"If I Could..."

They were going to have there next Hogsmead visit two weeks before winter break. It was on this day that James and Olivia had decided to go on their first 'official' date. Figuring that there options were rather limited, they were going to enjoy a nice lunch followed by some light shopping in the village, all other details were to be left to their spontaneity. Leticia and Sylvia could not have been happier for Olivia. She had mentioned her work in the hospital with James and how he had asked her out, but she purposely left out the kiss. That kiss was something too special, something that Olivia wanted to keep for herself. Plus, she doubted that she could find the right words to describe what she had felt that night. Leticia confessed around the same time that her and Rodrick were also planning a Hogsmead date. The three girls felt immensely satisfied with the way their social lives were panning out, and Olivia and Leticia had to put up with Sylvias constant 'I told you so's'.

Around this time Olivia received a letter from her father. It was equally as long as hers had been and filled with the details of life at the manor. He and Boscos had taken to working on the landscaping, not an easy feat Olivia thought, considering the size of the land. He also told her about the countless trips he was making in order to maintain his overseas accounts. Olivia noted through his writing, that he wasn't too thrilled about this. She had always known him to be a homebody and he never liked to travel. She figured it was only a matter of time before he gave up on the accounts all together. He finished the letter by telling her that he couldn't wait to spend time with her over the winter break and that he would be waiting for her at platform nine and three quarters with bells on.

Olivia sat by the fire in the Gryffindor common room, her father's letter resting on her lap. Leticia and Sylvia had gone up to bed earlier but she had decided to stay up for a little longer. She quite enjoyed the solitude and warmth. It had started snowing and everyday the students awoke to fresh powder over the grounds. Professor Nivaha had explained to her that the warming drought she had worked on was a great success, especially for those students with lessons out in the greenhouses. She had also excused her and James from a week of homework as a reward for their good deed. It had come as a relief for Olivia, who found that a Hogwart's sixth year was no laughing matter, the amount of work was intense.

Contemplating all of this Olivia took a look around the common room. It was finally empty, the last of the students having gone sleepily up to their dormitories. Thinking that she should probably attempt the same thing, Olivia set off for her room. She was gathering up her books and parchment when she heard a strange noise. Instinctively she pulled out her wand and looked up. She strained her ears listening. It had sounded like the soft thud of a sneaker, and the swishing sound of some material. She walked forward carefully hoping to find a sleeping first year, or maybe someone just taking a stroll but there was no one around. Finally, with a little uncertainty, she put her wand away and headed upstairs to bed.

She awoke in her bed but there was something different. Her dormitory was completely empty. When she walked downstairs to the common room, there still wasn't a person in sight. Confused and a little scared she walked through the portrait hole, suddenly she was looking down a large dark corridor. There were many doors but try as she might none of them would open. In desperation, Olivia pounded and pounded on each door. 'Help! Help me please!' she cried but no one was responding. She was suddenly very cold, she looked down and realized that she was still in her pajamas and had no shoes on. She kept walking down the corridor when there appeared a tall figure up ahead. 'Is that you James?' she called. But the figure didn't answer, and then she realized she had to get away. Turning, she felt a hand clasp around her wrist. 'You aren't going anywhere' she couldn't see his face but she knew he was trouble. She screamed.

Drenched in sweat Olivia awoke with a start. It had only been a nightmare but her heart was thumping hard in her chest. Breathing heavily she turned towards the window, she could see the faint twinge of dawn. Closing her eyes she tried to go back to sleep but her mind was still cluttered with images from her dream that she couldn't relax. Giving up, she pushed her covers out of the way and headed to the showers It had only been a horrible dream but the bad feeling followed her for the rest of the day.

"Olivia? Olivia?" Olivia glanced up, she had been so deep in thought, that Leticia couldn't get her attention. "Olivia what is it, what's wrong?"

They were sitting in Charms, Professor Kerloff was writing notes on the board, she looked down at her parchment, she hadn't written a single thing. "Oh, nothing's wrong just tired, is all." She lied; she didn't want to tell the girls about the dream because she felt foolish that it was affecting her so much. It was, after all, only a dream.

