Bonded Souls
C1: The World Cup
A/N: Wow, it's been a while since I posted anything here. About 4,5 years. This is a story I have had running through my head for quite a qhile now, and I finally decided to do something about it. I don't own any of the recognizable charachters. All credit to JK Rowling. This is an AU story, with references to the movies. And you'll have to excuse my grammar at certain points. English is not my first language.
It was the morning they were going to the Quidditch World Cup and Fabian Markov woke up at the Burrow of the Weasley family, he smiled at the sight that greeted him, because sleeping on his chest was his girlfriend, Hermione Granger. They hadn't started their night like this, they promised Molly they wouldn't and even they wouldn't want to upset Molly Weasley, but none the less sometime during the night, they had crawled closer to each other, seeking each other's comfort, silently thanking Molly she had allowed them to at least share a bed.
They started out as friends in first year and grew closer as the years went by. They had gotten together sometime during the last schoolyear, and already they were inseparable. Both of them figured this was something deeper than a simple crush and they would go check the Hogwarts Library once they arrived. While Hermione was often titled as the smartest witch of her age, Fabian was easily the smartest wizard. Hermione had guessed that was what drew them together.
It was early, way too early but he knew it was for a good cause. Today was the Quidditch World Cup and he had generously paid for their tickets. His father had plenty of money, and Fabian thought it was only natural to share the wealth. It was something his mother had taught him from a very young age.
He felt a little for Hermione, since she didn't really like Quidditch, but she was able to tolerate it for him. He also knew it scared her every time he played Keeper for the Gryffindor team. They had discussed this at length during the last few weeks.
He felt how slowly Hermione awoke and it made him smile how even early in the morning she looked beautiful. "Hey, good morning" she said with a sleepy voice. "Morning precious, sleep well?" he asked after she had stretched. She nodded and snuggled a bit closer to him. He smiled at her but he realized they would be late if they slept in "As much as I would love to stay in bed with you 'Mione, I think we should wake Ginny up and get ready to go." He said with a smile. "Sure Fabe, I'll go wake her up, while you get dressed and such." She said with a similar smile.
But before Fabian could get up, she gave him a kiss on the cheek. She blushed and said "sorry I wanted to do that for a while now." He wore a similar blush, but managed to get a few words out "I… wow, I wasn't expecting that, thank you Hermione." She smiled and turned to the still sleeping redhead. He turned around and walked into the adjoining bathroom, getting ready for the coming day.
He looked at his image in the mirror and smiled. He looked all the bit the pureblood his father was, but he had vowed never to be like him. His father was a Death Eater and a horrible person to be around and he could still remember the letter he had received when he was sorted into Gryffindor, his mother was proud, but his father had been outraged, saying that someone like him should never mingle with the commoners. But the truth was, he loved being in Gryffindor, even more now that he had a girlfriend in the same house.
After a few minutes he had freshened up and was ready for the day, he took a last look in the mirror, pulled his long black hair in a tail and walked back out, Hermione and Ginny immediately moving into the bathroom to start their own morning rituals.
Fabian smiled at their antics and made his way downstairs, where he could smell eggs and bacon coming from the kitchen. As he walked in he was greeted by the entire Weasley family and Harry. He had to smile, the sight in front of him was so different from the usual sight he got at home. His father was a big supporter of Voldemort and him being sorted into Gryffindor had made him an outcast within his fathers side of the family.
His mother was always proud of him, no matter what he did. She was a kind soul and never held an ill will against anyone, it made him wonder what she had seen in his father. He knew she was afraid of him and she was glad that Fabian had found a family in the Weasley's where he was welcome for the summer.
Before he could walk any further, he felt how an arm came to rest around his waist. He startled, but quickly realized it was only Hermione. He smiled at her and leaned his head on her shoulder. Mrs. Weasley smiled at them and said "well good morning you two, care to have some breakfast before you head out." They both nodded and took a seat at the table, Fabian trying very hard not to look at Ron directly. He knew Ron was pissed about him getting together with Hermione, and the two had a huge fight about it. For now Ron had accepted it, but Fabian knew it would be a matter of time before he brought it up again.
