I apologize if I came across harsh in my last beginning thing. I did not mean to sound pissed off or anything. I just wanted you to know...I suppose I spoke more forcefully than was necessary...but some of you said you were sure...

I would like to thank my dear new friend Patrick who is beta-ing for me. He is the most awesome guy in the world...He is the first beta I have ever had. Tis interesting to say the least. I LOVE YOU PATRICK! -Waves-

Dumb Gryffindors. Wait...I am a Gryffindork now. I felt my lip curl up into a not so pretty sneer.

I caught up with her.

"Hermione? What's wrong?" I asked as I slowed down to walk at her side.

"Those two. Sometimes I wonder if talking to one of the moving staircases wouldn't be more a more intellectually stimulating conversation. They are so oblivious. I was perfectly happy when it was just the two of us."

I snorted. That was about as close to a laugh as I had ever gotten.

"I do not know them very well but they seem to be on the lookout for an easy good grade."

"They are but they are good friends even if I do have to constantly harp at them to get them to get their work done. We have had a lot of adventures together. Many of them weren't safe but they were a lot of fun."

"I would love to hear about some of these adventures sometime," I said surprising myself with my genuineness.

She smiled. Wow. She was pretty in her own way. I had never been a big fan of blonde or red hair, though. I suppose most guys at this age only care about the physical beauty of a woman rather than anything else. I wanted a girl I could talk to and who I would and could enjoy being around.

I walked next to her into the Defense Against the Dark Arts room.

"Where do you want to sit?" I asked. "It's a shame that we didn't get here earlier so we would have a better choice of seats."

She laughed. It lit her whole face up. At least she found my sarcasm entertaining.

"You're just as sarcastic and hilarious as Professor Snape. So often I find myself having a hard time not laughing at his wonderful sarcastic humor," she said as she stopped giggling. "None of the others really think it is funny."

My smirk widened. "I would hope."

How do I dare? I couldn't risk her suspecting anything. I was worried. Sooner or later I would have to go and surely Hermione wouldn't want to leave her time and I could not ask her. I didn't want to become too attached because I knew what the future would be if we were to become so. I knew the future would only bring disaster. Maybe it would be best if I wait to ask her out until there is a reason.

She smiled sweetly, softly.

"What about these seats?" she asked motioning to a set by the windows at the front of the room.

I gave a wide sweeping gesture at the two chairs indicating that she was to pick her seat first. She took the seat directly by the window and I took the only one at her side.

Soon after all the rest of the students filed in. Granted it was only about ten.

"Hermione, are you going to sit with us?" Ron asked as he walked in.

I turned to look at Potter and Weasley. She'd probably leave me to sit with them. It would not be as if it was the first time it had happened if she did.

"You may sit behind Alexander and me," she said firmly as she gave him a stern look.

I hid my shock. No one had ever passed up the opprotunity to sit with someone besides me and, if what I had heard from her earlier about being an overacheiver was true, then she wasn't sitting with me for a good grade.

Professorin Von Rosenstengel entered a few seconds later.

"There certainly aren't many of you," she said but she smiled none the less. "I have a very interesting and intellectually stimulating first class for you. Only N.E.W.T. level Defense Against the Dark Arts will get this lesson. We will be covering this topic for the first two weeks. Many different aspects of it." She walked around the room shutting all the shutters and blowing out all the candles except the one on her desk which she charmed to be a black flame.

BAM! The sound came from the back of the room.

I fought the urge to jump up and whirl about. Carefully controlling myself, I turned to see what was going on. On the back wall, all anyone could see were large glowing red eyes on the black curtains the new teacher had hung over the door.

"Just stay calm. No sudden moves or loud noises," Professorin Von Rosenstengel said standing behind a candle. "Cast no spells for more light."

Whoosh! A light, cool breeze came rippling across the back of my neck and the next thing I knew a woman was sitting in a frog like position on the Professor's desk. She had pale moon bright skin. Her hair was black and long with purple highlights. Her eyes were red and sparkled like gems in the black dimmed light of the candle. Her skin glowed in an ethereal way as she inspected each of us with those glittering red eyes. She wore a red silk dress with an oriental style to it. Her neck was completely covered by the high collar. A gold clip held her bangs back from her forehead.

"Students, this is Amaya. She is a friend of mine who emigrated to the United States. She is a..."

