-AND ALÍCIA CROUCH HAS ANOTHER GOAL FOR HOLYHEAD HARPIES! - The narrator of the match shouted at the top of his lungs, not hiding his impartiality.
It was just another normal Tuesday for Quidditch worshipers. The championship had not yet started, being only with friendly matches - which further fueled the fans' spirits. What would the teams of that year look like? would the strategies be better than the previous year? What about preparing for the Quidditch World Cup? did the players have already been scheduled to represent England?
-JASMINE SCRIMGOUR DEVIES FROM THE WHOLE AND GOES TOWARDS GOAL AND… .. ONE MORE FOR HOLYHEAD HARPIES!
-Jas is managing to have a better performance this year. - Zachary Scrimgour commented to Oliver Wood, as he wanted nothing.
Zachary was the older brother of Jasmine Scrimgour, also a Quidditch player. The difference was that while the younger sister played on a women's team, Zack belonged to Puddlemere United, along with his boss Oliver Wood. Jasmine used to give tickets to her brother and friends so that they could accompany her to the games, being no different than that time. only ... the girl had other plans. By instructing his brother to invite Oliver, Jasmine intended to show himself to the eldest, making sure that this would be the perfect way to get Captain Wood's attention.
And under normal conditions they would be, since he was completely cracked by everything that touched his favorite sport. They were in the box dedicated to families, where they had a little more comfort and luxury - not so much as a show box, but water to drink with some cookies.
-She still needs to pay attention to the bludger. See? She always forgets to look to the left. The other team's scouts have already realized this, they will end up attacking from the left. - Oliver observed, looking at his friend when the woman actually received a bludgeon in her left leg. - Did not say? It's all about perception. I would say that maybe if she improved the sense of mapping the field she would be able to better locate the other players without taking so much risk.
-Don't you want to give her some private lessons?
-And pass my strategies to another team? No thank you. I'll get some water, do you want it too?
-No, I'm fine.
Leaving his friend behind, Oliver went to the end of the room, looking for a glass of water for himself. The atmosphere was not very large, with a maximum of fifty people, with enough space for everyone to lean over the windowsill and shout words of encouragement to the players. In fact, Oliver didn't quite know what he was doing in that game. I mean, he was not that close to Zack, but since it was his day off and he had an extra ticket, he didn't see why not accept it.
Something told him that he had many more intentions behind that invitation, but he would do his best to play it cool. Not that he was rude or rude, but Jasmine was not his type. As beautiful as she was, with sun-brown skin and shiny black hair, Oliver still lacks something. It was in the midst of his thoughts about Jasmine that Oliver did not see the woman approaching and ended up tripping over her feet and dropping the glass of water on her feet.
-Excuse me! I don't… - Oliver started to apologize until he looked at the woman's face. - Granger?
this was new. What the hell was Hermione Granger doing in a Quidditch game?
-Wood? What are you doing here?
-I should ask you that. Weren't you the one who hated Quidditch?
-Well, hating is a very strong word. I would say more…. Someone with great caution. But I didn't know that I was familiar with one of the girls.
-And I'm not. I came with a friend of mine, he who is the brother of one of the gunners. Is that you? How did you get lost around here?
-Ginny convinced me to come. She is one of the team's starters.
- Have you become more malleable to Quidditch in recent years? I remember it was difficult for you to attend games at school.
-It was one more bet that I lost, to tell you the truth. I tried to use mathematical calculations to guess Puddlemere's last game against Appleby Arrows. According to my accounts, there was no way for Appleby to lose, but….
-A blow from Fingbourg in the last minutes of the game turned the luck for us. - Oliver completed with a smile. The blow was a ridiculously dangerous move that consisted of the gunner throwing the quaffle upwards and while it was at its highest point, it came off the broom and hit the quakes like a baseball bat, straight into the goal.
-Basically…. Wait, you play for them, don't you?
-Actually, I am the newest Puddlemere Captain and kind of responsible for you being here today. I'm sorry for this? - Oliver risked with a little smile.
-No, it was about time to start attending games. - Hermione said, turning and going towards the parapet, leaving Oliver planted looking at where she was.
Was that a flirtation or was he still raving about the last feint he had done the week before? No, it couldn't be true. As far as he knew, Granger was committed to Ronald Weasley, except that they had never spoken enough to make her feel comfortable about it. But on second thought…. They were no longer in school. Hermione was no longer an eleven-year-old girl. No, she was a woman from…. twenty years. Since the last time I saw her in the final Battle, she had changed a lot.
