Chapter 18:
The next two days passed in a blur. Oliver had signed in with the England team the previous week and everyone was riding his back. His Puddlemere coach was straining them to the limits and all his break times were spent with the national team and their staff, ironing out details after details. The only saving grace of his entire day was Hermione. She was home and they were both happy to be with each other. He came back home battered everyday but her smile rejuvenated him instantly. He wondered if she knew the magic she was working on him.
On Wednesday morning, she hadn't woken up by the time he had to leave. He looked lovingly at her naked form sprawled all over the bed, entangled in the sheets, smugly smiling his crinkled smile, I sure tired her out last night. He kissed her forehead and left for the stadium.
When he stepped out of the fire place in the evening, he knew there was something wrong. The house was plunged in darkness and he saw her silhouetted form sitting by the window in the den, hugging her knees to her chest, arms wrapped around her knees, looking absently out the window. She didn't even hear him call her name out. That worried him. He'd never seen her so dejected before. He knelt down on the floor beside her, taking her hand in one of his, shielding her eyes with the other as he flicked his wand to switch on the lights. She shut her eyes off for a bit and then slowly opened them. Cloudy and murky. Tormented and sad. Usually about her parents. He held her gaze, rubbing his thumb on her cheek, "What's the matter lass? Did you hear something about your parents today?" he asked her softly.
She broke down at their mention, buried her face in his chest and cried. He just held her there and rubbed her back. Minutes passed or hours, neither knew. She finally pulled herself together and looked up at him with a tear stained face and red eyes, his gut twisting at the sight, "It's… it's their anniversary today," she sniffled. His eyes widened, making a mental note to mark the date for the following years. "Come here," he brought her back in his embrace, thinking of ways to wipe that devastated look off her face. And suddenly he knew what he had to do. He took in a deep breath and spell changed them both, washing up her face for her in the process. "Come, let's go," he tugged at her and apparated them back to the same alley from their first date. He held her close as they walked much the same way she had taken them so many weeks back, but she didn't register it, still too lost in her own thoughts.
She jerked to a sudden halt when she saw the big white wheel in front of her, eyes popped wide. He saw her expression and half smiled, "Come, let's get on it," he pulled at her hand but she did not budge. He furrowed his brows and came back to her, "What's the matter lass? Don't you want to go up on it tonight?" He knew she did it with her parents on their anniversary each year, she had told him as much, but maybe she did not want to share that special ride with him tonight, he thought a little crestfallen. She just shook her head, as if still in a daze, staring wide eyed at The Eye.
"No, it's not that. I want to, I really do," she replied, confusing him furthermore, "but I don't have my wallet on me."
He felt as if she'd slapped him hard across his face. "Woman! I am your wallet! Now, do you want to do this or not?"
"Oliver really, you're just so daft sometimes! I don't have any money on me and this is a muggle establishment, your money is useless here," she explained a little haughtily as if he was stupid to not have worked that out for himself.
"I HAVE MUGGLE MONEY, YOU DAFT WOMAN! NOW, I ASK AGAIN, DO YOU WANT TO DO THIS OR JUST STAND HERE AND GRATE MY NERVES SOME MORE?" he rattled, glaring at her.
She turned and gave him an oddly curious look, mouth open enough to let a swarm of flies in. "Since when did you start carrying muggle money?"
He relaxed at that. "Since the day after my nut of a ministry intended took me to the muggle side of the town and paid for us all through the day. I changed some at Gringotts the next day before coming to the Burrow. I wanted to be prepared for it if the silly girl's coffee mood struck again," he shrugged, mischief in his smile. "And I'm not going to ask you again, do you want to…hhmm"
She pulled him down by his collar, rising herself on her toes, bringing him down for a kiss, square on his lips before lighting up with happiness, "Yes please. I really do. Shall we?" He just nodded, engulfing her small hand in his larger one as they made their way to the ticket booth.
When their bubble was on the top, Oliver turned her away from the glass and kissed her, just like she'd said her parents used to and he felt her melt into him, a single tear rolling down her eye. He swiped at it with his thumb, touched his forehead with hers and spoke, "Don't cry love, it's a happy day that needs to be celebrated. It's the one that made you, and I for one can only be indebted to it for that."
She hugged him close and sniffled on his chest, "You're the best Oliver, you know that?" She pecked him on the lips again, wiped at her face with her hands and then their evening started. She took him all around, pointing all the different places she had visited on all her childhood trips and Oliver took it all in, storing the information away for future reference.
Just when they were stepping out of the restaurant they'd dined in, he heard a familiar voice call out his name. "Ollie! Oh don't tell me you're also a frequent visitor to the muggle side!" Tatyana exclaimed right behind him.
He turned around and returned her greeting, hand still holding Hermione's as he introduced them both. They chatted on for a bit and then left, Tatyana hugging him close once again for a little too long as he bristled at the closeness, and she promised to see him at lunch the next day, before throwing a calculating glance at Hermione and sauntering off. Hermione noticed that Oliver did not bother to turn to see her go this time and just continued on with her instead, finding an empty alleyway to apparate them both back home.
"Oliver, why were you being so dismissal of Tatyana? She's really the perfect woman for you to settle with, you know. You shouldn't be so flippant about her." And Oliver groaned inside. He did not need a fight about that tonight. So he just ignored her words, acting too busy for his own good and apparated them back with a loud crack.
!
Later that night, after she could hear Oliver's deep breaths, Hermione got out of the bed, wrapping herself in a spare sheet, walking to the large window in their bedroom. She hated herself right now. She'd been so happy with Oliver that she'd forgotten the promise she'd made to him on their first date. Seeing Tatyana today had felt like an ice bucket emptied right on her head to Hermione. When did I become so selfish, she thought darkly. Oliver was going out of his way to keep her happy, to make her feel wanted and she was holding on to that politeness and ruining his life. Not any more she scolded herself. She had to plan and put it in action asap!
She stood there in the darkness, plotting her course of action when Oliver held her lovingly from behind. "I'm sure they're fine lass. I'm sure they're happy. And if and when you go speak to them, they're gonna be ecstatic and hug you crushingly, firmly planting you back in their lives and I'm going to be hitting the roof again about having yet more family that I'll have to share you with." She laughed at that image, turning to lock her arms around his neck. "Really? Is that how you feel about all our Sunday fiestas?" she teased.
He muttered something dark and unpleasant about just that, adding that the few minutes with her on the broom were the only plus point of his entire holiday.
"Come now, let's sleep. It's getting late," he whispered seductively in her ear, tugging at her sheets and tossing them carelessly on the floor as he pushed her hips up, getting her to lock her ankles at his waist just as she locked her arms around his neck and carrying her back to their bed. His purposeful strides leaving neither in any doubt that sleeping was not happening any time soon.
Hermione laughed again and got busy nibbling at his jaw, promising to enjoy all her time with him, knowing she'd just have these memories for her life after he'd move out of it. She'd make it right for him. She knew she owed him that. And she got busy with Oliver, with him making sure she'd think no more for a very long time.