Drabble: Lessons in Strategy
Oct. 3rd, 2013 03:37 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
alisanneTitle: Lessons in Strategy
Author:alisanne
Pairing(s): Neville Longbottom/Ginny Weasley, highlight if you want to be spoiled for the other *Severus Snape/Harry Potter *
Word Count: 100 x 6
Rating: G
Warnings: None
Betas:sevfan and emynn
Challenge: Written for![[insanejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/ij-community.gif)
neville100's prompt #265: Wizard’s Chess
Disclaimer: The characters contained herein are not mine. No money is being made from this fiction, which is presented for entertainment purposes only.
A/N: Ron's not the only chess player who's a master of strategy.
~
Lessons in Strategy
~
“Brave man,” George said, passing Neville. “Ronnie hasn’t lost a wizard chess game in ages.”
Ron rolled his eyes, but smiled. “He’s right. Sure you want to do this?”
“Positive.” Neville watched Ron set up the chess board. “Nice set.”
“Anniversary gift from Hermione.”
Neville smiled. “That’s true love.”
Ron waved his wand, animating the pieces. “We should wager something.”
“Sure. If I win, you give me Ginny’s new Floo address.”
“You're a fast worker. She and Harry just separated.” Ron smirked. “When I win, you’ll tell me who Harry's dating. I know you know.”
Neville smiled. “I do. Deal.”
~
“Who taught you to play wizard chess?” Ron asked after several minutes.
Neville smiled. “My gran. She’s a brilliant player.”
“I see.” As Neville moved his bishop, Ron smirked, “She’s a conservative player, isn’t she?”
“Yes,” Neville conceded, sighing as Ron’s rook confiscated his bishop. “Still, it allowed us to bond.”
Ron nodded. “I’m a bit more...unorthodox. I believe in strategy.”
“Makes sense.” Neville could see Ron was attempting to back him into a corner. “Although I should tell you, my other chess partner’s a bit unorthodox, too.”
“Who?”
Neville grinned as Ron left his queen wide open. “Luna.”
~
“Give me a hint about who Harry’s dating,” Ron said once he’d stopped laughing.
Neville shrugged. “I can’t stop you from guessing.”
“Right.” Ron chewed his bottom lip. “It has to be someone at Hogwarts.”
Neville made a non-committal sound.
“Getting warm?” Ron hummed. “Well, I know it’s not you since you want Ginny’s Floo address.”
Neville chuckled. “That’s a safe bet.”
“It’s a bloke, because that’s why they broke up.”
Neville cheered internally as Ron made the perfect wizard chess move to let him win. “Mmmhm.”
Ron’s eyes narrowed. “There’s only one staff member young enough--”
Neville grinned. “Checkmate.”
~
Ron stared at the wizard chess board in shock. “You checkmated me.”
“Yep.” Neville smiled. “Great game.”
“Great?” Ron shook his head. “Try brilliant!”
“Congratulations, Neville!” George gave him a thumbs up.
Neville waved. “So, about my...prize,” he murmured.
“Right.” Ron coughed. “Not sure I should do that, mate. I mean, I can ask Ginny if she minds if I give to you--”
“That works.”
Ron smiled. “Then I’ll have the answer in about a minute.” And, just as he spoke, the Floo flared green and Ginny stepped into the Burrow. Ron’s smiled turned wicked. “I’ll be right back.”
~
Neville smiled as Ron started to stand. “Never mind.”
Ron blinked. “But--” His face cleared and he sat back down. “You’re worried she doesn’t like you? It’ll be okay. The breakup with Harry was fine--”
“Wizard chess?” Ginny said, settling on the arm of Neville’s chair. “Ooh, you won, Neville? Brilliant!” And, leaning in, she kissed him.
When they separated, Ron was staring. “What the hell?”
Ginny smirked. “We’ve been dating for weeks. We decided tonight’s the perfect time to tell Mum and Dad.”
Ron gaped. “But you wanted Ginny’s Floo address, that’s why we played--”
Neville smiled. “Not exactly.”
~
Ron huffed. “What’s going on?”
Ginny smiled. “You’re a fierce wizard chess player.”
“Right,” Ron agreed.
“We thought this would be a way to break the news,” Neville said.
Ron’s eyes narrowed. “What news?”
“Earlier, you asked who Harry’s dating.” Neville coughed. “You almost had it.”
Ron froze.
Harry, holding Snape’s hand, stumbled through the Floo. Neville smiled. “This game was all strategy. I promised Harry I’d prepare the way for him to share his news.”
Ginny grinned. “And now you won’t say something stupid and make Snape hex you.”
