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A Matter of Time	By : AdaraB Category: Harry Potter AU/AR > Het - Male/Female Views: 7796 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns everything in the Harry Potter universe. I own nothing and I make no profit off of this story.

Chapter List
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Chapter 33 – The Week of Gifts

Ashleigh woke up in an unfamiliar bed wrapped in Draco’s embrace. For a moment she couldn’t remember where she was although once she saw the tray on the ceiling that led to the annex, she remembered everything. Sitting up quickly, she began looking around frantically as if looking for something.

Ashleigh’s sudden movements woke Draco up and he sat up just as quickly looking worried.

“What is it? What’s wrong?” Draco asked her when he noticed that she seemed to be looking for something.

“Severus, I don’t know if he got home okay last night.”

Ashleigh was just about to jump out of bed to seek him out when Draco grabbed her arm to stop her.

“He got in around three in the morning. He’s fine and he’s resting. I’m sure you are able to understand why he was called last night given your reason for staying here. Tawny will alert you to when he is ready to begin your lessons. For now, come back to bed, it’s only seven. If I know Severus, and believe me I do, then you won’t hear anything until ten o’clock.”

“I know, you’re right. I’m not tired though.” She said as she settled back down onto the bed and lay down next to him.

“I said you should come back to bed sweetheart, not that you should sleep.” He shifted and settled his body over hers. His eyes darkening as he looked at her.

“Oh really? How would you suggest we spend the remaining of our time Mr. Malfoy?” Ashleigh replied with a saucy grin.

“Oh I don’t know, perhaps something that would require the proper spells?” Draco replied as he ground his erection into her abdomen.

“That sounds like it could be fun.”

“I can guarantee that it will be very fun.” He replied as he bent to take her mouth with his own in a kiss that was full of passion and desperation. Their tongues battled for dominance and it was only when Draco’s hands slipped underneath her shirt that Ashleigh remembered that they never actually put up the spells.

Pushing Draco away to break their kiss, Ashleigh had to laugh at the dejected look on his face.

“Relax Draco, I just need to put up a few spells before we go too far to care. We wouldn’t want to wake Severus now would we?” She asked as she leaned over to grab her wand from the night stand.

After putting up a silencing charm, locking the door and placing a contraceptive charm on herself she replaced her wand where she had gotten it. Quickly yanking her shirt over her head, she turned back to Draco.

“Now, where were we?” She asked him as she pulled him back on top of her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Tawny is sorry to disturb you miss but Master Severus is asking that you meet him in his study at ten thirty.” The little elf stated, pulling on her ears and looking quite out of place.

“Thank you Tawny.” Ashleigh said just before the elf disappeared from sight.

Ashleigh and Draco had just finished dressing after showering together. She was glad she hadn’t thought to take the wards down before they got in because they found themselves once again engaged in their favorite carnal activities and well…neither of them was quiet.

After Ashleigh slipped on her shoes, they made their way down to the kitchen where Ashleigh made them egg, ham and cheese sandwiches for breakfast. Draco admitted he was pans at cooking, although he had never tried.

“How do you know you’re not good at something unless you’ve tried? You did well in your studies, potions especially. I’d bet you be good at cooking.”

“Well it’s not to say I wouldn’t be any good if I tried. But why should I bother when I have house elves?”

“Really Draco, are you going to have house elves wipe your ass for you too?” Ashleigh asked with a smirk.

“Of course not! I’m merely pointing out that there are some things that are unnecessary for me to do because I have house elves.”

“You should still learn to do some things for yourself. What if one day you didn’t have house elves and you had to survive on your own know how? What would you do then?”

“Well if that scenario ever came to pass, which it won’t, I’ll learn it then. In the mean time I’ll enjoy the millions of galleons that are sitting in my volt in Gringott’s.”

Ashleigh just shook her head at his stubbornness.

“You’re impossible.”

“You love me.”

“Hmm.”

“I know you love me.”

Ashleigh just shrugged her shoulders as she turned her back on him to finish the dishes.

Draco hopped off the counter he’d been sitting on and crossed the kitchen to stand behind Ashleigh. Resting his chin on her shoulder, Draco wrapped his arms around Ashleigh until he held her arms captive.

Ashleigh tried to struggle out of his grasp but was unable.

“Let me go Draco.”

“Not until you tell me you love me.”

“You are so stubborn.”

“Yes I am. Now let me hear the words sweetheart.”

Ashleigh grumbled a bit before mumbling out the words that he wanted to hear.

“Now, now, that wasn’t nearly good enough. It should be heartfelt. After all, I do know that you actually do love me.”

“Then why do you need me to say it?”

“I just like to hear when I’m right.”

“Heh. Don’t I know it!”

“No reason to be snarky.”

“That’s not snark, that’s truth.”

“Do I need to say it first?” Draco asked in a condescending tone.

“Say what first?”

Ashleigh and Draco jumped as Severus entered the kitchen.

Severus had a small smirk on his face that held more mirth than the other two had ever seen on his face.

Ashleigh wasn’t sure what to make of the situation so she just kept quiet. Draco on the other hand thought it perfectly fine to let the older man in on his little game.

“I was just making Ashleigh here admit that she loves me. You think it wouldn’t be so difficult since she’s already said it on multiple occasions before.”

Ashleigh gave Draco a dark look.

“Well I don’t really think it’s necessary for Ashleigh to tell you that she loves you every time you want to hear it since you already know that she does.”

Ashleigh sent Draco a smug look, happy that he was obviously taking her side.

