Willow Rosenberg wished midnight would go ahead and arrive so she could leave this silly party and go back to her rooms, maybe read a little before falling asleep. She waved at a smiling Buffy who was dancing with her new boyfriend, Josh, a watcher in training that the slayer had been dating steadily for six months. Turning away from the sight of all the happy dancers, she moved to stand in a corner beside the balcony. She would have gone outside, but it was cold and it had snowed for several hours, so escape wasn't really an option. It wasn't that she didn't like parties, okay, so that was part of the problem. She'd never been fond of such affairs, preferring a small get together amongst really good friends versus a crowded room with people that she hardly knew. But, this was the second official year of the new council. During the first new year, it had been barely six months after Sunnydale and they'd not even had a real base of operations, much less been in a position to throw such a ridiculous party. Now, though, the New Watcher's Council had been official for ten months, base of operations in a small village a few hours from London, and Giles had decided to throw a much-deserved party.
She was Giles' assistant, aiding the new Head Watcher with anything needed, and she helped with training both watchers and slayers, so she had been put in charge of planning the party. Luckily, everyone had known how horrible an idea that was and Faith had taken over a large portion of the duty. With Andrew and Dawn assisting, the brunette slayer had done a hell of a job. The party was a success, everyone seemed to be having fun, and Willow couldn't wait for it to end. She took a sip of her water, watching her friends get drunk and dance and just enjoy the night. They deserved it, this chance to relax and just have fun. She turned away from the party to look out the window. She knew what her problem was. She was lonely. She missed having someone that smiled at her like Josh smiled at Buffy, missed having someone that danced with her like Robin danced with Faith. She hadn't been involved with anyone since Tara had died, almost getting caught into a rebound relationship with Kennedy but being smart enough not to go there. During the three years since Tara's death, she hadn't met anyone that struck her fancy, so to speak, and wondered at times, during the loneliest part of the night, if she was going to ever find someone to love. Great, now she was even lying to herself. There had been someone, recently, that she was attracted to, waking from dreams about him and wishing that he might feel the same way. She sighed softly, moving her fingers over the glass door.
"You don't appear to be enjoying the party."
Willow turned to look at the owner of that sexy voice, think of the devil and he appears. She smiled slightly as she said, "That obvious?"
Draco Malfoy laughed softly, "No, I'm just very observant."
Willow laughed, her green eyes moving over the handsome face of the wizard that had arrived at the Council nearly five months ago. Draco Malfoy was arrogant, intelligent, cunning, stubborn, sexy as sin, and had a voice that Willow could listen to for hours without growing bored. To be honest? The redhead had a bit of a crush on the gorgeous wizard that had been sent by the Ministry of Magic to help out where needed. They'd become friends, though he could be infuriating as hell, and she enjoyed spending time with him. Who wouldn't? He was absolutely amazing, not only good-looking, rich, smart, but also a powerful wizard that had helped defeat a very bad threat to the wizarding community several years before. There were times that Willow had felt like he might be flirting with her, that he looked at her with attraction and interest in those beautiful gray eyes, but the rest of the time she didn't think he thought of her as anything except a new friend. Faith insisted that she should just strip naked and pounce, but Willow thought that was a rather drastic, not to mention humiliating, solution to her dilemma. Buffy kept telling her that she should just ask Draco out, seemingly thrilled that someone had broken through the shell she'd put up after losing Tara, but Willow felt that, if Draco was interested, he'd make his intentions known. She didn't want to risk losing their new friendship because she was having squidgy feelings for the blond wizard.
