Summer of Change (GxG) - A Hermione Fanfic

Chapter 18

POV: Molly

Looking out of an open window, I noticed that the skies above may have been partly cloudy, but... at the moment, my body was like the sun. Hot and buzzing, swirling with endless energy. I had woken up later than usual because something kept me asleep. I didn't want to wake up. I wanted to stay and indulge in what my heart desired—no—who my heart had clearly desired...

Now awake, my heart pounded fast and strong as I recalled that dream...It was...

It was achingly tantalizing.

I could not believe I had thought about- about Hermione in that way.

Hermione of all people...

But... it made sense.

I didn't know why it did, but it did.

Something was pulling me closer and closer to the younger witch. I wanted to be closer. I wanted to feel the warmth of her skin and the heat of her gaze. I haven't felt this way since Arhtur but this was more intense.

Hermione teaching me to cast a Patronus made this intense feeling accelerate even further. I could not believe my eyes when my Patronus turned out to be an otter. Hermione's Patronus was an otter, and both our otters danced in unison. They danced as if they had found one another after being years apart, simply longing for the other. I could only stand there in disbelief with a look of awe as it all happened in front of my very teary eyes. I had been rooted in place, my mind running through the implications of what that could mean.

But...

I knew what it meant.

I wasn't daft.

Hermione was my other half...

How could I find the other part of my soul after so long?

After all the pain and suffering I have gone through?

It made my soul sing out with joy, but it also saddened me immensely. I was very conflicted. This was Hermione we were talking about! My son's friend! Her being my soulmate was just- just unthinkable.

But I knew it to be true.

Deep down, I knew it without a shadow of a doubt.

I was so lost in my own thoughts that I bumped into the very witch who I was thinking about.

I stood there for a minute gazing at Hermione, eyes locked onto one another.

The younger witch seemed to be in her own little world, just like I had been.

"Hermione?" I said, but I got no response. She was staring deeply into my eyes like she was in a trance. "Hermione? Are you all right?" I tried again, and it seemed that did the trick because she blinked out of her haze, and her cheeks became dusted with pink.

I did not want to assume what had brought that reaction on, but I was not daft. I knew Hermione had probably had the same dream as I. We were soulmates, after all. As we became closer, our minds will start to 'merge.' We won't become the same person, but we will share emotions and experiences on a deeply intimate level.

I waited in quiet patience for Hermione to collect herself.

"I'm- I'm all right. Thank you for your concern, Molly. I was just on my way down, actually. Tilly woke me up and hurried me along." Hermione said, the pink in her cheeks deepening to a nice, lovely red.

Tilly woke her up? She slept in... Hmmmm... How interesting. My assumption about us sharing the same dream was correct then. What else could have the punctual younger witch showing up late and blushing?