"What's going on with you and Harry Potter?" Lavender asked though it sounded like an accusation.

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked in response.

"Are you dating?" Parvati questioned.

"What?! No! I literally haven't seen him since we were ten years old."

"So?"

"So how could I possibly be dating him?"

"I don't know, you tell us," Fay Dunbar cut in. Her dorm mates had cornered her, the first chance they could get.

"I heard someone saw him pull you into a broom closet earlier this afternoon," Lavender announced.

"Oh no!" Hermione buried her face in her hands. They'd been seen! Between that and their display in the great hall that morning, it was no wonder rumors they were boyfriend and girlfriend were spreading like wildfire. She didn't know how she could possibly explain herself without mentioning even more private incriminating information, like the fact that he'd seen her breasts. The one day I was in such a hurry I forgot to put a bra on, she thought bitterly.

When she'd first gotten the soul mark a year ago she'd read every book she could find on the subject, which wasn't much. It was a very private and intimate thing to have a soul mark. No one was supposed to see it but your soul mate. And it definitely wasn't something you talked about to others. It wasn't something she felt comfortable talking about.

There was simply no way to dispel the rumors about them dating. And honestly Hermione wasn't totally sure she and Harry weren't dating.

Supposedly they were soul mates, destined to be together. And the truth was it felt right in a way she couldn't quite explain. She could see herself falling in love with him. She already felt on her way to that point. She'd had a crush on him since she was nine years old, but unsurprisingly he was completely oblivious about it. Her mum had told her girls had matured faster than boys and so it would be a while before he started seeing girls that way.

And now here they were at fourteen and fifteen, suddenly thrown into each other's path again. Suddenly he was all grown up and very very handsome. And when she'd accidentally flashed him earlier he wasn't repulsed, he seemed…curious. In awe almost.

He'd said he felt lucky to find out she was his soul mate. Surely that meant something, didn't it?

They hadn't talked about it since. They'd rushed off to class and had barely made it in time. She didn't know how to bring the subject up again.

"Wow so it's not even a rumor, you really went into a broom closet with him!" Lavender sounded impressed. "I didn't know you had it in you."

"What was it like?" Parvati leaned forward, eyes sparkling with curiosity.

"Look, whatever you think happened between us didn't. I really can't explain what we were doing but we are not dating! At least not right now." And with that she hurried away.

"Show me Sirius Black," Harry spoke into the mirror. He'd found an empty classroom and decided it was time to use the gift his godfather had given him before he'd left for Hogwarts.

Sirius' face appeared in the mirror a minute later. "I have to say I wasn't expecting you to use this so soon."

"Something happened." His godfather's face darkened. "Nothing bad!" Harry jumped in to assure him. "Actually something really good…I think." He quickly gave him a detailed summary of the day and all that had happened.

Sirius was grinning like mad when he finished. "Talk about luck of the century, Harry! That's gotta be some kind of record. You go out into the world after years of isolation from your peers and not even twenty four hours later you've found your soul mate?! Did someone slip some Felix Felicis into pumpkin juice?"

Harry chuckled slightly. "I don't think so."

"And it's a girl you actually know too. You got your soul mate and best friend in one. Not even James was so lucky! I'm really happy for you."

"Thanks. The question is what do I do now?"

"Well that's up to you and her. You could start dating for a couple years. I doubt you'll want to initiate your bond this early."

"My what?" Harry asked, puzzled.

"You mean I never explained that part?!" He exclaimed before launching into an explanation.

"Once you find your soul mate you have the option of initiating a magical bond between the two of you. It's a lifetime commitment to each other that bonds you together in body, mind, soul, and magic. You'll have a special connection from there on out. Things like feeling each other's emotions, sensing when the other is in danger, and if you both have any kind of experience with Legilimency, a telepathic connection. Love potions no longer work on you either, which comes in handy. Otherwise I'm sure Snape would've forced one down Lily's throat the second she got together with James." Harry shuddered at that last part.

"Furthermore it combines your magical cores into one which essentially doubles your magical power. Either one of you casting a spell individually will find its strength doubled after the bond. And if you cast a spell together it's unbelievably powerful."

"Wow. That sounds really cool."

