Heyyy guys!

So I know everybody is dying to read new stories since for about two weeks authors couldn't post anything and seriously I almost went into a depression because I had this little OneShot I desperately wanted to post but I'm much much better now that the whole problem is resolved! I'm literally jumping up and down knowing I can soon post the next chapter to my other fic! lol quite pathetic I'll say that my life revolves around lol but I'm not the only one I bet! =P

So without further do, I'll let you read this OS I wrote a while ago. It's nothing special just an urge I had to write that resulted into this with my two favorite characters of course =D =D. But as I said it's just a few words thrown here and there so don't be too harsh on me pretty pleaseeee =) And as usual if you see any grammatical/spelling errors or whatever else you'd like me to correct let me know I'm always opened to critics! So I think that's it... *I could talk for days if I keep on rambling like this but I'll stop myself now before it's too late lol *

So... Here it goes, I hope you enjoy it! =)

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Just This Once...

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Aristotle once said "We make war that we may live in peace".

And for the past year, I've woken up every morning with that single quote for drive. For the past year I've fought deatheaters, dementors, thestrals, werewolves, trolls and a preposterous amount of other creatures whose existence I was not even aware of.

Yes for the past year, I've made Aristotle's quote my daily bread, finding only in those wise words the will to fight for a better world. However, after five hundred and thirteen days, my enthusiasm and my optimism have slowly faded away. And on this very day, as the year is so close to its end, I am for the first time asking myself if this war will ever be over. For the first time, I am considering that our party might lose against Lord Voldemort and his henchmen. For the very first time, I am letting myself be overwhelmed with this feeling of complete exhaustion over our possible failure...

With a deep breath, I lifted my head, searching the stars for a sign whatsoever. But every single one of these gleaming asteroids looked dim, just like I felt inside, just like burning candles that had been lit for way too long. Inhaling the cold air once more, I closed my eyes, dreaming about another life which could put a smile on my lips, but Ginny's face showed up between that of those others that we had already lost and I let one single tear run down my cheek.

A minute passed. Then two. And three. And yet I was still in the same position, listening to the soft music playing inside.

The year was about to change but there was nothing joyful in the party that we had all attended. Some people tried to tell jokes, some others tried to laugh but none of them could help the grimace that distorted their lips every time a fly buzzed. We were all alert. We were all on our guards, looking out for any sign of disruption.

Slowly, I turned to go back inside, my hand ready to pull out my wand from under my dress if it would be necessary when I bumped into one young man I knew all too well.

"Here you are 'Mione... You're alright?"

Giving Harry a pitiful smile, I said:

"Hey..."

There was no need to ask him if he was having fun. There was no need to even answer his question.

"Don't stay too far from me ok..." He said before kissing my forehead in that fraternal manner of his.

"I'll be right in there..."

He gave me a nod and I made my way inside, letting the bright lights of the party blind me for a few seconds.

For a while, I stood by the bar, observing every single face in the room, trying to make sure none of them belonged to known deatheaters, until my eyes met those cold steely grey pupils. I felt shivers go slowly down my spine as the man walked towards me, not letting go of that stare we exchanged.

When he finally reached my position, Draco Malfoy looked down at me, his face just as cold as usual.

"Would you care to dance with me?"

It took me a few seconds to pull myself out of the hypnotization his eyes had put me through, slowly processing the question I had been asked.

Though he had joined the Order over a year ago, Malfoy and I never really bonded. We were polite when necessary, we bickered the rest of the time, and once in a blue moon we laughed together to the detriment of some third person. But that was it. I never took the time to know him, as Ginny had asked from me since they had become quite close before she passed. And on his side, he never did more than stare at me with those eyes of his I sometimes wish I could take out and throw away in the middle of the ocean. We weren't friends; it was as simple as that.

And yet a tingling feeling in my stomach compelled me to reach for the hand he had placed in front of me, letting myself be lulled by the waltz that had just started playing.

Without realizing I had let every single one of my guards down, I tied his right hand to mine, feeling his other cold hand run unhurriedly down my bony back. The music got a little bit louder and we started dancing, not realizing for a second that the others had left us the dance floor. Immersed in his eyes, I felt like I was a million miles away, floating on a cold and dangerous cloud, and yet, nothing seemed to matter to me any longer.

It felt like I was free of every pressure, every worry that had been rotting my soul for the past year. All the while, my ears whispered to me a few words the crowd was stating, apparently all agreeing on the strange sight of me and Malfoy on the dance floor. Perhaps a part of me desperately wanted to end all the gossiping, breaking free from his grip but that hold his eyes had on me seemed to do the trick, not allowing me for a second to look away.

I wondered what he, out of all those people was thinking, but his cold features gave me no hints.

Again, I seemed to hear somebody say that we looked almost like an enchanted couple: "Like the devil in person and an angel straight from above" were the exact words used.

I thought that it was a ridiculous statement, nevertheless I had to admit that Draco Malfoy as I had always known him and especially tonight was a dreadfully close personification of the devil. His non-existent lips rarely wore a sincere smile and yet, a smirk from him could quench a fire. His eyes that always wore a steely and intriguing glare contrasted beautifully with his almost white hair, giving him the look of those creatures that in no way belonged on earth. And yet I had always found him to be ugly… simply because no one was allowed to have those many contradicting features at a time.

