Draco Malfoy and Astoria Greengrass.

Draco stood, frozen on the back porch of their new home and realized that he was in love….with his wife. For most people, this was a realization that was supposed to come before a proposal, not after five months of marriage, however, for pureblood children, arranged marriages were expected. Before the war, it would have been to keep status, but his marriage to Astoria held a much different purpose.

She had been three years younger than him during his time at Hogwarts, and she hadn't even been sorted into Slytherin. Although, he supposed, that's what part of her appeal had been. Lucius Malfoy had been sentenced to life in Azkaban, but because of a generous testimony given by Harry Potter himself, Draco and his mother had not suffered the full consequences of their actions.

This did however leave them in quite the debacle to save the family name. Malfoy. Once it had been so proud and feared, but after the war it was said in scorn and disgust. Other families who had aided Voldemort in the war suffered the same fate. Greengrass was one such family. Both parents had been imprisoned, which left two young sisters to save their own legacy. In the years following the war, when Astoria Greengrass, the eldest of the sisters was well out of school, she sought out the Malfoys.

Now, Astoria stood outside, her dark hair blowing wildly in the summer breeze. The sea a short distance from their large and homey cottage—so different than the Malfoy Manner he had grown up in. On her left hip she balanced a basket full of laundry, and with her right hand, she hung the clothes on the line. Her wand slipped behind her ear, as it had since he had known her. She could have used her wand, Draco thought as he smiled at her. She didn't even notice he was watching her. But as Draco continued to look, he saw a small smug smile escape her lips, along with a quick glance up at him. She was so different from when they first met.

One year ago….

Draco and Narcissa apparated to a café on the muggle side of London, at the request of one Astoria Greengrass. Draco tried and failed to put a face to that name, though of course he knew of the Greengrasses—they were a wealthy pureblood family, who dominated the stocks and had more money than they knew what to do with. They were even more wealthy than the Malfoys.

When he saw the dark haired, tanned skinned slip of a woman, he only had an inkling of a memory of her. She was very thin, too thin; from stress, fear, and whatever else society threw her way because her family had been on the losing side of the war. Though they had no similarities, it's exactly what he looked like as well: worn down, aged, hopeless.

"I have a proposition for you." She spoke quietly, but with purpose, after the formalities of greeting had been addressed. "We both have names, titles, and money that we want to recover, lost a thousand times over from the war. We've both lost everything we've owned, our inheritance, our homes, our legacies. My sister and I just made a hefty sum of money in the stocks, enough to get my mother's business up and running again. I'd like for you to become a part of it as well.

"I've researched you Draco. You had impressive marks, and experience with this, and I'm sure learned much from your father as well. I not only want you to come and work for us, but I want you to marry me as well."

Shock spread through Draco, though the only expression was a raised eyebrow. "How does that help either of our names?"

"Because the image of family softens many people. Not the kind of family that we grew up in, but families like the Weasleys. People love people who are in love. And for both of our families, I'd say we need it-fast."

She had a clear plan, Draco realized as he listened. Of all the charities they would donate to, the war memorials; all of the functions they would attend. She had a plan for a child as soon as possible, a wedding even sooner. And, Draco understood, the purpose of this wasn't to save them; their reputation was already ruined, but Astoria was thinking after that. She was thinking about their legacy and the future generations of their families.

"I'll do it."

And so Draco thought as he watched Astoria hang clothes, how had he ever come to this point. He had always respected her. He found her intelligence and organization skills impressive and a great asset to their marriage. He'd also always found her beautiful. When they first met, it was not as easy to see; she was not healthy then.

But now, after a year and three weeks into her pregnancy. She had gained weight. Her eyes were brighter, and shoulders more relaxed, and often times now a smile would grace her face.

He had saved her. And he's not sure if it's his love that saved her, or in the processes of saving her he fell in love. All he knows is that she's the first thing he didn't destroy. She's the first thing that instead of hurting, he's healed her.

Draco goes back to the kitchen where he's making dinner and smiles again because without realizing it, he's making Astoria's favorite meal. So, he guesses light heartedly, she must have saved him too.