Learning to Fly
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The hens' party was in full swing, Alicia Spinnet was marrying Fred Weasley in a week, and the girls were having a great time.
They had been at it for several hours, and had all drunken their fair share of champagne and were now getting into the hard stuff – Butterbeer spiked with Firewhiskey. So by the time a game of "I Never…" was started, the inhibitions were already out the window.
They started out fairly tame.
"I never kissed Neville Longbottom at school…" Parvati stated proudly. The only ones who drunk to this were Luna and Ginny.
"Well we expect you to have Luna," Parvati said. "But Ginny?"
Ginny giggled, "It was after the Yule Ball in my third year. It was a complete accident, he said something to me and I didn't quite hear it so I turned my head towards him to ask him what he said – and they connected for like two seconds…"
"What was he saying?" Angelina asked.
"Goodnight…"
All the girls collapsed into giggles.
"I never made out in the library…" Lavender stated, and then proceeded to take a big swig of her drink. As did the rest expect Hermione.
"I couldn't, not with all those books around…"
More giggles.
"My turn," Hermione said. "I never 'got off' in a classroom."
All except Hermione and Luna had a drink.
And from here on in, they got decidedly adult…
Then Katie came out with a real corker…
"I never wanted to do a Quidditch Captain…"
Oh hell, Hermione thought. Bottoms up…
She drank, as did Katie, Ginny and Angelina.
"Ginny? Harry of course." Lavender stated.
"Angelina?" Ginny questioned, wondering who her brothers girlfriend wanted.
"Cedric Diggory," She said in a dreamy tone.
All girls let out a sigh, reminiscing about the handsome Hufflepuff.
Parvati remembered Katie had a drink, "Who was it for you?" She enquired.
"Flint." She said in a slightly embarrassed tone.
"Really?" Came the incredulous voice of her best friend, Alicia. "Well, there's no accounting for taste."
"Okay, moving on." Ginny said. "I never…"
"Wait!" Luna interrupted. "Hermione never told us hers."
"What? You wanted a Quidditch captain?" Ginny asked, shocked when Hermione nodded her head. "Who?"
Hermione mumbled a name into her hands that now covered her face.
"Who?" Lavender asked eagerly.
"Oliver Wood," Hermione said louder.
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By the time that Angelina made it back to George's flat it was nearly three in the morning, and it took less than two seconds inside to wake up the twins.
"Gods honey, how much did you have to drink?" George asked in a very amused tone, as he looked at his extremely inebriated girlfriend.
"A fair bit," She admitted sheepishly, "I didn't mean to wake you. I was trying to be very stealth."
"Well you failed," Muttered Fred as he entered the kitchen and got a drink of water.
"Sorry."
"It all right," George soothed. Sitting down on the couch with her, "Did you have a good time?"
"We played 'I Never…'…and you would never guess who Hermione fancied back at Hogwarts."
This got Fred's attention, "Who?"
"Oliver," Angelina said dozily, she appeared to be dozing off on George's shoulder.
"Hermione fancied Woody!" Fred couldn't believe it, Hermione hated Quidditch.
"Yeah, not till after he'd left." She muttered sleepily, "She used a Daydream charm in her sixth year, and he appeared."
"What happened?" George enquired.
"She was really stressed out, and he made her worries disappear for thirty 'glorious minutes' – her words."
"And now?"
"She just gets flashbacks whenever she sees him, doesn't have a crush – more of a wonder…" She trailed off…she had fallen asleep on Georges' shoulder.
The twins locked eyes and exchanged Cheshire grins.
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Later on in the week it was the big day, Fred and Alicia were getting married.
Fred was standing at the altar waiting with his groomsmen; George – his best man, Lee, and Oliver.
Fred decided that it was time to do what he and George had been planning ever since Angelina came home from the hens' night. Time to tell Oliver, about Hermione and her Daydream charm. Lee already knew, so time to let Oliver know.
"So Oliver," He began jovially. "Any chance of you walking down the aisle soon?"
George and Lee exchanged small smiles, time for the fun to begin.
"Not a chance, there is no-one." Oliver replied in a friendly tone, ever since Fred and Alicia had become engaged, it was a constant conversation. When would he find someone to settle down with.
"Bet there is plenty of offers, hey?" George said with a grin.
"Yeah, lots of girls go for the pro-Quidditch players."
Lee added, "Plenty would like a ride on your broom…" With a saucy wink, not leaving him any doubt as to his meaning.
Oliver let out a big laugh, "Aye. You could say that."
Fred gave George and Lee a look, it was time to tell.
"I know someone who wouldn't mind a ride…" Fred said.
