Hermione climbed out of the portrait hole looking quite disheveled. Her arms struggled to keep the tall pile of books before her balanced, and her expression was one of slightly haughty disappointment.

Ron saw the scene unfold from his comfortable armchair near the Gryffindor common room fireplace. While he considered helping his friend carry her heavy load, he knew from years of experience that she wouldn't want the help. She would just make some gripe about how "women are as fully capable as men" or whatever such nonsense. Plus, he didn't exactly mind watching her in such a tousled state. It was kind of…well, he just wouldn't think about that right now. Thoughts like that seemed to get him into enough trouble lately, if his recent visit to the hospital wing and resulting loss of his girlfriend was any indication.

So, he instead pretended to be completely absorbed in his solitary game of Wizard's Chess, only briefly removing his eyes from the chessboard every few seconds to sneak a peak at Hermione's struggling progress.

"Glad to see you're being productive once again, Ron," quipped Hermione resignedly as she approached him in his chair.

Following her remark, Hermione's pile of books landed in a heavy, vertical thud next to the table, causing a vibration that shook a few of Ron's chess pieces from their places, a fact the chess pieces themselves were not entirely happy about. Ron, on the other hand, didn't seem to mind.

"Oh, hey, Hermione," Ron said in the most surprised voice he could muster. "Where did you come from?"

With pursed lips, Hermione's eyes traveled slowly from Ron's face, to the pile of books at her feet, and back again.

"Uh, I'm gonna guess the library?"

"Well, I'm glad to see Trelawney's Divination lessons are finally paying off, Ron." Hermione smiled and took a seat in the armchair opposite Ron.

They sat in a comfortable silence for a few moments, before Ron asked, "So, do you mind me asking what exactly you were doing in the library all this time? You remember that N.E.W.T.s are a full year away, right?"

"Very funny, Ronald. Firstly, I would like to remind you that a year is nothing, really, and that you yourself might want to consider beginning your N.E.W.T. studies. Secondly, no, I have not been studying all this time. Don't you remember what I went to the library for?" Hermione asked, insulted.

"How would I…wait…don't tell me you've been researching that Prince lady all this time?"

"Why, yes, I have been. Don't look at me like that, Ron, it's the only real substantial lead we have!"

Ron leaned forward in his chair, anticipating the news, "So, uh, did you find something?".

"Well," Hermione bit her lip worriedly. "Not exactly. I mean, I poured, simply poured over those old Prophets, and a few Hogwarts publications, for hours…"

Suddenly, the image of Hermione, tired, aggravated, and passive-aggressive as usual, determinedly searching through dozens of Prophets and books popped into Ron's head. She was all worked up, with her crazy hair a mess, maybe with even a few buttons on her pristine white shirt unknowingly undone as she leaned over her stacks of books. Ron shook his head and blinked a few times to get the image out of his mind.

"…And I mean, it's not as if I didn't find anything. It looks as if she was quite good at Potions, as I suspected," Hermione continued, without noticing Ron's momentary lapse in consciousness. "So I got some light reading out of the library and figured you, Harry, and I could tackle them tonight, at least."

"Light reading?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Well, you know what I mean. Where is Harry, anyway? We really need to get going on this whole thing."

"He's not here." Ron began to stare at his chessboard once again, pretending to envision possible moves, of the chess variety, of course.

"Not here? Well, where is he? I saw Ginny studying for her O.W.L.s up in the library, so he can't be with her."

"Uh, he left right after you did," Ron shifted uncomfortably in his seat, yet never losing eye contact with the chess pieces. "Jimmy Peakes gave him some message from Dumbledore. It looked all secretive and urgent, so he took off right away."

"You don't think it was…"

As Hermione's voice trailed off, Ron finally and abruptly looked up from his chess board, locking eyes with Hermione.