He obviously no longer had the weary expressions of war, but all that weight that had been lifted off his back reflected on his body. She was infinitely more beautiful, with freedom written on every inch of her skin. Curious, Oliver came over again, catching her off guard again.
Oliver stood beside him, clearing his throat to show his presence. When Hermione noticed him standing next to her, she didn't quite understand, but she didn't mind. This was the first time in years that she had an interaction that was more than a compliment to Wood, and even she was enjoying it - no matter how much it was.
-So…. How are things? - Oliver questioned, his eyes fixed on the game.
-Specifically what things?
-Well, you have been missing a bit from the media, so I suppose you are enjoying a private life?
- Do you happen to look for me in the newspapers? - Hermione joked, not seeing the bewilderment on the man's face. - It's weird after years of finally having a normal life again. I mean, as normal as someone close to Harry Potter can be. She rolled her eyes, wincing a little. - I work from home, so I hardly need to leave, that's certainly why you don't read about me.
-What are you working with?
-I'm a book publisher. - She smiled smugly
-Why am I not surprised ?. - Oliver replied with a smile
And it was true: most of the times he saw her in her school days or she was holed up in the library, or reading a book in the halls, or fighting with Harry and Ronald in the Common Room forcing them to do their own homework . He thought it was a little strange for such a young girl to be so fond of studies. I mean, not that he wasn't struggling, but usually in the first year people were more interested in learning how to live away from home and get along than spending the spare time studying. He himself had already been one of those who had called the book moth girl, so he was not surprised that she worked with it.
-Because you do the same: work with what you like best.
-I can't deny that, Quidditch is my life.
-I think you made that very clear at Hogwarts…. Every time I saw you I was talking about or practicing.
-The same way you always had a book on your face.
"Guilty." Hermione smiled. - But you also don't seem like someone who appreciates the media very much.
-Because I'm not. I try to keep my private life as long as possible, I like to have privacy.
-Why? Too many fangirl attacks? Have you ever gone out with a groupie and had problems?
-I actually never dated.
-You are not serious! Not you…. It is skippable.
-I'm happy with the compliment, but…. I just never felt like it.
-So you're a one-night stand?
-I would say that a lot of the times. But and you? Are you still with Weasley?
-No. Ronald and I broke up about a year ago, we've only been together for a few months. This was not going to work, we were too friends to get something romantically.
-So…. Are you single?
Hermione was on the alert, finding it strange, but enjoying the attention.
-I would say yes, but it's not like I've been looking for someone…. I prefer to focus on my work, at least until the dust settles and they stop speculating in the newspapers. Do you believe that they already announced that I had run away and married an American? Life is not about a relationship or marriage!
-I think it really bothered you….
-It's not like I can't focus on my career just because I'm a woman! Look: whenever they talk about Ginny, it's related to her engagement to Harry, but when they talk about him, it's about work. That's not fair.
-So in protest you stay at home?
-In protest, I do my best to be recognized professionally, but it is, staying at home. Hermione shrugged.
-I AM NOT A FUCKING TARGET! - Ginny screamed as she passed the booth, shouting at her opponents, which ended up changing the focus of the conversation between the two.
-This is not going to work. If Weasley does not continue to break even, it may soon fall. - Oliver studied the game. - They're using it as a distraction. They have already realized that they will have no chance of winning.
-Do they intend to hurt the other team for that?
-Basically. If they cannot win, they will make the game of the Holyhead Harpies as difficult as possible.
-Is that allowed ?! - Hermione was exalted.
-Since it's not so obvious ... For example: they can't throw a bludger directly at Weasley, but they can do anything to hit their broom and destabilize it. If they can get the strong players out of the team, even better.
- Have you ever done that? Hermione asked the man in horror.
-I would be lying if I said no, but it was only once. I was not a captain yet and you had not yet entered Hogwarts. It was the only way to win that game against Ravenclaw, but in compensation what we heard from Madame Hooch later made us never try anything like that again.
-And then they still ask why I hate Quidditch! - Hermione was horrified, wanting to hex the other team.
-I thought you said you just had great precaution ... - Oliver hummed with a singing smile.
-When the game becomes extremely low and detrimental to my friends I start to hate it. Too bad I can't set anyone on fire this time… ..
-What? - Oliver looked startled at the woman.
