Empathy
They where back in their common room, watching Hermione's sleeping form, one the sofa.
A rush of emotion reached Hermione as she came round from her unconscious state. She moaned and instantly she felt seven different types of relief wash through her.
Hermione opened her eyes, and grabbed her pounding head.
"Ow."
"Hermione!"
"Hermione!"
"Hermione!"
"Hermione!"
"STOP IT!" Hermione's scream shocked them all.
Draco was the first to reach her. "Hermione? What's wrong?"
Hermione screamed, and grabbed her head. "Just stop it, stop feeling so much!"
Draco and the others looked at her confused.
'Stop feeling?'
"Hermione-
"Please. Get Out. Please."
Draco looked at her sadly, then at Phoebe who nodded. Everyone but herself, left the room.
Phoebe kept her mind clear and sat across from her daughter.
"What's wrong with me?" Hermione gasped out, as the pain in her head subsided.
"Hermione, there's nothing wrong with you! By the way things look, I can only guess that you've come in to your own power." Phoebe half smiled.
"Oh great! The power to feel painful headaches. Great power." Hermione snarled, sarcasm dripping from her voice.
Phoebe actually laughed at that. "No actually I was going to go with something else. Hermione? What where you feeling before you blacked out?"
Mione thought for a second. "Everything."
She watched her mother raise an eyebrow and tried to explain. "My own feelings seemed to be far away from me. But I was feeling everything. I cant explain it!" She sighed in exasperation.
Phoebe nodded in understanding. "Hermione. With out a doubt your power is Empathy."
"Empathy?" Hermione repeated dumbly.
"Empathy is an active power. Being an empath allows you to channel others' feelings. It is often characterized as the ability to "put oneself into another's shoes. Since powers are tied with emotions, and you can feel others' emotions, it eventually became possible for you to tap into their powers.
Your aunts and I believe I should have gotten an empathy power myself. But... I died before I could come into it."
"So those emotions I was feeling-
"Where the emotions of the students in the great hall." Phoebe finished for her.
Hermione sighed. "But the pain."
"Mione, Empathy can drive you crazy if your not meant to receive it. But it is your active power. I believe you have so many powers in your system. That your body was rejecting your true power. Empathy is a truly amazing and powerful thing. All you need is to control it. You have to block the emotions others are sending you. At least until the last battle then will see what happened.
Its not easy, but it is do-able."
Hermione rubbed two fingers into her temple. "OK. And who's going to teach me how to control this?"
"Well, Hermione, your going to have to teach yourself to control this."
Hermione looked aghast at the thought. "What! How can you expect me to learn by my self, when I've got so much to learn already!"
Phoebe looked at her daughter with nothing but sad-determination in her eyes. "Sweetie, If I could bind your empathy powers, I would, but we just cant afford to lose something so powerful right now. You are the charmed one. You have the power to control this, you have the power to save the world.
You are my daughter, Hermione Halliwell Turner. The charmed one.
Phoebe's words burned into Hermione's mind 'the charmed one.' Save the world.'
of course phoebe Halliwell was right. And Hermione could. Would do this. Her parents where the most powerful magical beings in the world, her family line was purer than pure. What in merlin's name made her think just for one moment that she could not do this?
"Your right." She said finally, determination clear in her voice. "I will do this, I can do this."
Cole appeared as if on cue. Smiling sexily at his wife.
"Hermione, I have things to teach you." He told her gravely.
"Be good." Phoebe warned him, knowing to well Cole's fondness of over enthusiastic training.
Hermione laughed at her fathers antics. Reaching for his outstretched hand. Together they shimmer away leaving Phoebe laughing alone in the common room.
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Cole and Hermione shimmered down to the second floor bathroom. They stood before the sinks as Cole hissed the command. "Open"
They climbed down into the chamber. "We'll start with a few one-to-one combat exercises." Cole told her.
Hermione nodded once. Used to her fathers strict training, knowing her father would not play lightly, she took her place on the blue gym mat.
Without warning Cole lunged at her, moving around her as Draco would have done in one of their training sessions. Hermione moved herself around him aiming punch at his head. Cole moved quickly grabbing the arm that had been holding him seconds before and twisting it behind Hermione's back, effectively immobilizing her.
Playing a dirty trick Hermione elbowed him in the gut fiercely.
Cole gasped and let go of her arms, Hermione took the opportunity to drop and roll to the floor, leaving a good deal of space between them. She stood up as Cole recovered, and used her levitation to aim a flying kick at his head.
Cole dogged and flexed his hand so that his palm was facing upwards creating a bright fireball in his hand.
Hermione moaned knowing this session had now become hardcore. She jumped and levitated as the fireball flew to her. She stayed in the air and aimed her own energy ball at him, as he aimed another at her. Missing her by inches.
