Yes, it's up quickly. 'Cause I was thinking about it too much to do anything more productive with my INCREDIBLY valuable time!

To illustrate how, in reality, Ron and Hermione are not well suited. But never fear, you shippers, love finds a way!

Um, thanks again, especially to Acci0sanity for the...um...completely NORMAL conversation and inspiration (I DID put it in) and to...I think it's sweetiepie 1016 who APPARENTLY was the one who started the whole putting the story on alert thing :)

The next morning Hermione went down to breakfast while the sun was filtering through the slats in the shutters, both happy and sad at the news that Ginny had given her the night before. She was surprised however, to see that Ron was already sitting at the table, his plate aside and a chess board in front of him.

"Ron!" she said, shocked and yawning. "Could it not wait at least until I've got changed out of my pyjamas?"

He leaned back in his chair and pressed his fingertips together. "No."

"Well, at least let me have some breakfast." she said taking a bowl of the pile in the middle of the table and reaching for the cereal.

"I wouldn't recommend it." said Ron. "Those rooks will eat nearly anything."

Hermione recoiled as a rook snapped at her.

"Yes." said Ron, in the style of an evil super-villain from a movie. "We're using my set this time."

"Fine." said Hermione grudgingly. "Fine. We'll play." She sat down opposite him. The pieces closest to her were black. "White moves first." she said.

"Don't I know it?" said Ron. "Queen's bishop pawn, forward two squares." The little piece hopped up and the game began.

Hermione had only once seen Ron look so serious about a chess game, and that was seven years before, when they were twelve and playing with pieces far bigger than themselves, fighting to get Harry through to reach the Philosopher's Stone. She had seen the look of determination in his eyes many times before, but never at something so small as this inconsequential chess game. Perhaps he had been more upset about what Harry and him had talked about than he had let on? But no, he had been fine the night before hadn't he?

Needless to say, she was losing to this more aggressive, less talkative Ron. In about five moves, two of her pawns had been squashed and her bishop's hat had been thoroughly destroyed and he had left the board to weep over it. Ron's chess set, like many things he owned, was second-hand, and the pieces were getting old. Considering the bishops generally portrayed old men anyway, she guessed this one had gone a bit senile.

"Ron?" she said looking at his face. He still looked angry. "You're winning." she tried.

"I know." he said but did not look up. "Knight, up and right."

Hermione exhaled through her nose and continued play. He was determined to win. Usually, she wouldn't mind, she knew chess was important to Ron, but surely, this attitude couldn't be caused by something like a chess game. She decided to strike up conversation again as his queen hit her knight on the head with a chair.

"So did you sleep well?" He merely grunted and nudged a bishop on.

"You should really read that book Hagrid sent me. You know his mother? Apparently she was quite famous really. For being peaceful. Course that was before-"

"Just move would you?" exclaimed Ron. Hermione clamped her mouth shut and pushed a reluctant pawn forward another space.

"Damn." she said. She hadn't noticed Ron's rook, sitting peacefully on a white square at the edge of the board. Without a prompt it moved forwards and pulled off her pawn's head.

"Poor thing." she muttered.

"Just a game." came Ron's reply. Hermione bit her lip and tried yet another approach. Concern.

"What's wrong Ron?"

"Nothing. Move." She didn't. "There must be. You're not usually like this. You were fine last night. Did Harry say something?"

"Didn't say anything. Move would you?"

She still persisted. "There must be something wrong, Ron. Tell me. You're not angry now about me beating you are you? You didn't seem like it last nigh-"

"Maybe I've changed my mind. Move why don't you?"

"Ron, there's no need to be upset. It was just a game." For the first time since they began, his hazel brown eyes met hers.

"For you maybe it was. Not for me. You know what it's like to be with you when you're better than me at everything?"

"Well, why didn't you say last nigh-"

"Thought I'd give you a taste of your own medicine. Doesn't taste very good does it?"

"Ron, don't be ridiculous-"

"Oh being ridiculous am I?"

"Yes!" she said raising her voice and standing up. "There's more to life than senile old men and omnivorous battlements. Merlin's beard, they're wooden!"

"Well in that case," said Ron. With a smash and several small screams he turned over the board and stalked out of the house, leaving the door wide open so Hermione could see him walking down the garden.

"Stalemate," she tried, scared at how small and nervous her own voice sounded.