A/N: My prompts are kicking, Draco Malfoy, and "Stay With Me" by Sam Smith (song) for the Game of Life Challenge!
Draco sighed and thought about that day. That amazing day a few months ago.. He needed to get his mind off the flowing hair and the laugh. God damn her for having such an impact on his life. It was one night. One amazing night. And he couldn't just change that now. They'd agreed that it was heat in the moment that was forever gone after. He was to be married. It was the Malfoy way. Arranged and pure. God, how Draco hated that word. Ever since the war ended, pure meant very little. His family was pure in blood, but broken and frayed.
Images of him feeling broken and alone went through his mind. And the one person who held him and allowed him to be emotional. The look did not befit him. Nor did he like anyone seeing him like that. However, Granger had been a saving grace. She'd accepted him as he was, emotional and confused. She'd even told him that if he was a Death Eater, she would still be around as a supporting hand. Oh, how he'd needed to hear those words. But months later, they no longer talked. Couldn't bear to look each other in the face. They'd broken a barrier they could no longer fix. They'd changed the status of their relationship. And it had created a new barrier.
"Listen, Granger. One night. I just need to know I can be close to someone like you. It won't mean anything. You have Ronald and I have Astoria." It had taken Hermione very little time to agree, which made Draco nervous and very happy. He had his one chance to prove he could be something other than exactly what his parents expected. And although no one would know, he'd always have that moment. It was obviously not love. It was passion and raw emotion. It was amazing.
"Stay with me." Draco begged her as she began to leave. She bit her lip and knelt down, kissing him tenderly.
"I cannot Draco." Hermione said, placing her hand on his cheek. "But I think tonight will mean a lot to me. It's not love, clearly. However, it's showed me what I deserve. And I hope Astoria is all you need too. Goodnight Draco."
As Hermione turned and left the room, Draco hid beneath his blankets and replayed the night over and over in his head. Even the emotional blowout that had led to that amazing night. The swearing and hitting and kicking. Hermione had found him with a bleeding fist and a bruised ego. And yet somehow brought him back to reality. In that, he'd always thank Granger.