Professorin Von Rosenstengel became silent as Amaya lifted her hand.

"I'm sure all of you with magical parents have had them misinforming you about vampires. We've never received a good report from Muggles either," she stated before straightening her legs out so they swung over the desk. "Professorin Von Rosenstengel asked me here mostly to answer any questions you might have about vampires. Such as how does one become a vampire, cultural traditions, family relations, and that kind of thing."

"You needn't be frightened of her. She won't hurt any of you," Professorin Von Rosenstengel said in an attempt to urge us to begin questioning her.

Out the corner of my eye I saw Hermione hesitantly raise her hand.

"Yes," Amaya said pointing to her.

"How did you become a vampire?"

The vampires eyes were rather cold. "I was born a vampire. However a common misconception is the idea that vampires have no way to control their venom when they bite. That is not true. We control who become vampires."

That was what broke the ice. Questions streamed from everyone then. I was enjoying the class so much that I did not realize so much time had passed nor how hungry I had become when the bell rang.

Amaya nodded and even smiled at a few of us. As soon as the door opened and light flooded in, Amaya hissed and vanished into the shadows.

"That was an amazing lesson," Hermione whispered as we made our way to lunch with Potter and Weasley tailing us.

I nodded. I was astounded by the huge misunderstanding of vampires. I knew that they were far from the blood-thirsty monsters people had made them out to be because I had been raised near them, but I had never had the guts to ask personal questions to them.

Hermione and I both ate in silence just thinking and pondering on everything we had just learned.

BONG!

"Well I suppose we should be off to Arithmancy," came the soft whisper of Hermione in my ear.

I nodded standing up to follow her. After all, supposedly I did not know the castle too well yet.

"Have fun in Divination," Hermione called before taking the sleeve of my robes to drag me toward our next class.

I felt slightly disgruntled by the proximity of my fellow housemate. However, I couldn't think of a nice way of asking her to let go so I reached out gently and brushed my fingers lightly across hers.

She spun startled. Her eyes were wide and she stared with doe-like innocence at where our hands were touching.

"Hermione," I said removing my hand. The touching was just very new to me and I was very uncomfortable with it.

Realizing what was wrong with me, she removed her hand from my sleeve.

"Sorry." Her eyes were like saucers as she stared at where she had just been clutching me.

"It's okay," I said as I opened the Arithmancy door for her.

I was surprised by my own honesty. It truly was okay. A little unnerving but not unpleasant or revolting at all. It was just different. I wasn't used to gentle, friendly touches.

Professor Vector was sitting at the teacher's desk watching us come in.

"Quiet down students. Today begins the first day of the traditional year long project of the N.E.W.T. year. Pick a partner with care. There will be no trading.

"Alexander..."

"Hermione."

It was another guy. I felt my stomach drop out when I saw who was speaking. I was far from deaf and I heard all the girls yammering about Terry. He seemed to be a hot topic of conversation for all of them and they did not seem to mind being overheard talking about him.

"Do you want to partner with me?"

I felt my shoulders slump in defeat. There was no way she would pick me over him.

"Actually Terry, I was going to partner with Alexander if he wants to."

My mouth dropped open and my eyes crossed slightly. Me? Why would she want to be with me? I was flabbergasted. Why would she choose me over him?

"You know it will be easier to work on our project being in the same house and all."

The corners of my mouth drooped as I shut it. Should have known better than to dream she would want to be with me for any other reason. No girl would want to be with me without a good reason, such as the one Hermione had just given. She was only thinking about her grade and I could not fault her for that. I would have done the same thing in her position. It was just the more Slytherin way of doing things I suppose and I was Slytherin.

"Alexander, will you be my partner?"

I had fully intended to say no but, as she looked at me with her soft brown eyes, I became a blubbering, inarticulate fool who could only manage a weak nod. How had I come to like her so much in such a short period of time? But even just during the first conversation we had had I knew she and I could and would be great friends. She was amazing. By far the coolest girl I had ever met. All the girls in my time cared about was hair, nails, clothes, and other irrelevant things, well except Lily, and she was off limits being as I was a Slytherin and she was taken by James. Anyone with eyes could have seen that they would end up together.

Hermione bit her lip as she smiled.

Well there is Chapter V. I hope you enjoyed it and will drop me a nice review. I appreciate them and they make me feel better.