AN- another chapter! GO ME! I have become a review fanactic, feed my fetish! I LIKE REVIEWS! Mwha. I need at least one more review before the next chapter will be out! Bow down to my minor OOC-ness. More fluff IS to come, and I have no clue what POV this is. It changes almost at random.
Disclaimer: I don't Own Harry Potter, wait, I DO own my horse (who's name is Harry Potter) but the books and all rights to them, nope, sorry. Don't own those ones. Wish I did, 'fraid I don't. Bow down to her Majesty Rowling, creator of my number one fetish. Oh thou art wonderful..*bows down*
Strange person comes in with a stick and begins poking Zayla.
Buzz off! The poke wars ended ages ago!
The strange person continues.
STOP AND I'LL GIVE YOU CHEESE!
Strange person stops and is given a mouse trap with cheese.
*evil cackle*
Strange person walks away eating cheese but nursing sore fingers.
Do not poke me! MWHA!!
Yes, yes, onwards onwards onwards…READ!
Chapter 2
Harry moved the last piece into position. "Check Mate." He grinned, he rarely on at chess, not with Ron as his usual playing partner. Ginny let loose an interesting stream of curses, none of which affect him, but did turn his knight, (which he had used for the check mate) bright purple. He raised an eyebrow and a small smile quirked at the corner of his mouth. Maybe she was a bit more of a spitfire than he'd thought!
"Ah, not bad Harry! You DO know how to play!" Ron had walked in at some point, unnoticed. His comment caused Ginny to jump about an inch off her seat, much to Ron's amusement. She turned almost as scarlet as the banners on the walls, perhaps from embarrassment from her loss? Or maybe something more. Harry didn't want to get his hopes up though. They'd been dashed too frequently.
"I don't know about you too, but I'm going for breakfast, don't suppose you'd know if Hermione came down yet? Or were you too absorbed in your game to notice?" Ron's teasing smirk was unmistakable. "Watch out Harry, she hates losing, the rest of your pieces could be various colors by the end of the day."
Ginny mumbled something under her breath, which sounded remarkable akin to 'Stupid git of a brother'. "Play again?" Ron was right, she HATED losing, even if it was to Harry. Ron beat her way too often. His queen still had a tinge of pink to her, though he would argue she didn't. For that matter, the knights were a bit green as well..
"He wasn't kidding.." Harry grinned. "Sure. It's still early enough. See if you can win this time eh?" He began to reset the board, turning his knight back to its original white color. "Would you like to go first this time?" She nodded and he turned the board around.
The game ended about fifteen minutes after breakfast had begun. Ginny put the set away, leaving the pieces in their array of colors (she had lost again) and practically dragged Harry to the Great Hall.
"THERE you two are!" Hermione ran up to them as the entered. "Harry, did you do all your homework, when did you get back last night, for that matter, where WERE you last night? The rest of the team got back much earlier." She suddenly stopped in her tirade. "Hey, did you sleep at ALL?"
"No, not really. Too much to do." He yawned and sat down. "Tomorrow's Saturday. I'll sleep then." He began to eat his breakfast.
"Um, Harry, there's a game tomorrow.." Ron pointed out.
"I know, I'll sleep before it. Don't worry. I'm fine."
Ginny listened to the whole exchange, hardly looking up from her eggs. He wasn't fine, and she knew it. There was something…more melancholy about him, less carefree. The Harry she'd known last year wouldn't have stayed up the entire night doing his homework and who knows what else. He would have been playing chess with Ron, or getting into trouble of some sort, or up in the owlery writing a letter of some sort. He had changed, and she missed his smiles. They lacked something.
"Ginny," She looked up at Ron, "did you ever win?" She blushed and looked back down at her eggs. Ron roared with laughter. "I'll take that as a no! Harry, what color are your pieces?"
"A lot of different ones." He shrugged. I would have changed them back, but my stomach had other plans. He grinned, that kind of hollow grin.
Hermione suddenly interrupted, "We need to get going. Don't want to be late for Potions and give Snape another reason to take off points." She stood up to leave, but Ron stopped her.
"Aww…'Mione! Just a few more minutes! We'll be there in plenty of time! Hermione sat down with a huff.
Harry's mouth quirked into an odd smile as he turned to Ron. "'Mione"? He snorted into his orange juice. "Where did that come from?"
Ron turned bright red, redder than Ginny had earlier. What was up with these Weasly's and turning red? "Class..go…now." He spluttered, practically jumping out of his seat. This sent both Harry and Ginny into a fit of laughter. Ginny grinned, it was good to see Harry smile. But then he and Hermione got up to leave as well. Oh how she HATED being younger!
Harry turned and waved. "Bye Ginny, play you again sometime?"
Ginny blushed, again. "Yeah, I'd like that." Then buried herself in breakfast again.