1 Chapter 1 ~ Surprisingly True
"It's surprisingly true, I am in love with you.
Though I could've not imagined in this way, I have to say:
It's surprisingly true, you're in love with me.
Through the beginning to the end, you'll be my friend.
Forever and always…'cause I love you."
- "Surprisingly True" by Jenny Curley
Hermione pushed her trolley which was full of trunks, while magically levitating a black umbrella. Those trunks mainly consisted of books, quills, robes, and parchment…and a few of them contained make-up and shampoo. Hermione had now considered her looks, and as her mother said it was about time. Hermione was now 17, in her 7th year at Hogwarts. Or, she was beginning her 7th year at Hogwarts. It was September 1st, and Hermione was travelling around King's Cross Station, Platform 9 ¾. Hermione sighed. Everywhere she looked there were black umbrellas since it was raining. But she couldn't complain – she also had a black umbrella. Hermione searched around, eager to find her long-time friends, Harry and Ron, but all she could see was a massive bunch of black umbrellas.
"Oy! Hermione!" she heard someone call. She looked to the left, to the right, and in front of her. Finally, she turned around.
A huge orange umbrella sporting the words "Chudley Cannons" appeared, with Ron, Ginny, Fred & George, Sirius Black, Mr and Mrs Weasley, and Harry underneath it. Sirius had been cleared last year of charges, and Peter Pettigrew had gone to where he belonged – in a glass jar, stuck as a mouse for the rest of his life.
"Hullo Harry! Hullo Ron! Greetings Ginny, Sirius, Mr and Mrs Weasley, Fred, George," Hermione greeted, smiling cheerfully.
"You look wonderful, my dear," Mrs Weasley complimented, kissing Hermione on the cheek. "Oh, and congratulations on becoming Head Girl along with Seamus Finnigan. Good job!"
"That vacation in the Bahamas did you good," Fred joked. Fred & George had opened their own joke shop located in Hogsmeade, which was now more popular than Zonko's Joke Shop.
"You look astounding," Sirius said, standing beside Harry. Harry had been living with Sirius for the holidays, as well as last summer. Harry was glad to get rid of the Dursleys for good, and they hadn't contacted them once since the day Sirius got rid of his "murder" status.
"Thank you Sirius, Mrs Weasley, Fred," Hermione said, holding her trolley steady. She turned to Ron and Harry, smiling cheerfully.
"Long time no see, eh Harry and Ron?" she asked. She hadn't seen them both since the middle of July. They were all setting on seeing each other while shopping in Diagon Alley, but all went at different times because of their vacations.
"Hey Hermione, you look great!" Harry replied. Harry still had his glasses, still had his messy hair, and of course – he still had his lightning bolt scar. Yet, Harry was no longer skinny, neither did he look scrawny. He was tall and built, the captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, living with Sirius. His clothes were no longer 5 sizes too large, and he looked rather handsome. Lots of girls were in love with him and many people followed him because he was famous, but his heart belonged to Cho, who graduated from Hogwarts last year. Cho was now looking for a job.
"Thanks, Harry. Same to you!" Hermione smiled. She turned her head to glance at Ron. He was now very strong, being a beater for the Gryffindor Quidditch team, but his many freckles made him look like he was harmless. He didn't have a girlfriend yet; he was more interested in his love for Wizard Chess. He constantly ate his sweets and had over 1000 Famous Wizards and Witches Cards from the Chocolate Frogs. "Hi Ron!!"
"Hey, Hermione – wow you look bloody beautiful!" Ron exclaimed, nudging Harry and winking.
"Um…thanks. You look…um…good," Hermione said, closing up her umbrella as it had stopped raining.
"Last year, eh?" Mr Weasley said. "You better make me proud, son," he said to Ron. "I want some N.E.W.Ts from you, all right?"
"Yeah, dad, sure," Ron said. "Wow, can you believe it? Were in our last year at Hogwarts…I wonder who's gonna be the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher!"
