CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Summary: The battle is over and a marriage law has been put into effect due to the rapidly declining wizarding population. Under the law, Hermione is forced to marry at eighteen or face being exiled from the Wizarding World. Join Hermione as she has to deal with her past, whilst looking forward to the future, with the help of The Weasley Twins and rising Quidditch Star, Oliver Wood.
Disclaimer: All original characters and canon events belong to J.K. Rowling. Non-canon events are my own ideas. I am not making any profit from posting this fanfic.
Updated: 23/11/19
Page count: 22
Puddlemere United Stadium – Wednesday 15th July 1998
Hermione's head snapped to the pitch floor where she saw Oliver being levitated onto a stretcher before he was taken away.
Hermione's breathing halted as her chest tightened painfully and her head filled with fog. She stumbled backwards, Coach Burton catching her and righting her before she tripped and fell to the ground, and she looked at him with wide and unfocused eyes. She could see his lips moving but the sound didn't reach her ears. All she could hear heartbeat pounding in her ears, all she could focus on was the panic and pain that ripped through her very being, making it difficult to catch her breath.
These feelings, they weren't for an acquaintance or a friend, or even a family member. There were for a lover, companion. The realisation hit her like a heard of hippogriffs. She didn't know when, she didn't know how, but she knew she'd fallen in love with Oliver. She loved him.
She didn't know how long she'd been struggling to compose herself but in the time, the twins and Oliver's parents had appeared in the Coach's box, surrounding her. Their lips were moving but no sound was heard, Fred and George looked worried and not even their touch helped her to find her grip on reality. What did was the next announcement.
"IS THERE A LICENSED HEALER PRESENT?"
Snapping back to attention, she had her wand in her hand and pointed, muttering "Periculum," as a red beam of light signalled her location long before anyone in the audience had the chance to respond to the announcement.
The twins shared a frown, their eyes darting to Hermione in confusion and suspicion; she'd never mentioned that she was a licensed healer, especially given her age, lack of NEWTs and medical training.
The referee halted a stop by the Coach's box and the only thought in Hermione's mind was that she had to get to Oliver, her deathly fear of flying momentarily forgotten.
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THAT WAS HERMIONE GRANGER! PUDDLEMERE'S NEWEST JUNIOR COACH AND OLIVER WOOD'S SOON TO BE WIFE!" At the announcement, there was a mixture of cheers and boos from the crowd.
Hermione dismounted the broom as soon as she was able, almost slipping on the ground as she took off in a run, bursting through the opening of the medical tent, her eyes immediately locking on Oliver being a padded table in the middle of the tent as he was surrounded by three healers, none of them looking as though they had any idea of what they were doing. How the hell had they passed their examinations? Why weren't they helping him? They were too busy whisper-hissing to one another.
With her tears blurring her vision and silently falling down her face, she quickly crossed over to him.
"Why aren't you healing him?" Hermione snapped.
"We're not sure how to," one of the healers admitted meekly.
"You're healers, are you not?" She seethed. She was as far from happy as a person could be? If they couldn't heal him, what the hell were they even doing in the medical tent?"
"We graduated last week, the senior healer floo'd in sick this afternoon. We passed our examinations but we have no experience in Quidditch induced injuries, and should we proceed with treatment without a supervisor, we may worsen the damage already done," the second healer spoke, his complexion paling under her glare.
"This is despicable. The Quidditch Laws state there must always be a senior healer present. If the intended healer was sick, another should've been brought in and if it's not possible, the match should be cancelled and rescheduled at a later date!" She raged. "The Quidditch Officials will be no more by the time I've filed my complaints for the break in protocol. Now, get out!" She all but growled.
"But..."
"I said, out now!" Her voice rose shrilly and they were quick to scurry out of the tent, all but wetting themselves in fear.
Taking a breath, Hermione's hand raised to press against his cold cheek before her eyes fluttered closed and her hands hovered over Oliver's chest, her palms open and face down. She was unaware of the audience that had stepped into the tent, unmoving and silent.
Hermione's hands glowered a dull yellow before gradually brightening to a blinding gold that surrounded both she and Oliver until there were hidden, her observers being forced to shield their eyes lest they go blind.
Moments passed when the glow began to shrink and the colour faded until there was but a dull light emitting from her hands. In that time, Hermione seemed to have acquired a nose bleed, a paling complexion, shaking limbs and she bit her lip painfully. A sudden ragged gasp fell from her lips, her hands dropped to clutch at the side of the table to keep her upright as her head went fuzzy, and she bowed her head low, struggling to catch her breath. Oliver's eyes fluttered before they slowly opened, his vision clearing quickly as his gaze instantly looked on Hermione, looking confused.
"Yer hurt," he muttered with a frown, lifting his arm until his hand swiped at the blood beneath her nose, Hermione giving her head a light shake as she leaned into his touch.
"I'm fine. You were hurt," she said softly, leaning over him so he didn't have to crane his neck uncomfortably to keep eye contact with her.
"What happened?"
"You were oblivious to your surroundings," Hermione scolded.
"A was hit by a bludger?"
"Yes, you idiot, you were hit by a bludger."
"Was it bad?"
"Internal bleeding and organ damage, a broken leg, a broken arm, a broken clavicle and deep tissue bruises."
"So, no damage tae me handsome face?" His mouth twitched.
Hermione snorted and rolled her eyes. "You're going to be fine," she promised, pushing his hair back from his eyes tenderly.
"Did ye heal mae? A think ye did."
Hermione's hand froze in place. "What do you mean?"
His brow furrowed. "A could feel it, yer magic. It was surrounding mae, a could feel it flowin' through me body, brushing against me magical core. It was like a was floating in water an' yer magic was the balm tha' soothed the pain. A still feel a little achy otherwise fine." He used his elbows to slowly push himself up into a sitting position, Hermione helping him with her hand on his arm. "Hoo did ye do it, anno it was ye?"
Her eyes darted away from him, her cheeks pinking. "I...I, well I..." She stuttered anxiously.
"Your hands were glowing," Fred spoke, alerting them to their presence. Hermione's attention snapped to them, her eyes widening in horror as they walked further into the room with Mr. and Mrs. Wood, stop but a few feet before her.
"You don't look so good," George frowned in concern.
"Hoo did ye heal me son?" Mrs. Wood asked, her voice quiet and surprised.
"And how are you a licensed healer?" Fred questioned, eyeing her suspiciously.
