A/N: Well, here it is, the 26th chapter. I know I said I'd post around Tuesday, but hey, my life sucks and I got food poisoning on Saturday night. (Stupid bastards at Del Taco! I'm never eating there again)! I'm just about over it. Dude, it really threw me through a loop. I couldn't eat or write anything! It was nothing short of torture, I assure you.

Lock and Key

Chapter 26

The dark March sky glittered with the millions of burning, bodies of gas. The moon was in its first quarter and covered by only a few, thin clouds. On the pinnacle of the Astronomy Tower laid a boy and girl, with she being on top of him. They had been enjoying the night and each other's company for at least an hour.

"We're well past curfew, aren't we?" Harry asked, one arm thrown across her back.

"It's not that late!" Hermione replied, not sounding too sure of herself.

"We can go back if you want."

"No. I like it up here, with you…" she answered quietly, looking down at him adoringly.

"Good," he smiled, looking into her brown eyes. He gave her a small kiss.

"Are you rid of Malfoy yet?" Hermione questioned, putting her chin on her arm (that rested on his chest).

"Tomorrow! It's our last time. We see if the final product works by testing it on a spider."

"The potion itself sounds extremely cruel."

"Yeah…," Harry vaguely responded, "You know, Malfoy's been acting weird lately. He's much quieter, and he hasn't had a go at me in awhile."

"Yes, I've noticed it as well. But you should savor it while it lasts."

"Yeah…," he noted, his left hand holding his head. He gazed at her intently, eyes sweeping over every aspect of her face. She stared back, though mainly in his captivating eyes. God, they were so gorgeous.

"I love your hair," mumbled Hermione, running a hand through it.

"My hair?" Harry repeated, grinning.

"Yes," she smiled.

"Why? I can't stand it!"

"Honestly!"

"Yes. It never lies flat, and no matter what I do to improve it, it always looks the same. The only thing it does successfully is get messier!" he explained.

"But that's what makes it so… endearing! I think it's adorable." Hermione commented fondly.

"Well, you can have it."

"I'd rather have the entire package."

"Ah, but you have that." Harry smiled.

"I know," she giggled. They went through a third interval of silence in which they stared at each other again, but this time the stillness was broken by a kiss and not speech.

Their first kiss was slow and full of gentleness. Hermione took Harry's face in her hands as his loose right arm tightened. (He placed his left hand on her hip). They began to kiss a little more firmly, as if their need to be close had intensified. Hermione detached herself after a few minutes for air, the separation not pleasing Harry, before going back in. she caught his lower lip in her mouth and pulled back a bit, teasingly. He growled softly and she smiled.

"Not fair," he told her. She commenced kissing him properly once more. Just as their kisses were becoming more impassioned, but not yet at the rate of snog kisses, Hermione slipped her tongue inside Harry's mouth. He groaned loudly as his hand moved further down her leg and his arm constricted across her back. Their tongues interacted wholeheartedly with one another while their owners seemed to be in their individual blissful worlds. If the air was cold or uncomfortable in any way, neither Gryffindor noticed.

Too absorbed in what they were doing, Harry didn't notice that his right hand had disappeared in Hermione's hair. He did, on the other hand, have this sudden, insane urge to be on top of her. Falling at its mercy, he vigilantly, but swiftly, turned over so that she was beneath him. Hermione did not seem to mind this, but was disrupted by their lips (and tongues) coming apart. Moaning, she grabbed Harry's face once more and reinitiated their kissing. Things were escalating, which meant things were also speeding up. Their breathing was becoming irregular and their heart rates had definitely accelerated. Harry had entirely forgotten about his left hand, but if he would have truly wanted to think about it, he would have realized it was following the dangerous path his sub-conscience mind had already taken.

Hermione felt a jolt travel down her spine as an unknown force moved somewhere on her body with a steady tenacity. It was nearing a sensitive area, perhaps even a seemingly forbidden area, and caused her to moan clamorously. It wasn't until Harry started kissing her ear that she registered it was his hand.

"H-Harry!" she gasped, short of air.

