Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter

A/N:So sorry for the long wait! I hope that this update was worth it:)

Chapter 8: 4th Year Pt 3

"Your home?" Hermione repeated, "Since when?"

"A bought it in October. A've spent the last couple af months fixing it up."

Hermione stared at the house in surprise,"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked.

Oliver wrapped his arms around her waist from behind as he said, "A wanted it tae be a surprise."

Hermione leaned into his chest and admired the house. It was at least three stories high and was made out of beautiful white stone. It had windows all along the front with large double doors. Vines climbed halfway up the front walls, and Hermione could tell that they were the type that would flower beautifully in the spring. The house was obviously old, but she could see that it had been taken care of.

"Would ye like tae see the inside?" he asked her.

Hermione nodded her head and allowed Oliver to pull her through the front doors. She gasped as she walked in to see the large entryway. There was a chandelier high above their heads, but Hermione loved the double staircase that took up the majority of the space. Oliver led her through the door straight ahead of them. It opened up into a ballroom, and Hermione laughed as she thought about the space that she was quite sure Oliver would never use. She stepped further into the room and as she looked out of the many windows she saw the gardens sprawling over the land. Oliver let her take in the room before he led her back out the door and into another one. He walked her through the family room and dining room before they ended up in the kitchen. Hermione was admiring the marble countertops and black cabinets when Oliver said, "A wanted tae make sure tha' the kitchen was in good shape so tha' we could use it right away."

Oliver took her up the stairs and explained that the second floor was where most of the offices were located as well as the guest rooms. He took her down a hallway with a set of french doors and stopped before them. "A think yer goin' tae love this room," he said. Hermione eagerly waited as he threw the doors open. She hurried inside and lost her breath as she looked around her. The room was filled with bookshelves. It was two stories and contained not only work tables, but comfortable looking furniture that she knew she could spend hours in. Hermione stepped in front of the library's ornate fireplace and ran her hand along the rich blue chair. "It's beautiful, Oliver," she said with awe.

Oliver once again drew her into his arms as he said, "A don' have enough books tae fill all af the shelves yet, but A'm hopin A can have some help creating the collection."

Hermione turned in his arms and raised up on her toes. Oliver met her halfway and pressed his lips to hers in a tender kiss. When they broke apart, Oliver rested his forehead against hers. "As much as A love kissing ye," he said, "there's a bit more af the house tae show ye." Hermione nodded and allowed Oliver to pull her from the room. He led her down a hall and indicated the door that went to his study. "A didn't know hoo ye wanted yer own office tae be so A didn't add anything yet," he said, "Ye can have yer own, or we can split mine down the middle tae share."

Hermione was touched at his thoughtfulness and responded, "Can we revisit that when I have more of my things? I'm not entirely sure how much space I would need."

Oliver nodded before taking her hand and moving on through the house. Finally, he took her up to the third floor which was the family floor. As they approached the door directly across from his own he said, "A wanted ye tae know tha' ye'll always have a place with mae. We can change anything tha' ye don' like." He opened the door and Hermione walked into a spacious bedroom.

Against the far wall was one of the most comfortable looking beds Hermione had ever seen. It was a light wood draped in light blue. The comforter was a brilliant white with blue accent pillows and a soft gray blanket draped over the end. Hermione turned to see a window seat built into the wall with bookcases on either side while light blue curtains hung in front of the window. The wall across from the window held two doors which she assumed lead to a closet and bathroom. Hermione approached the first door and was shocked at the walk-in closet that greeted her. She walked out of it and over to the other door which became a large ensuite bathroom.

"You set up a room for me?" she asked.

Oliver nodded and said, "A don' expect ye tae share me room, and A wanted ye tae have a space tha' yer comfortable in."

Hermione smiled as she looked at him, "Thank you. It's absolutely beautiful."

Oliver was happy that she liked the way he had decided to decorate her room. He had put a lot of time and effort into creating a space that he thought suited her. Oliver dropped a light kiss to her head and said, "A'll let ye get settled in an' then we can have dinner." He took her trunk from his pocket and returned it to its normal size. Hermione let out a huff and said, "Only one more year and then I can do that on my own." Oliver gave her a smirk before he left her room and softly closed the door behind him.

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The day after Hermione got off of the Hogwarts Express she and Oliver spent all of their time together. He had surprised her that morning by making her breakfast. When Hermione had stumbled down to the kitchen, she walked in to find Oliver standing at the stove in a navy t-shirt and gray sweatpants. She was hit with the amazing smell of french toast, eggs, and bacon. She sat down on a bar stool next to the counter, and Oliver greeted her with a kiss as he set a plate down in front of her. "Yer just in time, love," he said as he went to gather his own plate. She waited for him to sit next to her before she dug into her breakfast. She moaned as she took her first bite of the french toast. Oliver laughed as he said, "A'm glad that A can make something ye like."

"Oliver, I think this is the best thing I've ever tasted. What did you do to it?"

