Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the associated characters or worlds. Which is unfortunate for me but definitely fortunate for the rest of the world..

Warnings: Some strong language and sexual references.

Chapter 2: Oliver

She was going to die. Hermione Granger was going to die. Her death would not even be for a valiant reason. Instead it would be a humiliating tale told for the rest of time about a war hero who was killed falling from a broomstick whilst on a date.

So far Hermione had not fallen from the broomstick however that was only due to her vice like grip on the foolish man who had insisted on this joke of a date. Honestly she thought that it was common knowledge that Hermione Granger did not fly on broomsticks; clearly she had overestimated her celebrity as this was not the case.

As her date plummeted the broomstick through the air towards the ground again Hermione reflected upon how she ended up in this situation.

A week had gone by since Hermione's terrible date with Dean and she had spent the majority of that week trying to find a way out of the marriage law. So far she had come up with nothing. There seemed to be no loophole and what frustrated Hermione even more was that all of her friends, family and colleagues seemed perfectly content with this law. It was like she was in some twisted fairytale where everyone was getting their happily ever afters and she was supposed to just wait for some prince to come along and save her by marrying her. The problem was Hermione was no princess and she wasn't sure she wanted to be one.

She hadn't found the courage to voice this and that was how she agreed to going on a date to a Quidditch match with Oliver Wood.

Hermione had not been thrilled at the idea of a Quidditch match date. It was not that she didn't enjoy Quidditch, Hermione liked a good game, it was more she didn't feel the setting would provide much of an opportunity for her to get to know her date.

It turned out that as usual Hermione was right.

Ginny had set her up on the date with Oliver as they had agreed and she had been told to meet him at the Puddlemere Quidditch grounds. Hermione had figured out quickly who her date was however she couldn't figure out where he was.

For ten minutes Hermione stood still amongst the bustling crowd of quidditch fans. She tried not to look like someone who had been stood up and ignored the glances and obvious stares from passers by as they recognised her and wondered why she was alone.

Hermione had been starting to give up on her date when an elderly wizard approached. He was shorter than her 5 foot 4 and slightly hunched over. Hermione had a full view of the growing bald spot on the top of his head.

"Miss Granger?" He asked in a mumble.

"Yes," Hermione replied warily.

"If you would like to follow me, Mr Wood has arranged for you to be taken to the VIP stand."

Hermione did not move; she was confused. Where was her date? Why wasn't he meeting her himself?

"Is he meeting me there?" Hermione asked.

"I don't know Miss, I've just been told to bring you to the VIP stand." And with that the balding man turned on his heel and marched purposefully through the crowd. Hermione followed, feeling slightly bemused.

The short wizard led Hermione to the stand. He walked her up the many stairs to the viewing box and with a quick bow left her there. Hermione wandered into the box and saw it was slowly filling with witches and wizards. None looked particularly excited for the upcoming game.

After scanning the box again she still could not see her date. Hermione was about to leave (as she really had no interest in watching the match) when she heard her name being yelled.

She still couldn't see Oliver anywhere. Then out of the corner of her eye she saw something in the air near the edge of the box. Oliver Wood was dressed in his Puddlemere United uniform floating on a broomstick waving enthusiastically at her.

Hermione hesitantly made her way to the edge of the stand.

"Hi Hermione, great to see you. Are you excited for the game?" Oliver asked rather breathlessly, he was slightly red in the face as though he had been working out or Hermione thought with sudden horror, like he had been warming up for a Quidditch match.

"Yes, hopefully it will be a good match," Hermione paused and purposefully looked at Oliver's uniform. Her gaze lingered slightly on his broad shoulders and defined arms but she made her gaze be one of distaste rather than appreciation of his physique.

"Yeah, we've trained really hard. Coach had us in from five this morning. I don't think the other team can say the same." Oliver puffed out his chest in pride. Hermione realised he was not getting the hint that she was annoyed.

