Chapter 1- Soul Drawing
"Hermione, you're muggleborn and your parents wouldn't have been able to tell you." Ron said softly.
I huffed and crossed my arms. "This is ridiculous. There isn't a soul mate for every person out there. It's impossible!
Ron Weasely, my friend of seven long years, shook his head and looked at me with pity. Never in my life had he ever looked at me that way.
Tears rose in my eyes and I turned away from him. Harry put a comforting arm around my shoulder and told me Ron didn't know anything.
"My mom told me about it before I started school. Every hundred years the headmaster draws two couples out of the Cup of Foretold Love. I know, stupid name, just listen. My mother's mother was at Hogwarts when there was a drawling. The couple hated each other, but they ended up getting married and living to be almost two hundred years old. Can you believe that; extended life and extra powers, all because you found the love of your life. Its real Hermione, just because you don't believe doesn't mean it isn't real."
That was probably the most sense Ron had made in his life, but how could something like this be real. There wasn't science behind it. It was all fake!
"How do you explain magic, Mione? There's no reason for you to have it because your parents don't. There's no explanation but you believe you're a witch. So does everyone in our year because they've seen you in class. Just believe it this one time Mione."
"Fine Ron, but when Professor Dumbledore ruins two people's lives on an old potion's say so, I'll be there to say, and 'I told you so'." I snapped, but when I saw Ron's smile my anger faded away.
"I wouldn't have it any other way."
Later that evening we were all at the Gryffindor table, waiting anxiously for the Headmaster to announce the couple of the century.
"I think it'll be Snape and Luna Lovegood. Can you imagine?" Some whispered and sent trills of laughter through the entire table.
I scoffed at that. Nothing was more impossible.
"Students, staff and others! Today is a day that the ministry has waited anxiously for. Hogwarts is proud to hold the timeless event every one hundreds, to honor the inventor of such a wondrous potion.
"I want each and every one of you to pay close attention. No one knows who will be named and once you are there is no denying it."
There was a big black cauldron on the staff table and Snape put in the last of the purple powder and it exploded with a strange ringing noise.
A name appeared in the smoke and I choked on my butterbeer I'd been drinking.
Hermione Granger.
My name was written in obvious pink lettering. I looked at the headmaster; sure he was pulling a horrible joke.
"Miss Granger, congratulations. You are part of the first couple. Your partner is-
Severus Snape.
Ron's scream of horror sounded right in my ears. Harry looked ready to vomit and I was frowning. This was so stupid! There was no way in hell Snape was my soul mate. I peeked a glance up at him and saw he was scowling. He also looked afraid. It was a strange expression to see on his face.
"I wish you both a life full of love and endless happiness. Our second couple of the century is-
Harry Potter.
There was a rush of intense whispered throughout the hall and Harry looked faintly ill. I smiled at him sadly.
Draco Malfoy.
"Oh my lord." I whispered in a daze. This wasn't happening. Was not happening.
"There hasn't been a more power set of couples in over four centuries! This is a wondrous occurrence!" The headmaster said in a wistful voice.
I stood up from my spot on the table and grabbed Harry. We were going to be trampled if we didn't leave now. I pulled him towards the door and saw Malfoy doing the same. Figures he'd take my idea. I ran to the seventh floor, ignoring all of Harry's protests.
"We would have been bombarded with questions about secret affairs Harry. And I was right, wasn't I?" I said angrily.
A knock on the door made me frown. No one would know we were in here.
"Granger, Potter open the door before everyone finds me and knows you're both in there." Malfoy said hastily. I opened the door in shock. He walked in and slumped on the sofa near the center of the Room of requirement.
"Well, I don't want to shag you, Potter, so I'm not here for that. I'm here to pick you brain Granger, Father always said that the Soul Drawing was the real thing, so I'm waiting for you to say that he was stupid and this is all a big mistake." He said staring at me hopefully. I grinned at Harry.
"Mione! It's not funny." Harry squeaked, "I don't even like men!"
Malfoy looked angry but stared at me, waiting for an answer.
"I don't know what to tell you. I don't believe in this potion, but it seems to me that everyone else does. There's nothing I can do to help you. I have a crisis as well if you haven't noticed."
Malfoy grinned evilly, "Yep, Severus is probably ecstatic about this."
Harry had crawled onto a sofa on the other side of the room, and was trying to hide underneath a pillow. I walked over to his and pulled the pillow away.
"Harry, it'll be okay. You don't have to spend your life with Malfoy. Promise." I said, patting his shoulder comfortingly.
Malfoy made a grumbling noise and crossed his arms.
"You can leave anytime, you know." I said snappishly.
"Are you insane? I'll be eaten alive!" he shouted and turned away from me. Harry fell asleep within a few minutes and I walked back over to Malfoy. He was pouting. Unbelievable.
He looked like he was about to cry. "Malfoy, just give it a few years and everyone will have forgotten."
His eyes widened, "YEARS!" He gasped and dropped his head into his hands.
I sighed and left him to his misery. It looked like we were all going to have to stay here for the night. Four separate beds appeared at various spots in the room. I frowned; why were there four beds?
I only had to wait a second for the answer to come.
The door burst open and none other than Severus Snape rushed in. He had a nasty scratch on his left cheek and looked like he's just run a mile. He magically sealed the door behind him and collapsed against it.
"Professor? What happened?" I asked moving a few steps closer. He took a deep breath and gazed at me sharply.
"What do you think happened, Miss Granger? I was hounded with questions and when I didn't answer I was attacked." He snapped and moved to the closest bed. He removed his outer robe and threw it onto the bed.
"You were attacked? Who in their right mind would attack you!" I asked incredulously.
"They obviously weren't in their right minds. This potion makes people do crazy things, none them have to intelligence to realize it's not even real."
A tremendous weight fell off my shoulders, "Oh thank merlin. I was afraid it was real." I muttered and fell onto a bed a few feet away from his.
He gazed at me sharply, "Oh it's real Miss Granger, but only if you believe it is. I am the one that brewed it so I obviously know that it works."
My breath caught in my throat.
"But the term soul mate is interchangeable. It could mean the person most like you, a best friend, or in most cases, lovers, but that is not the only option. I can assure you that I have no attraction to you, but our intelligence is somewhat similar. I believe that is why you and I were chosen. As for them," He cast a glance to Malfoy and Harry, who had both fallen asleep.
"I am not sure. They must be more compatible in other ways that aren't obvious to onlookers."
I sighed and looked at him closely. He looked the same as always, lank black hair, onyx eyes, and thin frame. You, of course, couldn't forget the larger nose, but it really wasn't as big as everyone made it to be. He wasn't very attractive but he was by no means the ugliest man I'd seen.
"Thank you for that assessment, Miss Granger." His deep voice cut in. I flushed with anger.
"I've always thought that only cowards read people's thoughts to find information." I snapped. I didn't care that he'd heard what he heard; but that he resorted to reading my mind to have any type of conversation was pathetic to me.
"You may be correct, but I can't seem to care." He said shortly. He waved his wand and a curtain surrounded his bed, effectively shutting me out.
I turned away and rolled onto my side, wishing that my life wasn't this complicated.
A/N: Here is my newest story! I probably wont update for a week, what with school work. Review if you like it!