Disclaimer: All HP characters belong to J.K Rowling
Chapter 3: First Year
Hermione decided that classes at Hogwarts were better than she could have ever imagined. In her first week she had learned how to levitate a feather, properly prepare potions ingredients, and see her professor turn into a cat! She threw herself fully into her studying not only because she loved it, but because she was determined to take full advantage of her magical education.
All her life she knew that she was different. The kids in her muggle school had told her so. She tried so hard to be friendly with the other kids, but she levitated a book she wanted off of the shelf one time and no one forgot about it. Even the kids that didn't see it happen labeled her a freak, and Hermione was left alone no matter how hard she tried.
The day that Professor Sprout showed up on her doorstep to let her know that she was a witch was the best day of her life. She finally understood that she wasn't weird, just different. Her parents seemed to be thankful for the explanation as well. They had both taken to not speaking about the odd things that would happen in their house if Hermione got upset, especially when they had taken away any of her books.
Being a witch was her saving grace. Coming to Hogwarts was a second chance to not be labeled a freak, and she was going to make it work. Those first weeks she tried to answer every single question her professors threw at her in order to prove that she belonged in the castle. So far she had done a pretty great job.
That is until she got to breakfast the next morning. Hermione sat down at her usual spot next to Oliver as he fixed her usual cup of morning tea and she began to prepare his toast. This had become their morning routine since that first morning of classes. As she was adding strawberry jelly to a slice, Hermione heard Ron a couple spots down, "She's a nightmare! Honestly! Jumping up and down and waving her hand like she'll die if she doesn't get to answer a question."
Hermione paused what she was doing as she heard the resounding laughter coming from down the table. Tears didn't fill her eyes until she heard Lavender say, "You're lucky you don't have to share a room with her. All she does is homework and read." At that Hermione dropped her knife and got up to sprint out of the Great Hall. Harry watched her go with a heavy feeling in his chest. He had watched Ron be mean to her for weeks now, and he couldn't stand it. "You didn't have to be so cruel you know," he said to Ron. Ron just shrugged his shoulders as he went back to eating. Harry was about to go after her when he saw Oliver rise from down the table and calmly walk out of the hall.
It didn't take him very long to find Hermione tucked away in an alcove with a window. She was sitting with her back against the wall with her knees pulled up to her chest. Her face was dry, but he could see that she was struggling to hold the tears at bay.
"Ye know they're not righ' aboot ye," he said quietly. Hermione didn't respond as she continued to look out at the mist covered grounds.
"They jus' don know hoo tae deal with someone who actually knows hoo tae read". At this Hermione let out a strained chuckle and turned to look at Oliver.
"A know it's hard tae deal with some people like tha' but A fer one am impressed by yer brain, Hermione Granger"
The first real smile lit up her face as she looked at Oliver. "Really?" she said.
Oliver just nodded and said, "A wouldn't want ye any other way."
He wasn't ready for Hermione to launch herself towards him with a hug. "Thank you, Oliver," she said as she wrapped her arms around his neck. He laughed as she pulled away and he saw the happiness on her face. "A'm happy tae help," he responded as he helped her from the window. He grabbed her bag as well and started walking with her towards her first class of the day.
As they reached the Charms classroom, Harry caught up to them. "I'm really sorry about what happened in the Great Hall, Hermione."
She could see the true remorse shining in his green eyes as she said, "You're not the one who should be apologizing, Harry."
"I know, but I still feel bad about what Ron said to you. I should have stood up for you."
Hermione smiled at him as she replied, "I appreciate that, Harry, but I really am capable of taking care of myself."
Harry let out a laugh and said, "You're right about that, but I still consider you a friend and will be here for you if you need it."
Hermione's heart soared at the thought. Friends. Yes, she definitely thought that it would be easy to be friends with Harry Potter.
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As the weeks passed, Hermione got more comfortable at Hogwarts. She settled into a routine that allowed her to study while also making time for her new friends.
Every morning, Hermione would rise earlier than the other girls in her dorm. She would dress and brush her hair before heading down to the common room. At the bottom of the stairs she would meet Oliver, and they would walk down to breakfast together.
Once sat at the table, she would fix Oliver's toast while he prepared her tea. Not long after they started eating they would be joined by Percy, Jordan, and a bleary eyed Harry.
