Now, here he was. Sitting on a bloody train with screaming children running all around. He stared out the darkened window as though he could see. Dumbledore had placed a charm to keep the light from pouring in. A professor by the name of Severus Snape was working on a potion for him. A potion that would enable him to walk in the sun again. Spike had met the professor about a month ago and they quickly became friends. Severus had told him that he'd always wanted the DADA job. Spike had told him that he could take it if he wanted. Spike would gladly take the potions class away from him. He didn't know a thing about them but they looked like fun. Severus had raised an eyebrow and just laughed. Spike met the other teachers also. There was not one that he didn't like and they all seemed to like him. This surprised him and made him think that maybe, just maybe, he could really be at home here.

"Professor William?"

He turned away from his blackened window to see who spoke to him. Dumbledore, Severus and Minerva had decided "Professor Spike" seemed rather strange so, he was now "Spike B. William". The "B" standing for "Bloody." It took awhile for Spike to stop chuckling every time he heard his new name. The girl was breathtaking. Her coloring reminded him a little of Buffy but, that was it. Her hair was waist length and curly. Her fair skin brought out her large cinnamon brown eyes, which were surrounded by thick long lashes. She smiled at him and her whole face seemed to be effected by it. Spike guessed she stood about 5'9. Her face made him believe she was slender beneath those robes. She had a large bag on her right shoulder and a bundle in her arms.

"Yes?"

She stepped forward, closing the sliding door behind her.

"My name is Hermione Granger. I am a Seventh year whose been assigned to you. I've picked up some books, scrolls, and writing utensils for you. I also have some robes that Professor Snape has asked me to give you."

She handed him the bundle, which was the robes, then placed her shoulder bag on the bench across from him.

"Professor McGonagall said that the bag is yours to keep."

Spike nodded and she sat next to the bag and crossed one leg over the other. He noticed she wore a pair of combat boots with black nylons and it made him smile.

"Hello Ms. Granger. It is nice to meet you. I imagine Dumbledore has told you of my...ailment?"

She nodded, "Maybe one day you can tell me about your history. Dumbledore's version was should I say...lacking."

Spike smirked, "Yes. Maybe."

The trip was uneventful. Hermione sat reading a thick book titled "Hogwarts, A history. Updated and Unedited" and Spike thumbed through a book on Dark Arts that she had brought with her. Occasionally, he'd look up at the young woman. She twirled a piece of her hair on her finger and bit her lip. She seemed so enthralled in the book that she never felt his eyes on her.

Hermione had read the same page four times already. The man sitting across from her made her a little nervous. It wasn't the fact that he was a vampire that bothered her. Hell, she could care less about that. What bothered her was that a very attractive man was staring at her. She could feel his stare and tried to not to let him notice that he was getting to her. She glanced at her watch and bolted up. She was supposed to meet up with Harry, Ginny, Ron and Luna ten minutes ago.

"Bloody hell."

Spike raised an eyebrow at her.

"Problem Ms. Granger?"

She shut her book and smoothed out her robes. She didn't even look up at him but Spike could see a bit of red creeping up onto her cheeks.

"Sorry sir. I promised my friends I would meet them and I am ten minutes late. Please excuse me. I will be back before we arrive at Hogwarts."

Before he could reply, she was gone. He shook his head and smiled. That girl was...interesting.

Hermione got to her friends compartment and looked through the window. The two couples were so enthralled with each other that they didn't even seem to notice she wasn't there. She sighed and fought back the tears that rushed to her eyes. It hurt every time she thought of how she seemed to have been ousted from the group. She had become the best friend of Harry Potter and Ron Weasley in their first year at Hogwarts. Ginny Weasley, Ron's sister, became her closest female friend when she was a first year. Luna Lovegood didn't become her friend until her fifth year (Luna was a fourth year at the time, along with Ginny). The five of them were inseparable last year. But then something happened. During the summer, Ginny and Harry finally admitted their feelings for each other and so did Luna and Ron. Hermione was left as the fifth wheel. They double dated, leaving Hermione at home with the adults. Normally, this would have intrigued her but the fact that they wouldn't even ask her to go...hurt. Hermione took in a deep breath and opened the door.

