A/N: Again I own nothing you recognize.

If you've read this before, I apologize. This whole story is basically an expansion of "Checkmate". There is some reaction to the scene at the end of the chapter, so if you've already read this, that is the new content.

Ch 3 – April 1996

Hermione huffed in annoyance. "Ron, as I was saying, the essay is due tomorrow and you haven't even started. Ron, are you listening to me? Ron!" She slammed her book down on the desk. Ron jumped.

"Huh? Oh, sorry." Then, leaning over to Harry, "Merlin, Harry, did you see what that girl was wearing?"

"Yeah," Harry whispered, his eyes slightly glazed as the tall curvy blonde walked by them. Hermione shot him a murderous look. Harry swallowed nervously and pretended to read again.

"Ronald Weasley, if you expect me to help you, you'd better pay attention to your work and stop ogling every girl that walks by."

"Oh, Mione, lighten up. You're just sore because you aren't the type to be ogled. Ow! What was that for, Harry? It's true!" Harry moved about five feet away from Ron. Hermione's temper was legendary, and he had no desire to get caught in the crossfire.

Hermione jumped to her feet, snatching up her books. "Just because I don't prance around like a common tart, Ronald, doesn't mean I don't know how to get a boy's attention!"

Harry looked at his friend, "Bad form, mate. Bad form. I'd watch your back for the next few days."

The next day...

Harry was concentrating on his next move. Ron always beat him at wizard chess, but Harry never gave up. He heard a low whistle from behind him where George Weasley was sitting. He turned his head and looked in the direction that George was staring.

The first thing he saw was a pair of legs – shapely, bare legs. He looked up slowly, enjoying the view on the way up. The rest of the curves attached to those legs were quite pleasing as well. A short, slim black skirt gave way to an enticing peek at a toned stomach. After that, he saw a fitted red blouse that was just low-cut enough to be provocative without being scandalous. When his eyes reached the girl's face, Harry jumped back, truly embarrassed to be caught ogling his best friend. But his embarrassment was short lived, because while he certainly got an eyeful, Ron's chin was about to connect with the chessboard. Harry tried not to laugh at Ron's ridiculous expression, which was the distraction he needed to get his own teenage mind under control.

"You're all dressed up," Harry managed to say, barely keeping the squeak out of his voice.

"Indeed." Hermione's eyes were staring straight at Ron, who had not regained his composure nearly as well as Harry had. She strutted right past the two boys, and then she slowly leaned over to whisper in George's ear. He shifted his weight and grinned devilishly; then he proceeded to pull her into his lap and she kissed him soundly.

Now it was Harry's turn to whistle. George was clearly not wasting this opportunity. After a moment or two, Harry started to feel really awkward. He called Ron's attention away from the spectacle and back to the game. A move or two later, Hermione and George broke apart, but George held her firmly on his lap. The two continued to watch the game.

Harry focussed back on the board, and he spotted something that he couldn't believe. Ron had been so distracted by Hermione and George that he had left his king completely vulnerable. Hermione must have seen it, too; she chuckled, and then she stood up. She adjusted her skirt and blouse and walked back over to the boys again slowly and deliberately with a sultry sway of her hips. She leaned over and whispered seductively in Ron's ear, "Not the type, eh?" She continued out of the common room without another word.

Harry moved his queen. "Checkmate." Ron just looked up at his friend, gobsmacked.

As the portrait of the Fat Lady closed behind her, Hermione allowed her guard to drop. That had gone amazingly well. She laughed at the memory of Ron's face. But, combined with the satisfaction from making Ron eat his words, she also felt an entirely different emotion. When she had made the decision to kiss George, she hadn't doubted that he would go along with it. George would do anything for a reaction, and goading Ron was one of his favorite pastimes. But that kiss had been very intense. Hermione had been kissed before, but not like that. Her fingers voluntarily rose to her lips and she smiled wistfully.

Fred entered the common room later that evening. He crossed over to where George and Lee were chatting.

So," Lee said as he smiled mischievously at his friend. "How's Angelina?"

"Same as always, you git," Fred said as he shot back his own mischievous grin. "And you know I don't kiss and tell."

"Perhaps," Lee said, "but the question of the day is, does George kiss and tell?" He wheeled on the other Weasley twin. George, who had been wearing a goofy smile, turned serious. "Lee," he said warningly.

"What did I miss?" Fred looked at his brother, confused.

"Little Miss Hermione has grown up right under our noses, Fred. And your brother was given very close look. "

"What happened?" Fred's eyes were the size of saucers.

"Nothing, Fred. She was making a point. Harry told me that Ron insulted her. He basically called her ugly, the stupid git. Her feelings were hurt, and she decided to prove him wrong. She showed up in the common room dressed to kill, and she kissed me. That's all."

Lee snorted. "Oh, please, George. That was more than a little kiss. She didn't leave your lap for a good five minutes. You were both completely wrapped up in the snogging."

"What?" Fred looked at George again. "So what are you going to do now?"

"Nothing, Fred. That little display was about Ron. It wasn't about me."

"You're crazy, mate. She had made her point before she ever kissed you. She enjoyed that as much as you did. Anyway, I'm out of here. I'll talk to you two later." Lee excused himself and left the twins in the corner by themselves.

"George, really, what are you thinking?"

"I think that I don't want to start a battle. As clueless as Ron is, he is interested in her. And she wants him, too. I mean, I won't say I didn't enjoy it. She's attractive, and the kiss was good." He paused as Fred gave him a curious look. "Okay, it was amazing." He sighed. "But she was just making a point. She wasn't kissing 'me'. She would have kissed you, or Lee, or any other guy that had been in the right place at that moment. If I hadn't been there, she might have kissed Harry. I'm not going to make a bigger deal out of this than it is."

Fred frowned and looked at his brother. "George, it's not like you to play the martyr. He doesn't have any claim on her. Maybe you should just talk to her and sort this out."