Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. J.K. Rowling does.

Chapter 8:

There were many times in Ron Weasley's life when he couldn't help himself and do what he really shouldn't.

Sometimes that occurred when someone bothered him about his poverty.

Sometimes that occurred when he saw a worldly, famous Quidditch Player grope all over the girl he liked.

Sometimes that occurred when a bratty, younger sister mocked his snogging experience.

This time it happened with an offer to play chess.

When he arrived on the train, Ron was ready to scurry away from the people waving at him, using an unassuming Notice-Me-Not charm. Yet, the fans swarmed him before he could even take out his wand. Somehow those people believed the best way to greet a celebrity was to wavy and holler before cornering one into their compartment. Ron thought they were absolutely insane and could not imagine acting like them. True, many, many years ago Ron thought the best way to greet a famous hero was to ask about his scar, but still at least he did not try to force Harry to befriend him like a certain Malfoy prat.

At first Ron snapped at the boys girls crowding around him, especially at the reddish-blond girl next to Cho Chang - he refused to refer to the Sneak by name - and they all giggled like a ferocious group of crups for some reason. He said some nasty comments to no avail. They all pretended not to hear and starting asking awkward questions like "What type of pants he wore?" and "If he ever ..." Blasted Kneazles, Ron was far to embarrassed to even think about that question. For awhile, the only relief seemed to be that the Sneak seemed not to care about the Chessmaster and soon left her friends behind.

Right when the girls were loosing interest and Ron had a chance to escape, one of the million girls asked him to play chess. Immediately, Ron felt a longing to play, absolutely delighted with the chance both to play his favorite game and that, in this world, people actually wanted to loose to him. Soon he was actually enjoying himself, loving the squeals of the girls as they watched him strategize and beat many of them in some very creative ways. Ron knew this was selfish. He really should go off and find Harry, but this was a dream. So many years he wanted people to crowd him and enjoy his prized skill and now here he was, the center of a chess game viewed as the finest entertainment.

Better yet, the current game was a challenge. A raven-haired girl was surprisingly adept, somehow creating a board that left Ron at a lost on what move he should do next. He had been so sure that the many ideas he had during the beginning of the game would work out, but now, none of them felt right. He needed a whole new strategy. To start, he could move his rook on the left side two places to the left, but then he would leave his queen bare and he was unsure if he was ready to loose that piece. If he was right, moving his knight would lead to checkmate in ten moves. Of course, she might interrupt his knight in five moves instead of his queen.

Still, that was probably the best choice for the moment, he could aways change it if she did something he needed to counter.

The girl smiled after he told his knight to block her rook and gleefully ordered her bishop to move diagonally until it took out a pawn. Her pawns started giggling and her queen whistled proudly. For a second, Ron wondered why his opponent and her pieces were so happy and then he realized his error. She was now in a position with five options to check him. Bugger, he really needed to work on his overconfidence. If he had realized that she could be this good earlier, he would not be in this mess.

Thankfully, he had a few ideas to fix his game.

And it seemed like they were working, the girl was becoming more and more frustrated, a scowl deepening on her face. Ron could feel the win coming. His beaming king hollered at his opponent's king who was throwing up his arms, signaling a likely win. All he need to do was make sure he paid attention to the girl's possible rebuttals.

Too bad everything changed a minute later when Ron accidentally thumped on the table, causing his queen to fall sideways, when he heard Hermione scream, "Ronald Weasley. Instead of meeting Harr- me on the train, you're off playing chess? I thought you were trapped in here."

She was scowling from the doorway. The boys and girls standing near her itched around her to leave the compartnment.

"Hermione," a hesitant voice said behind her. Neville's. "Please calm down."

"Nice to see you too." Ron said, hopefully sounding calm. "I was going to, but chess came along, so I ..."

"You prat!" Hermione threw her hands in the air, shaking off Neville's tenative attempts to calm her. "This is serious. We need to figure out... We should be ... Dammit. We don't have time to play stupid games."

Even though he knew she was right, Ron still felt outraged by the fact she was yelling at him in front of strangers, potentially revealing sensitive information. "Oh, live a little, Hermione."

Her face reddened and she opened her mouth wide, revealing her two overgrown teeth. Woah, it been years since he really noticed that unique feature. Strangely, they looked so menacing now. "Ronald. I can't believe my ears. You're still..."

The sound of clanging pieces caused Ron to jump from his seat. The raven-haired girl had slapped the table and now rose to stomp over to Hermione. "Listen girl, we all do want to meet the Chessmaster, but you don't have any claim on him just because you may know him from somewhere. We were happily enjoying our trip. There's no need to be controlling."

Hermione snorted. "You, say that when you and you're friends dragged Ron here in the first place."

"So, my friends got a little excited. At least we know, as Weasley said, how to enjoy ourselves."

Hermione took her wand from her pocket and Ron knew things would end badly if he stayed still.

"Oi. Let's not get into a fight over here." Ron walked over to them, eyes closely watching Hermione's hand, noticing how it was gripping her wand tighter. If he was correct, she might be getting ready for a Bat-Boogey hex. It sure was curved in the way Ginny taught her. He took Hermione's hand. "Come on, let's go. Talk about this somewhere else."

Hermione glared at him, but luckily did not try to take her hand away. Instead she took control and dragged him outside. He could hear his fans talking loudly behind them.

As soon as they were in the hallway, Hermione started shouting again. "What the bloody hell is wrong with you? I thought you were stuck in there. I had to scare off a huge crowd to reach you to find you actually enjoy yourself."

"So screw me, huh for wanting to have some fun for once," Ron blurted.

"Ronald!"

Ron missed whatever she said next because of one of members of a crowd watching them curiously. A boy with a ridiculous mess of brown hair called her bonkers to the amusement of his friends.