Hermione's face had darkened to red, doing her best not to fidget with her hands and to avoid eye contact.
"A think anno," Mr. Wood mused, pinning Hermione with a knowing glance.
Hermione sighed in defeat, knowing there was no going back.
"I'm a licensed healer and I could heal Oliver because I'm a natural healer," she confessed.
You could hear a pin drop in the room before Fred and George burst into laughter.
"Good one, Mia," Fred praised. However, the look she pinned him with, had his laughter dying immediately as he stared at her. "Wait, you're serious?"
She swallowed and nodded. "Yes, I'm being serious."
"But... They're incredibly rare..." George muttered. "So rare, they're almost thought to be extinct. There's said to be no more than fifty in the entire Wizarding World."
"I know, I'm the only identified natural healer in Britain," she replied.
"Hoo long have ye known?" Mr. Wood asked curiously.
"Since I was around sixteen, the only people that know are myself and Professor McGonagall. It's one of the reasons we took a look at my family tree, and there's a reason Fred woke from his coma so quickly."
"It was you. You healed me," Fred mumbled in understanding, his eyes widening slightly.
She nodded sheepishly. "The healers gave you the potions but that wasn't what healed you. The night you were taken to hospital, the night of the Final Battle, I snuck into your room at St. Mungo's. George was asleep so I took the opportunity to do a bit of healing. Over the two weeks, every night I healed your body a little more until you were ready to wake from the coma. But because it was such a difficult and large job I had to do it in small doses, I'd never healed injuries such as yours before and I had to take my time. My healing you is why you were released within two weeks and it's why the healers said they'd never seen a patient so healthy after injuries such as yours."
"Not only did you save my brother's life once, you saved it twice," George spoke quietly, his expression filled with so much emotion, it hurt to look at him and she lowered her gaze. Feeling the weight of Oliver's eyes on her, she turned her eyes to him.
"Ye dinnae tell mae," he said, the hurt in his tone unmasked, piercing her heart painfully. "Why dinnae ye tell mae?"
"I didn't even tell the twins," she replied. "Professor McGonagall's the only one that knew. If people found out what I could do..." She trailed off, allowing them to come to their own conclusions. "I was afraid of what you'd think of me. I'm an anomaly in the Wizarding World."
"No, you're not, Mia," Fred disagreed, closing the distance between them and pulling her into a hug. "You're special, incredibly special. People would kill to have the ability you have and I understand why you didn't tell us. Thank you for saving my life...Again. "
George, feeling the tense atmosphere, decided it best to lighten the mood. "Hey, we have our own personal healer. St. Mungo's won't have to give us our own ward now," he grinned as Hermione and Fred snorted at him.
"Will this ability be passed on tae yer children?" Mr Wood asked. Hermione flinched at his words with Fred and George gave her a knowing, sad look.
Oliver's suspicion that Hermione was keeping things from him grew. Whenever children were mentioned she'd become uncomfortable and a pinched expression always seemed to settle on her face. At first, he'd put it down to nerves knowing she was a virgin, but now, he wasn't sure.
"To be honest, I'm not entirely sure. I don't know how I got this ability. I do know I was born with it but from my research, I haven't been able to determine if my ancestors had it, too. In most cases, magical abilities are hereditary such as shape-shifters and Metamorphmagi, but you have to take into account Seers and Lycanthropes, both who have abilities which are not hereditary, I won't know for certain until it either does or doesn't happen. You won't tell anyone about this, will you?" Hermione asked anxiously.
"No, we won't," George assured her. "This has to be kept secret for your safety."
Her gaze moved to Oliver, seeing his furrowed brow and thoughtful expression and before she had the chance to speak, the commentator's loud announcement interrupted.
"THOMPSON CAUGHT THE SNITCH! PUDDLEMERE WINS! 210 – 60!"
Hermione's face pulled into a proud, beaming smile. "Congratulations! You did it! Your first win as Captain!"
~000~000~000~
After finishing with the customary after game interview and congratulations, showering and changing into clean clothes, Oliver stepped out of the locker rooms to find Hermione stood against the wall with both Leo and Quaffle.
"Hi," she smiled in greeting. "I just thought I'd let you know that I'm taking Leo back to the shop and then I'll see you at home."
Oliver's mouth tugged into a smile at her acceptance and referral to the apartment as her home, their home.
"Yer not coming oot with us tae celebrate?" He frowned slightly.
"No, not this time," she shook her head. "The twins have already left and owled Leo's mother. I'm going to wait with him until she comes to collect him."
"Ye could always meet up with us afterwards," he suggested.
"It's alright, I've some contracts and what not to read over and sign by tomorrow anyway, and someone has to watch Quaffle. Besides, you don't want your soon to be ministry appointed wife out on the town and celebrating with you; I'm sure you'll have much more fun if it's just you and the boys."
"A need tea talk tea ye aboot somethin'."
"It can wait until you get home, you could do with having a bit of fun and letting off some steam. I know how stressful these last few weeks have been for you." She smiled before reaching up to press a kiss to his cheek, stepping back, taking Leo's hand in hers and they disappeared down the corridor with Quaffle following after them.
"You never mentioned Hermione's a licensed healer," Kings spoke from behind him and he turned to face his gathered teammates, all of them freshly showered, dressed and ready for a night of celebrating their first win of the season.
"Tha's 'coz a dinnae know."
"But how? She's not old enough and she didn't take her NEWT's," Wilks said, his confusion matching that of the other faces looking to him expectantly.
"It doesn't matter," Pallie interrupted. "Well, Captain, let's go and break some hearts." Pallie clamped a hand on her shoulder before forcibly turning him around and steering him towards the floo, his teammates following them with loud cheers.
~000~000~000~
Diagon Alley
Oliver and the team had visited three pubs, two bars and they'd recently arrived at a newly opened club. They were laughing, cheering and celebrating loudly and, of course, attracting the attention of both the men and women present, single and not. The team was well on their way to having a huge hangover in the morning, whereas Oliver hadn't been as free with his alcohol intake; he'd previously had three fire whiskeys, four butter beers and he was now drinking water, needing to remain sober so he could have a talk with Hermione when he returned home, and it wouldn't be long before he got annoyed with the women throwing themselves at him. His teammates, however, found it amusing and hadn't missed an opportunity to tease him relentlessly no matter how drunk they were. Oliver didn't so much mind, he'd get his revenge the next morning at training.
