Sunday, November 1st, 1994
"Okay," Lady Potter said, then grinned, "How about I start with the very first moment I fancied my future husband?"
"Oh, great idea, my love," Lord Potter said, "Turn the question on her. If this doesn't end with Harry realizing that the girl he fancies actually fancies him back… then well… he's more hopeless than I am!"
"To understand this," Lady Potter said, "We have to go back to our First Year here at Hogwarts. Harry, and Ron, had just saved me from a scary Troll in a bathroom. Harry, Ron and I were walking back to Gryffindor Tower, and I looked at Harry, and couldn't help but think… 'Harry looks so handsome, even covered in dirt and grime.' That was the first time I thought my best friend was handsome. We weren't 'best friends' right then and there, but… well, anyway…"
Harry's eyes widened, and he looked at Hermione, whose cheeks had gone pink and she was doing everything she could to avoid Harry's gaze.
"Of course," Lady Potter said, "The following morning I was kind of embarrassed with myself. Until the night before, I'd never even thought about whether or not boys were handsome or cute. And I started wondering… whether or not I was actually old enough to think boys were handsome yet. Mum hadn't given me the talk at that point in time. It wouldn't be until Christmas Break when she learned I had two boys as friends, that she had given me the talk. And yet, I thought I was much too young for her to talk to me about those subjects! But she insisted!"
"Oh, boy, did she," Hermione muttered in agreement.
"I'm getting ahead of myself," Lady Potter said, "For the next week following Halloween, I did my best not to even think about the words 'cute' or 'handsome.' And then that first Quidditch Match came, and Harry just had to look so cute in his Quidditch outfit, didn't he?!"
Now it was Harry's turn to blush, and avoid the gaze of everyone in the room.
"Skip ahead to the end of our first year," Lady Potter said. "We went through the Trap Door, solved all those puzzles, and then it was just you and me, Harry. After we solved Snape's Potions Puzzle. We were talking about Snape – or who we thought was Snape – and about how he was in the next room. And I ended up hugging you, Harry, for the very first time."
Lady Potter was looking at her husband, not the younger Harry.
"Do you remember the conversation we had right after that?" Lady Potter asked. "Because I'll remember that conversation for as long as I live. 'You're a great wizard.' 'Not as good as you.' 'Me… Books! And cleverness! There are more important things — friendship and bravery and — oh Harry —be careful!'
"However, the most important part of that conversation was the stuff I didn't say. Friendship… and bravery… and love. I wanted to say it. I did. But I couldn't. Once again, I was embarrassed. Why? Because… that was the moment I realized I fancied Harry Potter."
Again, Harry's eyes widened, and again, he looked over at Hermione. Hermione's cheeks were red and she was looking at her lap.
"The months went by, and you just grew cuter, more handsome," Lady Potter continued, "I hugged you several more times. Why? Because every hug reminded me of the first time I hugged you. Moments before I realized I fancied you. The summer before third year, when I realized we'd get to visit Hogsmeade, I fantasized about going on dates with you, Harry, to the village. And even if we didn't kiss, I'd get to hug you more. And then you told me you couldn't go to Hogsmeade. Didn't have permission. Suddenly, the visits to Hogsmeade just became that. Visits. Even when I went there with Ron, my visits with Ron weren't dates. Just visits. Hogsmeade visits were supposed to be fun, but I didn't want to have fun. Because you weren't there with me, Harry. I didn't want to enjoy myself, because I thought that I'd be betraying you in some way.
"And then just like that, it was the end of third year. We used the Time Turner, to go and save not just Sirius, but also Buckbeak. When I realized we'd have to fly on Buckbeak to get to Sirius, I was scared to death. My fear of heights was roaring at me like a dragon. But then, I suddenly wasn't afraid. Why? Because I was with you, Harry. My hero. You scared that dragon away. You helped me overcome my fear and just like that… it was no longer a little girl's innocent fancy. That night, I fell madly in love with Harry James Potter."
Harry was staring forward again.
