"Harry…Harry wake up." Harry opened his eyes groggily at first unsure of where he was. He fumbled for his glasses and then everything came into focus. He was in the Room of Requirement and Hermione was standing over him, smiling.

"You're okay." Relief washed over him.

"Yes but Harry, what's going on? I feel so confused."

"Er, well it's kind of hard to explain." He then told her about the future and his traveling back in time. Hermione didn't seem at all surprised.

"I remember" She said dazedly. "I remember it all. Umbridge and school, Dumbledore dying, hunting for horcruxes!" She gasped. "But this year, it overlaps, I can remember two different versions of what has happened so far."

Harry was elated. It had worked, the Hermione who'd been with him til the very end, til their death, was here. He quickly explained about the gift.

"I'm sorry I didn't use it on you earlier. I couldn't decide between you and Sirius but then last night, I thought-I realized I was manipulating you like Dumbledore. I'm sorry Hermione. I do have feelings for you but I'd understand if you've changed your mind now that you have your memories."

"Harry you weren't manipulating me at all. I'd have done the same thing in your shoes and the truth is…the truth is I've always felt that way about you, even in the other timeline."

"You do?" He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "But you never said anything and Ron-"

"Because you weren't interested at the time, that was very clear. And well" She sighed. "Ron was and there was an attraction there so I thought I'd be willing to give it a try, that is if he could've stopped being a prat for two seconds." Harry grinned.

"So what do we do now" He wondered aloud. Hermione smiled back at him. She put her arms around his neck, pulling him in close. And then at long last they kissed.

It was unlike anything he'd ever experienced. He felt as though he and Hermione were being lifted off the ground, floating in midair, as a warm glow enveloped their bodies, intertwining them from two separate people into one, mind, one body, and one soul.

When they finally pulled away, short of breath, foreheads touching, Harry let out a soft, "Wow." Hermione giggled.

She's perfect, Was his only thought.

"I think you're perfect" She replied. Harry's eyes widened.

"Did you just hear what I was thinking?"

"I-I don't know" She stammered. "I thought you said it aloud but-" Harry, can you hear me? Harry gasped.

Yes, he thought. Hermione stared into his eyes in awe.

We can read each other's minds! How is this possible?

That was one of heck of a kiss, was his only thought. She smiled.

Yeah, it really was.

Later that day, Harry and Hermione were sitting together in Transfiguration. Their telepathic connection was still there, at first it had been pretty cool, but it was beginning to get annoying.

Harry, can you please pay better attention? Your thoughts are distracting me and I can't concentrate on the lesson.

Sorry, he apologized, though he couldn't help but wonder why she cared so much, they'd had this lesson before after all.

It's still interesting and besides it has been a few years, I'd like to brush up on the subject so I can still get perfect scores, she replied and he blushed sheepishly still not used to her picking up on his every thought.

In between classes Hermione had spent every minute in the library studying books on occlumency and legilimens in an attempt to find out why they could suddenly communicate in this way. So far she hadn't had any luck.

Class ended and as Harry and Hermione got up from their seats, Professor Mcgonagall called out to them, "Potter, Granger please come see me for a moment." They exchanged confused looks but did as she asked.

"You two have been very distracted today. Now I know what it's like to be young and in love," Harry and Hermione blushed, "But I don't want to see either of you fall behind, especially you Miss Granger. You're my best student and have a lot of potential to go far in life, try not to let these emotions get in the way of that, alright?"

"Sorry Professor" Hermione apologized. Mcgonagall gave the barest hint of smile.

"You may go now" She dismissed. They were almost out the door when Hermione suddenly paused with an idea to ask their teacher about this strange new development.

"Professor…"

Mcgonagall looked up. "Yes?"

"Um, something happened this morning. You see Harry and I, well we shared a kiss, our first kiss actually." Harry felt his face go hot when she said this. He wasn't sure how he felt about her revealing this to their teacher. "And ever since then…we can read each other's mind."

Mcgonagall stared at the two of them in surprise. "Truly?" She asked in wonder. They both nodded. "My oh my. I thought it was a myth" She breathed in awe.

"What is?" Harry asked her.

"It is believed that when two souls who are so perfect for one another in every way, share a kiss, they become bonded for life. A bond so strong and unbreakable they know every little thought and feeling the other has. But no one, no one has ever been recorded having this happen. There are stories, yes but they've always been just that, stories."

"Bonded for life?" Hermione questioned wonderingly. "What does that mean?"

"It means many things-the least of which is-but no it couldn't be-you're too young" Mcgonagall said.

"What what is it?"

"A soul bond is also a marriage, which means that you two are."

"Married!?" They both exclaimed in unison.

"Yes I'm afraid so."

"B-b-but we can just be-" Hermione stammered, she looked at Harry who was speechless.

"I know it must come as great shock."

"That's an understatement" He replied, still dazed.

"I'm sorry I don't have more to tell you. I'll look into further, but now I imagine you probably want to talk about this with each other alone, so I'll keep you no longer."

Harry and Hermione walked hand in hand around the lake. Transfiguration had been the last class of the day so now they had the time to themselves.

"How do you feel about this?" He asked even though he already knew.

Harry was feeling so many mixed emotions and he could Hermione was too.

"Happy, excited, shocked, upset, nervous, scared, and disappointed all at once" She admitted voice shaking a little.

"Me too. Wait disappointed?" He asked feeling his heart sink.

"Not because of you" She was quick to assure him. "I want you Harry, just as much as ever. I-I love you." She looked at him shyly.

"I love you too" And he really did. He'd never felt this way about anyone before. Hermione beamed and kissed him in response. Then suddenly she switched to speaking to him telepathically.

I just wasn't ready for this. I wanted to get married like normal people do. With a wedding and my father walking me down the aisle. I mean we're only fourteen, well seventeen mentally but still. We haven't even really dated yet.

Then let's ignore it for now. Take things at our own pace, we'll both know when we're ready to accept it, he suggested.

I'd like that.

Okay then that's what we'll do.