No Matter What // Harry Styles AU -- Dunkirk inspired

Chapter Fifty-Five

The snowy road weaves us back to the fair grounds with ease. I barely even notice the young folks walking alongside us. I'm too caught up in the boy with his arm around my shoulder.

I gaze up into his face, listening as he tells me about the work he has next week. I try my hardest to follow along, but the movement of his face is mesmerizing to me. It's like reading music. His eyebrows raise and fall with the slow cadence of his voice. A glimmer of something wild dances in the rim of blue around his green eyes. Even the way he wrinkles his nose when he sniffles from the cold is beyond charming.

Is that even possible?  

Can someone sniffle handsomely?

"Roses?"  

"Huh?" I ask. Harry doesn't say anything. Instead, his mouth settles into that crooked grin of his. "I couldn't hear you over the crowd," I stammer. 

He grins wider, biting his lower lip slightly. His dimples deepen and I swear I can hear my own heartbeat.

"What? I couldn't," I gulp.

"Hazel! Harry!" a voice calls out, saving me from further embarrassment. I look across the sea of people entering the carnival, searching for the voice. "Hazel! Over here!" it calls again. 

A dainty hand darts above the crowd. Lucy, sparkling with excitement, peals through a throng of people, prancing over with Niall in tow. I wave back at Lucy, chuckling at how Niall clutches his wool cap as he tries to keep pace with her.

"Tell me what you were thinking," Harry says. "Before they get over here." 

"I wasn't thinking anything," I lie.

"Liar," he calls me out, grinning. "Tell me."

I open my mouth to tell him to knock it off, but Lucy cuts me off.

"Darling!" she squeals, throwing her arms around me. "Long time no see!"

"Ah, I'm real sorry, Luce," I say. I catch Harry give a little smirk as he rubs his jaw and looks the other way.

"Pishposh," she replies. "We've been havin' ourselves a grand old time. Isn't that right, Niall?"

"A fine time," Niall replies. He folds his hands into his pockets, acting like he wasn't just trailing Lucy like a love sick puppy. 

"Just fine?" Harry asks, laughing. "You look like cupid shot you in the arse, mate."

"Harry!" I shout. Lucy's gloved hands fly to cover her mouth as she leans back and laughs. Niall's face lights up like a christmas tree. 

"You're one to talk," he says, pointing at Harry. "You think Hazel here would like to hear about how many times you got hollered at for having your head in the clouds last week."

Harry's eyes widen as my heart leaps out of my chest. I'm so smitten with him, the thought of him longing for me is an indescribable thrill. 

"You're a dead man," Harry threatens, grinning brightly. Niall lets out a sharp laugh and scurries off, taunting Harry with inside jokes as Harry darts after him. Niall nearly loses his feet which sends Lucy to the moon with laughter, but he manages to catch himself by clinging on to Harry. The two continue their ridiculous tomfoolery, laughing like a couple of school boys.

"What a pair of fools," Lucy says with a laugh. "Amazing isn't it?"

"Hm?" 

"Two months ago, we were locked in a bathroom, losing our stomachs over the middle of the Atlantic. And now," she pronounces, arm extended over the scene in front of us, "we're gazing out upon the finest of suitors!"