Spring seems to bring with it a new kind of life each year-bringing back life to the bare trees, replacing the dreary cold with warm sunshine and melting away the snow to allow small buds to bloom through. Everything seems to change, and so does every person. It brings with it hope-hope for change. Maybe that is why it's one of the, if not the most, popular seasons to get married in.

It was rather cliched, but it's what his lady love had wanted, so yes, Draco was getting married in spring. He had proposed to his girlfriend of five years the previous spring, and she had immediately decided to fix their wedding date for the day he had proposed. She was a romantic at heart; the little details mattered immensely to her. He wasn't a fan of mushy things though, but didn't mind letting her take control, if that is what made her happy. That was just the way they were.

They weren't a boring couple, or a couple who indulged in PDA no matter where they were. No, they were just…comfortable. They had known each other since they were at Hogwarts, but had hated each other then, mainly because the social norms dictated them to do so. Then came the war, and after the war and their victory came the revelation that he had actually been a spy from her side, having defected almost immediately after he took the Mark.

People had been dubious about him at first, but quickly changed their opinion after seeing his attempts at helping to re-build their broken world, both financially and physically. He left no room for doubts about his intentions, and regularly volunteered at charities and fund-raisers for the victims of the war.

Not soon after, he had brought the "Malfoy" name to a position higher than it had previously held, and people began to respect the man he had grown to be.

Seven years later, he was getting married to one of his former enemies. They had had a good response from their families and friend's, something that had surprised both, but protested by neither.

They had taken things slowly. They had formally re-met at a fund raiser he had organized. He was hiding from the girl his mother had set him up with, and she had taken to the bar to drown her sorrows over her recent break-up. They had hit it off almost instantaneously, but neither of them had the courage to ask the other out or even admit the obvious attraction. Awkward skirting around each other ensued, before she finally asked him out to dinner on an impulse. There was no doubt in either of their mind's that they had something serious by the end of the night of their first date.

They were interested in a lot of common topics, she was well versed with a lot of his favorite things and she didn't judge him for any of his past actions. They had cleared out any remaining awkwardness by their third date, and agreed to exclusively date each other by their ninth dinner together.

Yes, it was quick, but as he had reasoned with her, when it's meant to be, it's meant to be. They kept their relationship a secret for the first six months. She was teased by her friend's whenever she mentioned her secret boyfriend, and he had faced a decent amount of questions from his Mother about the girl he had been secretly seeing. Neither of them wanted to bring the outside world into their little, safe cocoon where only the two of them existed.

Then she asked him to dinner with her parents. Her parents were shocked for approximately five minutes, but seeing how happy their daughter was with him, and how well-behaved he was, forced them to accept him with welcoming hugs.

His parents had been aloof at first, not because they didn't approve, but because it was how they were brought up to be. Malfoy's never wore their emotions out for the world to see, but Draco had known they were supportive of his decision the moment his Mother asked her over for dinner the following week.

Their friend's hadn't minded either; his had congratulated him even, on landing such a beauty for a girlfriend.

They never fought. It was the way their relationship dynamic had been set. They were both hot-headed, but balanced each other out rather well.

If he started to get angry, he left the room to go have a breather outside.

If she started to get angry, she left to go shopping.

They both were satisfied with the way their relation had progressed-they had no major bumps, and had managed to smooth over the tiny ripples that had come their way with ease.

They travelled together every year. Draco insisted she take off time from work to go for long trips to some or the other exotic location. He had taken her to Indonesia, Hawaii, Thailand and Bali so far.

She loved to cook from him, and had prepared many special dinners for him, and occasionally, with him.

They proclaimed their love for each other in their second year together. She said it first, over dinner celebrating their second anniversary. He followed her proclamation with one of his own.

They moved in together in their third year together. She found a place in Brighton, and convinced him to move to Muggle London with her. Money was not a huge matter for him, but they spent time and energy doing up the house the way they wanted to. She had been adamant that they do it by hand, and he would do anything to please her.

And now they were getting married. He had surprised her with a ring during their trip to Bali, and she had squealed out an excited 'yes' amidst tears.

So, you see, the two of them were perfect and content with each other, in all ways and more.


"Only two weeks till you take on my name now, darling," he said, and hugged her.

"Yes, can't wait," she smiled at him sweetly.

He returned her smile with a grin of his own before speaking again. "Why did you call me to this coffee shop?"

"I need help," she said, before pulling out a chair and sitting.

"What sort of help?"

"I have a guest, and I can't take her home. I have to go to work in an hour, and she showed up just now. I need you to find her a hotel," she said sheepishly.

"Oh, no problems. Consider it done. You go to work without any worries, I'll handle it. Just tell me where she is."

"I told her to meet me here, she'll be here any minute. Thanks, Draco. I love you," she said, leaning in to kiss him.

"Ugh, can you please not do that in front of me?" interrupted a disgusted voice.

Draco looked up and saw someone he hadn't seen for a long time. Hermione Granger.

"Ginny, what the hell?" he said, pushing away from the table and standing up in shock.

"Draco, please. Mum will kill me and her if I take her home. I just need you to find her a place to stay till the wedding. Please?"

"Excuse us for a minute," he spoke to Hermione, who shrugged nonchalantly, before pulling his bride-to-be away from the table.

"Ginny, you know I love you. But Granger hates me, and you'll probably not have a wedding if you leave me to deal with her. She'll kill me."

"You don't have to chaperone her, Draco. Just put her up in a hotel. I'll deal with the charges, I swear. And Hermione's not that scary. Please do this for me?" she said.

Draco contemplated her request for a minute, before sighing and nodding. "Okay."

"Thanks, love. You're the best. Don't tell anyone else about her for now, though. Now I'm going, okay?" she said, standing on her tiptoes to peck him and run off before he changed his mind.

Great, he thought sarcastically, as he walked back to the table where Hermione was sitting.

"Ready to go?" he asked dryly. She didn't answer, but just grabbed her suitcase and followed him out of the coffee shop.


Hermione sat in his car while she watched him speak to his friend, occasionally glancing at her through the front window.

He finally came up to her door and spoke to her. "That is Jim, he's going to take you to a hotel. I have to go to office, otherwise I would've come to drop you. You have my address, so you can owl me or Ginny about anything you need, okay?"

Hermione didn't say anything again, but just got out and lugged her stuff out of the backseat before walking over the to the scrawny man he had indicated without a single word or glance his way.

The wedding was going to be very interesting, and not for the reason I had thought originally, he thought as he watched her get into Jim's taxi.

Hermione Granger was back in town.


Preview of Chapter 2: What has become of me?

She was jet-lagged, and hungry and tired from her travel, but had been unable to find edible food or rest in the hotel, if one could call it that.

After ten more minutes of futile tossing about, she gave up and went to sit near the window. As she looked out, she couldn't believe how much had changed in her time away. Before, everyone who had been close to her would've fallen head over to see to her and wouldn't have left her alone had she been away for even a single day. Now, she had been forbidden from speaking to anyone, and those who she could reach out to, refused to speak to her properly. She was the living embodiment of the fact that one mistake could ruin a perfectly settled life.

She sighed, and wrapped her robe around her tightly as she remembered the day it had started.

(A/N: New short multi-chaptered fic alert! Since the previous one got a great response, here is another one for you guys. It's already done being written, and I'll be posting a new chapter every other day or so. Don't worry, I am not abandoning A different perspective, I'll just be updating that a little slower because of my block on it. Do let me know your thoughts on this one, and thanks for reading :D)