-Do you remember the first year, when Harry joined the team and apparently the Bludger kept chasing him?
-That's kind of hard to forget, I had never behaved like that.
-I initially thought Snape was unlucky, so I set his robes on fire so that he would stop whispering against the ball, but then I found out that he was just whispering against spells. Quirrell was to blame.
-Why would he want to hurt Harry?
-My love, apparently you lost a lot…. - Oliver liked being called that way, even though he knew it was just a way of speaking. - Quirrell was Voldemort's host.
-I ... A ... I should ask about what else happened that I don't know about?
-I could write a book with all these stories, so I think you better keep an eye on my publisher.
-So you don't want to tell me or do you want me to finance your publisher?
Hermione smiled at that. Wood was smart, but she wouldn't spend all of her letters with him at once. She needed to meet new people, make new friends and he was a potential colleague. If he told all his adventures to him right there, besides the risk of being heard and the news leaked, he would lose the game and certainly would not look for her again to satisfy his curiosity.
At least, that's how she thought friends were made. Why, balls, the only ones she had had saved her from a mountain troll, it wasn't like she knew exactly what she was doing!
-I would say that…. Maybe at another time. You will end up losing the game that way. Hermione smiled at him and walked away, heading for the bathroom.
Oliver did not know exactly what had happened. Was that really the girl he had met at eleven?
Because Hermione didn't quite know how to behave socially, a small mistake happened: while she thought that instigating Oliver's curiosity would make him interested in his stories and consequently become his friend, for Oliver she was flirting with him. All that suspense and smiles, with the promise of telling him again about her life were clear signs that she was minimally interested. Not much, they had met again that day after a long time, but she certainly would have been attracted to him as much as he was to her.
She was no longer eleven years old, just as he was no longer fifteen. There were two adults, twenty and twenty four years old respectively, who happened to be reunited at a Quidditch game. Hermione had only gone that afternoon because she had lost a bet to her friend, that he himself was to blame for that. They were single and apparently (at least to the ordinary mind of anyone who saw the situation from the outside) interested in each other. The smiles and looks, Oliver's attention to her was indicative of her, as were Hermione's smiles and promise of stories.
Oliiver Wood would not waste such a chance. He might never have dated, but he knew when he was interested in someone. He would definitely like to try something with Hermione Granger, but it was too early to know if it would be just one night or his company. She was very beautiful, but he would not put the cart before the horse. Returning to his friend, he wondered how he could see her again.
-Went to get water from the fountain, is it? - Zachary implied the delay.
-I just…. I got distracted.
-Was it a girl?
-I can't have been distracted by the game?
-Wood, you are my Captain. You would not have been distracted by the game, you would have come back here and discussed plays with me.
Wood answered nothing, just smiled, turning his attention to the Quidditch pitch, now and then looking at Hermione.
Zachary was laughing in despair inside him. His sister had just invited them to play his role as cupid and extol his qualities to Oliver Wood, but he had just gone to get one water and be interested in another! How had that happened? He certainly wouldn't tell the youngest of his deed, letting her try to approach her Captain on her own.
But…. Who had been the lucky girl?
Hermione were grumbling as they celebrated the victory of their best friend's team, thanking that nothing else happened in the game. No one had been hurt and they had won with laurels. Now it was just waiting for her friend to pour some water in the dressing room before going out to celebrate and finally going back to her hiding place. She was waiting for the crowd to clear the exit when she felt her arm being touched.
-Granger, do you have a minute?
Apparently his method of friendship had worked. Wood was standing right next to him wanting to talk to her. Was Hermione a friendship genius or not?
-Wood? Did you come to check if I hadn't unlucky any players?
-Too. - He smiled. - But I also came to offer you an invitation. Since I am responsible for being forced to watch today's game, I thought maybe you would like to go to the next Puddlemere game. To test your mathematical theory again, of course.
-As long as you don't ruin my calculations again, I'll love it.
-Great. Can you give me your address? To send the tickets.
Hermione pulled out her card, with her name and contact address, from her purse, handing it to the man in front of her.
-I answer owls from 9am to 5pm.
-Even if it's a personal matter?
-In that case I extend the deadline until 7pm
.
-I'll remember. It was good to see you again. - Oliver said goodbye to the woman, receiving a nod of his head before leaving with his teammate.
He needed to find a way to beat Hermione Granger's brain again if he really wanted to get her attention.
Yeah, the team would suffer from heavy training.