The Contract

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter in anyway, shape, or form (though I wish I did because J. K. Rowling has to be one of the richest people in the world by now).

Summery: Tired of being asked out by guys she wouldn't want her worst enemy to date, Hermione decides to take Oliver Wood's offer. Oliver Wood, tired of being mobbed by almost every girl within twenty feet of him, hears about Hermione's problem and offers a solution; they pretend to go out until one of them finds another person they want to date.

Chapter 6

Hermione felt a pair of cold eyes staring at her as she entered the Great Hall. She ignored their burning intensity and plastered a smile on her face as she approached Oliver. He stood and embraced her, placing a kiss on her startled lips. When she looked up at him questioningly, he smirked slightly and raised an eyebrow.

"Something wrong, love?" he asked with a wicked twinkle in his eye. Hermione stared up at him with a confused expression. For a second she'd almost forgotten what had happened between her and Malfoy earlier that day. Catching Oliver's game, she decided to play along.

"Nothing, dear," she responded with a bright smile. She slid her hands around his waist and pulled him even closer. "I just missed you." She rubbed her hands up and down his back and was rewarded with a surprised expression from Oliver that she took to be shock. She expected him to find some reason to pull away, but instead she learned he found her surprise pleasant as he bent down and kissed her again.

"I missed you too," he whispered all too convincingly to Hermione when he pulled away. He gently tugged at her lip with his teeth and moved for another kiss. He was interrupted, however when he heard someone calling to him.

"Wood!" a cold voice called to him. Wood pulled away from Hermione in surprise and, when he noticed her looking over his shoulder in shock, knew something was not right. He turned and that it was Malfoy speaking to him.

"Bug off, Malfoy," he sighed absently pulling Hermione to his side. She did, albeit reluctantly. He didn't miss the narrowing of the other boy's eyes when he saw the action.

"I need to speak with you," Malfoy said for one keeping the sneer out of his voice. Wood looked suspiciously at him and nodded after a few moments. He turned to Hermione who still seemed to be in shock.

"I'll be back soon," he said turning her loose. He followed Malfoy out of the Great Hall and never noticed Hermione had yet to move.


"Alright, Malfoy," Oliver said once they were out side of the Hall. "What's this all about?" Malfoy stared intensely at Oliver for a few moments, strangely unsettling the older boy.

"So you and Granger huh?" he asked suddenly. Oliver looked at him strangely.

"Yes, not that it's any of your business," Oliver stood in a defensive stance with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Do you really like her or are you just using her?"

"What is this about?" Oliver said again. Malfoy shrugged slowly. He then looked to Oliver with a vicious smirk.

"Does she like you?" he asked.

"I would believe so; otherwise she wouldn't have agreed to be my girlfriend." He uncrossed his arms and stared at Malfoy intensely trying to find out what the younger boy was up to.

"Are you sure about that?" Malfoy's facial features were now twisted into a self pleased mask.

"What are you talking about, Malfoy?"

"She kissed me, just this evening, right before dinner. She's absolutely great at it," he taunted enjoying Oliver's twitching jaw signifying that he'd succeeded in angering the other boy.

"Shut up, ferret."

"Why don't you ask her about it? I'm sure she'd love to tell you about how she clung to me. How she enjoyed touching me." Oliver's mouth twitched.

"Liar!" Malfoy shook his head with an amused glance.

"I wouldn't. Not about Hermione." Oliver opened his mouth, on the brink of telling Malfoy off, when he noticed something.

"Wait a moment," he said suspiciously. "You called Hermione by her first name." His eyes widened. "You like Hermione, don't you?" Malfoy didn't flinch.

"That's none of your business. Now, do you want to explain why your girlfriend melted into my arms?" Again, Oliver clenched his jaw. Before Malfoy could blink, Oliver had him pinned to the wall behind him by his throat.

"You stay away from Hermione or I'll make sure your lovely soprano singing voice stays that way." Malfoy didn't respond and Oliver pushed himself away from the Slytherin boy before stalking angrily back into the hall.

"You don't need her," Malfoy muttered after Oliver sulkily as he rubbed his sore throat. He was sure to have a bruise tomorrow. "Not like I do."


"Hermione." Hermione looked up from her meal, startled and saw Oliver looming over her.

"Oh. Hey, Oliver. What did Malfoy want?" If Hermione didn't know better, she could've sworn Oliver frowned at Malfoy's name.

"We need to talk," he said pulling her up and leading her out of the Great Hall before she had time to respond.

'Oh shit,' Hermione thought. 'He knows! Damn you Malfoy.'