The Harmony bond, chapter nine.
Author's note...
IMPORTANT – To those who are worried by the last part of this chapter, please read the author's note at the end before jumping down my throat!
Disclaimer:-
To anyone who has been on another planet since 1997, this is to let you know that Harry Potter belongs to J., her various publishers and Warner Brothers. This story and any new characters belong to me.
In the previous chapter...
Hermione has stunned everyone by her announcement about the Soul Bond breaking down.
Author's note
Thanks to the-dreamer4, a few typos in chapters 4 and 6 have been corrected for anyone that saves the chapters.
For a moment, nobody reacted. Then Mrs. Granger got up, saying, "I need to go to her." Stopping briefly in the hallway to put on her coat and pick up Hermione's coat, she went out. Mr. Granger, having been left stunned by his daughter's pronouncement for longer than his wife, finally got up and ran out after her, not even stopping for his coat.
Harry was still sitting, unmoving. He didn't understand any of this, he wasn't sure he wanted to. He just knew he'd done something wrong again, like he always did.
"Madam Pomfrey, I think it best if you stay with Harry," said Professor Dumbledore. "I'm going to the Ministry. In her state, she might exhibit some accidental magic, so we can find her."
"Do you think that's necessary?"
"No," he replied. "I don't. But I'm not taking any chances."
With that, he flooed away.
Harry stayed silent and Madam Pomfrey wasn't talking either. After just over an hour the Granger parents returned. "We can't find her anywhere. She normally goes to the library if she's upset but..."
They sat down, the worry showing on their faces. "She'll come back. She always does," Mr. Granger tried to reassure his wife.
"But I've never seen her look so..." she struggled for a word... "hopeless."
Mr. Granger turned to Madam Pomfrey and finally asked the question which Harry had been too scared to ask. "What's a soul bond?"
"I'm sure Professor Dumbledore could explain it better..."
"I'd like to hear it from you. Please?"
Madam Pomfrey nodded. "The easiest way to explain it is to explain the differences between this and a marriage bond." She hesitated. "But then you won't know about marriage bonds either, will you?"
"We've been married quite a while, you know."
"Sorry, I mean a magical marriage bond."
"No."
"When a witch and a wizard get married, part of the ceremony is to cast a spell to unite them. In reality, it does no such thing. It merely provides the potential. Those who choose to give themselves more fully to each other, and choose a closer level of unity, will develop what we call the marriage bond. In a sense it unites their magic, they will find that they are magically stronger when they are together, especially if they are touching, than when they are apart. And it is not simply their power added together, but much more than that. Although no two bonds are alike, in general it seems to make them much less vulnerable to some dark potions and spells, not all unfortunately. Otherwise Harry's parents would still be alive."
"Harry's parents were bonded?"
"They had begun their marriage bond. As I said it takes a giving, and that takes time. A complete marriage bond will allow someone to feel the other person's feelings, sometimes even think their thoughts. The strongest bonds will even affect their life-span..."
"To make them live longer?"
"No, it isn't a fountain of youth. Even we can't live forever. What it does is to somehow, and we still don't really understand how, even out their life-span. We know that a witch from a family who are usually long lived, who marries and bonds with a wizard from a shorter-lived family, will end up living shorter, while her husband lives longer."
"Why would anyone want to live shorter?"
"They end up sharing their life-span, so both die around the same time, neither is left behind, barring accidents of course."
"So how does this affect Hermione, and Harry?" He added Harry's name almost as an afterthought and hoped that Harry hadn't noticed.
"They don't have a marriage bond. They have a soul bond. But it is similar to a marriage bond in the sense that it unites two people in a very similar way. It doesn't have to be between a witch and a wizard, it can be with both the same sex, although that is very rare, it has mainly happened in war-times and then it seems to be temporary, the bond dissolving when whatever crisis which caused brought it about is over. But normally a soul bond, like a marriage bond, is permanent."
"So they can share each other's thoughts?" Mrs. Granger asked, actually forgetting that Harry was in the room in her worry for her daughter.
"Not yet. I think they are starting to feel each other's feelings, hence the nightmares you've described Hermione having. I suspect they are almost identical to the nightmares Harry has."
"How did this happen?"
"We don't really know. Soul bonds are different from marriage bonds. A marriage bond is entered into deliberately, both parties choosing to do so. A soul bond seems to begin without that deliberate choice, sometimes, the two being brought together in unusual circumstances. For example, what made Hermione take you to where Harry would be? Sometimes it seems like the two halves of the bond call out to each other, even before they begin to form the bond."