Oliver smirked as he said, "A chef never reveals his secrets."

Hermione rolled her eyes as she said, "I supposed I don't need the secret as long as you'll keep making it for me. French toast is my favorite."

"A know," was all he said as he continued to eat his own plate.

When they were both finished, Hermione gathered their utensils and set to doing the dishes. Oliver tried to protest, but she insisted that it was her way of splitting the load since he made breakfast. Oliver conceded and stood leaned against the counter while she completed her task. Hermione told him all about the Yule Ball, including Ron's terrible behavior.

As she was finishing her story Oliver said, "A wish that A would have been able tae see hoo beautiful ye looked."

Hermione finished drying her hands as she said, "Oh! That actually reminds me. Hold on, I'll be right back."

She was only gone for a couple of minutes before she came rushing back into the kitchen with something clutched in her hand. "I asked Colin if I could have a copy of this," she said, "I wanted to be able to give it to you."

She held out her hand to him, and Oliver realized that she was holding a photo. He took it from her and looked at it, and his heart nearly stopped. He didn't have any words to describe how gorgeous he found his witch. He watched as the Hermione in the photo blushed and then gave a twirl in her long gown. When he looked back up at Hermione, she was looking slightly nervous. He took a step towards her and pulled her to him as he said, "Yer beautiful, Hermione. Thank ye fer thinking af me."

Hermione beamed as she nodded, "You like it?"

"A love it," he affirmed as he gave her a kiss.

Unexpectedly, Oliver swooped down to pick her up, and Hermione squealed as she wrapped her legs around his waist. He laughed as he led her into the family room and set her down. He flopped onto a couch and stretched his legs out then reached for her to sit between them. Hermione fell onto his lap and settled against his chest. Oliver drew a soft blanket off of the back of the couch and draped it over them. He didn't say much as he started carding his fingers through her hair, and before she knew it Hermione was fast asleep in his embrace.

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Before Hermione and Oliver knew it the holidays were in full swing. They had taken a couple of days to just relax and be in each other's presence before they realized that they had a lot to do seeing as Christmas was only three days away. The first task on Hermione's Christmas To-Do list was to decorate the manor. Seeing as Oliver had only moved in a couple of weeks before she arrived, it didn't really surprise her that he hadn't taken the time to decorate. She had asked him that morning if he had any decorations, and he said that he would ask Marvin if there was anything available. Marvin, Hermione learned, was the house elf that had been taking care of Oliver since he was a baby. He had moved with Oliver into the manor, and he was mostly responsible for all of the remodeling that had turned out so lovely. Oliver called Marvin and asked him if he knew where they could find any Christmas decorations. He popped out of the room, and when he returned he had boxes of every type of decoration imaginable. There was tinsel, garland, and baubles of every different color. He had also taken the liberty of situating a large Christmas tree in the corner of the family room.

"Well," Hermione said, "we had better get to work!"

Oliver laughed as he opened the boxes. They put garland with fairy lights over all of the doorways and wrapped tinsel around the banisters. Hermione snuck away to hang magical mistletoe in the most unlikely places, and she laughed when Oliver got stuck under them. She was more than happy to give him a kiss to set him free, though. The last thing that Hermione and Oliver decorated was the tree. They admired all of the different ornaments that they pulled from the boxes that Marvin had provided. Hermione loved watching Oliver delicately pull the ornaments out of the box before carefully placing them on the tree. When they were about done, Oliver stopped. "A think there's one more tae place on the tree," he said. He pulled out his wand and summoned a box from somewhere in the house. He handed it to Hermione, and she opened it to find one of the most beautiful ornaments she had ever seen. It was a crystal Christmas tree that looked like it sparkled within. She noticed that it had the year engraved on it.

Hermione looked up at him and whispered, "It's beautiful, Oliver."

He gave a sheepish smile as he said, "A thought tha' it might be nice tae have something tae remember our first Christmas together."

Hermione gave him a gentle kiss on the lips as she said, "I think we should make it a tradition."

Oliver agreed as she took the ornament from his hands and gently placed it on the tree. She stepped back to admire their work, and she thought that the house definitely felt warmer and more festive. Marvin appeared with two cups of hot chocolate, and she and Oliver spent the rest of the evening talking and laughing in front of the newly minted tree which was very much "theirs".

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Christmas Eve was by far the best day of the break so far. With all of the shopping and decorating completed, Hermione and Oliver decided that they would spend the day lounging about. Oliver had spoiled Hermione by bringing her breakfast in bed, and they had spent a good portion of the morning in her room picking at the tray and talking. Finally, they parted ways in order to get ready for the day. Hermione showered and twisted her hair into double french braids before pulling on a pair of jeans and one of Oliver's sweaters. She pulled on a pair of warm woolen socks and finally headed downstairs.

She walked into the living room to see Oliver spread out on their couch in front of the fire. As she approached he scooted over and she curled into him. "What would ye like tae do with the rest af the day?" he asked her.

