Author's Note: Hi guys! Okay so this story is a few years old and it was written when I was a little younger so please excuse some of the fluff. I originally planned for it to be a full scale chapter story but it's been so long that I forgot most of it (I am human these things happen). So for now since this is the only chapter I bothered to write down it's staying as a one-shot. So without further ado please enjoy this light and fluffy story. Please remember to review!

~~ A Scene of Beauty, a New Song of Hope ~~

The noise from the festival slowly died away as Kagome descended from the small hill into the lush forest. I had to get out of there, she thought, all the noise was just too much! She stopped at the edge of the forest checking to see if the surrounding area was safe to tread upon with her spiritual abilities. Not sensing any dangerous life forms she hesitated for a moment unsure of where she should proceed.

She turned right deciding that was a good place to start. Besides it seems like I haven't had any time to myself in ages. The path she chose was difficult to walk but she was determined not to turn back.

After a while of walking Kagome noticed an unfamiliar aura permeating the atmosphere; it wasn't threatening but it was very powerful. "I feel like I'm being compelled toward it, but what is it?" Her voice was little more than a whisper as excitement stole over her being. As she began to walk faster brambles clawed at her unhakama and low hanging tree branches scratched at her skin but she was oblivious to this.

She didn't know how long she had been walking but each step brought her closer and closer to her mysterious goal. Anticipation made her impatient and, despite the resistance from the forest, she broke into a jog. On and on the path twisted and turned but she kept going pushing her strong legs toward what she did not know.

Kagome stopped abruptly, her chest heaving as she caught her breath. There it is…whatever it is, just beyond those trees. She slowly began to walk again; she was almost there, a few more steps and – "Ahhh!" Kagome tried to regain her balance as her foot hooked around one of the loose tree roots on the forest floor. This only made things worse as she came crashing down into a low bush.

"Ouch!" She cried as she struggled to free herself from the offending shrubbery. "This whatever it is better be worth all this trouble!" With much grunting and cursing she finally tumbled out.

She looked up and the sight before her snatched the breath right out of her chest. The scene was absolutely beautiful. She was in a grassy clearing in the middle of which was a reasonably sized pond so still and clear it reflected the starry night sky and half-moon above. Fireflies floated magically on the surface of the pond adding an otherworldly effect to the scene. Kagome thanked the gods for letting her intrude upon such lovely sight.

The most amazing element of the scene however was what lay beside the pond. Kagome could not believe her eyes as she blinked dreamily a few times trying to preserve this view in her memory, and at the same time convince herself that it was real.

Incandescent silver hair and glowing pale skin, this being radiated raw beauty and power. Had it not been for the demonic aura he emanated she would have thought him to be an angel.

Definitely worth the trouble, thought Kagome as she stood on slightly trembling legs. She took a step forward and little warning bells went off in her head but she paid them no heed. She knew he was a demon but…

She halted right in front of him watching his still form and for a heart stopping moment she thought he might be dead. She looked more closely and noticed the subtle rise and fall of his chest. Relieved she hesitantly seated herself beside him to survey him closer. Her heart was thumping so hard against her chest that she pressed her hand firmly over her heart in a futile attempt to stifle the sound.

Surely he would hear it and wake up and… Kagome let the thought drift away not wanting to think about what might happen if he were to wake. She sat there and just gazed at him from his head to his boots, taking in all that was him. She started with his face, it was simply perfect; sculpted as if by the gods themselves, his face wore a calm, peaceful expression that made him even more stunning. His thin eyebrows were relaxed with sleep, in fact every part of his face was relaxed with sleep.

He had strange markings on top of each eyelid of a light maroon color and a small blue half-moon symbol in the middle of his forehead. The last of his marking were two purple stripes that graced his high cheekbones. Kagome's eyes drifted to his nose, long and pert, and drifted lower to rest on his mouth. Kagome knew at once that years from then she would always remember those lips. She knew that she would never find any that she longed to kiss as much as the ones before her.

So delicately full and oh so smooth looking they were; she had never been kissed but she knew had she kissed him it would have been wonderful. Kagome blushed at the thought and decided that thinking of this demon in that way would do her no good so she reluctantly took her eyes away.

Focusing on his sculpted jawline and elegant neck her eyes strayed further down to take in his attire. Hmm he must be a demon lord, thought Kagome as she noticed his fine silk robes with elaborate maroon lotus flowers patterned across the collar of his haori and the bottom of his sleeves.

His hakama were a normal white although they were tucked in a strange fashion into something even stranger. They were not the usual sandals everyone wore but some black material that covered his whole foot. Must be from the Continent, thought Kagome. The rest of him was covered by a strong looking armor with fierce spikes protruding from the breastplate. I wouldn't want to be in a battle with him, she thought as she reached out with her hand and touched the hard grey metal and gasped.

At that moment she realized that she was actually touching him! After thinking for a few seconds, her hand still resting on his armor, she decided to go a bit further. I mean I am already touching him so…

Uninterested in any other part of him she went right to his face. She reached out her hand and softly brushed it against his cheek. She sighed softly, his skin was so soft! Soon her hands were all over his face with special attention given to his lips of course.

