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Hermione stormed through the Burrow’s garden. Her hair was an unruly mass with magic sizzling along the edges.
“Who’d like a little fun duel?”, she shouted at the Weasleys, Harry and Oliver, who halted their game of Quidditch.
“Um, you sure it’s for fun?”, Harry asked his best friend warily. He descended with the others while being always ready for a quick escape should she go for her wand.
“I just need to let off some steam”, she growled through gritted teeth.
“Yeah, last time you said that it ended with me in the hospital”, Ron murmured but she heard him.
“You shouldn’t have crossed me, then”, she hissed. “And now I am a fully trained healer, so perfectly able to heal you myself.”
“Not helping to find volunteers”, Ginny grinned.
“Harry, don’t be an arse and help me out”, with that she dragged him to the big adjacent field.
“That’ll be good”, one of the twins said to Oliver who looked perplexed. “Let’s watch.”
“But from a safe distance”, his brother agreed.
And for the next half an hour they saw those two trading blows in speed and intensity few people could match.
“Remind me to never piss her off”, Oliver said with awe in his voice.
“Wipe your drool away, Wood”, Percy snarked even if he could understand him, competence was sexy. But Ginny hushed them immediately to better concentrate on the duel.
“Feeling better?”, Harry groaned as she healed all his cuts and bruises.
“Loads.” Hermione grinned sharply. “Thank you, I needed that.”
“You don’t say”, the black haired grumbled but she was magnanimous enough to ignore it.
“Care to tell us what had your wand in a twist like that?”
“That asshole Rogov!”
“What did he do?”, Harry asked warily and already thought about how to make use of his fame and privileges for her.
“It isn’t like he ever liked you-”
“So why go spare today?”, the twins asked.
“He decided St. Mungos doesn’t have the vacancies to keep me after I finish my practical year in a month. But I know that they just employed two foreign healers from overseas. So you can’t tell me that they just don’t want me!”
“But you are the best healer that graduated in a century.”
“Maybe that’s it - he feels threatened?”
Hermione huffed.
“Do you know where you can go instead?” It wasn’t like there were that many open spots, because magic made it unnecessary to have a high number of healers.
“He offered to make a contact with someone he knew.” She grimaced. “Just to tell me sardonically I could try for that quidditch team, but, oh wait, you need to be married for that!”
“What?” Everyone turned to Oliver who blushed a bit.
“Um, yeah.” He shrugged. “There seemed to be a lot of cases where trainers, assistants, healers and so on only joined teams to sleep with one or more professional players.” Every one gaped at him. “So they implemented around - I think? - 1965 the internal law that as soon as you want to join quidditch for anything else than a player position you have to be married.”
“So the league can wash their hands off anything that happens.”
“And married people are way more discreet if they try to cheat instead of someone who just sleeps around.”
Hermione sent Ron a scathing look. “Care for a second round, this time with you, Ronald?”, she asked sweetly.
“So what do you plan on doing?”, Percy interrupted to spare his youngest brother the experience to get his arse handed to him, again.
“Not marrying!”, she shouted, her hair started to crackle again.
“Well done, brother”, Fred mouthed.
“Why not?”, Harry asked.
“Do you see a boyfriend somewhere?”, Hermione asked sarcastically and the twins started grinning mischievously.
“Well, I see several handsome”
“Unbound”
“Lovely”
“Young men here.” They said, changing mid sentence who spoke.
“And, of course Harry and Oliver”
“Aren’t that bad either.”
“I am dating Luna”, Harry shouted immediately.
“She would understand”, Fred patted him on the shoulder.
“Sure. I’ll just go and marry anyone”, Hermione grumped. “That’s how I imagined my love life would go.”
“What love life?”, George grinned before ducking from a hex.
“Apart from that”, the girl emphasized, “I will do shit to bow down to this archaic law to keep the reputation for the league! Not everyone is batshit crazy about some athletes.”
“Hot athletes.”
“With whom you’ll be close and personal in your everyday life.”
“Really not enticing?”, Ginny waggled her eyebrows.
“Uh, you guys”, with that she stomped towards the house.
Two weeks later and she wasn’t anywhere near a solution – even if the twins liked to point out that it was rather easy: there was this quidditch capt’n, hot, single and interested. But she had no idea who they were talking about. Maybe she should ask Oliver, he, too, was playing quidditch. He was quite often with the Weasley twins or Percy these days, so sometimes they talked.