Lost in my thoughts, I hadn't realized yet that the music was over, thus we kept moving in a steady, leisurely pace.

Completely lost, I saw him lean towards me, his lips brushing my right cheek with a slow kiss before his voice carried over to my buzzing ears:

"I hate you no longer Granger… Excuse my past attitude towards you."

Then taking my hand in his, he kissed it lightly while the audience seemed to hold its breath.

One last time, he looked at me with those eyes I now desired to burn into ashes before his eyebrows suddenly frowned as the loud noise of a broken door came to my ears.

In a quick reflex he took his wand out at the same time I did and just then, all hell broke loose.

The moment we had all been anticipating so anxiously came and the so well decorated room soon became a bloody battle field.

Just as I thought I saw the ray of a 'avada kedavra' make its way to me, a body came slamming into mine, knocking me down on the floor.

"Be more careful will you!" the angry voice said.

"Why do you care all a sudden tell me Malfoy? Move, I didn't ask for your help" I replied as I irritably moved his body away from mine, getting up quickly, ready to take the life of the person that wanted me dead.

Giving Harry a quick nod to tell him I was fine, I turned around to disarm the deatheater that seemed to desperately want to get rid of me.

Once that was done, I went on to help Neville that was having a hard time taking care of the two deatheaters circling him. It was almost pathetic how untrained Voldemort's new recruits were. In two spells, I took care of them, ready to confront the next one that would cross my path.

But just then, I bumped into Malfoy once more. I was ready to curse him out but he cut me off, his cold voice letting out those words I don't think I would ever forget:

"I love you…"

With a complete confused look, I stared him down, wanting more explanation though his words were quite clear.

"I care because I love you and I have for about a year now… 'Avada Kedavra'!"

My heart skipped a beat not only because of his revelation but also because I thought for a split second that his spell was destined to me.

I blinked twice, making sure I was still alive, just in time to feel his lips on mine. Surprised, I looked into his eyes as he kissed me passionately before he turned around to cast a 'crucio' on another low-life that was running towards us.

Slowly, I brought my shaky fingers to my lips, unaware of the battle around me, incomprehensive to the rush feelings that overwhelmed me.

"Granger snap out of it already!" I heard his voice say.

And I did. My night took off where I had left it before his cold lips touched mine and the rest of the time, while I casted spell after spell, I couldn't take those words out of my head.

"We make war that we may live in peace"

Yes… for the past year I have made Aristotle's quote my daily prayer. But once again this year, it had been impossible for the good ones of us to happily count down the seconds that separated us from a new possible happy year. Once again this year, we all fought the dark forces in a desperate hope for a better life. Once again this year we lost our loved one. But this year I wouldn't be sharing my pain with Ginny… or Ron for that matter.

And for those reasons, I let my tears run down my cheeks shamelessly. For just this once I didn't care to be strong.

Laying down in a ball on my bed, I cried, smelling the blood that covered my clothes, seeing it on my white sheets.

Nothing mattered anymore… until the door bell rang a first time. Then a second time. But I stayed there, hoping the person that had came to bother me would leave after a while.

However, that annoying sound just kept repeating itself. Lazily, I got up, not caring to wipe my tears away. As I opened the door, I looked at the person I knew would be standing on my porch.

Just like me, he wore a gloomy look, his cold eyes seeming more tired than mine.

For a few minutes, we stood there, looking into each other's eyes until he reached over, bringing me slowly to him as I burst into tears once more, wrapping my arms around his neck as he encircled his arms tightly around me.

Then, I realized that there was no such thing as happiness, especially not in times of war. However, in the comfort of one's home, when all the lights were off everywhere, when there was nobody to judge, when all that there was left were tears and mixed feelings, a familiar face could reduce the pain that was left to rot one's heart.

As I looked up to the sky, the stars seemed to gleam brightly this time, as if they were happy to welcome a new member to their clan.

Shakily, my lips moved without a sound whatsoever: "I'm going to miss you Ron… say hi to Ginny for me will you… I'll be with you guys soon I promise…"

And then, I separated myself from this person I wasn't sure how I felt about quite yet.

My hand in his, I directed us inside my little home, thinking about a life where I could possibly lead a life with the infamous Draco Malfoy.

And for some strange reason, in my head, it seemed to be possible to be happy with him. And for just this one time, I let my mind elaborate on a scenario where we could kiss in the rain, where we could laugh together, though I knew deep down that it would be impossible.

But just this once, I nurtured those happy thoughts. Just this once I let myself be relatively content…. Because nothing mattered at the present moment. His lips on mine, his fingers on my body were all that were left.

So just this once, I kissed Draco Malfoy passionately, finding in his embrace a sensibility I never knew he possessed and just this once I fancied a possible future with the cold creature he was…

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Because just this once, maybe it wouldn't be all that horrible after all to love the infamous Malfoy.

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So here it was!

I hope you liked it and if you care to leave a review I'd love you forever! lol ok I'm joking but please review review review even if it's just to say you hated it lol... please pretty please! :)
Have a nice day !

Kisses,
MrsMalfoy14.