This is a short one because I had to use it as a bridge between that last chapter and the one following this. I hope you like it. It's just a sort of what-happens-in-the-new-little-house-daily kind of experience. Like I said, the next chapter will be better. Thank you for all the wonderful reviews! :)

Astoria stood in the kitchen of the small cottage, stirring a pot of French onion soup. She'd been living the married life with Draco for many months now. Every single day was new, every kiss was like the first. It seemed that their relationship could never just lose its magic. After much convincing and proving that she was fine on her own for a few hours, Draco got a job at the Ministry—a quiet, low-key, normal job that made him feel a bit more like a typical young wizarding male. She stayed at home, resting and preparing dinner for the two of them, completely happy with their loving arrangement. Once or twice Narcissa came over for tea just to make sure that her daughter-in-law was alright. The company was refreshing, but Astoria had not a single bad thing to say about the way her life with Draco was going.

Astoria grinned to herself as she reflected upon her luck. Just to think; a little over a year ago, being married was the farthest thing from her mind as she was literally dying on the streets of Diagon Alley. Now, she had her biological family back, she had a new family that cared for her just as much, and she had a wonderful life with a man she'd never expected to be who he was. She carefully added some spices to the soup. This dinner had to be as perfect as every other one she made, just because it was for him. He deserved the best.

The small cottage door opened, a gentle voice calling out for his wife. Astoria playfully didn't answer in hopes he would set out on a house-wide search for her. Sure enough, silence ensued; Draco was sneaking up behind her. With a swift motion, he threw his arms around her from behind, laughing, "There's my beautiful girl!" He leaned down and planted a kiss on her cheek, causing her to giggle even more. Draco moved his kisses down her jawline and onto her neck. Astoria gasped. "Draco, not now! We haven't even had dinner yet!"

"So what if we didn't?"

"You must be starving; if we don't eat now, the soup will be cold!"

Draco frowned a bit, a playful pout, and sighed. "As long as you promise me that you'll stay so warm until after dinner." he winked. She smiled slyly. "Only if you help me," It would've been a highly seductive and passionate moment had the two not immediately start giggling at their own flirting. Astoria ladled the soup into two bowls, joining Draco at the little table. "How was work today?" she asked.

"It went alright. People don't really bother me that much throughout the day, so it's relatively quiet."

"Are you happy about that?"

"Well…I suppose. I can get a lot done with no interruptions."

"No one talks to you at all, do they?"

"…It's fine, really. I'm much more productive—"

"You're hurt by it,"

She saw Draco sigh a little as he stared into his soup. She had always been good at reading the emotions of others (that was why she was in Hufflepuff, after all), but once the curse sickened her, she wasn't as able to reach as deep. Now that she was nearly revived she found herself using it a lot on her husband. "Just a bit," he murmured almost inaudibly. She patted his bony hand across the table. "I just feel like I'm in school again," he whispered, hurt behind his voice. "They whisper about me. They take alternate paths when they see me coming towards them. They make quick excuses when I ask if I can sit with them at lunch hour. …It just…makes me feel like an outsider again."

"Do you think it's because of me?"

"Of you? Darling, why would you say that?"

"'Draco Malfoy used Dark magic on a younger girl, but married her to cover it up'—do you think that's what they're saying when they whisper?"

"…I don't know, dear. It could be. People enjoy rumors and gossip and ridiculous lies. But I think they know how badly you're suffering. I don't believe that they would go so far as to hurt you even farther personally."

"If…if you don't feel comfortable in that job—"

"No! No, it's fine, really. I like the work I do. It's filing stuff and office-sort of dealings. It's not bad. I can do it…."

Astoria sensed that there was something else bothering her husband, just by the way that he hadn't really eaten much of his soup. He picked up his spoon, scooped up some broth, and watched it fall back into the cup. Repeatedly. He wouldn't look at her. "Is there anything else upsetting you, love?" she asked gently. He dropped his spoon, finally looking up to face her. His eyes brimmed with tears. "I saw Harry Potter today," he blurted out. This prompted her to put her own spoon down, giving him a slight nod to encourage him to just tell her everything. "He and I…I saw him down the hallway a bit just after the other men had told me I couldn't sit and eat lunch with them because they were 'in discussion'. What he was doing there, I don't know. But…of course he caught my eye. I tried to just put my head down and walk away, until I saw him following me. He was actually following me, Astoria. As if he still believed I was up to no good! As if he—didn't trust me…."

"Draco, it's alright. I'm positive that it wasn't for any reason like that."

"It was just the way…the way he did it that reminded me of school. It was just like when we were at Hogwarts. Just like it. It made me upset and scared…and I regret to admit that…I went back to my office and I cried. I sat at my desk with my head in my hands and I just cried. I wanted you there to comfort me. It just…just…."

"Oh, Draco…."

"Don't tell my father about that last part. Or my mother when she comes for tea. They're much closer now, and I'm sure she wouldn't hesitate in letting it slip."

"I wouldn't tell either of them, love. But perhaps I can ease your hurt with something."