But she had made it clear that she wasn’t willing to marry just for a stupid job! Then she’ll rather be unemployed. She was sure no one would be willing anyway or there would have been someone dating her for years already – of course she didn’t factor in that she was always surrounded by many protective males and that could be a part of the reason.
Oliver was despairing.
He spent every free minute with the Weasleys so he could get to know Hermione better. And he liked what he saw, really liked it, and every time they talked it was an interesting, animated conversation. But she didn’t seem to react to his interest in any way or form. And then of course she had told them in no uncertain terms she wasn’t willing to marry, so he didn’t think it a good idea to become more forthright.
“Wood, concentrate!”, shouted their coach and he grimaced. Practice was horrible today as he didn’t seem able to focus.
“With you playing like that we can forget the league immediately.” Coach Griffin said after they landed. “Don’t make me regret making you captain.” With slumped shoulders he went to the showers and tried to drown in the spray.
“Don’t worry, Ol, everyone has a bad day, now and then.”
“You can talk with my wife if you have girl-problems”, Shepherd offered.
But soon they were hastened to convene in Griffin’s office for an emergency meeting.
“Bad news, bad news”, their Manager Hay paced through the wide room. “Our healer had an accident and isn’t available for the foreseeable future.”
“What?”
“But we can’t play the season, or even train, without a healer!”, Couch shouted.
“I know, I know. But Graham is in Mungos right now and no one could tell me anything other than he would not work for at least two years.”
“Shit”, Danny raked his hand through his hair. The Chaser was good friends with their healer and his wife.
“I’ll ask Mungos for a substitute until we can contract someone. But that’s less than ideal.”
“I know someone who completed their training one year back and was the best since … a long time.” Oliver had the words out before even registering he had spoken.
“A rookie?”
“You want our lives in the hands of a rookie fresh out of Apprenticeship?” Parker sounded indignant but the keeper only shrugged.
“I think it wouldn’t hurt to ask”, James Hay said before looking at Coach who nodded.
“Oliver, bring her with you for training tomorrow. We’ll ask some questions and see if they fit.”
“You didn’t tell us you meant war heroine Hermione Granger”, hissed Eric and Oliver grinned while the whole team followed them to the office.
It hadn’t needed a lot of time to convince her, even if they hadn’t talked about the problem of not being married.
“Hello, I am Coach Sebastian Griffin”, the stocky man introduced himself.
“Hermione Granger”, she offered her hand.
“Mrs. Granger, welcome.”
“Miss.”
“Pardon?” Griffin looked at his papers. “You are not married?”
“Not yet”, everyone looked at Oliver. “We are engaged.”
Hermione pinched his side as he slung his arm over her shoulders. He was too nervous to gauge her reaction so he fixed his eyes on their coach, but as he was still standing he was sure he at least got a chance to explain himself. Even, if he didn’t have much to say except he had panicked. And maybe that he fancied her.
“Don’t worry, Healer Granger”, Coach Griffin said jovially. “No word will leave these rooms until you are ready to announce the wedding date”, he winked at her looking smug with knowing something no one else did.
While Griffin and Hay took her for her tests the team surrounded him.
“You aren’t really engaged, are you?”, their Seeker asked.
“Nope, Michael, but not because of me”, he grinned lopsided.
“I could see it in the way she minimally stiffened.”
“Are you even in a relationship?”, Shepherd wanted to know.
“What shall I say”, the Keeper started sheepishly. “Not for not trying, Eeth.” “You are in deep trouble”, William laughed. “And we are here to spectate.”
“No way will I have this conversation anywhere near other people.”
“You mean, so that no one can see how she wipes the floor with your ass?”
“But who should collect your body then?”
“Don’t worry, she’ll be capable to fix him up afterwards, again.”
“You have no idea”, Oliver muttered, slightly dreading that talk. Good intentions didn’t mean anything in the long run, after all.
Training dragged on and if he had been distracted yesterday, it was worse today.
As the three of them appeared in the coach’s box the whole team descended on them.
“And?”, Danny asked.
