Meetings and Letters

Three

August 16, 2008

Dear Hermione, wrote Oliver.

How's work going? Here, not so good. Training's fine, actually. It's the bloody snow every single bleeding' day that's driving me up a tree, if there were any here. Hmmm..... Shampoo...What kind of shampoo do I use? Let me go check. ... Ah! Found it! It says Pantene Pro V Volume and Conditioner.

Since you visited, I've become very popular in the team. Everyone wants me to get them an autograph from you! Finished the food we bought. Chocolate was lovely. Bought more. I now exist on an almost complete chocolate diet. Haven't gained a pound.

No! Don't throw the letter into the fire yet! I've got news! My news is that training is over! I'll be back in London next week, if all goes well. Currently, I'm just studying the terrain up here for when we have our first game--this fall, against the Scottish team in Edinburgh. We'll have to go up there to study the pitch, but we should be ready for them! The game is on October 16, can you come? I'll send you tickets if you can.

Cheers,

Oliver

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August 19, 2008

Dear Oliver,

So glad to hear that your training is over! It means you and I will have more time to hang! Bought some of that shampoo. Has worked wonders on previously carnivorous hair. No longer snaps at brush when try to de-tangle it.

Enclosed are signed photos of Harry, Ron, and myself. We rarely, if ever give them out. It makes us blush when people remember who we are, even if we did save the Wizarding world from an evil Dark Lord. Please give photos to team members and as gag gifts. Have heard that one Cho Chang would love a signed photo of everyone's favorite hero. Also enclosed is a special one of him and Ginny from their engagement party.

On the subject of the party: Have never seen Harry not breathe for that long. Was he bobbing for apples, or swimming? You ask. No. He and Ginny spent the majority of the party snogging in a corner. At one point Mrs. Weasley had to hit them with her handbag to break them up. Only twice did they come out on their own free will. When they opened presents (yours truly gave them a crib. Ginny blushed like a fire engine), and when the served cake. Wonderful cake, actually. This lovely chocolate crème...Hmmm. Must owl Mrs. Weasley, get the recipe.

So, an all chocolate diet, eh? It only works as long as you keepup with a fierce training regimen. Did the same thing in the War. Wouldn't eat anything but Cadbury's for week afterward. Love the stuff. Have I mentioned that they have ice cream? You must come over and we'll have some and watch a movie. Something sappy. Like 13 Going on 30. My cousin, who lives in America, saw that movie and loved it. She told me to get it from me video rental place, and I did, and two days later, I bought it. I think you'll like it. It's got this lady who's totally hot, trust me.

I'm actually at work right now, writing you. Alan just poked his head and said, "Ah, glad to see you catching up on your social life!" Sometimes I wish I didn't work with a smarmy Weasley. Tell you what, they are all very sarcastic and they think they're the funniest things known to man! Anyway, I've just looked at my calendar, and it says (literally, I'll kill Harry and Ron for giving me a talking wall calendar. According to it, I've got to catch up on a social life. Will it be complaining when I burn it?) that I'm free on the sixteenth. However, I must ask you if you are free for the thirtieth? I'm having a Halloween party at the house, so just Apperate to the foyer. It's costume, so have fun picking out a disguise!

Anyway, I'm currently learning Braille. It's fascinating! Wonderful to read, as they have entire books in it! So, since my letter has spanned an entire roll of parchment, I'll say goodbye.

Yours,

Hermione

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Wednesday, August 30, 2008

Dear Hermione,

I hear you. All Weasley's are troublesome beasts. I'd tell you what Fred and George did for my fourteenth birthday, but it might kill you.

I am glad that my shampoo helped your hair problems. My older sister, Olivia (don't ask about our names, I have a younger brother named Owen, frankly we think Mum's crazy), gave me a bottle in second year. Her words were: "Here you great prat, use this and your hair won't distract you from your precious Quidditch." Olivia is three years older than me, so she had graduated the year before you came to Hogwarts. The reason she's so shrewish is because she's a Ravenclaw. They're always like that. You won't know Owen because he's a great deal younger than me. Sort of a surprise for our family. He was born in my third year, so he's just now gotten into school. He's a Gryffindor, no surprise, as all Wood men have been, and all Wood women have been Ravenclaws

The signed photos have greatly increased my standing in the popularity of the team. I'm now at the top of the food chain, the head honcho, the Head Minkey in the Minkey house, or I'm at the top of the team politics right now. So, I've a lot of power. I gave Cho the photo you told me to. She glared at me, pulled some matches out, and burned it. Man, people in photos can really wail.

Seriously, Mrs. Weasley hit them to get them to stop snogging? Wow. I had to hit Fred once in fourth year when he and Angelina wouldn't pry themselves away from each other. You gave them a crib? Isn't that a bit presumptuous? Note to self: Owl Harry my three hundred Galleon gift certificate to Wizard Babies 'R' Us. When I get back you want to make that cake for me? I haven't had any homemade food for the longest time. (Actually, it's been about two months, but it seems like forever.) And a lovely piece of chocolate cream cake would be, well, lovely! Sure, I'll watch the movie. I've seen this one called Center Stage before. It was really dramatic. I liked it, but don't tell anyone since it's a horrendously chicky chick flick.

You're at work? I'm in the team's common room writing you. Gerald and Simon (Gerald's a Chaser, Simon's our Seeker) tell me to tell you "Hi," and that they put your photo in their locker. Excuse me, but gross. Not that you aren't gorgeous but really, them putting your photo in their locker? Very creepy. I have told them so. The rest of the team [WHO ARE NOT SPYING ON MY LETTER-WRITING: GERALD AND SIMON] is watching some Wizard soap, As the Brooms Zoom, or something like that. Horrendous stuff really. Ooh, Jack's finally proposed to Mia! Err, that won't erase, will it? Yeah, so I watch soaps. You know how much happens at the top of a mountain? Nothing. That's what happens. Absolutely nothing. It's a good thing that I'm coming back to London in two days. Otherwise, I'd go nuts with all that isn't happening.

