1A Game of Chess

A.N.: Credit for the title goes to T.S. Eliot and "The Wasteland," which Ko-chan has a fond obsession for.

Disclaimer: The Tenshi are real people, please don't steal. We don't own Harry Potter and Co. We're not making any profit off our writing. Thank you.

Nicole stared as the last stretch of grey faded quickly from the horizon.

She shuddered, wrapping her arms tightly about herself. Watching the last rays of the day die had always bothered her. It took so long to die, so long you almost thought it would fight to live forever, but then at the very end 'poof' and it was gone, without a struggle, without even a glimmer left to show its previous indestructibility.

It seemed weak, really.

She shuddered, again, laying her forehead atop the window ledge.

How long had she been sitting here like this, staring out the window from the girl's dorm in the Gryffindor Tower? Didn't that seem weak, too?

The image of Ron looming over her suddenly flashed before her eyes and before she could do anything to stop it, the once pleasant face transformed into a sneer of pure disgust and hatred. Her foster father was above her, again, staring down at her with those cold, beady eyes, breathing his alcohol laced breath into her face, looming over her, holding her down with the sheer force of his shadow…

She was on the floor before she knew it, huddled in a small ball underneath the window, trying to remember to breath.

"Why?" she sobbed, slightly surprised to hear that she was crying. "Why can't I just forget him?"

"Forget who?"

Nicole turned, startled to hear the voice coming from behind her. "What the… Draco?"

Draco smiled at her disarmingly as he propped his elbows up on the outside ledge of the window.

She stared wide-eyed for all of two seconds before she was up pointing accusingly at him. "What the hell are you doing flying your broom around the girls' dorms, you pervert?"

He laughed, a much more gentle laugh than she had thought possible of him. "Me? A pervert? Actually…" A look of concern so pure and honest covered his face that as he reached his hand out to her she couldn't help but walk back up to window. His voice was quiet, like the whisper of a bird. "I heard you crying, Nicole." His hand moved upward so slowly all Nicole could hear was her shallow breath catching in her throat. Softly, almost like the wind, his fingers brushed her cheek, wiping at the tears which had so recently been shed. "And, I was worried that you might be alone."

"I, uh…" The tears were forming at the corner of the eyes, again, and her lips were trembling weakly.

She wasn't alone—maybe physically, but not really. She had her sister and her friends. She knew this without a doubt, but seeing Draco sitting there, pure concern radiating out from him, directed only at her, she couldn't help but feel an absolute pang pf physical loneliness.

"No one should be alone when they're sad," Draco continued, his voice low, soothing like a song. "Come with me."

"Come… with… you?" Nicole looked at him, not sure what she was searching for in his eyes. A lie? He seemed so genuinely concerned, how could she even wonder? They she realized what he had said, and she could breath, again. "You mean, on your broom?"

He smiled, a flash of his usual cockiness glowing in his eyes as he reached out a hand to her, beckoning to her. "There's plenty of room for you, and I'm an excellent flyer."

She hesitated for a second, turning to glance at the dark, empty dorm room. Would anyone notice if she was gone? She had told Riley to leave her alone, so she probably would. Hermione and Ginny wouldn't say anything if she wasn't here. The others wouldn't notice anything was wrong if it bit them on their asses.

She looked back at Draco and the promise of the night sky behind him.

Her hand was in his, and the room was empty.

The wind was blowing her hair back and her eyes were closed as she listened to the the sound of the wind roaring past her. She felt free. Even if it only lasted a few moments, it was worth it.

"Let's get out of here."

Draco grinned and complied. He leaned slightly forward on the broom and pulled it higher at the same time. He stopped and then broke into a dive, which forced her to hold on to him tighter. She laughed and for a moment his heart stopped at the the sound, but only a moment. The layer of ice quickly encased his heart again, and he remembered his mission.

He would not fail, not even for the sound of freedom.

Simple. Uncomplicated. These were the things that Ron needed at the moment. And, he knew it.

He was so tired of the whispers, the stares. They all thought that they -knew-what had happened. They were wondering where she was and why he did it.

He had to get away.

"But where?" He unintentionally said aloud, causing some second years nearby to gape and then snigger as he rushed away.

Somewhere else, anywhere else. The destination didn't matter as long as it wasn't here. Without even thinking about it, Ron found himself rushing to the one place on this campus that could offer the haven he was seeking. His feet were carrying him down the all-too-familiar path that led to Hagrid's hut.

"Brilliant," he muttered to his feet. The tiniest hint of a smile flashed through his eyes. For the first time in what felt like ages, he was looking forward to something. It had been far too long since he had visited the half-giant, and he knew that he could count on Hagrid to be oblivious of the gossip.

Finally, he was going to have someone with whom he could talk about Nicole.

The twins and Ginny would make fun of him. That had been their favorite pastime since he had started dating Nicole. Why would they give it up now? Familial support? 'Yeah, right.'

