I do not own Harry Potter. This is my own idea for book five. All rights
are reserved to JK Rowling
I made some changes to the first two chapters. It is now in the past tense. Thank you to HermioneCharm29 for bringing that to my attention, it was a great suggestion. Also, thanks to Ukrainianchicka for taking the time to review, I appreciate it greatly.
Chapter 3: The Chess Match
Ron stood up quickly and glared at his siblings with such animosity that if looks could kill the Weasley's would have had three less mouths to feed. Ron turned his attention back to Hermione and offered her his hand to help her to her feet. She accepted it and rose graciously off the floor but when she went to take her first step her bruised knee gave way and she found herself once again looking up at Ron. He bent down and gently touched her knee causing her to wince and her face to flush. She couldn't help but think about how gentle and caring he was being towards her. "I think we better have my mum take a look at it," he said to her while intently examining the large bruise that was forming.
"Hermione, lets head up to my room so we can chat," Ginny interrupted, not having seen Hermione fall because she was busy trying to smother her giggles in George's shoulder. Hermione noticed Ginny looked different from when they left each other at Kings Cross Station. It finally dawned on her that Ginny's normal long red hair had been cut to her shoulders and framed her face quite nicely making her look older than the fourteen year old she was.
"Gin, Hermione hurt her knee. Go get Mum," Ron ordered. Ginny left the room and in a few minutes returned with Mrs. Weasley in tow. She looked concerned. She was a short, plump woman not much taller than Hermione. She had the Weasley red hair and a temper she often let loose on her sons, especially Fred and George.
"Hermione, dear, what did you do?" Mrs. Weasley asked quickly.
"I hit my knee on the floor when I was thrown out of the fireplace."
"I guess having Ron fall on you didn't help much," one of the twins exclaimed.
"Yeah, but at least it added some color to her cheeks, George," the other twin added. The twins hadn't changed at all. Still the pranksters they had always been, they loved to tease people, especially Ron and Hermione, endlessly on the stupidest things. They, of course, had the red crop of hair and the freckly faces to boot. As for tempers, they had cool heads on their shoulders and instead would crack jokes to lighten any mood. For that Ron envied his brothers.
Mrs. Weasley had heard enough and with a mere glance at her sons the twins made their way up to their room. She then turned her attention back to the task at hand and with a simple flick of her wrist Hermione's knee was back to normal. "That better, dear?" she questioned soothingly.
"Yes, thank you!" Hermione always admired Mrs. Weasley. She considered her to be her second mother.
"Ron, why don't you help Hermione up to Ginny's room with her trunk?" Mrs. Weasley desperately wanted to make gentlemen out of her sons but she was sure she had lost that battle with the twins.
"No Mum, I thought I'd let her carry it up the stairs by herself," was his sarcastic reply.
Ron and Hermione carried her trunk to Ginny's room while Ginny carried the wicker basket and some miscellaneous items. "I guess you want to get settled." Ron said to the young woman. "I'll be in my room, come get me when you are finished."
He turned and was heading towards the door when he heard Hermione's reply. "Sure, Ron. Though, I'd like to play a game of chess with you when I'm through."
"Oh, really!" Ron smirked, whirling around to face her again. "I wouldn't want to start off the week with you getting your butt kicked."
"What's the matter, Ron?" Hermione questioned placing her hands on her hips. "Chicken?"
"What? Chicken? Me? Never. I just don't want you to be too upset when you lose. You never enjoy being second best at anything."
"Is that so, Ronald Weasley!" she said in mock anger.
Ginny at this point kept looking from one to the other as if she were watching a muggle tennis match. She just kept hoping that there wouldn't be an explosion this time.
"Well," Hermione continued, "I'll take that as a challenge. Do you want to make a little bet out of this?"
"Come on, Hermione. You know perfectly well I'm going to win, I wouldn't want to take advantage." He had no idea what kind of bet was going to take place.
"I new you would be too scared." She knew this would get his blood boiling, "never insult the Weasley pride," she thought to herself.
"Alright, have it your way. What's the wager?"
"Hmmm, why don't we both think about that and when we finish the game the winner will claim HER prize." Hermione saw Ron raise one eyebrow in a questioning manner and the tips of his ears turn an unmistakable pink color. "Now if you'll excuse us, Mr. Weasley, I'd like to get my things situated." Ron nodded his head as she ushered him out of the room shutting the door behind him. She leaned her back against the closed door. She didn't think her legs would be able to take the strain of walking over to the bed that had been placed in there for her. Ron had the uncanny ability to make her weak and breathless.