"I don't know," Hermione said, "we've covered pretty much everything that needs to be done for the holidays."

"Aye," Oliver replied, "Could A interest ye in a fly around on me broom?"

Oliver felt Hermione tense as she said, "I don't think so…I'm not the biggest fan of heights."

He pulled her closer to himself as he said, "A know tha' but A promise tha' ye will be safe with me."

Hermione let out a sigh and hugged him tighter as she said, "I know you would, Oliver. I just don't like brooms."

Oliver laughed as he said, "Tha' won't last forever, Hermione Granger. I refuse tae let ye run around without knowing how wonderful it is tae fly."

"That sounds like a challenge, Mr. Wood, and you know how I hate to lose."

Oliver dropped a kiss to her forehead as he said, "Well, if ye aren' willing tae fly on me broom, can A interest ye in some indoor games?"

Hermione smiled, "What did you have in mind?"

"Well, A took a trip tae muggle London tae pick up some games, so A have quite a few if ye want tae play."

Hermione paused, "You went to muggle London?"

A blush spread across Oliver's cheeks as he said, "Yeah. A thought tha' ye would like it if A had some muggle things around the house…"

Hermione launched herself on top of Oliver and peppered kisses all across his face, "I can't believe you went to muggle London! Especially all on your own. Thank you so much!"

Oliver smiled as he wrapped his arms around his witch. He was pleased that doing something so small for her could have such a large impact. When she finally sat up, she was simply glowing. "A take it tha' the games were a good idea?"

Hermione laughed as she said, "A very good idea. Did you happen to pick up Sorry?"

"A think so," Oliver replied, "Is tha' the one with the four colors an' the weird teardrop pieces?"

"That's the one!" Hermione said, "I'd like to start with that."

Oliver nodded and rose from the couch before heading out of the room. He was only gone a moment before he reentered the room with the game in his hands. Hermione had already set herself in front of the fire facing the coffee table that resided in front of the couch. Oliver walked to the other side of the table and sat down. Hermione began to open the box and set up the board while giving Oliver a rundown of the rules. As they began to play the game, Oliver found out just how competitive Hermione was. Everytime one of her pieces came up on his, she would laugh and shout "Sorry!" before moving him back to home. After they finished the game, Oliver declared that he would like a rematch before he got up to retrieve the rest of the games that he had purchased. The afternoon passed with Oliver and Hermione moving from game to game and laughing as they competed for the title of Board Game Master. For once, Oliver didn't mind losing.

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The rest of the Holidays passed in a blur for Hermione, and suddenly the start of term was only three days away. Oliver had started back at training on January 2nd, so she spent most of her days reading in his library at the manor. She had taken to packing his lunches early in the morning and eating breakfast with him before he went off for training. She enjoyed baking treats for him to put in his lunch, and according to Oliver his lunches were the envy of the team. When he got off of training, he came home and showered before making them both dinner while she sat on the counter and listened about his day.

One day, Hermione was sitting in the library reading a book on protection magic when an owl began pecking at the window. As she took the note off of the owl's leg, she saw Oliver's hurried handwriting. She opened the note which read:

Hermione,

I'd like to take you on a proper date. We haven't been out since we became official. Will you please be ready at 5:30?

P.S. wear something warm

Oliver

Hermione read the note a second time and couldn't help the large smile that spread across her face. She was going on a date with Oliver! She had no idea where he was planning on taking her, but she couldn't wait. She glanced at the clock and realized it was already 3:15, and she would need to hurry if she had any chance of getting her hair under control before 5.

Hermione rushed into her bedroom and decided that it would be best if she took a shower. She grabbed herself a towel and walked into her bathroom. She turned on the water and waited while it filled up and steam filled the room. She took the opportunity to rid herself of her clothes before she stepped under the spray of water. She took her time lathering her hair with her peach and vanilla soap. She enjoyed the way that the smell of it filled the air. After her hair was done she moved on to her body. She shaved and decided that now would be a good time to try out the shower lotion that Ginny had bought her for Christmas. When she was all done, she stepped out of the shower and patted herself dry before wrapping her robe around her.

She spent the next hour trying to wrangle her hair. She had to comb product through her curls before trying to brush them out in a way that wouldn't make them frizz. She pinned the front of her hair back and allowed the rest to tumble down in the silky waves she created. It took a long time, but Hermione was quite happy with the end result. Just as she was finished with her hair, she heard Oliver arrive through the floo. She glanced at her clock and saw that the time was ten after 5. She hurried into her room and grabbed the clothes that she had laid out on her bed. She decided on blue skinny jeans with brown boots and a caramel colored sweater. She emerged from her room at exactly 5:30 and saw Oliver leaned against the wall in the hallway outside their rooms. He was dressed in jeans and a black button down shirt that Hermione loved. She couldn't help but appreciate the way it showed off his chest and his arms.

