DESPITE NOOR's earlier joy once she found someone had signed up for her club, once the word 'Weasley' had finally sunk in, Noor was not thrilled.

First, though, she had to figure out which Weasley 'Ron' was.

"Is it the girl one?" Noor asked, as she buttered her scone the next morning at breakfast.

"Last I checked Ron was a boy's name, so no." Astoria said glancing over at the Gryffindor table. "Maybe one of the twins?" She suggested.

"I mean, they seem to be joint at the hip. I doubt one would sign up and not the other."

"Who does that leave?"

"What does what leave?" Blaise asked as he plopped down in the seat in front of them. Blaise was Noor's older brother, and despite the fact they didn't share the same father, they were as close as could be.

"A Weasley signed up to the Chess Club I made." Noor said, through bites of her scone, "We're trying to figure out which one."

"Ugh a Weasley." Blaise said, expressing everything Noor was feeling at that very moment. "What's the name?"

"Ron."

"Oh I know him, he's in my year." He said. "Potter's lackey." Blaise elaborated at their blank looks.

"Oh." Noor said quietly, glancing over at the Gryffindor table, spotting the boy in question, his fiery red hair quite hard to miss. He was sitting next to that Granger girl, saying something, his arms moving animatedly.

Ronald Weasley. There were two things Ronald, or Ron as he seemed to go by, was generally known for. One, being a Weasley and two, being Potter's friend. That was about it.

Which Noor thought to be quite sad. Then again, there was only one thing Noor herself was known for : being a Zabini. So they were alike in that sensibility.

"Are you planning to go to the chess club meeting?" Astoria asked after a minute of silence.

"Probably not, I mean, he's a Weasley. I doubt any of them can actually play chess."

"No, apparently Weasley can play," Blaise interjected. "He won fifty points in my first year for playing 'the greatest game of chess Hogwarts had ever seen'"

Astoria made a face, "Sounds like a bunch of bullshit."

"Yeah." Blaise said, nodding. "Just Dumbledore's way of giving Gryffindor the cup." He said bitterly, sending a glare towards the headmaster sitting at the front of the hall.

"Come on." Astoria said suddenly, breaking Noor out of her daze. "We have to get to class."

Noor stood up, and sending one last look at the red headed Gryffindor, she walked away, trying to put him out of her mind.

But throughout the day, she found her thoughts straying towards him.

She doubted he could actually play, she agreed with Astoria when she had said that it was a bunch of bologna. But the phrase 'greatest game of chess Hogwarts had ever seen' struck a chord in her. It was no secret Noor fancied herself the greatest chess player at Hogwarts, second only to maybe Dumbledore, so hearing that there was someone else who had the title angered her.

She had to beat him.

"Which should be easy." She thought to herself, as she watched him enter the library shoelaces untied, shirt untucked and hair looking as though it hadn't been combed in days.

Noor sat at the back of the library that afternoon, in a secluded cranny near the windows. On the flyer, Noor had been specific about where they'd be playing, so it wasn't long until Weasley walked over to the area she was sitting at. And seeing only her sitting there, looked back down at his flyer, and a look of confusion on his face.

"Hey." She said, catching his attention. "Chess Club's over here."

He turned his gaze over to her and, when he took in her green tie, narrowed his eyes.

"What? No more people?" He asked, arms crossed.

Noor felt herself blush a little at that. "I'm afraid it's just us." She said shortly.

"Just you. I'm not playing with a Slytherin." He said, turning to leave.

"Oh come on! It's a game of chess! Can't we just put away house rivalry for a game?"

He paused, seemingly going over the pros and cons in his head and then, with a sigh, turned around and sat plopped down in front of her.

She started setting the pieces on the board, an awkward silence settled between them.

She cleared her throat, "You go first."

"Is this not a wizard chess board?" He asked, as he tried to command a piece to move.

"No, a muggle one."

This seemed to surprise him a little, as he blinked rapidly. He moved his first piece quietly, and after a few minutes, spoke up, not able to stay quiet, "But, you're a Slytherin."

"Yeah, so?" She said, feeling a little defensive, as she moved her pieces.

"Well," he hesitated, "Don't all Slytherins hate muggles?"

"Well, aren't all Gryffindor's stupid as hell? I guess not, you're not too bad at this game." Noor said absentmindedly, staring down at the board, eyebrows furrowed.

"Gee, thanks."

Noor always sat up straight, her back as straight as a ruler, her posture immaculate - she had been taught to sit like that for as long as she could remember. But, as the game went on she slowly started to slouch in her seat - this game was starting to get harder then she cared to admit.

She had to change tactics, she had to psych him out. Then, maybe, she would have a chance at winning.

"Didn't you earn, like, fifty housepoints in your first year for playing a game of chess?" She said nonchalantly.

He frowned, "It was a life sized chess board that nearly killed me."

"The 'greatest game of chess Hogwarts has ever seen.' That's what Dumbledore called it?"

"Uh, yeah." He said, shifting in his seat, looking nervous.

Noor smiled to herself, it was working.

"The 'greatest game of chess Hogwarts had ever seen.'" She repeated slowly, drawing out every syllable, "Please, I could beat you any day." She scoffed, punctuating her point by taking his knight.

She sat back in her chair and crossed her arms, smirking openly.

That smirk faded as she noticed Ron's unfazed reaction. He locked eyes with her, a smug look on his freckled face, and realisation dawned on Noor : he had lured her into a trap.

"No." She muttered, as Ron moved his king, almost in slow motion, uttering a single word. A word Noor looked forward to saying at the start of every chess match. A word that Noor dreaded hearing at the end of every game. A word that hadn't been said in Noor's direction for over seven years,

"Checkmate."

oof Noor just got owned.

so Noor and Ron finally meet! i'm so excited! we need to start brainstorming a ship name? Roor? Non? i dunno. they all sound shitty.

anyway, vote and comment if you liked it! bye!