Author's notes: sorry about the grammar errors! I was in a rush last time so hopefully this one is more reader friendly! Tell me if I need to go back to the third grade!
Summary: Oliver/Hermione. One-shot! She had chased Crookshanks all over the place in search of a notebook... and he was going to help her get it back even if he had to glue it back together one page at a time...
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot!
"Crookshanks! Stop right there you naughty cat!" the entire Gryffindor quidditch team stopped as they watched Hermione screaming at a blob of orange. The blob was none other than Crookshanks and Hermione was racing as fast as she cold after the piggish cat. Harry, Fred, George, and Oliver all flew down to her and got off their brooms and started running with her. Ron, who was in the stands watching Harry practice, also went down and began to run after her.
As it turned out, Crookshanks had a dark colored book in his mouth, and Hermione obviously wanted it back. She was running as fast as she could in her jeans, red tank top, and black tennis shoes. Fred and George, being too curious for their own good, decided to find out what all the fuss was about. Fred started off the conversation.
"Hey Herms. Are you having a-" as usual George interrupted his brother and began to finish his sentence.
"-problem that we can help you with?" Hermione looked up and was slightly surprised to find the boys following her. She looked at them but continued running.
"No, not really guys." She was starting to breathe pretty heavily and she was starting to break out in a sweat. Harry noticed this.
"Herms, how long have you been chasing him?" Hermione looked over her shoulder at him.
"From Hogsmeade." Se said it as if it was the most natural thing in the world. The boys looked at each other. Ron, who claimed that Crookshanks was in league with Voldemort, was the only one who spoke out.
"Hogsmeade! What the bloody hell was he doing there?" at this she stopped and turned to face them.
"I brought him there, Ronald, so he could go to the groomers for a bath and nail trim. Unfortunately that didn't work out so well." Oliver's curiosity was sparked.
"What does he have that you want so badly?" he said with his heavy Scottish accent. Hermione looked at him and sighed.
"A notebook… Darn it! He's gone…" Oliver looked around and indeed, Crookshanks was nowhere to be found. Fred and George turned their attention back to Hermione and, as per the usual, spoke in unison.
"How did he get it?" Hermione took a deep breath and continued to explain to the twins exactly what happened earlier that day.
"I dropped him off at the groomers and went to Honeydukes to get some candy. I assumed everything was fine so I got a butter beer from the Three Broom Sticks. I thought it would be nice to sit outside, since the weather is so lovely today, and I did. I brought my school bag with me today because I wanted get some reading in. He got away from the groomers and saw me sitting outside with my bag. I can only guess that he wanted a little pay back. He stuck his head in my bag and nabbed my notebook. I swear I chased him all the way from Hogsmeade and around the castle twice before he headed towards the pitch and past you guys. I think I might have dumped my bag in Professor Lupin's classroom the second time we passed through there." Harry's eyes narrowed in thought.
"Which notebook? The one I gave you for your birthday? The one with all of your sketches and drawings in it?" Hermione nodded sadly.
"Yeah, that's the one." Oliver smiled reassuringly and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Don't worry, well get your book back Hermione. Okay… Fred and George look around Hagrid's hut, Harry and Ron check the pitch to make sure Crookshanks didn't head back that way, and Hermione and I will look down by the lake. Everyone meet back at the pitch in an hour." Harry and Ron nodded while Fred and George gave Oliver a salute.
Thirty minutes later no one had seen hide or hair of Crookshanks. Fred and George had left Hagrid with instructions to catch Crookshanks if he saw the orange cat and they had already headed back to the pitch to help Ron and Harry. As the twins approached they noticed that both of the younger boys looked totally beat.
"No luck at Hagrid's… what about you guys." Harry shook his head. Ron hated it when his brothers spoke in unison like that. It made it all the more difficult to tell which one was which. Not only was Ron confused but he was also a bit skeptical.
"Do you think we'll find it… any of us? That cat is evil, I tell you! He could be anywhere by now." Harry agreed with Ron but he knew one thing… if Oliver wanted to find that notebook, he would.
"Don't dwell on it Ron. Wood will make sure she gets that notebook back, one way or another." Just then Alicia Spinet flew down and chose to chime in.
