Chapter Three... 'Hermione Granger?'

Hermione continued to stir a casserole so the ingredients wouldn't stick to the side of the pot. She listened to the guests having a wonderful time laughing and joking with each other. Occasionally she even heard the sounds of Oliver's laugh, he must be having an all right time after all, Hermione thought as she rested a soup ladle aside.

She started humming a lullaby her mother had taught her to make the time pass by quicker. She became so swept up in the melody that she began to sing louder and could practically hear people singing it in her head with her. As she began to wipe up some sauce she'd spilt on the bench, she realised why.

In shock, Hermione spun around and found herself staring at Oliver Wood who was smiling, empty glasses in his hands.

"Uh hi," he said.

"Hi," she replied nervously. "Er here, let me take that for you," she tried to take the glasses from him but he resisted.

"No, it's all right. Really."

"No," insisted Hermione trying to take them again. "I'm the maid, it's my job! You're a guest. Let me take them," she managed to pull a few free but to both of their horrors, one slipped and went crashing onto the tiled floor with a heavy crash.

Hermione froze for a moment, expecting to hear someone come running in to yell at her clumsiness. Sure enough, within seconds Annabella arrived, a smirk on her face.

"Oh, look what's happened," she murmured, standing awfully close to Oliver.


"It was entirely my fault," interrupted Oliver, sensing the dangerous vibe between the two girls.

"I'm sure she didn't mean it," said Annabella, talking to Oliver but eying Hermione. "Why don't we just return to the sitting room and leave the maid to clean it up," she finished, emphasising the word 'maid' like it was something dirty and untouchable.

Oliver nodded hesitantly, took one last look at Hermione and frowned, slightly confused, before following Annabella back to where the rest of the family was.

Hermione sighed and continued to clean up. Had he recognised her yet? Did he realise what sort of person Annabella was? Surely he had to have noticed how nasty she was- Annabella practically radiated hatred.

Course was followed after course after course and Hermione could hardly believe these people could eat so much. Dessert followed and by the time it came to collecting the dishes for them, she took one look around the table and couldn't help but grin at how full everyone looked.

Christina was leaning back and staring out the window as if she would have liked to have been anywhere but there. Mr and Mrs Nicholson were both patting their stomachs slightly and smiling at Mr and Mrs Wood who also looked very full. Oliver was clearing up some plates, possibly to help Hermione (which she liked the thought of) while even Annabella looked stuffed. Hermione couldn't help but notice how ugly she looked now that the make-up was wearing off and the hair wasn't so perfectly styled.

"Here let me help," Oliver assisted and Hermione didn't even try to put up a fight. They both walked carefully into the kitchen and balanced the piles of dishes on the sink.

"You look familiar," Oliver told Hermione after a minute. It had been bugging him all night. Who did that maid girl look like? He couldn't put his finger on it and he knew if he didn't figure it out he'd go home and have a sleepless night because it would annoy him.

"Do I?" questioned Hermione, amused.

"Yes, I just can't put my finger on it..." he stared at her again and a crease appeared in his brow.

He looks so cute when he thinks, Hermione giggled.

"I can put a finger on it," she finally said when she figured she'd left him long enough to try and figure it out. "I'm disappointed you don't remember me Oliver Wood," she said.

"Wait... it's coming to me..." he continued.

"Being such a good friend to your best seeker..."

"...Hermione Granger!" Oliver finally blurted out.

"Congratulations!" Hermione laughed.

"Ah I KNEW it was you! How in the world did you get stuck doing this job?" he asked, more serious now. "You were so clever. I still remember that spell you put on Harry's glasses to repel the water in that very crucial Quidditch match."

Hermione blushed. Oliver had looked like he wanted to kiss her he had been so happy. She slightly wished he had. Then she mentally slapped herself for being so silly. "Oh it's a long story really."

"I have a long time. Trust me, the conversation in here has got to be better than out there," he added, gesturing back into the dining room where there was much pointless talking going on.

"Okay... well...." Hermione proceeded to tell him pretty much everything that had happened in the last few years of her life- everything from the newspaper to the Nicholsons and everything in between. It felt really good to get everything out. Nobody had ever listened to Hermione as much as Oliver did that evening. He nodded, offered his thoughts every so often and most of all, didn't try to turn the story around so it was about him. He focused on Hermione and her feelings and what was happening to her and she was most touched by it.

After awhile Hermione stopped.

"What?" he asked. "Something wrong?"

"Oh no, look at the time!" she glanced at her watch.

"Yes, yes, look at the time," said someone standing in the doorway. It was Mrs. Wood. "Come on now Oliver, we have to get a move on, your father has to start work early tomorrow."

Oliver looked back at Hermione. "It's been excellent talking to you," he said reluctantly following his family out to the front door. Hermione also followed. It was another of her duties to make sure everyone had their jackets and scarves.

She handed them out at the door.

"It's been lovely to see you," Annabella whispered in Oliver's ear before planting a kiss on his cheek. A kiss that lasted longer than necessary. Oliver watched Hermione's reaction out of the corner of his eye. She didn't look impressed.

"Uh it's been neat to see you too I guess... Annabella," Oliver replied, forcing a smile. He gave Christina a genuine warm hug and then turned to Hermione.

"Great to talk to you Oliver," she said, handing him his jacket.

"Thanks, you too," he said, leaning forward to give her a kiss on the cheek but she turned away.

"Well, I'll see you some time then," she said, stepping back. "Maybe in another five years or so."

"Yeah," said Oliver awkwardly and uncomfortably now that his kiss had been shunned off. "I'll uh see you then."

The Nicholsons watched the Woods depart from the house, all waving and smiling.

As Oliver left with his family he couldn't help but think about that girl Hermione. How unhappy she seemed. How she was trying to cover up her sadness with her determination to be strong but how it just wasn't working. She was so unhappy! As he arrived home and went straight up to his room, he lay on his bed and thought. What if it was another 5 years before he saw her again? What if he never saw her again? What if Hermione died with that as her job? He couldn't let it happen. He just couldn't.

Author's Note: A bit of a pointless chapter but I thought it was necessary just to get the connections between Oliver and Hermione happening. I don't think this will be a terribly long fic to be honest. I don't think it has much going on. Next chapter? A ball maybe! Yes, that would be exciting wouldn't it? Though Oliver now knows it was Hermione who's the maid. Oh well, I think a ball would introduce some serious fluff and hopefully something horrible for Annabella who is truly getting on my nerves at the moment. By the way, thanks for all your generous reviews, I'm sorry I've kept you waiting so long for these chapters!