A/N: This is just a short fill in, so I won't be so evil. (I myself personally hate cliffhangers.) RubberDuckey710, your review made me crack up… here you go, glad you liked it!

Confused- Sorry this story isn't all that romantic yet, but you can't have Oliver jumping on Hermione at the beginning of the story now, can we? I laid the groundwork, now I can bring on the romance. Thanks for reading.

Hermione froze where she was. Her heart began to pound wildly, and her palms became immensely sweaty from where she was gripping the seat.

Oliver was surveying her, gently bringing to tips of his fingers together. He sighed, and began to speak.

"You know, Miss Granger… from someone as smart as you, I would have expected you not to make such hasty conclusions. Especially from the enemy."

Hermione blankly stared at him, wondering what was going on. It was only the second day of school, and yet Hermione felt caught up in a secret she didn't want to be a part of.

Oliver laughed at the puzzled look on her face. "Miss Granger," he said. "I would like to introduce myself- Oliver Wood, member of the Order of the Phoenix."

The words took a while to sink in. Then, as suddenly as the flip of a switch, it clicked.

"What?" Hermione said, probably a little too loudly. She jumped up, more out of surprise than anything, and then sat hastily back down again. She felt lightheaded.

"But… why didn't I know? I mean, Harry, Ron and I know most of the Order, they're always dropping by, and you… you play Quidditch!"

"Well, you say you knew most. When I offered my services to Dumbledore, he thought I would be more useful if I continued playing Quidditch. You meet a lot of influential people playing professionally, and can rub shoulders with the best of them."

Hermione realized her mouth was hanging slightly open, and quickly shut it.

"Does Harry know?"

"He does, but Ron doesn't."

"Why?"

"Well, it's obvious, isn't it? Harry's being groomed to be a leader, so he has to learn how to keep secrets, even amongst friends. He knew I was coming, and he played along quite well, don't you agree?"

Hermione frowned. "But why are you here? In Hogwarts?"

Oliver sighed. "Well, my shoulder," he shrugged his shoulder and arm, both in a sling, to prove his point, "and to keep an eye out for Dumbledore. Special favor for him, you see, for letting me join the Order."

Oliver was gazing at Hermione, and she was defiantly staring back at him.

"But, Draco Malfoy said you were involved in the… what was it, 'noble Dark Arts'?"

Oliver scoffed. "Well, I am, aren't I?" He said. "I picked up a few things about the D.A. from Moody and Shacklebolt, and I've passed on some information that has landed a few Death Eaters in Azkaban." He shrugged non-commitedly. "Doesn't make me quite popular with that lot, wouldn't you agree?"

Hermione felt stupid for actually believing Oliver had been a Dark Wizard.

"Are you serious?" Hermione asked, her head still spinning.

"Of course."

"So why are you telling me?" she asked.

Until now, Oliver had remained calm, but he began to look a little embarrassed.

"Well, you see, you weren't supposed to know about… ummm, me… for a few months. Malfoy, probably on his father's orders, wanted you to suspect me, and try to dig up some dirt on me and discredit it me to the wizarding world, but especially you and Harry. However, they weren't planning on me finding out, and preventing that from happening."

Hermione felt slightly guilty- last night she had resolved to search Oliver's office when he was going to lend her the book he had promised.

"But why am I so important?" Hermione asked, her brows knitted. "Why would Lucius Malfoy care whether or not I trusted you?"

Oliver began to look even more uncomfortable. "Well… um, you see, a certain… err, Prophecy was made about you exactly ninety-nine years ago."

Hermione was floored. "A Prophecy?" she said keenly. "About me? What is it?"

But Oliver coughed. "Can't tell you. Erm… you just happen to be very important."

Hermione's palms were still sweaty: a Prophecy! An actual Prophecy, about her…

(A/N: In honor of L'eau Goddess) "I wonder what Draco was doing up so early," Hermione mused, still disconcerted after finding out that Oliver was part of a secret, Dark magic fighting society.