"And now," Lady Potter said, "We're going to get some peeks into the future. Or our future… a future that might not happen with the two of you. In case you didn't know, there will be a Yule Ball, a dance, on Christmas. Well, when I heard about that, I was fantasizing about the possibility of Harry asking me to the Yule Ball. Only… I was hit with a sudden realization. Harry didn't fancy me… he fancied Cho Chang. So… when the Yule Ball was announced, a couple days after the First Task, Professor McGonagall kept Harry behind in class to talk to him about the Ball. I knew, as a Champion, Harry would have to lead the Ball with the other Champions. And to do that, he would need a date to the Ball. I was pretty sure Professor McGonagall was encouraging him to find a date. Well, when Harry didn't immediately ask me to the Ball, it all came crashing down. I started having doubts about Harry. About if my desires and fantasies would come true. If my fancy was just one-sided. And then, one day, I was sitting in the Library, when the Durmstrang Champion Viktor Krum approached me. He asked me to the Yule Ball."
Hermione and Harry's heads jerked up and looked at Lady Potter.
Lady Potter smiled sadly. "At that moment, I felt desired by someone. Someone was actually attracted to me. So… I said 'yes'."
"Dear?" Lord Potter asked, "Should we tell them about your suspicions that you and Viktor were dosed with Attraction Potions to each other back then?"
"No," Lady Potter said, "Not right now. If my suspicions are correct, it will never happen to her, thanks to the bracelets, and hopefully by then, the two of them going to the Yule Ball together will be a sure thing."
"Viktor Krum?" Hermione asked, "Really?!"
"Yeah," Lady Potter said. "Of course, I wanted to keep it a surprise from Harry and Ron. Mostly Harry. Oh, I was being such a bitch leading up to the Ball. I had a date to the Ball. Harry and Ron didn't have a date yet. Harry tried to ask Cho Chang out, but she was already going with Cedric Diggory."
"I ended up asking Parvati Patil," Lord Potter said, "And I begged Parvati to ask her sister to go with Ron. Don't ask… looking back, I feel horrible about it. Neither of the Patils had a great night at the Yule Ball… well, most of the night anyway. After my first dance with Parvati, I didn't want to dance anymore. And Ron… he didn't want to dance at all. I think the Patils ended up dancing with some of the blokes from the other two schools. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
"The best part of the Yule Ball happened before it even began," Lord Potter said, "Hermione walked down the stairs into the Entrance Hall and… I was completely stunned. She was breathtaking and beautiful and… oh, believe me, I realized I fancied her. But I couldn't tell her, could I? Why would a girl that beautiful want me? More than just a friend I mean. Why would she want me in the romantic sense? There were plenty of good looking boys around Hogwarts, after all. Obviously I didn't know at the time that I was the one she found most handsome."
Hermione blushed and smiled.
"I'm afraid the rest of our story is going to have to wait," Lady Potter said. "There's things that we can't talk about yet. If we told you anymore… well…"
"I think I understand," Hermione said. "Thank you for telling us that much."
Harry frowned, and for a moment, Lord Potter thought it was because he and Lady Potter had stopped their story before it had really begun. Then Harry turned to Hermione.
"Hermione?" Harry asked, his voice barely above a whisper. "Can I talk to you, for a moment? In private?"
Hermione blushed again, and nodded. "Okay, Harry."
"You can have your discussion over at the table, Harry, Hermione," Lady Potter said, "You're not allowed in each other's rooms, after all."
"But it won't be private!" Hermione said, "Unless… are you going to go to your room now?"
"No," Lady Potter said, "I'm going to teach you a spell. It is called Muffliato. If you point it at the table and sit down. Anyone trying to hear you have a conversation at the table, will only hear buzzing bees."
"Oh, that's brilliant!" Hermione said.
Lady Potter taught Hermione how to pronounce and cast the spell. Hermione then cast the spell at the table, and sat down at the table with Harry.
"Don't tell me," Lord Potter said.
"It's not going to happen yet," Lady Potter said, "Don't worry. I wouldn't be surprised if Harry asks her to the Yule Ball though. But, I don't think they're going to kiss yet."
"I don't think he's going to ask her to the Ball," Lord Potter said, "Not yet. I know what he is going to do. Make sure she isn't going to go with Viktor Krum. I could tell he really hated the idea of her going with him. Of course he doesn't know your suspicions about why you and Viktor went together.""Then why wouldn't he ask her to the Ball now?" Lady Potter asked.
