Oliver had made three trips in two weeks. He was so sweet and so wonderful but stubborn. He wouldn't hear of it when I said I would come and visit him. "It's too long a ride on the bus, Hermione. Too long."
I shook my head even though he couldn't see me through the phone. "You fly too much, Oliver. You're going to tire yourself out and I don't want to be the reason for your failure."
His voice came back, sounding distant yet comfortingly close. "Don't worry about me… I'm fine."
But I didn't let go. "No, Oliver. I don't want you to get hurt… What if you get hit by something or fall asleep and fall off? If something were to happen to you, I don't know what I'd do…"
"Don't be so fatalistic, Hermione… I'll be fine."
"How can you be certain of that? Can you promise me that?"
He laughed. "Fine. I give up! You come and visit me then… take a long trip… I just thought your parents would be against it…"
I shrugged. "They trust me… and if I bring Harry along, I'll be fine…" I kicked the swing, moving back and forth.
"Alright, just let me know when you're coming…"
¤ ¤ ¤
I didn't end up going for another three weeks. He'd had training camp after training camp and then my family had decided to go to our cottage by the sea.
Harry agreed to come and even though I'd owled Ron, he'd stayed in stony silence and when I'd gotten to the train station, only Harry was waiting for me, trunk in hand.
I climbed onto the train after Harry and sat down excitedly. Oliver had a weekend off and we were going to go sightseeing. I couldn't wait. I envisioned dragging Oliver all over to see museums and art galleries. He'd complain but secretly love it.
He met us at the train station, shaking hands with Harry then picking me up and twirling me around. "How was your train ride?"
We both said in unison, "Fine."
He grinned. "Good."
We walked out to the parking lot towards the car. He led us to an old Volkswagen, telling Harry and I excitedly about driving. "It's much slower than flying but very cool all the same…"
It was a long ride up into the mountains to the place where we would be staying. As we came around the bend, I gasped. It was a beautiful place – big fields, soaring cliffs, a beautiful lake. And the dorms and classrooms were tall, sturdy rock buildings.
"There it is," Oliver said proudly. "The Puddlemere Training Center."
"Oh, it's beautiful, Oliver!"
We pulled up to the front and were met by the coach, Lupus Middleton. He was a big man, once one of the fearless beaters in England, with fire red hair and a jolly face. He greeted me with a crushing handshake and a large grin. "Welcome to the Puddlemere Training Center, Miss Granger."
"It's beautiful here," I replied.
"Thank you. Now, I'm going to have to steal Oliver here but you'll see him at dinner…" He grabbed a hold of Oliver's arm. "Mrs. Burrows will help you find your room and such. She'd down the hall, up the stairs, and to the right in the kitchens." He cast an appraising eye on Harry. "Young Harry Potter? Oliver's told me all about you… would you like to come work out with us this morning?"
Harry nodded, his eyes lighting up. "Alright, Hermione?"
"Alright," I replied, as they were pulled away. Then I went off to find Mrs. Burrows.
She was a short, chubby and good-natured woman – the kind of woman you thought of when the term housekeeper came up.
"You must be Miss Granger," she exclaimed wiping her hands on her apron as I appreaed in the doorway looking lost.
I nodded.
"Oh, you're a little beauty, you are…" she added, "Oliver has found himself a good one, he has!"
"Thanks. Um, I was told that you knew where I'll be staying?"
She nodded. "Yes, follow me. Your bag will be brought up for you."
"Alright, thank you." I followed her up the stairs to the main hall, where a few stragglers were finishing breakfast. They gave me an appreciative glance as they rushed by, shoving the last of their breakfast into their mouths. I felt young and shy.
We continued on, up the stairs into the North Tower – the visitors dorm.
I got my own room, with a view over the fields.
"Now, here's fresh towels and linens, your bathroom's at the end of the hall, if you need anything, I'm usually in the kitchen, and supper will be at five-thirty right after the boys finish practice…" She laughed. "You'll have fun, I'm sure."
I laughed too, remembering Oliver after practice. "I'm sure I will…"
She left and I went down to see the bathroom. There, I was met with a group of blond girls fixing their make-up in the mirror. They smiled when they saw me.
"Hi. Wow, you the new girlfriend? Whose are you?" a tall one asked.
I smiled hesitantly. "Oliver Wood's. My name's Hermione, Hermione Granger… And yourself?"
She stuck the tube back in her bag and turned around. "Maverick Burr's. I'm Starr."
The other girls introduced themselves as well, as girlfriends of other players, then filed out one by one.
I nodded. "Nice to meet you." Oliver had told me about Maverick specifically – Maverick Burr was the captain of Puddlemere United and one of the fastest Chasers out there in England, maybe even the world. "Wow, that's fantastic."
She flashed me a brilliant smile. "I know, huh? But I dunno… he's just so obsessed with Quidditch." She checked her make-up again. "But he's hot so it's okay…"
"Oh, good…"
"Well, I'll see you at lunch then." She walked out, her heels clicking.
I looked at myself in the mirror. I wasn't fantastic looking but I knew I wasn't completely ugly. But not nearly as pretty as some of the other girlfriends of the team. I sighed and turned away. I went back to my room and sat down on my bed to read a book. I found it hard to keep my eyes open and quickly dozed off.
¤ ¤ ¤
I woke again to the clock chiming noon. I was late for lunch. I got up quickly, checked myself over and rushed down to lunch.
The main hall was packed with chatty Quidditch players, some full of mud, some wet, most shoveling food into mouth speaking a mile a minute.
I spotted Harry and Oliver talking excitedly to a group of players, telling old stories about the Gryffindor team – good and bad.
I made my way over, picking between the chairs, getting the odd look flashed up at me until I reached them.
"Hermione, hey," Harry crowed, grinning. Obviously he'd spent the morning on a broomstick judging from the elated look on his face and the slightly more than normal tousled look of his hair.
"Hi," I replied, sitting down. Oliver slid his arm around me. "How was your morning?"
"Good."
"Good?" Harry crowed. "It was fantastic, Oliver! They let me fly as a Seeker for one of the practice teams and I was so close to catching the snitch, Hermione!" He was practically bouncing in his seat.
I started to fill my plate with some food.
"And you should see Oliver fly now. He's at least ten times better now!"
I smiled up at Oliver. "Really?"
He smiled back, shrugging. "They've really helped me, I found. What did you do this morning?"
"I fell asleep," I admitted sheepishly.
"You have to come watch the practice this afternoon with me, Hermione," Harry said beaming. "It's so exciting!"
"Alright, I will."
We finished lunch then went upstairs to change.
