A/N Hey everyone! Here's the next chapter…sugary wasn't too bad! Ha…I bled a lot tho, all friggin night. Had the worst sleep ever. Please read and don't forget to review. Thanks to all my reviews so far! Much appreciated…

I just noticed that I left the 'l' out of alohamora in the previous chapter…silly, silly, silly!

BTW only four more chapters after this one! But I was thinking of doing a sequel because of the way this one ends…

a a a a a a

SOOOO terribly sorry about the wait… Our computer was in the shop the past month... good thing is…I'm DONE the story……… on draft paper……… and have started on the sequel…I'm on chapter 4 or something! Ha…well I just got computer for my room…no Internet but there's Internet downstairs so posting will be more regular SWEET!

Yours truly,

SR

Chapter 14

Twinkle

Those girls that smile so sweetly

Then rip your life to pieces

A matter of complication

When you become a twist

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Ron and Hermione walked hand in hand towards Hogsmade, both feeling slightly guilty about leaving Harry behind. Neither had realized that they were leaving Harry out of a lot of things. It was only until Hermione started to notice the look on Harry's face after Ron and her told him that they were going to be doing something together that day.

Hermione and Ron were not in the least upset if Harry had decided to go with them. They would have been quite happy since they were leaving him out of their life so often.

'Hang on.' Said Ron as he stopped suddenly, making Hermione jerk backwards a little. 'Who's that?' He pointed to a small man hurrying up towards Hogwarts. He seemed to be clutching a very important object. He looked around constantly as if to make sure no one was following him.

'I don't know.' Hermione answered looking at the man's billowing black and red cloak. 'I wonder what he wants at the castle. Could it be possible he wants to talk to Dumbledore?' Hermione questioned while standing on her tiptoes to see the man who was almost out of view and then just disappeared.

'What he was holding?' Ron thought aloud.

'Whoever he is, he's gone now. Lets go, I'm freezing.' Hermione said turning around and slipped her hand back into Ron's.

'I wonder what was so important.' Hermione said as they finished their walk to Hogsmade and headed to the Three Broomsticks for a Butterbeer.

'Who knows,' replied Ron. 'It could be anything.'

'Well,' Hermione said while opening the door to a crowded room. 'I just hope he's not getting into too much trouble. She ordered two Butterbeers from the all-smiles Madam Rosmerta

'Who are we kidding; we know he's getting into trouble. I'm sure he would spend his Saturday doing a project for Snape.' Ron stated sardonically and Hermione nodded evenly. Ron handed the money willingly towards Madam Rosmerta when Hermione butted in.

'We really should get him something.' Hermione and Ron were walking through the crowded room of laughter and joy. 'We can stop off at Honeydukes later and grab something for him.'

Hermione placed her Butterbeer on the table and took off her coat and hung it gently on the chair. Ron, however, carelessly tossed his across his seat so that the sleeves were collecting dirt and water off the floor.

Ron reached over and placed his hand on Hermione's, who looked up and smiled.

'I can't believe that school is almost over. Exams will be coming soon, and then we can spend the entire summer together.' Ron said and Hermione let out a slight laugh.

'A little over four months is almost over for you Ron? But I can say that I'm excited about exams, we do start studying for them soon and believe you me, you'll be studying a lot harder this year now that you're with me.' Hermione took another chance to take a sip of her drink.

Ron took a dramatized deep breath and uttered the word, 'No! That's not what we're supposed to do together: study! We're supposed to sit there and talk and not study'

'Yes, well.' Hermione said and then took another brief sip of her drink. She then laid her hands on her lap and then stared out the window.

Snow had started to fall lightly on the ground and was settling so perfectly. There was about an hour of talking and jesting between the two before they left the Three Broomsticks and headed for Honeydukes.

Hermione pulled on her coat once more and Ron complained about his being wet around the sleeves.

'That'll teach you to take care of your clothing and to hang it up neatly.' Hermione declared knowingly. Ron sighed irrationally as he rubbed a few napkins on his sleeves.