Hermione sighed as her father became engrossed in the game. Cole aimed his pyrokenises power at her and watched as Hermione raised an invisible force field around herself.
She let the forcefield go, and used her elecrokenises power, mixing it together with a combination of energy balls and fire balls, using all her strength to aim them at her father.
Cole raised his own forcefield to prevent them, willing his mind control powers to stop Hermione,
forcefield
knowing this was the only way to stop her father attacking Hermione used her astral projection, closed her eyes an concentrated on Cole's feelings, using her empathy to know exactly when he was going to strike. appearing behind Cole as he raised another faire ball, she flicked her hand and used an energy ball to knock him to his knees.
Though he stopped the attack just in time and grabbed Hermione's non projected form an pulled her down with him.
"You've been practising." He complemented.
Hermione laughed, "Draco makes good punch bag."
Cole smiled knowingly.
"Actually I'm starting to get like my demonic powers most! They just seem to flow from be much easier than wiccan magic." Hermione started.
"Wiccan magic goes by the goodness, the concentration of light. Demons react to strength, since the lack emotions.-
"Except anger, and hate." Hermione intervened.
"Very true."
After training with her father, she had joined in on Pipers potion making lesson, magicly waving the ingredients over with her mind.
By the time all the students and teachers where safely in bed, Hermione was just walking through her bedroom door.
Draco was no where to be seen, suddenly she felt dreadfully guilty. 'how long had it actually been, since they had last been together?'
Mya sighed, picking up one of Draco's t-shirts from the UN-made bed. It was plain black, but Hermione knew it was made from the best silk money could bye, she held it close to her chest, Draco's sent flew from it, she realized suddenly just how much she missed his presence.
Mione grabbed a pair of his old jogging bottoms and pulled them on, along with the shirt feeling more at ease, she sat down on the green arm chair at the window, and waved the Book Of Shadows over to her.
Hermione had only read two vanquishing spells before she closed the book. Balancing on her knees she pulled herself up so that she was leaning her head out of the window, staring out at the starry sky.
After a while a movement in the air caught her eye and the girl turned to see someone riding a broom, seemingly unaware that anyone was watching. She knew with just one look who that person was. The slight breeze whipped back the hood of the person to reveal unmistakeable platinum hair. Hermione's breath caught in her chest for a moment as she realised how much passion for flying he had.
Draco loved the feeling of being up in the air, away from everything. When he flew it helped him think and try to make sense of things.
He'd taken to doing this every night since Hermione had began her intense training, he missed her. And he was completely UN ashamed to admit he was completely dependant of her.
He looked across the grounds and for the first time in a long time saw the beautiful figure staring up at the sky.
Sure he had seen her, he had been with her the other day, but how long had it been since they where together...alone? Intimate? Just talking?
All these new powers, all this bad luck. He was losing her to it.
Hermione watched Draco fly around once more then turn towards her. Had she been spotted?
She glanced up at him, then tried to calm her heart, that had picked up a couple of beats. his sudden sadness reaching her, she couldn't tell if they where her emotions or his.
Draco flew over to the window and gave Hermione a small peck "Hi, how come you're up so late?"At his smile Hermione felt butterflies in her stomach…
"I was reading up on vanquishing spells, but seeing you, entertained me." she replied quietly. "I missed you today."
"Yeah, me too" Draco said when she looked up at him.
"Sorry about kicking you out earlier, you know about the new power?" Hermione asked softly.
"Yeah, Empathy Cole said. He told me what happened in the hall, I'm glad your OK." he answered
Hermione winced, feeling his unhappiness again.
"Why are you so sad about this?" Hermione said with a hint of surprise.
"Don't you see? We haven't had a moment together for a very long time." Draco replied, "It almost seems like we're not even together, and I miss our moments." he continued.
Hermione smiled, Draco really meant it.
"I miss them to, so much." Hermione almost whispered.
"You do?" Draco replied almost in amazement
Hermione nodded hoping Draco didn't think she wanted things to be like this.
"Of course I do!"
Draco looked at her and kissed her passionately.
"I love you Hermione, so much I cant bear the the thought of not having you."
Hermione smiled, "I love you too. Don't ever doubt that Draco."
"Never." Draco answered.
"Do you want to come for a ride, just get away from here for a bit?" Draco asked.
Hermione bit her lip, sensing Draco's mood change.
"I could think of nothing I'd rather do." she replied happily.
"Come on." he encouraged and held out his hand.
Hermione laughed
She slowly put her hand in his and looked into his eyes. At that moment she was lost in his gaze, what must have been a second felt like an eternity. Feeling to sets of beating hearts.
