not a sentence/phrase prompt, but one written because while i personally do not believe in soulmates, i find the idea absolutely fascinating.

"FAMOUS WAR HEROINE'S SOULMARK REVEALED! See the exclusive photos on page 3."

Hermione groaned and dropped her head into her hands and then just gave up and let her upper body fall onto the tabletop in defeat. She mumbled into the scratched wood surface. "I wish I could say that I can't believe this happened, but then I remember my entire Hogwarts career."

Ginny patted her arm comfortingly. "Cheer up, Hermione. At least it didn't make the front page?"

Hermione flapped an arm at Ginny uselessly, not moving from her position of utter mortification. "That's because the front page has an entire article about how devastated all my various lovers are that they are not my one and only heart's desire." Ginny leaned close to hear her last muttered statement. "I knew I should have kept her in that jar."

"How did this even happen?"

Hermione sighed and lifted her head, propping it on one hand while she pinched the bridge of her nose with the other. "Teddy. His accidental magic seems very dedicated to vanishing things. Like my robes while we're at Fortescues's, for example. Just lucky I was wearing something underneath that day."

Ginny pressed her lips together tightly and did her best to school her expression, but Hermione wasn't fooled. She rolled her eyes tiredly. "Go ahead and laugh, Gin. Everyone else has."

Failing badly at stifling her giggles, Ginny said, "Everyone?"

"Your husband, all your brothers, the patrons of the ice cream shop, even Luna sent me an owl! I couldn't actually make out what the message was, but I'm sure she was laughing while she wrote it."

"Don't you think you're overreacting just a bit?" Ginny flipped open the Daily Prophet and smoothed out the pages. "It's not even a bad photo, even if the clothes are a little sparse."

Hermione waved her wand sharply and Ginny reared back as hundreds of letters appeared on the table, overflowing the surface and landing haphazardly on the floor. "These are all responses I have received from this revelation. Everything from soulmate claims to scathing diatribes on my appalling lack of propriety."

"Merlin," Ginny breathed, eyes wide. "It's not even lunchtime yet."

With another flick of Hermione's wand, the letters were set on fire and then promptly banished. Her eyes narrowed at the slight scorch mark the blue flames had left. "I will end that woman. One way or another."

Before Ginny could reply (or edge away from her clearly distraught, clearly deranged friend), there was a knock on the door. She jumped up to answer, hoping whoever it was would distract Hermione from homicidal thoughts. Swinging the door open, she blinked at a vaguely familiar face, who blinked right back at her. "Er, hello? Can I help you?"

His dark blue eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled politely. "I hope so." He tugged the collar of his shirt down over his clavicle, exposing pale skin and the scattered constellation of star-like markings that directly matched the ones dotting Hermione's torso. "I was hoping you could help me find Ms. Granger."

Ginny grinned at him sharply and opened the door wider. "You've come at the right time, Mr …?"

He stepped across the threshold smoothly. "Theo Nott."

"Ah." Ginny racked her mind for the name and thought, bollocks when she finally placed it.

Theo watched the play of emotions she couldn't hide move across her face and sighed. With a quick movement, he drew his wand only to hand it to her handle first. "If it makes you feel more comfortable."

She scrutinized him for a long moment and then shook her head. "It's enough to know you offered." She smiled again, just as sharply as before. "Hermione's already here, I'll bring you in and let you talk."

He followed her to kitchen, where Hermione was once again face down on the countertop muttering curses to herself. Ginny figured this was as good of a second impression as they were going to get. "Hey, Hermione. We've got company."

Her friend just waved her wand and the words "HELLO" and "GO AWAY" hovered in the air. Ginny smirked, knowing Hermione had assumed it was Ron or Harry who was at the door.

Theo cleared his throat. "Do you greet all guests this politely?"

Hermione's head shot up from where it was cradled in her arms and she squinted at the tall man standing next to her friend. "… Nott, was it? What are you doing here?"

He sat down at Ginny's abandoned stool with graceful ease, though his legs trailed down to the floor. "A little bird told me that you and I have something in common."

Hermione huffed. "More like a little cockroach." He raised an eyebrow at her and she just shook her head. "Nevermind. Show me."

Theo looked back at Ginny and said, "Demanding, isn't she?"

She shrugged, more than content to lean against the wall and watch the show. "You have no idea."

Theo pulled the collar of his shirt down again and Hermione leaned in closely to look. He held his breath as she trailed a finger across the constellation, seemingly oblivious to his response. After a long moment she sat back and said, "Huh. So that's real." She frowned almost apologetically. "I don't believe in soulmates."

"Despite all the evidence to the contrary, you mean?" He was still reeling from the single touch of her hand while she looked remarkably unaffected.

Hermione wrinkled her nose. "There has been a severe lack of scientific enquiry on this subject since the marks started appearing on infants a century ago. Most of it is romance novels and a lot of highly improbable films."

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Theo watched her curls get crushed under her frantic hands as she wound her hair into a bun and shoved her wand through it violently, muttering to herself about 'ignorant purebloods' and 'useless segregation'.

"Muggle entertainment." She watched his face closely for a reaction and he was happy enough not to let his expression change. Satisfied, she relaxed against the table once more. "So I'm sorry, but I doubt we're meant to be."

Suddenly a plush toy came sailing over Theo's shoulder and hit Hermione in the face, much to her surprise. "Ginny!"

"Give the bloke a chance, huh? Can't be all bad." The redhead smiled winsomely at Theo. "Worst case scenario, shag him and leave forever."

Hermione looked thoughtful, scarily so. Theo just wondered when it was that he lost control of the situation. It was probably when he woke up this morning. "Ah, shouldn't that be something you don't discuss when the person in question is in the room?"

Ginny shrugged. "Honesty is the best policy. Gryffindors, you know."

"Yes." Hermione stood and he noted her lack of height absently, while staking out the possible exits from the apartment if things went south. "You'll do. I will seize this opportunity for scientific progress." She looked him up and down appreciatively. "And possibly orgasms."

Theo slid to his feet, feeling disconcertingly out of his depth. "… thank you?"

She patted him on the chest and his soulmark burned as if she were touching his skin directly. Despite his misgivings, he felt an overwhelming urge to be near her now that he knew for a fact that they were connected by magic, or fate or whatever it was the universe called these tattoos. Theo was mildly impressed that she didn't seemed strained whatsoever. "I wouldn't say that just yet."