A/N: Another week, another chapter. And I posted again like I said I would! Yay me! Okay, I wanna say merci to Danielle, Paige Halliwell, and Lolly O'Neill. Lolly: thanks for the compliment of me getting Draco right. The odd thing is I love him, lol. I don't think he's evil, but he is nasty, there's no denying that. Falron, I know this is overdue, but happy belated birthday anyway. Oh, and thanks for all the people who responded to my Easter question. I got mixed answers but I will improvise, lol.

Lock and Key

Chapter 28

Dean became the new Gryffindor prefect. He was shocked and felt slightly hesitant in accepting the job, mainly because it had been Ron's. Ron, however, insisted it was fine by him since he had lost it. So Dean tried to do his best, still a little nervous but proud as well.

Harry and Hermione became more isolated from Hogwarts with each passing day. The rest of the school seemed to follow Ron's example of letting them be. Most of the population left them alone because they didn't know what exactly was going on, they felt Hermione & Harry wanted to be alone, or because they felt what the two had done to Ron was unforgivable. Their friends, or possibly ex-friends, were the same way: they avoided them because they were confused, felt solitude was what the two craved, or because they were angry at Harry and Hermione for keeping it secret. This noted, a regular colored Malfoy was extremely pleased with his work, though smart enough to not confront any of the trio.

Ron kept to his word and went on as if he had never met the two. He did a good job of ignoring Harry in their dormitory and stopped attending DA meetings. One wasn't held until a week after the infamous fight, and it was indeed odd. At the end a timid Ravenclaw fifth year, amongst a group of curious students, had enough valor to ask Harry about the rumors.

"Yes, I am going out with Hermione. End of story."

"Well, then what about your friend Ron—"

"I'd really like it if you'd just drop it. I'm not going to answer your questions," he hotly revealed. A scowling, silent Ginny was the first one to leave, followed hurriedly by the rest of the group. His roommates threw him glances as they exited the room. (He had not spoken to anyone about his fall out with Ron and that included them. He knew he was pushing them away by not talking, but concluded they had probably formed their own hypothesis about the situation anyway. Hermione had not spoken to her roommates about the matter either).

Luna Lovegood remained when the others had gone, and approached Harry, who was comforting a forlorn looking Hermione.

"I just want to say," she began, "That I do not blame you for anything. You're merely following your hearts and if anyone can't see that, then may a raging retma find them."

"Thanks Luna, that means a lot." Harry murmured, really meaning it. Hermione only nodded.

"They'll come eventually… the ones who truly care about you." As she walked out, Harry wondered if she was still talking to Ron. He angrily deduced that Ron was too stubborn to know when a good thing was in front of him.

Harry may have driven Ron away from the DA, but not from Quidditch. Things did, on the other hand, take on a dramatic change. Harry was the only one whom really spoke, and that was to only give instructions and advice on the plays; the way they used to laugh and talk about anything seemed to have vanished. The other four recognized the tension between their captain, Ron, and Ginny, and certainly did not want to remind them of it by asking questions. Harry also appeared to have developed the inability to say the Keeper's name, and often said, "Um" while looking at Ron to get his attention. Consequently, the redhead had no trouble saying Harry's name, though it was usually elongated and uttered with scorn.

Inevitably, Harry and Hermione's relationship was made known to the wizarding world. There was more than one article published about the two and almost all mentioned the fight with Ron, though details were sketchy. (With four Houses full of kids, whom many had written to various people about Harry Potter and Hermione Granger, it was hard to pinpoint how the press had found out). The editorials made Ron more unyielding in his conviction of an abandoned friendship, and the lovely couple more secluded.

Molly Weasley sent both Harry and Hermione a letter that was essentially the same: each was short and imploring. She was shell-shocked and wanted to know if it was all true. Mrs. Weasley of course wrote to her children; their letters were much longer and demanded answers. In fact, it seemed most all of the Weasleys wrote to Harry, as did Remus. His unofficial godfather was rightfully alarmed and worried, so Harry found it in himself to reply. (He would leave it up to Ron to inform his family of the affair, which he would unarguably do. He would relay to them how Harry had driven the knife right in his back, and then twisted it mercilessly). Hermione decided to write to her parents about the happening, or at least her mother, since they lived in the Muggle world.

Like previous years, Harry received mail from assorted wizards in response to the articles. Figuring most would only bash Hermione (and him, to some extent) for their actions, he didn't bother reading them beyond the fourth. Harry was not in the mood to hear what others thought about his relationship so they were all burnt.