"Hey, you." Ron walked up to that boy. "Mind you're business or I'll leave you bonkers."

"Ron." Hermione grabbed his hand. "Don't go making a scene." As if she hadn't already.

Ron pointed his wand at the onlookers. "Fine. We're trying to have a private conversation here. Don't follow us." He glanced at Hermione. "Lets go to another carriage. Hopefully it be empty."

Thankfully the corridor in the next carriage was empty. All the rooms were closed and no one seemed interested in looking out their compartment.

Hermione immediately started yelling. "How dare you talk to me like that. I think you of all people know that I'm perfectly capable of having fun."

"I guess we don't really know each other. I would think you'd be the one all careful not to start raving about what we're suppose to be doing."

"Er, Hermione?" Neville shifted his eyes between them. "Is it all right if I go look for Trevor while ..."

"Sure," she said brusquely, not looking back at their young friend.

"Hermione," Ron said patronizingly. That was mean of her. Ron called after Neville who was now quickly walking away. "I'm sorry about us, we're just in a bit of a jam, but we'll be fine soon. I hope you find you're toe-." Ron stopped himself just in time. "Whatever you're looking for."

While he wasn't paying attention, Hermione had yelled some more, this time sounding even more angry. "You're the biggest prat in the world. I go out of my way to fix things and here you go deviating from a plan you promised to commit to. I just can't believe it. After all this time I thought you would grow up, but I'm guess you always will be the git who punches people in the face over the slightest irk and goes off snogging girls he doesn't even like."

"And you're still the girl who goes all berserk over the smallest of things, who can't even have a normal conversation with someone who is not in her tiny circle of friends," Ron mumbled.

Hermione clenched her wand, seething. "Reading between the lines, I'm guessing you do blame me for scaring Harry. You actually think its my faulty social skills. Thank you so much Ronald."

Ron throat churned while a disgusting taste overcame his tongue. Here he did it again, made the girl of his dreams feel awful about herself. "Its not you're fault. How he reacted. None of us can get others to like us easily, not even those who are the best at socializing."

Hermione's expression softened, a small tear coming down her cheek. "That's nice of you to say that. That still doesn't make it right you ..." She shut her mouth as a few people passed by. "We shouldn't be standing here, talking about this."

"Right." Ron nodded, taking her hand. "Let's go to your compartment."

Hermione shook her head, slapping his hand away. "I can't hold this in that long. How about the loo over there?"

Raising his eyes at her strange request, Ron agreed. Did this mean what he thought she meant? This wasn't right. She should be too angry at him. He did break his promise. He did still need to apologize. He was the worst boyfriend imaginable.

As soon as they entered the nearby loo, Hermione locked the door before forcing her lips on him. He greedily accepted, sucking her chapped lips, pleased that he was right. She did want a break from the fight. He pressed her towards the door and his hands slid against her thighs. Forget chess, this was the real love of his life.

Soon he forgot about the world around them. As he moved his lips to her neck, he forgot about the fact they still had much they both still needed to say. As she pushed him against the sink, he forgot that maybe he did not deserve it. As he raised his hand to her chest, he could forget that he hated himself for how horribly he treated her sometimes. He could forget it all until he realized how strange her body felt when his hand curved around her tiny breasts.

This wasn't right. There body's weren't right.

"Ron?" Hermione was looking at him curiously. "What's wrong?"

"Can't you see?" He thumped his head against the cold mirror. "How weird this is. You're body! Mine. This isn't right. We shouldn't be here. We should be looking a decade older, sad but surviving, not all change the future for some genie who probably just wants to screw with us."

"It seemed to me just awhile ago you were loving the genie and all the fame he gave you," Hermione snapped. "I try to forgive you and just move on, but no you have to ruin it all, don't you."

"Yeah. That's what I'm good at." Ron squirmed, his back aching from the pressure of the sink behind it. "All I'm good at."

"What's worst you went on acting like I'm the one in the wrong for wanting you to befriend Harry instead of playing chess."

"I know," Ron replied softly. "I got lost in the moment, you know."

"I know and that's why I wanted us to move forward." Hermione pressed her elbow into his stomach playfully. "But I guess that tends to be hard for people who screw up as much as we do."

Ron nodded, understanding what she really meant. "I know. I hate how we left Harry alone too. I still think about how things would be different if we didn't wander to destroy that Horcrux."

Hermione sniffed, rubbing her eyes. "No use thinking about it. All our dreams in the world could come to us and we'll still be the people who abandoned their best friend."

Ron threw his arm around her shoulder. "You know what, its not our fault. It never was. It was all Parkinson."

Hermione smiled, leaning against him. "When in doubt, blame the Slytherin."

"That's what I like to hear!" Ron grinned, happy that things were going back to normal. "Want to get out of here? I sure like to meet Neville and talk to Harry some."

"Sounds good." Hermione walked over to the mirror and brushed her messy hair over her shoulder. "How do I look?"

Ron glanced at her face. It looked so young without the strain of any hardship. He noticed her teeth hanging out, the two bucktooth's most prominent, and he just could not help himself. "Like a beaver."

Hermione stared at him, promising a painful retort.

"Adorable beaver?"

Hermione laughed. "Nice. I'm glad you think so, and to think I was just thinking about the fact that you looked like a munted mole."

Happy Valentine's Day!

Oh, how I love Ron and Hermione even when one of them makes dumb choices and hurts the other. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Its fun trying a different introduction technique to the story. I tried to add some romance into this chapter for today. I'm not much of a romance writer so any advice would be wonderful!

Thank you, HeRonLove, Notsing, JeanAndBilius, Gilbee and TTjenkins for reviewing the last chapter.

Happy Terrier