Chapter 78
"Cherry," Oliver heard Hermione say when he came in from outside, and smiled when he could tell by her tone that her patience was wearing thin. "Would younotask me if I need anything everyfive minutes?"
"Yes, of course, young mistress Granger," Cherry answered. "Cherry would of course, but Cherry's orders are -"
"From Master Hickory that you're to look after me until he, Juniper or Oliver return, I know, I know," Hermione cut in tiredly.
"Cherry is sorry, young mistress Granger," Cherry said sadly and Oliver saw her ears droop as the elf came into view when he came into the room.
"It's okay, Cherry," Oliver said causing the elf and Hermione to look up and he realized that they hadn't heard him come in. "I'm here now, you can go and check on Ash and Willow if you like."
Cherry looked up at him with fearful eyes. "Cherry is sorry, Master Oliver. Cherry tried to do her job like Master Hickory instructed."
"Cherry," Oliver said and waited till the elf stopped talking and looked at him again. "Its okay. You're not in trouble. I'll let dad know that you did your job."
The elf nodded. "Thank you Master Oliver. Cherry will go check on Ash and Willow now. Call on Cherry if you need Cherry to watch over young mistress Granger again."
"You're welcome Cherry," Oliver said. "I will."
The elf nodded once more, snapped her fingers and disappeared.
Hermione sighed in relief and closed her book, drawing her feet closer to her as Oliver came in and sat own on the couch beside her, blushing as he picked up her feet and drew them back across his lap. "Thank you," she murmured.
"Your welcome," Oliver replied and chuckled. "Was she really that bad?"
"Yes!" Hermione exclaimed. "I woke up to her sitting in my room humming, and while I appreciate her help getting around, and with my bath this morning after she fixed and brought my breakfast, I've been lounging here reading my book - or trying to - and she was constantly interrupting, asking if I needed anything."
Oliver couldn't help laughing aloud when Hermione seemed not to take a breath. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry," he said holding up his hands in defense. "I don't mean to laugh, honest. I'll talk to dad about it when he comes in and let him know he needs to clarify his instructions."
"It wouldn't have been so bad if she'd actually hold a conversation with me," Hermione said. "I tried asking her questions but a lot of times she just ignored them."
"Yeah, that's what my mom doesn't like," Oliver agreed. "What questions did you ask?"
"Oh. Well, I asked her about the history of the house elves," Hermione explained. "How they came to have servitude to wizard families. She never answered though."
"I see," Oliver said and sighed. "Well, the truth is, she might not know. That's the simple answer anyway."
"And the difficult one?" Hermione asked looking at him curiously.
"The difficult one," Oliver said and sighed, shifting a little uncomfortably. "Is that they don't want to speak ill of the family, regardless ofwhatgeneration they serve and how they differ in how they treat the elves. Either way," Oliver said and paused, sighing. "I doubt you'll get an answer out of them."
They were quiet a moment, each lost in thought, then he grinned and looked at her out of the corner of his eye.
"I know what you're trying to do though," he said, schooling his features.
"You do?" Hermione asked, looking at him dubiously.
"Sure," Oliver said looking at her squarely. "You're trying to find out if we mistreat them."
Hermione gaped at him and then flushed, stammering. "I - I wasn't - I mean... I didn't think..."
Oliver couldn't hold his expression any longer, and laughed out loud. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding! I know you didn't," he said with another laugh and held up his hands in defense once more.
Hermione shrieked, grabbed a pillow from the couch and hit him with it as he defended himself.
"All right, all right," he panted a few minutes later from laughing so much, and she finally slowed and stopped her assault, panting from the exertion of beating him with the pillow, and threw it back down and leaned back against it. "Sorry," Oliver said. "I couldn't resist." He moved her feet from his lap then and moved to the edge of the couch, putting her feet down behind him as he stood up. "But my reasons for her not answering still apply. Now, if you'llexcuseme, I'd better go clean up for lunch."
"Oh!" Hermione exclaimed. "You're - you're not going to have Cherry look after me again... are you?"
Oliver looked at her, taking in her worried expression. "Naw," he said after a moment. "I'll make it quick," he assured her and she smiled then blinked in surprise when he dropped a quick kiss on the top of her head before heading off to their shared bathroom.
