Chapter Seven...

My homework was going nowhere. My Quidditch was going nowhere. My life was going nowhere. I, Oliver Wood, was going nowhere. Ever since I had realised I was in love with Hermione on that not particularly special day, my entire world had stopped and wasn't progressing the way it normally would around this time of the year.

As I came out of the bathroom I heard people giggling around the corner. Being so paranoid, I carefully and quietly edged my way to the corner and paused, trying to hear what they were talking about. I wouldn't call it eavesdropping, even though technically it was. Rather I'd say I was just listening, you know, just to protect my image and all.

"And then she tripped over and all her books went flying!" the familiar voice was saying.

This was followed by rounds of laughter.

She? Well it couldn't be about me then, so it was all okay. I was about to depart when I heard them continue.

"Yeah I bet there were heaps of books, considering they're Granger's only friend!" someone else added.

"Except for Wood," noted the original speaker. "Can you believe that loser? He used to be really cool, a great mate, and now look at him. Hanging around with such a dweeb like Granger!"

"It's such a shame..." they all agreed.

Not quite believing my ears, I could feel myself burning up. They called me a loser! They actually had the nerve to put Hermione and I in the same catagory! I paused, mentally slapping myself. Hermione wasn't in a different class to me or my friends. She was a friend and therefore I had no right to put her down. After all, I was in love with her. Weird.

I was about to turn the corner and give the gossipers a piece of me when someone tapped me on the shoulder.

"Hermione," I said, surprised.

Keeping her voice low she just gave me a half-hearted smile. I knew she'd heard the conversation too. "Oliver, don't worry about them. It's just a group of sad people. Ignore it."

I wanted to ignore it but the more I repeated their words, the more I wanted to punch the lights out of all them. However, the way Hermione spoke with such soft whispers stopped me. They'd more or less called her a nerd too and she was acting maturely and appropriately so I should too. Taking a deep breath and counting to ten, I lowered my tense shoulders and nodded hesitantly.

Suddenly we were interrupted by a group of hysterical third year Ravenclaws running through the corridors.

"ARRGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" they were screaming at the top of their lungs. Hermione glanced at me and I shrugged. Maybe someone had put a rubber snake in their common room?

"ARRGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" they continued. Following right behind them was Professor McGonagall. "Everyone report to the common room," she said loudly, over the top of everyone else's screams. "NOW!"

Not wanting to miss any of the action, I grabbed Hermione's hand without thinking and together we sprinted back to the Gryffindor Tower.

* * * * *

We weren't the first to arrive but we weren't the last either. We all gathered around the fire place where Percy was standing trying to keep a certain level of peace in the room. It was a tremendous chore however considering that half the students were panicking thinking that the castle had been invaded and the other half were partying thinking that we were getting a day off school to celebrate the victory of the Chudley Cannons over Puddlemere United.

"Silence!" he tried to command. I could tell whatever the meaning of this was serious from one look at Percy's panic-stricken face. Nobody else seemed to notice though and kept chatting away.

"What do you think is going on?" Hermione asked, tugging at me sleeve.

"No idea," I admitted. "I wish everyone would shut up though."

Hermione seemed to agree with me and she looked around desperately at the noisy kids. Doing something totally un-Hermione like, she put an arm up in the air.

"SHUT UP!" she screamed, louder than I thought she could ever scream.

In shock, everyone obeyed her command and turned to face Percy and Professor McGonagall who had just entered.

"Thanks," said Percy to Hermione, also surprised.

She shrugged in response.

Professor McGonagall cleared her throat, which we knew meant business. "Students, I have assembled you here for a very good reason and it's important that when I tell you this, that you remain calm and collected and do not panic and run riot. Is that clear?"

We all murmered some form of answer.

"All right," she sighed dramatically as we hung into her every word, waiting, anticipating. "He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named has risen to power once more. We have just received notification that he has murdered two people in Diagon Alley."

There was a momentary pause in between the end of her sentence and our reactions.

At first I didn't know what to say. I was completely, utterly speechless.

It was Hermione who made the first comment. Turning towards me she spoke hoarsely and slowly. "Oh no Oliver, what are we going to do?"

I'd never seen more fear in one's eyes before.

I shook my head in dismay and gave her the most genuine look I could possibly muster up. "I don't know Herms, I really don't know..."

Author's Note: Extremely short chapter I know. I just wanted that to be the cliff hanger, hehe. Anyway, thanks again for all the really sweet reviews guys, I do appreciate them heaps! Thanks Sarah by the way, I don't know what to say. You always make me feel wonderful! :O)