AN: Okay so I owe anyone who has read, reviewed, favorited, or followed this story a huge massive apology. You might have thought I abandoned you but I promise this is not the case. It's been a long, complicated editing process for the past... year? I don't even know, I'm just really lazy and it took too long. So I'm very sorry for the wait, but here is chapter 10! Please leave a review.

P.S. Some minor details have been tweaked in previous chapters, nothing major, but dates have been added for convenience! Enjoy!

Fall, 2004

"Will Malcolm and I see you at dinner tonight?"

Astoria looked up from her parchment and smiled at Elsie. "I'll have to check with Draco, he said something about taking control of our kitchen tonight."

"Your kitchen, you mean?" Elsie raised an eyebrow pointedly.

Astoria flushed under her friend's gaze. Over the past month or so, Elsie had so kindly pointed out that Draco and Astoria were sort of maybe definitely living together. Astoria disagreed. It was just more convenient for Draco to keep some spare clothes at her flat because that's where they spent most nights and if his cologne and toothbrush and shampoo ended up in her bathroom it was only out of convenience. And selling his flat was only logical because between her place and the manor, he never spent any time there so why waste the money.

But not once did they talk about living together. It was just a convenient arrangement, and what would happen if she did bring up the subject and they weren't on the same page? She didn't want to spoil anything, since the whole affair was very low-key and enjoyable just the same.

"My kitchen," Astoria agreed, clearing her throat.

Elsie slapped her armful of parchment onto her desk. "Tor, if you'd just speak with him! He's your boyfriend, not a goblin. It can't fall completely to shit if you just ask."

"But it can," Astoria said. She slouched back in her chair. "He's perfect, Elsie."

"Nobody's perfect. Especially Draco Malfoy. He's a Malfoy for Merlin's sake. You could do much better if you ask me, but he treats you just fine, so I can't complain."

"I'm going to make a mess of it either way. What if I ask him and he gets scared?"

Elsie smiled condescendingly. "If he gets scared, he's sick in the head and you shouldn't be with him. But he won't. You're making this out to be more than it is."

Astoria nodded, her forehead starting to ache from pinching her eyebrows together with worry. She turned back to her work, and Elsie smacked her hand away from her mouth (she wasn't even aware she'd been chewing her nails, goodness she was gone on this man). Elsie was right, Draco wasn't perfect, but Astoria was pretty positive he was the closest she'd ever find. He had a dark past, but they both did, coming from pureblood families and he'd gotten mixed up in something much larger than he imagined when he was just a boy. She didn't blame him for any of it. They were all kids, young and swayed by the views of their parents.

Draco had changed. She had changed. It was a fresh start for both of them.

"So you'll ask him then?"

Astoria started, looking at Elsie. "Yes, I'll ask."

/\\
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That evening when she returned from dinner with Malcolm and Elsie, her flat smelled of fresh baked goods and honey. She followed the scent into the kitchen, where she found Draco at the bench top, spattered with flour and other ingredients, though everything else was surprisingly clean.

She leaned against the door jam and watched him work, completely unaware of the soft smile on her face. Draco moved gracefully to the oven door and retrieved a steaming pan of biscuits.

He turned around suddenly, letting the oven door slam. They both jumped at the sound and he smiled. "Watching me?"

She blushed. "What of it?"

"As long as you're enjoying the view," He said cheekily. He gestured to the cooling rack on the bench top. "How was dinner?"

"Good," She said, stepping into the kitchen. Draco's hands quickly found her waist under her jumper and she flushed even more. "Baking?"

"Trying to," He said, too preoccupied rubbing circles and raising goose bumps across her skin. He leaned in, inhaling against her neck, and pressed his lips against the sensitive skin there. His voice dropped to a whisper. "But I've given up. Bed time?"

Astoria let her eyes slip closed and bit her lip. "Bed time," She agreed.

He paused only to turn off the oven and pushed her out of the kitchen, kissing her senseless and never letting his hands leave her body. They fell backwards onto the bed, shoving out of the way a few of his ties and one of her bras, and Draco focused all of his attention on her neck, her collar bone.

Astoria turned her head to allow him better access, and that was when she noticed the small stack of worn paperbacks on the bedside table. Not one of the titles she recognized, all of them being biographies or historical recordings. She knew they had to be Draco's. Of course he kept his books here. His watch was sitting next to the clock and his suits were in her closet and he baked in her kitchen when she wasn't even home.

"Draco," She gasped.

"What," He demanded against her neck. He moved to her lips and kissed her firmly, mistaking her gasp for pleasure.

She forgot for a second what she wanted to say, opening her mouth and meeting her tongue with his. Then she pulled back, "Draco."

He opened his eyes and looked down at her. "Yes?"

She swallowed, suddenly nervous. "Do we—are you—why did you sell your flat?"

His face immediately twisted into confusion. "I—pardon?"

"Why did you sell your flat? Is it because you couldn't afford it? Your mother needed you around? Or do you—do you live here? With me, I mean? Because you don't have to if that's too much but I'm just wondering because—well, I don't know why. I just—yeah." She bit down on her lip to keep herself from spewing any more idiotic babble.

Draco stared down at her, his face a mixture of confusion and something she couldn't quite place. "Are you asking me if I live with you?"

"Yes," She squeaked, so mortified she couldn't even look at him. She focused on a smear of flour on his cheek instead.

"Astoria," He said, "Please look at me."

She managed to make eye contact with him and turned redder than she thought possible, which made him smile. "If you're asking me to live with you, you're a lot thicker than I thought you were," When she opened her mouth to protest, he went on. "I already live here, love. Have been for a little while now if you've not noticed. My only concern is, do you mind?"

"Mind what?"

"Me, living here, with you," He said.

"No!" She exclaimed a bit too forcefully. "I mean, no, obviously."

"Obviously," He repeated with a smile. He pressed his forehead against hers. "I love you, Astoria. I thought you should know. That's not an expectation, you don't owe me the same, I just want you to know."

"I love you," She said earnestly. "I really do."

He kissed her then, long and hard until speaking was unnecessary.