A/N: Summer has started and is half done. Now, I have decided to get into the writing gear. This was written before Book 6. So yes. We shall keep it such.

Disclaimer: I don't have anything to show for my 16 years on this Earth. What you see, is not mine. Only the idea…possibly.

Checkmate

By: Silver Ice

"Checkmate." Ron declared, leaning back triumphantly in his favorite squishy arm chair.

"Bloody hell. I swear, I'll beat you one of these days. How was I supposed to see that pawn there?" Harry muttered to himself, wondering in awe how Ron's pawn had just taken his King.

"Ah, don't worry Harry. Maybe one day I'll feel extra generous and let you win. Are you up for a game Hermione?" Ron asked, turning his attention from Harry to Hermione. She was sitting next to the fire, petting Crookshanks with one hand and holding a book with the other.

At the sound of Ron's voice she looked up. Her hair, which had been thrown up in a messy bun, was beginning to fall down over her eyes. Ron couldn't help but notice how beautiful the dancing flames in the fireplace made her look. "I suppose I could play a game. After all, I do need some practice if I ever plan on getting good." Hermione replied, softly closing her book and rising to take Harry's place across from Ron.

The game started off at a steady equal pace, but after both Hermione and Ron were down by two pawns, Ron took charge. His pawn took her rook and then another took her Queen. Within 15 minutes, Hermione was left with a rook and her King while Ron had well over half of his players. With a sigh, Hermione made a final suicidal move that allowed her King to be taken.

"It was a good try Hermione. You did much better than Harry did." Ron said with a smile.

"Hey! I didn't do all that bad, she just got a lucky break. You let her lose!" Harry retorted, crossing his arms with a stubborn frown.

"It's true Hermione, I did let you lose. I had hoped to keep it a secret. I'm sorry you had to find out like this." Ron said apologetically, bowing his head in mock shame.

Harry threw a pillow at Ron, "Okay, okay. I get it. Dumb comment, now let's go eat dinner. I'm starved." Harry jumped to his feet, his stomach rumbling at the prospect of food.

Ron quickly jumped up as well and went to follow Harry. As he reached the open portrait hole, though, he turned back to see that Hermione had returned to Crookshanks and her book.

"Hermione, it's dinner time. You can read and pet Crookshanks later, come eat!" Ron exclaimed, anticipating the meal in excitement.

"All right, I'm coming I'm coming. This is really a marvelous book though," Hermione said, closing the small blue book entitled The Magic of Ancient Runes.

"Hermione, isn't that book for your Ancient Runes class?" Ron asked, as the two made their way to the Great Hall.

"No, as a matter of fact, it's not. It's about a girl in Ancient Runes and she's getting all these signs about an upcoming attack. Then she has to try to stop the attack while she's falling in love with one of the people that's behind the attacks." Hermione explained in depth, smiling as she retold various aspects of the book.

Ron raised a skeptical eyebrow as he listened to Hermione summarize the book. "That sounds like it's really, well-complicated." Ron said, shrugging his shoulders as they finally entered the Great Hall. Ron's attention quickly shifted from Hermione's book to food as he plopped next to Harry and loaded his plate with mashed potatoes, turkey, and anything else he could grab.

Hermione rolled her eyes as she slowly filled her plate and listed to Harry and Ron talk about Quidditch animatedly. Just as Ron was about to recount his last save as Keeper for the umpteenth time, Dumbledore rose from his seat and called for silence.

Everyone looked quietly up at him, waiting expectantly to hear what news he had during dinner time. Dumbledore waited a few moments before he final began to speak, his voice boomed through the hall as he declared, "We will be having a Spring dance celebrating Professor Sprout's retirement. It will be held in this hall on the first day of May. All students are invited, though all youngsters fourth year and down will have to leave by 10:00. I expect that everyone will be here to wish their Professor farewell. Now, do continue eating, I did not mean to stop you."

Dumbledore took his seat again at the head table and a wave of excitement flowed through the room. "Another ball? This is so exciting!" Ginny exclaimed, already imagining how she'd do her hair, "What do you think Hermione? Curled up or down?"

Hermione examined Ginny's shining red hair thoughtfully before concluding, "You should definitely leave it down, with wild messy curls. It'll look gorgeous with a small clip to one side too."

"You think?" Ginny said, running her fingers through her hair.

"Absolutely," Hermione agreed, smiling warmly at Ginny.

"Well then, what about your hair? What are you thinking?" Ginny asked, eyeing Hermione's bushy mane.

"I'm not sure. Obviously straight, but I'm not sure after that." Hermione answered, twirling a piece of hair around her finger.

As Hermione and Ginny talked on about their hair and dress robes, Harry and Ron remained silent. Both were thinking of who they wanted to ask to the dance.

"So, you have anyone in mind that you want to ask?" Ron asked Harry, eating a little faster now.

"I don't know. Why? Do you have someone in mind?" Harry asked, trying desperately to keep his gaze on his plate.

"Well, kinda." Ron said quietly, turning a bright scarlet.

"Who?" Harry asked, looking around him to make sure that nobody was listening.

"I don't think I really want to talk about it right now. You know what I mean?" Ron said, casting a nervous glance at Hermione. Hermione, however, had paid no mind to Harry or Ron and was still talking with Ginny.

Harry and Ron changed the subject from the dance back to Quidditch and the upcoming match with Ravenclaw. "What do you think Harry, can we beat Ravenclaw with Terry Boot in as their new Keeper? He's really good. I've watched him play." Ron said.

"I think we can do it. The team has been doing great this year! Ravenclaw has been strong, but we're stronger. Besides, who's Terry Boot compared to you Ron?" Harry said, adding a compliment in hopes or raising Ron's spirits and confidence.

"Yeah? You're right Harry! It's going to be great." Ron agreed, the compliment working just as Harry had hoped. The two continued to talk about different Quidditch tactics that could be used during the upcoming Ravenclaw game until their dinner plates were cleared and people began to stand.

The common room was full later than usual that night with people talked happily about the Spring dance that was just 6 days away. Nonetheless, people slowly went to bed, and after Lavander ran to her dorm screaming she had nothing to wear, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny were finally the only people left awake.

Hermione had returned to her book and Harry, Ron, and Ginny were still discussing Quidditch. Ron's gaze and attention, continued to drift towards Hermione, who would occasionally smile before flipping a page in her book. Harry, meanwhile, could not stop smiling at Ginny.

No one seemed to notice anyone else's glances, but when Ginny mentioned the dance, both Ron and Harry nervously looked down at their hands.

Harry pondered asking Ginny right then and there, but as he tried to speak, nothing came out. Ron too was wondering whether or not he should ask Hermione. After all, he didn't want to have her going with a bloke like Viktor again.

Both boys pondered, but before they knew what was going on, Hermione and Ginny had said their good-nights and were going to bed.

A/N: Okay, I was going to continue on and on, but I just wanted to stop here and see what people are thinking. I'd really like to continue with this and possibly make it into something much greater. It all depends on you, my dear reviewers. Much love!