It was a normal night in the Gryffindor common room…
'Oh she's sitting there again, in her corner buried behind a wall of books. It's really a shame, she's so pretty, why hide? Well that's just Hermione, and what I love about her. She's so passionate about the things she loves: books, grades, friends, spew or as she says S.P.E.W. Oh! What's this? I just checked Harry again. It's so easy to beat him at chess I didn't even notice!' Ron thought.
"Oi, Harry you lose again mate!" Ron said for the twelfth time that night, "Now you have to say it! Say 'Ron is the chess king of the universe and of all space and time, and I the great Harry Potter, defeater of Lord Voldemort, bow in humility to his awesome chess playing power'. Now say it!" somewhere in the corner a bushy haired girl shook her head in frustration.
"Fine Ron I admit it, you're good at chess. Happy?"
"Marginally"
"Well, I'm going to go up to bed now. How about you beat the pants off of someone else for once huh?" said Harry as he walked to the stairs.
"OK mate," Ron responded looking for someone else to pummel at chess. Spying his target he called out, "Hey Hermione! Want to come and get your arse kicked at chess?" Harry shook his head as he ascended the stairs.
"No I don't Ron! In case you forgot we have a Charms test to study for!" Hermione retorted quickly glaring at Ron.
"But 'Mione," Ron whined, "that's not for another week!"
"But…," said Hermione unable to come up with an excuse especially with Ron giving her his puppy dog eyes and pouting like that, "Oh fine just one game Ron."
"Excellent!" exclaimed Ron resetting the board.
Ten minuets later Ron had beaten Hermione three times, poor Hermione didn't even have a chance…
"Ok Ron I'm going to go to bed now, goodnight," Hermione sighed.
"Oohh, just one more game 'Mione?" whined Ron, "I need to have somebody to beat the pants off of."
"Stop being such a baby Ron"
"Fine then from now on I'm a man!" Ron stated proudly puffing out his chest,
"And a man always escorts his lady," he said taking Hermione by the arm and practically dragging her toward the staircase despite her protests.
"Ron really! I do not need to be escorted to the stairs!" Hermione said exasperatedly.
"Then so be it, I shall part with the fair maiden this night," Ron said bowing theatrically. Very carefully he slipped a folded piece of parchment into Hermione's robes.
0-o-0-o-0-o-0-o-0
Hermione climbed the stairs to her dormitory giggling silently to herself about Ron's strange behavior. She couldn't help but wish Ron had been serious about all of the 'My Lady' and 'Fair Maiden' act. Oh well it was just wishful thinking, Ron would never do something like that seriously.
She opened the door silently as not to wake the sleeping occupants, and walked across the room to her bed. She drew the curtains of her four poster bed which was immaculately made. Hermione pulled off her school robe, but as she did so a folded piece of paper fell out of her inside pocket and onto her bed unnoticed. She went to the bathroom to get ready for bed while the parchment laid waiting for her return.
Hermione walked sleepily to her bed finally noticed the note that was waiting for her. She picked it up slowly and turned it around in her hands. Familiar handwriting greeted her eyes on the other side. Carefully she unfolded the parchment to find a poem scrawled in the same familiar handwriting.
My Queen
I'm just a pawn in a crazy little game called love
I'm no knight in armor shinning
Nobody's castle tower strong
But still it's for you I'm pining
Though with you I could never belong
I'm no king to stand at your side
No bishop, nor righteous man
I may not have much worth or pride
But for you I'll fight the best I can
I've been pushed around, beaten back
Hurt and bruised, cut no slack
But still I cannot draw My Lady's eye
And I am left alone to wonder why
For I'm only a pawn in this confusing hurtful business called love
Yours for always,
Ronald Weasely
Ronald Weasely? The Ronald Weasely? This must be a joke Ron would never do something this romantic much less for her. Maybe it was an accident not meant for her eyes, but how did it get into her robes? He must have slipped it in when he was 'escorting' her to the stairs. She turned the paper over; nothing but her name.
Could it be real? Could he really want her? It seemed pretty obvious that he did and had for some time but Hermione still couldn't accept it. She had liked him for so long, possibly from the first time she saw him on the train with the bit of dirt on his nose, but he has never shown any interest in her. If he had liked her for just as long she would kick herself for not asking and wasting all this time. Maybe he did like her; she would have to find out.
Without delay she took a fresh piece of parchment from her night table and a quill and ink then proceeded to write a note back to Ron.
When she was finished she carefully place it under her pillow along with the note from Ron. Tomorrow she would give it to him and find out his feelings for sure.