"It isn't something to be entered into lightly though. Consider it as something as serious and lasting as a marriage."

"Oh," Harry realized. "I don't think I'm ready for anything like that."

Sirius laughed. "Yeah I figured you'd feel that way."

"How do you initiate this bond?" The last thing he wanted was to do it accidentally.

Sirius seemed to read his mind. "You both have to decide to do it and consent to it. It doesn't just happen. Once you're both ready all you have to do is kiss on the lips."

"You mean I can't even kiss until I'm ready for a lifetime magical bond?" Harry asked incredulously and a little disappointed.

"Already thinking about kissing her aren't you?" He teased.

"Maybe…" His face was bright red.

"Well sorry but yes. Unless you want to activate your bond you'll be limited to other displays of affection for now."

"That sucks. But the truth is I don't even know if she has feelings for me in that way. We were both so surprised by the revelation we didn't really talk about it further."

"Then that's what you should do next. It's an important conversation to have after all.

"What just ask her outright if she fancies me?!" The very thought filled him with horror and embarrassment.

"I mean that would be the fastest way to find out. It'll take a lot longer if you just try to look for the signs."

"What kind of signs?"

"That's the thing about girls. I've long since learned no two are exactly alike, each one is unique and different in her own way. They all have their own ways of reacting to and feeling things. They're complicated that way."

"Great," Harry grumbled.

"But the good news is, you have the advantage. Hermione is your best friend. You've known her for years and that should make it a lot easier to understand her."

"I hope so but…it's also been years since I last saw her. Now she's all grown up and she's really pretty and—" Harry saw Sirius' knowing grin and stopped.

"Trust me, pup. I think you'll find you know her better than you think, even after all this time."

"Want to go down and meet Hagrid with me? I think you'll really like him!" Ron said when Harry returned to the common room that night.

"No thanks. I'm a bit tired."

"How about a game of wizard's chess?"

"Nah, my head hurts."

"I can take you to the hospital wing then, Madame Pomphrey will have you fixed up in no time!"

"I'm okay."

"Oh Ron, stop badgering him," Ron's older brother George said. "Can't you tell?"

"Tell what?" Ron asked, indignantly.

"He's in love!" Fred exclaimed.

"What?! No I'm not!" Harry said hotly.

"Ah, denial. The first stage," One twin mused thoughtfully.

"Next he'll be getting butterflies in his stomach," The other continued.

"And some other parts of him too."

"Don't be daft! Harry's not in love! Are you Harry?" Ron interrupted.

"I don't…know," He admitted and immediately regretted saying anything.

"What?! Who're you in love with?" Ron demanded.

"Oh dear dear ickle Ronnikens," One of the twins tutted.

"If it's not completely obvious even to that thick skull of yours, you don't deserve to know!" The other finished.

"I'm going to bed," Harry said, standing up. He couldn't stand to be around this conversation any longer. But just then the portrait hole swung open and Hermione walked in.

"Hermione," He breathed softly.

"Just the person I was looking for," She said when she saw him. "Come with me, we need to talk."

Harry swallowed nervously. "Okay," Was all he could muster.

They left the common room and quickly found an empty classroom to talk in, where they hopefully wouldn't be disturbed.

"So…" Hermione began.

"So," He repeated awkwardly, after several minutes of silence between them.

"Harry, we have to talk about us being soul mates," Hermione said, sounding slightly exasperated.

"I know, I kinda figured that's where this was going."

"So…"

"So."

"Don't just keep repeating what I'm saying! Don't you have anything to say to me?" She asked.

"No, not really," He lied quickly.

"Oh," Suddenly she looked crushed and he realized he'd screwed something up.

"Wait, I didn't mean it like that! It's just…it's hard to talk about."

"I know. But well…it shouldn't be," She looked up at him. "Harry no matter what happens next, you're still my best friend and I've really missed you. Whether or not you have feelings for me, nothing will change that."

"Feelings," Harry repeated nervously, heart pounding in his chest.

"Do you have feelings for me? Ones that are more than just friendship?" She pressed, but he realized she was just as nervous as he was. And that made him feel much better about the whole thing. Would she be as nervous as he was if her answer was that she only saw him as a friend and nothing more.