Yeah, I'm free on the thirtieth. I love Halloween parties! I'll try to come as something historic, or something nobody knows, because it's Muggle. What do you think of Jack Sparrow, from the movie Pirates of the Caribbean? I loved him! He was so funny! I saw the movie when it came out, as my sister is married to a Muggle born, so she dragged me to the cinema. Looking forward to seeing you on Friday!

Cheers,

Oliver

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Hermione was waiting by the Knight Bus stop at noon, that Friday, to pick Oliver up. Tapping her toe, she looked at her watch, and stepped about a foot away from the curb.

The huge purple bus came hurtling up, and had Hermione been where she was originally, she would have been bowled over.

Out of the bus came seven people in scarlet sweaters. All of them had duffel bags, and they were all stamped with the English Quidditch team emblem.

Hermione waved to Oliver, who was behind everyone else. He grinned back at her, and waved jauntily. Walking over, she was instantly surrounded by the other team members.

Oliver pushed through his teammates, and glared at them. "Honestly, she saved the world. Now give 'er some peace." He turned to Hermione and smiled. "So, we meet again, young Jedi," he said, grinning. She'd told him about the Star Wars movies once a long time ago. Since then, he'd rented the videos and watched all the movies.

Hermione laughed. "Oliver, Oliver, Oliver. Honestly! Harry, Ron, and Ginny are over a Florean's waiting for us. Ron wanted to come with me, but changed his mind at the last."

Oliver's eyebrows went up. "And why would that be?" he asked, repositioning his duffel bag.

"Padma Patil," said Hermione simply. "They've been dating on and off for quite some time. And she's been in France for two months on assignment, and they haven't seen each other for that long, so don't be surprised if their faces are somehow magnetically attracted."

Oliver laughed. "Well, let's go then." He glanced over at his teammates. Looking back at Hermione, he leaned closer to her ear. "Is it okay if they come? They really want to meet Ron and Harry." Hermione nodded, and Oliver looked behind him again. "It's okay if you come," he said loudly. Everyone immediately picked their gear and followed Hermione and Oliver.

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"Oliver!" said Harry, standing up. Hermione, Oliver, and the rest of the team had made it to Florean's, and were standing by the table where Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Padma were sitting. "It's good to see you! How was training? Did you make it as horrible for them as it was for me, once upon a time when you were my Captain?" He and Oliver shook hands vigorously.

"Harry," said Ginny, "you're going to give him whiplash if you shake any longer." She smiled at Oliver. "It's nice to see you Oliver. Ever since you and Hermione started writing, she's been a lot more live-oof!" Hermione had kicked Ginny. Hard. And in the shin.

Ron grinned, and coughed a remarkably laugh-sounding cough. "Oliver, it is nice to see you." He glanced behind Oliver and Hermione. "So, did you bring the entire team?"

Oliver grinned. "Yeah. They really wanted to meet the Man-Who-Lived, and his best mate, Ron Weasley."

An expression flitted over Harry's face that could only be described as 'pained'. It was quickly masked, however and he smiled at the team. "I can actually tell you it's a greater pleasure for me to meet the Quidditch team for England, than for you to meet me." He walked over to Simon. "So, you're Simon Hartfield, eh? Loved you in this year's World Cup. The way you beat the Chinese Seeker to the Snitch was beautiful." Harry closed his eyes, savoring the memory.

Ginny walked over to Simon. "Hello, Simon. I'm Ginny Weasley, Harry's fiancée." She flicked Harry. "Honestly, Harry, do I have to ask Mum to talk to you about the Quidditch thing?"

"No, no, no, no," said Harry. "And look, here comes our desert." He looked over at Oliver and smiled. "We ordered for you, I hope you don't mind."

"Actually, Hermione ordered for you, Oliver," said Ron. "She got you the Quidditch sundae, or something like that."

"Really?" said Oliver, casting an amused eye at Hermione. "And she got the Modiva Chocolate sundae, I presume?"

Hermione laughed, much to the confusion of Ron. "Yeah, she did. How did you know?"

Oliver looked off into the distance. "Oh, you know. I know these things." And he and Hermione started to laugh.

"Really," said Ron, looking at Harry with an I-told-you-so expression on his face. "That's fascinating."

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"So, Hermione," said Ginny, on their way to the ladies' room at Florean's, "what's going on in between you and Oliver?"

"What do you mean, Gin?" asked Hermione, standing in front of the mirror, applying some more lipstick.

Ginny rolled her eyes, annoyed. "What I mean, my dear, are you and Oliver dating?"

Hermione looked shocked. "I am shocked!" she said, turning to Ginny. "Completely shocked! There is nothing romantic going on between Oliver and me!"

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Back at the umbrella-covered table, Oliver was getting the same treatment.

"So, Oliver," said Ron, clapping Oliver on the back, "when did you and 'Mione start going out?"

Oliver had just taken a drink of water, and it came spraying out of his mouth. "Wh-what?" he spluttered. "We-we aren't dating! Honestly, we are just friends! Nothing more, nothing less!"

"Uh-huh," said Ron.

"Sure, you are," said Harry, his eyebrows arching. "And so are Ginny and I."

"We are just friends," said Oliver, emphasising friends. And that was all that was said on that subject.