“Bloody hell.” Ron sighed. “I need strategy lessons from you.”
~
Author:
alisannePairing(s): Neville Longbottom/Ginny Weasley, highlight if you want to be spoiled for the other *Severus Snape/Harry Potter *
Word Count: 100 x 6
Rating: G
Warnings: None
Betas:
sevfan and emynnChallenge: Written for
neville100's prompt #265: Wizard’s ChessDisclaimer: The characters contained herein are not mine. No money is being made from this fiction, which is presented for entertainment purposes only.
A/N: Ron's not the only chess player who's a master of strategy.
~
Lessons in Strategy
~
“Brave man,” George said, passing Neville. “Ronnie hasn’t lost a wizard chess game in ages.”
Ron rolled his eyes, but smiled. “He’s right. Sure you want to do this?”
“Positive.” Neville watched Ron set up the chess board. “Nice set.”
“Anniversary gift from Hermione.”
Neville smiled. “That’s true love.”
Ron waved his wand, animating the pieces. “We should wager something.”
“Sure. If I win, you give me Ginny’s new Floo address.”
“You're a fast worker. She and Harry just separated.” Ron smirked. “When I win, you’ll tell me who Harry's dating. I know you know.”
Neville smiled. “I do. Deal.”
~
“Who taught you to play wizard chess?” Ron asked after several minutes.
Neville smiled. “My gran. She’s a brilliant player.”
“I see.” As Neville moved his bishop, Ron smirked, “She’s a conservative player, isn’t she?”
“Yes,” Neville conceded, sighing as Ron’s rook confiscated his bishop. “Still, it allowed us to bond.”
Ron nodded. “I’m a bit more...unorthodox. I believe in strategy.”
“Makes sense.” Neville could see Ron was attempting to back him into a corner. “Although I should tell you, my other chess partner’s a bit unorthodox, too.”
“Who?”
Neville grinned as Ron left his queen wide open. “Luna.”
~
“Give me a hint about who Harry’s dating,” Ron said once he’d stopped laughing.
Neville shrugged. “I can’t stop you from guessing.”
“Right.” Ron chewed his bottom lip. “It has to be someone at Hogwarts.”
Neville made a non-committal sound.
“Getting warm?” Ron hummed. “Well, I know it’s not you since you want Ginny’s Floo address.”
Neville chuckled. “That’s a safe bet.”
“It’s a bloke, because that’s why they broke up.”
Neville cheered internally as Ron made the perfect wizard chess move to let him win. “Mmmhm.”
Ron’s eyes narrowed. “There’s only one staff member young enough--”
Neville grinned. “Checkmate.”
~
Ron stared at the wizard chess board in shock. “You checkmated me.”
“Yep.” Neville smiled. “Great game.”
“Great?” Ron shook his head. “Try brilliant!”
“Congratulations, Neville!” George gave him a thumbs up.
Neville waved. “So, about my...prize,” he murmured.
“Right.” Ron coughed. “Not sure I should do that, mate. I mean, I can ask Ginny if she minds if I give to you--”
“That works.”
Ron smiled. “Then I’ll have the answer in about a minute.” And, just as he spoke, the Floo flared green and Ginny stepped into the Burrow. Ron’s smiled turned wicked. “I’ll be right back.”
~
Neville smiled as Ron started to stand. “Never mind.”
Ron blinked. “But--” His face cleared and he sat back down. “You’re worried she doesn’t like you? It’ll be okay. The breakup with Harry was fine--”
“Wizard chess?” Ginny said, settling on the arm of Neville’s chair. “Ooh, you won, Neville? Brilliant!” And, leaning in, she kissed him.
When they separated, Ron was staring. “What the hell?”
Ginny smirked. “We’ve been dating for weeks. We decided tonight’s the perfect time to tell Mum and Dad.”
Ron gaped. “But you wanted Ginny’s Floo address, that’s why we played--”
Neville smiled. “Not exactly.”
~
Ron huffed. “What’s going on?”
Ginny smiled. “You’re a fierce wizard chess player.”
“Right,” Ron agreed.
“We thought this would be a way to break the news,” Neville said.
Ron’s eyes narrowed. “What news?”
“Earlier, you asked who Harry’s dating.” Neville coughed. “You almost had it.”
Ron froze.
Harry, holding Snape’s hand, stumbled through the Floo. Neville smiled. “This game was all strategy. I promised Harry I’d prepare the way for him to share his news.”
Ginny grinned. “And now you won’t say something stupid and make Snape hex you.”
“Bloody hell.” Ron sighed. “I need strategy lessons from you.”
~
