Thank you to MournfulSeverity for being the beta to this story

Checkmate

It has been two weeks since everything went down with the time turner. Hermione returned it to Professor McGonagall, admitting that messing with time was too dangerous for even her and that she was just going to take her classes like everyone else. She even had to admit that some of the classes she had been taking with the time turner were boring, even for her.

For the past two weeks, Hermione had filled Ron in on what happened with the time turner, that both she and Harry went back in time to save Buckbeak and to break Black out of his jail cell before he was sent to the dementors for the kiss.

Hermione also mentioned that the man, Peter Pettigrew, got away so there was no way to prove Black's innocence and Harry was forced to say goodbye to him.

She makes her way down to the common room to see Ron playing with his chessboard and her cat, Crookshanks, sitting in the chair next to him, chewing on one of the knights.

"How's the leg?" Hermione inquires, sitting on the floor across from Ron and moving one of the pawns forward.

Ron gives her a small smile, moving one of his pawns across the board as he answers "Better," Ron replies, twisting his leg a little. "How's Harry?"

"You know Harry…he hasn't spoken about it since," Hermione mutters, moving another pawn forward. She knows Harry had a hard time that night, not just because of his Godfather, but because Harry was sure that he would be able to see his father. "Harry was forced to say goodbye to the only family he has," Hermione adds.

"Black isn't his only family."

"Harry believes it to be," Hermione replies, moving another pawn

"I know," Ron sighs with a frown, taking Hermione's pawn with his.

"... Do you ever feel that we are cursed?" Hermione asks, moving the third pawn out into play.

"What do you mean?" Ron questions as he moves one of his knights out.

"The troll, philosopher's stone, spiders, the basilisk, and now, this… I just feel that Hogwarts is out to get us," Hermione muttered.

"Not us…"

"...Harry." Hermione finishes what Ron is about to say before she moves another pawn.

"You need to get stronger pieces out," Ron comments before taking another one of her pawns. "He has nightmares, you know… he talks in his sleep. I don't think Harry has ever had a full night of rest. He even speaks in parseltongue sometimes."

"I know… he was speaking in his sleep when we were in the hospital wing," Hermione comments before moving her knight out. "I'm just worried is all."

"Worried about what?" Ron asks.

Hermione can't help but roll her eyes. "In the past three years, Harry has ended up in the hospital wing. How many more times will he? I'm worried that one of these years, Vol...He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, will… will succeed in killing Harry."

"That's not going to happen," Ron replies quickly, taking Hermione's knight.

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because, Harry already defeated You-Know-Who three times and he's still standing," Ron explains.

"I'm afraid though," Hermione mutters, bringing her rook out. "Professor Dumbledore told Harry in his first year that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named will find a way to come back… fully."

"And when he does, we will be there for Harry, fighting by his side. We are going to win this."

"How can you be so sure?" Hermione questions.

"... Because, I have to be… but, also because I know Harry… We will win this war."

Hermione can't help the small smile that spreads across her face at Ron's words. Her attention is taken away when Harry enters the Gryffindor chambers.

"Hey, you got it back," Ron mentions when he sees Harry playing with the Marauder's map that is in his hands.

"Ya… " Harry mumbles, shoving the map into his pockets before he starts to head up to the boy's dorms.

"Harry… are you doing ok?" Hermione implores.

Harry gives a small shrug. "Ya… I'm fine," Harry mutters before making his way up the stairs while Hermione turns to look back at Ron with an 'I told you so' look on her face.

"You can't force him," Ron said with a shrug of his shoulder. "He will talk when he's ready."

"I guess you're right… Checkmate," Hermione declares, taking Ron's king as her own.

"What?" Ron says in confusion, not knowing how Hermione could have beaten him.

Hermione gives a small smile before standing up and taking Crookshanks in her arms. "Pay closer attention next time," Hermione says before she makes her way up to the girl's dorms to pack.