Lord Potter shrugged. "I suppose we'll see what happens."
Sunday, November 1st, 1994 ("Harry" = Young Harry; "Hermione" = Young Hermione).
"So, what did you want to talk about?" Hermione asked.
"Was all that stuff Lady Potter said true?" Harry asked.
Hermione blushed and nodded. "Yes, Harry. At least… everything leading up to the end of third year."
"Okay," Harry said, then cleared his throat. "Hermione, I… I don't know… right now… what my feelings are… for you."
"Oh," Hermione said, looking sad.
"However," Harry said, "I really don't like the idea of you going to the Yule Ball with Viktor Krum."
Hermione laughed wryly. "To be honest… me neither. I don't know why Lady Potter accepted to go with him. Honestly, that's why I am so shocked that she mentioned Krum. My parents would never accept me dating someone who was three years older than me. Especially someone I don't know, someone who is basically a stranger. They must have been so disappointed with her."
"I want to ask you to the Yule Ball," Harry said, then quickly raised a hand, "Don't answer that yet! Listen… I was thinking about what Lord Potter said. About how he had a horrible date with Parvati. I don't want that to happen to you. I want you to have a wonderful night at the Yule Ball. Whether it be with me… or someone else. And, well… I was also thinking about what Lady Potter said. In the days after the first task, Professor McGonagall will announce the Yule Ball. When she does… well, if I don't ask you to the Yule Ball on that day, by the end of that day. Feel free to go with someone else. But… just… will you wait for me? I want to… figure out what I feel for you, Hermione. Just… give me a little time."
Hermione's eyes went moist with tears, and Harry was horrified.
"Oh, Hermione, don't cry!" Harry said, "I didn't mean to upset you!"
"You didn't upset me," Hermione said, "Harry, that was the most mature thing I've ever heard you say. I mean it."
Harry totally didn't expect that response. "Er… what?"
"Harry, I thought you were going to ask me on a date – either the Yule Ball or Hogsmeade," Hermione said, "But only because of what Lady Potter told you. I thought you were going to be like 'Well, Lady Potter and Hermione are the same person, right? Their first through third years were the same experience, right? So she must be in love with me! So I'm going to ask her out!' I thought you'd ask me out because Lady Potter basically told you that I fancied you.
"Harry, I'm perfectly fine with waiting until Professor McGonagall announces the Ball. Because by then, I'll know you've thought long and hard about whether or not you want to ask me out. And, if you do ask me out… then I'll know that what you feel for me is real."
"Uh… really?" Harry asked.
"Yeah," Hermione said, "It's not like I'll be waiting too long. Only until the end of the month. What's another few weeks when I've been fantasizing about you asking me on a date since the summer before our third year."
"Okay," Harry said, "Glad to have cleared that up. You know… Lord and Lady Potter are staring at us."
"They probably think you wanted to talk to me in private so you could ask me on a date," Hermione said.
"What should we tell them?" Harry asked.
"The truth," Hermione said, "However, we'll do so in private. You talk with Lord Potter, and I'll go talk with Lady Potter."
"Alright," Harry said, "I really wish we could call them something besides Lord and Lady Potter."
"Oh… why?" Hermione asked.
"Because I know how the future me feels about the future you," Harry said, "And it's not going to help me make my decision about how I feel about you."
"You feel like… it is inevitable that we'll be married?" Hermione asked.
"Yeah, and I really hate that I feel that way," Harry said. "I mean… if we do end up getting together, and eventually marry, will it be my choice? Or will I feel influenced by Lord Potter?"
"Well, look at it this way," Hermione said, "When they fell through the portals, our timelines split into two paths. Their old timeline and our new one. So the road they took might not happen. Which means…"
"I'm free to make my own choices," Harry said, "Thanks, Hermione."
"Harry… tell Lord Potter what you just told me," Hermione said, "That you feel like, because he's married to Lady Potter, that you feel influenced to feel the same. I think he'll give you some good advice."
"Alright," Harry said.
Hermione canceled the Charm. "Can we talk in private, Lady Potter?"
"Yes, dear, of course," Lady Potter said.