“I am hired on probation, because we’re soon to be married”, she shot a look at Wood which he couldn’t interpret before she continued: “so the law will be no problem if you are okay with working with me.” She looked at the team as if daring them to object. Then grinned as everyone kept silent or nodded. “Perfect.” She looked back at the older men. “If you’ll excuse us”, they were only for a few seconds confused, as she tacked on: “I’ll be borrowing my betrothed for a few moments.”
“Wood, you get the rest of the day off. Go, celebrate, or whatever young people do these days”, Griffin patted his Keeper on the shoulder before instructing the rest of the team to resume training.
Hermione and Oliver left the stadium under the loud catcalls of his teammates.
Oliver wished he could claim to be more relaxed in the face of their talk, but he was slightly sweating when they arrived at her flat. He was concerned she’ll draw her wand as soon as they stepped out of the public eye but he was mainly anxious about her thinking he had made a rude joke on her expenses.
“If you want I can go back and correct it”, he offered in a careful, low voice. She stared at him while he tried to project all his sincerity.
“You impossible man”, but a smile broke her lips. “Don’t you dare.” Then she sobered. “Or do you want to take it back?”, now it was her turn to sound uncertain.
“Not in the least”, he relaxed.
“Good.” Not she smiled for real and it seemed to brighten the whole room. “I’d like to try a relationship with you.”
He nodded.
“They gave us half a year to decide on our wedding, until then I’m on probation.”
“How do you want to do this?”
“I’ll move in with you, if that’s okay.”
His jaw dropped and he stared inelegantly. She laughed, which, mean, but he’ll gladly take that as her reaction.
“How else do you want to spend enough time together for us to know if we’re compatible?”, she mocked. “After all, you have training from twelve o’clock till six pm.”
“You know my schedule?”
She rolled her eyes. “The twins may have said something”, she blushed. “But it was also quite clear for when you’d visit.” She blushed stronger. “And Coach Griffin talked about how happy I’d have to be for seeing you so much more in the future.”
Immediately he felt stupid. Of course Coach would have said something and of course her schedule would align with theirs.
“She moved in with me, yesterday, and it seems we are engaged for real, now.” He explained to his teammates in their locker room because everyone waited with changing for him to disclose how it went.
“Wow, she must be rather soft on you if there wasn’t a tiny hex involved.”
Soft wouldn’t be the word he would use to describe her and he guessed the Weasleys wouldn’t agree either, but he couldn’t really refute it.
“Or just in love”, singsonged Eric De Vries.
He favored this explanation over her being soft but tried to reign his hope in. It didn’t do to get carried away so early on, he just had to make sure she got to know all his qualities as soon as possible.
And of course, his good impression was immediately shattered because that day in training he got another Bludger to his head. Wonderful.
At least he knew she would heal everything without lasting damage, even if she decided to leave him with an enormous headache after she woke him up, while berating him about every injury he had sported since her first year at school. “I can’t believe it was a Bludger again. I would imagine you have already learned how to dodge them”, she grumbled. He laughed slightly and was at once punished with the worsening of his headache. “That will teach you”, she said sharply but he still grinned dumbly up at her.
“Just be more careful”, her voice went soft. “I don’t fancy marrying a person with brain damage just because you took one too many Bludgers to the head.” Of course that was the moment his whole team came into the infirmary, the guffaws dashed his hope they hadn’t heard her.
“Silencio”, she cast without looking in their direction garnering startled looks. “This is the infirmary, you’ll behave or leave”, she said sternly. They nodded solemnly and she released her spell.
“I’ll be back in half an hour so assure your team you’re not dead yet, or whatever you guys do after someone gets hurt, I’ll have to talk with Coach.” With that she swept some papers into her arms and closed the door on her way out.
“Not a word”, he groused.
“Wouldn’t think of it, capt’n”, the team answered happily.
“But I have to say”, Ethan started, “that it was amazing to see her in action.”
“Yeah, she seemed to be watching the game”, Michael continued. “And the second you were hit she had her wand out and cast a charm to slow your fall after which she simultaneously cast several diagnostic charms and healing spells.”
“I didn’t know it was possible to do it that long range.”
“If Hermione wants to do something, there is nothing to stop her, not even magic herself.” He smiled dopey.
“You have it bad, mate.”
“How you’re feeling”, Simon asked. “Looked bad.”
“Sorry, my fault”, Eric apologized.
“I’m not sure I believe that or I’d think Hermione would have already torn you a new one.”