Breakfast went quickly and not before long everyone except Mrs. Weasley was underway to the Quidditch World Cup Finals. About half an hour later they arrived in a little grassy knoll where an old boot was waiting for them. "So Mr. Weasley, how are we going to the World Cup?" Harry asked with a look of confusion on his face.
Arthur Weasley smiled at the raven haired boy. "We're going by Portkey Harry, we all grab on to the boot and it will all take us to the edge of the World Cup, now everyone grab on, and don't let go until I say so." Everyone did as they were told, and Fabian could feel Hermione's grip on him tightening. "Don't worry baby, everything will be fine." He said in an attempt to calm her. She smiled faintly and squeezed his hand to let him know she would be fine.
Seconds later they all felt how they were lifted in the air and flown towards the stadium. "Alright let go on three. One. Two. Three." Arthur yelled. Everyone let go and Fabian instantly cradled Hermione in his arms, getting a loving glance from her in return. 'This is gonna hurt like hell when I hit the ground, but it will be worth it' Fabian thought to himself, and a second later he landed on one knee, feeling the rest of his bones almost buckle under the pressure of the landing. He gently got to his feet and set Hermione down gently. He tried to put some more weight on his feet and was glad nothing seemed to be wrong.
Hermione looked closely at him "you okay baby?" she asked, the worry clear in her voice. He smiled down at her and kissed her cheek "I'm fine 'Mione, I was just worried what would happen if I landed like I did, and I was just testing if I didn't break anything." She nodded and rested her forehead against his. "Oy! would you two get a room or something." Ron yelled angrily from the side. Both of them looked annoyed, but it was Hermione who spoke first. "You have a problem Ronald, or are you just jealous that someone has an interest in me?" Ron kept getting redder, but was quickly pulled away by Harry, who figured Ron needed to be gone before things would be said that couldn't be taken back or a real fight would break out.
The young couple sighed almost in unison, and they saw how Ginny came towards them, the young redhead hugged both of them and said "give him time you guys, Ron needs a bit of time to readjust his vision, but don't worry, he'll come around, and until that time rest assured I'll be always on your side." Both of them smiled at that and hugged Ginny a bit tighter in a silent thank you.
"Come on you lot, we need to get to our tents." Arthur yelled from a distance. Everyone turned towards the Weasley patriarch and followed him towards the two tents that the Weasley's had rented. "Right you lot, we have a while before the game starts, so we have some time to kill, Fred, George, Ron, Harry and me will be in the big tent, Fabian, Hermione and Ginny in the small tent, I suggest you kids take a rest before the game starts tonight."
They didn't have to look towards Ron to know he was on the verge of another blowout. And they were not mistaken. "Why the bloody hell does he get to stay in the tent with them?" Arthur turned towards his youngest son and said "Well Ronald, the big tent is full enough as it is, and since Hermione and Fabian are a couple and they promised your mother nothing untoward would happen, so I believe them."
Ron glared at both of them, but refrained from further comment, after all it would only be a matter of time before Hermione saw what Fabian was really all about, and then she would draw back to him.
Fabian was inclined to say something to Ron, but was held back by Hermione, who implored him with her eyes to let it go for now. He sighed and led the girls into the tent, almost immediately falling into one of the cushions. Hermione gently sat herself down in his lap "You okay Fabian?" she asked with a worried voice. He gently kissed her cheek and said "I'm fine 'Mione, I think the stuff with Ron is starting to get to me, he still seems to think you two belong together or something."
Hermione laughed at that "Really now, he has a funny way of showing that then. But don't worry Fabe, I have already made my choice. And you know I don't believe in doing things half." She laughed again at his blush "oh, don't be like that Fabian, I was just teasing you, but I am serious about one thing. You and I both know that this is more than a simple crush, and you know we will have to delve into this when we get back to school." He nodded and smiled at her.