Oliver looked up when she came out and gave her a half smile as he looked her up and down. "Ye look stunning, Hermione," he said.

Hermione blushed as she said,"You look handsome yourself."

Oliver's smile stretched across his whole face and he held out his arm, "Are ye ready tae go?"

Hermione placed her hand in the crook of his arm and he started leading them downstairs, "Where are we going?"

"It's a surprise," was all he said.

Oliver led her down to the entryway and pulled her coat from the closet. He helped her put it on before donning his own. Hermione was surprised when he opened the front door. "We aren't going to floo?" she asked him.

"It wouldn't be a surprise if ye heard where we were going," he said with a smirk.

Hermione rolled her eyes before walking out the front door. Oliver followed behind her and shut the door before turning towards her on the step. He opened his arms for her and she stepped into them. He wrapped his arms around her and whispered "hold tight" in her ear before spinning on the spot.

When they landed, Oliver helped Hermione steady herself before she pulled back from him. Hermione pulled away from Oliver's hold to see that they were at the entrance to an alley. Oliver grabbed her hand and pulled her out onto a street. Hermione noticed that it looked a lot like Diagon Alley, but it was different. "Where are we?" she asked.

"We're in Place Cachée," he said, "It's the French equivalent tae Diagon Alley."

"You brought me to Paris?" Hermione asked in disbelief.

"Well, there's a restaurant that A really want tae try, an' A thought tha' ye would be the perfect person tae try it with."

Hermione's heart leapt into her throat as Oliver was speaking. He had brought her to Paris for their first date! She honestly didn't know how this night could get any better. "That sounds like fun," she said.

Oliver smiled down at her, "A'm glad ye think so."

He led her to a beautiful brick building that had vines growing up the walls. Even in the middle of winter, they were green. He placed his hand on her back and guided her through the door. As they approached the hostess, her eyes got wide, "Mr. Wood! Please follow me to your table." Hermione looked at Oliver to see if he thought the girl's actions were strange, but he simply grabbed Hermione's hand before following the hostess to their table. Hermione gave a quiet gasp as Oliver led her through a set of double doors onto a balcony. Theirs was the only table, and there were flowers all along the rail. Hermione looked up to see strings of lights crisscrossing above the balcony, and when she looked out she had a direct view of the Eiffel Tower sparkling on the night sky. Oliver helped Hermione out of her coat and placed it on a rack she hadn't noticed before helping her into her seat. Hermione was pleasantly surprised to find the balcony the perfect temperature and surmised that they must have placed a warming charm around it in order to ward off the winter chill.

Oliver sat in front of Hermione quietly and observed her as she took in the sights. He was quite pleased that she was so speechless. It was quite difficult to surprise Hermione Granger so severely that she had nothing to say. He quietly ordered a bottle of champagne from the waitress and poured himself and Hermione a glass before she turned her attention back to him. "This place is amazing, Oliver!" she said, "How did you find out about it?" Oliver contemplated his answer and took a drink before carefully setting his glass down on the table.

"Jordan actually found it when he was here fer a vacation," he said.

Before she could reply, their waitress arrived to take their orders. Hermione ordered a chicken dish that Oliver assured her she would love while he ordered the chef's choice. They talked about a wide range of topics ranging from Oliver's upcoming plans for training and how Hermione was researching protective magic.

When their food arrived, Hermione nearly started drooling at the amazing smells that were coming from the tray. Her plate came with a chicken breast, asparagus, and the creamiest mashed potatoes she had ever seen. She patiently waited for Oliver's food to be placed in front of him before she picked up her fork and took a bite. Hermione nearly moaned as the flavorful food made contact with her taste buds. Oliver smiled as he watched her enjoy her meal. Somehow being with Hermione made his own food taste much better than he imagined it would have on his own. They made light conversation as they ate their meals, and when they were done Oliver paid the check. He helped Hermione back into her coat before saying, "There's someplace else A'd like tae take ye."

Hermione pulled her hair out of her jacket and laughed, "I don't know how you think you can top this place."

Oliver laughed as he took her hand, "Well A'm sure going tae try."

After they exited the restaurant, Oliver led Hermione through the thinning crowd of people. He brought her back to the alley that they arrived in and opened his arms once more. Hermione gladly stepped into them, and she closed her eyes as she felt Oliver turn on the spot to disapparate. When she opened them again they were in a clearing. She turned in a circle, amazed at the beauty that surrounded her. There was a light covering of snow around the clearing that they stood in and fireflies danced through the air.

"Where are we?" she breathed out.

Oliver brought his arms more securely around her before he spoke, "This is a place tha' me ma brought mae when A was young. A dunno how she found it, but A know tha' it's on the outskirts of Paris." Oliver entwined his fingers with hers and led her through the trees. They emerged on the edge of a cliff, and Hermione could hear the sound of running water nearby. She assumed that there must be a stream of some sort that ran off the edge. As they looked out, they could see Paris laid below them in the distance. Hermione had never seen a city from such a view, and she couldn't help but admire the way the lights contrasted with the night sky. Oliver pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and transfigured it into a blanket before he laid it on the ground. He sat down and pulled Hermione to sit between his legs. When her back was secured against his chest, he wrapped his arms around her and laid his head on her curls.

