A/N: So, here's the next chapter. I'm feeling pretty good about this story, it's coming along nicely I think. I'm having a bit of trouble with ch 8, though, I can't really decide how to get to the slashy parts... So, if anyone has some ideas about that, or anything really, please review and tell me what you think! Well, here you are - enjoy!

Disclaimer: Don't own it, never will.

Warnings: This WILL be a slash (eventually, if I ever get there...), so if you don't like that kind of story - DO NOT READ THIS! Please don't say I didn't warn you.

Chapter 6: Oh, My God and telling Hermione

When Harry woke up the next morning his mind was reeling with all the new knowledge he had. While he slept Godric and Salazar had put everything he would need to know about the two thrones he would have to claim, in to his head.

He also now knew that he had a soul-mate and that they would be at Hogwarts.

"Wait a minute…soul-mate? I can't have a soul-mate, can I? And how am I supposed to know who it is?"

'Don't worry, Master. You already know them.'

"Do you know who it is, Hedwig? Please tell me who it is if you do!"

'Yes, I know who it is. But you will not like who it is, in fact, you hate them.'

"Oh, no. It's Pansy Parkinson, isn't it? I'm doomed, doomed, doomed!" Harry hid his head underneath his pillow and felt like crying.

'No, it's not Pansy Parkinson, Master. In fact, it's not even a girl.'

At this Harry shot out of the bed screaming.

'Oh, you should see yourself, Master. You look hilarious!'

And he did.

His shoulder-length hair was all over the place and his eyes were big as dinner-plates with a hint of panic in them. His entire body-language screamed UNCOMFORTABLE!

Which just goes to show how truly upset he was over the whole thing, training with Salazar Slytherin for a year had taught him to mask his emotions and never show more than he wanted.

"What do you mean, it's a BOY! I'm not gay, you know! I like girls!"

'Just keep telling yourself that and it might come true.'

"What do you mean? Of course I like girls! I can't be gay, can I? Oh, God. I need to talk to Hermione, right now. Will you take her a letter if I write it now?"

'Of course I will.'

"Thanks Hedwig."

Harry quickly conjured up a piece of parchment, a quill and some ink.

He started writing and then read it through before putting it in an envelope.

Hermione!

Please come meet me at the Leaky Cauldron, I have something really important to tell you! I really don't want anyone else to know, so please don't tell anyone – not even Ron. I'll explain everything when you get here. I'm in room number 11.

Love Harry

"Here you go, Hedwig. Please hurry with it, I really need her here."

Hedwig waited for him to open the window before launching herself into flight. Just as Harry was about to close the window again, he heard Hedwig's teasing voice in his head.

'Just so you know; your soul-mate is Draco Malfoy.'

Harry's blood-curling scream could be heard all throughout Diagon and Knockturn Ally.

hpdmhpdmhpdmhpdm

Meanwhile, Hermione Granger had just arrived at the Burrow for her annual visit-before-school-starts.

She had just finished putting her things away in Percy's old room, when someone knocked at the door.

"Come in."

Hermione turned around to find Ginny Weasley standing in the doorway.

"Ginny! Wow, you look great!"

It was true, Ginny did look great with her dark red hair hanging to her hips in gentle waves and her eyes shining with mirth. She had grown to 5'6" and her curves had filled out nicely. She was dressed in a green tank top and blue jeans, and she had a nice tan.

"Hi, Mione. Thanks, you look great too, Ron's gonna drool all over you."

Hermione blushed at the praise, but scrunched her nose up at the mental image.

"Thanks, you really mean it?"

"'Course I do, silly! Your hair looks really nice that way."

Hermione blushed again, but she had to admit that she was really pleased with her new look. Her hair fell in loose ringlets down her back, and it had golden highlights all throughout it, making the brown colour more alive. Her cinnamon coloured eyes were lined with sooty lashes that were way too long. She had grown to 5'7" and she had (finally!) gotten a chest. She felt rather pretty in her cherry-red ¾ sleeved top and white Sienna skirt with inch heel sandals.

"So…you wanna head downstairs? The others are waiting outside, Bill and Fleur are here as well, and the twins have moved back in."

"Ok, let's go. I can't wait to meet them all again, even though I still can't stand Fleur."

"I know what you mean. It's all 'Bill, do zat, Bill, do ziz.' Honestly, it's enough to drive anyone mad!"

At this both the girls giggled as they made their way out in the garden. They were instantly greeted by seven people.

"Mione! Wow, you look absolutely stunning!"

"Yeah, stunning! Almost makes us…"

"…want to be back at Hogwarts again!"

Hermione smiled at the twins and gave them each a hug.

"Thanks, guys. How are your shops doing?"

"Great!"

"Couldn't be better!"

"That's great."

"Hi, Mione." Hermione turned around to see her best friend standing behind her.

"Hi, Ron. My, you must've grown at least two inches since I last saw you."

"Yeah, I'm 6'3" now. So…how's your summer been so far, then?"

"It's been ok. I went to New Zealand with my parents and only got home two days ago."

"Cool. So…"

"Hey, guys? Isn't that Hedwig?"

They all turned to look in the direction Ginny was pointing.

"Yeah it is. Let's just hope it isn't like last time."

"What do you mean, Ron?"