"Are you guys talking about Hermione Granger?" when she got nods from the boys she leaned in and continued, "Of course he will. Normally Wood wouldn't pay attention to that sort of thing. But I've heard some rumors, and between us, I think he fancies her. Don't tell Katie Bell though… she might try to murder our little Mione." Before she left she chuckled a bit and then winked at them. Ron's face turned red and then his expression soured a bit.
"If he tries to kiss her, I'll bloody kill him!" Harry couldn't help but bust out laughing.
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They had been searching for a while when Hermione suddenly stopped Oliver. He followed her pointed finger to an orange blur. There was Crookshanks with the book in his mouth at the edge off the lake. The book had muddy paw prints on the cover and Crookshanks was holding it over the water in an almost taunting way.
Oliver crouched down and pulled Hermione behind him, both of her hands in his. They snuck up quietly and Hermione noticed that Crookshanks was completely filthy…again. Oliver heard her start grumbling something. He lowered his voice to a whisper.
"What was that Hermione?" she looked startled and answered.
"He is so getting another bath when we gat back to the common room." Oliver looked back at her and winked while he squeezed her hands.
"I'll help you Mione… it will be fun. We can wash the muddy fiend together."
"Sure." She smiled and blushed lightly.
They kept tip toeing towards the cat and just then Crookshanks raised his head to look around. Just as he spotted Hermione he started to run… but Oliver was faster. The quidditch keeper dove and caught the mischievous cat just in time. Oliver dusted off his pants and handed Crookshanks over to Hermione who began to scold her pet. When she began to repeat herself, Oliver cleared his throat and held up a black leather book. Hermione looked at the book and cocked her head to the side.
"That's not my book…" She looked slightly confused and Oliver's face fell slightly.
"Are you sure? I thought you said Crookshanks had it."
"He did, but that book isn't mine. Mine is dark blue…" Just as she finished her statement a boy with light brown hair from Ravenclaw jogged up to them.
"Hi! You two wouldn't happen to have come across a journal, would you? It is black leather-" he was interrupted as Oliver held the journal out to the boy.
"Here, I think this is yours. By the way, have you seen a blue notebook floating around?" the boy shook his head.
"No, sorry. But thanks for giving me my journal!" the boy turned and headed back to the castle. Oliver heard Hermione grunt and he saw her through her hands up in the air, which caused Crookshanks to be freed. Oliver barley noticed the cat dart through the trees as Hermione sadly gazed at the ground.
"I give up! Who knows where my sketchbook is at this point, and knowing Crookshanks it has probably been shredded to bits by now." Oliver took Hermione's hand and smiled comfortingly at her.
"So, is Crookshanks still gonna get a bath today, Mione?" he watched as she grinned.
"No, I'll wait a few days. He's just going to get dirty again anyway. I'm going to head back to my room now and take a nap so I can study tonight. Thanks for all your help. I'll see you later Oliver." She reached up and gave him a hug. He watched her retreating form as she made her way back to the Gryffindor common room.
Oliver put his hands in his pockets and started to head back to the quidditch pitch. He hadn't gotten too far when a piece of paper flew into his face. When he looked at his assailant it turned out to be a drawing of Harry and Ron studying. Another one flew by which happened to be a sketch of the lake. The sketches were very good. He looked around and saw the binding of a blue notebook and dozens of sketches near a tree. Although the pages had been ripped out of the book, they were still all in the area. Oliver smiled as he knew just how to cheer a certain young lady up.
"Immobulous!"
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Two days later, Hermione was in the library studying for Transfiguration when a red book landed in front of her. She looked up and to see a smug Oliver Wood sitting next to her. She gave him a questioning look and he nodded at the book and placed his hand on her shoulder.
She opened the book and gasped as she flipped through all of her recovered sketches. She turned to him and kissed him on the cheek before turning back to her new sketchbook in awe. Oliver hugged her shoulders and watched her flip through the book for about ten minutes before he leaned over and whispered to her.
"I have to go… I'm about twenty minutes late for quidditch practice. I'll be back at the common room at five o'clock so we can bathe your furry delinquent then."
"Sure, he really does need that bath. Oliver, did you really skip part of your quidditch practice to give me this?" Oliver smiled.
"You may not believe this, Hermione. I find that some things, namely you, are far more important than quidditch."
End comments: So... I liked this one, but who cares what I think! It's all about ya'll, so give me input. I have a few more coming out soon! Thanks guys!