Tweak

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Tweak says, "p4wned,or however you say that"

Seamus Finnigan (openbottle) wrote in finnigans_rpg,
@ 2014-08-31 21:43:00

Entry tags:

character: hermione granger, character: seamus finnigan

Chess
Who: Seamus and Hermione
What: Chess
Where: Finnignan's
When: Sunday evening
Rating: SFW

The pub was always quiet on Sunday nights. Usually Seamus wasn't even downstairs for it, Sunday was his only full day off and after Battlescars, lunch and the Business Bureau there'd be something to do in his flat, whether it was dinner with Dean or planning with Dominic or even paperwork. Tonight, though, the uppermost on his pile of paperwork was the task of dealing with his chef who'd just quit, handing in his two week's notice. Quit because Seamus had shouted at him. He'd deserved the shouting, but that didn't make Seamus feel any better. He'd liked the gruff older man and his culinary mishaps had been amusing. At first.

Seamus carried a Guinness to one of the tables by the window, setting it down and then pulling a pack of cards from his pocket. Dean was at his studio, probably. Seamus didn't actually know for a fact, he didn't keep tabs on him. Anymore. The point was that he wasn't in the bar, which meant Seamus could while away the evening with a round of exploding solitaire. Unless anyone else walked in. (He hoped someone else would walk in! He hated playing alone.)

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openbottle
2014-09-03 01:24 pm UTC (link)

"That's good, then." Seamus relaxed a little more as she sat down. He wondered if he'd ever get over the instinct to prepare for the worst at even the slightest provocation. Probably not. He swept the cards back into his hands. "I was just starting a game of solitaire, but if you'd like we can play Slam instead?" He constantly tried to talk people into card games, but somehow he couldn't quite imagine Hermione playing Slam at all... "Or chess, that seems more your thing. I've got a board upstairs."

He sipped his Guinness with a contented sigh. "How is Teddy?"

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weasley_now
2014-09-04 02:17 am UTC (link)

Hermione watched as Seamus gathered the cards to himself. She had never really cared for card games. It didn't matter how much skill you had, if the shuffle wasn't in your favor you were working against the odds. Hermione smiled when he mentioned chess. Truth was that you couldn't know which move an opponent would make but you could position your own pieces to narrow down their choices.

When he picked up his drink Hermione's eyes followed. "Teddy is well, growing up rather quickly." She didn't mention that when his hair changed color in front of her it reminder her of Tonks and even six years later there was still a pang at the loss of her friend.

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openbottle
2014-09-04 08:35 am UTC (link)

At Hermione's smile, Seamus stood. "I'll just go get it." She hadn't actually said yes, but Seamus liked to press an advantage when he had one. "If you've got time, that is? And can I get you something from the bar on my way back?" He wasn't working, but that didn't mean he was too good to ferry drinks for his friends. Especially friends who might actually give him a run for his money on the chess board (most of his friends, sadly, were eternally hopeless).

Seamus didn't need to ask how old Teddy was now. He'd been born the year of the Battle, which made it somewhat difficult to forget. "He'll be getting into Quidditch and football soon," Seamus said with a smile. "If he isn't already."

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weasley_now
2014-09-04 06:26 pm UTC (link)

"I'd like a butterbeer," she replied reaching into her bag for some coins. Seeing as her work time was going to be waylaid Hermione called her files back to her and positioned them on the seat beside her. It would do no good to leave potentially sensitive information where others could come upon it while she focused on a game of chess.

"Harry's been taking him to matches for at least the past two years. I don't know if he's had any experience with football."

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openbottle
2014-09-04 11:22 pm UTC (link)

It only took Seamus a few minutes to run upstairs and find the chess board, swinging by the bar on his way back to pick up Hermione's butterbeer. He sat back down and laid out the familiar pieces.

"Well, Dean's the football expert, but I wasn't thinking matches. I was playing football with the lads when I was his age." Well, 'football' might be a bit of a stretch to describe what had mostly been kicking the ball around.