Hermione and Harry's meal schedule had been altered in addition. They would eat breakfast when most had dispelled or not yet arrived, and had a late dinner. Lunch was sometimes forgotten altogether. Hermione had not brought up the subject of NEWTs once since that fateful day, and Harry had dully noticed this. He did not point it out; he felt its significance was non-existent.

Harry sat on the edge of one of Hagrid's gigantic armchairs, mindlessly spinning his teacup on its saucer. Hermione sat right next to him with one leg beneath her and her cup resting on the floor. She had one hand on his knee. Hagrid came back from the stove and sat across from them with a fresh cup of tea and rum. He looked at the two intently a moment before saying:

"'Ow long as it bin since ya spoke tah 'em?"

"Two weeks…"

"Rite sorry, I yam." They met his gaze.

"You know everything?" asked Harry. The half-giant nodded, sighing.

"Perty much. Ased Ron what sactly went down tha uther day in Care. Tol' me, thout so much asa blink. 'E sounded too normal, but looked brokin." It was quiet for a minute, then Hermione blurted out:

"We're so sorry Hagrid. We should have come to visit you more often, and much sooner!"

"Ah—don' bee apalagizin'! Ya 'ad a lot tah do this year; ya both were bezee. I don' blame ya, an' know ya dent'it mean nuthin' by it. 'Sides, with what 'ap'ened erleyer, I'm sure talks wit ol' 'Agrid was tha lass thing on yer min," he lectured. Their former professor studied them again, "Down rite 'orrible." Neither Gryffindor knew what to say.

" 'Ow long 'ave you two bin tagether?" Hagrid pondered.

"Since November," Harry responded. The man nodded, looking solemn, "You… you don't think we're… terrible, for doing this, do you Hagrid?"

"Course not," he declared, "Yer mad fer askin' that! You two 'ave a rite tah bee wit one anuther! In fact, I'm glad ya are. I always knew there was sumthin' spechelle 'tween you two. Could tell by tha way yer always talked 'bout esh uhter, to esh uther, looked at esh uther. Anyone who knew ya well 'nough shuda seen it. Jus' glad it fine'ly 'ap'ened. Ya daserve it."

"Yeah, it finally happened and now everyone hates us." Harry noted, taking Hermione's hand in his.

"Rite now, ya jus say, 'Ta hell wit 'em'. They'll git over it soon 'nough. An' if they don', then yer better off thout 'em," offered Hagrid.

"But what about R-Ron? We… we really hurt him. He's never going to forgive us." Hermione said.

"Yeah, well, wit Ron…thas a delakit sitchuation."

"We should have told him. We shouldn't have waited so long. We shouldn't have been so afraid." Harry commented.

"I dunno 'Arry. Maybe 'e woulda bin 'urt no mattar when ya tol' 'em. Tha only thing lef fer Ron now is time—time tah think an' 'eal," Hagrid remarked, "Let me jus' ask ya this—would ya end yer relaytionship tah git Ron tah talk tah ya agin?"

"No," he determinedly replied, squeezing her hand. She gazed at him with sad appreciation and awe. Hagrid gave a small, approving smile. Silence reentered the room again. Hermione's eyes swept over the hut's inside. As Hagrid started looking uncomfortable and fidgeting with his empty cup, she noticed something out of the ordinary.

"Hagrid…," she slowly began, eyeing a massive pack near the door, "What is that?" He looked to where Hermione was pointing. Upon seeing it, he appeared to become truly uneasy.

"Ah… that," mumbled Hagrid.

"What is it?" Harry repeated, genuinely curious.

"Iss, uh… iss… iss my pack."

"Pack for what?" the Head Girl questioned, a bit of forbidding overtaking her.

"I'm… I'm leavin'." Hagrid told them.

"What! Why? Where!" Harry responded.

"I shuda tol' ya sooner," he suddenly wailed, dropping the cup (and thereby breaking it), "Iss Grawp an' iss bad! 'E was taken!"

"What!"

"By whom!" Hermione desperately wondered.

"Tha uther giants! Tha ones under… under You-Know-'Hoo." Hagrid exposed. She gasped.

"Hagrid…" Harry quietly started, not sure what else to say.

"I haf tah go an' save 'em. Thas my bruther. I'm leavin' real soon. Grubbly-Plank will take me classes over. Dumbledore knows 'bout it. Is 'elpin me out, 'e is. Great man…"

"When will you be back?" Hermione inquired, her voice thick. Two tears had fallen.

"Don' know, 'Ermione—don' know. Jus' know I gotta git Grawp back." It was silent once more. This was madness. Hagrid was going to rescue his brother, who was in the clutches of Voldemort's followers, and put himself in harm's way. Yet another person Harry knew affected directly by the Dark Lord. What next, the boy bitterly contemplated, What other good news will I receive?