Silence descended upon them.
“Still have a bit of a headache.” Receiving several incredulous looks and not wanting them to think she wasn’t capable, he added: “She wants it to stick.” He would have rolled his eyes, but he already new that’d hurt.
The rest of Hermione’s allowed time the team spoke about their game to find better strategies.
“You’d really think there would be other topics while visiting a patient”, sounded Hermione’s voice from the door, before shooing them away. “Off you go.”
“How do you feel?”, she then asked and as he wanted to point out his headache he realized it was gone.
“When…?”
“Just now.” She smiled. “It helps if the patient is distracted.”
“You are the best”, he said and grabbed her hand to pull her down for a kiss before he froze. Not yet the stage of their relationship. Luckily she didn’t seem to mind and just changed the topic.
“You can go back to training in half an hour, but immediately tell me if you feel somehow weird when flying.” She looked onto her clipboard. “Head injuries can be delicate sometimes so it is always better to be safe than sorry.” And he was sure she mumbled “as if there is anything safe about that blasted sport” to herself while she rearranged her potions.
And as she had said, half an hour later he was as right as rain again and the remaining training went splendidly. He only was nervous again as he readied himself to floo home.
Hermione was already gone while he had showered with his team.
The first weekend of living together they celebrated with her taking him out to dine in Muggle London.
She looked stunning in her red dress and he felt amazing with having her company.
They apparated to an alley and walked for around twenty minutes to enjoy the nice evening air. The conversation flowed and they hardly paused while their waiter brought them to their table.
Of course Hermione managed to inconspicuously charm their seats so they could talk about anything without mincing their words for the Muggles nearby. And as the evening progressed he felt bewitched by her laughs, her smiles and her sparkling eyes, as well as her witty tongue.
He couldn’t remember when he had the last long conversation without mentioning Quidditch once before Hermione came into his life. And she seemed to be genuinely interested in his life and him as a person outside of his profession.
After returning home he escorted her to her guestroom and gave her forehead a chaste kiss.
“Sleep well”, he smiled. The evening had been truly lovely and he looked forward to going out with her again.
“You too. Thank you for taking me out today.”
“It was my pleasure.”
She grinned one last time before disappearing into her room.
He felt warm and happy as he fell asleep with her smile in his head.
The next weeks went swimmingly and in no time the first match arrived.
She seemed almost as nervous as the team, maybe because they seemed to have the new trouble of playing too daringly. And Oliver had to admit that he, too, felt a little invincible. She had healed any and all injuries with no trouble at all and often leaving them feeling actually better afterwards than beforehand. She didn’t even seem to break a sweat and often could heal them straight on the field without a trip to the infirmary and timeout.
“Don’t play too risky”, she said as soon as they arrived at the stadium of the Falmouth Falcons. “If I see anyone getting injured after taking a stupid risk, I won’t fix them up”, she glared at each of them and they nodded hastily.
“Yes, Healer Granger”, they chorused chastened and she grinned satisfied.
“Well, let’s go to your changing room, we will have our team meeting there.” They followed Coach Griffin without a word.
They won.
They had truly won and he felt amazing!
As soon as his feet hit the ground he had an armful of witch and whirled her around. “We won”, he said breathlessly.
“You won”, she echoed, big smile on her face. “Congratulations.” Then he had to put her back on the floor and immediately missed the feeling of her in his arms.
“Great first game as capt’n”, his Seeker patted him on the back before disappearing into the crowd to find his wife.
“We’ll have an afterparty at Shepherd’s manor”, Danny informed them before taking Hermione with him to the other players wives and girlfriends so he and Coach could go for the after game interview.
The whole evening Hermione watched Oliver and was quite satisfied with what she saw. Less that he was attractive and well liked, even if it helped, but that he seemed to always know where she was. Letting his eyes flit to her with every minute lull in the conversation. She had decided to keep out of the way because she wasn’t so sociable with people she never had met before and was also rather reluctant with the other spouses of the players. She wasn’t so sure about her place with them and she was quite happy with her place in the corner.
She nursed her drink and just felt content with watching them celebrate. They had worked really hard so it was a well-earned victory.
“I have never seen you around”, a deep voice broke her concentrated staring. “I am Allen.”
