Olivia. Now Herm knew how Harry felt about Draco Malfoy. "And what brings you here so late?", said Olivia. "Oh Harry, who is your friend? I believe I've met Hermione here, but not this good-looking young gentleman." Ron, blushing, said, "I'm Ronald Weasley, and I live at the Burrow, and I degnome gardens for two sickles, and I have Ginny, Fred, George-" Hermione cut off his endless drone and dragged Harry and Ron off toward the hut on the edge of the forest.
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"Ah, 'Arry, Hermione, Ron, come in and have a cup of tea. I was just deciding what to call 'er, she's right there, 'ave a look." The three glanced over in the direction of Hagrid's point and gasped at what they saw. It was a dragon egg, sitting calmly in the fireplace, its blue metallic shell gleaming in the dusk. "How about 'Lanara'?" , said Ron. "Ron, don't do that. Hagrid, it's illegal to raise dragons here. You know that." Hagrid looked downcast at her words. "I know, but when I found 'er in the forest, I didn't 'ave the 'eart to jest leave 'er there. And that's a nice name Ron. Lanara it is."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ A/N Be sure to watch for the sequal, 'Love lost and found'. This wasn't the most romantic thing in the world, but the next one will be a bit better.
And, yes, Herm, Harry, Ron, Hagrid, Herm's parents, Malfoy, and the witch pushing the food cart are all the creations of the talented J. K. Rowling, she is so good. But Ms. Olivia Sharpless is all mine. No stealing characters. ;)