If he was honest, he was bored, tired, the loud music being played was giving him a headache, the smell of alcohol and sweat and the constant movement of being nudged and pushed as people brushed past him, was beginning to get on his nerves and he was looking forward to getting home to Hermione. He'd wanted to leave hours ago and had only stayed out due to the begging of his teammates, but it was getting late, he had to be at training and he really wanted to go home. With that in mind, he placed his empty glass down and stood from the large booth the team occupied, only before he could leave, a leggy blonde with dark blue eyes that were heavily highlighted by makeup, stepped before him. His annoyance flared up and he was unable to keep it from showing on his face, his teammates watching and laughing uproariously.
"Hi, there," she purred, his eyes fluttering in an unattractive way. "I'm Sophie," she smiled, her hand resting against his bicep as she stepped closer, pressing herself against his chest. "Would you like to come back to my place?"
Oliver wondered if there was something wrong with the woman if she seriously thought the smile she was giving him was seductive. If anything, she looked ridiculous.
"Naw, am goin' home tae me fiancé," he replied, immediately stepping back and then moving around her, only she grabbed his arm, preventing him from leaving lest he accidentally pull her over and she stepped in front of him, once again pressing herself against but a little more forcefully this time.
"Hermione Granger, right? Hmm, but you're not married yet and I can give you things that ugly swot can't," she whispered in his ear.
Oliver clenched his hands into tight fists before taking a deep breath and releasing it slowly. What right did a random witch have to make such comments about Hermione? She'd likely never even met her before given that he knew Hermione rarely travelled through Diagon Alley without a Glamour or some altered features. And Oliver didn't wish to be too mean, but the woman before him wasn't exactly a pretty rose either. She wore too much makeup and her tight dress was too revealing, leaving little to the imagination and it was very unflattering for her, too.
"Me Sparrow is ten times the witch ye are; not only is she brilliantly clever, she's beautiful, kind, selfless an' she'd easily best ye in a duel. Ye don' come close tae her. Yer a spark, she's the whole damn fire. Yer a kitten, she's a lioness. Yer pee-wee Quidditch, she's the World Cup. She'll always be me first an' only choice," he told her, removing his arm from her grip as she stared at him in stunned silence. "Now, if ye'll excuse mae, a've a fiancé tae get home tae."
He walked away without a backwards glance, ignoring the amused but surprised stares of his teammates.
~000~000~000~
Wood Apartment
The first place he looked was the kitchen but she wasn't there, the second place he searched was the library but that was empty, too, and when he turned towards Hermione's bedroom door, it was ajar and he could see inside. Raising his hand and wrapping his knuckles against the door, Hermione looked towards him with a smile as he pushed the door open a little further and Quaffle climbed from his dog bed, waddling over to him and barking in greeting.
"Did you have fun?" She asked, tapping a muggle pen against her knee absentmindedly.
"Wasnae tae bad, ye mind if a come in?"
With her permission, he stepped inside and kicked off his shoes before moving to sit beside Hermione on the bed and Quaffle returned to his own. She sat with her legs crossed, a number of important-looking documents spread out before her and she still grasped the muggle pen in her hand but was now tapping it against the palm of her other hand whilst he noticed she had a second muggle pen stashed in her messy bun.
"A wanted tae talk tae ye aboot somethin'," he started.
"Hmmm, just give me a second, I'm almost done," she acknowledged without taking her eyes from the document directly before her.
A few moments later, she signed her name in the appropriate placed and then gathered the documents into a neat pile before sitting them on her bedside table along with the muggle pen. She then gave him her full attention by shifting her body until she faced him and he did the same, also crossing his legs and clasping his hands together as he perched his elbows on his thighs.
He nodded and she returned to reading the document in her lap, she signed in the right places and then she picked up all the documents and contracts and put them in a pile on her
"You're not mad at me, are you?" She asked nervously and biting at her bottom lip.
"Fer keeping the fact tha' yer a natural healer from mae?" He guessed and she nodded. "Naw, am not mad at ye," he admitted. "A can understand why ye dinnae tell mae, it's the same reason ye havnae told anyone aboot the Deathly Hallows or the Elder Wand. A cannae be mad at ye fer bein' cautious or afraid. But tha's not what a wanna talk tae ye aboot."
"Alright," she frowned slightly.
"A've noticed tha' when the topic af children comes up, ye seem tae look worried or pained," he started, Hermione's body freezing and her eyes widening in panic. "There, tha's the look am talking aboot," he gestured to her with a point of his finger. "What's the matter? Are ye worried aboot having sex with mae 'coz it'll be yer first time?"
Her cheeks flamed red at his words, always finding herself amazed at his complete lack of embarrassment about such a subject.
"Oliver, that's not the problem... Well it is... But it's something else," she mumbled, a sigh leaving her lips when he smiled at her encouragingly.
"What is it?"
"I don't know how to tell you," she muttered, rubbing her hands over her face nervously, tiredly.
"Whatever it is a wanna know, ye can tell mae."
"I should've told you sooner so you could petition for a new match."
"It cannae be tha' bad," he assured her, she didn't look convinced.
"Okay, I'm just going to blurt it out and get it over with." He nodded and she took a deep breath before saying, "Imaynotbeabletohavechildren."
Oliver blinked slowly. "Am sorry, what?"
"I may not be able to have children, bes" she repeated slowly.
"Don' be ridiculous, yer only eighteen."
"Oliver, I'm being serious. My body's been through a lot these past seven years; when I was tortured, my stomach received a lot of damage and I was stabbed, too. I was healed but warned I was likely to suffer from some after effects, one of which, can alter fertility. I may not be fertile," she whispered, her gaze falling away from him. "I'm too afraid to know the truth, I'm too afraid to visit a healer or specialist, I'd rather not know for certain."
"Ye were afraid tae tell mae," he stated, reaching out with his hand and gently clasping her chin, tilting her head back until her gaze locked with his. "Why?"
"You're a pureblood, Oliver. You are the heir to the House of Wood, you require an heir to carry on the line. Even without the Marriage Law being a pain in the arse, I may not be able to give that to you."
"It's not yer fault, Sparrow. There are other options, we could always adopt."
She shook her head defiantly, tears swimming in her eyes and one broke free, sliding down her face. "If after a year of marriage I prove to be infertile, you'll be given the choice of divorcing me and getting a new match or staying married to me. If I were you, I'd petition for someone new now. You still have time before the wedding. Everyone would understand. I would understand."
