Chapter 26

"But, My, I can't be an empath! That book said that true empaths come into full powers by the age of ten. I'm not ten, My, I'm fifteen, nearly sixteen. Plus, as far as I know, my eyes have never turned red."

"They have turned red, Keels. They turned red that day you were hit in the head with the bludger, when you tried to break up Malfoy and Fred's fight. It nearly gave me heart failure when I saw you. That's when I decided I needed to go to the library to see if I could find something out. Your age was the last thing that didn't fit. I asked Dumbledore about it last night and all he would tell me is that you were a late bloomer, that you are the only one he's heard of that hasn't come into their powers by age ten. But…" she chewed on her lower lip, "there's something he's not telling. He said that there were things he didn't have the right to say."

Keely shook her head in disgust. "I can't believe my parents kept this from me."

"Keely, I've been thinking… You told me that your parents said to Dumbledore, 'You know what it said.' Perhaps that's the key. Maybe they read or heard something that frightened them into secrecy."

"No, My! I don't care. They should have told me. It's not fair that I should find out like this." A tear made a glistening streak down her cheek. "I'm a freak. I always wondered. No one has ever treated me like they do others."

"Keely!" chided Hermione angrily. "I never want to hear you talk about yourself like that again! It's not bad, the gift you've been given. You just have to learn when to help and when to walk away. As long as you don't go around trying to save the entire world from every little hurt, you'll be fine." She wagged her finger in her friend's face. "And you had better not ever use it on me! I don't want you to hurt on my account; I'll shoulder my own emotions and pains no matter how hard it may be!"

Keely smiled feebly at Hermione. "How did I get so lucky to have you as my friend?"

Hermione stood up and smoothed the covers over Keely then threw her arms around her neck. "Trust me, I'm the lucky one. Now rest. I expect your parents will be here soon." She kissed her friend on the cheek and turned around to leave. Keely lay back on her pillow, staring up at the ceiling.

~:-|-:~

Draco watched as Hermione left the Gryffindor table after lunch and stood up to follow her. He needed to talk to her, and he wanted to do so alone. He caught up to her as she reached the staircase to Gryffindor tower.

"Granger!" he called anxiously, looking over his shoulder as he did so.

She turned around at her surname and her mouth dropped open. Malfoy had never sought her out like this. She knew that he was only doing so because of Keely, but it was still a shock to hear him call her name without malice, or look at her without glaring. She waited patiently for him to catch up to her. When he did, she turned back to the staircase and began ascending it slowly.

Draco matched her pace, his head down, wondering how to do what he needed to do. Three months ago he wouldn't be caught dead in Granger's company. Now look at him; walking casually up the stairs with her. He shook his head in an attempt to get his words in order. "I…" he started, his voice cracking. Hermione studied him with a curious expression. He looked pained. "Listen," he started again, "I…" He blew out his breath.

Hermione waited patiently, amused at the difficulty he seemed to be having at talking to her. She stopped halfway up the stairs and turned to look at him, leaning against the banister. She cocked her head to one side and one corner of her mouth twitched. She giggled to herself at his discomfort. She still carried no love for the boy, but she had to admit that there was definitely a positive change in him since he had started dating her best friend. The sneers and the smirks that were ever present on his face were never directed at her anymore; at least not that she had seen. To see him trying to talk to her without being hurtful was comical to her. Still, she waited patiently.

Draco started again, and this time was able to make a full sentence, kind of. "I… Well, I just wanted to say th…" His voice caught in his throat, he cleared it quickly, his face turning scarlet. "Thank you… for your help with Keely. I don't know what I… Er, I mean… If you hadn't…" He sighed again, frustrated with himself that he couldn't just spit it out. "If she had… Well, just… thanks." Without another word he practically flew down the stairs and out of sight.

Hermione watched him go with a small smile on her face. 'A definite change,' she thought. "You're welcome," she whispered to no one. She turned around and slowly continued on her way to the Gryffindor common room.

~:-|-:~

The door to the hospital wing creaked open. Draco peeked in to see Keely on her bed with her nose in a book. He stepped in quietly with his hands behind his back. He tiptoed to her bed, wanting to sneak up on her, though tiptoeing probably wasn't necessary with how engrossed in her reading she was. He almost certainly could have come in banging on pots and pans and she wouldn't have noticed.

"Hi," he said when he reached her bed. She jumped, startled and clutched at her chest.

"Draco!" she cried, "You nearly scared me to death!" She slapped playfully at his arm.

He chuckled as he bent down to place a soft kiss to her lips. "How are you feeling?" he asked, concerned.

"Hmm… better now that you're here," she said, wrapping her arms around his neck to hold him close.

He sat on the edge of her bed and brought the hand that was behind is back to the front, revealing an exquisite bouquet of white, pink and yellow daisies with ferns and baby's breath. Keely gasped and took hold of the fragrant flowers, touched that he would remember when she had said daisies were her favorite.

"Oh, Draco!" she breathed. "They're beautiful!" She looked up at him, her eyes glistening. "Thank you." She carefully laid flowers on the bedside table, took hold of the front of his robes and pulled his mouth to hers, entwining her fingers in his hair to never let him go.

Neither of them noticed when the door to the hospital wing next opened. "What in Merlin's great name is going on in here?" The two teenagers broke apart as though they had suddenly been electrocuted. Keely looked sheepishly, though defiantly at her father.

Jeremy Chambers stormed to Keely's bedside and grabbed Draco roughly by his collar, throwing him from his daughter. Draco landed on his backside. Jeremy dragged him off the floor by the elbow. "Come with me!" he said angrily, pulling him out the door before Keely had time to realize what had happened.