Hermione leaned back into him and relaxed as they looked out at the skyline. "I've never viewed a city like this," she said.

Oliver nodded against her as he said, "A hadn't either. A came tae the clearing one day after A had a stressful practice, an' A started walking an' came out here. A thought tha' it would be someplace ye would like. It's calm here."

Hermione was silent for a moment, just enjoying the night and breathing in Oliver's comforting scent behind her. She turned in his hold so she was draped sideways over his lap and rested her head against his chest. "Where do you see us ending up?" she asked him.

Oliver adjusted his arms around her, "A dunno," he said, "A'll play with Puddlemere fer the next few years an' ye'll finish school. A'd like tae think tha' we'll get married someday."

Hermione smiled against his chest as she said, "You want to marry me?"

Oliver pinched her side and said with a laugh, "Af course A want tae marry ye. Ye think tha' A would want anyone else when A have the perfect woman already?"

"Perfect you say? Well I'm quite flattered."

Oliver kissed a path from her collar bone to behind her ear and whispered, "A think every inch af ye is perfect. A wouldnae want anyone else as me soulmate."

Hermione's breath caught in her throat at the feelings his words were stirring. She felt so lucky to have such a handsome and kind man holding her in his arms. Hermione met Oliver's eyes and her stomach clenched at the desire she found in his gaze. All she could do was stare into his blue depths as he leaned forward and caught her lips. Hermione melted as he gave her the singular best kiss of her life. She tangled her fingers in his hair and suddenly Paris was not the most wonderful thing she had ever experienced.

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The day to return to Hogwarts arrived, and Hermione was quite morose. She had gotten so used to having Oliver around to hold and touch that she didn't know what she was going to do. Oliver's training schedule meant that he wasn't able to accompany her to Kings Cross with the later train departure, so the plan was to meet up with the Weasleys at the Leaky Cauldron and they would accompany Hermione. She had risen early to eat breakfast with Oliver and pack his lunch per their routine. Oliver didn't say anything if he noticed that she was sniffling as she was packing a brownie in his lunchbox. Now they were walking through Diagon Alley hand in hand in order to reach the Leaky. They had decided to apparate into the alley and then enter the Leaky rather than going through muggle London. Oliver had decided to wear a cloak with a hood so that he wouldn't get stopped by anyone who recognized him as a professional Quidditch player.

They were nearly to the pub when Oliver checked his watch and realized that they still had 20 minutes before they had to meet Molly. Oliver quickly ducked into a side street and pulled Hermione with him. When Hermione started to ask him what he was doing he gently cupped her face and kissed her. The words died on Hermione's lips as she threw her arms around his neck and kissed back. "A'm really going tae miss ye," he whispered against her lips. Hermione just nodded before she kissed him again. Both were so caught up in the moment that they didn't notice the flash that came from the entrance to their little hideaway. They finally pulled away from each other and Oliver put his hood back up as they finished their trek to the Leaky. They arrived precisely on time, and Oliver squeezed Hermione's hand before dropping it and approaching the Weasley matriarch. Hermione got one last look at him before he disappeared through the wall in order to get to training on time. Hermione was quickly bombarded by Fred and George, and for once she was appreciative of their antics. She tried to keep her sadness from showing on her face as she greeted Harry, Ron, and Ginny and heard all about their holiday.

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The morning after Hermione went back to Hogwarts Oliver walked into the locker room at the stadium to find his whole team staring at him. "What are ye all lookin' at?" he asked.

A series of grins broke out amongst his teammates before Patrick Malloy spoke up, "We didn't realize you had a girlfriend, Oliver."

Oliver froze momentarily before he looked around the room, "What are ye talking aboot?"

Wilks, a beater for the team, laughed as he tossed the Daily Prophet to Oliver. Oliver deftly caught it as Wilks said, "You either have a girlfriend or you were saying farewell to a special lady friend in a most inappropriate manner."

Oliver unfolded the paper to see a photo of himself leaning down over Hermione as he gave her a kiss. The headline read Oliver Wood's Secret Love: Who is She? Oliver scoffed and read through the article that gave many different theories about who the mystery girl could be. He was glad that he covered Hermione's face in the picture. He didn't even want to imagine the trouble Rita Skeeter would give her if she was assumed to be in a love square with Harry, Viktor, and himself. "So who is she?" Malloy asked.

"A don' think it's any af yer business tae be honest," Oliver replied.

Riley Thomas, the seeker of the team, jumped in, "We just want to know who you're dating, Oliver. You know who we're all with."