"Would you like to talk to me privately, Harry?" Lord Potter asked.
Harry nodded. "Yes, sir."
"How about we just sit out here then?" Lord Potter asked, "And let them take one of the bedrooms."
Harry nodded again, and watched Hermione as she and Lady Potter headed into Lord and Lady Potter's bedroom.
"So, Harry," Lord Potter said, "Let's talk."
Sunday, November 1st, 1994
Lady Potter led Hermione into her and Lord Potter's bedroom.
"Wow!" Hermione exclaimed, "This is nice!"
Lady Potter decided, as she shut the door to the bedroom, not to tell Hermione that it was a replica of the Master bedroom at Potter Manor. She'd let her find that out for herself.
"Yes, it is very cozy," Lady Potter said, then smirked, "Almost feels like home."
"I bet," Hermione said.
Hermione walked over to the bed and sat down on the end of it. Lady Potter conjured a chair, and placed it a few feet away from Hermione, then sat down.
"So, Hermione," Lady Potter said, "Did Harry ask you out?"
"Um… not yet," Hermione said, "He's still trying to figure out his feelings for me. But – um – he wants me to wait for him. Until the day Professor McGonagall announces the Yule Ball. He said if he doesn't ask me out that day, then I should feel free to accept a date with someone else."
"But you don't want to accept a date with someone else," Lady Potter guessed.
"No," Hermione said, blinking back tears, "I don't."
"I don't blame you one bit," Lady Potter said, "You don't know how jealous I am of you right now, Hermione. Or will be… if you and Harry go to the Yule Ball together. You'll have three more years together as a couple with Harry than I ever got."
Hermione blushed. "We might not end up as a couple if we do go to the Ball together."
"You will if you kiss him," Lady Potter said.
"What do you mean by that?" Hermione asked.
"There's a reason I stopped my story about how Harry and I got together – well, right before we got to the part where he and I got together," Lady Potter said, "I didn't feel Harry was mature enough yet to handle the information. I think, however, that you are ready to hear it."
"Okay," Hermione said, slowly.
"It's your choice, Hermione," Lady Potter said, "But know this… if I tell you the story, it will give you a new perspective of exactly how your relationship with Harry might go. Well, maybe not as fast as my husband and I did. But we were three years older than you and Harry are now. We were ready to make such moves."
"You can tell me," Hermione said.
"Okay," Lady Potter said, "Well, my husband and I explained to you and Harry about the end of our friendship with Ron, and when the Love Potions and stuff were finally purged from our bodies. The following day, we were feeling depressed and upset. Mostly because we were victims of such cruel things. I was crying – you know how we get when we cry. We turn on the radio and listen to music."
"Yeah," Hermione said, "I miss having radios here at Hogwarts."
"I felt the same," Lady Potter said, "Well, when a particularly good song came over the radio, Harry came over to me, took my hand and pulled me from the chair, and took me in his arms. We were finally doing what we should have done at the Yule Ball. We were dancing together. And just like that, all those feelings that had been blocked away by those Potions, they all came rushing back in. That was when I told Harry exactly how I felt about him. And I told him I'd been in love with him since the night we rode Buckbeak.
"Harry said he has fancied me since the night of the Yule Ball. And… then we kissed. And I broke into tears. I promised Harry that they were happy tears. But I told him we should have had our first kiss three years ago. Harry agreed with me. We kissed two or three times during that dance. And when the song was over… I told him I was tired, and I wanted to think about what just happened. I kissed him again and went to bed.
"The following morning I woke up, and Harry was ranting about Ron and Ginny and Molly, and how they had stolen three years of a relationship from us. And I told him to shut up, that I was trying to sleep. He told me he didn't say anything. I thought 'I heard you screaming, you idiot!' And Harry goes 'Don't call me an idiot!'"
Hermione gasped, and put a hand over her mouth. Her eyes went misty, and she used the same hand to wipe the tears from her eyes.
"You're not saying…" Hermione began.
"Yes?" Lady Potter asked, with a smile.
"You were reading each other's mind," Hermione said, "But that's… that's a symptom of…"
"Of a Soul-Bond," Lady Potter finished. "Which begins to form after a Bonded pair's first kiss."