Oliver smiled wryly. "He corresponds with his father every Tuesday morning, 4:30 a.m. Has to go to the observatory to do it."

"His dad?" Hermione asked. "But… why? And how do you know?"

Oliver shrugged his broad shoulders. "I have my sources. I'm supposed to be keeping an eye on Draco and his lovely group of friends."

Hermione stared, and wished she would stop doing so. She wondered since when all of this had been going on. "Why don't you guys just expel Draco, then, if you suspect him of Dark activity?"

"Have you ever heard of the phrase 'Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer'?"

Hermione nodded.

"Well, look at it this way: While Draco is still here, and thinks he's is being cleverly secret and smart, we can keep tabs on what he's doing. We expel him, his father makes a stink, and then we don't know what he's up to. Simple, really."

"Eugh… and I have to work with him?" Hermione asked.

"Of course, Miss Granger."

"Call me Hermione," she said carelessly.

"Can't," Oliver said tensely, his face serious. Hermione felt slightly embarassed.

"Why not?"

"Complications," Oliver said simply. He coughed, and seeing Hermione shiver, muttered something under his breath. The grate suddenly filled with fire, and Hermione felt like she had just submerged herself in a hot bath.

Hermione was still staring at Oliver, her mind spinning. But instead of feeling wary, she now felt even more strongly attracted. He was grown, he was in the Order, he was strong, and he could keep secrets.

"So what now?" Hermione asked, after both of them looked anywhere but each other's faces.

"Well, I daresay that Shacklebolt had some far-fetched idea about us working together…"

"Is that far-fetched?" Hermione asked quickly.

"No," he replied, even quicker. "But that wasn't supposed to be for a couple of months. You see, Order members in the field usually work in pairs, and Shacklebolt thought that with your brains and my experience we'd make a good match."

"So," Hermione said dazedly. "It's only my 2nd day back at Hogwarts, and I find out that you are a member of the Order, there's a Prophecy about me, I'm somehow very important, and we're supposed to work together. Is that right?"

"Yes… I believe so."

"Wow," Hermione said softly. "So can I call you Ollie, then?"

"No," Oliver said flatly.

"Come on, if we'll be working together, maybe just once? Ollie? (a/n: love that name, btw)

"Would you like me to call you Hermy?"

"Ok…" Hermione said quickly. "No Ollie."

They fell silent once again, and Hermione couldn't help but appreciate that finally there was someone who she could compete with mentally, although she had never known Oliver was this smart.

"Your book," Oliver said, tossing a large, silver-embossed book to Hermione. "Borrowed it off of Moody…"

Hermione's fingers lovingly traced the silver stitching, and she looked at Oliver again. She felt slightly nervous, and hoped he didn't think her some adolescent, twittering girl.

"Is this all real?" Hermione asked, looking around here. "I mean, it's so bizarre, and everything you've just told me… are you actually saying that partly the reason you're here is 'cause of me?"

"Well, technically sort of, but if I hadn't have broken my shoulder and arm then this would have never happened."

Hermione silently thanked that rogue Bludger, wherever it was, and almost immediately afterward felt slightly guilty.

"So why are you in the Order?" Hermione asked finally. Oliver's face darkened.

"I have my reasons."

Feeling like a chastised child, Hermione started to get up in go, but was interrupted again.

"We can't pretend like we, um… know each other," he said. "If I need to meet with you, you'll find that the engraving in the book I just gave you will change to read To Hermione, With Love."

Hermione raised her eyebrows. "With love?"

"Wasn't my idea," Oliver grumbled. "Tonks thought it was cute, she had this hare-brained idea… It wasn't supposed to be for a few months…And you can meet me here, unless I tell you otherwise. You're starting to step up in the Order, Miss Granger. Are you prepared to do that?"

Hermione nodded.

"Well then, my time now is done. I'll see you in class." And with that, Oliver pulled over a stack of papers and began reading them. Hermione turned her back to him, and, still feeling dazed, walked out of his office.