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weasley_now
2014-09-05 07:48 pm UTC (link)

Hermione thanked Seamus for her drink and enjoyed a bit of refreshment as he set up the board. While she enjoyed a good game of chess there were days she missed using Muggle boards. Something about moving the pieces on your own and having the ability to rethink a move was a better way to play to her. In Wizard's chess once you called the move it couldn't be retracted. That along with the fact that sometimes the pieces were more violent when dealing with each other than she wished to deal with. Then again that also had to do with how intense the player way and she felt certain that their game wasn't going to be too competitive.

"I'm not sure. We've never really talked aobut it. I guess if Harry or Andromeda have taken him to the park when Muggles have been batting one around then he may have had the experience."

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openbottle
2014-09-06 01:17 pm UTC (link)

Once he'd finished, Seamus turned the board so that Hermione take the initial turn. Ladies first, after all. "Is it getting easier to take him out around muggles now?" Seamus asked with interest. He remembered - it didn't even seem long ago, really - when there'd been concern about Teddy not being in control of his powers.

He sipped his drink quietly, trying to think of further things to say. Hermione still intimidated him, just a little. He liked her - but he couldn't help but wonder if his life of pouring drinks and pondering over budgets would only bore her if he were to talk about it. Still. "You don't happen to know any chefs looking for work, do you?" He was asking pretty much everyone, just in case. If that didn't work he'd put an ad in the Prophet.

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weasley_now
2014-09-06 10:15 pm UTC (link)

Hermione honestly didn't know how Teddy reacted around Muggles or if they even took him out. She tended to limit her interactions to the times when Harry brought him to the flat. "That's a question better answered by Harry. I don't spend as much time with him."

As Seamus turned the board Hermione took a look a the pieces. She hated going first. The initial move set the stage for how the game would unfold. Of course there were opportunities beyond that maneuver the game into one's favor. After calling her move she addressed Seamus' question. "Sorry I don't know of any chefs. It's a shame there haven't been any strides in equal rights for house elves. I'm sure there are several that would prefer to work for you if given the choice."

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openbottle
2014-09-07 04:36 pm UTC (link)

Seamus took the opportunity of staring hard at the board - harder than an opening move really merited, he only had some many options - to try to think of a response to that. He remembered Hermione's SPEW phase, but he'd thought she got over it. "Yeah, a shame," he eventually said, secretly thinking he'd be much more comfortable with a human chef. "The food at Hogwarts was always really good."

He was still casting about somewhat helplessly for conversational topics. "Been up to anything exciting lately?"

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weasley_now
2014-09-08 02:43 am UTC (link)

Hermione was a bit disappointed that Seamus didn't prompt her to go down the road of thought that would allow her to share the strides she was making on her legislative proposal. She had thought that for once she might be ale to have the conversation without all the eye rolling she got from Ron whenever she started on the topic. "Yes, it was. It really is a shame they can't choose where they wish to work."

Taking a moment to decipher the move Seamus had made she moved her next piece. "I sincerely doubt we have the same definition of excitement," she replied sincerely.

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openbottle
2014-09-09 06:23 pm UTC (link)

"Yeah," Seamus agreed vaguely, not willing to have an argument with Hermione about the effect that would have on the economy, let alone tensions in the workplace. It would bring rise to other questions too - would elves need educating at Hogwarts alongside young witches and wizards? He had no doubt Hermione had opinions and answers to all those points, but he had no interest in hearing them tonight.

He chuckled because she had a point. "Maybe not, but tell me if you've done anything you consider exciting."

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weasley_now
2014-09-11 01:40 am UTC (link)

Some of the most exciting things she'd done lately were the findings she'd had toward house elf rights. Interestingly enough she had been able to get Kreacher to pout his way through a conversation about what he wanted from his commitment to Harry. His insight had been monumental to the way she was tweaking her wording. She doubted Seamus wanted to hear that so she went for one of the cases they'd had this week.

