Hermione felt as if she were dreaming—a beautiful, warm dream.
From the center of her brow, a gentle warmth flowed continuously, circulating through her entire body like a slow, golden tide. She felt full—charged, somehow—and along with it, she sensed a subtle tether forming between herself and Kai Adler.
A bond.
Deep and quiet at first, but growing stronger with each passing moment.
It reached down into her very soul.
The sun had long since begun to sink beyond the horizon, painting the sky in hues of crimson and gold. As the last rays lit their forms, the two of them stood forehead to forehead, eyes closed, seemingly cloaked in the light of dusk itself.
Magic surged all around them. The air rippled, lifting the hems of their robes in delicate waves, fluttering like butterfly wings.
Hermione's features grew increasingly peaceful. A soft blush appeared on her cheeks as she stood calmly in the center of the spell's glow.
Kai, on the other hand, was growing paler by the second. His brow was furrowed in pain, his lips tightly pressed together. A fine sheen of sweat gathered on his nose, and the veins beneath his skin stood out in stark blue against his ashen complexion.
No one knew how long the ritual lasted.
By the time the spell's glow faded, the last remnants of sunset were gone, replaced by a field of stars hanging quietly above them.
Hermione opened her eyes first, a dazed light lingering in her gaze. The warmth within her still surged, and for a moment she felt as if she could lift off the ground and soar into the sky.
But that joy vanished instantly when she turned to Kai.
He stood there in silence, visibly drained. His skin was deathly pale, and his breath came faint and shallow. Alarmed, Hermione rushed forward, grabbing his arm to steady him.
"What's wrong? Was it the ritual? Did it hurt you?" she asked anxiously.
Kai forced a small smile. "It's nothing. I just used a bit too much magic."
With a snap of his fingers, the dark mist lingering from the ritual circle quickly receded, flowing back into his body. His complexion improved slightly as a result.
Though he lacked enough magic in the moment to suppress the Obscurus within him, his Patronus—the massive silver-blue whale—still floated nearby. Its presence kept the darkness in check, allowing Kai to recover.
He gently took Hermione's hand, guiding her to sit with him by the lakeside.
"Is this the gift you meant?" she asked quietly, her expression soft but curious.
Kai smiled. "There's one more thing."
He opened his left hand—the one he'd kept closed during the ritual—and a radiant silver light shone from within, like a distant star.
Hermione leaned closer.
Resting in his palm was a small, tear-shaped pendant. Crafted of a translucent silvery material and wrapped in a delicate ornamental frame, it shimmered faintly with an ethereal white mist swirling inside. It looked like it had been carved from a wisp of starlight.
Kai pulled a fine silver chain from his pocket, slid the pendant onto it, and gestured for her to come closer.
Hermione, enchanted by the sight, leaned in eagerly. Kai fastened the necklace around her neck with careful hands.
She looked down, running her fingers over the cool surface of the pendant.
"What is this?"
"It's called Herzpakt ."
"Herzpakt ?" she repeated, furrowing her brow. "That sounds… unusual."
Kai nodded. "It's an old magical term—one my father taught me. It comes from the arcane tongue used by wizards in central Europe centuries ago. It means 'Heart Pact .'"
He lifted the pendant gently with his finger.
"This is a soul-bound magical contract. It can only be formed when two wizards—or witches—truly trust one another. There must be no deceit, no dark intent. Only complete harmony."
Hermione looked at him quietly.
"There were two kinds of soul bonds my father taught me," Kai continued. "Herzpakt and the Blood Oath."
"So why this one?" she asked.
Kai pouted slightly. "Because the Blood Oath requires cutting your palm. And I'm not particularly fond of pain."
Hermione stifled a laugh. "Fair enough."
Kai glanced at her, as if gauging her reaction. "The Herzpakt ," he continued, "links two souls. They prosper together. They suffer together. If one falls, the other is affected."
"Ohhh…" Hermione wrinkled her nose. "So that's what you meant by 'you can't leave me for the rest of your life.'"
Kai suddenly looked nervous. "Do you not like it?"
Hermione sniffed, raising her chin proudly. "You got that wrong. I meant you can't leave me for the rest of your life."
They looked at each other and laughed.
Then she paused and opened her palm, inspecting it curiously. "I do feel… different."
"You are," Kai said. "The
Herzpakt
doesn't just bind our souls—it synchronizes our magical frequencies."
He took her hand again, his tone becoming gentle.
"That means… you can now access my magic. Not only that, but because our souls are connected, mine will help feed and grow your own magic as well. Rapidly."
Hermione's eyes lit up. "Really?!"
But the joy faded quickly, replaced by concern. She stared at him, serious now.
"This doesn't hurt you, does it?"
Kai shook his head with a soft smile. "No. Just drained me a little."
"Really?" she pressed, eyes narrowing.
Stare…
Kai's face was the picture of calm, leaving her with no proof otherwise.
She huffed. "It'd better not. If you got hurt just so I could gain magic… I'd rather you hadn't given me anything at all."
"You don't have to worry," Kai said softly. "We're bound now. Your well-being is my well-being. I'd never risk myself lightly… especially not when it affects you."
His words drew a smile from Hermione.
Then she froze—an idea sparking in her mind.
"Wait… does that mean I can summon a Patronus now?!"
"That's what I meant earlier," Kai said with a smirk. "Go on—try it."
Hermione didn't need to be told twice.
She grabbed her wand and tugged Kai toward the lake. The starlight shimmered on the water, and her eyes sparkled with determination.
Taking a deep breath, she pointed her wand.
"Expecto Patronum!"
Silver light burst from the tip, flowing over the lake like morning mist.
At first, it was faint—unstable. But Kai gently squeezed her hand, and the magic thickened.
Her face broke into a wide smile, and the mist suddenly surged.
A sleek, silver form leapt from her wand—the magic coalescing into shape.
A dolphin burst forth, trailing luminous ripples behind it as it swam through the air, playful and full of life.
Kai's eyes widened. "A dolphin?"
Hermione beamed. "Isn't it cute?"
"It's perfect," Kai said sincerely. "Dolphins are graceful and highly intelligent… suits you well."
For once, Hermione didn't show off or play coy. She simply smiled, looking at him with something deeper in her eyes.
"More importantly," she said, "it's because of this."
She pointed toward the Patronus.
The dolphin swam forward through the air, gracefully weaving past stars and branches—until it reached the towering form of Kai's blue whale. The massive creature hovered silently in the sky.
The dolphin circled it once, lightly tapping it with its tail fin.
The whale responded with a slow, affectionate nudge.
But its bulk sent the smaller Patronus tumbling through the air in a gentle roll, making Hermione giggle.
Kai laughed too, the sound light and clear under the starlight.
Hermione squeezed his hand again and leaned closer.
"I just wanted you to know," she said quietly, "you're not alone. Not anymore."
Kai turned to look at her, and in his eyes, there was nothing else. Only her.
They didn't speak again.
Above them, under the moonlight and the stars, a dolphin and a whale danced in the sky—leaving luminous trails of silver and blue, like two souls forever chasing the same light.