Chapter 16
The Half Blood Prince.
"George! Hurry up!" called Fred. Himself and Lee were waiting for his twin on the shadowy shop floor. George appeared, hurriedly buttoning his shirt.
"Isn't Angelina joining us?" asked Lee.
"No, she thinks we are going for drinks with just the boys." George said stiffly. He was keen to keep Angelina as far from harm as possible. The few weeks they had spent apart over the summer had done wonders for their relationship thought Fred wryly. They all stepped outside then turned to face the shop. He and George raised their wands and performed their usual protective enchantments. They didn't want any unexpected calls from Voldemort's supporters while they were out. Then they all turned on the spot and disappeared with a loud crack.
They materialised outside The Burrow. Kingsley stood by the gate blocking their entrance. He asked each of them for their own passcode and let them enter one by one. Tonight was their first official order meeting. The Burrow had taken over as headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix since Sirius had died and the small kitchen was full of people. Their Mother hugged them both fiercely when they walked through the door and Lee went to greet Lupin, who was looking tired and shabby as ever. They spilt up to walk around the room saying hello and asking for news.
Fred was distracted. He could feel her upstairs. This was the closest he had been to Hermione since he had left Hogwarts. Well, physically at least. He still wasn't sure what had happened the night Hermione had been struck down at the Ministry, but it had almost killed him. The healers had told him they had eventually treated him for internal wounds inflicted by a dark curse, but he had no evidence of being struck by one. He had awoken at the same time as Hermione from what Ginny told him. Just then, Dumbledore arrived.
"Good Evening. Thank you all for coming, and welcome to our newest members." He nodded his heads at the twins, Lee and Fleur Delacour. "As you all know; Voldemort's move into the open has caused widespread hysteria. We must maintain focus and dispel many of the rumours that are circulating. We must also double our efforts of recruiting. Remus, I need you to go underground. Find out what the werewolves want and what Voldemort is promising them. Be Careful. Do not allow yourself to be identified as a Dumbledore sympathiser. Nymphadora? I need you and Kingsley to raise your voices within your office. The more aurors we have on our side the better, be careful who you trust. Authur, the same goes to you. You are well placed in your new role to reach many people who would like to help. Use your position. Remember, that not everyone must become an Order member, we also need informers. People who can report any news they may learn.
Now, Harry Potter. I will be collecting him this evening from his Aunts and Uncles. He will spend the remainder of the holidays here. The ministry is providing substantial protection, as well as my own additional enchantments. But I implore each of you not to mention Harry Potter outside this building. He is in grave danger and any association will put yourselves at greater risk."
Dumbledore then went around the room asking each for their report. The news was grim. Molly was standing behind George her hand clasped on his shoulder, a worried expression on her face.
After the meeting had concluded everyone began to disperse. Fred immediately slipped upstairs and hurried to Ginny's room. He knocked quietly and Ginny answered.
"Fred!" she said sounding surprised and happy.
"Hey Gin" said Fred his eyes fixed over her head as he hugged her. Hermione was standing by the bed her gaze fixed on his face. Ginny looked between the two of them, realisation dawning on her face. Smiling, she quietly slipped past Fred and went downstairs to help her mum with dinner.
"Hermione." Fred said his voice heavy with emotion. He met her in the middle of the room as they flung their arms around each other. Their lips connected and Fred felt a fire bloom between them. Hermione was sobbing and laughing as she kissed him. Fred hands raked through her curls as he kissed her passionately. He pulled back for a second to look at her face. Her wide beautiful hazel eyes, her eyelashes wet from her tears, the tiny freckle by the corner of her mouth. He lowered his head and kissed again, slower, savouring the taste and feel of her lips. Then he cupped her face in his palms, using his thumbs to gently brush away the last of the tears.
"Your okay." He breathed. "I have been so worried."
"Me?" she half sobbed, half laughed. "You're the one that's been in hospital!" He shout her a roughish grin and said, "got to keep things interesting haven't I. Couldn't have you stealing all the lime light" She laughed at him and gave him a playful punch on his arm. She felt the hard muscle there and swapped her fist for her palm as she squeezed his arms gently, looking up into his face.
