The Order Of The Phoenix - Hermione Granger x OC

Bad Dream

Oliver continued his instructional sessions, guiding all the students through the intricacies of magical spells. Hermione, ever the tactician, devised a brilliant plan to enchant fake Galleons, marking the dates of their next meetings, a clever scheme to maintain secrecy.

Pleased with the progress, Oliver relished the fact that Umbridge remained oblivious to their endeavors.

In the midst of teaching Wingardium Leviosa, using a dummy for practice, Cho found herself struggling. Oliver, attentive to each student's progress, decided to lend a hand.

"Hold your wand a little higher," Oliver instructed, adjusting Cho's hand placement.

"Like... this?" Cho inquired, turning to look at Oliver but inadvertently dropping the dummy in the process.

"Uh, you dropped it," Oliver chuckled.

"Sorry," Cho apologized, hiding her face in her hands, a tinge of embarrassment coloring her cheeks.

"It's okay, just keep practicing, and you'll get it," Oliver reassured with a warm smile.

Glancing at the time, Oliver noted it was 9:10 PM.

"Alright, everyone, that's it for this lesson. We won't be meeting again until after the holidays, so just keep practicing on your own the best you can. And well done, everyone! I'm so proud of you all," Oliver announced.

Applause filled the room as an acknowledgment of their collective achievements.

"And also, just remember, every great wizard started out just like us. Students. So if they can do it, so can we!"

The room erupted into cheers once again.

"Top job, mate," Ron whispered in Oliver's ear.

"Thanks," Oliver replied, a sense of fulfillment and camaraderie resonating through the shared accomplishment of the group.

As everyone began to file out of the room, Luna offered a sweet farewell to Oliver, saying, "Have a great Christmas, Oliver."

"You too, Luna," Oliver reciprocated.

Turning towards the common room, Hermione asked, "You coming back with us, Oliver?"

Upon noticing Cho absorbed in staring at a picture of Henry on the wall, Oliver decided, "I'll meet you back there."

Hermione departed with Isabella and Ron, leaving Oliver to approach Cho.

"Hey, are you okay? I heard Umbridge was giving you a rough time the other day."

"Yeah, I'm okay," Cho responded in a low voice. "It's all worth it," she added, gazing back at the picture of Henry.

A sense of melancholy enveloped Oliver as he too looked at the joyful image of Henry, the weight of the tragedy that befell his brother lingering in the air.

"It's just... Learning all of this makes me wonder whether if he'd known it."

"Henry knew this stuff. He was really good, he saved my life countless times during the Triwizard Tournament. It's just..." Oliver paused, a somber expression etched on his face. "Voldemort was better."

"You're a really good teacher, Oliver. Henry would be so proud of you right now," Cho said, her voice wavering as tears welled up in her eyes.

"I hope so," Oliver responded, his gaze fixed on Henry's picture one final time.

The picture of Henry seemed to wink at him, a subtle gesture that brought a glimmer of solace to Oliver, easing the weight of self-doubt that lingered within him.

Cho leaned in, enveloping Oliver in a comforting hug. They embraced for a few seconds, the quiet sound of Cho's tears merging with the subdued ambiance of the room.

As they finally broke apart, Cho's eyes caught sight of a mistletoe hanging in the distance.

"When did you put in a mistletoe?"

"It was Luna's idea. Probably full of Nargles, honestly," Oliver remarked with a playful tone.

"What are Nargles?" Cho asked, a puzzled expression on her face.

"I have literally no idea," Oliver admitted, their shared laughter filling the air, momentarily dispelling the weight of the emotions that had lingered in the room.

Oliver returned to the common room and spotted Hermione, who seemed to be waiting for him.

"Hey, beautiful," Oliver greeted, leaning in to kiss her.

Hermione blushed slightly. "Hello, handsome. Are you heading to bed?"

Oliver let out a yawn. "Yeah, and I was kinda hoping you'd join me," he added with a sly smile.

Hermione bit her lip, her agreement evident as she nodded. Oliver, with a gentle strength, lifted her up and carried her to his bed.

Eventually, as the night deepened, Oliver succumbed to sleep, but his rest was haunted by a terrifying dream.

In the dream, he witnessed Mr. Weasley navigating the corridors of the Ministry when he was suddenly assaulted. The assailant remained elusive, yet the aftermath left Mr. Weasley in a gruesome state. Oliver, paralyzed by the unfolding horror, caught Mr. Weasley's desperate gaze as he uttered a haunting plea."Help me."

"Oliver!" Hermione exclaimed with concern, gently shaking him in an attempt to rouse him from his restless sleep.

Oliver jolted awake, gasping for breath, his body drenched in sweat.

"Are you okay, Oliver? You were tossing and turning like a madman, also shouting in your sleep," Hermione said, her expression reflecting genuine worry.

"I, uh... We need to talk to Dumbledore," Oliver said frantically, his urgency evident as he stumbled out of bed, the remnants of the haunting dream still vivid in his mind.