"I hope it's not Lockhart," Harry said as he pushed his trunk up towards the train.
"He wasn't that bad," Hermione argued, petting Hedwig, who was resting on Harry's arm.
"Hermione – he was a fake! He borrowed all the stories and cast memory charms on the people he collected the stories from!" Ron exclaimed, hitting Pidwidgeon, who wouldn't keep his mouth shut.
"Yeah, but he was really cute," Ginny said, coming up from behind them.
"He probably stole the face too!" Harry joked as he stepped inside the train.
"Bye, Harry!" Sirius called.
"See ya Ron & Ginny!" The Weasley family said.
Hermione, Ron, Harry, and Ginny waved farewell as they sat down in their seats. The train had begun to move.
Hermione looked out the window as their journey began. Although the rain had stopped, dark clouds were still forming in the sky. "Do you think it's going to rain again?" Hermione pondered.
"Probably," Harry replied, putting Hedwig back in her cage. "It looks like there's going to be a storm."
"Ooh, I hope not," Ginny cried, petting Hermione's cat Crookshanks. "I hate lightning and thunder!"
Everyone turned to face the windows, looking outside. "I know!" Ron said. "Let's pretend to be some of the professors, and the rest of us will try to guess who it is! Maybe it'll help us take our minds off this bloody storm."
"I agree!" Ginny said at once.
"All right, I'll go first," Ron said. He closed his eyes and said in a misty voice, "I predict, that one of you will die this year. He has a lightning-bolt scar, a scar that is cursed, and his hair is as messy as a donkey's."
"Hey! I do not – PROFESSOR TREWLANEY!" Harry cried. Ron laughed. "You're right Harry. Your turn."
Harry bent down on the floor so he was very small and said in a squeaky voice, "T-today, we're going to learn the Wingardium Leviosa spell. Remember, it's swish and flick. Whoa! I'm flying! I'm flying!"
"That's Professor Flitwick!" Ginny giggled. Harry nodded. Ginny stood up. "This person is not a professor, but we all hate him…"
She cleared her throat. "Ooh, Mrs Norris, where's Peeves? I'm going to kill him for messing up the hallway. Huh, Mrs Norris? Ah-hah! Peeves, come here."
"Hey!" Hermione cried. "That's Filch!"
"CORRECT!" Ginny laughed.
Hermione stood up. "All right. This is a former professor. One who I did not like at all…" She cleared her throat. "H-H-H-Harry….c-c-c-o-me h-h-ere. I-I-I w-w-ant you t-t-o d-d-o t-t-hat s-s-spell a-a-a-gain."
"Hey – is that Professor Quirrell?" Harry asked.
"Yep!" Hermione laughed.
Afterwards, they all laughed amongst themselves, sharing conversation, and arguing about which type of broomstick was better – the Twister 300, or the Firebolt 450 (which Harry owned).
Hermione laughed very loud and it continued throughout the trip. She hadn't laughed like that in a while, and she was grateful that she had her friends by her side.
The compartment door suddenly opened. The group looked up and saw an incredibly handsome young man walk in. He looked surprisingly familiar.
"Hey! I'm new here." He told them. "Well, not really," he added. "Anyways, uh, hey Harry! You still seeker on the Gryffindor team?"
"Yeah…" Harry replied dumbfounded. "Uh…do I know you?"
"Oh," the stranger answered. Hermione gazed at him. He was devilishly handsome and looked very familiar. But who could he be?
The stranger continued. "Do you want me to rave on and on about strategies of Quidditch, Harry? Do you want me to make large speeches before matches with Ron's older brothers constantly making rude remarks?"
"OLIVER?" Harry guessed, leaping up to shake his hand.
"Yeah, jolly old mate!" Oliver replied.
Hermione was amazed. "Oliver?"
"Oh, Harry – is this your new girlfriend?" Oliver joked. He looked deeply into Hermione's eyes. She felt as if she was gazing into her soul. "Are you a new student here? Awfully beautiful, I'd say."