The bell on the door rung behind them as they left and they headed once more together to Honeydukes to pick Harry up something nice.

'I can't stop thinking about that stupid little man!' Hermione said at once.

'What? Oh yeah that guy. Who cares?' Ron shrugged as he held the door open for Hermione who in reply said, 'I do.'

'I would like to know what he's up to and why he's going up to the castle. What business does he have up there?'

'I don't know Hermione, but you're starting to sound an awfully a lot like Harry. Both so-'

'Inquisitive?' Hermione cut him off. 'Yes I know but who do you think I learnt it from? Hm Ron? Any ideas?' She was leaning in closer each time she accused Ron of teaching her bad habits. She laughed lightly.

'Ok so, lets get him a little basket or something.'

'Over here.' Hermione pointed to a shelf that had pre-made baskets sitting on it.

'Perfect' Ron said and they both headed over towards the shelf.

The two walked about all the baskets searching for the right one. Finally they came across a blue basket with navy and black confetti inside.

'Chocolate Frogs, Every Flavored Beans, exploding something rather, and what appears to be something that changes the color of your tongue for a whole day.'

'How absurd' Hermione said disapprovingly. 'Who would want their tongue to be a different color for the entire day.'

'Fred and George,' Ron counted bluntly.

'They don't count. They have their own line of weird treats. For instance, that stupid toffee!'

'Yeah.' Said Ron lazily. 'I can't believe they have their own shop!' Ron mentioned before gabbing the package off the shelf and bringing it over to the counter.

'Good afternoon' said the clerk, and Hermione and Ron returned the favor. 'Find everything you needed?' Hermione nodded.

'Could we have that wrapped too please?' Hermione added and the clerk nodded in agreement.

'That will be 1 Galleon and 3 Knuts please.' Hermione paid the 1 Galleon while Ron handed over the 3 Knuts. He had paid for the Butterbeers and that was about all he could pay for.

Outside the window of the shop stood Lavender. It appeared that Seamus had confessed to Lavender that he still had feelings for Hermione, which in turn made Lavender hate her even more.

Lavender had her own little idea of getting back at Hermione. Ever since Hermione had shunned Seamus she has had it in for her and she swore that today would be the day that she got back at her.

Hermione let Ron carry the basket because, well, he had offered so Hermione went to the door and held it open for him. Lavender was waiting, angry as she had ever been. One because she alleged that Hermione has so shamelessly tossed Seamus away, in hopes that he would never get over her, and he hasn't. Two, because she believed that Hermione liked Seamus and that she was using Ron to make Seamus jealous. Not that Lavender liked Ron or something, she was clearly in love with Seamus, but Seamus complained all the time about how Hermione shoved him aside.

'I hope Harry likes his gift. I don't know if this is what he wanted…maybe he wanted something from Zonko's. You never know.' Hermione was looking idly at the package in Ron's hands.

'Harry will like anything you give him. As long as its not anything feminine.' Ron chuckled.

Hermione suddenly felt ice cold. It took her minute for her to realize that she had just been drenched from head to toe. Her breathing became rigid and caught in her throat. She started shivering at once. Ron stopped walking and turned to see why Hermione had stopped walking.

'What happened?' He shouted as he ran back to her. 'Go back in the store.'

Hermione turned around as Lavender lowered her wand.

'Why would you do that?' Hermione shrieked at once through an unsteady voice.

'Maybe now you'll learn you're lesson.' Lavender said quite matter-of-factly.

'You- you're insane! What is it no-now?' Hermione questioned her intentions.

'Maybe you should set things straight with Seamus before I do go insane. All he talks about is you! And now that you're going with Ron, he's even testier! I'm sick of it. He's my boyfriend and your being a nasty little viper!'

'Maybe you should leave before I jinx you!' Ron bellowed at her.

'Like you could do that Ron!' She chortled.

