Chess & More
It was February, closing in on the Valentine's Day Dance that was to be held in one week for 3rd year students and up. Harry and Hermione were a given couple, as were Neville and Luna. But, Ginny was waiting for one particular person to ask her and really hadn't had more than ten minutes to talk with him since they had been back. Being Head Boy, Captain of the Slytherin Quidditch team and countless other reasons cut into their time. Ginny had even complained to Hermione that she managed a nice snog out of him only twice, and one of those was when on her rounds as Prefect, late at night.
The Gryffindors were sitting at the dinner table, relishing in the fact that it was a Friday evening. Ron had made mention of a Chess Match to Draco and he accepted…7pm in the Great Hall. As Ron was talking with Harry about strategy, an Owl came flying in, dropped a letter on Ron's plate and soared out of sight.
"Samantha." Ron said, a smile crossing his face as he tore it open. His eyes scanned the note and he paled.
"What's wrong?" Hermione asked quickly.
"She wants…she wants me to go to her dance. At her school!?" Ron waved the letter at her and she caught it, reading it for herself.
"That would be fun. I bet the auras surrounding Muggle's at a big dance like that would be awesome," Luna
said, and Neville agreed.
"Says here you would need a suit…," Hermione started.
"A suit? Like that thing Malfoy wore? Oh, Merlin," Ron groaned. Ginny giggled and was quickly silenced by a nudge from Harry.
"I think it could be fun, Ron. It is time you met her friends and see how she lives." Hermione folded the letter and handed it back to him, skipping the personal parts.
"I have no idea how to act around Muggles," Ron grumbled, shoving pie into his mouth, clearly not to upset as to have lost his appetite.
"You'll do fine. It's just one night with all her friends…think of all the girls, in their dresses, dancing wildly," Seamus added, getting an elbow from Lavender, whom he recently started dating.
"I guess I have to go; I shoulda known this would come sooner or later."
"Well, Valentine's would be a great day to do it," Harry added for support.
"What about the ring?" Ginny asked in a low voice as Seamus had no idea he was getting her one.
"It's ready. I just need to get the money from Bill to pay for it."
His fork clattered to his plate as he found his friends staring at him.
"What?"
"Well, if it's ready, and this IS a Hogsmeade weekend, you COULD get it and take it WITH you…," Ginny hinted staring into her brother's blue eyes. They got very round and he went completely still, then he went pale again.
"I don't think I could handle both," he said in a strangled whisper. Hermione reached over and covered his hand with hers.
"Ron…RON!" he turned towards her, still looking like he was in a trance.
"Just pick up the ring and bring it back here. Let the idea settle a bit more and if it doesn't feel right on Valentine's Day then the time isn't right. You'll have the ring, so all you need to do is find the right time." Ron nodded at her and patted her hand.
"Yeah. Good. I'll get the ring first." He got up without finishing his pie. "I need to go Owl my brother about money," he said in a dazed voice and walked out the door.
In flew Hedwig promptly as Ron walked out the door, dropping a note on Harry's place.
"Another one?" Seamus asked, fork in midair.
Harry turned it over, wiping whipped cream off of it.
"It's from my aunt," Harry frowned as Hermione looked up at him.
"Maybe it's a response from the one you sent her during holiday?"
Harry tore it open and unfolded it, propping his elbows on the table and holding it in both hands. It was a half page long and didn't take him long to read it. His expression not changing, he handed it to Hermione who shared it with Ginny.
Harry,
I received your note and wish you congratulations on your engagement to Hermione. I'm glad that you have found someone that will make you happy and bring you the joy you deserve.
I also received a type of newsletter from your Headmaster saying that all of your Quidditch (spelling?) matches are open to relatives. He included the dates and Dudley and I will try to be at the one in March. Your Uncle is traveling a lot and will not be home during that weekend.
Please let me know when you set the wedding date, place and all that information. I would very much like to attend. It's the least I can do after everything you have endured in your young life.
Best Wishes,
Aunt Petunia
"Well." Ginny said, not quite sure what to say. "Maybe we could find Dudley a nice Slytherin to hang out with while he's here."
Harry cracked a smile. "Pansy seems to change boyfriends a lot…wouldn't that be a hoot."
"No way, mate, because if THEY got married, then you would related." Seamus pointed out.
"Good point, Seamus," Harry said, taking the last bit of pie off of his fork.
"Harry?"
He looked up at Hermione.
"You ok with this? With her coming to your match and wanting to be at the wedding?"
"Well, sure. I don't care who comes to that match; as far as the wedding, it wouldn't be so bad to have some family on my side."
"Who's in your wedding?" Neville asked.
"I'm bummed I can't make it," Seamus said sadly, having informed Harry he would be on a trip with his parents throughout July.
