Author's Note
Hey guys,
So this is my attempt to write a Harry/Hermione soul bound fanfic… Hope you like it. And please give reviews siriusly J!
The story starts at the end of HBP when harry breaks up with ginny but not for the original reasons given in the book. Read on and enjoy!
P.S. Song used in the first chapter is Taylor Swift's "I'm only me when I'm with you". The song isn't mine…..
Chapter 1
Headmaster Albus Dumbledore's funeral had just ended and Harry knew it was time for him to talk to Ginny. He had to break up with her. He had been avoiding her for the past few days after an interesting revelation in the hospital wing, but he couldn't stall her any longer. He couldn't believe when he found out and neither could Hermione whose case was also similar. As he walked towards the Black lake, he thought back to the day his views about the youngest Weasley had changed completely.
Flashback
Everyone was crowded around Bill Weasley's bed in the hospital wing, where a surprising scene had just occurred ending in the Weasley matriarch and Fleur hugging.
Just then Madam Pomfrey came to Harry's side and whispered to him, "Harry, please come to my office. I have gone through your health diagnostic reports and have some things to discuss with you. Also bring Miss Granger along with you. Okay?" He nodded his head and made his way from between the Order members to Hermione and quietly led her to Madam Pomfrey's office. Hermione had not objected since she had seen the look in Harry's eyes when he led her away. His eyes showed concern and confusion. Hermione had always been able to read Harry like he was an open book. When they ended up outside Madam Pomfrey's office, she knew it must be about something the matron must have told Harry. After their health diagnostic reports to check for any internal damage caused from the battle that had ensued in the castle last night, must have come only now. She deduced that the matron must have found inconsistencies in it and it must be something severe for her to call and tell them in private. As they entered her office, she could only hope that Harry would be fine.
When Poppy Pomfrey saw both of them, she sighed. When she had gone through their diagnostic reports, she saw that they both had a similar inconsistency in their report. Both of them had been subjected to strong love potions for the past two years. She could not believe that it was possible for two people to be walking around in a sane manner after this. Both of them must be having a very strong will power and an enormous magical reserve to stop them from behaving as if they were crazily in love.
She wanted the potions out of their system before she revealed what exactly the potion was, because she was sure it would be a disturbing discovery. "Please drink these potions and sit down for five minutes. By that time the potion will have done its work and then I will tell you what the problem was," she said handing them each a goblet full of purple potion. Both Harry and Hermione trusted madam Pomfrey with their life so they drank the contents of the goblet without any hesitation. Suddenly they felt as though a large amount of magical residue was leaving their body. It continued for a few minutes after which they felt as though a burden had been lifted of their minds and hearts.
As expected, Hermione's curiosity couldn't wait longer and she asked Madam Pomfrey, "What was all that about Madam Pomfrey?" Harry just smiled, thinking of how he knew exactly that she would ask that question then. Madam Pomfrey replied, "I don't believe there is any point in beating around the bush. You both have been getting doused with love potions for the past two years, and that too very strong ones, mind you!" On hearing this both Harry and Hermione just sat there dumbstruck, their jaws hanging open. Even though physically Hermione was paralysed, her mind was moving faster than a roller coaster. She was trying frantically to figure out who would want them to forcibly be in a relationship with someone they didn't want to be? Now that she thought about it, she remembered that she loved Harry and she felt as if her feelings of love had been under a fog for the past two years and the mist had just been lifted. But she knew there was no point in even thinking for a moment that Harry would love her back. He just saw her as a bookworm and at the most his best friend. She turned to look at Harry's gorgeous emerald eyes. That was the best part of Harry that drew her eyes to his face everytime, not his scar or his signature round glasses, which only identified him as the boy-who-lived.