The expression on his face all but said she should be admitted to St. Mungo's psychiatric ward.
"Am not gunna petition fer a new match," he promised. "If ye cannae have kids, a won't abandon ye."
"You should; I don't want to take the chance or opportunity of you being a father away from you. You deserve to be a father."
"Ye deserve the chance af bein' a mother even more. Like a said, we could adopt if ye wanted tae or if we have tae. Anno me parents wouldn't mind if any children we have aren't our biologically; they wouldn't love them any less," he assured her, reaching up to wipe away her fallen tears. "Am not gunna abandon ye over somethin' tha' isnae yer fault."
"Oliver, I think you're making a mistake. A big one. I've given you a viable reason for petitioning the Ministry for a new match and based on the circumstances, they're highly unlikely to refuse."
"Why do ye want mae tae have a new match so badly?" He questioned, unable to hide the hurt in his voice.
"I'm not good enough for you," she said quietly, sadly, his hurt vanishing until it was replaced with disbelief. "I'm not pretty enough; I'm covered in scars; I'm damaged. I don't want to fall for you knowing that I can't give you children, knowing that you'll resent me for it. Knowing that you'll choose to be re-matched; it would kill me. I can't lose anyone else," her voice rose a little, her eyes swimming with distress and pained sorrow.
As Oliver took in her words, he could hear his own heart pounding in his chest as though it were trying to escape his ribcage, and his head went a little fuzzy as he took a deep breath.
"Hermione?" He whispered. "Are ye falling fer mae?"
Her cheeks flamed red and her eyes immediately fell downcast. He had his answer but he wanted her to say it.
"I..." She shuttered, a ragged breath sounding from her before she screwed her eyes shut tightly and nodded, refusing to look at him, missing the way his eyes lit up. "I don't understand it. We've only known each other for a few weeks. No one can truly love someone, know someone in such little time; it's not possible, it shouldn't be possible. I don't know how it happened or when it happened but you break down my defences, I feel safe and protected with you."
It was his turn to take a ragged breath.
"From the moment me parents set eyes on each other, they knew they'd get married an' they'd only ev'r love each other. They told mae tha' story ev'ryday fer as long as a can remember. Ye can fall fer someone havin' known them fer years or even moments, things in the Wizarding World work differently. Me parents used tae tell mae tha' in some rare cases, a witch and wizard have been known tae be fated, it's somethin' tae do with their magic, am not entirely sure, tae be honest."
"Are you saying we may be fated to be together?"
"Naw, a dunno, maybe," he shrugged his shoulders. "According tae the Ministry, yer supposedly me perfect match. We balance each other oot an' we do get along seemingly well fer twa people who've been put in an awkward position. As soon as a climb intae bed with ye, ye calm doon from yer nightmares; ye dinnae do tha' with Fred and George. A can be meself 'round ye knowing ye won't judge mae an' ye moved in here withoot any problems. When ye healed mae a could feel yer magic inside af mae, mingling with mine, coaxing mae tae get better, fer mae tae open me eyes."
"That's never happened before; I've healed a fair amount of people over the years and they've never mentioned feeling my magic healing them. They always woke with knowledge of my presence or ability."
"Am not saying tha' we are one af these rare occasions, the possibility af tha' happening alone..." He trailed off. "What a am saying is tha' it's possible fer ye tae have strong feelings fer mae in such a short amount af time. So, am gunna ask ye again an' this time a want ye tae at mae." Slowly and shyly, she raised her head, her gaze locking with his as a myriad of emotions swam through them. "Are ye falling in love with mae?"
"Yes," she admitted in barely a whisper.
His eyes lit up and his mouth pulled into a smile as he closed the distance between them, lowered his head and pressed his mouth against hers. His tongue darted out to seek entrance past her lips and she granted it, their kiss being languid and tender but no less passionate or powerful. Hermione wound her hand into his hair, tugging on the soft strands before she used the other to grip at his shirt, tugging him towards her as she fell back onto the mattress, pulling him over her until he supported himself on his elbows and when Oliver drew back from her and opened his eyes, she was already watching him.
"Am falling fer ye an' trust mae when a say it wasnae difficult," he confessed. "Am not above ye, am not superior in any way, if a'thing, it's mae tha's not good enough fer ye. Yer beautiful an' powerful, intelligent an' kind. Yer've a doonright terrifying temper, yer protective an' supportive af yer family an' yer one af the most selfless people a've ev'r met. Ye'll make an amazing mother whether we adopt or have biological kids. A've seen the way ye are with the twins an' Leo. It's in yer nature tae make sure everyone is taken care af. But it's me turn now. It's me turn tae protect ye an' make sure yer safe. Tae make sure yer eating an' tha' yer putting on weight until ye reach the goal set. Tae make sure ye stay away from yer allergies an' tae comfort ye when ye have nightmares an' when ye need it. An' whatever side effects or trauma yer dealing, a'll help ye with it. A promise, Hermione, a'll not abandon ye."
"You don't know that; you may feel differently in a year if I can't get pregnant. My parents left me. Harry, Ron and Ginny left me. What's stopping you from leaving, too?" She looked vulnerable and frightened and it was an expression he'd never thought he'd see on her face.
"Believe it or not, am grateful tae the Ministry fer pairing mae with ye. If a hadn't have met ye, me life would be very different, it'd revolve 'round Quidditch, drinking an' one night stands," he trailed off into a chuckle when she glared at him. "But now tha' yer've become a part af me life, a laugh more, a enjoy life an' a have someone tae come home tae. A've always been adamant tha' a wouldn't marry until after me Quidditch career was over, but tha' changed when a met ye. Granted, a might've wanted tae date first an' wait a few years, but tha's beside the point. Yer've given mae a family, albeit consisting af three goldfish an' a dog..." She gave a watery laugh. "But it's a start. The team havnae shut up aboot the fact a smile more than a used tae an' it unnerves them." She laughed again and reached up to wipe a fallen tear from her face. "But the point is, am thankful fer meeting ye an' fer having ye in me life."
"You can be really sweet when you want to be," she said quietly, her cheeks tinting pink.
"Don' tell anyone, the team would never let mae live it doon," he replied.
"I'm grateful that I was matched with you, too," she admitted, seeing his smile widen. "You push me to do the things I'm afraid to do and thanks to you, I've told others about what happened to my parents, and I think I should come clean to everyone before the wedding. Will you be there when I do it?"
