Hermione groaned as she threw the paper onto the Weasley breakfast table. "What's wrong?" Ron asked, everyone at the table turned and looked at her.
"Is this true?" Hermione asked Arthur who sighed.
"Sadly yes." At everyone but Percy's confused and quizzical looks he continued. "There was a law passed that everyone who is not married is to take a matchmaking potion."
"What does that mean?" Ron asked looking at Percy and Hermione, neither looked happy.
"It means that we no longer have the option to find our own partners." Hermione explained.
"Technically," Percy stated. "It is going to make finding who you were already going to marry sooner so that the population will increase sooner after all the losses from the war." The room was engulfed in a dark cloud as everyone looked back into the last few years.
"When do we have to take it?" Harry asked.
"Ginny and I will take it on the train," Hermione explained. "You will go to the Ministry and take it."
"Is there a deadline to take it?" George asked.
"Instruction packets are coming," Hermione read. "And we have a week after receiving the packet."
"Are they really going to make us take this potion?" Charlie asked his father.
"Sadly yes, five should go the day we get the packet, we do not need you getting into more trouble with the ministry Harry." Arthur said, earning a blush from the boy.
"Hopefully it will arrive with enough time for you to tell before we leave." Ginny said, winking at her boyfriend.
"Ok," Molly said getting up. "You each have chores and the girls have to go get their school supplies. We will collect everyone once the packets are here." The group grumbled as they got up and dispersed.
"What do you think?" Ginny asked as her, Hermione, and Luna sat in Diagon Alley, taking a break from shopping.
"I think it is a lovely idea." Luna sighed. "Finding your soulmate must be so nice."
"But can you imagine the couples that might get separated?" Ginny asked. "What if Harry isn't my soulmate?"
"I'm sure that won't be a problem." Hermione comforted her friend.
"If he isn't your soulmate," Luna said. "I'm sure you will both understand and will still be good friends."
"You're right," Ginny smiled. "Let's take the potion and see what happens before we start freaking out. Come on, according to the letter we need dress robes."
"Do you think they will hold a ball to help us find our matches like the ministry will do next year?" Luna asked.
"I wouldn't be surprised." Hermione said then smiled. "Do you want to go to Muggle London to pick out dresses?"
"Yes!" Ginny and Luna agreed before the three girls headed towards the Leaky Cauldron.
Hermione and Ginny entered the Burrow, their bags following them, to find Molly waiting in the kitchen for them. "The packets came." Molly handed each girl a packet. "You should see what it says." Hermione sent the shopping bags up to her and Ginny's room and took the packet from Molly before sitting down at the kitchen table and reading through.
"Are you serious?" Hermione asked, looking at the older witch. "That's ridiculous."
"Hang on, you read faster than I do." Ginny shushed Hermione, both women looked at her and watched the confusion then the understanding click into place. "Does this mean what I think it means?"
"Hermione!" Ron greeted as he entered the kitchen and picked up an apple. "You're reading the packet. What does 'increased arousal' mean exactly? Mum and Dad won't say anything." Molly just glared at the boy before leaving the room, shaking her head. Hermione and Ginny looked at each other rolling their eyes.
"Why don't you get a dictionary and look it up." Hermione said. "It's not something I particularly want to explain to you."
"Why not? You usually have no problems explaining things to me." Ron asked, looking at Hermione and Ginny with confusion.
"Ron!" Harry called, walking in with a book. "Here, I found it." Hermione and Ginny just rolled their eyes again as they got up.
"We're going to the room to look over the packet some more. When are you two drinking the potion?" Hermione asked.
"In a few minutes, we're just waiting for Charlie to get back," Ron said, looking up from the dictionary. "Mum sent him for more groceries."
"Let us know how it goes." Ginny said, giving Harry a peck before following Hermione up the stairs.
The following day Ginny and Hermione kept their eyes on Harry, every few moments Ginny would kiss his cheek only to get a shake of his head.
"It hasn't been 24 hours yet." Hermione pointed out at lunch as another disappointed look crossed the couple's faces.
"Maybe not but I was hoping it would have kicked in by now." Harry sighed.
"It said 24 hours so give it 24 hours." Arthur said. "There is no point in trying to rush it. How about you four go walk the village, maybe that will give you something to do instead of just sitting here and waiting for it to happen." The four teens nodded before getting up from the table and leaving the burrow and walking down to the village, talking about the girls plans for the new school year.
The group sat at a park as they waited anxiously, looking at the clock in the middle of the town. "I should feel something by now right?" Harry asked Hermione.
"You should, it's been more than 24 hours at this point." Hermione said looking at her own watch, an hour has passed since the potion was to take effect and neither Ron nor Harry were showing signs of finding their soulmate.
"Oh Gin," Harry said, tightening his grip on Ginny's hand. "I'm so sorry."
"It's not your fault." Ginny reassured him. "Maybe you have a slow reaction." Suddenly Harry gasped.
"I just felt like I got chills down my back." Harry said, looking at them in confusion. Hermione took out the packet and looked through it quickly.
"It says that's a sign that your soulmate is near."
