What Now? | N.H.

Chapter 35 | Epilogue Pt.1

*About 1 year after the proposal*

"Why am I here again?" Harry asks from the dark green, velvet couch. 

"I need help picking out a dress. This is important and you're my best friend so put two and two together Harold," Diana steps out from behind a curtain in a long dress with a white tulle skirt and a beaded bodice draped over her delicate features. She drops the extra fabric when she's stood on the pedestal in front of the mirror. It's a small store she had found tucked in an alleyway on a walk one day. It's not much but, it's everything she needs. The dim lights and colored rugs contrast with the white of the hanging dresses giving the store a homier atmosphere than any commercial bridal shop could. "What about this one?" She studies herself in the mirror, running her hands over the smooth fabric. 

"Harry?" She asks again when he doesn't respond. She turns around and Harry's watering eyes trail up her body to meet her eyes. A sincere smile spreads across his face. "Are you crying?"

"No," He wipes his eyes and tries to cover it up but, gives up when Diana obviously doesn't buy it. "Maybe. Fine, yes, I just can't believe you're getting married," 

"Aww Harry," She makes her way over to where he's sitting and reaches down to hug him. "Don't worry I'm sure you'll be married one day too," He pulls away and slaps her shoulder. 

"You little shit," 

"I'm kidding," She holds her hands up defensively. "Marriage isn't for everybody." He tries to fight her off as she leans down to hug him again. He gives up and slumps forward as she grabs both sides of his face and kisses the top of his head and ruffles his hair. 

"I'll have you know I am in a very happy relationship right now," He crosses his arms proudly. 

"Are you going to propose?" Harry's a bit shocked, although it was a predictable question. Diana grins mischievously as Harry adjusts himself, looking flustered. 

"I-I don't, maybe?" Diana laughs and Harry blushes. 

"Calm down. You don't have to know right now, I was just curious," He lets out a deep exhale and Diana stands back up on the pedestal. "So do you like this one?"

"I love it Di. You look beautiful," Diana scoffs and rolls her eyes. 

"You've said that about every dress I've tried on."

"I know. I know but, I mean it. You'll look beautiful in anything."

"I don't deserve you," She smiles back at him. He shrugs his shoulders and smirks. 

"Where are you going?" Harry asks as Diana steps off the pedestal almost falling as she does so. Her bare feet colliding with the patterned rug on the floor clumsily makes the older looking woman behind her desk look up from her laptop. She regains her balance and waves a shy 'sorry' at the woman. 

"I'm not really feeling this one," He nods his head and buries his nose into his phone to wait for her to come back. When she steps back into the room Harry's jaw drops and his eyes stare at her in disbelief. "Stop looking at me like that," She steps back onto the pedestal dragging the train of the silk dress behind her. 

"Forget what I said about the other dresses. This. This one is it," Diana looks up from where she was staring down at her feet. Her eyes meet her own in the mirror and something within her clicks. The bubble of fantasy had popped and reality came crashing down onto her. It all felt like a dream to her. Now, that dream has faded into her future and that future was speeding at her like a freight train. 

"Di, you okay?" He's standing next to her now, worried as he notices her zoned-out state. She snaps out of it when she feels his palm spread across her back, bringing her out of her thoughts.