Ginny looked at them and smiled, true to form Hermione had disarmed her boyfriend with nothing but that brilliant mind of hers. She sat herself down into one of the other cushions and closed her eyes, thinking about her own love interest. Luna Lovegood. They had known each other for a long time now, and she had as of late that the blond free-spirited witch would look away with a blush every time they locked eyes. She knew Luna at least had feelings for her and she couldn't deny that she had feelings for her too. She hadn't told anyone of this yet and decided it would be a good point to start with Hermione and Fabian, since they were the only ones of her friends that actually had a relationship.
When Ginny opened her eyes she saw that Hermione and Fabian had fallen asleep in each other's arms. It was a very cute sight to see, and at times like these she wished she had a muggle camera, so she could capture moments like these. Since it was still a bit early she decided she could use some shut eye too, so she closed her eyes again and swiftly drifted off to sleep.
…
A few hours later Hermione slowly drifted awake, blinking a few times to regain her bearings. She noticed she was curled into a very warm and very familiar body. She smiled and tried to figure out how she had gotten so lucky. Before she came to Hogwarts she was often labeled as a know-it-all and a teacher's pet. Not that those things particularly hurt, but being called those things for the good part of seven years gave her some serious confidence issues. Then she came to Hogwarts and then she met Ron, who was calling her the same things again, but she also met Harry and Fabian, her two best friends from the beginning. Fabian stood up for her from the very beginning and she believed that to be the first step to them becoming something more closer than friends.
She knew she deeply cared for him and she knew he deeply cared for her. True, they weren't doing much more than snuggling, cuddling and some experimental kissing at this point, but they were both young and she knew they would have plenty of time to be together.
Hermione placed a light kiss on his cheek and smiled when he slowly woke up, curling a bit more into her. "Hey baby, sleep ok?" she asked with a soft voice, not wanting to wake Ginny just yet. He yawned and said "yeah slept ok, usually do when you're next to me." Hermione blushed a bit and hid her face in is black hair. "You know 'Mione, you really need to learn to accept a compliment, you know I wouldn't dare say something to upset you, right?" She nodded but still said nothing. Now the worry was setting in on Fabian's face "Hermione, please talk to me, baby" he silently pleaded.
When she looked into his eyes her embarrassment vanished instantly "I'm fine baby, I really am, but growing up in the Muggle world, no one ever told me they liked having me around, save my parents. And no one ever saw me as anything more than a friend. Since I always was the buck toothed, bushy haired know-it-all. So accepting compliments from anyone is a bit hard for me." She said with a smile. Hermione felt how his grip tightened just slightly, giving her the comfort of a hug while they were still cuddled up. She smiled at him and kissed him on the cheek.
Normally she would be satisfied with this but now she needed to feel a deeper connection with the long haired boy. Slowly she moved so that she was straddling him and kissed him again, full on his lips. She could notice he was a bit surprised but kissed her back none the less. She licked his bottom lip to get some more access to his mouth, which he was more than glad to give her.
This kiss went further than any other they had shared and slowly both of them felt their tongues entwining with each other. Hermione felt more at ease than ever before, and the kiss felt almost natural. When she pulled back after a few minutes she heard a soft groan coming from Fabian. She smiled and playfully slapped his shoulder. "Stop that, there will be plenty more where those came from." She said with a grin.
He smiled back at her "Oh I know, but this was our first real kiss, so I wanted to savor it a little." He said with a similar grin. She gave him another peck on the lips and then slowly got off him again, curling into his side once again. He smiled at her and kissed her on the top of her head, glad to have his girlfriend in his arms.
He hadn't told his family about his relationship with the Muggleborn witch yet, and truth be told he was a little afraid of how his father would react. He knew his mother wouldn't have any problems with it, she believed love came to everyone in different ways, but his father would be a different story. He knew there was a big chance he would be disowned but truth be told he couldn't care at this point. He knew he loved Hermione, although their relationship was in to early a stage to actually say it.
A few minutes later the young couple noticed that Ginny was also in the process of waking up. Slowly they sat up, although they never actually left each other's arms. Hermione smiled at the redhead when she opened her eyes. "Well good afternoon Gin, sleep ok?" She asked with a big grin on her face. The redhead just nodded and stretched herself out, looking slightly more awake when she was done.