She was elated that he was here, in her arms again, warm, solid and alive. His face had changed since she had last seen him, there was some dark stubble growing on his chin, like he hadn't shaved in a couple days. His shoulders seemed broader, stronger. He was wearing his hair differently, he had grown it out some and pushed back by running his hands through it, causing some to fall seductively back around his face. But the deep pool of desire in his blue eyes was the same. Her eyes met his after they had searched his face hungrily, noting all the differences. She felt the bond spark into life, but it was different now, it seemed to emanate from within them. She could feel the well of power deep within her, building in strength as she looked at Fred, her hands still on his arms. He smiled at her, a pure happy grin that lit the whole room, then lifted her suddenly and spun her around laughing. She was so shocked that she also started to laugh. He lowered her to her feet again and caught her in another kiss, holding her close. Then he pulled her down onto Ginny's bed and propped himself up on one elbow looking down at her lying next to him.
"Tell me everything" he said.
The summer passed in a haze of heat and happiness. Hermione spent most of her time between Fred's frequent visits reading. Ron was pointedly ignoring her and Fred, but everyone else seemed happy for them. Even Mrs Weasley, who on one occasion when Hermione was doing laundry, pulled her into a warm hug and said with tears in her eyes how happy she was that Fred had found someone that made him so happy. She had then bustled away with her family clock (all hands pointing to mortal peril) perched on the washing basket she carried, leaving Hermione stunned, embarrassed but also incredibly pleased.
Fred and Hermione spent long hours hidden away at the bottom of the orchard, laying together in the grass, talking, kissing and laughing. Fred often dozed as Hermione read, or she would rest her head in his lap as he played with her hair. He was away a lot as the joke shop took up most of his time, and Hermione spent this time reading everything she lay her hands on. She was still trying to find out about their bond. Fred and George had explained what had happened the night she was struck by Dolohov. Fred had tried to describe what it had been like, but he couldn't put into words his fear of losing her. They both remembered the pain, the burning. They had no tangible memories of the six days they had spent comatose, but they both agreed they hadn't felt alone or scared.
Hermione went into Weasleys Wizard Wheezes with a black eye, having been punched by Fred and Georges telescope. She was too excited to tell him about her OWL results to let him worry about her eye though, and when she told him Fred whooped and cheered and picked Hermione up and twirled her around the shop as she laughed. He then gave her a little tube of yellow paste to get rid of the bruise and pulled her around the shope showing her everything.
'This really is extraordinary magic' she said as he showed her the back room with all the defence against the dark arts line. Everything was in dark, sleek packaging and the hustle of the main shop was trapped behind the thick curtain that separated the two zones.
'Always the tone of surprise' Fred replied pulling her in and catching her lips with his own.
The final evening before they were all to go back to Hogwarts, Fred took her hand and walked outside with her. The night air was warm and calm and heavy with the scent of summer. Hermione breathed deeply. Fred looked down at the witch that had his heart and opened his mouth to tell her, but she stopped him with a kiss. The kiss deepened as Hermione gave a soft moan of need and Fred ran his hands through her hair. After a few long moments they broke apart and just held each other, neither saying anything.
Once Hermione had left for Hogwarts, Fred threw himself into the business. He was so busy making potions, inventing new ideas, running the shop and doing order missions that the time flew. His mind was always just one thought away from Hermione, but he found keeping busy was better than moping. George and Angelina were going strong, and she was a frequent visitor in their little flat. Fred didn't mind, anything that made his twin happy, made him happy. He was reading a long letter from Hermione one night, her clear smooth script making his heart ache with longing when George knocked on his door.
"Fred, I just found out from Angelina, who heard from Alicia that the first Hogsmeade visit is this weekend. Thought you might want to surprise Granger" he winked at him and left. Fred smiled a broad smile as he continued to read the letter. The final line read:
'Meet me in Hogsmeade this weekend, I can't stand not being near you, yours, Hermione'
Hermione's first month back had been hectic to say the least. She had been summoned for a meeting with professor McGonagall the very first morning.
