Soul-Mates Separated

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. I just like to toy around with them in my imagination before putting it to paper.

A/N: First, I want to thank everybody who has followed, favorite, and reviewed as well as just plain out read it. I really appreciate it! And as you can see, it really does motivate me to keep writing.

That said, I wanted to address one thing. Someone told me that it's not possible or highly realistic that the baby's gender could be found at 12 weeks. From my research & reading of forums, many mothers out there have been lucky to find out as early as that. Some don't find out until 16 weeks, 18 weeks, 20 weeks, or even beyond, BUT for the sake of my story and how I'm trying to set up the timeline I decided to go with an early 12 weeks.

So anyways, I just wanted to address those issues.

This chapter will be a bit shorter than the rest, but I hope you enjoy it all the same!

"What the bloody hell do you mean we can't waste the manpower? Kingsley! Damnit! There are two of war heroes out there missing and you're concerned about manpower? No! She is my best friend! As Head Auror, I say we discharge manpower and use resources to find them. It's been three months. They didn't just up and decided to leave. I want them found, now." Harry Potter was enraged. His black hair stood up all over his head from him having been tugging at it so frantically as he paced back and forth in front of the Minister of Magic's desk.

"Harry, we have more pressing issues. There's been a resurgence of Death Eaters! We must concern ourselves with them, first! Then, once we have this under control we can start an in-depth search for Hermione and Severus." Kingsley tried to rationalize. He realized by the end of the first month that they had been missing that he had been wrong in telling Harry that they couldn't do anything about it just yet since there was no evidence whatsoever of foul play despite the nature of the two beings. Harry had come to him the first week, the second week, and every week since pleading for his permission to utilize resources, but he had rejected him each time so it was no surprise to him what Harry said next.

"That's it, Kingsley. I will quit right now and go rogue. I have enough sway over the Wizarding community here and the entire Wizarding world if I need it to get help in finding Hermione and Severus so either you will help me now or you will lose the best damn Auror you've ever had." Harry spat angrily, slamming his hands down on Kingsley's desk and glaring the man in his eyes.

Kingsley held Harry's gaze and knew that the young man wasn't at all joking about this. He couldn't afford to lose Harry in the Auror department, because he knew many men and women would follow him. He let out a sigh and ran his hand over his face. "Alright, Harry. I'm allowing you to use all the resources you need, full stop. Find them. Do it as soon as possible. We do not have time to waste and so help me, Harry, if these renegade Death Eaters create a larger problem, it will be on your head. Remember that." Kingsley threatened. "Now get out. You're wasting time." He said, kicking back in his seat with a file that needed to be read in his hands. Harry didn't need to be told and sprinted out of Kingsley's office, not dwelling on how easily the man had conceded when he played his Boy-Savior-of-the-World card.

When a week had passed with no owl from Hermione after Sunday's family lunch, Harry had known something was very wrong. Hermione was known to send several Owls a day to him and never once had she gone more than a day without doing so unless she was caught up in a big project. He had voiced his concern at the next family lunch to find that Molly and Arthur had the same concerns since it was Hermione's habit to keep in constant contact with them now that she was living with Severus. They had tried to floo over to their place since they had access, but the floo was blocked. Soon, everybody was concerned, even Ron. Harry was surprised about this, but said nothing to his redheaded best mate.

So, as soon as Harry left the MoM, he headed back to the Burrow to start drawing up plans and update the Weasley family on what had gone on with Kingsley. He found Ron in the kitchen, rummaging through the pantry that had a chill charm cast upon it to act as a refrigerator. Sometimes, he still marveled at the ways Wizards did things different, yet similar to Muggles. It amused him. Ron looked up at the sound of Harry's entrance and grinned as he nibbled on an apple. "Oi, hello mate! What you doin' here?" He asked, nodding to the stack of paper and the quill Harry had in his hands that he had summoned as soon as he arrived at the Burrow.

"Kingsley's finally given me the go ahead so I have to organize a team and draw up plans. Will you be my right hand man for this, Ron?" Harry asked his best friend, really hoping any hard feelings he'd had over his breakup with Hermione and her subsequent relationship with one of the men he disliked the most would be dissolved due to the circumstances.