"Oliver, I thought this was supposed to be a date?" Hermione's statement turned into a question as she became unsure herself as to what this socialisation between them was.

"It is." Oliver replied simply.

"I think I'm missing something here. I thought we were watching the match together."

"Look Hermione, we are here looking for love because of this law but I already have a love and that love is Quidditch. If you want to be in my life then you need to accept Quidditch." Oliver looked so sane and yet Hermione knew from his words that he was clearly was not.

"Oliver- I, what are you-" Hermione stopped talking, she was truly baffled by this man.

"I know you don't like Quidditch but I knew once you saw me play you could see how passionate I am and you would understand." Oliver was beaming, oblivious to Hermione's quiet breakdown over the ridiculousness of her date.

What kind of person thinks it is acceptable to invite someone on a date and not actually participate in the date? Hermione thought. She watched as Oliver gave her one last magnificent smile and then he flew off to join his team before the game started. Hermione knew Oliver was not the one for her but she decided out of kindness and loyalty to her fellow Gryffindor, that she would stay and watch the match. After the match was done, she would congratulate or console him and then make a hasty getaway.

Hermione settled into the seat she was stood next to and waited for the game to start. A bucket containing champagne and a glass appeared next to her. Hermione smiled in appreciation and poured herself a glass.

The game finally finished after what felt like a lifetime to Hermione. She had thought the pompous people in the VIP stand would be quiet but if anything they had been the loudest fans there. She presumed this was due to them having invested money into the Quidditch team, whether by sponsorship or through gambling. Whatever the case she had spent the last three hours with a group of elderly witches screaming in her ear at the two teams playing. Hermione's solution to this had been to consume the full bottle of champagne. She was now well on her way to being completely bladdered.

"Hey Hermione, so what did you think of the match?" Oliver hopped off his broom and bounded over towards her.

"It was great." Hermione answered and she truly meant it. Whilst at first she had been offended by Oliver asking her to watch him play, she had to admit he was very good at it. She had found herself admiring his flying technique and his physique quite a few times during the match and she couldn't blame that entirely on the champagne.

"Did you get the champagne?" Oliver asked, looking around her hopefully. His eyes settled on the empty bottle and he looked disappointed.

"Oh, well I see you did, I had hoped we could have shared a glass to celebrate the win. But well, never mind, we can always get more, right?" He asked her, his easy smile returning to his handsome face.

Hermione gave him a toothy grin and started to lean against the balcony lining of the stand. He looked at her warily and offered her his hand.

"How are you feeling? Do you feel up to the second part of out date?"

Hermione gratefully took his arm and he pulled her towards him so that she was stood in front of him with her hand in his and her other gripped his arm to stop herself from losing her balance. She nodded her head; she wanted to speak but her tongue felt as though it were too large for her mouth and her head was fuzzy.

"Ok, great!" Oliver exclaimed. He pulled Hermione along to where his broomstick floated by the edge of the stand. His broomstick flew over the edge onto the platform they stood on and Oliver brought it to a stop in front of Hermione.

"Ok, Hermione climb on."

Hermione looked at him puzzled, she was not getting on a broomstick. Why was he trying to make her get on a broomstick?

"C'mon, this is the second part of the date." Oliver said, gesturing towards the broom.

Hermione shook her head and tried to step backwards but she was still holding Oliver's hand. This resulted in her pulling Oliver in towards her. Her head hit his chest with a soft thump.

"I don't go on broomsticks." She mumbled into his pecks.

Oliver chuckled, "I know, I thought maybe we could change that."

Hermione shook her head and then realised he couldn't see that as she was still face first in his chest.

"Oliver, I don't want to." She slowly pushed away from him.

"Oh, come on! It'll be fun! Let's go flying." Oliver's eager charm was starting to fade and she could see irritation beginning to form. However Hermione didn't care. Her head cleared partially and her tongue felt normal again. She was suddenly reminded of how ridiculous this date was and how ridiculous Oliver was.

