Lovely story. It's an unusual pairing so it's nice to see that. Pacing was a bit fast and the story lacked any real tension, but considering you wanted a simple story which was basically a one-shot that ran away, I think you achieved that :)

This was an unexpected treat, nice job.

I like the way in which you depict Corban's explanation regarding the reasons why the Purebloods think the way they do and his admission that his own prejudices (such as they are) stem from the indoctrination he received as a child. One of the reasons why I like this story so much is that it doesn't take the easy way out of simply labeling all Death Eaters as evil instead of depicting them as three-dimensional...especially after JKR subtly used both Draco and Snape as evidence showing that different people might have different reasons for making the decision to become Death Eaters and that at least a few of them learn to regret that decision (especially if they made it when they were young). I find stories which pair Hermione with a Slytherin/reformed Death Eater appealing and interesting (at least when they're written well) because relationships in real life are often difficult and require both people to make adjustments and reevaluate their previous assumptions.

I would like to see someone write a Harry Potter post-war story in which someone at the Ministry (an Unspeakable in the Love room?) comes up with a way to find the ideal partner for each witch or wizard. Since the Wizarding world is a fairly small one and some lingering prejudices and resentments remain after the war, the couples initially communicate via owl without revealing their real names (hints of "You've Got Mail") and the initial in-person meeting takes place in a dark room - a little bit like Dining In The Dark. Hermione is shocked and frightened when she eventually discovers that her partner is a Slytherin and former Death Eater - but after learning that her partner was pressured into joining and experienced his own fear of discovery, she realizes that her partner is not the only one struggling with prejudices. Her partner persuades her to begin trusting him again when he teaches her that she doesn't always need to be the strong one.

I hope you'll eventually let us know what Hermione finds when she finally manages to plot the Arithmancy equations for her relationship with Corban...!

I like this story very much, especially the clever way in which you managed to use the deleted scene from the first "Deathly Hallows" film in which Yaxley breaks into the Granger family home only to find it empty. It can't have been easy to come up with a set of circumstances which would realistically convince Hermione to agree to a deal with a Death Eater - even a disloyal one - but you pulled it off.

Amazing story, can read it for hours. Thanks for a real treat.

I read "A Sidestep Before The Locket" by Elisheva Nadir on in 2012. I saved a file with this story somewhere.

Thank you for writing this lovely fic with Yaxley and Hermione.

I wasn't expecting a proposition. Wow. Full of surprises :D

OF MY F*****G GOD! THAT FIRST SCENE!

It has been ages since any sort of writing has elicited that response from me! I was shrieking, both in horror and understanding and glee, and I was facepalming for Hermione's situation, and I WAS LIKE, THAT MAKES SO MUCH SENSE, SUCH A MARVELOUS IDEA!

Oh, shoot, I have to read the rest of the chapter. Excuse me, I'll continue the review in a bit.

It was so marvelous. I'm so glad the war is over so quickly. I can't express how frigging happy to have found this story! I have been losing hope to find stories like these in this website. You bring hope and joy to my world. So, I wish & pray you all the hope, joy, health, and whatever you desire as well!

TWO THINGS I ADORED HERE:

One, is that making Yaxley step up because he was happy with his life after the first wizarding war. IT JUST MAKES SO MUCH SENSE. They liked it how their Lord was dead. He was even meant to marry (of course I caught that part, I wonder who the witch was and whether we'll see her in the future). That was very good way of both convincing Hermione and the readers that it is possible for a person to swtich sides.

TWO. (This was so frigging adorable): Yaxley turned the paper and asked Hermione whether she took the class and what she could interpret from the numbers. It beat all the blushings and awkwardness. It is a moment that I can relate to well in day to day life which makes Yaxley a more realistic character for me, and it was so adorable of him to include Hermione like that. It reminds me how teachers work with their pupil, and I'm a sucker for a crush that start lilke that.

Amazing chapter! Thank youuuu...!

OH MY GOD, THIS IS SO PRECIOUS!

First of all, you have a lovely writing style! All the words (some I would kill to remember while writing), how you set the scene visually and the background noises you include (like the chime of the church bell) and the sentence structures leave me in admiration... so amazing!

Next, I really really really really REALLY appreciate the thought you gave to how it was like for Hermione to return home & plot her parents' move. There are so many details there that make this story so realistic (real estate coming, changing their names in licences, confunding officals etc). AND I loved how you showed Hermione's worry over the Order's disinterest to protect her: no news for her, no special wards on her house, no protection offered for her parents etc. I LOVE IT.

LASTLY, I liked that you are writing down Yaxley's accent. For all the time I have been writing in English, I know that those nuances escape me so I appreciate it even more when I see a fellow accomplished author include them and make a hell of an amazing job with it!

THANK YOU FOR WRITING AND SHARING THIS STORY. I'm immensely happy that it was not a one-shot :D

Loved it!

I am glad this ended up longer than a one-shot. I enjoyed this little journey so much I didnt want to see it end!

thanks for a fun read! If you ever want to add onto this storyline to delve into their future and perhaps a threesome (hehe) with Toshka...I mean WHO WOULD SAY NO. either way loved it!

Loved this!

Glad to see Yaxley is still getting some love from active writers. And it looks like all the formatting cooperated this time ;)

I really liked this story. There wasn't much conflict in it, but it worked as a simple, sweet fic. I suppose my only sort of criticism would be that we didn't really get to see how Hermione's attraction to Yaxley developed. She got a few glimpses of his pretty hands, but there wasn't much beyond that, and suddenly she is agreeing to marry him. Since the story is told from her perspective, it would have been nice to follow along with her feelings for him as they grew. But I still really enjoyed the story. You always write such an endearing Yaxley.