The next thing she knew, Hermione was seated in front of Draco with his arm securely around her waist. Hermione leant back into his chest as they took off and thought that if she were to die tonight she'd die happy.
As Draco flew off he was smiling with relief, they were together, things finally getting back on track.
He held on to her tight and loved the feeling of having her in his arms.
"Draco, where are we going?" Hermione asked.
"I want to show you something" he said softly into her ear, sending shivers down Hermione's spine.
Hermione smiled and continued floating in her own emotions.
Draco flew them to a mountain top and conjured a blanket and laid down on it.
"Come here, this is the best place to watch it" Draco said.
Hermione walked over and Draco took hold of her hand and pulled her down so she ended up lying next to him.
"Can you seance it?" he said with a grin.
When Hermione gave him a 'what am I sensing?' look Draco looked into her deep brown eyes and whispered "Wait for it.".
She did, Hermione closed her eyes letting her powers take over, and soon enough she gasped in awe.
think of things...."Where's it coming from?" She asked still shocked.
Draco directed her to look a little to her right, spinning himself on the blanket so he was looking in the same direction.
Hermione stared up at the falling stars,
"It's amazing" she breathed.
After it had finished they stared at the stars in contemplation. The night had been incredible, Hermione closed her eyes in concentration again, "Draco, I never knew, well I knew, but I never relied the intensity of it." Hermione said softly.
"What are you talking about? I have no idea what's going on, the intensity of what?" he asked.
Suddenly she was hot, very hot, almost panting.
"Hermione, are you okay?" Draco asked clearly worried.
She was breathing hard,
"Draco"
"Stop."
"Stop what..."
Then he realized was thinking of a million different ways to sleep with her.
And Hermione was actually panting. At the force of it.
"Oh" he said laughing., realizing her new power must have been kicking in.
Hermione blushed again and couldn't help smiling.
"Its an amazing feeling." Hermione said awed.
Draco pushed himself up, and took hold of her hands, what is."
"feeling how much you love me." she told him
"Hermione I love you more than you could ever know. I never want to lose what we have, to lose you, would be like dyeing, I love you so much I want you forever. " Draco
"Draco, I love you to... So much. But the war... We cant promise nothing is going to happen." Hermione said reluctantly.
Draco looked at her. Lost in her eyes for what seemed to me hours, but was only a few minutes
Then Hermione felt a sudden rush of hope, and love, that she knew was not coming from her.
"Draco, what?-"
"Marry me." Draco cut in.
Hermione stared shocked. "I'm sorry?"
"marry me." Draco repeated more excited this time-
Hermione who still looked completely shocked, stared at him. Then seemed to come to he senses. " Draco, there is a war going on! And we're going to have to fight, we may lose our lives. I don't want to be a war widow. The same as I don't want you to be a widower, I love you. But we just cant get married."she had tears in her eyes as she spoke to him, fearing him busting into rage, or sadness. But he didn't, actually he just smiled all the more brightly.
He took both of her hands in his. "I love you, Hermione Granger, I truly do. Although we've had our differences in the past, we've gotten over them and look at how far we've come!
This is the happiest I've ever been and the happiest I'll ever be, and I hope to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to marry you and grow old together, but if anything does happen to us, I would never be at peace knowing that I never made you truly mine. If I die in this war, I want Draco Malfoy husband to Hermione Halliwell, to be written on my god dame grave, Hermione I want to marry you now! In case I don't get time later."
Hermione smiled softly, reaching in to her own emotions, feeling her own love for him. Knowing that she could never die knowing that she may never get another chance to become Mrs Hermione Malfoy.
"Yes."
Draco looked up startled. "What?"
"I said yes, you ninny, yes I'll marry you!" He wiped the tears that were gently flowing from her eyes, down her cheeks.
"Thank you for trusting me." he said softly.
"Always." Hermione whispered quietly before he brushed his lips passionately across hers.
Hermione brought her own hand up to his face and ran her fingers lightly over his cheek. Draco leaned into her touch. As they kissed it became deeper as Hermione's arms went round Draco's neck and his arms moved around her waist and up her back to bring them closer.
They stayed there that night, up in the mountains, laying on a their blanket, reeling in what was for the first time in a long time, true happiness.
The next day the two didn't separate from each other all day, they stayed in their bedroom, talking like they used to, pretending world doom wasn't on their shoulders.
"We're getting married." she whispered.
"I know" he replied happily.
"You do know, some one has to tell my dad first." Hermione laughed at the look on Draco's face.
"Hey, Mione, how do you feel about eloping?"
A.N: I am soo sorry this is taking forever to finish ! I really am trying! ... please just hold out 4 this story =) love u all !