"What?" he whispered in her ear. That caused her eyes to involuntarily close and another shiver to run down her spine.

"You… we…" she weakly started.

"What?"

"I… I t-think we're going too far." Harry tore his eyes away from her face and peered down at their bodies. His right hand hovered near one of her breasts, but that wasn't what had caught Hermione's attention. It was the fact that his left hand had pushed her skirt up by a small margin and was currently underneath it. Turning beet red, Harry rapidly removed his hand and got off of her. Embarrassment filled every fiber in his body as he sat there, staring fixedly at the blanket she had conjured. Hermione sat up as well, fixing her skirt and pushing her hair behind her ears. She stole a glance from him—he looked mortified.

"God, Hermione… I-I'm sorry." Harry awkwardly apologized, continuing not to look at her.

"It's all right," she answered softly, hugging her knees. They didn't vocalize another sound for five minutes as they merely sat there. She would glance at him, but he didn't have the heart to do so in return.

"We should probably go back," he muttered. Harry stood up and offered her a hand, all without meeting her eyes. Hermione accepted it as he magically disposed of the blanket with the other. The two then began their journey back to Gryffindor Tower under the Cloak, apparently to only stay in perpetual silence. Harry had still not looked at her and it was starting to make Hermione feel badly.

She looked at him. His face was troubled, and shame & confusion were clearly visible. Not able to bear it any longer, Hermione took his right hand in her left. At long last, Harry turned his gaze on her face. She gave him an encouraging smile, wanting him to stop beating himself up over what had happened up there. She didn't blame Harry for what he had done, or almost done; their snog had, basically, gotten much too heated before either one realized what was occurring. What was more, Hermione knew he would never hurt her or try anything without her consent.

No, Harry had a large, strict conscience, which was why he was so shaken by his actions at the moment. What Hermione was having problems with was herself, her own feelings. Yes, she had ceased what they had been doing, in order to keep them from possibly shagging on the Astronomy Tower, but it had been halted much more out of fear. Hermione feared how wonderful Harry made her feel when he simply touched her, she feared how much she lost herself when he did so… she feared that one day she would lose absolute control of the situation. Because he's Harry. No, because he meant the world to her and she was often blindsided by this fact; only Harry had this invisible power that bound her. You've never met anyone else who makes you feel this way—no one, she thought. All right… maybe it was because he was Harry.

They reached the Fat Lady. Before the password was spoken, Hermione leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.

"It's okay Harry," she promised, still gripping his hand.

"It doesn't feel that way," Harry countered, looking at her with imploring eyes, "I… I was… I didn't think—"

"Harry, I'm all right, honestly. I'm not angry with you and I don't think badly of you. Just… forget about it."

"Yeah… yeah, I'll try."

"Good," she said, kissing his cheek once more. They had hardly talked about it, and anyone eavesdropping would have been hopelessly bewildered, but they knew one another's thoughts regarding the topic. From then on it was buried and not mulled over… at least, not out loud.

Draco Malfoy sat in the Slytherin common room, effortlessly completing his Defense Against the Dark Arts essay. His last class of the day, Potions, had ended about an hour ago. He and Harry had finally turned in their ice blue, tasteless potion. Snape had interrogated them on it, with the harder questions directed at Harry, but both boys had answered his inquiries well. Snape seemed satisfied with the Sixth Sense and congratulated Malfoy on a job well done, conveniently forgetting Harry's equal hand in the serum. (Harry didn't care, so long as Snape conveniently remembered when he marked down a grade).

Malfoy dipped his quill in the inkbottle and stifled a yawn, starting to write in his neat, confined script. So, he was now free to approach Weasley…. A smirk appeared on his face as Zabini, Crabbe, and Goyle walked over to his empty table. Blaise was smiling.

"What's funny?" Malfoy wondered, asking the question out of obligation rather than fascination.

"Crabbe broke a first year's wand for accidentally stepping on his shoe," he reported. Crabbe and Goyle laughed. The Head Boy didn't reply, not amused by their childish antics at the moment. Pansy Parkinson suddenly came ambling into the common room, looking hot and bothered. She let out a short scream, causing everyone to look at her. Malfoy did everything in his power to not roll his eyes; he was not in the mood for her inevitable drama either.

