Finding You Again (H.S.)

3. A New Feeling

A/N: Hello lovely people! This new chapter is a time jump from the previous one. The first few chapters will be a series of time jumps to give glimpses and snippets into Harry and Isabelle's childhood before we get to the juicy bits later on. Enjoy!

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*2 years later *

- 2007 -

13-year-old Harry sat sprawled on his tummy on the carpeted floor, his brows furrowed in concentration as he pored over the math problem they were given as homework. Beside him, Isabelle leaned against the front of the sofa, expertly scribbling the working and answers on the math worksheet balanced on her bent knees. Harry turned his head to regard her.

"Belle~~" He whined.

She lifted a finger as an indication for him to wait, finished off the problem then raised her hazel eyes to meet his striking green ones.

"I'm stuck," Harry pouted.

Isabelle sighed dramatically. "Where?" she asked, peering at his worksheet.

"Here," Harry pointed a finger at one of the earlier problems.

"You're still there?" Isabelle exclaimed, "You've been stuck there for almost an hour!"

"I just don't get the hang of this," Harry shrugged.

"Come here, let me see what you've written so far," Isabelle said, shifting to lay on her stomach so they were on the same level, their shoulders brushing.

Harry passed his worksheet over to her and peered over her shoulder as she worked out the problem, narrating what she was doing at the same time for his understanding.

"These two can cancel each other out, then you bring the x over to the other side and change it from a positive to a negative, and you get the answer... x equals minus nine," Isabelle's hands flew effortlessly across the page.

Harry glanced at her; they were so close that he could count the freckles on her cheeks.

"You're so good at this! I'm rubbish!" He rolled over on to his back and raised his arms over his face in exasperation.

"No, you're not, you just need some practice," Isabelle replied, tugging on his wrist.

"Maths is not my thing," Harry grumbled.

"No, it's definitely not," Isabelle giggled as Harry stuck his tongue out at her.

"I'd rather study poetry," Harry shrugged again.

"Now, see, that's what I don't get. Why do they have to say it in that flowery way when they can just say it straight?" Isabelle questioned.

"Because it's art," Harry replied, casually folding his arms behind the back of his head.

Isabelle shot him a look of confusion.

"Look, which one sounds better: 'the course of true love never did run smooth', or 'there's so many challenges in love'?" Harry asked.

"Well, I understood the second one immediately," Isabelle replied, as Harry rolled his eyes at her.

"Belle, you're hopeless," Harry laughed, shaking his head.

"Hey! So are you, doofus!" Isabelle joined in laughter, tapping Harry's nose lightly with her pencil. He shot out a hand to grab her pencil but instead closed his hand around her fist. He watched as her laughter died down and the crinkles around her nose relaxed, but her clear brown eyes still held its bright spark. Harry reached out another hand from behind his head to tuck a stray strand of hair that framed Isabelle's face. Isabelle felt her heartbeat accelerate at this simple touch.

"Why don't you wear your hair down?" Harry asked, twirling a strand from Isabelle's ponytail around his finger.

"Urgh, it's such a bother. It gets all over my face," Isabelle replied, brushing away the tiny wisps of hair about her face.

"You used to wear pigtails all the time. Why did you stop?" Harry asked, randomly.

"Uhhh 'cos pigtails are for kids," Isabelle replied like it was the most obvious thing.

"Oh yeah, and we're SO grown up now," Harry added sassily.

"Well, I am, YOU still act like a five-year-old," Isabelle remarked, bursting into laughter. Harry feigned a hurt expression, placing a hand over his heart.

"Let's finish this stupid thing; I have band practice this afternoon," Harry grumbled, grabbing his math worksheet from Isabelle and rolling back onto his tummy, as Isabelle sniggered beside him.