"Hello everyone." Luna said as she approached the group. "How are you?"
"Hi Luna." The four chorused as Hermione and Ginny hugged the blond.
"We were waiting for Ron and Harry's potion to kick in." Ginny explained.
"Oh," Luna looked at the boys. "Have they?"
"Mine seems to but Ginny is evidently not my soulmate." Harry sighed.
"I'm sorry." Luna said, hugging the girl.
"Thank you, but it's ok," Ginny reassured her. "I'm sure I'll like whoever it is."
"Do you have any idea who it is?" Luna asked. Harry shook his head.
"I just suddenly felt like I had chills down my back, and I was holding Ginny's hand at the time so if she were my soulmate I would have felt something more right?" He looked at Hermione who nodded.
"Well, I am looking for something for my father. I will see you tomorrow." Luna waved as she walked away, the four teens chorusing their goodbyes.
"Let's go back to the Burrow." Hermione suggested. "Maybe your father might have an idea." Ginny, Ron, and Harry nodded as they headed back to the house.
The following day the Weasley family were at the Hogwarts Express platform. "Now you behave." Molly told her daughter as she hugged her.
"I will." Ginny rolled her eyes, before turning to Harry who shivered. "You ok?"
"That sensation again." Harry looked around at all the people on the platform.
"Oh, there's Luna!" Hermione waved the blond girl and her father over.
"Hello Weasleys." Xenophilius said, greeting the family.
"Hello." Arthur returned. "Are you ready for school Luna?" He asked the girl.
"Of course," Luna smiled. "I get to see my friends everyday."
"Oh, girls, it's time for you to board the train." Molly said, spotting the clock. She gave each girl another hug and they gave each member of the Weasleys a hug.
"Good luck." Harry told Luna as he hugged her only for him to stiffen.
"Harry?" Luna asked. "Are you okay?"
"Of course." Harry smiled. "You three better go." The three girls looked at him in confusion before they boarded the train and went in search of a compartment.
"I'll be back in a little while." Hermione said as Ginny and Luna sat in a compartment.
"Ok, Neville said he would be joining us." Luna said.
"Have fun." Ginny told Hermione, earning an eye roll as a response before the witch walked towards the Prefect compartment.
"Of course you're Head Girl." Theo Nott smirked as Hermione entered the compartment, motioning towards his own Head Badge.
"At least we know we can work together." Hermione said as she sat beside him. "Shall we stick with tradition?" Hermione asked.
"Works with me." Theo said, motioning for her to start the meeting.
"Hello everyone, I am Hermione Granger and I am your Head Girl for the year, this is Theo Nott and he will be Head Boy. Over the next few weeks we will be devising a schedule for patrols but for now you will patrol with your respectful housemates and by the time we reach Hogwarts we will have a schedule for this week based on Houses and Years. Now let's go over a few rules."
Hermione had just finished going over the passwords for the respective houses when there was a knock on the compartment door. Everyone turned as the door opened and a healer walked in. "Potions." The girl said, handing everyone a glass with brown liquid.
"I was hoping they were joking about this." Pansy Parkinson said as she drank the potion.
"Thank you." The healer said as she collected the glasses. "Have a good day." With that she left the room.
"Now where was I?" Hermione asked.
Hermione sighed as she joined her friends in their compartment.
"How did it go?" Ginny asked.
"Some remarks from the Slytherins," Hermione said. "I was expecting that though, Nott is Head Boy."
"At least its not Malfoy." Ginny pointed out.
"After our sixth year I'd be shocked if it was." Hermione said. "Is he even coming back this year?"
"I heard most of the Slytherins had to." Neville said. "Either to atone for what their parents did or because last year was…" He trailed off.
"How about you tell me about your summer?" Hermione suggested. Neville's face lit up and he started going into detail about his summer interning under Professor Sprout and how she said he could continue during the school year.
Hermione looked around the castle as she and Ginny made their way into the Great Hall, clutching each other's hand. "It feels so weird being here again." Ginny whispered as they sat down at the Gryffindor table. "Do you think Fred is here?"
"I don't know." Hermione said. "Not everyone becomes a ghost." Ginny sighed as a man with greying brown hair led the group of first years into the Great Hall. "Who's that?"
"The new Deputy Headmaster." Hermione said, thinking back to her Hogwarts letter this year. "Alex Johnson, with McGonagall as Headmistress they had to find a new one." The two girls watched as the first years got sorted then as McGonagall stood up.
"This last year was a tough one." She started. "I want to take a moment to remember everyone who we lost." The Great Hall fell silent aside for a few sniffles. "Now, as per usual, classes will start tomorrow. I expect everyone to behave themselves and treat everyone with respect, and I do mean everyone. I do not want to see anyone in my office for being unkind to certain people." Murmurs spread through the Great Hall. "Now with that, some rules that everyone should know." Hermione half listened as she looked around, noting everyone who was in her year that returned. Her eyes caught a pair of grey ones at the Slytherin table. Draco Malfoy gave her a curt nod before looking back at McGonagall. Hermione returned her own attention back to McGonagall just as the elder witch invited them to eat.