Oh my god," Hermione whispered.
"It only took me a few minutes to realize what was going on," Lady Potter said, "Like you, like what you're feeling now… I couldn't believe it. It had to be impossible! And then I tested it again. I spoke telepathically to Harry for the first time. He answered my question out loud. And then I spoke to him telepathically again. I said 'read my lips, I'm not talking out loud.' And that was when I told him about the Soul-Bond."
"S-so, Harry and I…" Hermione began.
"When you have your first kiss, the first stage of your Soul-Bond will begin," Lady Potter said, "You and Harry could refer to each other as boyfriend and girlfriend, but in the eyes of Magic, you'd be Engaged. But you wouldn't be magically Married until…"
"Until we have sex," Hermione whispered, then blushed deeply, "Okay, I understand what you meant our relationship won't go as fast as yours. We're fourteen and fifteen. You were… seventeen and eighteen? Wait… does that mean that you two…"
"We made love for the first time, exactly two weeks later," Lady Potter said. "But during those first two weeks, we kissed, and cuddled up together, and even slept in the same bed together, because I knew our Bond would want us to be close during the initial phases of the Bond."
"Lady Potter," Hermione said, "What's going to happen when our Bond forms? I mean… Harry and I can't exactly sleep in the same bed here at Hogwarts."
"We – Lord Potter and I, and you and Harry – can talk to Professor McGonagall about the Soul-Bond," Lady Potter said, "More likely than not, you'll end up back in these Private Quarters with my husband and me. We'll request one more additional bedroom, with a bed fit for the pair of you. For those evenings when you feel you need to sleep next to each other. You'll still have your other rooms, for when you can sleep apart. However, young lady, Charms will be placed on both of you, when you want to share a bed, so you can't remove your pajamas."
Hermione blushed. "Of course. I understand."
Hermione then frowned and looked toward the door. "Lady Potter? Harry's really confused about his feelings about me. And the fact that he knows you and Lord Potter ended up married. It doesn't help him."
"Oh, dear," Lady Potter said, "That hadn't occurred to me. Harry feels like you being together is inevitable?"
"Yeah," Hermione said.
Lady Potter smiled. "He's right, you know. Even though it hasn't begun to form yet, you're a Soul-Bonded pair. You're meant to be together."
"I know," Hermione said, "Harry just doesn't know that yet."
"Don't worry, dear," Lady Potter said, "I know Harry will make the right choice."
Hermione smiled as pink blush rose on her cheeks.
"Yeah," she whispered. "Me too."
"Hermione," Lady Potter said, "There's something else I wanted to talk to you about. Something Lord Potter and I didn't discuss with Albus and Minerva, when we told them the story of what happened between the Choosing Ceremony and the First Task."
"Okay," Hermione said.
"Well," Lady Potter said, "It all started with Draco Malfoy…"
Sunday, November 1st, 1994 – A few minutes earlier
"So, Harry," Lord Potter said, "Let's talk."
Harry cleared his throat. "I… er… haven't asked Hermione out yet, if that is what you want to know."
"Oh?" Lord Potter asked.
"I told her I wanted to wait until Professor McGonagall announced the Yule Ball," Harry said, "I told her if I don't ask her to the Ball on the same day, she can feel free to accept a date with someone else. Between now and then, I… I wanted to think about my feelings for her."
"Even though you already know you fancy her?" Lord Potter asked.
"That's just the problem!" Harry exclaimed, "I fancy a lot of girls! How do I know Hermione's the one that I want to fall in love with?"
"Well, I know the answer to that already," Lord Potter said. "But I think I'm going to let you figure it out yourself."
"Thank you, that's very helpful," Harry said, sarcastically.
Lord Potter smiled, "Oh, believe me. You'll smack yourself in the head when you realize the answer. You'll realize you knew the answer all along. The problem is, Harry… I didn't realize the answer til the day of the Yule Ball. Then Hermione was dancing with Viktor Krum, and I realized… 'I'm too late, she feels that way for someone else. Not me.'"
"You said the Yule Ball was the first time you realized Hermione was beautiful," Harry said, "But that's just it, I think a lot of girls are beautiful."