"What happened now? Another bloke blew her off after she shagged him?" joked Zabini, chuckling and looking at Malfoy. You're one to talk, Malfoy thought, You've yourself called on Pansy for her services. Pansy stomped over to the boys, glaring at anyone in her field of view.

"I hate Granger!" she shouted.

"Is that all?" Malfoy asked, folding his arms.

"That… wench, gave me detention and took 20 points from Slytherin!"

"What happened?" Blaise pondered. Pansy huffed, hands on her hips.

"A third year Hufflepuff refused to get out of my way, so I put a Full Body-Bind on him!" (She left out the part that she hadn't asked the boy to move and that she'd attacked him from behind).

"That's not very prefect like," grinned Blaise.

"I loathe her, Draco," she ranted, "Who does she think she is! She thinks just because she's Head Girl, she can do anything! She had no right to that position in the first place! I want revenge, for everything she's ever done to me!"

"Don't worry Pansy; Granger will get hers very soon, that I can promise you," smiled Malfoy, leaning forward. The other four looked at one another, intrigued, and then back at Malfoy. Goyle, who felt differently for Hermione ever since she saved him from the dementor, had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"What do you have planned?" wondered Zabini, lowering his voice.

Ron went back to his solitary state, but this time he seemed to pull farther into it. He appeared concentrated half of the time, but the other half he came off as dejected. Now, as opposed to then, he was by himself much more. Harry felt glum and resolved to try to bring the old Ron back, especially after an upset Ginny came to him asking what was wrong with her brother. After all, he felt as if he was to blame for Ron's behavior.

"You're not going to eat Harry?" Hermione asked at lunch. He sat with a full plate in front of him and stared straight ahead. He had a fistful of hair in his left hand.

"No," he mumbled.

"You're not hungry?"

"No."

"You're thinking about Ron, aren't you?" she quietly wondered.

"Yes." Harry sighed.

"Have you talked to him?"

"I tried! He told me he was 'just fine', or rather muttered it to me! Besides that, we haven't really talked for about a week. Something's changed and I hate it." Hermione looked about the table despairingly and exhaled as he ceased slouching.

"I'll talk to him, before he goes on his rounds," she reported, staring at the entrance—Ron was walking in. Harry waved at his best friend, flagging him down. (He might not have sat with them otherwise).

"You weren't in the room so I couldn't invite you with us," Harry started, when the redhead was seated, "I thought you'd want to get here early, since you missed breakfast and everything."

"Yeah, I was… someplace else." Ron said, clearly not elaborating on the issue. Harry nodded stupidly, thinking of something else to say. Why are you avoiding us like the plague? What is wrong!

"Uh, I was going to study later in the library for Defense. Do you want to come? We could go to the kitchens after that and see Dobby," he offered up.

"I have… rounds."

"So we'll do it before then." Both Harry and Hermione were gazing at him.

"Er… I dunno Harry. I'm, busy, almost all day. Maybe tomorrow, yeah?" Ron commented, eyeing the noodles he was spinning with his fork.

"Yeah." Harry murmured unenthusiastically, slouching back down again. Hermione bit her lip and stared down at her hands, sadly pondering what was happening. Ron briefly closed his eyes, ignoring the torrent of emotions coming on.

Ron passed a portrait of three unicorns sitting lazily in a grassy field, their tails flicking occasionally.

"Hermione, we…," he mumbled under his breath, "No. Hermione… I—" He adjusted the book in his hand, brow furrowed.

"So, we're not eleven anymore," he tried again, "Ah, no! Um… hey, remember the Yule Ball?" Ron let out a quiet growl and temporarily gave up. He thought about Hermione instead. Soon enough, however, Harry inescapably made his way into the picture, and then the thought of all the time they spent together followed. Ron clenched his teeth in frustration. In truth, he couldn't stand any of it: his feelings for Hermione, her bond with Harry, why that bond bothered him, and why he felt isolated as of late. Their friendship had never been so complicated, and Ron longed for those earlier years of simplicity.