"Couldn't keep mae away, when do ye wanna do it?"
"Saturday night, maybe. We can invite everyone over for dinner and I'll cook."
"Are ye gunna tell them aboot Horcruxes, yer natural healing or the Deathly Hallows?"
"I'll tell them about my natural healing but not the others, not in detail anyway."
"Am proud af ye."
She smiled at him. "I'm proud of you, too, you did well today, even if your stupid arse did get knocked off your broom," she teased and he chuckled at her. "Promise me you'll be more careful," her voice quieted and her eyes creased with worry.
"A'll do me best but a cannae guarantee it."
"I know," she sighed.
"Well, it's a good thing me fiancé's a natural healer," he chuckled as she rolled her eyes. "And now tha' we're bein' honest, is there somethin' ye havnae told mae?"
"There are a few things," she muttered, her fingers fiddling with one of the buttons on his shirt absentmindedly.
"Let's get it oot in the open. If this is gunna work we cannae have any secrets between us."
She nodded slowly and lifted her gaze to his. "So, what I'm going to tell you, the twins know about but no one else does, not even Harry and Ron." He perked up at the news. "So during my third year, when Remus turned during the full moon without taking his potion, he targeted us and unfortunately, I was scratched on the back of my neck. Harry and Ron got away unscathed." His eyes widened slightly at the implication behind her words. "I'm not a werewolf, the scratch wasn't deep enough but it has affected me to a certain degree."
"Hoo?" He asked intrigued.
"When it's a full moon, I tend to be agitated, moody and snappy, generally just in a bad mood. Given we've lived together only a week, you haven't witnessed it yet but the twins have. They found it amusing and would purposefully irritate me until one of them got hexed and then they left me alone." He snorted, not in the least bit surprised. "I'm kind of in the same situation as Bill, except I've been dealing with it longer than he has, he was attacked by Fenrir Greyback three years after I was caught by Remus. I'll likely be more lethargic or have more energy altogether, it depends on the night. And I'm quite territorial, too, especially with my food. But that's not it..."
Hermione blushed furiously and at the sight, Oliver couldn't wait for the next bit of information she was about to reveal, considering the reaction he was witnessing.
"Now, Sparrow, don' keep secrets."
She scowled at him before she averted her gaze elsewhere "When we...Well, when we..." She cleared her throat. "You know..."
"Have sex?" he supplied amused, especially giving the position they were in with Oliver still hovering above her supporting himself on his elbows. Embarrassed, she hit him on the chest and he laughed at her.
"Yes, when that happens, I may well...I may bite you." His eyebrows rose so high they almost disappeared into his hairline. "I won't pass on any of the qualities that I have, you won't become a werewolf and I shouldn't draw blood either. I'll just have the urge to mark you like a werewolf would."
If he was honest, he found it all amusing; she'd be so territorial over him that she'd mark him. Mind, he'd marked her with a love bite the day before and it seemed she still hadn't noticed.
"Hoo often would it happen?"
"I don't know. Maybe once, maybe every time, maybe when I get territorial around the full moon," she shrugged her shoulders. "You're not angry?"
"Naw," he snorted. "Firstly, it wouldn't be yer fault if ye did an' secondly, a think the whole thing's rather funny." He looked far too pleased with himself so she rolled her eyes.
"Just you wait, when my cycle and the full moon match-up, you're screwed."
He tilted his head slightly. "Cycle?" He questioned. She raised an eyebrow and catching onto her meaning, his complexion paled a little. "Oh right, tha' cycle. A'll jus' avoid ye fer a few days," he nodded, certain of his decision and she snorted at him. "When's the next full moon?"
"8th August, so there's a while to go yet, you don't have to worry."
He nodded. "A'thing else ye havnae told mae?"
"Well, there's one more thing and only Fred and George know about this. I never told Harry or Ron."
His expression morphed into confusion when she pushed at his chest, signalling for him to let her up, and when he moved out of the way, she climbed from the bed. With a smile on her face, she slowly leaned forward and before her hands touched the floor, her body transformed into that of a lioness, right before his wide eyes. Quaffle was unaffected by the change as he'd witnessed it before, as well as the fact he could sense the lioness was his owner.
Oliver stared in surprised wonder as the lioness jumped onto the bed and sat in front of him, Oliver never realising how large the big cat actually was until it was sat right before him. He slowly lifted his hand and the lioness nuzzled her face against it before she changed back into Hermione.
"Whoa," he muttered. "Yer an Animagus."
She nodded. "Since my fifth year; I was curious about the process, and whether or not I could do it. I haven't always been a lioness, I used to be an otter, but when my Patronus changed, my Animagus form did, too. The twins got the shock of their lives when they found a lioness in their living room." Oliver laughed at her too pleased grin. "I'd intended to turn into an otter so I could prank them but the lioness worked just as well, better even."
"A bet it did," he snorted. "Are ye registered?"
"No, I was underage when I first transformed and the war was officially made public before the Ministry was under Voldemort's control. It was safer for me to keep it a secret; I could escape without anyone knowing if I had to."
"Why dinnae ye transform when ye were taken tae Malfoy Manor?"
"I couldn't; I physically couldn't. I was in too much pain to focus and I was weakened by injury. It requires a lot of magical energy and concentration to transform, otherwise, there's a risk of hurting yourself, similar to apparition and splinching."
"Okay, is there a'thing else, or is tha' it?"
"Well, when a witch or wizard becomes an Animagus, they tend to take on some of the traits of their animal form. Lionesses and lions are predators and they hunt. They have enhanced senses to help them in their survival, as a result, I've have taken on a few of them. For instance, my sight and hearing are better than yours, an average human's. And given that lions are territorial, combine that with the wolf traits I picked up, I'll likely be twice as territorial, double of what Bill would be over Fleur."
"A feel sorry fer the poor sod tha' tries it on with mae," Oliver snorted and Hermione rolled her eyes. "Is tha' ev'rything?"
"I think so," she nodded.
"If ye think af somethin' else?"
"I'll tell you," she promised.
"Good, now tha' ev'rything's oot in the open, when can a see yer scars?"
She scowled. "Not yet, and I don't care if you'll see them on our wedding night, I don't want you to see them now. You should've seen the look on the woman's face when she was helping me change into potential wedding dresses. She looked horrified."