Hermione gave a great shiver and walked towards Lavender just so she was in reaching distance and…Smack! Hermione's wet hand collided to the warm skin of Lavender's cheek, leaving a well-formed handprint on her face.

Ron led Hermione into Honeydukes once more, leaving Lavender to pout off to school.

'What happened to you?' asked the store clerk.

'Long story' Hermione managed.

'Well, we can't have you walking around like that, you'll catch your death!' With a flick of his wand Hermione felt warm and dry. Her cloths seemed right out of the dryer.

They waited there for another half hour before leaving and heading off to school again. Hermione was ill tempered all the way back to the castle. Ron found a way to juggle the package and put his arm around Hermione, telling her that it'd be all right and just to let it go.

Still fuming still Hermione and Ron made their way up the stone steps of the castle. By now the snow had subsided and many of the other kids were coming back quite happily.

'I hope she'll shut up about Seamus! I'm so sick of hearing about him "being in" to me and her accusing me of using love potions and that I'm using you to make him jealous!'

Every step Hermione took she slammed her feet down on the step. Ron hung back and let her finish her rant. He knew the truth about her and Seamus and that she wasn't using him, so that was good enough for him. Although it wasn't enough for Hermione since she complained and spat until she opened the portrait hole, shouting the password at the fat lady, who scoffed as they went in.

Harry was sitting in the chair close to the fire looking quite anxious. He sprung up out of the chair; it looked as if he had been ready to jump at every person as they walked through the portrait hole, hoping that it was Ron and Hermione.

'Listen, I went into Darling's room a couple of hours ago, and I've got loads to tell you.' Harry said excitedly, Hermione looked uneasy and Ron was incomprehensible.

'You what?' Hermione shouted, forgetting about the whole Lavender and Seamus ordeal. 'Harry, you can't go into a teachers room while…' Hermione trailed off. There were countless times where she went into teachers' classrooms while they were away. Snape's for the Polyjuice potion and Flitwicks for practicing summoning charms, for example.

'What happened?' Asked Ron. 'Here' he said straight away, handing the basket towards Harry.

'This for me?' Both Ron and Hermione nodded. 'Thanks guys, you know I wasn't really serious about bringing me something back.'

'You deserve it though Harry, you were supposed to come and you didn't, so that's what you get for deciding not to come.' Hermione urged him to open it.

'So, what about Darling?' Ron raised the question, looking quite keen on finding out the dirt on her.

For the next twenty minutes the three of them sat around a table in the common room listing to Harry's story and eating Chocolate Frogs, Every Flavored Beans and things that make you tongue turn colors.

'I must say that does sound suspicious.' Hermione said in an inquisitive tone as if she were going to write it down.

'Did you see what was in the package?' Asked Ron.

'No, the man was blocking it.'

Hermione took in a sharp breath and sat up very rigidly quickly. 'That man, what was he wearing…was he really short. You said he was short right?'

'Uh I think he was wearing usual black robes…and yeah he was short…balding too.'

'Ron,' Hermione looked across to Ron who wasn't recollecting anything. 'That must have been that man we saw heading to the castle when we were headed for the Three Broomsticks. Harry we saw him, he looked devastated as if he didn't want to be there.' Hermione finished and Ron was nodding now that he had remembered.

'He was funny little bloke.' He said and nodded along with Hermione. 'Looked real worried.'

'I know, he looked worried when I saw him in the corridor. I think he is being forced to work for Darling.' Harry deduced.

'And what about the whole blood thing that she mentioned?' Hermione was fiddling around with a candy wrapper, thinking about what could be going on in Darling's head and what she was planning to do with Harry. 'Are you sure she said she needed your blood?'

'I don't know.' Harry said truthfully. 'All I know is that the man that was there started to say, what sounded like my name. Har- and that's when she went ballistic going on about how I was smarter then someone else. She said something about killing someone who was denser than I was.'

'Did she happen to mention who this person could be?' Hermione asked and Harry shook his head back and forth. Hermione sat thinking to herself for a moment.