When she saw Harry, she could see anger bubbling beneath the surface. If there was one thing that Harry hated above everything else, it was people trying to manipulate and control his life. Hermione knew that she had to say something to abate the rising tension in the room. "Thank you so much for telling us and giving us the antidote Madam Pomfrey. I do know some girls who had snuck in love potions into the school with plans to give it to Harry. But I just don't know why anyone would give me love potions. Come on Harry, Professor McGonagall said she wanted to talk to us about last night once we are done in the hospital wing," she lied. She knew that Professor McGonagall would want to see them, but she hadn't called for them yet. With that she grabbed his hand and led him out of the room and into the corridor as fast as possible without seeming disrespectful. As soon as they came outside, she cast a silencing spell around them, just as Harry blew up. The waves of powerful magic radiating around him were immense and were causing the portraits in the corridor to swing with force. He then started yelling, "Why does this always happen to me? Till now Dumbledore kept things from me. He's dead and now, we have to find parts of that bloody Voldemort's soul all on our own. On top of that I find out that I have been dosed with love potions for the past two years of my life making me fall for some people who I probably don't even like. I hate my life! Why do I have to be the bloody saviour of the wizarding world?" When he finished saying this he collapsed, but Hermione had put her arms around him, holding him up. He started sobbing into her shoulder. Hermione wanted to take him back to Gryffindor tower but he couldn't walk even one step without collapsing again in his current state of mind. So, she called for Dobby, who immediately apparated both of them to the Harry's bed in the boy's dormitory. Harry was still crying and she didn't know what to do. "Should I call Ginny, Harry? Will her being here make you feel better?" she asked albeit with disappointment in her voice, knowing that Harry would say yes. After all he did love Ginny a lot. But for once Harry surprised her with an unexpected but intelligent answer, "Hermione, I don't even know if I love her anymore. She could very well have been the person dosing me with love potions. After all, she did have a schoolgirl crush on me." Hermione could only nod sadly as she started thinking about the person who she was sure would have dosed her with love potion. Ronald bloody Weasley. She knew that he only dated Lavender to make her feel jealous and also satisfy his needs. She had overheard him talking to Dean regarding this one day. But she was more concerned about Harry. She knew that he had never had any lasting relationships and she did not want him to break down. When she came out of her reverie, she saw that Harry had fallen asleep using her shoulder as a pillow. Seeing him at that moment made her realize that she was truly and utterly in love with her best friend and she cared for him not because he was the Boy-who-lived, but because of who he truly was. Just Harry. She gently laid his head on his pillow and went to do some research on what kind of potions they might have been given and also, she had to figure out who had given it to Harry.
When she came back from the library and her visit to Moaning Myrtle's flooded washroom after a couple of hours, she saw Harry awake thanking Dobby, who had just gotten him a tray of piping hot food. She set the books she had procured from the library on his bedside table and settled herself on the end of his bed. She saw that Harry hadn't noticed her. His eyes were glazed over and had a faraway look in them. "Hey Harry. Are you feeling better? You kinda collapsed so I got Dobby to bring you here." She said. Stunned out of his thoughts, Harry saw himself looking into Hermione's sad eyes. "I'm sorry. Didn't notice you come Mione," he said. "That's okay Harry. I understand how it feels to be betrayed." Just then he realized that Hermione had gone through the same ordeal as him, and he had been inconsiderate towards her sadness, even though she had cared for him and helped him when he had a breakdown. He noticed the tears pooling in her eyes, and pulled her in for a hug as Hermione cried into his chest. He felt the overwhelming urge to hurt the person who hurt his Mione. His Mione, he thought. He had finally realized why he would feel the most comfortable with her always, and also why he trusted her beyond anyone else. It was because he loved her, with all his heart.
Hermione suddenly pulled away and wiped her tears. "Harry, there are quite a few things I have to tell you. Let's go to the Room of Requirement. I don't want anyone to overhear this conversation. Come on!" Hermione picked up the load of books she had kept on his bedside table and led the way to the seventh floor corridor. When they entered the room they found that the room had one small couch and a small fireplace with a table to keep the books. When they looked at the room both of them thought the exact same thing- "Now, I can sit close or even cuddle up to the person I love because there is only one couch."