"Anno what ye went through, anno why ye have those scars." She shrugged, not backing down. "Hoo aboot we take it one scar at a time? A'll show ye a scar tha' I have an' then ye show me any scar ye want to," he offered up and he could tell by the thoughtful look on her face that she was mulling over his suggestion.
She sighed in defeat. "See what I mean? You're always pushing me to do things I'm afraid of. Fine, but just one, you go first," she conceded.
Silently, he reached down and lifted the left side of his button-down shirt, revealing a horizontal scar the size of an index finger.
"What caused it?" She questioned, slowly reached up and tracing it with her finger, Oliver shifting a little under her tender touch.
"Me first week at Puddlemere, during practice a faulty bludger exploded an' shrapnel hit mae," he shrugged before lowering his shift back down to his side when she drew back.
Feeling nervous, Hermione shifted until her legs were tucked beneath her and she sat back on her haunches. Taking a breath, she fiddled with the edge of her jersey before slowly lifting it to show just below her ribs. In-between her ribs and bellybutton and towards the left side of her stomach, she had a long horizontal line, similar to Oliver's only slightly bigger and it wasn't as faded. It was barely three months old but with the help of magic, it didn't look so recent.
"What happened?" He asked and then he mimicked her earlier actions and traced a finger over the scar, Hermione sucking in a lungful of oxygen.
"When I was stabbed," she answered in as few words as possible before lowering the jersey back down.
"See, tha' wisnae so hard an' we'll slowly build up tae ye showing mae them all."
Her expression was one of both fear and disbelief so he reached out and pulled her towards him, hugging her gently.
"It'll be okay," he assured her.
To get more comfortable, he laid down on the mattress with Hermione tucked into his side, falling into a comfortable silence.
A while later, a thought entered his mind that had a smirk pulling at his mouth and Oliver peered down at Hermione, tugging on the edge of the jersey she wore.
"By the way, love the jersey," he commented.
She looked up at him with a blush on her cheeks. "I forgot to buy one for the match and by the time I remembered, I didn't have time, so I borrowed one of yours. I didn't think you'd mind but if it bothers you then I won't do it again. I didn't go into your room, I ran into Tillie when she was gathering the laundry and she gave it to mae," she rambled nervously, ignoring his amused expression. "Sorry, won't do it again," she muttered, embarrassed.
"Actually, a think ye should wear me jersey all the time," he smirked, snorting at her look of disbelief. "What? It looks better on ye than it does mae. Besides, the team's jealous."
"Why?" She arched an eyebrow.
"Yer wearing me jersey. Their partners wouldn't an' won't wear their jerseys, apparently it isnae ladylike. They'd kill tae have them do it."
Hermione snorted. "It's also not ladylike to show certain attributes to the world." He laughed at her. "Anyway, they're really comfortable; it's why I always wear the twins," she shrugged.
"Well, ye won't be wearing their jerseys anymore."
Hermione pulled away from him, propping herself up on her elbow. "Are you jealous?"
"Naw," he scoffed.
"So why won't I be wearing the twin's jerseys?"
"It isnae right fer an engaged witch tae wear another man's jersey," he defended.
"Even if it's my brother's?" She arched an eyebrow in amusement and he scowled at her.
"A cannae believe ye put Quaffle in a Quidditch jersey."
She grinned at him. "He looked adorable, didn't he? And don't say you didn't appreciate it because I know you did." He chuckled at her. "Have you eaten, yet?" He shook his head. "Well, no matter the time, I made dinner, so let's go."
~000~000~000~
Puddlemere United Stadium - Thursday 16th July 1998
As Hermione and Oliver made their way down the corridors and towards the pitch with Quaffle by their side, he helped her carry some of the contracts and documents she'd been reading over the night before. Seeing the number of documents had made Oliver's eyes widen; he'd thought he had a lot of reading to do when he went over his contract, but Hermione took the biscuit.
"Hey, Junior Coach," the team chorused as one as they slowly approached the gathered team and Coach Burton.
"Looking good," Wilks winked at her, a blush flooding her cheeks in response and Oliver furiously glared at Wilks, much to the team's amusement.
That day was one of the warmest they'd had yet and not wanting to be too warm, even with the aid of Cooling Charm, and wanting to be comfortable as she'd be spending a lot of time outdoors and on her feet, she'd opted for comfortable and weather-appropriate clothing. A grey thin hooded tracksuit jacket, a black v-neck spaghetti strap top, black high waisted shorts and white converse, whilst she'd pulled her hair into a messy bun and secured it with her wand.
"Don't call me that, it sounds funny," she grimaced.
Seeing the smirks and looks that were exchanged, Oliver spoke up. "A wouldn't do it if I were ye, as Junior Coach she has access tae yer files an' then she'll know where ye live. If ye don' want tae be checking yer homes three times a day fer joke products, then I suggest ye keep yer mouths closed. Ye all saw what she did tae Malloy an' Wilks' girlfriends, imagine what she'd do tae ye."
As one, the team glanced towards Hermione, a shiver running through each of them when she nodded and smirked.
"Right, now that's over, where do you want these?" Hermione asked Coach Burton, nodding to the pile of paperwork, which he quickly banished to his office to be filed away.
"Let's get to training. So, Junior, what are we doing today?"
Hermione arched an eyebrow. "You're the Coach, you tell me."
"We need to knock them into shape and you're the only one who can do that. You've got a fresh set of eyes, a new perspective, and you're a lot younger than me, you have the energy to deal with these idiots, I don't."
He gave her a gentle shove until she stood before him and faced the team, all of who shared a silent chuckle at her surprised expression.
Clearing her throat and giving her head a shake, she said, "Well then, we'll take it easy today since you all look like you've been to hell and back and run over by the Hogwarts Express at the same time. You all have different weaknesses, so we can either work on them as a team or you can do it separately, which would you prefer?" She asked, giving them the option but they merely shrugged their shoulders which she responded to with a huff. "I'm giving you a choice and you're throwing it away?" They shrugged once more, clearly being too hungover to care. Annoyed, she looked at Oliver expectantly as he was the Team Captain.
"As a team," he answered, rolling his eyes at the behaviour of his teammates.
"Very well, today I think it would be best if you continue with the drills from yesterday. I need some time to get everything I need before giving you a different programme, which I'll sort out tonight. So, starting players, get to work whilst I talk with the reserves so I may tell them what they need to do." They didn't move, simply stared at her. "Well, what are you waiting for? You don't get paid to stand there looking like lemons, hop to it," she clapped her hands and then shooed them away. They listened, mounting their brooms and taking flight, looking back at her over their shoulders in amusement.