Hermione felt her cheeks go red. "Uh…"
Ron replied for her. "She's not a new student Oliver. I believe you've met our friend Hermione."
This time, Oliver felt his cheeks go red. "Uh…oh, Hermione I apologize."
"Nothing to apologize for," Hermione smiled, nervously putting her hair behind her ears.
"Oh, yeah, right……" Oliver said, incredibly stupidly. "Uh…I just wanted to apologize for the remark of being Harry's girlfriend and the new student comment…Unless – Harry are you two seeing each other?"
"Well, we're friends if that's what you mean," Harry said.
"Oh, yeah of course…nothing more, though?" Oliver asked.
"No…I 'saw' her in the 5th year but we decided to just be friends," Ron explained.
"Oh," Oliver said. "You kids have certainly grown up. And who are you?" he asked, turning to Ginny.
Ginny giggled nervously. "He he he he he…he he he he he he…."
"Don't mind her," Ron explained. "She's a bit crazy. She's my 'lil sis Ginny."
"Oh, hullo Ginny," Oliver smiled. "We've met before, haven't we?" Ginny nodded. "Pleasure to meet you again." Hermione and Ginny fell head over heels with his smile. Hermione never felt this way before.
Suddenly, cries came from behind the half-closed compartment door. "Eee!" someone squealed.
Lavender came running through to their compartment and screamed, "DID YOU KNOW THAT THE CUTEST GUY IS ON THIS TRAIN AND HIS NAME IS OLIVER-…………" She laughed nervously as she spotted her "gossip subject". "Uh……I'll be seeing you." She left the compartment.
Ron snorted. "So, why are you coming back, Oliver? What have you been up to lately?"
"Well…I've been the coach of the Appleby Arrows, and the keeper of the team as well," Oliver explained. "And, I've come back because Madam Hooch is undergoing a large operation on her left leg. Had a nasty accident during the summertime, I've heard. I think a bludger hit her in the head leaving her with a concussion and she fell off her broomstick."
Ron's head drooped down. "Oh…"
"What's the matter, Ron?" Ginny asked. "Do you fancy Madam Hooch?"
"NO!" Ron cried, his ears turning very red.
Ginny smirked. "Oh, I know…you were hoping that he was a member of the Chudley Cannons, weren't you?"
"Yeah…" Ron replied.
"How can you be the coach?" Hermione inquired. "Your really young!" While saying that, Hermione thought, "Which means that you're not too old for me!"
"Well, our regular coach, Smithes, is always injured or ill, and since I always come up with strategies, all the players on the team basically call me coach," Oliver answered.
"Interesting," Harry said, hanging on to every word Oliver was saying. "So, how did you become a part of the team?"
"I auditioned," Oliver said. He cleared his throat, clarifying the end of the subject. "So, young chaps, last year, huh? Do you have any plans after Hogwarts?"
They all shook their heads except for Harry and Hermione. "I want to become a part of a Qudditch team," Harry told him. "If that doesn't work out, I'll go to Wizard College, maybe become an auror, who knows!"
"I want to go to college, or do something," Hermione said. "Maybe, if I meet a boy I'll reconsider college, but…"
Harry and Ron glanced at her awkwardly. "Has she lost her bonkers?" Ron whispered in Harry's ear.
"It's bananas, Ron," Harry corrected.
"Ooh, don't remind me of food! I'm so hungry!" Ron hissed.
At the moment, the trolley witch went into their compartment. Everyone bought a little bit of each candy, but spent most of their sickles on the Chocolate Frogs. They spent the remaining hours on the train talking about their cards that they got. Harry got his thousandth Dumbledore, Hermione got Bertie Botts, the creator of Bertie Botts' Every Flavoured Beans, while Ron got Agrippa.
"Finally!" gasped Ron, glancing at the card from every angle. "I've only been looking for this for the past 8 years!"
