Author's Note: Sorry it took a while…I went on vacation for a couple weeks. I think this might go on a little longer than expected…oops
Oliver could see Hermione visibly relax as soon as Ron and Harry left. She had seemed to be strung tighter than an archer's bowstring when they were being watched. Every movement had caught her eyes, every movement making her twitch and shift nervously. He smiled hesitantly at her, relieved more than he thought he would be at the departure of Ron and Harry. A furious blush exploded in her cheeks instantly and he almost laughed.
"Hermione, you're blushing," he remarked softly.
She jumped again. "What?" her voice was higher than it was normally, her attention obviously elsewhere.
This time he did laugh. "Is something wrong?"
"No…" she started.
"Are you feeling okay?" he asked, concerned. He reached out to touch her forehead to see if she had a fever, and she recoiled.
"No, no, Oliver, I'm fine," she replied, her answer too quick to have been honest.
His raised eyebrows showed his skepticism, but he sighed and sat back. "If you say so."
She cleared her throat awkwardly. "If we're done, Oliver, I really should get back to studying."
"Of course," he said, offering her another shy smile, suddenly self-conscious for reasons unknown.
Hermione stood up, again too quickly, almost knocking the chair over, and nodded cordially. "Well, I'll see you later, Oliver."
He nodded in return. "I guess so." And then he left, taking the parchment with him, undoubtedly back to the world of Quidditch.
Hermione watched him go, an ache in her chest ebbing away slowly. Suddenly, without Oliver around, it was a lot easier for her to breathe. She sat down again, gingerly, as if the chair might jump away from under her. She opened her Transfiguration book, eyes scanning the pages. All the while, one panicked thought ran through her head.
He knows. He knows. He knows. He knows.
She sighed restlessly and flipped the page. He knows!
Frustrated, she slammed the book shut, earning a glare from a nearby Ravenclaw. She swept her books and the parchment note into her arms and practically flew from the library, back to the Gryffindor common room. She found Harry and Ron absorbed in a game of wizard's chess, though Ron looked up hopefully when she walked into the room.
She couldn't resist smiling smugly at him when she saw the wildly questioning look on his face.
"Where have you been?" Ron asked.
"Studying in the Great Hall," she replied.
"See anyone down there?"
"People."
Ron sighed. "Anyone specific?"
"No," she answered off-handedly.
"Ron," Harry interrupted. "Checkmate."
Ron turned back to his game, astonished. Hermione turned and walked up to the girl's dormitory and went to the window at the end of the room. Clouds obscured her view of the ground below, but there was a window of light above. She sighed and tried to clear her mind of all thoughts concerning Oliver Wood. Her concentration was broken by a barn owl that rose out of the fog, brown and white wings cutting through the clouds. It winged its way up to the window and landed on the sill, hooting softly. Hermione took the rolled scroll from its talon and it dove back into the sky.
More than slightly confused, Hermione unrolled the parchment. It was a note from Oliver. So much for clearing my mind.
Hermione. I have a feeling we'll be getting more letters from Ron and Harry in the next couple weeks or so. It would be fun to play along, but if you don't want to, tell me. See you later, Oliver.
Playing along would be fun. Besides, it would give me a chance to see Oliver more often. Instantly after that thought, she simultaneously winced and blushed. I have got to stop thinking like that. It's embarrassing.
She turned from the window and a thought struck her. What if Ron just kept creating more and more notes, and this went on for the rest of the year? What if she couldn't keep up her indifferent, amused attitude towards his scheme? What if – For God's sake, cut it out, Hermione! She shook her head furiously, as if by doing that, she could rid herself of all of her Oliver problems. Finally, she sighed loudly and lay down on her bed and was surprised to find that she was tired. Within a few minutes, she was asleep.