Games are Afoot Chapter 2

Hermione tried to think quickly because she knew she only had two minutes. She thought about Ron's room but figured that would be too easy and she wasn't altogether sure what might be lurking under the piles of mess that used to be Ron's things. It also had a faint unpleasant odor that she didn't think she could stomach for 15 minutes. Not that it would take that long for them to find her, but… "This is ridiculous," She thought to herself anxiously. "I have to find somewhere!" After thirty seemingly never-ending seconds she dashed away from the doorway of the loo and rushed up to the top floor as quickly and quietly as she could.

One of Hermione's favorite places at the burrow was the top floor. It seemed really small and like it would only lead to the attic, but she had found behind a bizarrely placed curtain, a small window nook. The window overlooked the garden and towards the gently rolling hills in the distance. On many summer nights she would come sit by the window and read by moonlight. It made her feel close to Ron whose room was just down the hall without him knowing. She could hear the thundering feet on the stairs as she slipped quickly behind the curtains and held her breath.

So far no one was even close. She could hear doors banging and yelling between the others.

"Oi, Fred, anything?"

"No George. We can't possibly let Granger outfox us—keep looking."

She could hear the footsteps spreading out to different places on the level below her. They were getting closer. Hermione tried to breathe as quietly as she could. She backed up a half step and gasped as her bare arm touched the cold rain soaked window. She heard a pause and held as still as she could. Someone was very, very close. She didn't dare breathe or move even though her arm felt frozen to the window like a tongue to a pole in winter. She could feel rather than hear the footsteps going back and forth just on the other side of the curtain. They stopped. Hermione closed her eyes. Something touched her arm and she nearly screamed from the warmth. She opened her eyes to a grinning Charlie who used his other hand to bring a finger to his lisps as he uttered a very breathy and nearly silent "shhh."

He slipped quickly behind the curtain to join her. He was looking at her with a wicked gleam in his eyes. She felt like she was being sized up by this older Weasley boy and wondered if she would pass muster. She quirked an eyebrow at him with challenge in her eyes. He smiled and all tension left the small area. She shuddered slightly, still standing next to the cold window. Charlie noticed and reached for her hand pulling her slightly away from the window and slipping behind her to block the cold. She couldn't help but thinking that his actions were quite gallant and chivalrous. She slightly shivered again but she wasn't quite sure why.

Charlie had been surprised that it had taken him the better part of seven minutes to find her. She had obviously been at his house more than he realized for her to know about this place. While everyone tore apart the lower, more used parts of the house, he had started at the top thinking to methodically search from top to bottom. He noticed the curtain in the hall sway ever so slightly and originally planned to make sure the window was closed when he heard her quiet gasp. He paced back and forth as quietly as he could trying to listen to see if she was actually behind the curtain. The muted noise of the rain at the window behind the curtain only confirmed to his ears that something was there. His dragon reflexes had learned that muffled sounds indicate something between the hearer and the noise and so he gently moved the edge of the curtain to peek.

There with her eyes tightly squeezed shut was a vision. What was he thinking? This was a little girl, well, maybe not so little anymore, but still…he reached over to touch her arm to quietly alert her to his presence. She very nearly screamed and it was all he could do to stifle his laughter at her surprise. He was very impressed that she knew where this place was. It was his escape at the Burrow. This was the window he would sneak out to go for a late night fly. The window he would sneak in when he was past curfew. This was the window he would gaze out and dream of dragons. Yes, this was his special place and he was very curious to know how long she had known of it.

He looked at her trying to ascertain if this was a recent finding or an established spot for her. He was amazed to find that she didn't shrink from his gaze or blush or anything. She was so open with her eyes. Suddenly, she arched one of her very lovely eyebrows and he knew that she knew what he was doing. Maybe not the specific information he was trying to figure out, but there was no doubt in his mind that Hermione Granger was bold enough to stand toe to toe with him like she was challenging him. He would have lied to himself to deny that this intrigued him.

He noticed her shiver and realized that she was pressed against the cold window. He gently moved her away to slide in behind her and block the chill. His mother had raised gentlemen. He was startled to realize how good she smelled.

Soft footfalls were coming near and Charlie was afraid the movement behind the curtain had alerted someone to their presence. Sure enough, Ginny glided silently behind the curtain with a "Gotcha!" She was surprised to see Charlie had been there first. She didn't know he knew about this place.

She moved over to stand closer to Hermione and whisper in her ear, "nice choice." Hermione smiled as Charlie leaned forward and whispered, "I completely agree!" Being this close to Hermione only intensified the smell of her hair and he stood back to his full height with a slight pink on his face as he realized the track his thoughts were taking. Ginny looked at him with a questioning look, but just then Bill joined them. "Hermione, you are better at this than you thought. I didn't think anyone else knew where this place was--------"

Fred and George flew into the small space pushing Bill into Ginny who fell into Hermione who was pushed solidly into Charlie who had never been so grateful to be pushed flush against a cold surface.

Fifteen seconds later, Ron finally found them. "Bloody Hell! I'm last aren't I?" He declared. Everyone laughed.

"That you are ickle Ronniekins" George teased.

"Your girlfriend can sure pick the spots! That took almost the whole fifteen minutes to find her!" Fred chuckled as he patted Ron on the head walking toward the stairs.

"She's not my girlfriend" muttered Ron as his face blazed at least five shades of red. He really hated it when George and Fred to the mickey out of him about Hermione. She was his best friend and no matter what he thought deep down he wasn't about to ruin their friendship for hormones.

Bill and Ginny giggled as they passed him to head downstairs. Hermione gently touched his arm as she walked by and he raised his eyes. She was smiling at him and that more than anything calmed him and he smiled back at her before she continued down the stairs.

"Well, what are you waiting for Charlie, you need to go so I can have a go."

"She's a special one she is" Charlie murmured as he passed. "Don't bollocks it up brother."

"What are you on about?" Ron demanded.

Charlie turned to Ron and said, "It's obvious mate that Hermione Granger is in your thoughts. I can see the way you look at her. I don't need 12 O.W.L.S. to see in your eyes that she is special to you." And then he walked down the stairs leaving a very stunned and flustered Ron in his wake.