Oliver chuckled. He was surprised at how much his fellow students had grown. Or ex-students, since he had graduated. He looked at Harry, who had helped him win the Quidditch cup in Harry's 3rd year, Oliver's last year in Hogwarts. He was quite burly, but looked very considerate of the people around him. He looked like a leader of a Quidditch team, considerate of his members, but eager to win. Harry reminded Oliver of himself.
Oliver had only known Ginny for two years, but she still was a very sweet girl. Now, in her 6th year, she had grown to be a very pretty girl. Her flaming red hair was now more of a shocking orange, and her tanned face still had loads of freckles. She still admired Harry, but now even more because he saved her way back in the 2nd year from Tom Riddle (a.k.a Voldemort).
Ron was very much the same as he was before, except strong and tough, like Harry. He had swept his red hair off to the side, making him look very shy. He was very shy, but was a master at Wizards' Chess, and obsessed with the Chudley Cannons. He was even more obsessed with them because they had won the Quidditch cup 2 years ago (although Harry said they won by luck). He looked like a comedian, shy, but very out-going, and Oliver thought he looked like a great person to be around.
Hermione. He was shocked by her appearance. He was shocked because he didn't recognize her. But then again – who would unless you're her closest friend? To Oliver, Hermione was gorgeous. She was always pretty, but now she was the most gorgeous girl alive. And brilliant. And intelligent. To him, she was perfect. But, then again, she was 5 years younger than her. But, then again, - what did age matter now that he was in his 20s?
The train began to slow down. Oliver cleared his throat and cleared his thoughts along with it. He knew he was going to be known as a professor now, since Madam Hooch was gone, and had better things to do than think about very beautiful and intelligent girls. Although Madam Pomfrey could mend bones in a minute, Madam Hooch's injury was very serious, and could not be healed with regular magic. She wouldn't be able to teach for a year because of crutches, but Oliver was prepared. Quidditch was his life. And he was going to teach it to others.
"Well, time to start the best year of our lives, eh?" he said. He winked at Ginny and Hermione and gestured them and Harry and Ron off of the train. A familiar voice greeted them.
"Hey Harry, Hermione, Ron, Ginny! Yeh all right?" Hagrid bellowed, a lantern in his hand. "Oh, an' Oliver…come back to teach Quidditch, eh?"
"Yeah, Hagrid, how you doing?" Oliver asked. A few girls squealed behind him. Hagrid chuckled.
"Now there's two famous boys," Hagrid said, nodding at Harry and Oliver. "An' there's goin' to be two fan clubs as well."
Both Harry and Oliver went beet red.
"Ah, I'm just kiddin' yeh," Hagrid laughed, swinging the lantern in his hand to and fro. "Enjoy the feast!"
Oliver waved farewell to the group, explaining that he had to make his appearance at the front table with the rest of the professors, and left. Hermione wish he didn't go. His slight disappearance felt like someone had taken her heart and stepped on it.
"Are you all right, Hermione?" Harry asked. "You look like your best friend died."
"No, I'm all right," Hermione assured him.
"You sure?"
"Yep, of course! It's the beginning of the 7th year – the supposedly best year of our lives! Why wouldn't I be happy?"
"I don't know…let's go see the sorting ceremony."
As Hermione approached the two wooden doors that became so familiar in her life, she had only two things on her mind – Oliver Wood and the last year in Hogwarts. And she was going to make sure this was going to be the best year of them all!
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There it is! How do you like it? I hope the second chapter will be a bit longer (and maybe a bit better) but this was more of an intro than anything else. Please send in your reviews and ideas! They really help – it's surprisingly true! Lol I'll be posting the second chapter as soon as I finish it, but hopefully in the next week (since it's March Break after all)! Woo-hoo! Maybe you'll even see Chapter 3 next week! Stay tuned!
SilverDragonLady – thanks for the compliment! I really want to be an author when I grow up (but I'm sad 'cause I won't be able to use Harry Potter characters or I'll be sued lol), and this seemed like the best place to do it!
WeeztieFairie – sorry, I haven't finished it yet but I just decided to upload it anyway. I added a bit more though…are you happy? :) I hope you are! I will continue! Do not worry!