By the time they went down to lunch Olivia was starting to feet a little better, - at least she was talking. They headed to the table claiming to be famished, and sat down. A little while later Olivia heard the distinct sound of James and Rodrick's laughter, Leticia immediately perked up.

"You mind if we join you?" Rodrick asked, before they could respond he took a seat next to Leticia. Olivia then sensed someone set down beside her and turned to see James, his hair was as messy as always and his eyes sparkled as he smiled at her.

"Hi"

Olivia's mood was lightened a bit more, at least with James she felt comforted. But apparently she was still giving off some bad waves, because James soon asked her if there was anything the matter. Looking into his green eyes she knew there was no way she could lie to him.

"It's really nothing. I just had a really horrible dream last night," looking over at Leticia and Rodrick who were deep in conversation she explained the details of her nightmare to James.

"I wouldn't underestimate the power of dreams." he said after she had finished. He looked genuinely concerned. "Sometimes, when they are so vivid, our minds and our hearts have a hard time separating them from reality."

"That's a good way of looking at it." She smiled for the first time that day. "I was starting to think that maybe I was going crazy. Like I was getting overly paranoid about something bad happening."

"Nothing bad can happen to you, not while I'm around," he said valiantly.

Her smile grew wider. "Well aren't you my night in shinning armor," she said this as she rose from the table.

Quickly standing James suddenly bent over in a deep dramatic bow and said, "My Lady."

Olivia laughed and Leticia and Rodrick who had watched the entire scene simply shook their heads, thinking they were acting crazy.

Olivia's nightmare faded as the Hogsmead visit grew near. The weather was growing progressively worse and many students were worried that the visit would be canceled. But Olivia comforted herself by concluding that even if it was cold they could all take a bit of the warming drought and have a comfortable time. By the Friday before the visit however, the weather had remained relatively stable. Olivia and the rest of the older students were once again planning the days events. Sylvia suggested they all go to the small little coffee shop together, to which Leticia immediately responded that she would not be caught dead in a place like that. From the sound of it, Olivia doubted that it was a place in which Rodrick would feel comfortable in. James on the other hand...

After their kiss Olivia hardly thought of anything else. Her mind was consumed with thoughts about James, she found herself blushing frequently which made Leticia and Sylvia suspicious, but she knew they weren't likely to find out. The one time that James and Olivia mentioned anything about that night it was only to agree that what had transpired remain between them. They had also decided that it may be better to go on their first real date before anything more happened. In other words they weren't going to be snogging any time soon. As soon as they had agreed to this, however, she felt it the most difficult thing to do. Every time they were together, every inch of her wanted to be with him, to hold him, to anything him. A great relief came over Olivia as the Hogsmead visit approached.

Lost in thoughts of James, Olivia had not noticed Rodrick rush up to the group, so it was Leticia who spoke.

"Rod what's wrong?"

Olivia turned around and looked at Rodrick. He was in his Quidditch practice robes and he had obviously been running since his breathing was heavy. He looked at Olivia as he spoke "Nothing, well it's not nothing, it's really no big deal really..."

"What is it Rod?" Olivia noticed how he was still looking at her; she was starting to get nervous.

"It's just that there was an accident," at these words Olivia immediately got up, James wasn't with him. Noticing her frantic expression he said, "It's alright, it was James he's hurt, but he's alright. He's in the hospital wing, he wanted me to come and get you Olivia."

Not waiting for another word, Olivia rushed out of the common room and made her way to the hospital wing. Rodrick had said that he was alright but she wanted to find out for herself, she was in such a hurry she didn't even apologize when she ran into somebody in the hall. It wasn't until she heard a boy's rough voice that she realized it was that gorilla, Notts.

"What's your hurry, love?" he called.

Ignoring him Olivia barged into the rest ward. Scanning the room she saw Madame Promfey bandaging some kids head, and then she saw him. Lying on a bed with his quidditch robes still on, and his leg in a splint was James. He smiled when he saw her, but Olivia noticed that his eyes weren't sparkling.

