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In the dark of the night Astoria stretches her arms to the other side of the bed searching for her husband but only finding the cold sheets in the space where he’s supposed to be. He had exhausted her not even two hours ago, curled up in their sheets, making her his world by pleasing all of her orgasm after orgasm.
She bit her lip just thinking about it. Many years after he first took her to bed and she still can’t get enough.
Astoria gets up and drags the robe folded on the chair nearby, unraveling it and slithering her arms into the garment. Sleepily, she makes her way down the stairs and towards the only room in the house with a flickering light.
“I thought you were going to sleep after the night we just had.” Astoria said lips pouting and curving into a slow, sweet smile. She ties the stings of her robe as she curls around the library door, watching Draco work away with his papers and notebooks, seemingly scribbling theories, ripping them out of their seams and throwing them lazily towards the trash can. For such a well-kept man, he wasn’t in the late hours of tonight.
“I’m fine.” He responds, without looking up at her. His glasses are sitting atop of the bridge of his nose, his hair dishevelled and unkept, not like it usually is by the day to day. He never put his shirt back on, just slipped on his robe like she did, not even bothering to tie it up, wearing the comfortable muggle sweats that she had shown him. Slowly, Astoria makes her way towards her husband.
“No baggy eyes, no complaints in the evening or morning. No deep naps or sleeping in late. It wouldn’t ever look like you’re tired to someone,” she pauses behind him, and places her hands on his shoulders. She places a soft kiss on his temple. “But I’m your wife. I know how you are.”
She reaches over and takes the books out of his hands, closing them shut. He knew he wouldn’t be able to protest. Astoria goes over and pushes at Draco’s shoulders, creating space between him and the desk so she can shimmy into his lap.
Nestling into his chest she says, “Did you know that the National Sleep Foundation suggests 7 hours of sleep minimum or at least 4 hours to function as a human being?” He would never admit it but he loved it when she spit out random muggle facts to him. His hands slip around the outsides of her thigh.
“Well then, it’s lucky that I’m not a human being. I’m a wizard.” He says, avoiding eye contact with her and instead toying with the hem of her robe.
“You’re a wizard who happens to also be a human being. And to function as my husband, you must sleep.” Her hands brush his hair out of his eyes and she pecks a kiss on his pointed nose.
There was a solemn look on his face as he mutters, “I am a husband who is trying to find a cure that doesn’t exist, for a curse that doesn’t need sleep.” She sighs, there was nothing she could say that could keep Draco’s mind off the impending death of his wife. It doesn’t matter if it was going to be years or decades from now. He would never rest until he was guaranteed eternity.
“Come to bed. Please.”
With a shaky breath he grips her hand and tries to explain, “I don’t want to wake up and know— feel that you’re gone. I know it won’t happen soon, you’re strong and you’re healthy and well. But I don’t to wake up to any of it.”
“You know it’s not going to happen, darling.”
“That’s what you say, Astoria but that’s not going to change anything. I’m scared to sleep, I’m scared the something’s going to happen to your or to Scorpius and I can’t— I can't sleep—”
“Okay,” she breathes out, “okay then. Just come to bed. Just put these medical books and papers down and come to bed. You don’t have to sleep, just come and be with me. Read a book. Please.” When Draco exhales an unsteady breath, her hand on his chest follows the up and down movement of his breathing. He hadn’t met her eyes once.
“I can’t. I don’t want to sleep.” He nearly felt dead inside. She could tell but he hoped to gods she wouldn’t.
“Right then, Draco,” she gets up off his lap, clearly irritated by his refusals. She casted a lumos on her wand and guided herself back up the stairs and back into their bed, letting her eyes fall into sleep, too tired to try and convince Draco to live out the moments that they still do have.
Downstairs, in the study at his desk, Draco rubs his fingers over his eyes, fighting the sleep that he clearly needs. Finding a cure for the maledictus curse wasn’t for the weak and he couldn’t admit to his wife that she was right. But he probably should’ve.
Accepting defeat even if she wasn’t there, he blows out the flame lighting the room and makes his way up the stairs. Before joining his wife in bed again, he takes a right at the end of the stairs and quietly slips into his son’s room. Draco bends over the crib as quietly as possible pressing a soft kiss to Scorpius’ forehead. “I love you, my boy. Always.”
He silently shuts the door behind him and returns to the master bedroom.
Astoria is tucked up in the sheets once again, curled warmly in their bed. He flicks his eyes to the clock on the nightstand next to her, reading 3:33.
He debates whether he should wake her up and apologize. She’s probably not fully asleep anyway. But every time he shuts his eyes for the night, he panics when he wakes. He presses a firm kiss to her temple and whispers, “I’m sorry, my love.” Draco curls an arm around her waist and gently pulls her towards him. “I just don’t know how I’m supposed to do any of this without you.”
Even while stirring in her sleep, Astoria’s hand finds his and slightly squeezes, in a subtle, everything will be okay.