And I just finished!
"It's surprisingly true, I am in love with you.
Though I could've not imagined in this way, I have to say:
It's surprisingly true, you're in love with me.
Through the beginning to the end, you'll be my friend.
Forever and always…'cause I love you."
- "Surprisingly True" by Jenny Curley
Hermione pushed her trolley which was full of trunks, while magically levitating a black umbrella. Those trunks mainly consisted of books, quills, robes, and parchment…and a few of them contained make-up and shampoo. Hermione had now considered her looks, and as her mother said it was about time. Hermione was now 17, in her 7th year at Hogwarts. Or, she was beginning her 7th year at Hogwarts. It was September 1st, and Hermione was travelling around King's Cross Station, Platform 9 ¾. Hermione sighed. Everywhere she looked there were black umbrellas since it was raining. But she couldn't complain – she also had a black umbrella. Hermione searched around, eager to find her long-time friends, Harry and Ron, but all she could see was a massive bunch of black umbrellas.
"Oy! Hermione!" she heard someone call. She looked to the left, to the right, and in front of her. Finally, she turned around.
A huge orange umbrella sporting the words "Chudley Cannons" appeared, with Ron, Ginny, Fred & George, Sirius Black, Mr and Mrs Weasley, and Harry underneath it. Sirius had been cleared last year of charges, and Peter Pettigrew had gone to where he belonged – in a glass jar, stuck as a mouse for the rest of his life.
"Hullo Harry! Hullo Ron! Greetings Ginny, Sirius, Mr and Mrs Weasley, Fred, George," Hermione greeted, smiling cheerfully.
"You look wonderful, my dear," Mrs Weasley complimented, kissing Hermione on the cheek. "Oh, and congratulations on becoming Head Girl along with Seamus Finnigan. Good job!"
"That vacation in the Bahamas did you good," Fred joked. Fred & George had opened their own joke shop located in Hogsmeade, which was now more popular than Zonko's Joke Shop.
"You look astounding," Sirius said, standing beside Harry. Harry had been living with Sirius for the holidays, as well as last summer. Harry was glad to get rid of the Dursleys for good, and they hadn't contacted them once since the day Sirius got rid of his "murder" status.
"Thank you Sirius, Mrs Weasley, Fred," Hermione said, holding her trolley steady. She turned to Ron and Harry, smiling cheerfully.
"Long time no see, eh Harry and Ron?" she asked. She hadn't seen them both since the middle of July. They were all setting on seeing each other while shopping in Diagon Alley, but all went at different times because of their vacations.
"Hey Hermione, you look great!" Harry replied. Harry still had his glasses, still had his messy hair, and of course – he still had his lightning bolt scar. Yet, Harry was no longer skinny, neither did he look scrawny. He was tall and built, the captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, living with Sirius. His clothes were no longer 5 sizes too large, and he looked rather handsome. Lots of girls were in love with him and many people followed him because he was famous, but his heart belonged to Cho, who graduated from Hogwarts last year. Cho was now looking for a job.
"Thanks, Harry. Same to you!" Hermione smiled. She turned her head to glance at Ron. He was now very strong, being a beater for the Gryffindor Quidditch team, but his many freckles made him look like he was harmless. He didn't have a girlfriend yet; he was more interested in his love for Wizard Chess. He constantly ate his sweets and had over 1000 Famous Wizards and Witches Cards from the Chocolate Frogs. "Hi Ron!!"
"Hey, Hermione – wow you look bloody beautiful!" Ron exclaimed, nudging Harry and winking.
"Um…thanks. You look…um…good," Hermione said, closing up her umbrella as it had stopped raining.
"Last year, eh?" Mr Weasley said. "You better make me proud, son," he said to Ron. "I want some N.E.W.Ts from you, all right?"
"Yeah, dad, sure," Ron said. "Wow, can you believe it? Were in our last year at Hogwarts…I wonder who's gonna be the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher!"
"I hope it's not Lockhart," Harry said as he pushed his trunk up towards the train.