"Hi Ron!" a third year happily greeted, walking by him.

"Hey, Euan…" he responded.

"Ah, Weasley—king to the little people," someone smartly noted from behind. Ron stopped and turned around. A particular blonde Slytherin was in back of him, smirking.

"Going to class Weasley?" he asked.

"Yes, so bugger off Malfoy." Ron threatened, resuming his walk.

"Going off to fail, then." Malfoy remarked. Ron didn't reply and hurried his pace. The Head Boy followed, saying:

"Hold on there Weasel—I need to talk to you."

"Are you serious," Ron indecorously wondered, facing him, "About what!"

"Something that will definitely interest you," he replied with a small grin. Ron's anger left his face and was replaced by minor puzzlement. Malfoy began walking and this time, Ron had to stay in step.

"It's about Potter and Granger."

"What could you possibly know that I don't?" snorted the Weasley boy.

"Plenty," the blonde assured, hitting Ron in the chest with a hand. He scowled in jealousy, outrage, and trepidation. Malfoy didn't know anything! He was bluffing… right?

"I don't know why I'm going to tell you this… why should I care? Maybe it's because you're a fellow pureblood…" Malfoy said.

"Yeah right," grumbled Ron. The Head Boy smiled. Perhaps the Weasel wasn't a complete idiot.

"So… is Granger going out with anyone?" he pondered, diving in.

"No."

"Is Potty?"

"No, Harry is not."

"Hmm…. Are you certain?" Malfoy asked, scratching his chin.

"Yes," Ron snapped, thoroughly annoyed, "Malfoy, what does any of this—"

"They're lying," he boldly stated. Ron became immobile.

"W-What?" he wondered, staring at the Slytherin.

"Your so-called friends are lying to you," Malfoy quietly revealed.

"N-No. T-They would've said—"

"In fact, they're a couple—Potter and Granger." The world seemed to lose sound. The chatter of the students around them, along with the noise of their shoes clicking against the floor, died away. Ron's head began to spin out of control. No, no… this was Malfoy… he was the one lying. It couldn't be true!

"Yes Weasley," Malfoy said, solely breaking through the sound barrier, "Your good friends have been sneaking around your back, and not even I know for how long. But I saw them recently, in the Head Room."

"We can play chess there. You up for it Harry?"

"We're going to do work for Charms. I… I don't know how fun it'll be for you."

"Haven't you ever noticed that they're always gone? Together? Put two and two together—it's because they want to be alone. They've been doing it for awhile and you know it."

"I can't go flying, Ron—Hermione's going to help me with my Potions homework in the library."

"I suppose they didn't want anyone to know for some reason, but to not tell you? Above anyone else? That's low Weasley, wouldn't you agree?"

"Yeah, you're the only one without a girlfriend Ron."

"I'd consider new friends if I were you... Are you going to confront them about this?"

"Sure you're two mates haven't abandoned you , Weasley? Haven't seen you around Harry and Hermione for awhile."

"Sod off Seamus! Things are fine."

"They were really going at it. I don't believe I've ever seen someone's tongue that far down another person's throat." All of the noise of the castle came rushing back to Ron and it hit him like a ton of bricks, with that last statement being the most crippling blow.

"Liar!" Ron snarled viciously. Malfoy stepped back in spite of himself, utterly taken aback. Ron then stormed off in his original direction, leaving Malfoy with a taste of just how strong the redhead actually was.

Ron wanted to disregard everything that had come out of the Head Boy's mouth and write it off as nonsense. He tried that, tried it desperately, but it didn't work. After his conversation with Malfoy, he completely shut everyone out and kept to himself, thinking. Ron recalled upon images of his best friends and noted differences between them; he watched their persons as well, but would not talk to them. It was nerve wrecking, and he felt like he was going out of his head.

