Chapter 27

Oliver began to worry about Hermione when she was distant over the next several days. He realised that she was doing her best to ignore Malfoy, but still he was concerned that she'd not replied to either letter he'd sent her since she'd bid him goodnight. She was so distant in fact that he wondered if, without realising it herself, she had slipped into a deep depression.

Oliver and the twins noticed when she didn't appear for Gryffindor's Quidditch practice the next week like she normally did. When questioned about it, Harry simply shrugged, looking lost. Oliver surmised that Harry had become used to her joining him when he came down for practice. They all had, really. As he looked over the team, even Angelina and Katie looked worried over her absence.

He, the twins and Lee watched her over that time and noticed she did things like eating and sleeping and homework after classes as though she was in a daze, just going through the motions. She had withdrawn into herself, her thoughts were her own, and she barely responded when someone — mostly Harry or Ron since she sat closer to them — talked to her. In fact, it took them several attempts to get her attention.

None of this deterred Malfoy though. The git still glared at her and spouted hateful words whenever he got the chance. The twins had done just as Oliver told her they would, and went out of their way to prank the uppity little prat. Unfortunately, it didn't help matters any, and he was still a jerk to her.

Finally, Oliver knew he had to act. That it was time he wrote to her parents.

10 September 1992
Mr & Mrs Granger,
This is Oliver Wood, we met in Diagon Alley before the start of term. I know that I may be overstepping my bounds, and Hermione might be mad at me for doing this, but I felt that I had to write to you.

On Saturday, 5 September, Hermione and Ron came to the Quidditch practice with Harry. This is something that she has enjoyed doing since I introduced her to the sport last year, and she never missed a practice since.
I'm not sure how much Hermione has told you about life here at Hogwarts. I think it's alright to explain a little about it so that you know what I am talking about. Students at Hogwarts are sorted into one of four dormitories when they arrive. Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff or Slytherin. Each house has a team that plays Quidditch. I booked the field for Gryffindor practice that day, but the Slytherin team showed up with a note to train their new player.
Draco Malfoy is the boy's name, and he is very rude, and conceited. He is the reason I am writing to you. He is a spoiled little rich kid, who always gets his way, or tries to. He's been jealous of Harry since they met last year and Harry made the Gryffindor team.

He used his father's influence and money to get on the Slytherin team this year, supplying the whole team with new equipment that gives them an unfair advantage. This is the kind of person Malfoy is. He is also from a family whose lineage is what wizards call 'pure blood' meaning they have always been magical, and never married outside the magical families.
On Saturday, Hermione insulted him, calling him out and aptly so, for buying his way onto the team. He in turn retaliated against her by calling her... well, so that you know, I suppose I should tell you. Calling her a 'Mudblood'. I want you to understand that not all wizarding families — even those who like the Malfoys are pure bloods think the way the Malfoys do. This is an uncommon insult that one does not generally hear in conversation.
It hurt her really bad. I know that she doesn't care about him or what he thinks, but all the same, she was hurt by his words. She's become distant to everyone since. It takes Harry and Ron several times to get her attention, and my friends, Lee and the Weasley twins — Ron's brothers who you also met — have been watching her and it's like she's just going through the motions. I am at a loss on what to do or how to help her, but I thought that you should know.
Oliver

An owl swooped into the Great Hall and dropped a package in front of Hermione one morning, and she blinked a moment, looking at the brightly wrapped violet package before it dawned on her. It was her birthday. September 19th had snuck up on her without her even being aware of it.

Opening the package, she found it was from her parents. There was a long, thin but sturdy protective box for her parchment that would fit neatly in her bag along with a slightly larger, Muggle pencil box for her quills; both items a shade of purple, her favourite colour. A letter from her parents accompanied the gifts, and she nibbled on a croissant as she read it to herself.

Happy birthday, sweetheart. We hope you are well and that you are enjoying this school year. Here are some things that we thought might help. Not sure what to get you anymore, to be honest. Hope you have a use for them.
Love,
Mum and Dad
PS. Please don't be mad at Oliver. He contacted us and told us what happened with that boy. Please, sweetheart, don't let it bother you. It sounds to us that this boy is just seeking attention, you don't have to give it to him. Oliver and your friends are worried about you. We're far away and there's not much we can do to help you through this, so please, don't push your friends away. We love you very much! Take care, sweetie.

She blinked, staring from the letter to the gifts for a moment, she was torn. On one hand, she knew Oliver and her friends were worried about her, and she appreciated their concern, but on the other, it sort of felt like an invasion of privacy and like they'd overstepped their bounds in contacting her parents. She thought about it for a while before a slow smile spread over her face as she looked at the gifts her parents had sent, her thoughts going in a completely different direction. Now she could try that new spell that she was curious about.

