Wish Upon A Star (Cont.)

Proposal

It was odd seeing Draco all jumped up. Although he seemed quite calm, Ashlyn knew that he was worried because that's just how he copes with stress. He'd be knee-deep in Alchemy books, a growing hobby of his, and he would neglect sleep and food. 

He thought he was being slick, pretending to be asleep and once he thinks Ashlyn was out like a light, he'd creep out of bed, and vanish into the study only to reappear early in the morning, half an hour before the alarm rings and pretend to have been sleeping all the time.

Ashlyn tried wheedling information out of him, but she never got a proper answer. 

As the days went by, he became more withdrawn, and it almost made her sick with worry. And they saw less of each other, with both being sent around. But howsoever her authority permitted, Ashlyn purposefully tried her best to get Harry and Draco to go on ventures together, something to keep Draco occupied, and Harry can keep an eye on him.

Finally, Ashlyn decided to confront him. 

"What's keeping you up?" she asked closing the door of the study behind her, causing Draco to look up from his book sharply. 

"Aren't you sleeping?" he asked her with a smile. 

"Well, you aren't," she said crossly. "And you don't tell me what's wrong,"

"Nothing's wrong," Draco said. "It's just...I have something to do, and I'm planning it,"

"What?" Ashlyn asked curiously and sat down on the armrest of his armchair. 

"This," Draco said holding his book up. "I was wondering, if alchemy could create a stone to support immortality, then maybe it can do something with time,"

"Like a time turner of sorts," Ashlyn said, scanning the contents of the page he was showing her.

"Yes, a time turner of sorts," Draco nodded.

"What are you going to use a time turner for?" Ashlyn said, still reading.

"...For one, I would go back and give the younger me a good smack upside on his head," Draco said matter-of-factly. 

"And tell him not to be a prat, and not to be mean to you or your friends,"

Ashlyn snickered. "You turn back time, and that's what you are going to do?"

"Well, I'd also stop you from getting tortured," he said softly, taking her right arm, and tracing the scar on her forearm. 

"And hide away with my family, flip over a new leaf,"

Ashlyn sighed and grabbed his face with both her arms. "Honestly, Malfoy, sometimes you scare me," she said.

Draco blinked. "What?"

"I'm scared that the one day I won't be able to pull out from your drowning thoughts," she said, looking in his eyes.

Draco closed his eyes. "That's what I don't get," he said. "Why do you still stay with me? I wake up in cold sweats, I have useless nightmares, I'm insecure, a coward—"

"Oh, shush," Ashlyn cut him off. "You are the last person I'd call a coward. I don't think I would have survived with all that's happened to you. You fought back, you fought for yourself and others. Even when you were terrified, you tried, and that's not something a coward would do,"

"...You make being brave so easy," he smiled.

"...Except talking to Papa," Ashlyn added. Draco snorted.

"Now what is this thing you are working on?" she said. "Maybe together, we can find something more. You know I'm an excellent researcher,"

............................................