A/N: So, finally, after more then two years of this damn fanfic being in my head, I want to upload it to fanficion net. I hope you like it.
Oh, and before I forget, the plot starts at the begining of fifth year with no spoilers to HBP and DH.

Desclaimer: Although I would have liked it to be so, this characters and Harry Potter are not mine, they are of their respective author: J K Rowling.

Enjoy!

Words number: 1634

Saving me, time after time - intro.

"How can we be sure it worked?"

"We can't."

"Are you sure there is no other way, so we can avoid this?"

She was back to another year, another year of staying at her second home, her true home.
Hogworts is a home for all of it students, even the ones that would never admit it.

Here she was, standing in a corridor on the Hogworts Express train, looking thoughtful, tired of searching for an empty compartment. Even the tedious and wearing action she was currently doing, didn't spoil her excitement for being back home.

A chuckle was heard behind her, ripping her thought line. "If it isn't know-it-all Mudblood Granger?" said a cynical voice. Without even turning her head she could connect it to the pale face of Malfoy.

Okay, so in every home there were faults, and in this one it was him, him and the rest of the Slytherin house. And for such silly reasons did they hate her, it wasn't like there was mud running through her veins. Can't they see there is no connection between who you are and what flows in your veins?

After few seconds of her standing with her back to him, saying nothing, she turned around and opened her mouth, swallowing her anger and looking calm, "What do you want, Malfoy?".

Malfoy's face contorted with disgust while spitting "Nothing, what there is for me to do with a Mudblood?".

"Arrogant bastard" said Hermione to his already retreating form. 'He sees himself as too much. The only ones to appreciate him are his non-worthy Slytherin scum friends, and their appreciation doesn't worth a Knut'.

Walking into an empty compartment, Hermione hoped Harry and Ron would be delayed before coming to find her, peace and quiet was in need for her.

She took out her reading book, a fantasy book, to be exact. Liking muggle books for the way they swept her off her feet with the stories they could offer her, thousand fantasies that could become reality within her mind. She would be drowned by the plot and only her tired eyes could have saved her from that illusion.

Sometimes she hoped she could replace one of these characters, live in their world, because Hermione Granger never felt good with herself. She never loved herself and she was sure she will never feel complete about herself.

Though, this time, what made Hermione's attention flatter was the sound of the opening door, where stood Professor McGonagall.
The old Professor looked at her, with an undefined flash in her eyes, "Oh, hello there, Miss Granger, feeling ready to start your fifth year?"

"You can never be ready enough, I think, but I am doing my best, Professor."

"Good, miss Granger. I hope you'll have a good year and good luck." Said the older women, adding later, to herself or to Hermione, it wasn't clear "You will surely need it."

"Odd" said Hermione to no one, her favorite teacher long gone, her eyebrow raised and head tilted to the side.

Going back to her book, as her teacher's statement left her line of thought.

So engaged with her book, she didn't hear the door open, and only because of the coughing sound of her new uninvited guest, did she tear her eyes from her book, extremely mad at herself for forgetting where she was.

Brown met icy blue.

It was Malfoy, Malfoy again. "Are you following me, or something along these lines?" Hermione asked, bitter sarcasm dripping from her voice, while meeting him with daggers, dead in the eyes.

His eyes.
Why were his eyes so intriguing her? Was it their color? Or maybe the way it was so glimmering by the sun streaming through the unclosed curtains behind her? The long lashes protecting them? Maybe even the way they were so perfectly placed on his face, fitting his character?
She knew the answer, it was none the above.
Sure, they all were added to the bigger reason. Someone once said that eyes were the window to the soul, and he was mostly right, except for Draco Malfoy's. His eyes showed nothing, which could mean two things, either he had no soul, or he had closed the curtains to that window, letting nothing to be shown upon them. And although Hermione thought he had no soul from time to time, for the way he treated her was so wrong, she was a rationalized girl, and knew better.

"What are you staring at, Granger?" Did Draco Malfoy just catch Mudblood Granger.

Staring at him? A thoughtful stare, but a stare nonetheless.

"What can I stare at?" She shot back at him, quickly. Maybe too quickly, for Malfoy was smirking, making Hermione kick herself mentally, while blushing a bit on the outside.