As she tucked the items in her bag, a second gift was dropped in front of her, this one landing with a louder thud. Sitting up, she looked around to see Oliver, the twins, and Lee watching her from a little further down the table. All seemed to be giving her hesitant but encouraging smiles. Looking back at the new gift, she saw a brown paper wrapping with a stamp of Flourish and Blotts.

Tearing off the paper, she found a copy ofCurses and Counter Cursesby Professor Vindictus Viridian. Looking up, she lifted the book slightly in toast to her friends and nodded in thanks, before stowing it away in her bag as well.

Standing, she headed out of the Great Hall, with deliberate movements. Oliver caught sight of the turn of her head and a glance his way before she turned once more and continued toward the doors.

"Be right back," Oliver said, excusing himself.

"Hope she's okay," Lee murmured.

"Yeah," Fred grimly.

"It's annoying that our pranks only make Malfoy more of an arse to her rather than warning him off," George added as they watched Oliver follow her out of the hall.

Hermione moved to one side of the doors and lowered her bag slowly, feeling deflated and totally drained.

"Hermione?" Oliver asked in concern when he saw her, and she looked up at him as tears began rolling down her cheeks. The movement seemed to disorient her, and she swayed on her feet. "Oh, geeze," Oliver said and rushed to her, catching her as she collapsed, sagging against him as she cried. "It's alright, lass," Oliver murmured softly to her as he held her up, and rubbed her back and arms soothingly. "I've got you."

"I - I'm so sorry!" Hermione whimpered as her tears fell, beginning to soak his shirt as she clutched at him. "I - I didn't mean to make anyone worry about me."

"Of course we're worried about you," Oliver said, pulling back to look down at her. "We're your friends. It'll be okay, lass. I know his words hurt you, but they're just words... The little blighter's nothing but a pansy, who thinks too highly of himself. He got mad because you hit him where it hurt. He didn't think anyone would have the smarts to figure out what he'd done, nor the courage to stand up to him. You did both." He paused, peering at her and shifted, reaching one hand up to caress her cheek, and she turned into the touch, blinking slowly. "I'm proud of you," he said gently. "I've always been proud of you. Don't ever forget that."

Hermione sobbed into Oliver's shirt, and her energy dwindled as she cried.

"Come on, lass," Oliver said gently, and his skin crawled slightly as realisation dawned on him on what he'd missed. "Can you grab your bag?"

Hermione nodded and leaned down with Oliver's support and grabbed her bag, clutching it in her fist, and hiccuped softly as he swung her up into his arms and carried her toward the hospital wing.

"You've not really been sleeping have you?" Oliver asked, looking at her with scrutiny as he headed up the staircase.

Hermione bit her lip and shook her head.

"Ah," he murmured. "I thought not."

"Y-you really don't have to carry me," Hermione said shyly, not meeting his eyes.

"Can you walk?" Oliver asked. "I thought it was best since your legs gave out from under you, but I'll put you down if you like."

"Hrm..." Hermione murmured. "Well... probably not."

Oliver smiled. "I don't mind, lass. It's not every day I get to carry something besides books or Quidditch equipment."

Hermione blushed and peered up at him to catch his wink.

"Aren't we going to be late for class?" she asked after a moment.

"We are going to the third floor to the hospital wing to see Madam Pomfrey," Oliver told her.

"That's really not necessary, Oliver," Hermione protested and began to squirm a bit.

"Hermione," Oliver murmured seriously, drawing her attention so that she was still. "You may be using a spell to conceal your appearance, but it doesn't work so well if you're so tired. You can barely stand, let alone walk. It's alright. I understand that it's hard to sleep when all you can think about is what he said — even if you don't really care what he thinks about you in particular, the words can still run circles in your mind keeping you awake at night. We'll get a note from Madam Pomfrey so that you are excused from classes for today. I'll send a message to Harry to get your assignments, so you won't fall behind, but you need sleep. We can ask Madam Pomfrey to get you some Dreamless Sleep and a Calming Draught if you want, but I would really like it if you got some sleep today."

Hermione swallowed and lowered her gaze a moment, feeling chastised, but nodded slowly. "Alright," she murmured. "But," she paused and looked up at him for emphasis. "Just for today, alright?"

"Alright, lass," Oliver said with a smile of acquiescence and lowered her to her feet when they reached the infirmary doors, and opened the door for her.