"Really," Oliver answered not really caring. These three were constantly trying to set him up with girls.
"Yep," George said happily. "She's a good one too."
"Aren't they all," Oliver said dryly.
"Ah…but she's the exception." Lee interjected, "If I went that way, she'd be up the top of the list."
Now Oliver was a little interested, now if a gay man like Lee, would go for her – she couldn't be that bad.
"So who is she…" Oliver started.
"Hermione…" Fred said, "Lovely to see you, so glad you could come today." Fred greeted her enthusiastically.
She looked at him oddly, as she walked to her seat. Fred turned back to Oliver, and raised an eyebrow and inclined his head in her direction.
"What? Hermione?" Oliver said incredulously.
All three nodded.
"Flaming hell," Oliver muttered. Casting an appraising look over the witch. She certainly was a looker.
The others noticed the look, and exchanged smiles. Their work was done.
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Later on, after the ceremony and dinner. The reception resembled one of the infamous dorm parties from their days at Hogwarts. The older people had given up trying to calm them down, this was Freds' day and he was going to party like nothing else. So engrossed in having the time of their lives no-one had noticed that Hermione had snuck outside for some quiet time, all but Oliver. Who had been trying valiantly to keep his eyes of her the entire evening. So he followed her out.
He couldn't deny that he had found himself fantasing about her in the past. But, he was a man, and she was a very attractive women. He just never thought she would go for him. He knew full well that she hated Quidditch, and he was the biggest Quidditch nut around. So he didn't think he had a chance in Hades. But if she fancied him - well that changed everything.
He found her out near the garden, huddled into her jacket, staring at the clear night sky.
"Perfect night for flying," He began.
Hermione jumped, she hadn't heard him approach.
"Merlin Oliver…you startled me." She said with a smile, "How have you been? It's been awhile since I last saw you."
"I've been well, do you fly?" Oliver asked, knowing full well that she didn't.
"No not really…" She began, "Frightens me dreadfully. Being up in the air, with only a small piece of wood between my legs doesn't exactly inspire confidence…" She then realised what she had said, and turned bright red.
Oliver had a little chuckle. "It's not that small, they can be quite large."
Hermione relaxed a little.
"Flying is great, once you get used to the feeling." Oliver said, moving closer. "I could help you…" He continued in a low tone.
Hermione was suddenly nervous of how close he was to her.
"Well, I have flown before…I'm just not really comfortable most of the time…"
"Maybe then, you just need to relax…" Oliver said, moving closer still.
"Maybe I just need the right teacher…" Hermione responded, apprehensive of the look in his eyes.
"I could help you there, I'm very good at flying."
"Yes, I can imagine you are very skilled at it…" Hermione said.
"Ah…honey. You have no idea." Oliver had stopped moving now, and wasn't more than ten centimetres away from her.
"Would I enjoy it though?" Hermione asked.
"You wouldn't want to stop. It's like nothing else on this planet…"
Hermione wondered if they were still talking about flying, but then realised she didn't really care. She was pretty damn sure, that this was her chance to answer the question that had been plaguing her for the last six years.
"Maybe we could fly some time?" She asked with a small smile.
Oliver stepped the remaining distance between them, "Why not now?"
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A week later, everyone had gathered for drinks at the Leaky Cauldron. Fred and Alicia had got back from their honeymoon the day before.
Hermione was trying to concentrate on what they were saying but she kept getting distracted by a certain Scot. Things were going along nicely between them. And from the looks she was getting from him, he agreed with her.
Fred had noticed as well, and any chance to embarrass someone was just to good to pass up.
"So Hermione, done anything interesting lately?" Giving her a look, which told Hermione that he knew exactly what she had been doing.
Hermione shot back, "Not a lot." Giving him a look that would have scared a weaker man.
"Do anything new?" Clearly he wasn't backing off, much to the amusement of George and Lee.
"Went flying," She said giving in. The table looked at her in shock, it was a well-known fact that she hated to fly.
Hermione grabbed her bag, "I'm going to get going. I'll catch you all later." With a quick wave she was out of there.
"Hermione! Flying?" Ron stuttered out.
"Maybe she needed a good teacher," George stated. "Don't you think Oliver? The right teacher can make all the difference?"
Oliver looked George in the eye, "Bloody oath." Looking down at his watch, "Would you look at that, I have to go…to…that thing." Standing up, "See-ya soon, bye." And with a flash he was gone.
Most of the table knew what was happening, apart from Mr oblivious himself. He'd catch on eventually.
Ten minutes later…"Hermione and Wood" Ron shouted.
A collective groan was heard from the rest of the table.
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Complete/One-shot