"Ms Granger. I trust you had a good summer?" without waiting for a response McGonagall went on. "As you are aware, you are an exceptional student. I know we pursued furthering your education in your third year, but I feel that now.. especially now, in these times, that we should try again". Hermione frowned slightly.
"But Professor, we destroyed the Ministry's collection of time turners".
"I am aware of that. I was not thinking of using a time turner in any case. No, this year you will be having additional lessons with myself, Professor Snape, Professor Slughorn and Professor Flitwick. Your timetable will be busy Ms Granger. There will be little time for socialisation… Or secret defence groups" she said with a small wink. Hermione blushed. She felt honoured beyond belief that the three best Professors (and Slughorn who was an unknown entity) were going to give her additional training. It was too much to have ever hoped for. She left the office feeling giddy with happiness and hurried off to her first class.
Her additional tuition took place each evening. She spent time with each of her Professors learning about advanced magic that wasn't usually taught at Hogwarts. Snape showed her a variety of difficult curses and defensive spells. He set her long and difficult homework, usually based around research of an obscure branch of defensive magic. Professor Snape was remarkably different during their private tuition, he seemed to actually enjoy her intelligence and they often found themselves debating difficult subjects late into the evening.
Professor Slughorn showed her challenging and dangerous potions. He taught her how to correctly brew potions like Wolfsbane and Veritarserum. And often sent her into the forest or to the greenhouses to collect ingredients. He explained the importance of a potions masters ability to correctly select the very best ingredients. She had to train her senses to become more sensitive beyond anything she had attempted before. He expected her to be able identify a number of different potions and poisons using only one sense at a time. He never set her essays, preferring instead to discuss what she had learned since they last spoke. Professor Flitwick seemed to enjoy her extra lessons even more than she did. He squeaked enthusiastically whenever she learnt a new charm and continued to teach her more complex charms that she had ever dreamed. His focus was around protective enchantments. He said to her once that he thought she would be needing them soon. Hermione had thought of Harry and the difficult journey they had ahead. It dawned on her that maybe the reason she was getting so much tuition (it wasn't unheard of for a teacher to give extra lessons to talented students, but never had a student had such intensive extra-curricular attention), was because they knew Harry would need her, and the best way they could help him was by teaching her everything he wouldn't be able to learn himself. Professor McGonagall's lessons were by far the most interesting. Among other difficult magic, she was teaching Hermione how to become an animagus. Hermione was desperate to know what animal she would transform into, but it was a long journey before she would be ready for her first transformation. McGonagall explained that although the Patronus takes on an animal aspect of ones self, the animagus form comes from someplace different. Meaning her animal form may not match her Patronus form. For now she was being taught complex self-transfiguration while she prepared for her animagus transformation.
Hermione had very little time therefore to worry about Harry or Ron. They spent most of their time playing quidditch and trying to catch up on homework. Ron was still avoiding Hermione, which she found upsetting, but also a rather childish response to her relationship with Fred. Her 17th birthday came and went. Fred sent her a very simple gold necklace, with a tiny charm of a beautiful cat. He wrote a small note that simply said 'Missing you'. She folded this up carefully and stored it away, her heart aching for him. She spent her very limited free time in the library researching their bond. She still hadn't had any luck and was getting to the point of asking one of her Professors for help. She had even tried experimenting with it. She would sit on her bed her legs crossed and close her eyes. Relaxing her mind she would think of Fred, of his smile and his blue eyes. The way his lip curled up on the left when he was trying not to laugh. His strong hands and how they felt when they were running over her body. The intense look he sometimes got when he was watching her read. The way her heart seemed to skip when she saw him. She would feel the beads of power spring into being, humming over her skin, she would try to direct them out towards Fred, but seemed to meet a block of some sort. When she tried to push the power out of her, it would fizzle and fade away. It was incredibly frustrating. She felt Fred, she could feel the connection, strong as ever. But something had changed.
She wrote to him weekly, telling him all about her lessons and the books she was reading. She missed him so much it was like a physical ache. She couldn't wait for the first Hogsmeade visit when she would be able to see him again.