"He wasn't that bad," Hermione argued, petting Hedwig, who was resting on Harry's arm.
"Hermione – he was a fake! He borrowed all the stories and cast memory charms on the people he collected the stories from!" Ron exclaimed, hitting Pidwidgeon, who wouldn't keep his mouth shut.
"Yeah, but he was really cute," Ginny said, coming up from behind them.
"He probably stole the face too!" Harry joked as he stepped inside the train.
"Bye, Harry!" Sirius called.
"See ya Ron & Ginny!" The Weasley family said.
Hermione, Ron, Harry, and Ginny waved farewell as they sat down in their seats. The train had begun to move.
Hermione looked out the window as their journey began. Although the rain had stopped, dark clouds were still forming in the sky. "Do you think it's going to rain again?" Hermione pondered.
"Probably," Harry replied, putting Hedwig back in her cage. "It looks like there's going to be a storm."
"Ooh, I hope not," Ginny cried, petting Hermione's cat Crookshanks. "I hate lightning and thunder!"
Everyone turned to face the windows, looking outside. "I know!" Ron said. "Let's pretend to be some of the professors, and the rest of us will try to guess who it is! Maybe it'll help us take our minds off this bloody storm."
"I agree!" Ginny said at once.
"All right, I'll go first," Ron said. He closed his eyes and said in a misty voice, "I predict, that one of you will die this year. He has a lightning-bolt scar, a scar that is cursed, and his hair is as messy as a donkey's."
"Hey! I do not – PROFESSOR TREWLANEY!" Harry cried. Ron laughed. "You're right Harry. Your turn."
Harry bent down on the floor so he was very small and said in a squeaky voice, "T-today, we're going to learn the Wingardium Leviosa spell. Remember, it's swish and flick. Whoa! I'm flying! I'm flying!"
"That's Professor Flitwick!" Ginny giggled. Harry nodded. Ginny stood up. "This person is not a professor, but we all hate him…"
She cleared her throat. "Ooh, Mrs Norris, where's Peeves? I'm going to kill him for messing up the hallway. Huh, Mrs Norris? Ah-hah! Peeves, come here."
"Hey!" Hermione cried. "That's Filch!"
"CORRECT!" Ginny laughed.
Hermione stood up. "All right. This is a former professor. One who I did not like at all…" She cleared her throat. "H-H-H-Harry….c-c-c-o-me h-h-ere. I-I-I w-w-ant you t-t-o d-d-o t-t-hat s-s-spell a-a-a-gain."
"Hey – is that Professor Quirrell?" Harry asked.
"Yep!" Hermione laughed.
Afterwards, they all laughed amongst themselves, sharing conversation, and arguing about which type of broomstick was better – the Twister 300, or the Firebolt 450 (which Harry owned).
Hermione laughed very loud and it continued throughout the trip. She hadn't laughed like that in a while, and she was grateful that she had her friends by her side.
The compartment door suddenly opened. The group looked up and saw an incredibly handsome young man walk in. He looked surprisingly familiar.
"Hey! I'm new here." He told them. "Well, not really," he added. "Anyways, uh, hey Harry! You still seeker on the Gryffindor team?"
"Yeah…" Harry replied dumbfounded. "Uh…do I know you?"
"Oh," the stranger answered. Hermione gazed at him. He was devilishly handsome and looked very familiar. But who could he be?
The stranger continued. "Do you want me to rave on and on about strategies of Quidditch, Harry? Do you want me to make large speeches before matches with Ron's older brothers constantly making rude remarks?"
"OLIVER?" Harry guessed, leaping up to shake his hand.
"Yeah, jolly old mate!" Oliver replied.
Hermione was amazed. "Oliver?"
"Oh, Harry – is this your new girlfriend?" Oliver joked. He looked deeply into Hermione's eyes. She felt as if she was gazing into her soul. "Are you a new student here? Awfully beautiful, I'd say."
Hermione felt her cheeks go red. "Uh…"
Ron replied for her. "She's not a new student Oliver. I believe you've met our friend Hermione."
