I'm sorry it's late. Please don't kill me.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters from it. Harry Potter is the property of J. K. Rowling.
Bookstore Surprises
Chapter Nineteen
Hermione looked up when neither Harry not Severus said anything. She looked at Harry first, who looked a little nonplussed, then looked at Severus. It she had to guess it Severus' expression it she would say that it was slightly amused. "What?"
"I don't understand why you're worried, Hermione. You said that the two of you agreed to get to know each other better. Sending an owl in the middle of the night to help quench your curiosity is just like you. And is helping him to get to know you better. Right, Severus?"
Severus nodded. "Harry is correct Hermione. I do not believe you have anything to worry about."
"If you say so." Said Hermione not entirely convinced but not necessarily wanting to continue the topic.
Severus and Harry seemed to sense this and went back to what they had been doing when Hermione first entered the kitchen. They were playing some kind of game that Hermione had never seen before. The board had evenly spaced holes all over it like a peg board. To the side of the board was a rectangular box with four compartments. Two of the compartments had red pieces while the other two had black. Harry and Severus were using the red and black pieces respectively to build what looked like fences across the board.
"What are you two playing?"
"A strategy game called Twixt. The point of the game is to build fences that attach your two sides of the board. You cannot build over your opponent's fences nor can you put a piece behind the line the indicates their side of the board." Severus replied without looking up." Have you never heard of it? It is a muggle game."
"No, but it does look like the type of game my parents would have enjoyed."
They were quiet again. Severus and Harry continued their game while Hermione watched. When Hermione was done with her tea, she put her mug in the sink and bid the two goodnight before leaving the kitchen. She slowly made her way up to her room feeling very tired. She opened the door intent on climbing into her bed and going to sleep but paused suddenly feeling invigorated. For there on her desk was her owl with a scroll tied to his leg.