Why should he listen to Malfoy? Why! Logic told him not to, but all the ferret had said rang true for Ron. So where did that leave him? Just… confirm Malfoy's wrong, he rationalized one evening, staring blankly into the bare hearth. How? Ron suddenly felt someone's presence linger near him. He didn't turn his head but saw, out of the corner of his eye, that it was Hermione. She opened her mouth, and after a graceless moment, mouthed his name. (He had heard her tell Parvati and Lavender she was going to the Head Room not too long ago). Ron didn't move. She then shook her head as if only realizing something and hurried off.

How? That was the question, wasn't it? You could check the Marauder's Map, a voice breezily suggested. No, no—that was Harry's property…. So? He told you you're free to use it whenever… it's just sitting in his trunk. Yes, spying on your best friends—that's quite low, isn't it?

That's low Weasley, wouldn't you agree?

Ron stood up and then left the common room, not hearing Ginny's call of his name. He would squash that suggestion right now and prove it was stupid: he would go check the map right now. Why not? At the moment, Harry was supposedly in the library. Ron walked into his empty room and instantly saw Harry's trunk. He wiped his palms on his robes, looking at it. This isn't an invasion of privacy, right? No, of course not.

Put two and two together—it's because they want to be alone.

Harry's trunk was open and the map was in Ron's hands. This didn't mean anything; he was simply verifying the fact that Malfoy was a twisted fool. They wouldn't do that to me. We're best mates,Ron thought.

You're good friends have been sneaking around your back…

"I-I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." Print and figures began to appear on the parchment, but he didn't really take any of it in. Harry wouldn't… wouldn't be with Hermione: he knows I fancy her. Ron's eyes searched the paper frantically. Bethany King, Dean Thomas… Argus Filch… David Rice, Terry Boot… Severus Snape…

Haven't you ever noticed that they're always gone? Together?

There. In a classroom, on the fourth floor. Two dots, right next to each other: Harry Potter and Hermione Granger.

I don't believe I've ever seen someone's tongue that far down another person's throat.

The map fluttered to the floor.

"Mischief managed," a voice croaked. Well, so much for the library.

Ron did not eat breakfast the next morning. In fact, Harry hadn't seen him at all in the morning, or the previous night.

"I'm really starting to worry Harry." Hermione confided.

"That makes two of us," he replied. In Transfiguration, Ron was present but chose to ignore Harry & Hermione, and sit with Justin Finch-Fletchley. When the class ended he was the first person out of the door, not having spoken a word (albeit to perform a spell). Harry and Hermione made no attempt to follow him, knowing it'd be inane, but thought something had to be done, and soon.

"I know it was a few days back, but how did your potion go?" she asked as they leisurely walked the halls, trying for a lighter subject.

"Good. Snape approved of it. Malfoy started blabbing on about getting a patent for it and selling it in the wizarding world. I told him he could do whatever he wants with it, and that includes swallowing it." Harry responded.

"Speak of the devil," she mumbled. The Head Boy and his group of Slytherins were leaning casually against a wall further up the corridor.

"Potter, Granger," Malfoy smiled, "Don't want to be late for class now, do you?" The others sniggered.

"Doesn't the routine get old, Malfoy?" wondered Hermione. He made to answer but, his eyes fell on something behind them, along with numerous other pairs. A younger student cried out and Harry turned around, second to Hermione. A Ravenclaw girl stood holding her foot and glaring at an approaching Ron, who looked fit to kill. He appeared enraged about something, and was clutching his wand.

"Ron, what—" started Harry, concerned. But he was cut off by Ron's own voice bellowing:

"EXPELLIARMUS!" Harry flew off his feet, completely caught off guard. Hermione screamed, as did a few others, and the students around them scrambled out of the way but stayed put, intent on seeing the fight.

"Ron!" she yelled, near tears looking to Harry. Ron overlooked her and moved towards Harry, who was back on his feet. He was angry and alarmed.

"What the hell!" he demanded. Ron was staring daggers at him.

"Rictusempra!" he shouted. Harry ducked his head. By the time he recovered, Ron fired another spell.

"Impedimenta!" Harry was now pissed off and thinking clearly. He put up a shield just as the incantation bounced off it. Malfoy was a safe distance away with his friends and looked sadistically full of contorted joy.