"Well, Ron, will be the best man; probably another one of his brothers-I am thinking Bill-- and if you could?" Harry smiled at the grin that spread across Neville's face.
"Really? Awesome, that..," he was cut off by Luna kissing him soundly on the mouth. She always did that at odd moments, and by now everyone at the table was used to it.
"Maybe we should tell Snape she's coming, you know, so he can put on his best Vampire like cape," Seamus joked and everyone laughed as they packed up their things and headed for the Common Room.
Somehow, Ron managed to pull himself together for the Chess Match as he and Draco sat across from each other at the Ravenclaw table. There were numerous students surrounding them and Harry noticed that Dumbledore was hanging around watching every now and then. No one believed Hermione when she said there would be an audience and they should have known not to doubt her.
Harry glanced up as Professor Snape walked into the room and held his breath. He was sitting near Ron, kind of protecting him from the crowd that had gathered and watched. Harry watched Dumbledore and Professor Snape exchange a few words, with Dumbledore waving a hand towards the table. Professor Snape walked, or rather he seemed to glide over, to the table and students parted to make way. He smirked when he saw Ron sitting across from Draco and it took both boys a moment to realize that the atmosphere had changed.
Ron looked up at Professor Snape who greeted him with "Weasely" that came out more as a grunt.
Draco glanced coolly at his head of house.
"A game of Chess between the best of Slytherin and best of Gryffindor I hear." No one responded to him and Hermione saw Harry stiffen, as if waiting for the insult and preparing to hex the Potions Master as soon as it came out of his mouth.
"And who seems to be winning?"
"No one, Professor. It always ends as a draw," Colin managed to pipe up and Snape turned his eyes to the young student.
"How many times have you two played?" He asked, looking at Draco, who glanced at Ron. Ron gave a small shrug.
"Six or seven, sir," Draco answered.
"Really? And neither of you has won a game?"
"No." "They are really good, Professor." "They can't seem to beat each other," were the comments that flew around the table.
"Humph. So, what is the bet?" Professor Snape's dark eyes glanced at Draco then settled at Ginny who was sitting next to him. She raised and eyebrow at him.
"What bet, sir?" Ron asked hesitantly.
"Surely for students that are as good as everyone seems to think, you have a bet. You both pick something for the each other to do and whoever loses has to do it. You all are familiar with them, I assume?" He saw everyone nod.
"Makes it more interesting, trust me. Evening." Professor Snape turned and walked back out the door. There was precisely two seconds of quiet before everyone erupted into excited talk and whispers. Ginny shoved her fingers into her mouth and whistled, causing Draco to jump and cover his ears and many other people to do the same. Ron was the only one who didn't react, having heard it all the time to get his attention.
"I think it should be up to Ron and Draco to decide if they even want to bet, don't you think?" She turned back to the players and gave them the floor.
"Umm," Ron had no idea what to say.
"I think that is something we can discuss after this game, Weasley?"
Ron nodded and the group satisfied, stayed on to watch the rest of the match, making room for Professor Dumbledore who finally made it over and sat down next to Ginny, not saying a word, but enjoying the match just the same.
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"A draw, again. We should start a score board and make this a weekly Friday night event," Dean said after the Gryffindor boys retired to the Common Room. A chorus of boys voices agreed with him.
After the match, Ron had seen Ginny walk down the hall with Draco and scowled a bit, but he didn't get that stomach clenching feeling he would get the previous semester.
"Any idea what the bet will be?" Ron was asked and he kept shaking his head, a small idea forming but not wanting to voice it yet. Harry excused himself to go talk to Hermione, each of them having an exceptional amount of homework, he can't remember the last time he kissed her, let alone talk.
He waited for Hermione outside her room, wanting to share the news he just heard from Dumbledore when he saw her walking up the stairs.
"Hey stranger." Hermione smiled tiredly at him, unlocked her door and ushered them inside. She threw off her robes and kicked off her shoes, collapsing onto the sofa with a sigh.
"You ok?" Harry asked, settling himself next to her.
"Besides being extremely tired, overloaded with work, having cramps and everything else, I'm just great." Hermione nestled into Harry's shoulder.
"So, how was your talk with Dumbledore?"
"Well, I asked him about Samantha coming for Ron's birthday and he said he didn't see a problem with it. Although, one of us would have to go to Hogsmeade, apparate to where she is, bring her back there and walk or floo her back to school. He said if she stayed with you for that weekend, it wouldn't be a problem. I would wait to tell her until after that dance Ron is going to with her, if you still want is a surprise."
"True," Hermione agreed, excited that she could once again surprise Ron.
"I also talked to him about the wedding and he was very excited, well as excited as Dumbledore can get, and he would love to officiate the wedding."
"Good. I think having it here at school is a great idea. There are beds for everyone who needs to stay over and since there aren't any students here, we can lift the apparition ban and Muggles will be able to drive, take the train or whatever to get here." Hermione yawned. "Plus, it is where we met."