The morning of Halloween was no different. Hermione sat next to Oliver as she discussed the merits of using walwart instead of bat spleen in a potion with Percy.
That was until Jordan interrupted her to ask if she was excited for the feast that evening. "I don't really celebrate Halloween," Hermione replied, "My parents are dentists, so they were never fond of the idea of going around getting a bunch of candy that would rot my teeth."
Jordan just blinked at her and said, "What is a dentist?"
Hermione laughed and replied, "A healer that tends to people's teeth."
Jordan just shook his head and said, "Well Dumbledore really goes all out with the Halloween decorations for the feast. I'm sure you'll love them!"
"We'll see about that," was all Hermione said.
Oliver hid a smile as he watched the two interact. This happened often; the two enjoying friendly banter. He was happy to see how well Hermione fit in with the rest of his friends.
Oliver watched as Hermione and Harry rose from the table to head to their classes for the day. "She doesn't know what kind of party she's in for," Jordan said. Oliver silently agreed. While the feast had normal food like any other, it was always interesting to see what "festive treat" Dumbledore came up with every year.
That night Oliver sat down at the table, and was surprised to see Harry sit down without Hermione. "Where is she?" he asked.
"I haven't seen her since after Charms" Harry replied.
"Why havena ye seen 'er?"
"Well…" Harry grabbed the back of his neck, "She corrected Ron on how to pronounce a spell in class, and he said some pretty hurtful things about her. She pushed by us and ran off. She was gone before I could go after her."
It was then that Neville jumped into the conversation, "I heard from Lavender that she's been in the girls bathroom all afternoon, crying."
If Harry was saddened to hear that, it was nothing compared to what Oliver felt. Hot rage burned through him as he looked down the table at Ron.
"I'll be writing to mother about his behavior," Percy said, "She definitely raised the rest of us better than that."
Oliver nodded silently as he rose from the table. "A'm goin tae see if A can find 'er." he said. As he finished his sentence, Professor Quirrel came bursting into the hall yelling about a troll in the castle. Oliver was not prepared for the sheer panic that gripped the students, nor the screams that came with it.
He was relieved when Professor Dumbledore stood and called for silence. As he declared that all students were to return to their dormitories immediately, all Oliver could think about was trying to get to Hermione.
He started to veer away from the crowd when he came face to face with Professor McGonagall. He had never seen her looking so stern. "And just where do you think you're going Mr. Wood?" she asked him.
"Ma'am A was jus'..." he began.
"I don't care what you were just doing Mr. Wood. You'll help escort the rest of the students back to Gryffindor tower."
Oliver didn't dare question her, and turned to help shepherd the rest of the students clad in red and gold. It was only after he got back to the common room that he realized Harry and Ron were nowhere to be found.
As Percy ordered the younger students to bed, Oliver took a seat on the couch. He stared into the fire and just hoped Hermione was alright. He should have just told Professor McGonagall that he was trying to find Hermione. Made her listen instead of letting her order him back to Gryffindor tower.
As Oliver got to his feet, the portrait hole opened. A drenched Hermione, Ron, and Harry clambered through. Oliver took a couple steps forward as Hermione rushed towards him. He grasped her shoulders gently as he scanned her for injuries. While she looked shaken, he couldn't find any other visible signs of harm.
"Wha' happened Hermione?" he asked softly.
"I was in the bathroom when the troll came in" she said.
"Are ye okay?"
Hermione nodded her head as she said, "Harry and Ron came to save me."
Oliver looked over her head to see Harry and Ron standing there awkwardly. "Thank ye fer goin' tae find 'er," he said. "It was no problem," Harry offered. Hermione shivered, and Oliver quickly waved his wand. In a second she was dry and warm.
"A'm glad yer safe" was all he said before he resumed his seat on the couch. Harry and Ron took that opportunity to head upstairs to bed, but Hermione wasn't ready just yet. While she appreciated Harry coming after her and Ron's new truce, she wasn't sure she'd be able to sleep.
Hermione reached down to grab her bag and headed towards the couch. She didn't say anything as she pulled out a book and settled down next to Oliver. He pulled out his quidditch playbook, and they spent the next couple of hours in silence. Hermione didn't know what it was, but she knew that simply being next to Oliver helped her relax after the trying events of the evening.
It was around midnight when Hermione finally headed up to bed.
