Someone Worth Dying For

A Harry Potter Fanfiction by Anuket

Disclaimer: Miss JK Rowling owns all the settings, characters, and situations you recognize from the Harry Potter books. The plot belongs to moi. No money is being made; therefore no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. Is that good enough for you, Mr. Lawyer?

A/N: I know there are lots of Head Boy-and-Head Girl-sharing-a-common-room fics out there, starring everyone's favorite controversial couple, Draco and Hermione, but this story is different from others of its ilk in terms of perspective, writing style, and other smart-sounding nouns that I can't come up with right now =D. Constructive criticism and lavish praise--- if I actually get those, although I doubt it--- are very much welcome. Flames will be laughed at… and, yes, I do know the difference between constructive criticism and flames ^_~.

Here is the first chapter. Don't forget to review!

Chapter One

My last train ride to school, Draco Malfoy thought as he boarded the Hogwarts Express. Not that I'm sad about it or anything.

On the contrary, he couldn't wait for seventh year to be over… and it hadn't even begun yet! When he graduated, he would be initiated into Death Eater ranks. His bluish-gray eyes gleamed with excitement as he thought of how his greatest dream would finally be fulfilled.

Draco looked around for Crabbe and Goyle before he remembered that he wasn't supposed to sit with them anymore. He was now Head Boy, much to his father's delight, and he had a special compartment waiting for him, a compartment he would share with the Head Girl, who was…

Well, of course it's Granger, he said to himself as he made his way to the front of the train. Honestly, it doesn't take a genius to figure that out. I knew it even before I got my letter. He scowled, wondering how he could possibly stomach staying in the same compartment with the filthy Mudblood.

"How can I possibly stomach staying in the same compartment with an arrogant, cold-blooded git such as Draco Malfoy?" Hermione Granger asked Crookshanks. The enormous ginger cat purred softly as it curled around her lap.

"I was surprised to find out he was Head Boy, you know," she murmured, stroking Crookshanks' thick and fluffy fur. She laughed softly. "I mean, they really expect me to share a common room with him? We'd probably kill each other."

"So you're talking to animals now, Granger?" drawled a very familiar sneering voice.

Hermione looked up, startled. She hadn't noticed the door to the compartment slide open. "It's none of your business, Malf---" She stopped. And stared.

The guy standing in the entrance was tall and lean, and devastatingly handsome. It couldn't be Malfoy… but it was. There was no mistaking that slicked-back platinum blonde hair, those cool bluish-gray eyes, that condescending smirk.

Oh my God! When did the scrawny little ferret become the most desirable human being on the face of the planet? I must be hallucinating!

And so she asked, just to be sure, "Malfoy?"

"Granger?"

Was it just her, or did he sound a little uncertain, too?

Draco was helpless to do anything but look at the drop-dead gorgeous girl with the monstrosity of a cat in her lap. She was slim and curvy, and her wavy honey-colored hair fell neatly past her shoulders. For a while he actually thought he'd stumbled into the wrong compartment, but that was before he noticed a hint of resemblance, a nagging reminder of the plain, unattractive girl with bushy hair and huge front teeth, whom he'd teased mercilessly over the past years. Amazing how two months had changed her into a total knockout!

She was staring at him as if she'd just drunk a bottle of Confusing Concoction. Draco realized he must have looked just as idiotic, and quickly willed his self-control and legendary calm to return to him.

He took a deep breath and sat on the velvet couch across her. The… thing on her lap took one look at him and began hissing madly.

"I don't think your cat likes me very much," he said, eyeing it with disdain.

Hermione seemed to have regained her senses. "Well, who can blame it?" she snapped at him.

Quick as a flash, Crookshanks jumped from its place and bounded out of the compartment. Draco pointed his wand and muttered a spell, and the door slid shut all by itself.

"And I thought I was irresistible to all females," he remarked lightly.

"You thought wrong. And Crookshanks is a boy."

Draco shrugged, not giving a damn. "Oh, well, there's always the chance he's gay."

She glared at him.

He cocked an eyebrow and smirked at her.

They were silent for what seemed like hours. What was there to stay, after all? Trading insults would only tire them out.

After a while Hermione realized they must be nearing Hogwarts by now. "I'm going to change into my robes," she announced loudly.

"Go ahead. No one's stopping you."

"You are a dim-witted creep."

"Well, what do you want me to do?"

"Isn't it obvious? Get out!"

"No way," said Draco stubbornly. "This also happens to be my compartment. I'm not leaving just because you think you're entitled to some privacy. In fact, I think I'll change, too." He stood up, his eyes glittering with mischief.

Hermione paled. "Why don't you go out and wait for me to finish changing, then I'll go out and you can change in peace?"

"Me first, then."

She could see, from the determined tilt of his chin, that he was intent on getting his way. A pity, because so was she. "I'm giving you three seconds to get out of here."

Draco snorted. "Oh, yeah, and you're going to pick me up by my collar and throw me out with your bare hands. I'd like to see you try, Mudblood."

It was the word Mudblood that did it. Throwing caution to the winds, Hermione pointed her wand straight at his chest and yelled, "Treius ynatoma!"

The next thing Draco knew, the door slid open, and he was blasted out of the compartment by some invisible force. The laughter and chatter of the students in the aisle died down and they stared at him. The door shut and he heard a click, as if a lock had been turned.

"Damn it!" he growled, getting to his feet. He tried to open the door, but Hermione had sealed it with some sort of Locking Spell. God, he hated it when that girl got the best of him!

A/N: In the next chapter, Draco and Hermione are shown their common room. After a fight over the password and Ron, Draco tells Hermione two things--- one that leaves her deliriously happy, and another that leaves her supremely mystified. Until next time, folks! ü