"I helped a Muggleborn reclaim her property from the courts," she smiled as she recalled the tears of joy the woman had cried when the bank was ordered to return the deed to her family's land to her hands.

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openbottle
2014-09-11 08:16 am UTC (link)

Seamus nodded silently as he considered his next move before calling out his orders quietly. His chessmen answered him without question, as they had for years. He wasn't necessarily the best player (he could count the number of times he'd bested Ron on one hand) but he'd had this set for years, and they trusted him. It was nice, in a strange way.

"Yeah?" He smiled more at Hermione's smile than at her comment. It was good to see her happy, even if the intricacies of her job were kind of lost on him. "That's good. That what the paperwork's for?"

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weasley_now
2014-09-12 02:08 am UTC (link)

Hermione watched the board and noted the way one of the knight's horse flinched as the piece passed it. It still amazed her how real the pieces seemed. She'd never had a set of her own but she couldn't help but wonder if the pieces had tells that their owner learned to read.

"No, just trying to get some things wrapped up that have been open too long." She focused on her move before continuing. "Surely you don't care about the workings of the solicitor's office. How has your week been? What's been your excitement?"

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openbottle
2014-09-12 06:34 pm UTC (link)

"I might not," Seamus admitted, "but you do, so I don't mind listening. It's better than some of what gets inflicted on me as bartender." If he had to listen through Mr Kilarny's latests purchases for his rock garden one more time Seamus might actually throw beer in his face. But probably not, really.

He shrugged. "Not that much, really. Listened to the Appleby's game with Dean and Susan."

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weasley_now
2014-09-13 12:52 am UTC (link)

Hermione paused their conversation so she could take the time to run move scenarios through her mind. She saw one that there was one move that if Seamus moved his remaining rook to counter ought to create a pattern that would allow her to be the victor. She made the move and then replied to Seamus.

"How is Susan, I haven't seen her lately and it seems that I only see Dean when he's behind the bar?"

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openbottle
2014-09-13 08:22 pm UTC (link)

Without really thinking about it, Seamus moved his rook into what seemed the most sensible space. If he'd been giving the match his full attention, he'd have spotted the trap she'd set for him but... he wasn't.

"They're both good," he answered with a grin. "Dean's birthday was not too long ago so we dragged him in here for drinking. But, you know, he's not normally much of a drinker so he tends to go paint when he's not working."

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weasley_now
2014-09-16 01:03 am UTC (link)

Hermione was a bit relieved that Seamus made the move she needed him to. That meant that if everything went as planned she'd have him at checkmate in three more moves. This meant she could turn her focus to the files she had with her.

"I'm sorry I missed it," Hermione said. She hadn't spent much time with Dean outside of their mutual time at Battlescars. Then again she often didn't find herself in the middle of the various crowds. She preferred more personal interactions.

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openbottle
2014-09-16 10:33 am UTC (link)

It only took a few moves before Seamus could see the trap he'd unwittingly sent his rook into. He was quiet for a while, trying to wriggle his way out of it - but it was no good. He heaved a dramatic sigh as he looked up at her. "Go on then." By this stage, they both knew what was coming. He grinned, showing there were no hard feelings.

"It was good," Seamus said, thinking of the sand and the music and the cocktails with a smile. "But don't worry, I'll think up more excuses to drag him out to socialise before long."

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weasley_now
2014-09-18 03:17 pm UTC (link)

It was interesting for all her brain power and uses of logic chess wasn't something she'd ever cared to actually master. In fact the only reason she usually played the game was to spend time with Ron. That and it allowed him to have a sense of superiority from time to time.

Making the move that would set Seamus' demise into motion she nodded her head. "I don't get out nearly as much as I ought to either." She made a mental note to reach out to Dean. They shared a common experience within the Malfoy Manor the days that followed at Shell Cottage.

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