Disclaimer: I own neither the lovely world of Harry Potter nor its characters.

In the back of her mind, she knew it would always happen.

But she pushed those thoughts aside, willing herself to enjoy it while it lasted and face the consequences later. Too much of her life had existed that way, enjoying this false hope and happiness that were fabricated by lying to herself and trying to keep the outcome at bay for as long as she could.

She knew he wasn't meant for her, could never really be hers, but that didn't stop her from selfishly snatching him and proclaiming that he belonged to her and vice versa. Truthfully, though, she knew that what they said was right. They were too different, too separated, and he was entirely too good for her.

And after that first kiss, her assumptions solidified. All of what they whispered in hush tones in the dark, and all of what they wrote down in those bittersweet notes, they all were lies. They weren't meant for each other. There was no spark, no underlying current of attraction that pulled at her like gravity to stay close to him. There were just kisses, touches and embraces. All of those wonderfully romantic gestures without any romance.

And yet she didn't let go. She held fast, and tricked herself into believing that she did feel something. That this was the one. That finally she had found something that needed and wanted her just as much as she needed and wanted it.

So she fought, but after each defeat and each loss, her confidence waned. And slowly but surely, inside, she gave up. And still her façade lied.

She acted like nothing had happened. She continued with her lying romance, and physically she held on to it, simply because she had nothing else to grip. She committed the act of a truly desperate human, hurting others to delay the inevitable pain for herself.

And he, he who had been deceived and manipulated, betrayed and now tortured by that empty look in her eyes was her salvation. He, unlike her, had the courage to make up his mind. She had been too intent on refusing to save "them" to notice that he was trying to save her.

He offered her a way out. He gave her an escape with a blissfully solid finality. He had unselfishly given her a selfish redemption. And for the first time in her life, she did something that was truly brave. She took it.

Thank you, Draco.