"And is what Hermione said true?"
The mediwitch looked at Harry briefly, and replied. "If Hermione said it, then it's true. That is another difference between a marriage bond and a soul bond. A marriage bond's strength depends on the openness of the two involved. A soul bond doesn't. It is all or nothing. Like marriage bonds, soul bonds take years to form completely, but a fully formed soul bond is incredibly strong, possibly because it is usually only the most powerful wizards or witches that ever form a soul bond. A soul bond takes the magical energy from each one, to form the bond. If that doesn't work, which happens if one or the other is blocking it, it goes on trying, unstoppable, until the very life energy from each is drained away. That is what Hermione was talking about."
Harry sat miserably, knowing within himself that what Madam Pomfrey was saying was true. He knew they must be thinking the truth. It was all his fault, as usual. And this time, they were right.
"Harry," now Madam Pomfrey was speaking directly to him. "With your upbringing, I'm not surprised that you find it difficult to trust anyone. But I can tell you this, whatever one of you does affects the other, and whatever you do to the other one, affects you. Hermione can never hurt you without hurting herself. She can no more betray you than you could cut off your right arm for the fun of it."
Harry got up. "I have to find her."
Mr. Granger got up to try to stop him, but Madam Pomfrey said, "Let him go. He's probably the only person who can find your daughter."
As Harry turned to close the front door, Mrs. Granger called him back. "You need your coat..."
"I don't care," he began
"And take one for Hermione please. If she's outside she must be freezing."
Harry nodded, and put on his coat, then took the other one Mrs. Granger handed him.
Mr. Granger had joined them in the hallway. "Harry," he said. "Don't blame yourself."
"Why not? It's my fault." Harry shut the door before Mr. Granger could reply.
Harry walked quickly, almost running, having no idea where he was going, but knowing somehow which way to go. The rather foggy cold morning was turning to rain and he was glad of his coat. He hoped Hermione had some shelter. The thought of something happening to her because of him cut through him like a knife.
With the fog, he couldn't be sure where he was, but he was fairly sure that Hermione hadn't brought him this way before.
He was far out of town and beginning to feel hungry. How long had he been walking? He had no idea. He momentarily considered turning back, but put that out of his mind strait away. He had no idea of the way home, and if he did, he couldn't leave Hermione out here alone. A bitter cramp in his gut was telling him that if he did, he'd never see her alive again.
He struggled on.
Back at the Grangers' house, Mrs. Pomfrey had returned to Hogwarts, asking the Grangers to get Harry or Hermione to call her the moment either of them returned. Then another arrival through the floo had disturbed the day.
"Er. Hi. Er. Is this the Granger household?" The young man asked a startled Mrs. Granger.
"Yes."
"Who are you?" asked Mrs. Granger.
"Sorry. Professor Dumbledore sent me to do a report on the wards."
"Wards?" asked Mr. Granger.
"Sorry, I forget, you wouldn't know. Wards are the basis of the spells to protect against dark wizards."
"And you can do them? You don't look much more than a schoolboy."
"I can do some. But now I'm just doing the survey for the professor. He will do them. He can make the strongest wards. And I am a schoolboy."
Another floo arrival startled him. It was Madam Pomfrey. "Oh, you got here before me. Professor Dumbledore thought I'd better introduce you."
"Yes, the young man was just telling us how Professor Dumbledore is so concerned about our safety that he sent a schoolboy."
Madam Pomfrey seemed taken aback slightly at the hostility in Mr. Granger's tone. "I know that Professor Dumbledore has not made the best impression on you so far, but I can assure you that there is no better surveyor than this young man. Not only did he get outstanding on no less than twelve OWLs, but he has already been snapped up by Gringotts to train as a curse breaker as soon as he finishes his NEWTs. He is also head boy at Hogwarts, which itself is no small achievement."
"I'm sorry. I was just..."
"Worried. I understand. If it's any comfort, there's nobody better than Professor Dumbledore at defensive warding. He's the only person You Know Who was ever afraid of."
"You Know Who?"
"Er. A dark wizard."
"You mean Voldemort?"
The young man looked slightly surprised at him saying the name, but nodded. "Yes. I'm Bill Weasley by the way." He offered his hand.
Mr. Granger shook it. "Pleased to meet you."
