Title: A Deep Soul Connection
Author: LilPrincess48
Disclaimer: Once upon a time ago, I was tiny princess in a palace by the sea. A princess with great dreams of own Harry Potter... It ain't happening.
Author's Note: Well, my PS2 is working again, but I can't find the controls. And my book list is piling up and my new high school sent me a massive summer reading list. Stressed? Nah....
Date Begun: June 26, 2004
Date Posted: June 26, 2004
Chapter 4: Ron Gets Suspicious
Ronald Weasley was not very happy by the time he stormed into the Common Room.
He had looked ALL over Hogwarts for his best friend and current love interest, Hermione Granger, but either she was using some sort of concealer spell, or she was just plain avoiding him -- Ron didn't like either option.
The first thing he spotted as he entered was Harry sitting in front of the fireplace, reading a book. Ron peered at the title. Theories And Speculations Of Bonding Charms. Ron raised an eyebrow at Harry, but said nothing about it. What he said instead was, "Where's Hermione?"
"Library." Harry answered instantly. "And she's rightly pissed off at you, mate, so you'd better - No, wait, here she comes. Hang on a minute. She's just about to walk in-"
Hermione walked in and looked at the two, her eyes narrowing when they saw Ron, then un-narrowing when they fell on Harry. Completely ignoring Ron's presence, she plopped down next to Harry and looked at the book. "Find anything?"
"Nothing new." Harry told her. "But I have figured out what they might mean by mental, physical, and emotional level, though."
Ron blinked cluelessly while Hermione looked interested. "Well?"
"Well, I think mentally is the mind reading, but not just invading, you know? Like inviting the other person to read your mind and sharing every single personal thought and detail in your head with them, not holding anything back because you trust them... I think that's mentally. Then, emotionally is being able to sense what the other person's feeling, and knowing exactly what to do, and feeling it, too. Without the use of the bonding spell. Just KNOWING, instinctively. And then, physically--" Here, Harry blushed and looked at Hermione meaningfully. The girl stared at him, confused, until she, too, got it, and turned bright re din the process. "Um, yeah."
"What the bloody hell are you two on about?" Ron interrupted at last. Both teens jumped as if they'd forgotten he was there. They looked at him, then their eyes went distant as if they were focusing on something else, before they returned and looked at him again.
"Oh, nothing Ron. Just, you know, extra credit for Flitwick's class. We need it after Harry caused that explosion." Hermione said, although something in there didn't ring true. Ron narrowed his eyes at his best friends, who were still sitting side by side on the couch, looking absolutely innocent.
"Alright, whatever." Ron said after awhile. He gave up trying to figure those two out. It was obvious that they were going out of their way to keep something from him. He'd figure it out. Eventually. "Hermione, was Harry right when he said--"
"Yes, I am mad at you, Ronald Weasley. What do you mean by telling Dean that I'm a fussy old worrywart?" The boy turned almost as red as his hair. "You thought I didn't know, but I was walking in the halls just as you said it!"
"Shouldn't have said that, Ron. You hurt Hermione's feelings." Harry said, leaning back on the couch. "Wasn't very nice, either."
"Well... I... He... I..." Ron sputtered, still bright red. Harry yawned while Hermione glowered at him.
"Anybody else tired?" Ron and Hermione ignored him. Harry shrugged and picked up his book, excusing himself to his dorm, leaving the two to battle it out. Ron wished he hadn't lefty because as soon as he did -- All hell broke loose.
*
By the time a pale-faced and shaking Ron, harboring two huge hex welts on his arms, entered the dorm, Harry was knee-deep in the book. He'd already read about the history of the Binding Charm, its creator, its true purposes, and its abuse. Now he was on Chapter Eleven.
What very few know about the Binding Charm is that it is at it's most powerful when it is performed about two soul mates. Those who were not destined to be, at most, only get the mind reading power. Only those with a deep soul connection receive the other symptoms of empathy, instant location, etc. Indeed, those gifts are only granted to true soul mates.
This paragraph caused the heat to rise in Harry's cheeks and he found himself blushing. Could it be possible that he and Hermione were... Soul mates? That they were meant to be together forever? Did he even think of his best friend that way?
Even as he asked himself the question, Harry knew the answer. Yes, he did love Hermione. He had loved Hermione long
before this. But Ron had loved her first so Harry had done his best to squander the feeling, to no avail. He, Harry
James Potter, was in love with his best friend Hermione.
And they were, quite possibly, soul mates...
Ron was going to flip.
*
Soul mates, huh? Hermione telegraphed Harry from her Ancient Runes class. Harry, she knew, was with Ron in Divination at the moment, a class, in Hermione's opinion, that was good for nothing more than filling your head with a load of bull that the real world would prove untrue moments after stepping out there. It taught them nothing but absolute bullocks.
Ron and Harry seemed to like it though, if not because all they had to do was make up the most gruesome and wild things imaginable to get an A. Hermione preferred to work harder for her grades.
That's what the book said. Harry sent back. Hermione detected a hint of embarrassment but when she tried to pry in to investigate, she was immediately locked out. Obviously Harry's private thoughts were just that: Private.
So, I guess you were right about us being close on a soul level then, Harry. As the twins would say: Kudos to you! She heard him chuckle, even though he was nowhere nearby.
Thank you. Thank you. And for my encore performance, I have a proposition.
Oh really? Fill me in.
I will. Later. Right now, Trelawney's predicting that I'm going to get run over by a carriage full of magical seals, then maimed, drowned in the pond by the giant squid and have my bones burned until crisp and eaten. I think I'd better pay attention. Hermione snorted at this, but sent a mental okay and brought her mind back to her lesson although, she had to admit, lessons with Harry in her head were more interesting.
Why thank you, Mione.
Harry James Potter, stop reading my mind!
Can't help it. We're connected, you know. Hermione rolled her eyes and blocked her thoughts from him, feeling him pout and doing her best not to care. By the time she focused her attention back on the class, it was over.