"Ye all willingly shared tha' information," he said, "A don' want me girlfriend tae be hounded by the press when we havenae been together fer very long."

The team was shocked at Oliver's confession and the serious tone of his voice. They assumed that he would deny being in a committed relationship. Oliver was one of the most private and reserved players on the team, and for him to openly admit that this photo was in fact his girlfriend spoke a lot about how serious he was about the relationship. Wilks was the first one to break the intense silence when he said, "I'm happy for you mate. When you're ready, I know the team would love to meet her." He looked around at the other shocked team members and they all started nodding their agreement and offering him congratulations and a pat on the back. The article was all but forgotten as the men finished putting on their gear and got ready to hit the field.

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While Hermione was missing Oliver terribly at school, she was happy to be back with her friends. She returned to her routine of meeting Viktor in the library to study, and she often found Harry joining her. It didn't surprise her that Harry and Viktor had a lot in common, and she was happy to see the two of them getting along. Unfortunately, the second task was only a couple days away, and Harry had yet to find a way that he would be able to breathe underwater. Viktor had explained that he would be turning his head into that of a shark, but Harry was not confident enough in his own transfiguration skills to believe it would work for him. He felt the same way about maintaining a bubble head charm when Hermione brought it up. They became so desperate that even Ron joined them in the library to see if there was something that they could do.

They were sitting in the library late the night before the second task when Professor McGonagall approached the trio. Harry attempted to keep his panic contained when she asked Ron and Hermione to accompany her to Professor Dumbledore's office. Harry wasn't quite sure what tomorrow would hold, but he was a lot less confident about the turnout when he no longer had Hermione by his side.

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Hermione was surprised that Viktor considered her special enough that it would warrant her participation in the second task. She was worried, however, that her participation would alarm Oliver. She wasn't 100% sure how the bond worked, and she didn't want her being put in a stasis spell to alarm him. They hadn't been put in this position before, so she wasn't sure of the effects it would have on his ability to sense her.

When Professor Dumbledore finished going over what was required of them for the task as well as the precautions that were in place, he asked the participants if they had any questions. Hermione raised her hand and said, "Sir, I have a question for you if we could speak privately."

Dumbledore looked at her over the top of his spectacles before he rose from his chair and gestured to a chamber off of his main office. They entered and he closed the door behind him, "I imagine this has something to do with your connection to Mr. Wood?"

"Yes, sir," Hermione said, "I don't know if the stasis charm will mean he can't feel my presence or he'll think I'm in danger. We haven't really tested the limits, but I don't think now is the time to try."

Dumbledore nodded his head and said, "You're quite right, Ms. Granger. I will see to it that Mr. Wood is informed of your participation and assured of your safety."

Hermione felt relief wash over her and she was filled with gratitude towards the Headmaster, "Thank you, sir."

Dumbledore simply gave her a smile before he led her back into his main office. When she resumed her place next to Ron, he leaned over and whispered to her, "What was that about?"

Hermione thought fast before she responded, "I just wanted to make sure that my parents knew that I was involved so that they aren't surprised if they hear about it later."

Ron looked confused for a moment before just shrugging his shoulders and turning back to the front. Hermione didn't have time to think of much else before Dumbledore waved his wand and she fell into a deep sleep.

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Oliver was pacing back and forth in his library at the manor. He often found himself in this room because it made him feel closer to Hermione, but not even the library could help him shake the sinking feeling that he had in his stomach. He knew that logically Hermione should be safe with Dumbledore at Hogwarts, but he had felt her anxiety and apprehension before he couldn't sense her feelings at all. He knew that she was alive but all of her feelings were muted. It was like he was trying to talk to her through a brick wall and she couldn't hear him.

Oliver was getting ready to floo Jordan and see if he could help when an owl he didn't recognize started tapping on the window. Oliver strode quickly to the window and opened it. The owl swooped in and Oliver rushed to take the letter off its foot. He saw the Hogwarts crest on the letter and his heart was in his throat. He tore it open and read the scribbled message from Professor Dumbledore himself. He felt some of his fear dissipate as he was assured by the Headmaster that Hermione was safe. He thought that the stasis charm she was put under was likely the cause of her muted emotions. Oliver sat down in a comfortable armchair before the fire and took deep breaths to calm his racing heart.

Even though he knew Hermione would be okay, he felt like he needed to be assured in person. Oliver stood quickly and approached his writing desk in the corner. He grabbed a piece of parchment and a quill and wrote a response to Professor Dumbledore. He attached it to the owl and watched it fly away into the night. He thanked whatever gods were out there that tomorrow was Saturday and he would have the day off from training. He waited in the library until another owl came swooping through the window. He took the letter and smiled as he looked at Professor Dumbledore's permission slip for him to attend the second task. He just needed to make it through the night and then he could see Hermione.