She leaned back to take in his masculine beauty at a better angle when she realized something near his head. She moved closer to see what looked to be an off white cloud. She rested her hand on it and let out a surprised gasp of pleasure, it was so light and fluffy. It was placed under his head like a pillow and seemed to be somehow connected to his shoulder armor.

Could it be a pelt? Yes that must be what it is, but I wonder what kind… She moved even closer and pressed her nose into the pelt. She took a deep breath and instantly the earthy smell of dog entered her nose, it was not a bad scent, in fact she liked the smell because it reminded her of the forest and a dog, and something slightly spicy and masculine. So he must be an Inuyoukai, thought Kagome as she lifted back up into her sitting position.

She sat there for what seemed like ages and felt like she could gaze at his face forever without a single regret. After several moments reality caught up with her and she looked at the sky, oh dear the sky has gotten much darker and even the fireflies have all gone away. She looked back down at him and sighed, "I must go," she said to the sleeping demon lord as if he could hear her, "but first one last touch."

Her hand went out automatically to his lips; so soft and firm she traced each lip with her thumb wishing to imprint the feeling on her fingers forever. After a moment with great effort she tore away and began to gather herself to leave when she got a sudden idea.

When she looked at his face it looked so peaceful that she wanted to preserve it for as long as she could so she decided to put a barrier over him. She knew he wouldn't need any protection from demons or humans but if she could keep them from waking him up and destroying his peace she would.

"Call it my gift of thanks from me to you for showing me something truly beautiful…something I haven't seen in a long time." Kagome moved back and gathered her power, it really was an easy enough job she had done it so many times before. Letting her powers well up within her she focused the flow of energy toward her hands. Then she let it spill forth from her palms and surround the demon lord. Wave after wave of warm spiritual energy slowly encircled the sleeping demon and covered him in a barrier made with great care.

There now he won't be disturbed and when he wakes he can freely leave the barrier. She touched his face one more time and struck with a sudden impulse she moved closer slowly closing the gap between their faces. As she approached the all too familiar warning bells were going off but once again they fell on deaf ears.

What harm could it do anyway? She had never been kissed and with her line of work she was most likely to never get kissed so why not do it now? It's not like he will respond or anything, it won't even be a real kiss, but it will be the closest I ever get…She was inches away from his face, her heart once again pounding in her ears. Closer and closer, she almost connected when suddenly she felt the atmosphere shift.

Alarmed she looked up to see his eyelids twitching, fluttering and slowly opening. Kagome's breath hitched in her throat and she stayed stock still as his eyelids revealed two beautiful golden suns staring at her ever so glazed over with sleep.

For a brief moment reality slipped away and all that mattered were those mesmerizing amber eyes. She watched entranced as he gazed back at her with an open look of confusion and curiosity that slowly darkened into an icy, stoic stare. Time itself seemed to freeze over for several agonizing seconds but unfortunately once reality slips away it has a tendency to come back in a flash.

Kagome snapped out of her stupor and gasped in shock as she realized the dangers of the position she was in. In a flash, using speed only a miko is capable of, she fled. Into the prickly forest once more and did not stop until she reached the top of the hill that overlooked the village.

She sat there on the hill gazing at the partying villagers. She tried not to think about what might have happened had she not ran away but was failing miserably. Wondering about it would do her no good; it would just drive her crazy because she would never find an answer. She told herself that no matter how she looked at it things would have ended badly but she couldn't help but hope that they wouldn't.

"Perhaps he might smell my scent, track me down and…and – no! I must not think of such things." Kagome chided herself for once again thinking of him. But how could I not? He had been the first male I had ever touched in such a way and probably my last, she thought sadly.

She leaned back to lie on the grass and closed her eyes trying to remember the feel of his skin under her fingertips. She almost laughed when she thought of what a normal girl her age would have thought had she seen the way Kagome reacted to touching the demon. Probably would think I acted like a five year old girl or something, thought Kagome ruefully. But in truth it really was a whole new experience of a whole new world that she had only touched the surface of.

She sighed as she thought of why she knew this would be her last experience. Born a child of her village's shrine she was raised as a priestess and as was the custom of her shrine she was made to swear celibacy and devote her life to her duty, never to marry or even bear children.

During the swearing in ceremony she remembered making a secret promise to herself to go against custom and keep her heart open for her true love to one day find. But lately the little voice of hope in her heart had been harder and harder to hear and the chance that she would find love one day seemed to become smaller with each passing day.

Kagome gave a long drawn out sigh but instead of feeling dejected and miserable she thought back on her time with the demon lord. She thought of the gift he had unknowingly given her of not only granting her the sight of true beauty but also reawakening the voice of hope in her heart.

Now the little voice was stronger and sang with a melodious tune that reminded her that one day she would find love. Kagome breathed in deeply the smell of the fresh grass and the pure wilderness of the forest. She felt at peace and a smile of happiness spread across her face as she remembered a pair of intense golden eyes staring at her. Yes, perhaps there is still hope.

** Fin**