Happy they were doing as told, she turned her attention to the reserves, speaking with each of them about what they needed to improve on. The rest of the morning went by fairly quickly and when lunch was called, Hermione distributed the food she'd made that morning before training resumed until they hit the end of the day.
"How is everyone?" Hermione asked once they'd dismounted their brooms and gathered before her for their last talk of the day before they each went home.
"Fine, you're not as ruthless as I thought you'd be," Malloy commented.
Hermione raised an eyebrow. "Why would you say that?"
"Training was easy," he replied, both his tone and smile were smug.
"Well, don't get used to it, you were clearly hungover and I didn't want you to injure yourselves. Plus, I don't have everything I need yet for what I want you to do, but I'm going to tend to that tonight whilst you are robe shopping with Oliver. I'm warning you now, tomorrow will be more...Challenging, I promise," she grinned evilly.
Oliver eyed her carefully; something didn't seem right. But when he saw the evil grin she gave, he knew they were in for trouble. He was beginning to learn what different expressions meant and he had seen that evil grin once before; when she was speaking of getting revenge on Rita Skeeter and whatever she had planned wouldn't bode well for the team. That he was sure of and he'd bet his entire fortune on it.
"Let's get goin'," Oliver interrupted, Hermione giving him a knowingly smile. It was far too sweet.
"What? Why? We're chatting with your lovely soon to be wife," Bishop all but pouted.
"Nope, we're leaving," he ordered, gesturing to the stands with a tip of his head. Once the team were gone, he stayed behind to speak with Hermione in private. "What are ye gunna do whilst am gone?"
"I'm going to get the things I need for tomorrow."
"It's gunna hurt, isnae it?"
"What makes you say that?"
"A saw the look on yer face."
She grinned. "Yes, it's going to hurt," she confirmed. He groaned. "Now, off you go, you have to go robe shopping and you don't have long before closing hours."
~000~000~000~
Muggle London
Oliver had decided that he wanted to try shopping in Muggle London first and luckily there was more than one Half-blood on the team who'd been raised in the Muggle World, and they took the lead with navigating the streets. After a quick trip to Gringotts and getting some money changed over they headed into Muggle London, dressed in simple shirts and jeans allowing them to blend in.
It hadn't taken long to reach their destination and they were now searching for suits for the weddings, some of the team and his father had decided to wear muggle suits and the others had opted for wizarding robes so they planned on heading to Diagon Alley once they were done in Muggle London.
Oliver stood in the middle of the tailors, his eyes and mind taking in every display in surprise, not knowing where to look. Every wall was lined with clothing racks filled with suits, shirts and shoes, and there was a whole section dedicated to socks and ties.
"Can I help you, gentlemen?" A middle-aged man with greying hair and green eyes asked as he walked over to the large group.
"Our buddy, Oliver, is getting married," Pallie said, clapping Oliver on the shoulder, bringing attention to him and Oliver rolled his eyes.
"I'm guessing you're the best man," the man replied with a knowing chuckle.
"That I am," Pallie beamed. "I was his best and the most obvious option," he said arrogantly, a series of scoffs and coughed insults sounding behind him. He threw a scowl over his shoulder at them and the man chuckled at them.
"And you must be the father of the groom," he commented, reaching out to shake Mr. Wood's hand.
"Tha's mae," he nodded.
"I'm Jimmy; I'll be your helper today. Now, when's the big day?"
"Fourteen days," Oliver replied, Jimmy's eyes widening comically at his answer.
"We had better get to work then, there's no time to waste when we're on such a tight schedule. What are you looking for?" He asked. Oliver shrugged his shoulders. "What designer? Do you want a waistcoat? A tie or bow tie? What material? Tailcoat or waist length? Handmade and tailored or bought from the rack?" Oliver shrugged once more, Jimmy sighing and pinching the bridge of his nose. "For the love of Ralph Lauren," he muttered.
Pallie looked at Oliver. "Who?" He mouthed, with Oliver shrugging his shoulders, having no idea.
"Versace would be rolling in his grave!"
"Who?" Pallie mouthed once more.
"That's fine, we can work that. What colour do you want?"
"The colour scheme is white and blue."
"Ah, so you do know something, brilliant!" He exclaimed, seeming to have a new spark of life and the team chuckled.
"Ye seem tae know what yer doin', a leave meself in yer hands," said Oliver.
"Wonderful, at least we'll get something done," with that, Jimmy spun on his heel and marched about the room like a man on a mission, pulling items from the racks whilst they others snorted at him and then milled around in search of their own suits.
"So, have you and the lovely Junior Coach gotten any closer lately?" Malloy asked, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.
Oliver sent him a baleful glare. "Like a said befere, tha's none af yer business."
"I'll take that as a no. What's taking you so long?"
"A told ye, the situation we're in isnae exactly normal, is it? A don' want tae cross any boundaries an' Hermione isnae the type af person tae jus' sleep with mae. A few weeks ago we were strangers an' now we're bein' forced tae marry."
"Why not? You're Oliver Wood! You can get any girl you want into your bed and she already lives with you. Imagine what she would look like naked! Don't tell me you haven't thought about it. I bet she looks amazing!" He taunted and it was working. The others could clearly see that Oliver was close to knocking Malloy on his arse. "Anyway, I don't see why it matters, Melanie would sleep with you," he shrugged.
"Hermione's not Melanie. She's vicious, insufferable an' she'd sleep with a'thing tha' has a pulse. An' don' ev'r speak aboot Hermione in tha' way again," he warned with a cold and dangerous tone.
"She's not that bad," Malloy argued.
"She's tried it on with everyone on the team," Oliver argued. Malloy looked to his teammates questioningly, each of them nodding in confirmation to Oliver's statement and giving him a sheepish, almost guilty expression. "Hermione'd never do tha' an' if ye ev'r bring it up again..."
"Okay, Malloy, shut up. Oliver, calm doon," Mr. Wood intervened, stepping between the two squabbling men.
"You love her, don't you?" Pallie said, cocking his head to the side.
"What?" Oliver blinked slowly and Pallie gave him a knowing look.
"I said you, love her."
Without responding, Oliver turned his back to them and headed to the changing rooms after Jimmy had beckoned him over with an armful of items. After trying on what felt like a hundred suits, Oliver settled on one. It was navy-blue Vitale with a waist-length jacket and a navy-blue waistcoat. With it, came a brilliant white shirt and a blue tie he'd later have his mother charm to match the colour of the flowers, and it was finished with brown dress shoes.
