"I'm not playing you!" wailed Hermione. "You always beat me!"
Ron gave a smile. "Then why do you think I like playing you so much? Come on, you beat me at everything else. And it's a Muggle set, they won't all get smashed."
She sat down. "If I win, what do I get?"
Ron shrugged. "How about a kiss?"
"I'll get that anyway."
"Sure of yourself aren't you?" She looked at the chessboard. "I'm not a very good strategist."
"'Mione, you're the cleverest person I know. Please play." She sighed.
"Fine. But I get to be white."
Ron gave a face-splitting grin and positioned all the pieces. "White moves first." was the next thing he said.
Hermione slid a pawn forward, one, two squares. "So."
"So what?" asked Ron as he made his first move. Hermione watched closely.
"What are you thinking of doing next year?" she said putting forward another pawn.
He looked up quickly. "I don't know. I mean, it'll have to be something worthwhile. We've wasted a year now doing our NEWTs". He put a pawn forward as well.
"Don't be silly. We haven't wasted a year." she said and took his pawn. He looked down at it.
"Damn. How did you do that?"
"Quite simply." He shook his head and moved again, continuing their conversation.
"I won't be able to judge whether it was a waste or not until I get the results. I just...we're nineteen now aren't we? We've been in school so long."
"Everyone repeated the whole year though. Last year could hardly be counted as education for anyone." Hermione jumped a pawn and moved her knight out. "If we were Muggles, we'd only be finishing now, after doing our A-Levels."
"Yeah, but we're not Muggles are we?" he said and mirrored her move. "As to what I'd like to do, I don't know."
"Healing would be great." she said and surreptitiously moved her bishop.
"For you maybe. I won't get the marks." he said and moved his own bishop out. Hermione swiped it away and put her pawn in its place.
"Dammit. How're you doing this?" he asked moving his end pawn.
Hermione only smiled. "Don't count on not getting your marks." she said as she moved another pawn out.
"I'm not. 'Course being an Auror would be great, but no point now all the Dark wizards have been overthrown. Why'd you do that?" Hermione had just moved her rook's pawn to take one of his. Ron slid his own rook down the board and took it. Then "Uh-oh".
"Ron, I thought you were supposed to be good at this game." she said as she calmly took his rook with her queen.
"I am usually but-" he shook his head vigorously, his red hair flying in all directions.
"There will always be dark wizards though." contradicted Hermione making her move.
"I think we've fought enough of them for a lifetime." Ron replied as he moved.
"What do you reckon Harry will do?" she asked calmly taking his bishop.
"How're you doing this?" he asked incredulously. "I don't know what he'll do. He'll wait until Ginny's finished and then-"
"You'll think they'll get married?" asked Hermione flatly as she moved her knight to take his pawn. He looked for how to retaliate and found no way.
"Hey you're beating me! Yes, 'course they will."
"We should have a double wedding." Hermione said calmly and moved.
He looked up at her, his mouth hanging open. "Did you just say-"
"I didn't say anything." she replied with a smile. "Checkmate."