"I… I can't believe this is happening. I can't believe you're leaving." Harry commented. Yes, leaving them totally alone with no one to find comfort in or fall back on (besides Luna)—their last anchor of support.

"I'll bee fine… yu'll bee fine. Jus' lisen tah what I tol' ya: ignore tha uthers, don' let 'em breng ya down. They don' know what ya 'ave." Hermione wiped her face.

"You make sure you stay safe Hagrid. Come back, with Grawp," she demanded, voice still thick with emotion.

"That I will, 'Ead Gurl." Hagrid tearily promised. She got up to hug the half-giant as Harry drearily slouched back, having trouble digesting this recent development.

Ron sat at one of the tables in the common room with his homework spread out all around him and his head down on one of the textbooks. He had been sitting in the same position for half an hour, accomplishing nothing but thought. Lately to Ron, everything seemed rather trivial and difficult to carry out. He was having trouble focusing, truthfully. He had stopped going to DA meetings because it was simply too much to see the two together, yes. He had written to his family about Harry and Hermione, thus putting a strain on the relationship between the Weasleys and his two ex-friends, yes. He had ceased speaking to many people (but not his three roommates or Ginny), yes. But he had not stopped mulling over Harry and Hermione in his mind.

They appeared to be the only things left in his brain, causing him to recall old memories and remind himself how badly they had betrayed him. If Ron was thinking of one more than the other, it had to be Hermione. He had liked her for four years, had gone through hell because of that fact, and had ended up empty handed. This entire seventh year, Ron had made it a point to show Hermione how he felt about her, or at least begin to. And what had been the fruits of his labor? Harry had won her, the one whom had conceivably shown no interest in her. He had gone behind Ron's back and stolen her, fully knowing Ron cared about her. Who are you to interpret Harry's feelings for her? He must care for her, a voice lectured.

He swiftly ordered the voice to shut up. Well, Hermione obviously liked Harry a great deal… hadn't she always? Ron thought so. It was quite lucid, but he had always depended on the fact that Harry didn't return the feelings. Clearly, he had been wrong. Ron couldn't count the times he had been unrighteous in his jealousy of Harry for holding Hermione's admiration, hoping that for once she would look at him the same way she looked at Harry. When did Ron get thrown out of the loop? What had happened? Where had he gone wrong? Probably in not being Harry.

…

Ron walked down the boys' staircase and into the common room. It was a little past 11:30 at night, and the room was deserted for the most part. The only bodies present were two drowsy fourth years near the hearth, and Hermione. She sat at a table diligently completing homework. Ron gave a small smile and made his way over to her. The end of the world could suddenly befall and Hermione would still be found doing work.

"Is this all you do?" he playfully asked, sitting down in a chair next to her. Hermione looked up, just noticing him.

"Hi Ron," she smiled.

"You didn't answer my question." She pursed her lips.

"Ha ha," the Head Girl replied.

"Really Hermione, you need to have fun."

"I do!…. And is it so bad if I think working is fun?"

"It's not normal, that's for sure." Ron commented, grinning.

"Well, I happen to enjoy it, Ron! And if you—"

"Whoa, Hermione—breathe," he suggested, holding up his hand in surrender, "I just wanted to push your buttons!" Ron thought it funny how rapidly Hermione could get worked up, and fairly charming….

She smiled in spite of herself and commenced writing again. Ron did his best not to stare at her through the stillness. His feelings for her had definitely been altered since his time as a first year. They still occasionally quarreled, yes—perhaps that would never change. But he could now see her astonishing qualities, of which she possessed many. Sometimes Ron was angered by how much she had him falling after her.

"Are you… waiting for Harry?" he inquired. Harry was indeed still out and about in the castle, plausibly doing something that was not pleasurable. Ron was awake partly because his best friend was gone, partly because he was bored, and partly because he couldn't sleep. Hermione's answer, however, was extremely important; one word would make or break him. He gazed at her.

"I just had a few things to get done, and all of my roommates are asleep. I knew Harry was still out, but…" the Muggleborn explained. Relief, and a bit of daringness, swept over him. A fierce wind outside threw itself against the school forcefully.

"Hermione?" Ron unsurely started.

"Yes?" she said, looking at him searchingly. He had no choice but to look in her face. It was compassionate, always compassionate, and beautifully devoid of make-up. His eyes flickered to the side of her head. A strand of her hair was sticking up behind her ear.

"You've… got something, there," he half-smiled, reaching for it.

