The Goblet Of Fire - Hermione Granger x OC

Veritaserum

Oliver, still wrapped in multiple towels in an attempt to warm up from the freezing lake, made his way back to his common room. As he walked, a voice suddenly shouted from behind him.

"Montclair!"

Startled, Oliver turned around and was dismayed to see Professor Snape standing there.

"What's your hurry?" Snape asked, his face displaying annoyance.

Oliver stood in silence, unsure of what to say, and simply stared back at Snape.

"Congratulations on your performance in the black lake," Snape said unexpectedly, his tone surprisingly soft.

"Thank you, sir," Oliver replied, his voice filled with gratitude.

"Gillyweed, wasn't it?"

Oliver paused for a moment, feeling a mix of surprise and curiosity, before finally responding, "Yes, sir."

"Ingenious," Snape remarked, his expression remaining unchanged. He motioned for Oliver to follow him into a nearby closet, filled with shelves stocked with various ingredients for potions.

As Snape climbed up a towering ladder to retrieve something, he continued speaking. "A rather rare herb, gillyweed. Not something you'd find in your everyday garden."

Oliver's eyes widened at the revelation, his mind racing with questions. What was Snape up to? And why was he sharing this information with him?

Snape descended from the ladder, holding a small bottle in his hand. He turned to face Oliver, a smirk playing on his lips. "And nor is this," he said, displaying the bottle for Oliver to see. "Do you know what it is?"

Oliver's brow furrowed as he examined the bottle. He couldn't help but be intrigued by Snape's mysterious display. "Pumpkin Juice?" he replied sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

Snape chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Veritaserum," he revealed, his voice hushed. "Just three drops of this and even You-Know-Who himself would spill his darkest secrets."

Oliver's heart skipped a beat, his mind reeling with the implications of Snape's words.

"The use of these on a student is regrettably forbidden. However, should you ever steal from my personal stores again, my hand might just slip over your morning pumpkin juice," Snape stated, emphasizing his point by making a pouring motion with the bottle.

"What on earth are you talking about?" Oliver asked, annoyance evident in his voice. "I haven't stolen anything!"

"Don't dare lie to me, boy!" Snape hissed, his face inches away from Oliver's. "Gillyweed may be innocuous, but boomslang skin? Lacewing flies? You and your little friends are brewing a Polyjuice Potion, and I'm going to find out why!"

The ridiculousness of Snape's accusations caused Oliver to burst out laughing. "You've officially gone mad, sir," he scoffed.

"Moody may have joined your little fan club, but I will not tolerate your behavior!" Snape snapped, his anger only escalating. "100 points from Gryffindor!"

With that, Snape slammed the door to the closet in Oliver's face, leaving him standing there, bewildered by the encounter.

                       ***

Oliver woke up the next morning and made his way to the Great Hall for breakfast. As he entered, his eyes were immediately drawn to Henry, standing confidently on top of one of the tables. He was in the midst of telling an animated tale, filled with the bravado that had become characteristic of his stories.

"I had to fend off nearly fifty of those little buggers. Not even an entire army of mere people could bring me down," Henry regaled, his voice dripping with self-assuredness.

"You're so brave, Henry!" a few girls exclaimed in unison, their voices laced with admiration.

"What can I say? I am the chosen one," Henry replied, a cocky smile stretching across his face.

Oliver chuckled, shaking his head in amusement at his brother's propensity for theatrics. Despite Henry's flare for exaggeration, Oliver appreciated that beneath the bravado, his brother possessed a genuine courage that often went unspoken.

Henry noticed Oliver and gracefully jumped off the table to greet him. "And, of course, my brave brother who went back to rescue another contestant that wasn't even his responsibility to save," he said, his voice beaming with admiration for Oliver's selflessness.

"That's my champion," Hermione chimed in, walking up to join them and planting a affectionate kiss on Oliver's cheek, her eyes sparkling with pride.

A mischievous grin spread across Ron's face as he approached them. "You didn't even have to do that, you git," he teased, unable to contain his laughter.

Confusion washed over Oliver's face as he looked at Ron. "What? What do you mean?" he asked, his brow furrowed.

"She was never in any danger! Dumbledore would have rescued her once the hour was up," Ron explained, chuckling.

Oliver's eyes widened in disbelief. "Are you serious? I risked everything for nothing?" he said, his voice a mix of shock and frustration.

"Yeah! Didn't you take the song seriously?" Ron replied, now laughing even harder. As Oliver's realization sank in, Ron's laughter filled the hall, echoing through the air.

Embarrassment and annoyance washed over Oliver as he realized he had given up first place in that task for nothing.

"If anything, I think it proved your true character. You are a better champion than any of the other guys," Hermione said.

Henry put a hand over his chest and pretended to be hurt by Hermione's statement. "I'm standing right here," he said, faking a heartbreak for comedic effect.

Hermione just flipped him the bird, causing the others to erupt in laughter.

Henry scoffed and turned towards Cho, who almost choked on her drink from laughing so hard. "Can you believe her?" he asked, a playful smirk on his face.

Oliver took a seat at the Gryffindor table, and Hermione quickly sat next to him, concern etched on her face.

"The final task is coming up soon. How are you feeling?" she asked gently.

"Very sore," Oliver replied, wincing as he held his injuries from the previous task. "I can't wait for this tournament to be over, honestly."

"You're going to win, I just know it," Hermione reassured him.

"We'll see. I've barely survived the first two tasks. The final one will probably finish me off," Oliver responded, a mixture of nervousness and doubt in his tone.

"You're going to do great. Just... sacrifice Henry if you have to," Hermione playfully suggested, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

They both shared a laugh, the tension momentarily lifted by their lighthearted banter.

"Sounds like a solid plan to me," Oliver said, chuckling.

"Oh, I'm only kidding... kinda," Hermione said, a playful smirk on her lips.

"Isabella would be pissed at me if I did that," Oliver replied, shaking his head. He glanced over at Henry, who was beaming with his friends and sharing a kiss with Cho. "Besides, I think our relationship is the strongest it's ever been right now. I wouldn't want to ruin that."

"Aww, that's so sweet I'm gonna cry," Hermione said, a tear trickling down her cheek.

"Shut up," Oliver laughed, playfully nudging her.