"Likewise. And don't worry, the Professor told me this was all secret. Nobody will hear anything from me. Our family have always fought dark wizards. Mind you, if my sister knew I was helping with the wards for Harry Potter..."
"Your sister?"
"Sorry. Ginny's seven. Harry Potter is her favourite bed-time story."
Harry was feeling tired. He was now walking alongside a canal. He'd seen it as the road he'd been following had crossed over it. Instead of walking down the bank to the canal, he'd managed to slip. The muddy bank was soft enough that he didn't hurt himself, but he was covered in mud down one side. Worse still, he almost slid right into the canal itself. Only reaching out for a post had saved him and in doing so, Hermione's coat had fallen into the canal. He'd tried to fish it out using a branch, but the branch had snapped under the weight of the soaked coat.
At least the rain was lighter now, for a short time the steady light rain had turned to a downpour.
The canal was slowly turning and as he walked on he saw something on the bank. As he grew close enough to see through the remaining fog, he could see it was a lone figure sitting, her knees bent up, and her arms wrapped around them.
"Hermione!" he cried, running to her.
"Go 'way," she responded, then her curiosity got the better of her. "How did you find me."
"I don't know. I just knew where to come." Harry could see that Hermione was shivering violently with the cold. "You have to come home. You're freezing."
"Don't care."
Harry took off his coat and put it around Hermione. "Sorry, it's soaking. I did bring you one, but it fell in the canal."
Hermione just looked away from him.
"Hermione, please. Your Mum and Dad are worried." He began to pull her up. At first she resisted, then pushed herself up.
"Do you know the way home?"
Hermione shook her head. "I don't think so. We need to find a phone box."
"I haven't any money."
"I can reverse the charges."
"Oh. Can you do that?" He thought momentarily of Dudley and thought that he'd be doing that all the time when he got older, if he wasn't already.
Hermione was so cold she could barely stand. Harry pulled her against him to support her.
"Eew. You're all muddy."
"I fell. That's when I lost your coat."
They walked to the next bridge over the canal in silence. Luckily, this one had proper steps to climb. Even luckier, from the bridge, they could see a phone box.
Harry could hear Mrs. Granger crying with relief as Hermione spoke to her. She gave them the address printed inside the phone box. Her mother didn't know where it was, but said they'd find out.
As they waited for the Grangers to pick them up, Harry said, "I'm sorry."
Shortly afterwards, when he tried to apologise for losing Hermione's coat, his apology was brushed off with "It doesn't matter. You brought her back, that's all."
Although both children were hungry, especially Hermione, who, unlike Harry, wasn't used to going without food, Mrs. Granger insisted that they both have a warm bath before they do anything else. She took Hermione up first, while Mr. Granger made Harry a cup of tea.
As her mother bathed her, Hermione asked her, "I still don't understand. We were getting on so well. Why did Harry stop trusting me like that?"
"We asked Madam Pomfrey that. She thinks it might have happened anyway, a reaction to getting too close to someone, but also that being sent back to the Dursleys, he felt betrayed and unwanted."
"But he agreed to go back."
"Sometimes, darling, you can know something up here," she lightly touched her daughter's forehead, "but still not feel it here." She touched her chest. "Come on, that's you done. We need to get Harry warmed up too."
The rest of the day was subdued. Madam Pomfrey returned to check over the two children, and pronounced them fit enough to stay at the Grangers' house. She suggested that, just to help the bond establish itself, they should share the same bed.
After a surprised gulp from Hermione, they'd agreed on that. So that night, after the children went to bed, Mrs. Granger crept up to check on them. To her surprise Hermione had her arm around Harry. She couldn't help a sob escaping.
Back downstairs, she cried to her husband, "I know he's a lovely boy and no child should have to live like he has. But with Voldemort and death eaters, and these wards they're having to do, and the bond, sometimes I just wish we'd never heard of Harry Potter."
The said Harry Potter, having heard Mrs. Grangers' sob, had got up to see what was wrong. Unfortunately, he only hear the last part. And he thought that they liked him! Feeling more unhappy than he had ever felt, he wished he could run away, but he was sure that that would kill Hermione.
Back in bed he lay awake, miserable, waiting for morning to come.
Author's note...
IMPORTANT – To those who are worried, their sleeping together is NOT sexual and does NOT mean that you can expect them to be shagging at age 8 or anything like it.
Please review.
Brian
