Disclaimer: Everything belongs to J.K. Rowling.


"What?" Harry asked Ron staring at him in amusement.

"Did she want to play chess with you?" he asked as if seeing him for the first time.

"Yah, that's what she said," Ron murmured under his breath.

The next morning, Ron and Harry were at the table, havingbreakfast. Surprisingly, Hermione hadn't come yet, but they didn't notice her absence. Because Ron was telling Harry feverly what Luna asked him last night.

"And what did you say?" asked Harry,laughing hysterically.

"Oh, well.. I said all right!" said Ron, all blushed.

"All right?"Harry repeated. "That does make sense," he grinned meanly of him.

Ron didn't mind and kept eating his breakfast, nervously.

Harry put his hand on Ron's shoulder."You know what, I think she likes you, mate," he stated, trying to be serious but he could't help and burst into laughter.

Ron glared him dangerously and "shut up, Harry, it's not funny," he said, rolling his eyes.

He knew that, of course. He had noticed that before... since their fifth year, Luna was interested him, differently. But he hadn't considered him as a 'girl' she was just a friend of Ginny. But now, things were changing and he had been studying her deeply. She was a bit weird maybe but she was really beautiful. And she was the first girl who really interested with him. And that made him felt important.

While Ron was thinking of her, Harrywarned seriously, "best not to mention that fact to Hermione..."

"What fact?"

They jerked withthe voice. Suddenly Hermione appeared behind them. They shocked for a moment. Ron's mouth dropped open.

She raised her eyebrows, expectantly.

Harry broke the silence and "good morning, Hermione! Now I remember, I should have seen Seamus," he said before rushing out the Great Hall. Ron sent him a you-are-dead look as he glanced back to them with a grin on his face.

But there was no escape from Hermione. He knew how stubborn she was. She locked her eyes at him as she took her usual seat. Ron clearad his throat and "err, Harry and I were talking about what Luna asked me last night," he murmured,avoiding his eyes from hers. He felt terribly blushed himself.

Suddenly Hermione felt sick. However she tried to look less cared.

"What did she ask?" she asked nervously.

"Just a chess game with me," Ron mumbled. Now, he was deeply red, looking down at his plate of eggs.

Hermione kept asking. "And you said what?"

"Oh, well... I accepted!" he blurted out, acting like that was too normal. That was a real torture for him. He wanted to finish this conservation but no way...

"Ron, you can't..." Hermione felt her temper raising.

"Why not?" he asked sharply. He was looking at her with a suspicius look on his face. "Just a simple game" he explained.

It was her time to be blushed. She thought some excuses but couldn't find properly. "Ron... she is Luna" she said with a smirk on her face. "She is just not normal," she muttered.

"And I don't like her," she added quickly.

Ron stood up and said "oh please, Hermione! Just take it easy, would you? I know you don't like her. I don't understand that's why. You are right she is a bit weird maybe but..." he paused for a moment and then said "she is rather nice, indeed!"

Heregretted what he said but it was too late... He walked to the class immediately, leaving her behind in the Great Hall.

"That's great!" Hermione mumbled under her breath. She felt sick. "Is there any probability that he fancies Luna?" she thought mentally. But that was impossible. She was just stupid- wicked- Luna. "Oh, god," she hissed. "I am going to lose him!" She didn't touch her breakfast and made her way to the class.

The day passed quickly. Ron and Hermione didn't tell a word each other. Sometimes Harry attempted to bring them together but they just ignored him. It was unbearable when they got cross with each other. So, Harry gave up. They could talk, later.

Under normal circumstances, Hermione would pass her day, studying in the library, but that day, her head was full enough to think about her homeworks. Before dinner, she went to look for Ginny to learn if she knows something about this stupid chess game. She found her in the common room. But she wasn't alone. But she walked over her, decided.

"Ginny" she called.

"yes, Hermione?"Ginny responded looking at her curiously.

"I wanna talk about something with you!" she exclaimed.

"Sure," Ginny said, looking interested.

"Can we talk inprivate?" she stated.

"All right," Ginny said as she stood up from her seat. They found an uncrowded place in the common room. Ginny seemed worried as she glancing at Hermione, nervously.

"Hermione, there isn't something wrong, is there?" she asked curiously.

" No, no," Hermione answered quickly.

" I just wanna ask you if you know," she paused for a moment. "Ron is playing chess with Luna tonight!" sheblurted out abruptly,trying to hide the pain in her voice.

Ginny let out a little giggle.

"Hermione... is this the big matter?" she asked bewildered.

"um, yes... no!" She didn't know what to say. Of course it was a matter.

"Why do you care so much? It is just a simple game, indeed!" Ginny said and smirked meanly of her.

" I know what does a game mean Ginny! You perfectly know that is not a game at all. We mention about Luna, here!" she said coldly.

"Honestly, Hermione..." started Ginny. "As you know, we all realise that Luna fancies with Ron!" she confessed.

"I know," Hermione said softly trying to change her upset mood.

Ginny regretted saying the truth as she saw the pain on her face. She thought something to cheer her up.

"But Ron finds her wicked, you know," she said hopelessly, knowing Hermione was't convinced.

"Anyway, Ginny," Hermione sighed heavily,as she noticedGinny was trying to make her smile.

"See you at dinner," she said sweetly.

"All right," Ginny said, giving her a half-smile.

Hermione walked down the steps towards Great Hall for dinner wondering why on earth she mentioned about the game to Ginny. She felt irritated. She thought that she had to cancel this game but how?

How could she do that?