Catching Her Heart Pt. 2

Chapter 95

14th November 1994

Hello Kittycat,

It seems you're famous. Zach came in to practice today with the evening edition of the Daily Prophet and showed it to me since there was an article about Hogwarts and the TriWizard Tournament in it. Well, it seems its was not so much about Hogwarts and the Tournament as it was about Harry. You didn't tell me that you and Harry were an item. When did that happen? You don't have to be embarrassed, you can tell me. Although... you might want to let my parents know. I'm sure they're pretty disappointed after seeing it. I'm sure you could tell during your stay with us that like your parents, mine seemed to be pushing us together. They probably think I'll be jealous. Haha.

Anyway, I hope everything is going well for you. Any idea when the tournament tasks will start? I'm curious to know what its about. Wish I was still there so I could see it. Gotta go, coach is calling us to early practice.

Oliver

Hermione groaned as she read the note the next morning at breakfast and surprised the owl, who was eating some of her bacon after delivering it and fluttered his wings, as well as Lee and the twins who blinked in surprise when she dropped her head on the tabled with a loud thunk.

"Come on," Lee said.

"It can't be that bad," George said as he nudged her, and she lifted her face, keeping low to the table and wiped the egg and marmalade from her face.

"Here," Fred said with a chuckle and handed her a napkin she saw him conjure and wet it with the condensation from his goblet of pumpkin juice.

"Thanks," Hermione said accepting the napkin and washed the stickiness of the marmalade from her face.

"Oh, yeah it can..." Lee said, handing the letter to Fred and George that he'd picked up from the table where she'd dropped set it while using the napkin.

"Wow," the twins said as they skimmed over Oliver's note.

"Girl," Fred said.

"You need to fix this," George added.

"Yeah, you'd better write to him, and his parents," Lee said.

Hermione sighed, looking at them uncertainly, but relented after a moment, glancing at the owl that was still waiting. Slowly, she took out a quill, her ink and some parchment and began to write.

15th November 1994

Dear Oliver,

I just saw the paper last night and I should have written straight away, but I had homework and it was too late to go to the owlery when I was done. I swear, I could kill Colin for that rubbish. He doesn't know anything. Harry warned me before the paper came out that he'd had an interview with that Skeeter woman that had seemed strange to him. He said that she had an enchanted quill and that he saw it was making false statements about him. He had said that my name came up in the interview but that because of what the quill was doing, he didn't know what the article would say about me.

There's nothing going on between me and Harry. We're just friends. Yes, I would have told you if it were different, but its not. I'll make sure and write your parents to let them know as well. It seems that everything written in the Prophet is take for being factual, but after this fiasco, I doubt it.

No, I don't know when the first task is set to begin. Mainly the time that's passed has just been with us getting used to all the new visitors. The girls flock to Viktor and the others from Durmstrang, and the boys — well, certain ones — all seem to drool over the girls from Beauxbatons. Everyone is free to wander the grounds — except the Forbidden Forest, as usual — so we see them all over the grounds and at meals, but our classes are still separate.

Hermione

Hermione folded the note and gave it to the owl that promptly flew off after grabbing another piece of bacon from the platter nearby.

"Feel better?" Fred asked.

"Yeah, thanks," Hermione said with a smile.

"Anytime," George said.

"Absolutely," Lee agreed.

"I'll get the letter to his parents out this afternoon. I can write it during break and post it mail on the way to lunch," Hermione said and smiled slightly.

"Sounds like a plan," Lee said.

"Just don't forget," Fred added.

"You have to tell Krum, too," George finished with a smirk.

"Wha-?" Hermione asked, surprised. "How did you know?"

Fred and George looked at each other and then to Lee.

"Viktor?" Lee asked arching his brow and inclined his head toward the direction the owl had flown.

"Really, Granger," George said.

"It wasn't that hard to figure out," Fred finished.

Hermione cringed, biting her lip and looking worried.

"Please don't tell anyone," she murmured. "Especially Ron."

"Hey, don't worry," George replied.

"Yeah," Fred added. "We never volunteer any information."

"Even if he is their brother," Lee remarked with a roll of his eyes and a smirk.

Hermione exhaled a soft breath and smiled at them.

"Thanks," she murmured.

"Sure," George said.

"No problem," Fred added.

"What are friends for?" Lee asked.

Hermione went to the library and was surprised when Viktor didn't show up. Sighing, she took out her parchment, ink and quill and began her letter to Oliver's parents.

15th November 1994

Dear Juniper and Hickory,

I received a letter from Oliver this morning. He wrote to me after the article came out yesterday in the Daily Prophet. He asked me to write to you about it.

I should have written last night after seeing the article, but I had homework to get done and it was after curfew by the time I was done.

Just prior to the Daily Prophet evening edition coming out, Harry told me that he'd had an interview with Rita Skeeter in which she used and charmed quill and that he saw some of her notes were not accurate.

Please don't worry, be upset or think poorly of me over this article. Harry and I are just friends. I hope you are both well.

Hermione

She had deliberately taken her time with the letter, making her penmanship painstakingly neat so that it took some time to finish, hoping that Viktor would come in, but he never showed up. Sighing as she realized it was nearly time for class, she packed up her supplies, folded the note and headed off to class.