Written for Hogwarts

Muggle Music, task #3: Soulmate AU

Word count: 550

The thing about soulmates was that, as with everything else, old pureblood families had a way of twisting them into meaning whatever suited them best. If a couple from two respected families had matching soulmarks, it was destiny. They were meant to be together. If someone had an undesirable soulmate, however, no amount of deception and conniving was too much to secure a better match.

Pansy knew from the time she was old enough to understand that she was meant to marry Draco. She also knew that their soulmarks didn't match, and she was meant to keep hers covered up. Why her eyes kept drifting to girls, and why fawning over Draco felt so fake...these things took longer to figure out.

"Sometimes I'm jealous of the Muggles, you know?" Daphne said, soft blonde hair brushing against Pansy's shoulder as she drew closer.

"Ugh, why would you be? What do they have that we don't?" Pansy crinkled up her nose in distaste, trying not to think about the light, floral scent of Daphne's perfume, or how close Daphne's hand was to her knee.

"They don't have to worry so much about bloodlines. Why do we even have soulmates if we can't be with them?"

"...I don't know," she admitted softly. Then, feeling as though she had to cover the longing that had crept into her voice, she quickly added, "But I'm lucky to have Draco."

"You have half the school convinced you really are soulmates." Daphne smirked, meeting Pansy's eyes.

"We are."

"I've known you both for too long to be fooled by that, Pansy." Daphne's voice was always perfectly even, never letting the slightest bit of emotion slip out unintentionally, and at times like this, Pansy hated how melodramatic she seemed in comparison.

"It doesn't matter," Pansy gritted out. "This is what's best...following tradition and living up to our family names. Besides, Draco's one of my best friends. Why wouldn't I want to be with him?"

Daphne looked a little disappointed in her, frowning and creating more space between them.

"Don't you ever want anything else? I realize my family's a little more progressive than yours, but don't you want to make decisions for yourself? Real ones, not little rebellions like buying clothes your mother doesn't like."

"Yes," Pansy admitted, wondering how Daphne always managed to draw the truth out of her. "But maybe it's not worth it. It's easier to just...not."

"Yeah," Daphne agreed after a long pause. "That is easier."

It felt like centuries before either of them moved, but eventually, Daphne's hand slowly crept into her own. Pansy almost flinched before squeezing back.

"Who knows," Daphne mused. "Maybe Potter will win and then everything will be different."

"Whether or not the Dark Lord's around won't change people's beliefs...the way things are..."

"It might set an example, at the very least." Daphne's hand trailed up Pansy's arm, fingers grazing the place where they both knew her soulmark was. "Bravery's not so bad sometimes, when you're smart about it."

"I remember bragging about it as a kid, before I knew any better. I liked the fact that we matched."

Daphne cracked a smile, nodding.

"I liked it too. And...I don't think there's any reason we should be ashamed of it now. Think about it."