This chapter is a lot longer as a lot more happens in this one. I hope you enjoy it.

Chapter Fifteen

Unlocking Powers

Draco and Hermione's relationship progressed nicely during the following weeks and no-one dared say anything to the Gryffindor and Malfoy Heirs. That's not to say they agreed with it.

Hermione was sat next to Harry and Ron in Transfiguration when McGonagall breezed into the room. "Today we shall start the training for Animagus forms. We shall start by using a simple spell to unlock the image of your form and then…." She was cut off when Hermione put her hand in the air.

"Yes, Miss Gryffindor?" Hermione sighed. "Professor, I don't have an Animagus form. My parents both had forms, but I have never had one." She explained. McGonagall raised an eyebrow. "Well maybe this year you will be lucky." She replied.

The class all recited the spell and wrote down the image they saw on a piece of parchment. Hermione groaned but did the spell anyway. A cloudy image formed in front of her eyes and she gasped in delight. A strong jaw took form, a sleek body and four strong legs followed. Huge, deadly looking paws with sharp claws. A tail flowed out behind the body, sleek like the body with a small tuft of fur at the end.

Rounded ears appeared on the head and huge black wings sprouted out of the shoulder blades. A winged lioness looked back at Hermione, her chocolate eyes boring into her own.

"Were you successful, Miss Gryffindor?" McGonagall asked after seeing her pupil's shocked look. Hermione nodded numbly. "A winged lioness. The wings look like Raven wings. A mix of both my mother and my father's animagus forms." She replied.

The class stared at her in awe. "Bloody hell." Ron whispered from beside her. The silence was broken by Draco's bellow from the other side of the class. "Bloody Merlin!"

"Mister Malfoy, please desist with the yelling." McGonagall scolded. "Sorry, Professor. But my animagus form. It's a dragon."

McGonagall nodded curtly, not showing her shock that two of her students had such rare animagus forms. "Let us proceed outside to start the transformations. None of you will get it first time, but we need to be outside in case of any side effects."

The class filed out onto the school grounds and those who had seen Animagus forms stepped to one side while the others sat on the grass. "Now, I want you to clearly picture the animal you saw and will yourself to become it. Imagine your body taking on its form." McGonagall instructed, standing before them.

Hermione closed her eyes and the image of the lithe lioness came into her mind again. She imagined her limbs extending and her body rippling as it changed into the animal form. Gasps came from around her and her eyes shot open.

Everything seemed so much clearer and she seemed a bit smaller than normal. "Mione, you…you're a winged lioness." Harry gasped. Hermione looked down and where her hands should have been, there were paws. Lioness paws.

Attention was drawn away from her as a few Slytherin girls, and a couple of boys, screamed. Hermione turned to see a huge white and green Dragon standing beside them. His steel grey eyes met her own chocolate ones and both knew who they were.

McGonagall looked like she was going to faint. Hermione and Draco smoothly turned back into their human forms and continued to stare at each other, stunned. "Class Dismissed." McGonagall gasped out. "Malfoy, Gryffindor, with me."

Draco and Hermione followed McGonagall through the corridors until they arrived at Albus' office. "Jellybeans." The statue turned to reveal the staircase and the three jumped on. McGonagall opened the door and led them into the office.

"Thank you, Minerva. You may leave." Albus smiled at his deputy head. McGonagall nodded sharply before leaving to return to her quarters for a strong glass of Whiskey.

Albus turned his attention to the two students before him. "Hermione, Mister Malfoy, Professor McGonagall sent her Patronus on to let me know what happened during your lesson. I have summoned my most trusted members of the Order to help work this out. They are Aurors and might have some insight into this."
Draco gaped as the elderly man spoke so casually of his secret society in front of him. "Sir, aren't you worried I'll tell my father?" He asked. Albus chuckled. "If you did, Hermione here would kill you. Also, if you believed in what your father fought for, then you wouldn't be dating Hermione here." He told the boy.

The fire flared green and out stepped Kingsley, Mad Eye and Tonks. Tonks tripped as she came out of the fire and knocked over a candle that sat on Albus' desk. The candle toppled to the floor. Without thinking, Hermione put out her hand and caught the candle, the flame landing on her hand.

The others in the room stared as the candle just sat in Hermione's hand, not causing her any pain. None were as surprised as Hermione herself. She reached out with the other hand and picked the candle out of her hand. The flame stayed behind.

The flame was just sat in her palm. Hermione carefully poked it and the fire bent to her will. Staring at the flame, Hermione willed it to grow and it did. She clapped her hands and the flame disappeared.

"Very curious." Albus murmured. "I wonder." The occupants of the room watched as the elderly man walked into his quarters and returned with a bowl of water and a plant.

"Hermione, try and make the water rise out of the bowl." He commanded. Hermione stared at the water and tried to do as she did with the fire, but to no effect. "Hmm. Now try to make the plant flower."

Hermione concentrated and willed the plant to produce a flower. Slowly a bud appeared and it slid open to reveal a beautiful pink flower. "As I thought. Now, Mister Malfoy. Try to will the water to move."

Draco frowned at Albus, but did as he was told, though he felt stupid. The water slowly rose into the air and hung there. In his surprise, Draco lost control of the water and it fell into the bowl again. "Very good. Now, try to create a wind." Albus instructed, excitement evident on his wizened face.

Draco shut his eyes and envisioned a soft breeze whipping around the small office. A wind caressed his face and he opened his eyes to see a breeze rustling the papers on Albus' desk.

"As I thought. You two are elementals and natural Animagus'. You both know why this is occurring, I should imagine." Albus commented, sitting back in his chair and eyeing the two teenagers before him. "But, Albus, why have these powers never surfaced before?" Hermione questioned. "It seems that they were lying dormant, until the time that they were needed the most." Albus replied. "You will need to be trained."

Elsewhere, a fat rat with a silver claw scurried down an alleyway. It's beady eyes scanned its surroundings before slipping into a hole in a door. It let out a terrified squeak as a wand pointed right at it.

The owner of the wand was a woman with a maniacal glint in her eye and wild bushy black hair. "Wormtail. You're late." She snarled. The rat turned into a grubby little man with a balding blonde hair and beady blue eyes.

"I'm sorry, Bellatrix. I was delayed." Wormtail, also known as Peter Pettigrew, simpered. "Make sure you are not again. Were you followed?" A dark man form the corner barked. "Of course not, Rodolphus." Wormtail replied. Another dark man who bore a striking resemblance to the other growled. "For all our sakes, I hope not."

Suddenly, the door burst open and a stream of people cloaked in red swarmed into the room. The four Deatheaters were disarmed before they could do anything. "By Order of the Ministry, you are under arrest." A man at the front announced.

Rabastan Lestrange glared at Wormtail. "Fool. You were followed. Wait till the Dark Lord gets his hands on you." He hissed. Wormtail trembled in fear as thoughts of his master's wrath entered his mind.

Please Read and Review. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Next Chapter: The change the Centaurs saw comes into effect.