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The year only got better for Hermione. She spent her days learning everything about magic she possibly could, and spent her evenings working on homework with Neville, spending time with Oliver, and watching Harry and Ron play wizard's chess.
Before she knew it, all of Gryffindor was buzzing about the first quidditch game of the season. When Harry had told her that he made the team as a first year, she was so happy for him! She was woefully unprepared, however, for what watching her boys play quidditch would actually be like.
She sat in the Gryffindor stands next to Neville as the game began. The players shot off into the sky, and Hermione immediately decided that quidditch players went unnecessarily high. She watched the blurs of red and gold that were the players zoom past her.
The longer she watched, the more she understood just how good Oliver was at the game. He effortlessly glided from one hoop to another never letting the quaffle through. Considering his skill, Hermione was quite surprised it had been so many years since Gryffindor had won the Quidditch Cup.
The further ahead Gryffindor got, the more aggressive the players became. She was already on the edge of her seat, but it wasn't until Oliver was hit by a bludger that she screamed and grabbed Neville's hand.
Oliver managed to stay on his broom, but she could see from the stands how much pain he was in. It wasn't long after that that her attention was drawn to Harry standing on his broom with a hand reached out for the snitch. She jumped to her feet when Harry tumbled off the end of his broom and rolled on the pitch.
When the crowd saw that Harry had indeed caught the snitch, there was an uproar with people cheering and stomping their feet. Hermione took this opportunity to rush down from the stands to check on her boys. She noticed Madam Hooch already approaching Harry, so she headed forward to meet Oliver as he touched down. As he landed, Hermione went up to him and said, "Oliver! Are you alright?"
"A'll be fine," he said.
"Absolutely you will…after you see Madam Pomfrey."
Oliver chuckled but allowed her to sling his arm over her shoulder and lead them to the rest of the group. After he was able to congratulate the rest of the team, he and Harry were sent to the hospital wing to be given a look over by the mediwitch. Hermione walked with them the whole way up.
Hermione was unsure what specific injuries Harry suffered, but she heard that he simply had to drink a potion and would be free to leave in just a few minutes. Oliver, on the other hand, had broken a couple of ribs when he got hit by the bludger.
He winced as he lay down in the bed. Madam Pomfrey approached and said, "Well Mr. Wood, I can mend your ribs, but it'll be uncomfortable." Oliver grit his teeth as she waved her wand over his side. All of a sudden there was a small hand in his. He took comfort in the support Hermione offered him, and before he knew it Madam Pomfrey was done. She discharged him from the hospital wing with the directions to take it easy while his bones were still fragile.
He thanked the mediwitch and headed towards the doors to the hospital wing. Hermione was already there waiting for him, and together they headed down to dinner.
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The cool wind of Autumn turned into the icy blast of winter. Hermione had layers on at all times due to the draftiness of the castle. She didn't mind, though, because everytime she settled down on the couch in the common room, Oliver would shed his thick wool sweater and hand it to her. It was such a normal occurrence that neither one of them thought much about the action anymore.
Hermione decided that the castle was beautiful all of the time, but it really was a different world at Christmas. All of the trees and garland created a picturesque place that Hermione didn't think existed in real life. As she was looking out at the snow covered grounds in the common room, she reflected on her relationships. She was so glad to have Harry and Ron as friends, but she got the feeling that running from a three headed dog wouldn't be the last of their adventures. She had already told them where they should research while she was gone over the holidays, and she really hoped they would do it. They needed to find out what was being guarded under that door.
She also thought about what she got all of her friends for Christmas. Harry got a broom servicing kit to take care of his nimbus, Ron was gifted a scarf with his initials on the end, she gave Neville a book containing information on rare plants found in Asia, and Oliver was given a navy blue pullover sweater with the note 'maybe I won't have to steal this one as often'. She had already sent her packages off to ensure that they would be delivered on time, and she left the ones for Harry and Ron with the house elves to be delivered on Christmas Day. She didn't think that there was anything left for her to do before her vacation. With that thought, started to make her way down to the carriages to head home.
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Hermione had an absolutely wonderful time with her parents over Christmas. She spent her days baking cookies with her mum and nights talking with her dad about football. She rather thought that her dad would enjoy quidditch, but she didn't have any way for him to truly see what the game was like. On Christmas morning she woke her parents bright and early so that they may begin opening presents. She received a beautiful necklace from her parents with a ruby in the center and a gold chain. "We were hoping that it would remind you of home when you're off at school," her mum explained. Hermione's eyes glistened as she nodded ecstatically and had her mother help her put the necklace on.