'Do you think she meant Ron?' She said at last.

'What? I'm not that stupid to just go on and say, sure you can bleed me for whatever you need. I'm your man!' Ron argued defensively and Hermione rolled her eyes.

'I didn't mean it that way. I wasn't saying you were stupid I wa-'

'How else could you have meant it, Harry said that she was going to use someone denser then Harry and you think it's me' Ron was shouting slightly and people were truing to look at him.

'Ron, please lower your voice.' Hermione asked sympathetically. 'All I mean is that, you're Harry's best friend and all she would have to do is say that he's in danger or something happened to him. It's that easy.' Ron was still scowling but looked like he understood her reasoning.

'All I know is that she's planning a spell that involves those four books and possibly my blood.' Harry tried to calm the tension between Ron and Hermione but it wasn't working on Ron.

'You should tell Dumbledore.' Hermione ordered but Harry defiantly shook his head. 'Why not?' Hermione questioned angrily. 'If she's planning on killing someone then we should do something about it, we don't need her killing you or Ron, now do we?'

'She won't, I'll make sure of that.' Harry said darkly.

'Harry don't go all "hero" again.' Hermione said looking worried once more. 'This is serious. She is talking about dark magic. The only thing we don't know is who she wants to kill or what she wants to do with it.' Hermione looked down at her hands, which were folding and unfolding the candy rapper repeatedly. 'I'm really worried about you two. What if she knows dark magic that we've never heard of?' Ron looked irritated with Hermione. The first time in weeks and Harry felt uneasy about this as if it was his fault for brining up the whole subject.

'Never even thought that she was planning anything. She seemed so nice, so understanding.' Hermione finally tossed the wrapper aside and looking between Harry and Ron, neither of which actually looked her in the eyes.

'I'll see you at dinner.' Hermione said sadly. 'And I hope that you two are going to do something about this matter and about Darling. I wouldn't wait for a long time.' She flicked her head so that her mane of brown hair fluffed around her face. She headed out of the common room and headed for the library to look up on these 'books' Harry had mentioned.

She had searched everywhere and found nothing. She often wondered about the restricted section and if it may contain anything on books with magical symbols as the cover décor.

Outside the window, night had begun to fall. Hermione was sitting at a table in the corner, which was covered by open books, stacked books or just in a heaping pile. The only thing of Hermione that any one could see was the top of her signature hair moving around as she searched another book.

It was a quarter past seven dinner had already started and Hermione was being out of the library by an irritated and impatient librarian. She got the speech that librarians' are witches just like her and then need sustenance just as much as her. Then she went on why she needed to know so much about dark magic.

Hermione felt slightly hungry, but she didn't want to increase then tension that was already starting to boil between her and Ron.

Hermione could honestly say that he was being ridiculous that he was starting to actually make himself look stupid. She was worried about Ron and all he could care about was that he thought that she was calling him stupid.

He got that way, he always did. Takes things way too seriously and then just has to cool. Hermione needed to give him space so that he could get over it, also because if he complained about it too much, she'd probably lose it on him.

Hermione lazily made her was to the common room, holding a few books that she didn't get the chance to read. She felt like she may be coming down with something so she decided to just skip dinner, even thought she did feel hungry.

She was really confused right now. She didn't know, couldn't fathom Darling being such a traitor to attempt to kill Harry or Ron. But then again, why had she been so interested in her in the first place? She had always been so kind.

'Maybe I'm going to be the bate…' Hermione thought to herself. 'Maybe Darling will think that Ron will try and help me if I were in some sort of trouble. I have try and get separated from him.

Herminie's stomach growled a little more and she stood in front of the fat lady trying to decide what to do. She bit on her lip and then sighed, turning around and heading down to dinner for a bite to eat.

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Well, there you go. Like I said thanks to those of you who reviewed and the next chapter should be up in one to two days…by the 8th this story should be completely posted…depending on my work schedule…

Well please review! THANKS!

YT

SR