Ginny watched her friend try to compose herself. "Hermione, what are you playing at?" Ginny questioned, her curiosity getting the better of her.
She lowered her head closing her eyes in the process, taking deep calming breaths. It had taken everything she had not to pick a fight with Ron when he said that she couldn't be second best at anything. It was true, and she knew it. Every time Ron would beat her at chess she would get so aggravated, not with Ron, but with herself. For as long as she could remember she hated losing, that was why over the summer she played chess constantly with her Dad. With his help she had improved greatly and was hoping to surprise Ron with how much she had learned. "I was hoping to make things interesting this week, may be get things moving in a new direction."
After putting her things away and talking with Ginny for some time, Hermione made her way to Ron's room. She knocked gently on the door.
"Come in!" Ron called. Ron heard the soft gasp that escaped from her when she caught sight of the new look of this bedroom.
"Ron, what in the name of Merlin did you do?" Hermione asked while looking at the immaculate floor, the pure white walls that used to be covered in Chudley Cannons posters and making her way over to the window. On the desk she noticed Ron's Potions book was open with a piece of parchment lying to its right that was clearly the essay they had been assigned at the beginning of the holiday. "I can't believe you already did your homework!"
"Well, I got tired of the orange walls and I still have the comforter so it isn't like I disowned the team completely. As for the homework, I guess you have started to rub off on me." He couldn't help smile while he said this, keeping his eyes wandering around the room and not focusing on the girl standing in front of him.
"It certainly is different. I have to say, I'm impressed."
"Impressed with the room, or with the improvement in my study habits?"
"Both," she said keeping her attention on the Potions essay which she was reading. She was hoping to find something to correct but remarkably there was nothing that needed changing. "This is quite good, Ron. Do you mind if I borrow the information you have on Hornswig?"
"This certainly is a first," Ron said not being able to contain the surprise that was evident in his voice. "Hermione Granger, getting help from ME."
She wheeled around to face him, crossing her arms over her chest. She was now clearly agitated. Her brow furrowed, her lips McGonagall tight and thin and her brown eyes throwing daggers at him. "No need to rub it in. Forget I mentioned it."
"Calm down, I was just surprised," he said trying to smooth things over. "Of course you can use it, I don't mind." He noticed her face relax and her arms uncross. He continued, "I don't want to fight with you this week, Hermione. I thought we could just have fun together."
She smiled at him, "I don't want to fight either. Come on, let's go down stairs and play that chess game you promised me." The very last thing she wanted to do was fight with him.
"Alright, but don't get too upset when I win."
"I may just surprise you."
It started out like any chess game they played together, Ron was clearly winning. After a half an hour of intense competition, Ron commanded his next move, "Knight to E5." Ron's knight twirled his mace above his head and in one swift movement he took the head off of Hermione's bishop. "Give up, Hermione?"
"Never," She stated. She saw her opportunity to stun Ron. Not breaking eye contact, she instructed her queen of its next move, "Queen to E5. Check!"
Ron's eyes moved to the chessboard, his expression was priceless. He watched in horror as Hermione's queen thrust her sword through his knight. He never saw it coming. With one move she was now winning. She had his king in check. He had to think quickly. There was no way he was going to let her beat him, not at chess. Finally he spotted the move. "Queen to E5, Checkmate!"
She watched as his queen drove her sword into her queen. She averted her eyes to her king in time to observe him drop his sword in defeat, Hermione's lips moving involuntarily from a smile to an obvious frown. She had lost. All she wanted to do was impress Ron. No matter how well she did in her classes that never seemed to faze him. He never told her he was proud of her or what a nice job she had done. But just because he never said those things to her didn't mean she wouldn't praise him. "Nice job, Ron," she said in a downtrodden voice.
"Hey, you too. I thought for a second there I was actually going to lose. This is the only thing I can beat you at, I don't know what I'd do if I lost that ability," he supposed with complete sincerity.
She never considered that she would be taking something that important to him away, that is not what she had intended. She just wanted to see pride for her in his eyes. She never expected to see that pride if she lost, but it was there just the same. "You'll always be better at quidditch than me." She couldn't help but smile at him.
His eyes sparkled at the concern she had for his feelings. Then he remembered, "It seems that I've won the bet, Miss Granger."
With those words she froze on the spot. In the disappointment of losing the match she completely forgot about the wager. "And what might the chess king want for his prize?" she inquired, noticing him smirk while she started to put the chess pieces away.
He sniggered softly to himself and caught her gaze with his. There was no way he was going to let this opportunity pass him by. "Well, there is one thing."