After assuring Jimmy that he knew someone who could alter the suit for him, he and the others paid for their purchases and then left for Diagon Alley.
~000~000~000~
Diagon Alley
He'd barely set foot in Madam Malkin's before the older woman was stood before him.
"Mr. Wood, what can I do for you?" She asked excitedly, seeing the chance to make plenty of galleons before closing for the day. She was glad she'd extended her opening hours until the mess that was the Marriage Law calmed with all possible matches marrying.
"Some af me teammates require robes fer me wedding, but a have somethin' else tha' requires me attention," Oliver responded, ignoring the questioning looks from his father and team. When Malkin turned her eyes to them, Oliver took the opportunity to slip out of the shop and travel further down the cobblestone alley towards the wizarding jewellers. He entered the building, the little bell above the door jingling, alerting the owner to his presence
When the owner emerged from the back room, his eyes widened and he hurried forward to the squared 'U' shaped glass counter that housed every piece of jewellery with every metal and jewel you could possibly think of.
"Mr. Wood? What can I do for you?"
"A wish tae look at yer collection af engagement rings," he answered after crossing the room and stopping before the counter, seeing the old man's eyes light up.
"Of course, of course, this way," he gestured for him to follow him with an excited wave of his hands and he walked along the length of the glass counter until they were both stood on the right side that housed the engagement and wedding jewellery.
"I'm to assume you're looking for something for Miss Granger?" He questioned and Oliver nodded silently. "I thought it wasn't a requirement of the law."
"It's not, but Hermione deserves a proper engagement an' not a forced one. She doesn't care fer material possessions but she's gettin' a ring whether she likes it or not."
"Do you have a price range in mind?"
"A don' have a set budget. A jus' don' want somethin' tha' is far tae ostentatious or big. A little's okay but knowing Hermione, she'll make mae bring it back if it's tae flashy" Oliver said distractedly as he peered down at the pieces. If it was at all possible, the owner's eyes would've lit up more and his smile must surely be hurting his face.
"We have several options. For the metal we offer platinum, rose gold, yellow gold, white gold and silver. We also have different cuts with princess, pear, emerald, asscher, round, radiant, marquise, heart, oval and cushion. As for the gemstones, we have available sapphires, emeralds, diamonds, rubies, aquamarines, topazes, opals, onyxes, pearls, garnets and tanzanites."
"Tanzanite?" He questioned curiously, the only gemstone he hadn't heard of.
"Tanzanite is a rare gemstone that was discovered in the sixties and it's one thousand times rarer than diamonds, particularly with its rare blue-purple colour," he explained, pointing out the only engagement ring with the gemstone.
Looking down at the showcase, Oliver's expression was one of cluelessness and overwhelm, amusing the old man.
"First things first, you want to choose the metal."
"Right, a dunno... White gold?"
"Next we should look at the gemstones, depending on how you want the ring to appear, we can have one made for you and you can pick it up in a few days if you don't wish to purchase any of the pieces currently on show."
Oliver thought it over; having one made instead of buying one definitely had its merits.
"Am leaning towards having one made," once more peering down into the showcase and seeing that in the sea of gems and metal, none of them jumped out at him.
"Excellent choice, it's more meaningful and you can design the ring to your liking, allowing for a personal touch and ensuring it is a one of a kind piece. We have the base of white gold, so we must discuss the gemstone, of which, each has a different meaning..." He started, quickly summarising each gemstone for him.
"Can a have more than one gemstone?"
"Of course, Mr. Wood, we offer trilogy rings which consist of three stones, usually either one or two different gemstones with one large centre stone and two side complementary stones."
"From what ye said af the meanings, a'd like tae use three gemstones if tha's possible. Tanzanite, ruby an' diamond."
"And how would you like to incorporate them? Any preference on the cut of the stones?"
Oliver frowned slightly, his teeth tugging at his lip in thought. "A heart-shaped ruby as the centrepiece, twa round diamonds, one on either side an' tanzanite embedded in the band."
"Completely or halfway?"
"Halfway," he nodded.
"I'll quickly draw up a design for you and we'll make any changes accordingly afterwards."
The old man completed a quick sketch of the possible finished product, turning the parchment towards Oliver.
"Tha's perfect," Oliver said proudly.
"I forgot to say, tanzanite is a transmutation stone which means it will change colour. It will start as a lilac-blue before turning to a sapphire-blue and finally settling on a deep violet-blue." Oliver nodded with a small smile; Hermione would like that. "What carat gold do you wish for?"
Oliver shrugged and then looked at the chart on the wall helplessly. "Eighteen?"
The old man nodded and made a note of it. "As tanzanite is such a rare stone, I'll have to correspond with my contacts in order to have some sent here. You can pick the ring up after twelve o'clock on Monday afternoon."
"Monday? Really?" He questioned in surprise, having thought he'd have to wait much longer.
"Yes, Mr. Wood, we only offer the best services here," the owner said proudly. "To recap, we have an eighteen-carat white gold band trilogy ring, with a heart-shaped ruby and two round diamonds and tanzanite embedded halfway around the band. Is that all?"
Oliver nodded in confirmation, signed off on the design and thanked the old man before leaving the building with a smile on his face. He made a quick detour to Diagon Alley, purchased a few books for Hermione and had then sent to the apartment before he returned to Madam Malkin's.
"Where've ye been? Yer've been gone over an hour," his father asked.
"A jus' had some errands tae run," he replied casually and his dad gave him a look that told him he didn't believe a word he was saying, but he let it be. "Everyone's gotten what they needed an' are aboot ready tae leave."
"Hey, Wood, I've been thinking," Thompson called from the other side of the shop.
"Tha's dangerous," Oliver muttered, remembering Hermione had said the same words to him not long back.
"When are we gunna be invited to see your apartment?"
"Yer not; a don' want ye knowing where a live. A have tae put up with ye at work; a don' want ye turning up at me apartment when ye feel like it."
"What? Come on," he whined before a smirk found it's way onto his face. "I bet the future Mrs. Wood would invite us over."
Oliver snorted. "A doubt she will, she likes her privacy seeing as she has less af it than a do an' tha's sayin' somethin'."
"I'll persuade her," he said confidently.
"Ye can try, but Hermione Granger's the most stubborn person a've ev'r met."