Astoria stood up from the kitchen table, aware of the way Draco's eyes still trailed down her body even when he was upset about something, and walked towards the kitchen counter. She picked up an envelope that was resting there. "An owl came to the window late this afternoon. I thought it was another note from you, so I accidentally fed the thing some crackers and opened the letter. Apparently it wasn't your idea for tonight's dinner as I'd thought, but it was from Harry Potter himself." she explained, blushing a bit at the fact that she'd already accidentally opened his mail. They usually sent quick little notes back and forth throughout the day just to check in with one another, mainly full of silly love-quotes and expressions of their unending affection. Seeing a different colored owl at the window had confused Astoria, but she'd accepted it anyway. Draco's eyes were wide, his jaw set. "H-He…"

"He sent you a letter just after this little encounter, I believe. Just going by the timeframe you'd given me. It was right after lunch. I'm sorry I read it, Draco. I truly am."

"Don't be sorry, love. It's nothing to hide."

Draco's eyes scanned the letter over and over. "He's apologizing…." he whispered. "Here—I'll read it to you, and you tell me how a Hufflepuff would interpret it.

Draco Malfoy and Wife,

Congratulations on your marriage a few months previous. I would've said it sooner, but I didn't want to interfere in your happy time together. My friend Hermione Granger showed me a few pictures from the ceremony (she said she kept in touch with Astoria's brother) and I must say, the two of you looked stunning. But enough of my awkward opinions. Draco, I would like to apologize for our brief encounter today. I saw you too late and wanted to grab a chance to talk to you a bit. But I saw how afraid you looked when I tried to follow you to get your attention, so I just left you alone. I'm sorry that was so strange of me to do. I didn't want to just call your name out or run towards you—I feared that would set you off even more. I see the way things are between us, and that's alright with me. I understand if you don't want to talk or anything. I'm really only writing to apologize for my behavior today. Don't write back, don't feel like this is any kind of olive branch. I just wanted you to know that I wasn't trying to upset you.

~Harry J. Potter

Astoria watched Draco's facial expression soften, eventually melting. Tears sprang up in his eyes. "He…he…." Draco couldn't finish. Astoria stroked his silky blonde hair from where she was standing behind him. "He said not to write back. You don't have to feel pressured, Draco. This is exactly what you needed to hear—it's not that he doesn't trust you, it's just that the time isn't there yet. You two might need years before you can even acknowledge each other. But he's saying that's alright." she explained gently. Draco rubbed his eyes. He set the the letter down and looked up at his wife, half-smiling in gratitude. She winked. "How was that for a Hufflepuff's view?" He laughed a bit, then pulled her face down for a kiss. Draco nodded. "Thank you," he whispered to her sincerely.

Astoria and Draco always spent at least half-an-hour before bed reading in the small living room together. They had separate books, but that didn't mean that had to sit apart from each other. After completing the dish-washing together, Draco would sweep Astoria into his arms, and carry her to the sitting room. They'd pick up their books and settle down. He always had her sit right on his lap, in his arms, so she could be warm as she read. It was a beautiful thing to them—just sitting and purely enjoying the company of the other without having to think of the right words to express it. Not to mention they would also pull romantic quotes from their readings to use in their little notes sent back and forth during the next day.

As Astoria turned a page in her book, she felt her eyelids slipping closed. Even though her disease was "at bay", she still experienced her normal symptoms—the constant chill, the weakness, the tiredness, etc. Draco looked down when he felt his wife's body slackening a bit. He smiled and kissed her cheek. "You're sleepy," he murmured. She grinned, allowing him to close her book and shift her into his strong (but thin) arms. He carried her into their bedroom. She felt her body come to rest against the soft mattress when he let her go comfortably. Draco began unbuttoning the front of her dress to change her into her nightgown, but she immediately sat bolt upright, blushing. "Draco!" she gasped, earning a grin from him. "I can do that myself!" He leaned forward to plant a warm kiss directly on her lips, mumbling, "And so can I, but which is more enjoyable?" The kiss deepened, the issue of the buttons now completely forgotten.

Astoria sighed in contentment. "Oh, Draco Malfoy, you are a little snake…." she breathed against his lips teasingly. He moved his kisses down to her neck. "That's why I'm a Slytherin…and a Black." he replied. Astoria had never been exactly good at flirting, so the moment she realized that they were both doing it so well, she resisted the urge to giggle as a nervous reflex. "Can I quote you on that?" she asked, smiling down into those beautiful gray eyes. He smirked sultrily. "Oh, of course you can." Astoria sighed when he returned to his loving of her, feeling as if this was so incredibly right. But that little Hufflepuff side of her came out, the one that told her to be just a bit quirky, and before she could stop herself, she playfully said, "Good, because if you keep doing this well, you'll see it in your morning note tomorrow."

Despite the romantic mood that had been set, Draco Malfoy found himself stopping everything to just purely laugh. That little interjection right there was the reason why he loved his wife so incredibly much.