"You still didn't answer my question, are you following me?" taking a chance to divert his attention back to the main subject, her voice tougher than the first time.

This time the question made his face harden, "Do I need to say this again? What do I have to do with you Mudblood?"

"Nothing. That's why I was asking you this question."

"Shut it, Granger, I have no reason to talk to you or even look at you, you bloody ugly Mudblood, I'll s-"

He was cut by Hermione "See, we agree about something, we have nothing in common and nothing to talk about. So now, please shut your trap, and go away I don't like being surrounded by idiocy." And by that she turned her face from him, occupying herself with her book as if this incident never happened.

"If you have such a problem with idiocy, how can you live with your own?" Malfoy said, though it seemed his comment was not heard by Hermione, as it didn't trigger any snappy comeback.

After settling in the sit opposite to Hermione, opening a book of his own, Draco' head flowed with thoughts.

'How can she be so stubborn sometimes?' he thought to himself, 'Just an ugly

Mudblood, that's what she is I can't seem to understand how potty and weasel can stand this girl for even a minute. At least she's not stupid, every one knows she's the brain behind the golden trio, and without her, potty wouldn't have survived a year, what a shame. If only she wasn't a Mudblood, she could have been useful.'

While Draco was staring at her, Hermione fell fast a sleep, calm and comfortable, unnoticing his deep stares.

He kept staring at her, surprised none of her friends came looking for her, while knowing the train ride is going to end. At first he thought of leaving her to sleep while everyone is getting off of the train, but that thought vanished quickly, as he decided waking her up for the sake of the welcoming ceremonial. "Such a fragile considerate soul I am." He thought to himself while putting his book aside. He stood up and went to wake her up, Draco Malfoy style.

'Such peaceful sleep, pity it's going to end with the train ride.' a smirk scarcely appearing upon his features.

Draco came closer to her, very close, his nose filled with the lovely smell of her hair, his lips so close to her ear, almost touching it. And than he slowly opened his mouth, taking deep breath and exhaled: "GRANGER, WAKE UP, you are running late." He yelled to her ear.

Hermione opened her eyes instantly, slightly dazed and confused by the fact that she was late, panic was bubbling inside her but all she could do was stare ahead of her, not moving and ignoring for a moment that someone only an instant ago yelled in her ear. After a few moments of regaining her wits, she saw Malfoy, barely 5 inches away from her, too close for her liking, smiling the all-to-known smirk of his.

From terrified, her expression changed into anger, but her face was mainly red.
"Malfoy, What the hell do you think youre doing?"
"So this is how you thank the people who care for you not being late?" He answered; his tone is as cynical, as Voldemort is ugly, which means a lot.
"Since when do you care for me?" Hermione answered; her tone disapproving.
"Since it means I can annoy you in the same time" He said, a victorious smirk featuring his pale face.

Hermione became desperate. "Arrrrggg… you insufferable git." She muttered to herself.

She shot up from her seat, angrily.

"Going to run to potty and weasel? Oh, wait, even they abandoned you." A sneer decorating his features.

"Actually, no. I'm putting my school robes, like any normal student would." She said, lecturing him while she went to her trunk, taking out her robe and muttering "Scourgify" under her breath. Now her Robe was straight and clean, if cleaner of its previous condition was even possible.

Hermione waited a bit and then looked behind her shoulder staring hard at Malfoy. What she saw surprised her Here was Draco Malfoy staring at her dazed for doing simple magic. "What's wrong, ferret, this magic is too advanced for a brainless brat like you?" she said, looking smug.

"No, I'm just amazed that a stupid Mudblood like you could do any kind of magic, what so ever. But than again, they did succeed in training you to hold a wand." He said, well aware she could do so much more and remembering the times which he was at the receiving end. And that was not pleasant, not at all.

"Apparently, it is too complex for you, as you sure do need a Scourgify for your dirty mouth." She said, finishing the spat, and walked from there her robe in her hand.

A/N: So, how was it? Please review, so I'll know what to improve.
By the way, worship my wonderful Beta-reader, Nefer.

nayloo