The best birthday gift Ron ever received was a chessboard.
It wasn't new by any means: there were scratches and dents on the board and the white spaces were already almost yellow, but I had been his. It hadn't gone through Bill and Charlie and Percy and the whole line of his older siblings before reaching him. The chessboard had come straight from his father, and the scrapes and scratches of his first game of chess with his father were etched onto the board.
Fred and George had already palmed their chess pieces off to Ron months before he received the chessboard, both preferring to prank people over the quiet strategy of chess. He had picked his favourites of the two sets and the pieces already trusted him enough to encourage more than advise. He would never replace those loyal pieces with newer ones.
It was a game over the same chessboard where he beat Hermione at something for the first time in his life – a small match to pass the time in the Gryffindor Common Room while waiting for Harry. Ron didn't know why they were waiting for Harry anymore, but he could still feel the rush of satisfaction that washed over him at the fact Hermione had grown more and more upset with each game over the fact that she was not able to win.
That chessboard had offered him all the opportunity to get closer to his wife through their many years at Hogwarts, all while teaching her that she couldn't possibly be the best at everything.
"Happy birthday, Rose," Ron said, carefully handing over the gift-wrapped chessboard.
He watched as Rose unwrapped the chessboard, and her eyes immediately lit up in recognition.
"I thought you'd like to take it to Hogwarts with you, make more memories with it, and let it remind you whenever you're upset that I'm always here for you," Ron added, scratching the back of his neck a bit awkwardly once he caught sight of Rose's glittering eyes.
She wiped her eyes quickly and attacked Ron with a hug. He winced at the feeling of the chessboard hitting his ribs but bent down a little to return the hug.
The best gift Ron had ever given was the chessboard that held more scratches and dents than ever before, but also more memories than any other.
Written for [392 words]
January Pop Figures: Harry Potter [02 - Ron Weasley: (Object) Chessboard]