He was right. It wasn't but around five to ten minutes that he returned in fresh clothes, his hair still damp from a quick shower, the sight and thought of his previous action causing her Hermione to fidget and swallow nervously, though she had to admit as she scrutinized him on his approach that he seemed unfazed, and she wondered if she'd just imagined it.
"Ready to head to lunch?" he asked. "I'm sure mum and dad are done and its about ready. Shall we head up?"
Hermione, who hadn't ventured upstairs, but had just been in the downstairs den throughout the morning nodded and moved closer when Oliver knelt down and wrapped her arms around his neck as he swept her onto his back and headed up the spiral stairs toward the kitchen.
"Ah, here they are, Juni," Hickory said when he saw Oliver come up the stairs with Hermione on his back and they headed to the dinning room table where Oliver let her slide down off his back.
"But how did you...?" Hermione asked, confused a moment that they weren't wearing the same clothing they had earlier when she'd seen them go by before Oliver had gone to take his shower, and then shook her head. "Never mind," she said, realizing they probably had probably apparated from their room to the kitchen for she hadn't seen them go past her and up the stairs.
"You were busy reading, dear," Juniper answered with a smile. "And we didn't want to disturb you when we went by. We knew Oliver would bring you up for lunch."
Hermione couldn't help the blush that crept up her cheeks. She was usually so observant. She supposed that she could only attribute her distraction to being relieved to have some peace to read without Cherry bothering her. "Thank you," she told Juniper when the woman sat a plate with a corned beef sandwich and chips in front of her.
"You're welcome," Juniper said with a smile. "What would you like to drink, we have a variety of muggle drinks, but we also have some pumpkin juice, though I don't think that goes well with corned beef."
Hermione shuddered at the thought, blanching. "A soda would be fine, or a glass of water."
"I got it, mum," Oliver called, and came out of the kitchen carrying two cans of soda in one hand, and his plated sandwich and chips in the other and sat down beside her, giving her one of the sodas.
"Thank you," Hermione murmured. She'd have to remember to tell Ron that Oliver's family weren't that different from his own when it came to meals, though she doubted he'd believe it. She shook her head wondering why he'd even entered her thoughts since he was so rude to her when she'd left.
"Are you all right?" Juniper asked, noticing the shake of her head.
"Oh, yes, I'm fine," Hermione said and smiled. "It's nothing. Just a distracted thought. It's not important."
After they'd had eaten and Oliver and Juniper cleared away the plates.
"Now then," Juniper said. "Would you like to help me make some cookies?"
"Oh, um," Hermione said. "I - I'd love to, but... my foot," she finished weakly.
"Not to worry dear," Juniper said. "We can use the kitchen table. You and I can do that while Oliver and Hickory take care of the horses before dinner."
"Oh, please," Hermione said as Hickory got to his feet. "Can't Oliver help, too?"
There was a pause as Juniper, Oliver and Hickory looked at each other and then back to her.
"Sure," Juniper said. "Of course, dear."
"I'd be glad to," Oliver said.
"I'm not going back out for a while yet," Hickory said. "I have some things I need to catch up on. Perhaps you'll be ready to go when I get done?"
"Sure dad," Oliver said with a nod.
"All right then, I'll see you a little later," Hickory said, and headed to his study.
It wasn't long before Oliver and Juniper, true to her word, had made it easy on her, bringing the ingredients and baking tools over to the table, but it wasn't long til they found that mixing while seated at the table was harder than they had thought, and Hermione was moved to the a tall bar stool at the counter instead.
Soon the fresh baked aroma of chocolate chip, and peanut butter cookies filled the air, for they had made both kinds, which now sat cooling on wax paper on the kitchen counter. Hermione laughed when she saw Hickory return from his office and try to steal one only to have Juniper smack his hand when he took a bite of the pilfered cookie and grinned over at her, winking.
Once the table and counter were cleared again, Oliver retrieved her book from downstairs. He promised not to summon Cherry to look after her, but let her know the elf would be there if she called on her. Hermione was left alone to read in peace at the kitchen table while Oliver and Juniper, at Hermione's urging, headed out to take in the horses from their time out in the pastures and get them ready to be bedded down for the night.