“Especially since she spent the entire morning showing you.” Severus stated with a superior look. It only took a second before the corners of his mouth quirked up into a smile.

Ashleigh’s mouth was hanging open in a most undignified way. She was completely dumbfounded. Had Severus really just made a joke about her sex life? Now she was pissed. Throwing down the dish towel she had been drying her hands with, she gave each man a scathing look and exited the room. She couldn’t believe it. She really couldn’t believe it. Draco she could see, and was used to making comments that were more on the insensitive side but Severus? She felt like burying her head in a pillow. There were none in the sitting room so she settled for the book she’d been reading yesterday instead.

Draco entered the room a few minutes later and sat next to Ashleigh.

Ashleigh ignored him.

After a few more minutes of silence Draco couldn’t take it anymore. Leaning a little closer to her he whispered, “I love you. You know that right?”

Ashleigh took a slow breath to even her heart rate before looking at him. Slowly she nodded.

“Why won’t you say it?”

“I’m mad at you.”

“Why?”

“Why? Because you’re spreading our personal business around like Lavender Brown! I thought you of all people would want to keep what we do and say as our business alone. But no! You and your godfather, yes Severus I’m talking about you!” She yelled. “Have decided to make a mockery of our private lives. Excuse me if I’m not laughing at my own expense.” She stood quickly and walked toward the study.

“I do love you Draco, but I don’t love that part of you. I’m assuming you know where the floo is.” She stated as she turned abruptly and went into Severus’s study to await him as it was five minutes till ten thirty.

Draco stood there shocked for a few minutes. He never would have believed that she would take the whole situation so personally. They were just joking around. He hadn’t said anything too revealing had he? He hadn’t thought so.

Severus entered the room a moment later looking as put out as Draco had ever seen him. He didn’t think the man had ever regretted saying anything until this moment. The other girls Draco had been with would have smirked proudly at his comment, it was further proof that someone else knew what was going on between them. They hoped that it would land them a permanent place in Draco’s life. He had been wrong to make the comment. He knew it as soon as it had left his mouth. Not for the first time in his life, he felt utterly repulsed by himself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ashleigh’s first lesson was going well. That was, if you didn’t count the awkward silences between the two. When it came to the potions Ashleigh and Severus were focused and had no problems conversing. It was during their breaks that the silence became unbearable.

“Ashleigh, I must apologize for my earlier comments. It was inappropriate and uncalled for. I admit I should have known that you would not take those comments the same way as Draco’s previous paramours.”

Ashleigh studied him for a moment before responding.

“You’re right. You should have known me better than that. I don’t appreciate comments such as the one you made. Whether or not you know what we do in our private time, I expect you to keep it to yourself. I thought you of all people would use more discretion.”

“Once again, I apologize. Such mistakes in judgment will not occur again.”

“Thank you. Now as for this potion…”

Hours later, after they had completed three potions, Severus decided to ask the question that had been plaguing him since the morning.

“If you don’t mind my asking, why didn’t you forgive Draco? What I said was much worse and yet I have gained your forgiveness.”

Ashleigh considered his question for a moment before responding.

“He didn’t apologize. He didn’t even think about it. I suppose he still hasn’t realized that he has done something to offend me.”

“I may be completely obtuse here, but why are you so mad at him?”

“Because before he told you that we’ve said those three very important words to each other the only other people who knew were his parents. I haven’t even told Harry and I’m sorry Severus but he is a bit higher on my list of important people than you. He is the only family I have and I thought he should know something this important to me before anyone else.”

“I agree. Why haven’t you told him, if I may ask?”

“It just never seemed like the right time. We were so busy with figuring out this new adaption of the AK, revision and then N.E.W.T.s. There was just no time for anything personal. Believe me, I was so excited to just feel what I feel for Draco that I was about to burst. But finding a way to save Harry had to be one of my top priorities. My feelings of all things had to come last.”

“I admire you.”

“Excuse me?”

“I admire your ability to put things into perspective at such a young age. You’re able to focus on what is really important rather than what is important to only you. If I had been able to do so at your age I would not be what I am today.”

“Perhaps, although what would have become of me?”

This gave Severus something to think about. Had he made different decisions what would have become of Ashleigh? Would she ever have traveled back in time or would she have learned of her magic when she was eleven? Severus mentally shook himself out of his thoughts. It would do no good to dwell of the 'what if's' in life. It would only serve to drive him mad.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The gifts started arriving that evening. They were delivered by Cleo, the owl Draco had chosen for her a month ago. How Draco had called her she didn’t know but she knew that he knew that she would not let the owl peck at the window only to be ignored.

The first gift was a rather magnificent platinum chain link bracelet that held a heart shaped diamond at the center. It was rather beautiful, even she had to admit.

The second gift was a crystal orchid, her favorite flower. The crystal petals even faded into the dark pink at the center of the blossom. It looked like it had just been picked, it was so perfect.

The third gift was a cashmere scarf and glove set. It was the finest wool she had ever touched.

The fourth gift was a gift certificate to the most elite spa in the Wizarding world…It was in France.

The fifth gift was an enormous arrangement of the most unique flowers she had ever seen. The bright colors were beautiful and fascinating but she had no idea what they were. The card said they were magical hybrids that had been commissioned by Draco specifically for her.

The sixth gift was a perfume that as Draco stated in a letter, would smell divine on her.

The seventh gift she refused to open.

She sent it back to Draco with no note just as she had the last week worth of gifts.
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A Matter of Time