"Sorry guys."

The four of them looked up. They stared at her blankly for a moment. Ginny looked at her watch and back up at her older friend.

"Oi. Sorry Mione. Forgot you were coming. Uh...there doesn't seem to be any room. You don't mind standing do you?"

A compartment was normally able to hold six people but Harry sat with his back to the window and one leg stretched out in front of him and the other with his foot on the floor. Ginny was situated between his legs with both of hers stretched out in front. Ron and Luna mimicked this position but they were leaning against the same wall the door was on. No one made an effort to move. Inside, she screamed but on the outside, she smiled.

"Eh. S'okay. I've been sitting down for a while anyway. So, what are you guys up to?"

Ginny turned her head and looked up at Harry. He looked back down at her and kissed the tip of her nose. She turned back to Hermione and smiled.

"We've just been talking about what we were going to be doing after Hogwarts. Harry and Ron are becoming Aurors and Luna and I decided we're going to try and write for the Daily Prophet. It's going to be so much fun! Harry and Ron working together and Luna and I working together. Then...someday...two best friends will marry two best friends. The four of us are going to move into Grimwauld Place someday also."

The couples got excited about the talk of what they want to happen after Hogwarts that they completely ignored Hermione. That was the moment she knew she now had no friends. Hermione mumbled a goodbye to them. Not one of the four acknowledged her departure. Through her tears, Hermione tried to make her way back to Professor William's compartment but was stopped by what felt like a wall. Only...the wall grabbed both her upper arms, making her scream out loud.

"Watch it mudblood. Great, now I have to burn my soiled robes."

Hermione looked up into the gray eyes of Draco Malfoy. She summoned all she had and smiled at him.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Malfoy. I didn't see you there. Please forgive me."

Draco was shocked and let go of her arms. There was no snappy comeback. No snide remarks. Nothing. Something was definitely wrong with her.

Hermione slipped by Malfoy and finally came to the Professor's compartment. She paused at the door to compose herself but before she could open it, Professor William beat her to it.

"Ms. Granger, are you all right? I heard screaming."

Hermione looked up at him. She fought back the tears again with a smile. Hermione thumbed over to where Draco was still standing.

"I just accidentally ran into someone. Everything is all right. Thanks Professor."

She slipped past him and sat back down, immediately opening up her book again. Spike eyed the blond boy questionably and he just shrugged back and walked off. Spike had seen the look in the girl's eyes. Something or someone had hurt her.

An angel. That's the first thought that came to his mind as Spike looked up from his book and saw that the girl had fallen asleep. What was left of his moral side was screaming at him. Telling him that he can't be thinking like this about such a young girl. But then, isn't every girl young to him? Spike tried to shake the thoughts from his head but had no luck. He closed his eyes and sighed. Looks like he just might have to give in to it for a little while. Maybe Snape had a potion he'd be able to use.

Hermione was woken up by the jolt of the train coming to a stop. She hadn't meant to fall asleep. But, her lack of sleep the night before would explain why the rhythm of the train lulled her. She opened her eyes and found the Professor sleeping himself. Well, he looked like he was sleeping anyway. He was sitting in the corner of the bench, leaning his head against the wall and his arms folded across his chest. Hermione took this moment to take in the sight of him. He was really quite a sexy man. The thought made her smile. It's been a few years since she'd had a crush on a professor. The first being Gildroy Lockhart, the sham of a DADA professor her second year and the second crush being Remus Lupin, the DADA professor her third year. But neither of those men made her feel the way Professor William did. Granted, neither of them stared at her like he did. Was it possible that he saw her as a woman instead of a child like everyone else did?

"Are you going to continue staring at me, Hermione?"

Spike laughed softly to at the way her eyes got suddenly big and her cheeks quickly got red.

"Uh...I-uh. I'm sorry sir. I was just. Um. I wasn't really staring. Sorry."

"Just as long as you were staring at me because I'm attractive and not because I'm a vampire."

This didn't help the redness on Hermione's cheeks. She couldn't speak but could only quickly gather her things. He would have to talk to Snape about this little pigeon.

Kirstie McGonagall: Thanks for your review. I really appreciate it.