Ginny looked them over a few times before she said anything. "Have I missed anything, you guys are wearing such out-of-character grins on your faces."
Fabian smiled and shared a glance with his girlfriend. He smiled at the look in her eyes and then turned back to Ginny "Not much, we just shared our first real kiss, and we talked some, nothing too big."
Ginny smiled and stood up to give them a hug, but when she bent down, she somehow lost her balance and tumbled into Fabian and Hermione.
Fabian saw what was happening and managed to grab Ginny with his free arm, they were all stunned for a moment, and when they saw how they were tangled up they all started laughing. At that exact moment Harry came in and saw how the threesome was tangled up. He smiled at them and said "If you guys can find a way to untangle yourselves, diner is almost ready."
He was about to turn around when he remembered something "And just a heads up, Ron is still pretty pissed, so be ready for some comments from him." Fabian and Hermione sighed, but were ready for anything he could dish out. Ginny on the other hand seemed to have a difficult time controlling her temper. But she nodded none the less. She would deal with Ron when he said anything.
It took them a few minutes, but eventually they managed to get themselves free and standing again. They could smell diner and they could hear Ginny's stomach rumbling. Fabian and Hermione rolled their eyes at the redhead, the girl could never deny she was a Weasley. The redhead stuck her tongue out at the couple and then smiled at them. Hermione hugged her and told her to go ahead. "So Fabe, Ron is still pissed at us, although we never actually did anything wrong, what would you say to really giving him a reason to pop a fuse?" He smiled at her and said "First I would say, who are you and what have you done with Hermione Granger?" She slapped him on the arm before he continued "but I have to say it sounds like a great plan." She smiled a bit wickedly and then said "Then put your arm around me when we walk out, and I'll sit in your lap during dinner." He smiled at that, touching his girlfriend was never a bad plan in his opinion.
He did as he was told and put his arm low around her waist, getting a loving smile in return. Together they walked out and saw the entire group already seated around the campfire. Ron looked like he was about to explode, but was quickly silenced by Harry who prodded him with an elbow. Fabian smiled evilly and sat himself next to Ginny, Hermione promptly sitting herself in his lap.
This time Harry was a tad too late in noticing Ron's reaction. "Bloody hell!" he bellowed "could you two just please for the love of Merlin's beard just keep your hands to yourselves for two minutes, some of us would like to eat without gagging every two minutes." The young couple shared a glance and Fabian replied first "Sorry Ronald, but I don't see anyone else around here that has a problem, so maybe you should stuff your jealousy somewhere it shouldn't go and just eat your damn dinner."
Arthur shook his head and decided to intervene before anyone would do anything stupid. "Yes Ron, just be quiet and eat your dinner, there will be no arguing about this anymore tonight." He said with a great deal of authority. Ron huffed and turned away from the others, eating his dinner quietly. Fabian and Hermione could almost hear the collective sigh and eye roll.
Apart from Ron's blowup, dinner was a quiet affair, and more than once there was a huff from the far end of the line. Although he didn't actually say anything, everyone was getting quite annoyed with him.
…
After dinner everyone went back inside and got ready for the Quidditch Finals. Once they were back inside Hermione sat down heavily into one of the cushions. "What's wrong 'Mione?" Fabian asked with a raised eyebrow. She smiled weakly at him "Oh you know what it is. We have to spend God knows how long at a Quidditch match with Ron being more volatile than ever. So excuse me if I'm a little nervous for how tonight will play out." Hermione ranted.
He smiled and held out his hands, she quirked an eyebrow but took them anyway. He pulled her in for a big hug and said "We'll be fine baby, we'll just ignore him and he'll probably do the same once the game starts." She smiled at him and kissed him soundly, losing herself in him for a few moments when she heard a throat being cleared behind her.
They broke apart to see Ginny standing near the entrance with a smile and her hands on her hips. "It's great and all that you two have found each other, but the match will be starting in half an hour and we have a twenty minute walk ahead of us. So if you two can keep your hands to yourselves for those twenty minutes and not give Ron a reason to blow up again, that would be grand." Both of them laughed and nodded at the redhead, following her outside, hands seemingly locked together.