I made some changes to the first two chapters. It is now in the past tense. Thank you to HermioneCharm29 for bringing that to my attention, it was a great suggestion. Also, thanks to Ukrainianchicka for taking the time to review, I appreciate it greatly.
Chapter 3: The Chess Match
Ron stood up quickly and glared at his siblings with such animosity that if looks could kill the Weasley's would have had three less mouths to feed. Ron turned his attention back to Hermione and offered her his hand to help her to her feet. She accepted it and rose graciously off the floor but when she went to take her first step her bruised knee gave way and she found herself once again looking up at Ron. He bent down and gently touched her knee causing her to wince and her face to flush. She couldn't help but think about how gentle and caring he was being towards her. "I think we better have my mum take a look at it," he said to her while intently examining the large bruise that was forming.
"Hermione, lets head up to my room so we can chat," Ginny interrupted, not having seen Hermione fall because she was busy trying to smother her giggles in George's shoulder. Hermione noticed Ginny looked different from when they left each other at Kings Cross Station. It finally dawned on her that Ginny's normal long red hair had been cut to her shoulders and framed her face quite nicely making her look older than the fourteen year old she was.
"Gin, Hermione hurt her knee. Go get Mum," Ron ordered. Ginny left the room and in a few minutes returned with Mrs. Weasley in tow. She looked concerned. She was a short, plump woman not much taller than Hermione. She had the Weasley red hair and a temper she often let loose on her sons, especially Fred and George.
"Hermione, dear, what did you do?" Mrs. Weasley asked quickly.
"I hit my knee on the floor when I was thrown out of the fireplace."
"I guess having Ron fall on you didn't help much," one of the twins exclaimed.
"Yeah, but at least it added some color to her cheeks, George," the other twin added. The twins hadn't changed at all. Still the pranksters they had always been, they loved to tease people, especially Ron and Hermione, endlessly on the stupidest things. They, of course, had the red crop of hair and the freckly faces to boot. As for tempers, they had cool heads on their shoulders and instead would crack jokes to lighten any mood. For that Ron envied his brothers.
Mrs. Weasley had heard enough and with a mere glance at her sons the twins made their way up to their room. She then turned her attention back to the task at hand and with a simple flick of her wrist Hermione's knee was back to normal. "That better, dear?" she questioned soothingly.
"Yes, thank you!" Hermione always admired Mrs. Weasley. She considered her to be her second mother.
"Ron, why don't you help Hermione up to Ginny's room with her trunk?" Mrs. Weasley desperately wanted to make gentlemen out of her sons but she was sure she had lost that battle with the twins.
"No Mum, I thought I'd let her carry it up the stairs by herself," was his sarcastic reply.
Ron and Hermione carried her trunk to Ginny's room while Ginny carried the wicker basket and some miscellaneous items. "I guess you want to get settled." Ron said to the young woman. "I'll be in my room, come get me when you are finished."
He turned and was heading towards the door when he heard Hermione's reply. "Sure, Ron. Though, I'd like to play a game of chess with you when I'm through."
"Oh, really!" Ron smirked, whirling around to face her again. "I wouldn't want to start off the week with you getting your butt kicked."
"What's the matter, Ron?" Hermione questioned placing her hands on her hips. "Chicken?"
"What? Chicken? Me? Never. I just don't want you to be too upset when you lose. You never enjoy being second best at anything."
"Is that so, Ronald Weasley!" she said in mock anger.
Ginny at this point kept looking from one to the other as if she were watching a muggle tennis match. She just kept hoping that there wouldn't be an explosion this time.
"Well," Hermione continued, "I'll take that as a challenge. Do you want to make a little bet out of this?"
"Come on, Hermione. You know perfectly well I'm going to win, I wouldn't want to take advantage." He had no idea what kind of bet was going to take place.
"I new you would be too scared." She knew this would get his blood boiling, "never insult the Weasley pride," she thought to herself.
"Alright, have it your way. What's the wager?"
"Hmmm, why don't we both think about that and when we finish the game the winner will claim HER prize." Hermione saw Ron raise one eyebrow in a questioning manner and the tips of his ears turn an unmistakable pink color. "Now if you'll excuse us, Mr. Weasley, I'd like to get my things situated." Ron nodded his head as she ushered him out of the room shutting the door behind him. She leaned her back against the closed door. She didn't think her legs would be able to take the strain of walking over to the bed that had been placed in there for her. Ron had the uncanny ability to make her weak and breathless.