"Hermione I…"

"Cause I do!" She suddenly burst out. "Harry, I really, really like you. I have for years and lately I've been thinking I might even more than like you!"

"I wish I could kiss you senseless," He told her. Hermione smiled at him.

"Then do it," She whispered, taking his hands in hers.

Her face was suddenly very close to his and he could feel the warmth of her breath on his cheeks. Their lips were an inch away from each other before he remembered what Sirius had told him and pulled away. Hermione looked shocked when he did.

"Hermione, I'm really sorry but we can't. At least not yet." He quickly launched into an explanation of everything Sirius had told him earlier and when he finished Hermione had to sit down.

"Oh," Was all she could say at first. "I can't believe the books on soul mates didn't mention any of that!" She exclaimed after thinking it over for a few minutes.

Harry grinned at her. "I'm just glad I thought to talk to Sirius before we could get that far."

"Me too." They sat in silence for a few minutes. "Harry, I really like you."

"And I really like you," He finally confessed.

"But I'm not ready to become bonded with you like that. I mean we haven't even gone on a date or anything!"

"Yeah I'm not ready either." She looked visibly relieved by his answer.

"Would you like to? Go on a date I mean?" He asked after more silence.

"Really? I'd love to! In fact, there's a Hogsmeade visit weekend after next. We could go then," She suggested, her eyes lighting up at the idea.

"I've never been to Hogsmeade, so that sounds perfect."

"Okay so we'll go at our own pace and figure things out between us. Maybe date for a few years and then revisit the idea of this whole soul bond thing."

"Sounds good to me." They stood up and on their way out Harry whispered in her ear, "But it's gonna be really hard not to kiss you until then." Hermione blushed. Then almost seeming to reconsider she leaned in towards him. He thought she was going to kiss him on the lips but at the last second she brushed her lips against his cheek instead.

"Just to hold you over," She told him but that only made him want her all the more.

Harry awoke in the middle of the night in a cold sweat with his scar burning. He'd had the most horrible nightmare and the worst part was, he wasn't entirely sure it was a nightmare. He had the horrible feeling it was real. That voice, that terrible voice in the dream. It was Voldemort's.

Harry got out of bed and fumbled around in the dark before casting lumos to find the two way mirror Sirius had given him. "Show me Sirius Black."

Sirius knew immediately something bad happened seeing as Harry had contacted him in the middle of the night. "What happened?" He asked, tired but worried.

"I had a dream, a nightmare really. Only I'm certain it was real because it was about Voldemort and now my scar is hurting."

"Tell me everything."

Harry did his best to explain but his memory of it wasn't as clear as he'd hoped. He told him about Voldemort and one of his followers speaking to one another. The follower was telling Voldemort that the plan was in motion and that Harry would soon be in his clutches.

"He's come to Hogwarts, no more hiding. He's finally vulnerable and soon he'll be yours to dispose of my lord."

"Yes, but not before I've used him for the other reasons we discussed. Remember you must bring him to me alive and unscathed for it to work. Soon I'll be stronger than ever and nothing, not even the boy, will be able to stop me."

Sirius was very pale when Harry finished describing the dream he'd had. "Did Voldemort ever call this follower by name?"

"I don't think so. Unfortunately."

"Hmm…this does confirm our fears at least. The Goblet of Fire was used as a trap to lure you here. But what doesn't make sense is Voldemort saying he doesn't plan to kill you outright, that he wants to use you for something. Something that'll make him stronger. This is very bad."

"How could I dream about Voldemort and why is my scar hurting so much?" Harry had to ask.

"No one has ever survived the killing curse besides you, not only did it give that scar but there seems to be a connection to Voldemort because of it. I suspect the Unspeakables know something about it given how much they've pushed for you to learn Occlumency from such a young age. Which would explain why you haven't had any dreams like this until now."

Harry yawned. "So what do I do?"

"For now? Get some sleep or at least try to. I'll talk to the Unspeakables and find out what they know."

"Okay. And Sirius?" Harry said before he could sever the connection. "Hermione and I are going on a date next week." He wanted to share some good news with him after all that.

"That's great, I hope you two have a good time together."

"Thanks."