Everyone was already waiting for them when they came outside and Arthur had to smile at the young couple and his daughter "So if everyone is ready, lets head to the stadium." Everyone nodded and followed the Weasley patriarch. During the walk they noticed Ron was really trying hard not to stare at their locked hands and the looks they gave each other. They had to give it to him, he was persistent, but fortunately he kept his mouth shut.
Twenty minutes later they arrived at the massive stadium, and after a look at their tickets they were quickly ushered towards the top of the stadium. "Bloody Hell dad, how far up are we?" George asked when they were halfway up.
From behind them they could hear a familiar creepy voice "We'll put it this way, if it rains you will be the first to know." It was Lucius Malfoy who spoke. Of course that slimy git of a son of his was with him, who started ranting how they were up in the Ministers box, of course by personal invitation.
Fabian smirked at him "That won't be difficult if your father knows exactly where to place his arm at the Ministers backside." Draco made a move towards him, but he was again one step ahead of him. "Careful Draco, you wouldn't want to miss a couple of teeth again like last year now do you?" Draco nearly growled, and was just about to speak again when his father stepped in "Ah if it isn't the blood traitor Fabian Markov himself, tell me boy, what would your father think if he found out if you were consorting with Mudbloods." Fabian now got in the man's face, he was getting pissed at the Malfoy patriarch "I don't know uncle, ask him what I said to him when he asked me the same question." He growled out.
He felt how he was pulled back by Hermione "This isn't over Malfoy, not by a long shot." He growled out before he went back towards the Weasley's. He saw how Ron was still staring at him "what is it Ronald, got something you want to say, come on say it, I'm right in the mood." He spat at him.
Ron paled a bit but still managed to respond "I just wanted to say you were brilliant back there. And I wanted to say I'm sorry to the both of you, I was being an ass, and I should be happy that you two have found each other. But did I hear it correctly when you called Lucius Malfoy uncle?"
Fabian smiled at him and said "Thank you Ron, that certainly means a lot to me" he took a quick glance at Hermione, who narrowed her eyes at him "I'm sorry, it means a lot to us. And yes Lucius Malfoy is my uncle on my mothers' side. Although my mother doesn't even acknowledge her side of the family anymore."
Ron nodded and stepped forward to wrap both of them in a hug. It was a short hug because they had to hurry, they still had a few sets of stairs to go and the match was about to start.
When they got to the top, they could see everything perfectly. The Bulgarian team was just entering the arena with their mascots. Fabian looked a little closer and said to Harry and Ron "Are those what I think they are?" Harry and Ron looked a little closer and even Hermione and Ginny took a closer look.
"Are those Veela?" Harry asked. Fabian and Hermione both nodded, and Fabian noticed that Hermione was looking a bit uncomfortable. "Don't worry 'Mione, they don't hold a candle to you." He whispered in her ear. He squeezed her hand for good measure. She smiled back at him and gave him a light kiss on the cheek. He blushed and turned back towards the field.
…
Hermione smiled and settled in her seat, she didn't really care for Quidditch, but she loved how her boyfriend could get excited over the sport. She had to admit her heart gave a lurch every time he would get on a broom at school when he had to play Keeper for the Gryffindor team. She didn't really pay attention when the match started, but instead started to think about her life with Fabian so far. She knew she loved him, and she knew he loved her but neither of them was ready to say it at this point. Their relationship was still in an early stage, and she knew at some point during the coming year the words would be said.
Suddenly the crowd erupted and she saw how the twins were hugging each other and Fabian made his way towards her. "It's over 'Mione, the Irish have won, although the Bulgarian Seeker caught the snitch." He said after giving her a hug. "I noticed baby, I'm happy that we won but if it's all the same to you I would like to go back to our tent and cuddle up to you." She said with a sigh.
He smiled and nodded at her leading her towards the stairs. Above them dark clouds were gathering, but neither of them seemed to notice when they descended the stairs together.