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As soon as Hermione's head broke the water, she awoke with a gasp and a cough. She came to and saw that she was being held up in the middle of the lake by Viktor whose head was changing back to normal. He motioned to the large stand on the shore and he helped her start paddling her way over. Hermione was having a hard time controlling her limbs in the cold water and was extremely grateful that Viktor was there to support her.

When they reached the stand, Viktor climbed up and then pulled her out of the water. He wrapped multiple blankets and towels around her before pulling her into his arms. She was grateful for the extra warmth he provided as he led her to what she assumed was the medical tent. She kept her head down to avoid the flashing cameras that were aimed their way. Hermione entered the tent to find that they were the first ones there. She was about to sit down on a cot when she noticed a man standing by the back of the tent. She did a double take before realizing she was actually seeing Oliver. She called out his name and he opened his arms for her. She rushed into them and he pulled her to him so tightly she thought he might break her. "I'm glad you're here," she whispered into his chest.

"A'm glad tae be here," he replied as he moved some of her hair off of her face.

He reached down and gave her a gentle kiss before pulling his wand out of his pocket and muttering a warming and drying spell over her. Hermione sagged against him as feelings of comfort washed over her. She didn't protest as Oliver led her to a chair and sat down before pulling her down with him. He settled her head against his chest and made sure that the blankets were wrapped around her securely. He gently ran his fingers through her hair, and it didn't take long before she fell asleep against him. Oliver didn't move after she fell asleep. He looked up to see Madam Pomfrey was finishing with a gash that Viktor had on his forehead. When she bustled away, Viktor looked up to meet Oliver's eyes. "Thank ye fer making sure tha' nothing happened tae her," Oliver said.

Viktor gave a short nod, "She is da sister I never had."

Oliver looked down at the girl who had quickly become the most important thing in his life, "A know she cares fer you as well. A'm glad tha' there's someone else here tae look after her."

Viktor nodded again before heading out of the tent to watch the other champions score. Oliver returned his attention to his sleeping witch and pulled the blankets tighter around her as he settled in to wait for Harry to emerge from the lake.

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Hermione was sitting at the Gryffindor table eating breakfast one day in May when the morning owls swooped in. She didn't pay any attention as multiple copies of the Daily Prophet were dropped on the table. She had stopped reading the publication when every issue had a new article about her and Viktor or her and Harry. She had gotten quite tired of the Love Triangle and the idea that she had broken Harry's heart. Honestly, the thought of being with Harry made her physically ill. Viktor and he were her brothers, and she didn't appreciate the hate mail she received from both of their fans. She thanked Merlin every day that the press didn't know about Oliver. She could only imagine the horrible names she would be called for supposedly snagging two professional Quidditch players and the Harry Potter.

She was taking a drink of some pumpkin juice when Ron scoffed from across the table. "Can you believe they're still going on about this mystery girl that was spotted with Oliver?" he said to the table at large.

Hermione choked on her juice and said, "What do you mean mystery girl?"

Ron rolled his eyes, "Really Hermione, keep up with the news would you? Back in January there was a photo of him kissing some girl in Diagon Alley and they've been trying to find out who it is since."

Hermione blushed and looked down. She'd been so busy with Harry and the tournament that she didn't realize a photo had been published of her and Oliver. "Can I see?" she asked.

Ron silently handed her the paper, and Hermione saw a photo of Oliver leaning down over her on the day that she headed back to Hogwarts. She was pleased that you couldn't see her face. She handed the paper back to Ron as she said, "Who cares what girl Oliver is dating? It's his business, not ours."

Fred and George piped up from further down the table, "You would think that wouldn't you, Hermione."

She looked up to see identical smiles on their faces and their eyes glinting with mischief. She gave them a look of warning as Ron said, "What are you two on about? Hermione doesn't care about who Oliver is with."

"Of course she doesn't," said Fred.

"She has no reason to worry about the girls that Oliver walks around snogging," piped in George.

"I'd like to think she encourages it," said Fred.

"Righto Freddie," said George, "I imagine that she quite enjoys it when Oliver goes around snogging witches."

At this point Hermione's face was bright red. She didn't miss the look the twins were giving her, and she was glad that Ron was so oblivious that he didn't put two and two together. "Why would Hermione support Oliver snogging witches?" Ron asked, "She doesn't even like it when there's PDA in the common room."

Hermione took this opportunity to finish her breakfast and hop up before anymore could be said on the matter,"I don't care about the mystery girl, Ron. Fred and George are just stirring up trouble." The twins smirked at each other but backed off the subject as Hermione hefted her bag onto her shoulder and made her way out of the Great Hall.

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The rest of May went by in a flash, and suddenly the third task was upon them. She felt like she had prepared Harry to the best of her abilities; she was just hoping that it would be enough to keep him alive through the night. She was sitting between Bill and Ron as she watched Harry and Viktor enter the maze. As her fear and anxiety about the tournament grew, she kept wishing that Oliver was there. She knew he would be unable to attend the task, but that didn't make it any better. She started reaching for him through the bond and was happy to have feelings of reassurance and calm race back at her. She was glad that she had worked on becoming more in tune with the bond. It made it easier to give and receive reassurance when the two of them weren't next to each other. As the last of the champions entered the maze Hermione settled down into the stands to wait. She wasn't ready for the horror and chaos that was going to meet her.

