The stadium was large, with stands in boxes up around in towers with magical elevators that brought you up ten flights without the slightest queasy feeling.
"Wow…" It was spectacular to watch. Two teams, the Puddlemere Team and the reserve team, were out practicing. I spotted Oliver with my binoculars making lazy circles around his hoops.
Maverick Burr looked strong and cocky, sitting on his broom, holding it with one hand, the other waving cockily at fans. His black, shoulder-length hair was held back with a bandana and his white teeth flashing in the sun.
I looked towards Oliver again. He was in front of his middle hoop and a concentrated look was on his face. The game was about to begin.
It started before I even realized it and it was amazing! Players flying all over the place, knots, balls flying.
Oliver had a look of pure concentration on his face as two Chasers came towards him. They passed it back and forth, trying to dique him out but he refused to be beat, catching the quaffle and throwing it back to one of his teammates.
"That was fantastic!" I yelled over the roar of people and players.
"Yes," yelled back Middleton." He's been getting stronger and stronger over the past weeks. Soon, he'll be a strong enough player to be a back up for the team."
The practice continued with some beautiful saves, some brutal hits, and some narrow misses. He had supper then Oliver took me out for a flight.
At first I was hesitant to climb on the broom but he held it steady as we flew up to the cliffs. After putting a blanket down, we snuggled up on it.
"I'm really glad you came," he whispered, his fingers dancing up and down my arm, making shivers run down my spine.
"Me too. It's beautiful up here."
He nodded. I could tell he had something on his mind but I didn't want to push it. A silence descended on us and I searched for something to say. "The girls seem nice…"
"Yeah, this week's," he said softly, sadly.
I looked up at him, confused. "What?"
He gazed down at the dorms. "They keep a steady stream of girls coming in and out so the players don't get bored or restless…" he said woodenly.
I frowned. "They switch them up every week?"
He nodded.
"That's sick." And suddenly I felt a sick, hollow feeling in the pit of my stomach. "Oliver, you've-"
He cut me off. "No, never. Of course not."
I swallowed. "But you've never even thought if it?"
He finally looked down at me. "No."
"Really?" I asked in a small voice.
He laughed softly. "Hermione, all I've been thinking about the past few weeks has been Quidditch and when I've got a few seconds, I'm thinking of you. I don't have time to mess around if I want to go anywhere with this. And I do. If people are going to pay me to do the thing I love to do I'm not going to mess that up…"
I wanted to cry, I wanted to jump up and down and yell, I wanted to throw my arms around him and laugh and dance.
He was mature. A funny thought, really.
"What?" he asked, watching me.
I grinned. "What do you mean?"
"You're looking at me funny."
"Funny how?"
"Just funny..."
"Am not."
"Are too." But the grin was spreading on his face.
"It's just funny."
He eyed me. "What is?"
I spread my arms dramatically. "You've grown up. You've matured..."
"That's it? That's what you're laughing at me for?" He started to tickle me. "There. Something for you to laugh about."
I shrieked. "Stop! Stop!"
He finally stopped and looked down at me intently.
It was my turn. "What?"
He shook his head smiling. "Nothing. You're beautiful."
I blushed. "Thank you." I snuggled up to him and we watched the sun set and the stars come out before going back down.
¤ ¤ ¤
Going back to school was hard to do knowing I wasn't going to see Oliver. We'd said our goodbyes, trying to keep them as short and as uncheesy as we could.
I boarded the train with my fellow classmates for Hogwarts and he boarded a train with his fellow teammates for his first game as back-up keeper on the Puddlemere United Team.
I ran into Ron while trying to find an empty car.
"Hullo Hermione," he said sullenly.
"Hello Ron," I'd replied icily.
"How's your celebrity boyfriend?" he asked snidely, reminding me faintly of Malfoy.
"He's fine, thanks… now if you have no other comments I'd like to get by…" I pushed past him and found an empty car.
¤ ¤ ¤
I'd only been settled in my room for a few minutes when a gaggle of girls pushed their way into my room and surrounded my bed where I was getting ready to read my seventh year Herbology Textbook."
"Can I help you?" I asked, suspicious thoughts creeping into my mind.
"You're Hermione Granger, right?" a tall blond girl whom I dimly remembered from my 6th year potions class as Petunia Redleaf.
I nodded slowly. "Yes."
"The Hermione Granger dating the Oliver Wood, Sex God and former Gryffindor Captain?"
I almost laughed but caught myself in time. "Well, yes… but…"
A few girls gasped, a few twittered and some just stared.
Petunia stepped forward. For a minute I was afraid they were going to throw themselves at me and tear my to shreds but she raised her arms and they all fell silent.
"Hermione Granger," she asked solemnly, "Would you do us the honour of being this year's president of the Oliver Wood Fan Club?"
This time I could not contain myself and laughed.
"You want me to be president of a club that's practically stalking my boyfriend?"
They nodded like hens in a hen yard waiting to be fed, their eyes blinking owlishly.
"Don't be ridiculous!" I scoffed. "Why on earth would I add to the madness?" I started out of the girls' dormitory.
"You know things that none of us do about him!" Petunia called after me.
"And it'll stay that way!" I called back, walking out the portrait hole.
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