"Oh," He pushed it back with the rest of her mane, "Thanks." Ron's hand lingered there for a moment before slowly falling. (Hermione had gone back to being absorbed with her tasks). He opened his mouth to say something but was distracted by the sight of her face once more. After that his gaze fell to her shoulders, her neck. Ron wanted to do what he had been envisioning for years—to merely kiss her.

Holding all of this in was driving him insane, and it wasn't fair. Before he knew what was happening, he found his body gradually leaning forward. His eyes were fixed on her lips and nothing else. Time seemed to have stopped. He had forgotten himself, but not her—never her.

"R-Ron," she loudly stated. He stopped and took everything in, being jolted back into reality. He was closer than he had discerned, and her eyes showed confusion & shock.

"What…" Hermione weakly began. Ron cleared his throat and hastily pulled away, feeling immensely stupid and remorseful. Before anything could be said or clarified, the portrait hole opened. Hermione looked to it, the alarm still apparent on her face. It, as it were, vanished quite quickly, only to be replaced by an attractive beam. Ron looked to it as well: Harry was walking in.

…

Present day Ron took his head from the tome, sitting up. His face scrunched up at the recollection of that night. He had put himself on the line only to be thwarted by Harry, yet again. It had in all probability been a mistake, yes, and he & Hermione had not spoken of the incident since, but Ron wanted to know what would have happened if Harry hadn't come in.

As the ex-prefect sighed and reached for his quill, he saw two people enter the common room out of the corner of his eye. Harry and Hermione, the perfect couple itself, walked in and most everyone watched them. They however, paid this fact no attention and purposefully (and silently) went to the girls' staircase, presumably to Hermione's room. Ron watched them their entire journey. On the last step Harry's eyes, against his will, involuntarily went to Ron. This caused the Gryffindor Keeper's face to warp with anger, look away, and slam his textbook shut. Ron was no longer in the mood to do homework, if he had ever been.

Hermione walked in the corridor by herself, hanging onto her bag as if it was the only thing left in her life that she could find joy in. She had class in a bit and figured she'd might as well get there early to pick out the most remote seat. Hagrid had left the previous day, and she and Harry had gone to say their farewells. She hated how empty and wrong it had seemed without Ron by their side to bid him goodbye.

A bell rang and the classes that had been in session were let out. An uncomfortable frown appeared on Hermione's face as the various students surrounded her and she pulled her bag closer to her. It was hard facing the ridicule of the school without Harry there next to her, to support her. The Head Girl picked her pace up to escape the leering of her peers by getting to Arithmancy.

"Hermione!" someone called. She shut her eyes and did not cease. She was not about to answer someone's rude, nosy questions regarding her boyfriend. When he called again, though, she did stop, recognizing the voice.

David Rice parted through the crowd, wearing a sincere expression. Hermione hadn't spoken to him since the fallout so didn't know what to expect, but was horribly happy to see him at the moment.

"Hermione," he said when he had reached her. Rice's face conveyed a strong confidence, but a sad concern as well. After a while of silence, he took her hand and led her to the least busy part of the hall.

"Hermione," he started, "I can't imagine how you're getting through all this. I am so sorry."

"It's not your fault David—why are you apologizing?" Hermione replied.

"Because you shouldn't have to go through this," said David, studying her, "Listen, I… I knew about you and Harry. I knew you were going out with him." She looked at him, surprised.

"What? How? W-When?" she wondered.

"It was in January. I just noticed how you two acted around each other, how you spoke of each other, and put it all together. I guessed, but when you showed me your Christmas gift from Harry, it rather clicked everything in place." Hermione nodded, noting how David had used his Ravenclaw intelligence for detective work.

"I think you two make a fantastic couple. Who else is right for one another? You have a massive history together, and it makes complete sense that you'd fall for each other," he explained.

"Thanks David." Hermione said, giving a small half-smile.

"It's wrong what everyone is doing to you. Who are they to say whom you have a relationship with? Even if you have lost a few friends over this, I'll still be here." She forced herself to keep her tears down as she gave David a hug, extremely glad that she had met him this year and knowing that there were people out there like him.

A/N: This chapter turned out to be longer than expected, for having such few events happen in it. I also despised this chapter for some reason. Anyway! Couple o' things…. I hate writing for Hagrid. It sucks. Yeah. If you didn't like my sending him away, sorry, but I hate Hagrid. He bothers me. I've said before that I don't like Rice, and I don't. Lol. I know he's my character but he's such a goody goodie! I only reintroduce him for Hermione's sake; he's important to her. (If you can't tell, Rice still likes Hermione, but nothing is gonna happen). Erm, I'll post again next week. Only six chapters left, at most :D