When they got to the end of the gifts, Hermione was surprised to see one more addressed to her. She was happy to see that Oliver had sent her something as well. She tenderly unwrapped the package and gasped when she saw what was inside. She pulled out the most beautiful quill she had ever seen. It was turquoise and long, and the note at the bottom explained that it was self inking as well. As she looked up at her parents to show them the gift, she decided that it was going to be a very good Christmas indeed.
While Hermione was so happy to have the time with her parents, she felt like something was missing while she was at home. The longer she was away from Hogwarts, the worse that feeling became. Hermione just assumed that she was missing the magical world because as soon as she was back on the Hogwarts Express, the feeling lessened considerably. The second she saw Oliver she rushed over to him and hugged him while thanking him for the beautiful gift. It was then that she noticed that he was wearing the sweater that she had sent him as well. She beamed at him as he led her to a compartment that already had Jordan inside. The ride back to Hogwarts was filled with laughter and catching up from the holidays, and by the time they reached the station the hollow feeling in her chest was gone.
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The rest of the year started to fly by, and Hermione was starting to stress about exams. That was until they discovered that Professor Snape was trying to steal the Sorcerer's Stone and that they needed to get to it first. They were successful, but they didn't make it out unscathed. Obviously, Harry was the most injured after having to face Voldemort himself down under the school, but Hermione and Ron had suffered as well.
Ron's injuries were healed fairly easily, but Hermione had some deeper abrasions and a broken ankle. Just as Madam Pomfrey was telling her that she would have to stay in the hospital wing overnight, Oliver burst into the hospital wing. "Hermione!" he called.
"Wha' 'appened tae ye?" he asked as he took in her wrapped ankle as well as the healing cuts on her face and arms.
"Well…," she trailed off, "We might have tried to break in to take the Sorcerer's Stone before someone else could."
Oliver just stared at her in awe for a moment before he said, "Why would ye do tha'?"
"Ye could 'ave died!" he said in a worried tone.
Hermione's eyes filled with tears as she said, "We had to Oliver. It couldn't get into the wrong hands. I can't say I'm sorry for doing what I thought was right."
He heaved a great sigh as he took in her saddened face and said, "A'm not mad at ye Hermione, an' A would never ask ye to apologize for doin' wha' ye think is righ'. A was jus' worried is all."
Hermione nodded at him and said, "I'm sorry I worried you. I'm okay though, really." She gave him a soft smile as he sat down in the chair next to her bed.
"Jus' try an' get some rest, okay?" he asked her, "A'll sit 'ere with ye fer a while."
She nodded as she scooted further into the bed and started to fall asleep. None of the nightmares that she thought would plague her came. She didn't dream about giant chess boards and flying keys, but rather about the time that she, Oliver, and Jordan spent out under the tree by the lake studying. Even in her dream she felt calm and safe…as long as Oliver was with her.
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Gryffindor house was ecstatic to win the House Cup at the end of the year even though they lost the Quidditch cup. Oliver was able to come to terms with the fact that Hermione's relationship with Harry and Ron was probably going to get her into more trouble. He decided that he would just have to do his best to look out for her.
They spent the ride back to London talking about plans for the summer and playing exploding snap with Harry, Ron and Jordan. About halfway through the ride, the Weasley twins joined them and decided to raise the stakes. Whoever lost, they said, would have to get off the train with purple hair. The entire compartment burst into laughter when it was in fact they who lost and walked onto the platform with their locks a bright magenta. They stepped in front of their mother who was fuming and exclaimed, "Hey! We match!"
Hermione spotted her parents on the platform, but before she approached them she turned to Oliver and said, "Will you write to me?".
"Af course A will," he replied with that lazy grin.
She gave him a quick hug before she was off to meet her parents. He watched the small family disappear into the wall before he made his way over to his own parents. He greeted them warmly and began to answer all of their questions about the tiny little witch they saw him with on the platform.
Oliver didn't notice the look his mom gave him when he told her that Hermione was a great friend he had met at the beginning of the year nor did he see the silent communication between his parents. They too met on the train ride to Hogwarts and look at how everything fell into place for them.