"Petrificus totalus!" Harry cried. Ron moved quickly to the side, Harry never leaving his gaze. (The DA was coming in handy at the moment). He tried again:

"Impedimenta!" Harry's shield flew up once more. Oh, the spells he had learned over the months from his training were flying through his brain, but they were too cruel to use on Ron, even if he had lost his mind.

"Aduro!" Harry commanded. Ron let out an aggravated cry as his wand hand was burned, causing him to drop his tool.

"Accio wand," Harry said. Ron's wand flew to him, "What in God's name is your problem!"

"You fucking bastard." Ron remarked savagely, glaring at his best friend. There was a collective gasp. Harry blinked several times and gaped at him.

"Ron, what are you—" Hermione sobbed, taking a muddled step forward.

"Don't you come near me," he snapped. She looked as though she had been slapped. He turned back to Harry. Suddenly three professors came rushing forward, appearing shocked. McGonagall, one of them, had seen most of the exchange.

"Misters Potter and Weasley!" she shrieked.

"You've been going out with Hermione behind my back." Ron steely stated. Harry paled and Hermione had the wind knocked out of her. There was a louder gasp, full of unadulterated shock; even the teachers were stunned still.

"That's right," laughed Ron, "I found out very recently. How long has it been going on? How long have you two been lying to me?" He looked at his friends. Hermione had a hand to her mouth and was on the verge of crying, while Harry looked broken.

"How long," he repeated forcefully, "No, wait. Just tell me it isn't true. Tell me you're not dating," he pleaded.

"R-Ron." Harry tried, his voice extremely hoarse.

"Tell me!" Ron shouted, radiating fury and sadness. Hermione shut her eyes and let the tears fall. He stared at her through the neck hair standing silence.

"So it's true then," he quietly said, "You two, this whole time… my two best friends? Harry, you… you and Hermione… Hermione… even though you knew that I…" Harry closed his eyes and prayed this was all a frightening, frightening dream.

"All right… fine," Ron hollowly mentioned, "I don't want anything to do with either of you, again. Don't talk to me, don't look at me, don't think about me! I'm through with you, through with this apparent friendship! It obviously was a joke because you had no problem ruining it, and making me look, and feel, like an idiot!" He went over to Harry and snatched his wand. Everyone tensed, and their eyes locked. Harry's displayed dull sorrow, and Ron's, vicious betrayal.

"I'm serious—do not speak to me. You left me alone before so you can leave me alone now." He moved back.

"If you two want each other so damn much, then you can have each other," spat Ron bitterly, looking more so at Hermione. She looked back, heartbroken, her whole body shaking from her cries. Ron made to leave as the student spectators commenced whispering recklessly. Professor McGonagall, having her bearings once more, swooped in yelling and demanding order, just as a friendship of seven years fell apart.

A/N: Good God Almighty. Do you see? Do you see how long chapter 25 would have been if I had left all of this in it! Anyway, that's chapter 26. I finally got to that ending scene. It was festering in my head when I first started this fic; I shaped the story around it, in truth… kinda. I have a few things I need to say:

I cannot write out Harry's training sessions because I am not that creative, lol. I'd have to think up many spells for him to use, and they'd have to be from my head, and I'm not in the mood to sit there and make up incantations. So, sorry. I'm not JK Rowling; it's difficult devising spells!

The scene I kept delaying is the Astronomy Tower one right in the beginning of this chapter.

This is the most important of all: I am going to take a little break. I need to contemplate and write out the rest of the story (I'm hoping for 9 or 10 more chapters). I have a basic idea of what I want to happen, and I have a lot of specific… things, I know I'm incorporating in the story, I just have to actually sit down and write it all out. So, yeah, I'm taking a break. I'll definitely post again by the last week of March; by then, I should have most of Lock and Key done. I don't want to stop, and hate leaving the story where I am, but I have to!

Thanks to my faithful readers. You guys rock so hard you're in danger of being heavy metal. See you in a few weeks!