Chapter Two...
I didn't exactly speak to Hermione much the next day and she didn't make a huge effort to communicate with me either. We passed each other on the way to the Great Hall for breakfast and though I could tell from my peripheral vision that she was trying to make eye contact with me, I looked right into the distance as far away from her as possible.
My best friend Noel kept asking me questions about where I'd been the previous night when they'd all been in Hogsmeade. Usually I didn't miss those Friday night trips for anything so he could pretty much tell that it must have been something pretty important for me to not come. I tried lying first by saying I'd been seeing Professor McGonagall about the Quidditch training nights and then when he didn't look convinced I just changed the subject completely.
After lunch I really began dreading the night. Although I had calmed down quite significantly, I was still a bit uptight about the whole tutor thing and I was still mad at Hermione, even though I really didn't have any reason to be. During the afternoon I watched the clock's hands tick round, passing the hours which all seemed to be going in fast forward. Eventually dinner came and went and finally, it was time to meet Hermione.
I trudged into the library, my head low for fear of someone seeing me and my feet heavy, leaving dirty mud prints on the carpet.
It wasn't hard to spot Hermione as she was the only one in the library besides the librarian, Madam Pince. This was a good thing because it meant nobody would see me associating with Hermione, but also a negative thing because it meant I'd be under closer supervisation from Madam Pince. I had a sudden horrible feeling that this had been Hermione's masterplan and I began to feel rather nauseous.
"Hi Oliver," she greeted me with that weird look. She looked as uncomfortable as I felt.
"Hi," I replied, trying to sound a little more friendly than last night.
I watched her take a deep breath and roll her shoulders. "So do you want me to tutor you or not?"
I shrugged. "Do you really want the answer to that?"
She sighed. "I guess not. But come on Oliver, your entire career depends on this!"
I nodded, feeling frustrated at her kindness when I had done nothing except tease her and talk about her behind her back with my friends. She was too smart to be completely oblivious to this teasing and name calling and for one second there I admired her courage.
"Don't you know your life depends on you taking a few extra hours out per week?"
Her bossiness was beginning to get on my nerves again. "Well, I don't get it!" I exploded, causing Madam Pince to send a nasty glare in my direction even though there was nobody else in the library who I could have distracted. "I just don't get it," I repeated softer. "Why are you helping me? You don't have to? Why?"
Hermione looked up from her hands which she'd been staring at but didn't meet my eyes. "Because I thought you needed me to. If you don't well just tell me because I don't want to waste any more of your precious time." Now it was her who stood up, left the table and exited the library and this time it was me who was stuck clearing up.
* * * * *
"Oi, Wood!" called Noel the next morning. It was Sunday- my favourite day of the week. Sunday meant no classes, no homework and nothing that was expected of us students. Total freedom. Within reason of course.
Usually I went out flying with some of the other Quidditch players on my Sunday mornings. And that morning I really needed the break. As my feet lifted off the pitch I could practically feel my bones cracking from not having been flying for so long. Well, it felt like a long time, I probably hadn't even seen a broomstick for at least three days. To my right I saw Noel zoom past me doing loops in the air. Though Noel wasn't on the Quidditch team, he was a good flyer. His only problem was lack of concentration. Sure he could do awesome daring loops and tricks, he just didn't have the patience to practise Quidditch constantly and his attention-span somewhat lacked.
My friend Charlotte suddenly flew right over my head. Now Charlotte was not bad looking at all. If she hadn't been a good friend I certainly would have been interested in her. She looked hot all the time and that's all there was to it. As she zoomed off into the distance I could see her dark auburn pony tail swishing in the wind. Out of the corner of my eye I could see Noel staring too.
"Cut it out," I yelled jokingly into his direction.
"What?" he asked innocently. "You gotta admit Wood, she's hot!" Noel didn't give me a chance to respond as he then proceeded to chase after me. Being a much more experienced flyer, I was easily able to keep out of arm range however just the feeling of being in the sky gave me a rush of adrenaline that I had craved way too long. I couldn't help but think how miserable the next few months of my life were going to be, that is if Hermione ever decided to talk to me again. But I dismissed any thoughts of study right away. I had to enjoy my time in the sky as much as I could and I didn't want to waste it by worrying.
* * * * *
The feeling of happiness couldn't last forever though and eventually the clouds came out and with them, the rain. Now, I may have been an excellent flyer but not even I could fly too well in a lightning thunderstorm. The thought of getting killed crossed my mind and for a split second I thought that could end all my tutoring problems. Of course, I gave myself a mental slapping for thinking such a thing too. I may have been rude, selfish and image conscious but I wasn't stupid. At least not completely.
So we ran inside to the safety and warmness of the castle. It was a little darker than usual but there were still plenty of random students milling around the corridors, visiting friends, catching up on gossip (or creating gossip as I stared in awe at a couple passionately kissing each other in a corner). I shook myself off like a dog causing tiny droplets of water to spray in all directions.
"Charming," said a voice behind me.
Surprised, I turned around to find myself looking down at Hermione. It took every fibre in my body to stop myself from groaning outloud. I glanced quickly over her shoulder to see where my friends were. Noel and Charlotte who had been at the Quidditch supplies cupboard putting away some broomsticks were now talking to Percy who had stopped them in their tracks. Thank the Great Wizards for that!
"Hi," I replied, eager to get away from her as soon as possible. I didn't even want to think about what would happen if someone saw me with her. Just because she was a fellow Gryffindor didn't mean I wanted to socialise. "Did you want something?"
"Oh, umm... I just wanted to apologise for being so snappy in the library last night," she said, smiling hopefully at me as if she were praying I'd forgive her.
I heard somebody snort with laughter behind me. Feeling my face turn beet red I looked around to see Noel and Charlotte, both with an amused sort of look on their faces.
I opened my mouth to say something but no words came out. I looked hopelessly at my friends who were shaking from trying not to laugh too loudly and back at Hermione who had a stunned, confused expression in her eyes.
"What's going on here?" choked Noel between laughs.
"Library?" added Charlotte. "You two? That's where you were!"
"I can explain," I replied. "This loser here tried to trick me into meeting her at the library!" I grimaced as I heard myself speak. "She actually had the nerve to try and hit on me!" I forced a laugh.
Noel, who was hard to convince, eyed me suspiciously. Then he looked at Hermione who was looking down at the floor. I thought she might protest and blurt out the truth but she didn't even look as if she planned on saying anything. Instead, her head hung low and I could tell she was disappointed in me. So was I actually.
Charlotte laughed even louder and pushed forcefully at Hermione's shoulder causing her to look up in alarm. "You actually thought you stood a chance with Wood?" she cried evilly. "As if girl, this lad is popular. He's cool. He's everything you're not. So you're just wasting your time!"
Hermione looked at me with her big, brown eyes pleading for me to defend her but I didn't. I couldn't. I just shrugged. "Yeah, let's leave this beaver-teeth-book worm to talk to herself."
"Yeah," agreed Noel who was now, hopefully, persuaded. He and Charlotte followed me back to the Gryffindor Tower still joking and imitating Hermione in squeaky, high pitched voices. I occasionally joined in but my heart wasn't in it. And I wasn't sure why.