Catching Her Heart Pt. 1

Chapter 11

Hermione went with Harry every night he had Quidditch practice, much to Ron's annoyance, and every morning he let her know with his unceasing glares. Because of his hostility, Hermione continued to join Oliver, Lee and the twins for meals.

During that time, she learned that Lee had a pet tarantula that the twins kept trying to get him to lend them so that they could scare Ron. This request particularly increased after Ron was so foul to Hermione. While Lee liked the idea and took pity on Hermione for the way his best friends' brother treated her, he declined because he was afraid that Ron would freak out too much and end up killing it.

While Hermione was grateful to Lee and the twins for their willingness to take on Ron for his behaviour, she had to admit that the thought of Lee's tarantula freaked her out a bit as well. So she was glad that he hadn't sent home to his parents for it, allowing his cousin to take care of it while he was away at school.

From the twins, she learned that their true ambition was to run their own joke shop, and they were developing their own line of merchandise — much to Mrs Weasley's consternation. With Lee's help, they were planning to start out with a mail order business, and then once things took off, planned on moving to a brick and mortar store — they hoped — in Diagon Alley.

Oliver, she learned, wanted to be a professional Quidditch player. While talking to him, Hermione learned that if one was good enough, they could make anywhere from 831 Galleons 10 Sickles 27 Knuts to 41,582 Galleons 2 Sickles 16 Knuts per win during a 38 game season. That amounted to $4,000 — $200,000 USD or £2,895.30 — £144,775.88.

She learned that even though Oliver had two years left of school, he had already sent in an application to Falmouth Falcons, Kenmare Kestrels, Puddlemere United and Tutshill Tornadoes although he was really pulling for acceptance to Puddlemere. Hermione had learned while visiting Gringotts that there were 17 Sickles to a Galleon and 29 Knuts to a Sickle, so hearing this news, she could tell that being a professional player paid well.

Halloween was upon them in no time, and Harry learned just how far ahead of the class Hermione really was when they had their Charms class that morning.

Much to Ron's annoyance, Professor Flitwick paired the students off that day and Harry was paired with Seamus Finnigan while he had been stuck with Hermione for the hour-long lesson.

Hermione eyed the little professor shrewdly wondering how old he really was. She'd read about dwarfs and learned that they in fact aged regressively, and that the change in their appearance could be rather sudden.

"One of a wizard's most rudimentary skills is levitation or the ability to make objects fly. Do you have your feathers?" he asked looking around. "Good," he said, noticing a pair of feathers with every group. "Now don't forget the nice wrist movement we've been practising. The swish and flick. Everyone," he called the students, and the class — well, most of them, demonstrated the move, reciting "The swish and flick."

"Good," Professor Flitwick said. "Oh, and enunciate. Wingardium Leviosa."

"Stop, stop, stop," Hermione scolded Ron as he waved his wand demandingly back and forth. "You're going to take someone's eye out. Besides, you're saying it wrong. It's Leviosa, not Leviosar."

"You do it then, if you're so clever," Ron snapped irritably. "Go on, go on!"

"Wingardium Leviosa," Hermione said, holding her wand delicately and incorporating the swish and flick motion that Professor Flitwick had mentioned. Her feather rose high in the air on the first try much to Ron's annoyance, and she was praised by their professor.

"It's Leviosa not Leviosar," Ron mimicked Hermione's enunciation to Harry, Seamus, and Dean after class as they passed through one of the courtyards. "She's a nightmare, honestly! No wonder she hasn't got any friends."

Hermione brushed past them in tears.

"I think she heard you," Harry said.

"So what," Ron said and shrugged. "It's true."

Oliver, who was passing by on his way to class, stopped and stared at the youngest Weasley. Anger rose in him, and he had the urge to punch the bratty redhead. He decided he'd leave that to the boy's brothers. Shaking off his anger, he turned and followed Hermione with concern. He'd nearly caught up with her when he saw her head into the girl's bathroom.

"Hey," he said, reaching out and tugging on the sleeve of a random girl passing by, on the way to her next class, and noticed that her friend stopped, too, drawing their curious gaze. "You're in Gryffindor, right? It's Parvati Patil, isn't it?"

"Yes, that's right," she said, looking at him curiously.

"Could you do me a favour?" he asked. "Can you check on Hermione Granger for me? She just headed in there."

"Um," Parvati said, and looked at her friend with uncertainty. "Y-yeah, sure," she agreed after a moment, looking at her friend apologetically. Oliver glanced at the other girl and vaguely recalled her blue eyes and blonde hair.

"I can go on ahead, and if you're late, I can let the professor know that you needed to stop off at the loo before class," Parvati's friend said.

"Thanks," Parvati told her. "I'll be there as soon as I can, Lily."

The girl waved at them and continued down the corridor.

Oliver smiled his thanks. "Can you let her know I'm out here if she wants to talk. She doesn't have to come out if she doesn't want to, I can sit by the door."

"Alright," Parvati said after a moment and headed into the girl's bathroom. After a few minutes, she returned. "I told her," she said. "I think she may come out in a moment, I don't know for sure. I can check back after class again if you like."

"That would be great," Oliver said. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Parvati said. "Well... bye."

"Bye," Oliver said, smiling as the girl headed off to her class.

"Hermione," Oliver asked, sitting down outside the door. "Are you alright?"

He listened and heard a door open and slow footsteps, and then quiet sniffling that held a slight echo from the walls.

"You know, I saw him do that, and I really wanted to punch him...." Oliver admitted.

"W-why didn't you?" Hermione asked over her tears. Her tone wasn't accusatory, laying blame, but simply curious for the answer.

"Well, two reasons, I suppose," Oliver replied. "First, I was more concerned about you."

"And second?" Hermione asked through the door, sitting down against the wall.

"And second," Oliver said with a slight smile. "I didn't think it was my place. If you like, I can let the twins know they can take care of it. I'm sure they'd be happy to teach him a lesson."

"No, it's okay..." she said, exhaling heavily. "Everything's caused enough trouble already... thank you though."

"Hey, Hermione," Oliver said.

"Yeah?" she asked, leaning her head back against the wall.

"I heard what he said. He's wrong," Oliver said. "You do have friends. I think a lot of it is that he's just jealous."

"I know," Hermione said. "I just..."

"Need some time?" Oliver asked.

"Yeah," Hermione replied.

"Okay, well, I'd better get going..." Oliver said. "I have Professor Binns' class next. It'll be boring, I'm sure, but I still need to be there. I'll see you later, alright?"

"Yeah, okay," Hermione said. "See you..."