This time, Oliver felt his cheeks go red. "Uh…oh, Hermione I apologize."
"Nothing to apologize for," Hermione smiled, nervously putting her hair behind her ears.
"Oh, yeah, right……" Oliver said, incredibly stupidly. "Uh…I just wanted to apologize for the remark of being Harry's girlfriend and the new student comment…Unless – Harry are you two seeing each other?"
"Well, we're friends if that's what you mean," Harry said.
"Oh, yeah of course…nothing more, though?" Oliver asked.
"No…I 'saw' her in the 5th year but we decided to just be friends," Ron explained.
"Oh," Oliver said. "You kids have certainly grown up. And who are you?" he asked, turning to Ginny.
Ginny giggled nervously. "He he he he he…he he he he he he…."
"Don't mind her," Ron explained. "She's a bit crazy. She's my 'lil sis Ginny."
"Oh, hullo Ginny," Oliver smiled. "We've met before, haven't we?" Ginny nodded. "Pleasure to meet you again." Hermione and Ginny fell head over heels with his smile. Hermione never felt this way before.
Suddenly, cries came from behind the half-closed compartment door. "Eee!" someone squealed.
Lavender came running through to their compartment and screamed, "DID YOU KNOW THAT THE CUTEST GUY IS ON THIS TRAIN AND HIS NAME IS OLIVER-…………" She laughed nervously as she spotted her "gossip subject". "Uh……I'll be seeing you." She left the compartment.
Ron snorted. "So, why are you coming back, Oliver? What have you been up to lately?"
"Well…I've been the coach of the Appleby Arrows, and the keeper of the team as well," Oliver explained. "And, I've come back because Madam Hooch is undergoing a large operation on her left leg. Had a nasty accident during the summertime, I've heard. I think a bludger hit her in the head leaving her with a concussion and she fell off her broomstick."
Ron's head drooped down. "Oh…"
"What's the matter, Ron?" Ginny asked. "Do you fancy Madam Hooch?"
"NO!" Ron cried, his ears turning very red.
Ginny smirked. "Oh, I know…you were hoping that he was a member of the Chudley Cannons, weren't you?"
"Yeah…" Ron replied.
"How can you be the coach?" Hermione inquired. "Your really young!" While saying that, Hermione thought, "Which means that you're not too old for me!"
"Well, our regular coach, Smithes, is always injured or ill, and since I always come up with strategies, all the players on the team basically call me coach," Oliver answered.
"Interesting," Harry said, hanging on to every word Oliver was saying. "So, how did you become a part of the team?"
"I auditioned," Oliver said. He cleared his throat, clarifying the end of the subject. "So, young chaps, last year, huh? Do you have any plans after Hogwarts?"
They all shook their heads except for Harry and Hermione. "I want to become a part of a Qudditch team," Harry told him. "If that doesn't work out, I'll go to Wizard College, maybe become an auror, who knows!"
"I want to go to college, or do something," Hermione said. "Maybe, if I meet a boy I'll reconsider college, but…"
Harry and Ron glanced at her awkwardly. "Has she lost her bonkers?" Ron whispered in Harry's ear.
"It's bananas, Ron," Harry corrected.
"Ooh, don't remind me of food! I'm so hungry!" Ron hissed.
At the moment, the trolley witch went into their compartment. Everyone bought a little bit of each candy, but spent most of their sickles on the Chocolate Frogs. They spent the remaining hours on the train talking about their cards that they got. Harry got his thousandth Dumbledore, Hermione got Bertie Botts, the creator of Bertie Botts' Every Flavoured Beans, while Ron got Agrippa.
"Finally!" gasped Ron, glancing at the card from every angle. "I've only been looking for this for the past 8 years!"
Oliver chuckled. He was surprised at how much his fellow students had grown. Or ex-students, since he had graduated. He looked at Harry, who had helped him win the Quidditch cup in Harry's 3rd year, Oliver's last year in Hogwarts. He was quite burly, but looked very considerate of the people around him. He looked like a leader of a Quidditch team, considerate of his members, but eager to win. Harry reminded Oliver of himself.