When the morning came she rushed down to the entrance hall and waited impatiently while Filch checked the students out of the castle. She ran down the grounds towards the gates, she could feel him there, she could feel the power building inside her as she ran, smiling and laughing into his outstretched arms. He picked her up and spun her around in the air, laughing too. Then she was in his arms kissing him, the golden threads were zipping over their skin and swirling around them, rejoicing in them being back together. Laughing still they broke apart and began to walk down the hill to Hogsmeade. Hermione caught Harry's eye and he grinned at her. Ron who was next to him was pointedly looking in another direction.
By the time Christmas came around Hermione was exhausted. The evening of Slughorn's party she was curled up in her bed reading 'Forgotten Magiks' when Ginny burst through the door dressed in a pretty dress.
'Hermione! Why aren't you ready?' she exclaimed.
'Oh, sorry Ginny, I don't think I'm going go tonight. I'm just so tired' she replied through a yawn. But Ginny was having none of it, she pulled the book away from Hermione and flung it on the bed, where it slipped and fell to the floor.
'Ginny!' cried Hermione, jumping up and rushing to the old book that was crumpled on the floor. She carefully collected it up and as she checked the pages were in tact a word jumped out at her. Soulcast. She read the paragraph greedily.
'The soulcast is an especially rare magic that has been lost to history. It is only possible when two formidable powers come together allowing the soul to meet its counterpart. This magical bond is so rare and so powerful that limited information is available and some have described it as dangerous.'
Hermione sat down again, thinking.
'Oh. No. You. Don't.' said Ginny, pulling her arm and dragging her to her wardrobe. Hermione was distracted all the way to the party, the term Soulcast was swirling around her mind. It seemed unbelievable, she would not describe herself and Fred as having formidable power. But there had been mention of a bond again. Confused she scowled as Ginny pulled her along. She entered the party and saw Slughorn, drunk, talking to Harry and Luna. Leaving Ginny, she searched through the crowds until she found him. Snape.
'Professor? Please may I speak with you?' Snape surveyed her and gave a curt nod and gestured to the corner furthest away from the band. Hermione led the way, feeling him following her. She didn't find him anywhere near as intimidating as she used too. He was positively delightful during their private sessions compared to his normal demeanour in class. When she turned and watched him arch an eyebrow at her, she plunged right in.
'Sir, I was wondering if you knew what Soulcasting is?' Snape blinked. He obviously hadn't been expecting her to ask that.
'And why would you be interested in that Ms Granger?' he asked quietly, his voice barley audible over the din.
'Personal interest' she swallowed, suddenly nervous, 'I cam across the term while reading and the description was… unsatisfactory' she tailed off, confused by the intense look in his eyes. He stared at her a few more moments then said,
'Ms Granger. Soulcasting is a very old, very rare form of magic. It comes about when one meets their soulmate, but the cast soul is so much more than simply being with ones mate. There needs to be a connection on an entire new level than just being intimate with the other. The two people will become intricately linked with the strength of their bond. They become one.'
'I read that it was dangerous'
'Yes. The human soul is not meant to be shared. Together the Soulcast are strong, formidable, it is true, but apart they will be weakened significantly. If one were to die, then the other shall die too. Of course' he added with a sneer,' most would say they died from a broken heart'.
'They are weak apart?' Hermione asked, feeling worried now.
'Not physically. Time and space matter in most magic but not apparently with one who is Soulcast. It is said that they would have been able to communicate over great distances, and even share their magic with the other.'
'And if one were dying?' she asked in a small voice, 'would the other be able to send his magic and his life force to save her?'
Snapes eyes bored into hers, realisation dawning.
'Yes' he said.
'I need to know more. I need to know everything.' Hermione said in a rushed voice.
'So that is how you survived Dolohov's attack? I know the curse he used. It was an incredibly powerful dark curse. It should have burned you from the inside out. We all wondered how you had survived.' Snape sounded astonished.
Just then Filch dragged Malfoy into the room causing Snape to leave Hermione, but not before he shot her a questioning look.
Hermione left the party, her mind on fire.