"That was quick," he said.

"Yes well, I just had to come and see that you were alright." Now that she had seen him she felt better. "May I ask what happened?"

"I wish I had some heroic tale to tell you, but the truth of the matter is, it was pretty silly," he answered. "You see I had the snitch in my sight and was so determined to get it, that I hadn't noticed that Tonya and our other chaser, Lestor, were in the middle of some maneuver. So poor Lestor caught the back end of my broom as I flew out in front of him. Spinning out of control I fell a good distance and now I sit before you with a broken ankle and a few bruises. Luckily Lestor and my broom were alright."

"Lucky you weren't seriously hurt," she added.

After a few seconds of silence he said, "I'm really sorry Olivia"

She looked at him confused, "Sorry, for what? You haven't done anything?"

"I am going to be here tonight and most of the day tomorrow; I won't be able to go to Hogsmead. If I could I would go with my busted ankle but it would probably take me to long to get there"

She hadn't thought about that and now that she did she couldn't help feeling a little disappointed. She had been looking forward to the date so much, and now it wasn't going to happen. She was glad that James is alright but they would be missing their first official alone time together. Regaining her composure, she quickly added. "Don't be silly, I'm just glad you are all right. There will be other opportunities."

"I suppose you're right. But still, it would have been nice." He was looking at her and she could not help but agree.

The next day she decided that instead of tagging along with the other happy couples, she was going to spend the day entertaining James. No one complained and they all thought it very admirable of her. That afternoon when everyone was making thier way to the front of the castle Olivia headed up to the hospital. She found him in a much better mood; he was sitting up, his leg no longer in a splint. There were get well cards and candies all around him, gifts from all his well wishers she supposed.

"Hey," he said. He didn't ask what she was doing there, but Olivia supposed that he understood. If they couldn't go to Hogsmead together, than she wouldn't go at all.

"Feeling better?" she asked. "I see the splint is off."

"Yeah, it came off this morning. That Skelogro that Promfrey gave me tasted terrible but it worked fast."

"That's wonderful," she took a seat next to him. "What should we do then? My job today is to entertain you; I am at your service." She made a similar sweeping bow as he had done the day before.

"You know you really shouldn't say that to a boy, he might get ideas," he winked at her playfully.

Completely ignoring his remark Olivia pulled out a pack of playing cards, "How about a game of exploding snaps?"

For the next few hours they passed the time with a few more games of exploding snaps, and wizard's checkers which was exactly like muggle checkers except that the chips automatically disappeared with each play. Remembering the tavern back in Willow's Creak Olivia told James about the butterbeers.

"Willow's Creak, I've heard of that place. A rich village isn't it?"

"Yes, it is. I remember how beautiful it all seemed when I first got there. It was so much different than Ireland." She took a sip of her pumpkin juice. Madame Promfrey had brought it over to them.

"Why did you leave?" Olivia didn't answer right away and James, who was afraid that he had overstepped his boundary instantly added, "I'm sorry I didn't mean to pry, I understand if you don't want to answer."

"No, it's okay. It just that I don't really talk about this." It was true she didn't. And as she told James about her grandmother's death and her last request, she found herself sharing more than she had ever done. James was amazingly easy to talk to, and although he asked plenty of questions, they never felt strained or insincere. He was genuinely interested in what she had to say.

"Your grandmother to?" he asked with a slight drop in his voice, "I know how rough that must be."

And than Olivia remembered James and Lily Potter. The famous Potter's who were alive during Voldermort's first rise to power. They had fought hard against him and his followers and had been somewhat successful. As the story went, his grandparents had died defending their son, James' dad, against Voldermort. Her troubles seemed so insignificant in light of those horrible events. It broke her heart that James was a part of such a sad history.

"I didn't even know her, my father never told me about my grandmother until this summer." She looked out the window as she said this, her eyes involuntarily tearing up as she remembered what her father had done. She had forgiven him, but the hurt had not gone away. "I guess in his own way he was trying to protect me. From what, I still don't know."

A/N: As always please review