"Sure is." Harry hugged her and gave her a soft kiss. "Why don't you get in bed and I'll lay with you til you fall asleep?" She nodded, disappeared into the bathroom to wash up and get ready. She came out and jumped into the bed, snuggling down beside Harry.
"You know how happy I am?" Hermione said softly, listening to his heart beat under her ear.
"Umm, very?" Harry answered and felt her hand come up across his chest and lay on his shoulder, his heart swelling with emotions and love for her. He couldn't wait for the moment that he could hold her like this every night in their very own bed, in their very own house.
"I love you," he whispered and felt a gentle squeeze. "I'll be here when you wake up if you want."
"That would be wonderful. I love you too." Hermione hooked a leg in between his and was asleep in minutes, letting Harry lay there, running a hand through her hair, alone with his thoughts, drifting to sleep.
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Meanwhile, while Hermione and Harry had an early bedtime, Ron was stretched out on the rug in front of the fire, writing Samantha a note. Seamus and Lavender were snogging in a corner and Ron kept his back to them on purpose. He heard a sudden POP and glanced at the fire, seeing Malfoy's head.
"You look like hell, Malfoy," Ron chortled at his own joke.
"Very funny, Weasley," he rolled his eyes. "My cronies, as you all call them, think it would be a good idea if we did a Chess Match every Friday…you game?"
"Sure." Ron shrugged.
"Anything to bring peace to the two houses," he added sarcastically.
"Why would we want to do that?" Draco sighed.
"I also was wondering if I still need to go through you to ask your sister to the dance."
Ron scooted closer to the fire. "I think we are kind of past that now aren't we?"
"Are we?"
"I would say so. Just remember my warning. Ginny just came down and is doing homework, you want to ask her?"
"I think I would rather do it in person than with three quarters of my body missing."
"Floo on in then. She's at the table, but Lavender and Seamus are in a corner, snogging." Ron warned. Draco grimaced, pulled his head back and Ron moved his letter as Draco stepped out of the fireplace, rather steadily. Ron scrambled to his feet, folding his letter and saw Draco looking in the direction of Seamus.
"Merlin, why must they do that where you can see?"
Ron shrugged, this being the third night in a row he was growing used to averting his eyes from that corner. Ron threw
himself down on the sofa, jerking a finger behind him where Ginny was sitting, her back to the corner and to the
fire.
Draco stepped around the sofa, walked over to Ginny startling her as he sat in the chair beside her.
"What-what are you doing here? Everything ok?" Ginny asked, her stress level going sky high as he sat here next to her, in a very sexy dark purple shirt.
"Yes, why?" Draco rested his arm on the table and slid her parchment towards him, looking at her Transfiguration Essay and Potions Homework.
"Ummm…you're here. In my Common Room…how did you get here?"
"Floo…you can do that between Common Rooms."
"Oh." Ginny seemed to be saying that a lot around him. She watched him reading through her homework and sat silently, knowing he would tell her what he was doing there when he was ready. In the background she could hear Seamus and Lavendar making noises; she could hear Ron's quill scratching away.
Draco slid her homework to her, "Looks good; you know your Potions."
"Thanks. But, I am not done yet." She pushed another piece over to him and tapped it, "This stumps me. Draught of Peace, I know I learned it last year, and managed to get it to work, but I think it was luck."
Draco slid it towards him and skimmed down the page.
"That is a tough one, especially trying to measure Hellebore in the exact amount. I found that if you take the leaves and add them first, then add the stalk a bit at a time until you get the right amount then draught works much better, rather than adding the whole plant in one piece."
Ginny stared at him. "I never thought of that. Did you figure that out yourself?"
Draco nodded, sliding the paper back to her, watching her take notes, then suddenly slamming down her Quill.
"Seamus! Can't you take it upstairs or something? You'll have the room to yourself if you haven't noticed…Dean is gone; Neville is probably with Luna; Harry is in Hermione's room and Ron is down here!" Ginny glared at them as Lavender offered quick apology and they trotted up the stairs.
"Way to go Gin. That was asking them nicely," Ron said from the sofa.
"At least they're gone. Sounded like they were going to eat each other," she muttered picking up her quill.
"Then they would both be gone forever in a matter of seconds," Ron offered, folding his letter and standing up. "I am up to the Owlry. Then to annoy Seamus and go to bed, snoring loudly for them," he came over and looked over his sister's shoulder, reading her Draught of Peace.
"Merlin, that would have been so much easier if someone had told me to add the leaves separately, back then. Mine might have actually worked!"
"I doubt it," Ginny and Draco said in unison, looking at each other and then laughing. Ron frowned at them.
"Gits. Off to find my owl," he ruffled Ginny's hair and walked out of the Common Room not caring it was past curfew, figuring a Prefect and Head Boy were holed up in one room, Head Girl asleep in another and he didn't really care about Filch much at the moment.
