Chapter 2

See Disclaimer in Default Chapter.

It became real awful back in the Gryffindor Common Room. The whole House was still in shock at the loss of one of their 6th years. Ron and Hermione were hounded with condolences and sorrys, which made Ron tell them to bug off for a while. After a couple of hours people went to bed, but Hermione was anchored to her spot. Probably because she knew he was not going to go to bed that night.

"Want to show me again how you became the Hogwarts Wizard Chess Champion?" Hermione asked.

He had won the first ever Wizard Chess Championship last year. And Hermione knew how much that meant to him. She only asked to lighten the mood, because she knew he wouldn't play for a Million Galleons.

"Naw, 'Mione." He said back flatly.

"Well if you not up to it...I'm going to bed." She told him.

"Ok, ok I'll play, as long as you stay for a while." He gave into her once she had stood up.

"That's Grand" Hermione smiled at him.

They brought out Ron's Championship board that he had won and assembled the pieces.

"Are you ok?" Ron asked as he moved his pawn two spaces forward.

"That was what I wanted to ask you." Hermione said as she moved one of her pawns one space forward.

"Fine... awful... dreadful." He finished.

"I'm sure Gin wouldn't have wanted you to feel that way"

"Well she can't tell me that now can she!"

"Lets not fight Weasly, we have been going good since our last one."

"Then don't get so close about it!!" He yelled at her when one of his Knights clobbered her King side castle.

She giggled a bit, "That made no since Ron."

"So!!!"

"You are really cute when you're mad."

She caught herself a little too late. She had said too much, but when she looked at Ron to see if he was mad he was concentrating on where her queen was. He then told his pawn to clobber her Bishop.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing"

"Oh...ok."

"Checkmate, 'Mione." He said with triumph.

"Did you two sleep here last night?"

Both Ron and Hermione stirred at the sound of McGonagall standing over them. Hermione was in an armchair, and Ron was stretched out over the couch.

"Guess so." Hermione said with a yawn.

"You two better go get showers and change into your robes. Breakfast starts in thirty minutes." McGonagall said smiling with admiration as she left the Common Room. She always smiled like that when she saw Ron and Hermione together. They both got up and headed to the dormitories.

"See you in five." Ron yelled at Hermione's back as she made her way up the girl's staircase. She blushed madly.

Both of them made it down to the common room in ten minutes. Ron's hair was messed up and went out every which way. Hermione didn't spot this when she came down, but he saw her trying to knot her tie. (She has had her dad knot it before every school year. So all she had to do was pull it over her head and tighten it, and Partvi un-knotted as a joke.)

"Need some help?" He asked with a big smile on his face.

"Right back at you" she quipped as she looked at his hair "Sure, if I get to tame that."

"Deal."

Ron grabbed the tie and un-knotted the mess she had made, while she grabbed the comb out of his shirt pocket. While the fixed each other up, Dean and Partvi had made their way into the Common Room unnoticed. They both beamed at Ron and Hermione's attempt to fix each other's appearances. Once they had finished they both laughed at their own handy work a turned to see their fellow Gryffindor's gaping at them.

"What are you guys looking at?" Ron yelled.

"Nothing!" Dean said.

Romance