"I'm not very fond of parties, myself," Draco told the beautiful redhead witch that he'd been falling in love with since arriving at the council. Love at first sight, as sappy and dreadful as it sounded, he'd been lost the moment he looked into her pretty green eyes and she'd smiled at him. He'd been a goner, and had spent the last few months getting close to her, flirting with her, trying to see if she'd be interested in dating, becoming involved, marriage, babies, the whole nine yards, as the muggle saying went. Sometimes, he thought she felt the same way, that she was interested, but then she'd just go all platonic on him and the feeling would fade. His feelings were obvious to everyone around them, becoming the topic of many an amused conversation at his expense, except Willow. The otherwise intelligent redhead seemed completely oblivious to the fact that he worshipped the very ground in which she walked. Xander kept telling him that Willow was strong except when it came to love, having been hurt in the past by losing the two people she'd loved, one to growing apart and the other to tragic circumstances, and that he needed to be gentle but determined. Andrew had recommended that he do something romantic, sweep her off her feet and treat her like a Goddess. Robin had smirked and suggested that he just kiss her, his girlfriend winking as she suggested letting the kiss lead to some majorly hot shagging, seeming to think that Willow wanted him and that he just needed to make a move. It was rather annoying to have the subject of his love life, or lack thereof, as a major topic of conversation for the watchers and slayers at the Council. But, they were Willow's friends and meant well, so he had to think that they knew what they were talking about.
"Well, it's nearly midnight so the party will finally be over," Willow smiled at him as she leaned against the wall, turning to face him as they began to talk about the party. Time flew by and before she even realized it, everyone was counting down to midnight. She glanced at Draco from under her lashes, wondering if he was planning on leaving before the stroke of midnight, or he planned to stay with her to share the traditional New Year's kiss. A peck on the cheek and then she could leave and go to her room, she thought with a flash of disappointment in her eyes. "Ten, nine, eight, seven," Draco listened as the others counted down to midnight. He noticed Faith look at him and smile before kissing her hand passionately and motioning to Willow, winking before she faced Robin. Draco slowly smiled, realizing this was his perfect chance to see if Willow returned his feelings. If she didn't, it could just be brushed off as a new year's kiss. If she did, they could quit wasting time dancing around their attraction and begin a future together.
"Six, five, four, three, two, one. Happy New Year!" the room sounded with laughter and singing as the new year began. Willow turned to look at Draco, her eyes widening when she saw the look of desire in his eyes. He lowered his head and brushed his lips against hers, deepening the kiss when Willow moved against him. Her hand moved behind his head, tangling in his loose pale blond hair and pulling him closer. Their tongues danced, the wall behind her as his hands drifted over her body before moving behind her to cup her bottom and pull her even more closely.
"It's about time," Faith told Buffy as she nudged the blond slayer and pointed to the passionate couple kissing in the corner.
"Finally! Took him long enough to make a move," Buffy laughed, pleased that her best friend had found someone to love again. Draco was a good guy, though a bit conceited at times, and he obviously cared about the redhead. She asked Xander, "Did anyone have new year's eve in the pool?"
"I did!" Dawn smiled widely, "I also took new years day, just in case someone argued about it occurring at midnight and which day it officially happened!"
"I'll let Giles know that Dawn won the pool," Xander laughed, "Man, last time I checked it was up to $300. You do realize that Willow is gonna kill us if she finds out the entire council was placing wagers on when she and Draco were finally going to realize they were in love, don't you?"
"Nah, Red's gonna be so thrilled she's being shagged regularly and has a great guy like Wizard Boy that she won't care," Faith said confidently.
"Willow will be pissed but she'll get over it. I'm just so happy that they finally stopped pretending and acknowledged their feelings," Buffy sighed happily as she leaned against Josh.
"It's so romantic," Andrew said as he looked at Willow and Draco and saw that they were still kissing, "they're so beautiful together, aren't they?"
"Quit ogling the smoochies," Dawn giggled, "but, yes, they're fantastic together. He's a total hottie and Willow is gorgeous. Can you imagine how beautiful their children are going to be?"
"Dawn, they're just now kissing. I'd say that marriage and children are way in the future," Xander said, noticing the thoughtful looks cross his friends' faces. "Uh, guys, what's the look for?"
"I bet they're married by this time next year," Buffy said with a cunning smile, "A Christmas wedding! How wonderful."
"I give them six months," Faith replied excitedly, "they'll be married by June."
"Yeah, Willow's so going to kill us!" Xander muttered before smiling as he looked at his best friend and her new fellow, thinking that Draco was good for the redhead and would make Willow very happy. He liked the wizard, once he got to know him and made it past the arrogant condescending attitude, and knew that Willow really cared about the blond Englishman. He glanced at his friends, saying, "Put me down for late July. Happy New Year, guys."
THE END
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