Ginny realized she was alone with Draco, set her quill down and turned to him.
"Why are you here?" She asked softly and rested her hand on top of his. She felt him take his other hand and begin to trace the back of her hand.
"Mainly to ask you to the dance."
"Oh, okay." Ginny smiled. "Ask away."
"Ha ha. You are almost as funny as your brother."
"Hereditary disorder, I suppose," Ginny said seriously and Draco rolled his eyes again.
"Fine, I will let you off the hook. Yes." Ginny answered, excited that he finally asked. "Are you going to Hogsmeade?"
Draco nodded. "I need to do some paperwork at the bank, so I will be there most of the day. Exciting I know."
"What are you doing with all these meetings and such?" Ginny asked, fearing he would not answer but having the need to know.
To her surprise he smiled. "I can't tell you yet. I would if I could, but you'll find out soon enough."
"Fine. Secrets, secrets," Ginny kidded and stood up, more awake now than she had been an hour earlier, and it wasn't even 11pm yet. She walked over to the smaller table near the stairs and poured some water for her and Draco, handing him his glass while she stayed standing. She nodded towards the sofa and he got up and followed her, sitting next to her and setting his glass next to hers on the table.
To Ginny's delight, they actually had a conversation. They chatted about school events, but also about the rumor that Professor Sunnyvale was leaving like most DADA teachers seemed to do; they talked about meeting at Hogsmeade possibly and seeing how many more pictures would appear in the paper with them on the front. Some time during their talk, Ron came back and headed upstairs for bed, bearing an armful of snacks. He tossed a bag of chips to Ginny and she and Draco munched on them as the houses settled in for the evening.
Before they knew it, it was 1am and Ginny started yawning.
"Sorry; I had an 8am class." She smiled apologetically, raised her arms and stretched like a cat.
"Sleepy Ginny," Draco said softly and she looked at him curiously.
"What?"
"On the train, you were sleepy after I woke you; you have that same look now," his hand reached out and touched her face, "you had creases right here, remember?"
Ginny smiled and leaned a little into his touch, "I did? I must have looked a fright."
"No, quite the opposite actually," was the answer Ginny least expected to hear. He was moving towards her in a way that made her recline onto the sofa, positioning herself so she was laying under him. Her hand came up and brushed his hair lightly, rejoicing in this serious moment.
"What does a sleepy Draco look like?" she asked him, running a hand down his back. He shrugged a little and looked at her, eyes very dark and his mouth so close to hers she could feel his lips move against hers when he talked.
"I have no idea. You will have to tell me sometime," and with that he finally met her lips, feeling her mouth open immediately to welcome him, and her hand coming to the back of his head, pulling him closer.
Ginny could feel Draco relaxing, his body felt like it was pouring into hers and it was at that moment he pulled away.
"Not here," he whispered and struggled to stand up, pulling her with him seeing a look pass across her face.
"Follow me," he held her hand, led her to the fireplace and in one swift move floo'd them back to his common room.
In the morning, Ron noticed his sister's books were still at the table she was studying at the night before. Frowning, he piled them up and set them on the girls staircase and wandered down to breakfast. There he found Ginny eating across from Lavender and he also noticed Draco was at his table.
Sliding in across from her he stared at her when she looked up at him.
"You forgot to put your books away," he said in a low voice.
"Oh. Sorry, I'll get them when I'm done," she said turning back to her bowl of cereal.
"Did you sleep with him?" Ron asked pointedly. Ginny's spoon clattered into the bowl and she looked up at him expecting for her anger to rise to the surface but instead she took a deep breath, not wanting to argue.
"No, I didn't."
Ron stared at her a moment longer to make sure she wasn't lying and when she held his gaze he knew she wasn't.
"Just…be careful," he said quietly, his hand clenching the spoon he was holding. Ginny reached over and touched his hand.
"I am, Ron. Not counting Percy I am the most careful one in the family…just remember that," she smiled at him and he just nodded, then felt Harry sit down heavily next to him and the conversation was over.
Hermione looked from Ron to Ginny then to Harry. She had noticed Ginny's books on the stairs and got the feeling that she went somewhere, and didn't come back to her own bed. Catching Harry's eyes they looked at each other just in time for Ginny to look up and catch their gaze.
"I didn't sleep with him…does that make you feel better? Did you ever just fall asleep next to someone without having sex?" she hissed and Hermione looked at her.
"I think we all have at one time or another. It's just…nothing. WE just need to get used to it that's all," Hermione patted Ginny's arm and changed the subject to the upcoming dance and Ron jumped in saying his mother sent him money to get fitted for a suit…which got Ginny giggling and soon the whole table was laughing, momentarily forgetting who Ginny had spent the night with.