Ginny watched her friend try to compose herself. "Hermione, what are you playing at?" Ginny questioned, her curiosity getting the better of her.
She lowered her head closing her eyes in the process, taking deep calming breaths. It had taken everything she had not to pick a fight with Ron when he said that she couldn't be second best at anything. It was true, and she knew it. Every time Ron would beat her at chess she would get so aggravated, not with Ron, but with herself. For as long as she could remember she hated losing, that was why over the summer she played chess constantly with her Dad. With his help she had improved greatly and was hoping to surprise Ron with how much she had learned. "I was hoping to make things interesting this week, may be get things moving in a new direction."
After putting her things away and talking with Ginny for some time, Hermione made her way to Ron's room. She knocked gently on the door.
"Come in!" Ron called. Ron heard the soft gasp that escaped from her when she caught sight of the new look of this bedroom.
"Ron, what in the name of Merlin did you do?" Hermione asked while looking at the immaculate floor, the pure white walls that used to be covered in Chudley Cannons posters and making her way over to the window. On the desk she noticed Ron's Potions book was open with a piece of parchment lying to its right that was clearly the essay they had been assigned at the beginning of the holiday. "I can't believe you already did your homework!"
"Well, I got tired of the orange walls and I still have the comforter so it isn't like I disowned the team completely. As for the homework, I guess you have started to rub off on me." He couldn't help smile while he said this, keeping his eyes wandering around the room and not focusing on the girl standing in front of him.
"It certainly is different. I have to say, I'm impressed."
"Impressed with the room, or with the improvement in my study habits?"
"Both," she said keeping her attention on the Potions essay which she was reading. She was hoping to find something to correct but remarkably there was nothing that needed changing. "This is quite good, Ron. Do you mind if I borrow the information you have on Hornswig?"
"This certainly is a first," Ron said not being able to contain the surprise that was evident in his voice. "Hermione Granger, getting help from ME."
She wheeled around to face him, crossing her arms over her chest. She was now clearly agitated. Her brow furrowed, her lips McGonagall tight and thin and her brown eyes throwing daggers at him. "No need to rub it in. Forget I mentioned it."
"Calm down, I was just surprised," he said trying to smooth things over. "Of course you can use it, I don't mind." He noticed her face relax and her arms uncross. He continued, "I don't want to fight with you this week, Hermione. I thought we could just have fun together."
She smiled at him, "I don't want to fight either. Come on, let's go down stairs and play that chess game you promised me." The very last thing she wanted to do was fight with him.
"Alright, but don't get too upset when I win."
"I may just surprise you."
It started out like any chess game they played together, Ron was clearly winning. After a half an hour of intense competition, Ron commanded his next move, "Knight to E5." Ron's knight twirled his mace above his head and in one swift movement he took the head off of Hermione's bishop. "Give up, Hermione?"
"Never," She stated. She saw her opportunity to stun Ron. Not breaking eye contact, she instructed her queen of its next move, "Queen to E5. Check!"
Ron's eyes moved to the chessboard, his expression was priceless. He watched in horror as Hermione's queen thrust her sword through his knight. He never saw it coming. With one move she was now winning. She had his king in check. He had to think quickly. There was no way he was going to let her beat him, not at chess. Finally he spotted the move. "Queen to E5, Checkmate!"
She watched as his queen drove her sword into her queen. She averted her eyes to her king in time to observe him drop his sword in defeat, Hermione's lips moving involuntarily from a smile to an obvious frown. She had lost. All she wanted to do was impress Ron. No matter how well she did in her classes that never seemed to faze him. He never told her he was proud of her or what a nice job she had done. But just because he never said those things to her didn't mean she wouldn't praise him. "Nice job, Ron," she said in a downtrodden voice.
"Hey, you too. I thought for a second there I was actually going to lose. This is the only thing I can beat you at, I don't know what I'd do if I lost that ability," he supposed with complete sincerity.
She never considered that she would be taking something that important to him away, that is not what she had intended. She just wanted to see pride for her in his eyes. She never expected to see that pride if she lost, but it was there just the same. "You'll always be better at quidditch than me." She couldn't help but smile at him.
His eyes sparkled at the concern she had for his feelings. Then he remembered, "It seems that I've won the bet, Miss Granger."
With those words she froze on the spot. In the disappointment of losing the match she completely forgot about the wager. "And what might the chess king want for his prize?" she inquired, noticing him smirk while she started to put the chess pieces away.
He sniggered softly to himself and caught her gaze with his. There was no way he was going to let this opportunity pass him by. "Well, there is one thing."