Harry was out of the question. He couldn't understand. He was too preoccupied with his infatuation with Riley. And, he would probably talk to her about everything, which would be a disaster. Though, Harry, of course, would think that he was just helping.

Hermione was also off limits. Before Nicole, there had been… something between them. Everyone was surprised when Ron had started dating Nicole, particularly Hermione.

No, it would be cruel to drag Hermione into his love life. She would feel obligated to help, and he couldn't stand pity. Being poor, he got plenty of that elsewhere.

'Maybe talking to Hagrid will help,' he thought, trying to force a semblance of optimism. 'Maybe, when I am thinking clearly enough, I can talk to Nicole and straighten everything out.'

He heard a peal of laughter coming from above him. He looked up and saw Nicole on a broom with Draco. Her hair was streaming behind her, and she was clinging to Draco with a look of pure joy on her face.

"And maybe pigs will fly," he said through gritted teeth. A fresh wave of rage threatened to crash over him. He continued watching as Nicole let go of Draco and stretched her arms out to her side. The anger tightened its vice-like grip on his chest.

As he watched he realized that there was something different about her. Something he couldn't place.

She looked so…free up there. With a growing sense of desperation, he realized that he had never seen her so uninhibited…so happy.

Just like that the rage was gone. The storm had vanished and left only debris in its wake. He was hollow, like a house gutted by a fierce storm. She was happy. His…Nicole… was doing just fine without him. Not only that, but she was doing well in the company of the world's biggest jackass.

And, in an instant, it was over. He knew she was gone. His heart had hardened. The door had closed on that part of his life, and he would move on.

Forget Nicole. He had to. She was dead to him already.

"Well, well. Ron," Hagrid said coming around his hut with Fang in tow. "Yer not 'sposed to be out here 'thout a professer. You heard Professer Dumbledore. I know ya did."

"I know, Hagrid. But, I missed you and Fang. And, I thought that if I got here before dark, you would let me have some tea and those amazing cupcakes with you and then take be back." Ron hated lying to Hagrid, but he had completely forgotten about the new rules, the attacks, everything that had happened before… But, he would think about that, or her…not anymore.

"Well, a'right," Hagrid's huge face turned a bright pink and a huge grin swept from one side to the other. "But, jus' fer a minute."

Ron followed Hagrid into the small hut, and inwardly, he was proud that he resisted the urge to look back up at the sky. She was gone.

"But what about Sirius?"

Riley stopped so abruptly that Hermione actually walked into her. "Sorry," she mumbled, compulsively. 'Why are you apologizing, Hermione? She's the one who stopped in front of you! She's the one who stole one of your best friends! She's the one…No, stop this. Right now, she is a perfectly fine person. She actually values learning. She follows the rules. She makes Harry happy…well, sort of. Actually…'

Sensing that she was being watched, she snapped out of her reverie. Both Riley and Harry were staring at her. They seemed to be waiting for something. A response? "What? What was the question?"

Riley looked exasperated, and a tiny shot of indignation shot from Hermione's head to her toes.

"Do you agree with Riley that we should worry about Remus and Robin first? She thinks they are in the more immediate danger," Harry offered.

She hated this part the most. "Yes, I agree with her. Sorry, Harry, but if Sirius wasn't on the map, it's going to take a lot more digging to find him. However, according to Madame Pomfrey, Robin was with Professor Lupin, and you were attacked outside of that office."

"Attacked is even putting it mildly, Harry. Whoever modified your memory is powerful, cunning, and secretive. The trifecta of traits I find detestable."

'Ironic.' Hermione thought snidely. Outwardly, she nodded and pushed past the two of them to continue their journey. Harry and Riley had followed and were still discussing the possible fate of Sirius and the possible culprit of Harry's brainwashing. But, Hermione once again tuned them out.

She didn't trust the Tenshi, if that's what these newcomers were, any farther than she could throw them. And, Hermione was not known for her upper-body strength. But, did she really think that Riley, or Robin, or both were behind Harry's memory and Sirius' disappearance?

The girls were certainly capable of a vast conspiracy, but wasn't it just her negative feelings for Riley, and to an extent Nicole, that biased her against them? Was it?

What killed her was that she couldn't be sure. Riley was so damn secretive, even from herself. Robin was…well, there was something off about Robin. And, Nicole was naive, innocent and loyal to the other two to a fault. She would do anything for them.

But, when it came down to it, Hermione was completely loyal to one person, Albus Dumbledore. And, if Professor Dumbledore believed in and trusted them, then Hermione would have to suck it up and do the same. And, that meant that she would need to stop obsessing about the Tenshi and start trying to figure out what the hell was going on at Hogwarts lately.

Voldemort laid down and smiled. His plan had been a long shot but the foolish girl had fallen for it. She would soon be under his control and then he would break her. Next he would be able to focus on his Dragon, then with the Dragon on his side, he would be able to conquer the last Tenshi and no one would be able to defeat him. All he had to do was find a way to harness their power with his and he would be invincible.