Lord Potter smiled again. "You're getting closer. But I'm going to have to stop this topic right here. You need to figure out the rest on your own."
"You're not helping, you know?" Harry asked, in an accusing tone.
Lord Potter blinked. "How so?"
"You're married to your Hermione," Harry said, "How you feel about her is plainly obvious. You're four years older than me, and yet, we're still the same person. Maybe you've experienced more, but when it comes to Hermione… we're one in the same. But all that tells me is… it feels like it is inevitable that I'll end up with her. So how do I sort out my feelings when I know that already?"
"Well, I could Obliviate you of the fact that you know how future you ends up," Lord Potter suggested.
Harry scowled. "No thank you."
"Want to know what I think, Harry?" Lord Potter asked, "I think you already know the answer you're seeking. You just don't want to ask Hermione out today… because of what her older self revealed to you."
"That's what Hermione said," Harry said.
"Did she?" Lord Potter said, "And you're embarrassed that she's right, aren't you?"
"I just don't want her to be disappointed in me," Harry said.
"She won't be, I promise," Lord Potter said, "But, between you and me, if you want to wait to ask her out – even though you do seem to know what your feelings are for her – until Professor McGonagall announces the Ball, we'll keep that our little secret."
"Okay," Harry said.
"There's one more thing, Harry," Lord Potter said, "The biggest reason I fell in love with Hermione. At least, the reason I originally fell in love with her. Those other girls you're fancying. Most of them grew up learning about the Boy-Who-Lived. So they might still see you as that persona. Hermione… she has only ever seen you as Harry Potter."
Harry nodded. "I suppose that is a good point."
"The end of the month can't come soon enough, can it?" Lord Potter asked.
Harry shook his head.
"Well, just pray you're not the one chosen to be the Triwizard Champion," Lord Potter said, "Then the end of the month will be here faster than you think."
Harry gulped. "Even though your presence might be confusing me and how I feel about Hermione. I'm extremely thankful you're here, sir."
"Don't worry, kid," Lord Potter said, "I'm not going anywhere. Especially if you're the one chosen by the Goblet tonight. If you are, I will be your Mentor for the Tournament. I'll teach you everything I know."
"Thank you," Harry said, "That means a lot."
"Now, there's something else I wanted to talk to you about," Lord Potter said, "As you know, my wife and I are meeting with Amelia Bones tonight. After the Choosing Ceremony."
"Right," Harry said.
"I believe," Lord Potter said, "By the end of the conversation, Sirius Black will be one step closer to freedom."
Harry's eyes widened, and he grinned. "Really?!"
"Director Bones is the one person I trust to do the right thing for Sirius," Lord Potter said.
"Thank you, sir," Harry said, "That means a lot."
"Believe me, Harry," Lord Potter said, "I want to see Sirius become a free man, just as much as you do."
Harry frowned. "He never got the chance to gain his freedom in your future, did he?"
Lord Potter shook his head.
"Did he…" Harry said, then paused and swallowed, "He died, didn't he?"
Lord Potter nodded his head. "Not this time, kid. I promise. I will do everything to make sure that doesn't happen. For both of us. And for Sirius, too."
Harry nodded. Lord Potter and Harry sat there in companionable silence, as they waited for their girls to come out of the bedroom.
Minutes later, the door opened. Lady Potter and Hermione stepped out of the room. Harry looked at Hermione, who was grinning for some reason. Lord Potter smiled, knowing exactly why Hermione was grinning.
"Hermione?" Harry asked. "Are your teeth different?"
Lord Potter was impressed that Harry had recognized the change immediately.
"Yes," Hermione said, nodding, "Lady Potter fixed them for me. How do I look?"
"How do you feel?" Harry countered.
"Good," Hermione said, "More… more confident in myself."
"Then I think you look great," Harry said.
Hermione's grin only grew larger.
"Wow, very suave, your Mini-Me is, Harry," Lady Potter said.
"Indeed," Lord Potter said, "Harry's going to ask Hermione to the Yule Ball after Professor McGonagall makes the announcement."
"I know," Lady Potter said, sadly, "And I am completely and utterly envious of them."
"Yeah," Lord Potter said, as he watched Harry and Hermione talk quietly amongst themselves, "Me too."