"Well, Harry sent me a letter a few days ago saying that we had to come get him, 'cause his uncle was gonna beat him."

"What! Well, did you go? Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Hermione was almost in hysterics by now.

"Calm down. Mum, dad, Moody, Tonks and Moony went. There was nothing wrong with him when they got there."

Ron sounded a bit annoyed, but Hermione didn't give it any thought, due to the fact that Hedwig had just dropped the letter she was carrying in Hermione's hands.

She ripped open the envelope and quickly read the letter. She then read it a second and third time before putting it back in the envelope and turning towards mr and mrs Weasley.

"Mrs Weasley, may I please use your floo?"

"Yes, of course dear. What did he say?"

Hermione looked uncomfortable and blushed a bit before answering.

"I'm sorry, but he doesn't want me to say. But I have to go right now. I'll probably be back tonight, if I'm not I'll floo you to let you know that I'll stay the night." Hermione didn't notice the look of jealousy from Ron, but Ginny did.

"Of course, dear. You go ahead. See you later."

Hermione quickly rushed in to the house followed by Ginny. She made her way to the huge fireplace and grabbed a handful of floo powder before climbing in.

"Be careful, Mione. See you later, and tell Harry hi from me."

"I will, Ginny. The Leaky Cauldron!"

Hermione disappeared in a flurry of green flames.

hpdmhpdmhpdm

It was about lunchtime when Harry was woken from his shock induced stupor by someone knocking at his door.

After his screaming session this morning he had managed to shower and get dressed in some of his new clothes before going in to shock and just mumbling to himself that it wasn't true. No way in the seven layers of Hell, was Malfoy his soul-mate!

"Harry? Are you there? It's me – Hermione!"

Harry rushed to open the door and threw himself in Hermione's arms.

"Thank God you're here! I don't know what to do!"

He hugged her hard before dragging her in to the room and casting locking and silencing spells on the door.

"Ok, calm down and start from the beginning."

"You're right, I'll get nowhere by panicking, if anyone can help me it's you."

"That's right, if it can be fixed, we'll fix it. You look great, by the way."

Hermione was only now noticing Harry's new appearance and what he was wearing. He had on a sapphire blue long sleeved cotton shirt that clung to his every muscle and black, baggy jeans. The shirt had a print that said 'Life's too short to be afraid…' on the front, and on the back it said '…take a pill to numb the pain.'

Hermione laughed softly at that, it suited Harry perfectly.

"Thanks, Mione. You look really good too."

"Thanks, now tell me what happened."

She sat down on the bed, and Harry sat down beside her taking a deep breath.

"Well, you see it really started about two years ago, right after Sirius died…"

Hermione sat completely quiet for three hours while Harry told his story.

He told her about all the times that he had been beaten and what happened during the year-in-a-minute that he was training and lastly what he had found out last night and this morning.

"Harry…I really don't know what to say. Are you absolutely, 100 sure that Malfoy is your soul-mate?"

"I sure as Hell don't want him to be, I mean – I'm not even gay – but both Hedwig and the founders and Merlin confirmed it."

"Well, if that is the case, then I'm not really sure there's much to do about it. You'll never be truly happy with anyone other than your soul-mate, and you do so deserve to be happy, Harry. As for not being gay…I don't think you are, but you might be bi."

Hermione reached over and gave him a long hug.

"Just know this; I will always love you no matter who you are with. You're like a brother to me, and I'll stand by you through thick and thin."

"Thanks, Mione. I love you too. And I feel the same way, I don't care who you are with as long as they make you happy."

"Thanks, Harry. You know, I have something to tell you as well. I haven't told anyone this, not even my parents, but…I'm gay."

hpdmhpdmhpdm

Back at the Burrow tension was high.

Everyone wanted to know what was in the letter that made Hermione rush off to see Harry. And without saying what it was about!

No one was more upset about it than Ron.

He was really jealous at Harry for making Hermione react like that. She looked so good now, and he was just about to ask her out when the letter came and she rushed out. Maybe, Harry and Hermione were together and didn't tell him about it? That had to be it! Otherwise, she wouldn't have behaved like that.

"What a slut she is! She was totally flirting with Fred and George. And me! I bet they've been sleeping together this whole time, it's always, always about him!"

The green-eyed monster had now sunk it's claws firmly in to Ron and his jealousy slowly turned to hate as he thought of all the times he, Ron, had had to step back because of Harry.

In his mind, Harry was now to blame for everything that had gone wrong in Ron's life. He continued to think about it until he grew bitter and started to hate Hermione as well.

In another room in the Burrow, someone else was thinking about how beautiful Hermione had become. Of course, they had always thought of her as beautiful eversince the first time they had seen her.

They, unlike Ron, wasn't jealous about Hermione rushing off to be with Harry, they knew that she loved Harry as a brother and would do absolutely anything for him. The only thing they were worried about was if Hermione would be able to love them or not. They knew that she loved them like family, but could that love change into something more? Or was she going to fall for Ron, now that he finally seemed to have noticed her?

They could only wait and see, and hope that she would choose them.

A/N 2: Well, there you have it. I'll try to get the next chapter up in the next couple of days, but I don't know if I can get the time. I'll try, though. Oh, brownie points if you can guess where the print on Harry's shirt comes from!

Please review and tell me what you think!

Until next time/LoveGD