Ron hesitated a moment, but then nodded. "It's 'Mione. There's no way that I'm not helping. I know I've been a right git to her and Severus, but you have to understand, Harry… She was my dream girl for so long. Even when I was blind to see it, when I think back on it now it's always been Hermione for me. Knowing that I'm not the guy for her, well, it hurts. But she's my best friend… Our best friend… And I'll do anything to help you find her."

Harry nodded, smiling large at his best friend, glad that Ron was coming around even if it had been more than a year since Hermione began her relationship with Severus. It was better late than never. "Now, we really have to find her. She'll be thrilled to know that you've come around. Back to the team. I want to keep this small so that there are no worries about having too many people and miscommunications. So, here are all of the top available aurors. I know you can't stand him, but I think bringing Draco Malfoy onto our team. He's a Slytherin. He'll have cunning and ideas that won't naturally come to us. He's trustworthy, he's proved that time and time again since he renounced his old views. Best yet, he has access to more money should we need it. Plus, he's Severus' godson so it will give him personal incentive to help and he actually has some kind of weird friendship with Hermione…. So, what do you say?" Harry asked Ron who had just finished eating his apple.

"So long as the git does what he's supposed to do then I'm all for it. Who else?" He asked, going back to the pantry in search of more food. He took out all the fixings for a good sandwich and some bread and set to making a triple-decker sandwich.

"Well… This might sound a bit odd, but I was hoping that we could recruit Neville. Now, I know he's not an auror, but he's smart. He's not a genius like our 'Mione, but we can't deny that now that he's no longer a walking nervous wreck, he's quite competent… I think he'd be a valuable teammate. He would be the last addition. Just us four. So, you for it?" Harry asked as he made notes of all the points he had just brought up. He knew Neville worked part-time at Hogwarts with Herbology and the rest of the time at his own Herbology store in Hogsmeade, but he figured once Neville found out what was going on he'd lend a helping hand. Plus, it would be easy to convince Headmistress McGonagall to give Neville emergency time off.

"I'm all for it, Harry. Anything for our 'Mione." Ron said as he put the last slice of bread on top to finish his sandwich and began to chow down on it as if he had never eaten before.

Just as Harry began to draw up plans for their team, Ginny entered the room. "Harry, you're here! Why didn't you come say hi to me?" She asked, affecting a pout. Harry held up the papers. "I'm just here to consult Ron about some work and update your parents on the Hermione and Severus situation… I won't be here for much longer. Time's ticking and it can't be wasted." He told her, looking back down at his papers and missing the annoyed look on Ginny's face. Ron didn't miss it, but he just figured his sister was annoyed due to how busy Harry had been lately.

"But, Harry… We've hardly had time together… Surely this can wait. I mean, come on. How do we know Hermione and Severus even want to be found? Maybe they ran off together…" She said, frustrated that as always Harry's attention was to her. She was getting really sick of it.

"Ginny, be real about this. It's Hermione. It's Severus. Two of the most stick to a routine people we know. They wouldn't just up and leave like this." Harry argued, looking up as Molly and Arthur entered the kitchen.

"Oh, Harry! Are you here for dinner? I was just about to start cooking! Do you want your favorite?" Molly asked, going around the table to give Harry a big hug as Arthur quietly offered his own greeting. "Sorry Mrs. Weasley, I won't be able to stay for dinner this evening. Kingsley's finally given me the green light to proceed on Hermione and Severus' case."

"This is such good news! Oh Harry, please work fast! Bring our Hermione home and Severus too. That man has had too much trouble in his life. Needs a break, he does." Molly chattered as she moved over to the pantry to get out ingredients, smacking Ron on the back of his head as she went along.

"Oi, what was that for, mum?" He asked, rubbing the back of his head. "For eating such a large sandwich so close before dinner. You're going to ruin your appetite, you will!" Molly told him. Harry laughed at the antics of the Weasley family before standing with his things.

"I ought to get going, but I'll probably swing by tomorrow. Goodnight, everybody!" Harry said, walking by Ginny and kissing her cheek gently before going to floo so he could floo home. When Harry arrived at Grimmauld place, he sank down onto an old couch and sighed. He was extremely frustrated and bothered by the whereabouts of Hermione and Severus.

"Where could they be?" He asked himself, reaching for the papers and his quill so he could start working on possibilities for their whereabouts. He was desperate to find his friends and desperate to assure their safety.

A/N: So, what do you think so far? Don't forget to leave some feedback and thanks for reading this update!