“Well, Allen”, she answered clipped. “You would be correct in your assumption that I am here for the first time.” She didn’t even bother to turn her body towards him and just angled her head a bit. “That is, Oliver Wood brought me as his plus one.”
“Wood?”, he asked and she frowned slightly. “Would be the first time.”
“Sure is”, she said with a shark grin. “It better be, because I am his fiancée, you know.” Just as she had said it a warm hand settled on her waist.
“Not trusting your betrothed?”, Allen sneered and Hermione’s frown was back. “Controlling isn’t a nice quality.”
Before Oliver couldn’t say anything, Hermione took a step towards the wizard.
“Why, thank you, but I don’t need your unsolicited advice. There is nothing wrong with him wanting to check on me – maybe I needed help with undesirable attention”, she said sharply and Oliver snorted.
“Well, it could have been a possibility that I needed help”, she repeated in his direction and he lifted his hands in capitulation. “There is nothing wrong with it.” She added to the intruder again. “Maybe you chose that moment because you saw him coming in our direction.” With that she took hold of Oliver’s hand and pulled him away. “I feel a bit hungry.” Ignoring Allen’s eyes on them.
“You are amazing, love”, he chuckled into her hair while pulling her closer.
“Who the hell was that?”, she asked, ignoring his endearment to talk about it in private – of course that didn’t deter her blush.
“The former keeper”, he explained.
Oh. Yeah, that clarified why the situation had seemed a bit tense between them.
For the first time in his years with the Puddlemere United he didn’t know what they wanted to talk about when he was summoned to Griffin’s office.
“We will just start and be frank.” Coach opened with. “Even if you don’t marry her, Oliver”, he watched him seriously, “we want to keep her.”
James nodded. “We want you to be happy, but don’t think you have to tie the knot if it doesn’t work out in the long run”, he agreed. “But she’ll work here as long as I have any say with this team.”
“I’ll support you, Hay”, Griffin clapped his shoulder. “She is damn good. Better than any other Quidditch healer I ever saw.”
“Worlds better than Graham ever was. And she keeps them in line.” They laughed.
“But what, if she doesn’t feel busy enough?”
“Don’t worry”, Oliver cut in. “She already said that this position is perfect.” They gestured for him to elaborate. “She has a fixed schedule when she’ll be needed here or on games and the rest of the time she is free to do her own thing. So she is quite happy to use this time for research and brewing her own potions.”
“That is absolutely fine with me”, Hay said. “She really brews everything herself?”
“I think so.” Oliver answered. He had even added a laboratory for her in his house.
“But you both seem rather happy together, so it shouldn’t be a problem.”
“Run along”, Griffin said. “I bet she waits at home for you.”
Blushing he left the office.
Coming home to someone waiting for you felt amazing and even better as it was Hermione.
“The coach wanted to talk to you?” She put the food on two plates before taking them to the table.
“Yeah.” He sat down. “We don’t have to marry”, he blurted out and immediately wanted to take it back. She stared at him with big, hurt eyes, but he soldiered on. “I mean, we can, if we want”, he took a deep breath. “I want! But Hay and Griffin told me just now they’ll keep you no matter what we decide.” He didn’t give her the chance to answer after his confession. “They said you are the best Healer they could wish for and as long as they have anything to say with the team they’ll keep you.”
“You’re paraphrasing”, she scolded halfheartedly.
“Maybe a bit, but it is what they meant anyway.” He waved his hand. “They are only appropriately amazed by you.” Oliver grinned proudly.
“Then they’ll have to keep you on the team as long as you want”, she answered and he asked dumbly “huh?”. “Because if they’ll ever replace you, especially with someone like Allen or any other wanker, and you are not ready to retire from Quidditch yet, I’ll leave with you, husband”, she was bright red and tried to duck behind food.
He was frozen in astonishment for a solid minute before he jumped up and gathered her in his arms kissing her heatedly.
Half a year later
She came down the stairs, her train and veil flowed down step by step and she was magnificent.
Oliver stood at the end and stared at her with a dropped jaw.
He was in a traditional wedding kilt and looked stunning. She took him in from head to toe as he did the same and she was again thankful to have found the real Oliver, who was so much more than just Quidditch.
“Ready, my love?” He took her hand and hooked it into his elbow.
“Ready, beloved.” She stole a short kiss before squeezing his arm before going down the aisle.
THE END