Hermione looked at him in disbelief, "Oliver, I'm really not interested in flying."

"Oh come on, the famous war hero is scared of a little broom?"

Hermione rolled her eyes and tried her best to ignore his needling.

"I thought you were a Gryffindor. I guess the sorting hat got it wrong. Perhaps you're a Hufflepuff, although even they would get on the broomstick."

Well Hermione wasn't having that. Perhaps it was her foolish Gryffindor bravery but she couldn't back down from the challenge.

And that was how she ended up clinging to Oliver Wood for dear life on a bloody broomstick.

Oliver swerved some imaginary opponent of his for the fourth time in the last 10 minutes and Hermione reached the end of her patience.

"Oliver," she yelled. Either he was ignoring her or couldn't hear her over the wind.

"Oliver!" She tried again. Still nothing.

She jabbed him in the side with her finger. That got his attention. "Oliver I want to get off. Take me down." Oliver just continued to fly.

"Oliver take me down now!" If the tone of her voice wasn't threatening enough Hermione hoped her wand now sticking in his side was. Quickly they landed back on the ground.

Hermione hastily climbed off of the broomstick and marched across the pitch towards the exit.

"Hermione," Oliver called after her. "Hermione!"

She kept walking, furious with him for making her get on the broomstick and furious with herself for agreeing to go on it.

Once she reached her exit she left the stadium and apparated away to the Burrow.

"Wow, you're back even earlier than the last date of yours!" Harry remarked from his seat at the kitchen table.

Hermione silenced him with a look before he could comment again.

Then collapsing into one of the empty kitchen chairs she crossed her arms on the table and collapsed her head onto them.

"So... I take it the date went bad?" Harry asked hesitantly.

"It may have been the worst date I have ever been on."

"Oh come on Mione, it can't have been as bad as the time I took you on that date by the lake and we got attacked by Grindylows."

Hermione laughed at that and raising her head she looked at her ex boyfriend Ron. He had come into the kitchen and was sat at the head of the table between her and Harry. She gave him a fond smile as the memory of that horrendous date played in her mind. For reasons still unknown to Hermione Ron had thought it would be a good idea to take her on a rowing boat across a lake near the Burrow. Initially the date had been fun and she and Ron had laughed whilst rowing out into the lake but then Ron had set the boat to row by itself and they had gotten distracted by each other and the next thing she knew she was stuck in some duck reeds having fallen into the lake and her and Ron and proceeded to be attacked by two young Grindylows. Luckily the infant Grindylows hadn't been that strong.

"It was honestly worse."

Ron's handsome face broke into a warm smile as he laughed heartily. Hermione couldn't pretend that his smile didn't do delightful things to her. He was gloriously tall and nicely built with just enough muscle to impress her but not enough to be imposing. His gorgeous red hair had grown out a bit over the last few years and he had a neatly trimmed beard that accentuated his defined jawline. The man had always made Hermione's heart flutter and even though they had broken up a few years ago he still had an affect on her.

"Oh well I'm sure the next one won't be so bad."

Hermione was snapped out of her daydream by the thought of her next date.

"Oh Merlin, no. I don't want to go on another horrendous date. I'm tempted to just give up my magic."

"Hermione you can't be serious." Harry admonished.

"Of course not," Hermione sighed. "I'm just frustrated. Hopefully the next date is better."

"I'm sure it will be but if it's not you know what you can do." Ron said getting up from his seat.

"What?" Hermione asked.

"You can always go on a date with me." Ron gave her a wink and a gentle smile and then left.

Hermione looked at Harry in disbelief.

Harry beamed, "See I told you everything will be fine."

Hermione groaned in response and sunk her head back onto her arms, entirely fed up with all men.

Author's note: Thank you for reading this and to those who review. Your reviews keep me motivated as do your favourites and follows, so please do keep them coming. Let me know who you think the next date will be with and we'll see in the next chapter if you are right..

Emerald