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When Harry, Viktor, and Cedric had appeared in front of the stands clutching the cup, she thought that Cedric was dead for sure. She couldn't even scream as she saw the blood that was soaking the ground beneath his body. She rushed forward to grab Harry and Viktor and pull them away from Cedric. "It vas a slicing hex," Viktor said as he gestured to Cedric. Hermione fell to her knees beside him and was feeling his neck for a pulse. "Madam Pomfrey!" she screamed, "I think he's alive." The mediwitch pushed her aside as she started casting spell after spell over Cedric's body. When she was done, she motioned for him to be laid on a stretcher and rushed him up to the hospital wing. Hermione stood up and saw Viktor on her right, but Harry was nowhere to be seen.

"Where's Harry?" she asked. No one answered her and she started frantically searching the crowd. "Harry!" she called. She pushed her way through the crowd and continued calling for him. When she was unable to locate him she ran up to Professor Dumbledore and said, "I can't find Harry. Do you know where he is?" Dumbledore said nothing as he turned on his heel and made a beeline straight for the castle. Hermione had never seen him move so fast, and she had a hard time keeping up with him. She rushed into Professor Moody's office behind him and was shocked to find out that Professor Moody was an imposter. The fact that a known Death Eater had fooled them all for an entire year was definitely difficult for Hermione to accept. When she and Harry had returned to Gryffindor tower, he told her all about what had happened in the maze.

Harry had encountered Viktor in the maze, but the man wasn't acting himself. He was more aggressive than Harry had ever seen him, and when Harry saw his eyes were glassy and unseeing he had suspicions of foul play. He was able to bind Viktor in ropes long enough for him to cast a Finite Incantatum over him. Harry saw the fog lift from Viktor's brain as he looked around. "I don't know vat happened," he said.

Harry nodded to the other man and held out his hand, "I don't either, but I think there's something wrong with the tournament."

Viktor agreed as Harry handed him his wand, "Vat do you think about finding the middle together?"

"I think it's our best chance of making it out of this hell hole alive," he said.

Harry and Viktor had continued through the maze as a team and met Cedric on the last stretch before reaching the cup. They decided that all three of them could touch the cup and share the winnings. When they all placed their hands on the cup, they were transported to a graveyard. Harry was immediately on guard, and Viktor and Cedric followed suit. They heard a disembodied voice say, "Kill the spares." Harry didn't think twice before turning and tackling both Cedric and Viktor to the ground. A bright shot of green light went over their heads, and Harry turned to see Wormtail pointing his wands at them. Wormtail shot another spell at them, and it hit Cedric square in the chest. He cried out as large gashes appeared all over his torso. Harry tried to get up, but Wormtail shot another spell that had Viktor bound and gagged. He took Harry to the statue placed in front of a cauldron, and he could see a weird decrepit being placed in blankets before it. Wormtail performed a ritual that used Harry's blood and his own hand, and Voldemort was reborn.

The second Voldemort emerged from the cauldron, Harry knew that they needed to get out of there. After he procured his wand, he made a dash back to where Viktor and Cedric were. Cedric had passed out from the pain, and Viktor was struggling with his bonds. Harry severed Viktor's ropes and continued to throw spells over his shoulder at the advancing group of Death Eaters. As soon as Viktor was free he rolled over and grabbed his own wand in an attempt to help Harry create a diversion. Harry reached the duo and quickly grabbed a hold of Cedric. Viktor saw what he was doing and latched onto Harry's shoulder before Harry summoned the cup and they appeared in front of the stands.

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Exams had been canceled due to the tournament, and Hermione was grateful for once. She had enjoyed the extra time to spend with Viktor and Harry before the summer holidays. The day that Beaubaxtons and Durmstrang left Hogwarts Hermione raced down to Viktor's ship. She had taken up knitting, and she had made him a scarf and hat. She wanted to make sure that she would have an opportunity to say goodbye before they departed. Hermione found Viktor before the ship, and he ignored the ribbing from his friends as he hugged Hermione and made her promise that she would write over the summer. She promised she would, and she was pleasantly surprised to hear that Harry said he would write as well.

The train ride back to London was quite subdued. While Cedric had survived his injuries, he had a long difficult road ahead of him to recovery. Hermione knew that Harry felt like it was his fault despite her efforts to make him believe otherwise. The threat of Voldemort was hanging over them heavier than it ever had before. Things finally lightened when the twins and Lee Jordan piled themselves into the compartment and started a game of exploding snap. Hermione sat back and enjoyed the antics of her friends around her. She couldn't wait to get home and see her parents again, and she knew that Oliver would be waiting for her as well.