Disclaimer:I do not own Naruto.

A/N: This is an AU, and will have other associated drabbles coming sometime in the future.

Ichi-go Ichi-e

(One Time, One Moment)

Everything comes gradually and at its appointed hour. ~ Publius Ovidius Naso

Hyuuga Hinata grew up with one certainty in life. Uchiha were not to be trusted. Uchiha were backstabbing and greedy, and-with the way her father, Hyuuga Hiashi, usually talked about them-you'd think that they were the equivalent of earthbound demons.

Instead of most little kids, Hinata used to have nightmares of the big bad Uchiha chasing her through some dark creepy forest. Fire blazed from their mouth as their red eyes glowed unnaturally in the dark, and on their head protruded a pair of black horns. Lucky for her these dreams didn't often occur except on the odd night when her father actually came home early from the office, usually mumbling something about 'those damned Uchiha'.

It really wasn't until she was around ten years old when she happened upon one her father's financial magazines crumpled and laying on the floor next to the wastebasket in his home office. On the cover of the magazine were some of the most beautiful people she'd ever seen. A dignified and handsome man stood proudly behind the others, his chin tilted high in challenge to the world. Something about him, his stature, reminded her greatly of her father.

The woman, whom she assumed was the Matriarch, sat poised and centered among the others. Her hands rested easily in her lap, her head tilted to the side with a gentle smile touching her lips. At the time, Hinata found herself smiling, as if returning her smile, even though it was just a picture. Vaguely, she'd wondered if her mother had carried the expression when she was alive, but the thought was fleeting as she continued to look upon the magazine cover.

The last two in the picture appeared to be brothers. There was the oldest, she assumed, as his face seemed almost as aged as his father's did. Deep creases marred the underside of his eyes with tired lines. His lips seemed perpetually turned down with a frown of worry. The other, not so much. This one looked to be about her age. His dark eyes danced with life and spoke of an inclination to mischievousness. A smirk, smug as it was, touched the corner of his lips and his hands folded neatly together beneath his chin.

It occurred to her that she might like this boy should she ever cross paths with him, but the thought was quickly squashed out of existence when she noticed the header emblazoned above the picture on the magazine cover--'Uchiha Legacy'. Apparently, her father's claim they were something akin to 'earthbound demons' wasn't entirely true. However, the picture faded from her memory over the years, one thing planted firmly in her mind from that day forward. Though her father preferred to claim them as something less than human, the Uchiha were certainly nothing more than mere humans.

Though it seemed her father had a great dislike for the Uchiha, it never really occurred to her that there was an on going feud between the two families. This was understandable since any fighting done was never in her presence or in any form that would come to her attention. Then there was also the fact the Uchiha's eldest was four years older than her cousin, Hyuuga Neji, meaning of course, that the two hadn't yet met. Obviously, it didn't occur to anyone the youngest Uchiha and herself were the same age, and the possibility of them crossing paths was bound to happen eventually. Then again, out of all the prestigious high schools in Konoha, no one could have ever predicted they would both end up attending the same one, or in the same class for that matter.

One could imagine such an occurrence would be full of tension and awkwardness. Maybe heated glares coming from both sides as they passed each other in the halls between classes. Because, surely two people such as themselves would be highly attuned to the other. After all, to feud was in their blood. It was instinct!

On that fateful day, however, not a single part of her tremored with recognition or anything remotely similar. However, to say she wasn't moved by her encounter with said Uchiha would be like denying the sun existence. In fact, one could say she fell head over heels for the boy. Quite literally in fact.

"Hey! Watch where you're going!"

Hinata had barely enough time to acknowledge the barked order before someone's shoulder plowed into her. Pushed off balance, she stumbled backwards, her arms flapping madly as she tried, unsuccessfully, to center herself. Then, as if called upon by the God of mischief himself, she took a tumble backwards, having managed to stumble back into some unmovable force that was only half her size.

She pinched her eyes shut, bracing herself for the painful impact. She heard the expected crash, but felt only the soft cushion of a warm body beneath hers. Concerned, her eyes popped open, an apology quick on her lips as she scrambled to turn around.

"Ah! Gomen-nasai!"

She wasn't quite prepared for the cold dark glare leveled at her and the indignant sneer that followed. Her face flushed red as she looked away and jumped to her feet.

"I'm really very sorry," she squeaked before dashing off to some dark corner to nurse her heavily wounded pride. Which really didn't help any when she came into her classroom mere seconds before the tardy bell rang.

In the back next to the window was the same dark brooding boy. His eyes closed, arms crossed loosely over his chest, feet kicked up on the desk in front of him. Only then did she feel like she knew him from somewhere, but couldn't quite recall from where. She took a seat furthest from him--near the front, closest to the door.

A bright girl with pink hair and blazing green eyes came to the front of the room to attendance. One by one, she called everyone's name, marking the book in front of her. Then something…odd happened.

Her mouth pursed into a slight frown as she called the next name. "Hyuuga Hinata."

Hinata raised her hand. "Present," She called out softly. It seemed half the room had turned to look at her, their mouths opened slightly. She wilted in her seat, her head dipped low, letting the heavy curtain of dark hair shroud her face.

The moment was brief, but all too apparent. The attention lingered even when the girl continued. People shift in their seats, restless, if not a bit excited.

As she neared the bottom of her book, she paused again, her eyes darting to the back of the room. Somehow, Hinata knew she was looking at the boy with the brooding aura. "Uchiha Sasuke."

Then everything just clicked in her head. The boy and why he looked so familiar, the other students apparent 'interest' in her and the dark glare he'd sent her earlier. She knew then this was only a precursor of the next three years of her life.