Oliver had only known Ginny for two years, but she still was a very sweet girl. Now, in her 6th year, she had grown to be a very pretty girl. Her flaming red hair was now more of a shocking orange, and her tanned face still had loads of freckles. She still admired Harry, but now even more because he saved her way back in the 2nd year from Tom Riddle (a.k.a Voldemort).
Ron was very much the same as he was before, except strong and tough, like Harry. He had swept his red hair off to the side, making him look very shy. He was very shy, but was a master at Wizards' Chess, and obsessed with the Chudley Cannons. He was even more obsessed with them because they had won the Quidditch cup 2 years ago (although Harry said they won by luck). He looked like a comedian, shy, but very out-going, and Oliver thought he looked like a great person to be around.
Hermione. He was shocked by her appearance. He was shocked because he didn't recognize her. But then again – who would unless you're her closest friend? To Oliver, Hermione was gorgeous. She was always pretty, but now she was the most gorgeous girl alive. And brilliant. And intelligent. To him, she was perfect. But, then again, she was 5 years younger than her. But, then again, - what did age matter now that he was in his 20s?
The train began to slow down. Oliver cleared his throat and cleared his thoughts along with it. He knew he was going to be known as a professor now, since Madam Hooch was gone, and had better things to do than think about very beautiful and intelligent girls. Although Madam Pomfrey could mend bones in a minute, Madam Hooch's injury was very serious, and could not be healed with regular magic. She wouldn't be able to teach for a year because of crutches, but Oliver was prepared. Quidditch was his life. And he was going to teach it to others.
"Well, time to start the best year of our lives, eh?" he said. He winked at Ginny and Hermione and gestured them and Harry and Ron off of the train. A familiar voice greeted them.
"Hey Harry, Hermione, Ron, Ginny! Yeh all right?" Hagrid bellowed, a lantern in his hand. "Oh, an' Oliver…come back to teach Quidditch, eh?"
"Yeah, Hagrid, how you doing?" Oliver asked. A few girls squealed behind him. Hagrid chuckled.
"Now there's two famous boys," Hagrid said, nodding at Harry and Oliver. "An' there's goin' to be two fan clubs as well."
Both Harry and Oliver went beet red.
"Ah, I'm just kiddin' yeh," Hagrid laughed, swinging the lantern in his hand to and fro. "Enjoy the feast!"
Oliver waved farewell to the group, explaining that he had to make his appearance at the front table with the rest of the professors, and left. Hermione wish he didn't go. His slight disappearance felt like someone had taken her heart and stepped on it.
"Are you all right, Hermione?" Harry asked. "You look like your best friend died."
"No, I'm all right," Hermione assured him.
"You sure?"
"Yep, of course! It's the beginning of the 7th year – the supposedly best year of our lives! Why wouldn't I be happy?"
"I don't know…let's go see the sorting ceremony."
As Hermione approached the two wooden doors that became so familiar in her life, she had only two things on her mind – Oliver Wood and the last year in Hogwarts. And she was going to make sure this was going to be the best year of them all!
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There it is! How do you like it? I hope the second chapter will be a bit longer (and maybe a bit better) but this was more of an intro than anything else. Please send in your reviews and ideas! They really help – it's surprisingly true! Lol I'll be posting the second chapter as soon as I finish it, but hopefully in the next week (since it's March Break after all)! Woo-hoo! Maybe you'll even see Chapter 3 next week! Stay tuned!
SilverDragonLady – thanks for the compliment! I really want to be an author when I grow up (but I'm sad 'cause I won't be able to use Harry Potter characters or I'll be sued lol), and this seemed like the best place to do it!
WeeztieFairie – sorry, I haven't finished it yet but I just decided to upload it anyway. I added a bit more though…are you happy? :) I hope you are! I will continue! Do not worry!
And I just finished!