Harry and Hermione settled down on the couch comfortably, physically closer than what might be deemed appropriate.
"Harry, I found out who was dosing you with love potion," she said quietly.
"Who was it.? I'll hex her into oblivion as soon as I find out."
"I'm not sure you would want to do that Harry. It was Ginny."
"WHAT! That is insane. But believable at the same time….."he admitted grudgingly.
"Do you love her Harry?"
"No, she is like my sister. Not that she isn't pretty. But I know girls who are much prettier."And that girl is you Hermione, Harry thought.
"Harry, she was also the one who convinced Ron to give me that potion."
"WHAT IN THE NAME OF MERLIN? I understand if she doses me with love potion, but why you?" Harry questioned with a confused look on his face.
He looks so cute like that…, thought Hermione, as a small smile crept onto her face.
"Harry, she found me to be a threat to your relationship, even though you saw me only as your best friend." But I don't see you that way Harry even though I have to be that way, Hermione thought.
"And also Ron wanted me, so she convinced him that if both of us were given love potions, I would fall for Ron and you would fall for Ginny and we would make one big happy Weasley family. Ugh! It's disgusting even to think about that."
Harry was still confused. So he asked, "But how did you get to know all this Mione? No library book could have told you that."
"Well…It wasn't really all that difficult. I knew that the only place to brew illegal potions in the school was Moaning myrtle's bathroom from personal experience, so I went there. She was more than willing to tell me all she knew because Ginny had said bad stuff about her, so she really didn't like her. She told me that Ginny was brewing a stronger version of Amortentia which she found in a book in the restricted section of the library. Before you ask Harry, she got permission to get into the restricted section of the library for a book on advanced potions from Professor Slughorn. He always fancied her because she was your girlfriend and also pretty good at brewing potions. To be fair, I feel that Professor Slughorn has to be reined in. First he gives information regarding the darkest of magic to Riddle and now Ginny. And to think that both of them created life threatening situations for you!"
Harry chuckled, "Seriously Mione, to think that I was asleep for a few hours and you did all this! You're the best."
Hermione blushed at his compliment. She felt that it was time to tell him that she felt more than friendship towards him. As if on cue, a guitar appeared next to the couch. She knew that she was pretty good on the guitar and could sing but she hadn't written many songs in the past few years. When she saw the stressed look on Harry's face as he again zoned out, she thought that hearing music would help him to calm down. So she picked up the guitar and tried the strings. She took a deep breath and started singing –
Friday night beneath the stars
In a field behind your yard
You and I are painting pictures in the sky
And sometimes we don't say a thing
Just listen to the crickets sing
Everything I need is right here by my side
And I know everything about you
I don't wanna live without you
I'm only up when you're not down
Don't wanna fly if you're still on the ground
It's like no matter what I do
Well, you drive me crazy half the time
The other half I'm only trying
To let you know that what I feel is true
And I'm only me when I'm with you
Just a small town boy and girl
Living in the crazy world
Trying to figure out what is and isn't true
And I don't try to hide my tears
The secrets, or my deepest fears
Through it all nobody gets me like you do
And you know everything about me
You say that you can't live without me
I'm only up when you're not down
Don't wanna fly if you're still on the ground
It's like no matter what I do
Well, you drive me crazy half the time
The other half I'm only trying
To let you know that what I feel is true
And I'm only me when I'm with you
When Im with anybody else
Its so hard to be myself
And only you can tell
That I'm only up when you're not down
Don't wanna fly if you're still on the ground
It's like no matter what I do
Well, you drive me crazy half the time
The other half I'm only trying
To let you know that what I feel is true
And I'm only me
Who I wanna be
Well, I'm only me when I'm with you
When she finished the song, she looked up to see Harry gaping at her like a fish.
"So, how was it?" she asked him.
"It was so good Mione! I had no idea you were so talented on the guitar and also singing. Your voice was just beautiful. You were perfect, I just love you. And you're totally kissable." Whoa! Did he just say that out loud? Oops! Now he was sure to be in deep shit with Hermione…..