"Yeah, we pretty much figured it was, you know," he said, quietly. With that, he quickly placed his chin in his right palm and rested his arm on his knee. He stared at the carpet to the right of his chair, wondering what Harry might be doing right now.

Hermione's thoughts weren't much different. Summoning a little more courage she said, "So, he might be trying to get, or trying to destroy, one of those…right now? This very minute? And he's been gone all this time?".

"Yeah," he said apprehensively.

With a worried sigh, Hermione slumped back into the oversized armchair, closed her eyes, and began massaging her eyes and face with the heels of her palms. Ron used this opportunity to quit his staring game with the carpet and glance at Hermione. As worried as he was for his best friend's current safety, he couldn't seem to pass up the chance to see Hermione so loosened up for once, nor miss the way her skirt rode up her thighs just the tiniest inch when she stretched.

At least Ron knew enough to avert his gaze when Hermione stopped her ministrations on her weary eyes, and rested her eyes on Ron once again.

"Do you think he's okay, Ron?"

"I hope so. I mean, yeah, of course. He has to be," Ron lied to soothe her worries. "He's with Dumbledore, isn't he? Dumbledore will have his back. There's no one Harry could be safer with."

The two sat there in a deadened silence for a few moments, each thinking the same things as the other. Suddenly, Hermione put a stop to it.

"This is ridiculous. He's fine. He's probably fine. We can't just sit here worrying," she said, looking at Ron for suggestions of what they might exactly do instead. Ron's mind seemed to be a blank slate. "Why don't we…play chess? I'll even let you win this one time!" Hermione said, grinning.

Hermione's smile seemed to break the ice. Ron returned the grin, "As if, woman! You may be better than me at just about everything, but remember that in the land of chess, I am king!".

Hermione smiled genuinely at Ron's antics as she and Ron leaned closer and began to put the chess pieces back into their starting positions.

"Weasley is my King," Hermione said under her breath, thinking that Ron wouldn't hear it, just as they both grabbed for the black knight piece. Their finger grazed each others, almost entwining, for a few seconds, and the startled two jumped back.

Hermione clutched the knight near her heart with both hands, not quite sure what to say.

Ron also sat farther back in his chair, waiting for Hermione to do something. That was strange, Ron thought. Why were they acting so bonkers? It wasn't anything. It was just…

Hermione seemed to gain her composure. "Uh, I think this one's yours," Hermione said, slowly stretching the piece towards Ron.

Ron reached his hand toward Hermione's. Just as his hand was about to take the knight from hers, the portrait door slammed open.

It was Harry. He looked rushed and frazzled, but unharmed. The two friends heaved a sigh of relief, and then began hurtling questions at him. He shot them a quick, "I'm fine", and ran straight up to his dormitory.

"So," began Ron, as soon as Harry was up the stairs and out of earshot, "I guess he hasn't been gone looking for those, you-know-whats."

"Then where has he been all this time?" asked Hermione, crossing her arms over her chest. Hermione was worried once again, Ron could see. He wished that perhaps Harry hadn't come barging in like some tornado of anxious energy. He wished that perhaps the two of them could have started that game of chess. But they wouldn't get the chance.

When Harry returned to the common room, he filled them in on his run-in with Trelawney, and what Dumbledore and he were setting out to do. He left with them the bottle of Felix Felicis, to which the two protested but accepted eventually. And then, just as he came in a flurry of activity, so he was gone, leaving Ron, Hermione, and that little bottle of luck standing awestruck in the middle of the Gryffindor common room.

Author's Note: Hey, everyone! I've been a fan fiction reader for a long time, but this is my first attempt at writing fan fiction in quite a few years. Plus, this is my first Harry Potter fan fiction, ever! With a free summer ahead of me, I really wanted to try my hand at the fan fiction genre I love reading so much! Please comment and give me feedback on what you think of the story so far, my writing, what I can improve, etc. I would so greatly appreciate it. I hope this isn't a terrible mess so far and that someone, maybe even one person, likes it.